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ISSUE 105 I MARCH 2013 ISSUE 108 I JUNE 2013

THE

BRISTOL THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CITY OF BRISTOL www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

M A G A £3.00 Z Iwhere N sold E £3.00 where sold

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CITY OF BRISTOL

RWA SPECIAL LEADING BRITISH SCULPTOR

PLUS

PLAYTIME

PLEASURES

SOPHIE

OUR PICK OF THE WEST’S OUTDOOR THEATRES

GOES ON SHOW WITH A MONUMENTAL EXHIBITION

SMALL CAR CITY

RYDER

ALSO

QUEEN OF VINTAGE

PEARL

LOWE REVEALS HER STYLE SECRETS THEATRE DIRECTOR

SALLY

COOKSON SHARES HER MUSICAL CHOICES

AND

VAUXHALL

ADAM

TBM TESTS THIS THOROUGHLY MODERN MINI REVIEW

HARVEYS CELLARS ON SERVING CLASSIC TAPAS OVER ONE HUNDRED

THINGS TO DO IN BRISTOL THIS MONTH

ON T HE MARKE T: B R ISTO L’S FIN E ST HO M E S & P R OPERTIES

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contents

June 2013 58 46 36

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FIVE THINGS TO DO

40

Saddle up for Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride

14

THE CITYIST BARTLEBY Should the State fund the arts?

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46

24 26

36

ARTIST PROFILE Lucie Sheridan’s work can be found on tea towels and Sunday supplements

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ALFRESCO THEATRE West country drama under the stars

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FOOD & DRINK

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RESTAURANT REVIEW A taste of Spanish sun in Denmark Street

55

SUMMER WINE Angela Mount’s picks for picnics, festivals and barbecues

58 62

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INTERIORS For sale: a converted schoolhouse with bags of interior space

76 GARDENING Rebecca Pow takes inspiration from Cuba

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PROPERTY The best homes for sale and to let in and around Bristol

THE

BRISTOL twitter#thebristolmag

FAMILY FUN

ON THE COVER

Let’s go fly a kite. . .

Hugging by Sophie Ryder, part of her Monumental exhibition at the Royal West of England Academy, from 12 June

THE WALK Head out to the banks of the Severn

64

TURN HEADS We check out the newest hair salon in Whiteladies Road

What’s cooking on the gastronomic scene

WHAT’S ON Don’t miss out on Bristol’s cultural highlights for June

THE GLASS CEILING The two women who are proving that you can be successful over 50

FACE THE MUSIC Theatre director Sally Cookson talks about her favourite music

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A STITCH IN TIME The best workshops for making things

WEEKEND BREAK Hire a campervan without breaking the bank and head for the coast

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW Stylish, candid and canny: Pearl Lowe on motherhood, addiction and being creative

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The city galleries’ June shows

Bristol blogger Oyster and Pearl

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ART & EXHIBITIONS

FIT FOR SUMMER The latest hair and body care products

Photo: Harry Scott www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

MAGAZINE

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Knight Frank June:full page

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Guide price: ÂŁ1,750,000

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Sneyd Park

A spacious and versa&le apartment in a period townhouse with outstanding views over The Downs.

Entrance hall, drawing room, dining room, kitchen. Master bedroom with ensuite shower room, guest bedroom, bathroom. Addi&onal cellar storage. Parking, garage. EPC ra ng D.

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh%rank.com 0117 3171999

SOLD

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A stunning 2 bedroom first floor apartment situated within a Grade II Listed townhouse. Drawing room, open plan kitchen. Superb master bedroom. 2nd bedroom/study. Exquisite bou&que style shower room.

Balcony. Private garage. Shared off-street parking. Extensive communal gardens.

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EDITOR’Sletter

W

e don’t really go in for mission statements at The Bristol Magazine, but we do work with a sense of purpose, namely to alert you to some of the entertaining and diverting happenings in this beautiful, diverse, lively city of ours.

So, for June, we’re looking forward to Bristol’s BIG Green Week, which includes the Festival of Nature down by the Harbourside and Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride on 16 June. Last year some 5,000 cyclists of all ages took part and it would be good to see even more this year taking to two wheels and reinforcing Bristol’s status as a green city.

For this issue we’ve talked to Bristol Old Vic director Sally Cookson – the woman who brought Treasure Island to King Street and won audiences’ hearts with her production of Peter Pan last Christmas – about her plans to bring a new show to the streets this summer. We’re also looking forward to another semi-alfresco culture fest as the Bristol Comedy Festival prepares to bring some of the country’s top stand-ups to Queen Square at the beginning of July. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for a dry summer so audiences can enjoy the outdoor theatre season – have a look at our round-up of the region’s finest to help you plan ahead.

Our celebrity profile this month is Pearl Lowe, singer turned queen of all things vintage. She’s got lots of ideas for taking old bits and pieces and turning them into something useful and beautiful, which chimes very nicely with our green theme. And with that, I will get my bike out of the hall, pack my notebook into my wicker basket and wobble off down the Portway. Have a good mid-summer!

GEORGETTE McCREADY

All paper used to make this magazine is taken from good sustainable sources and we encourage our suppliers to join an accredited green scheme. Magazines are now fully recyclable. By recycling magazines, you can help to reduce waste and contribute to the six million tonnes of paper already recycled by the UK paper industry each year. Please recycle this magazine, but if you are not able to participate in a recycling scheme, then why not pass your magazine on to a friend or colleague.

CONTACT THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE: Editor Tel: Email:

Georgette McCready 01225 424592 georgette@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Deputy Editor Email:

Samantha Coleman sam@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Editorial Assistant Email:

Rosie Parry rosie@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Production Manager Email: Commercial Production Email:

Jeff Osborne production@thebristolmagazine.co.uk Lorna Harrington lorna@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Publisher Tel: Email:

Steve Miklos 0117 974 2800 stevem@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Contact the Advertising Sales team on tel: 0117 974 2800 Advertising Sales Email:

Kathy Williams kathy@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Advertising Sales Email:

Sue Parker sue@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

The Bristol Magazine and The Bath Magazine are published by MC Publishing Ltd and are completely independent of all other local publications.

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

June 2013

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ZEITGEIST

5

things to do in June

Enjoy

Ride

SADDLE UP: celebrate the 20th anniversary since the founding of Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride by taking part in one of five routes, between nine and 38 miles, on Saturday 16 June. Last year more than 5,000 cyclists took part in this free event – and because it’s so popular it’s vital to register beforehand. Go online to: www.betterbybike.info to register.

We’re keeping our fingers crossed that Bristol will win the European Green Capital award for 2015, which is announced on 14 June in France. But meanwhile, we have the chance to demonstrate the city’s green credentials during the 2013 BIG Green Week, which kicks off on Friday 15 June with the Festival of Nature on the Harbourside. The City Hall hosts a FareFashion launch on Saturday 15 June, with a pop-up buffet, an eco-fashion show and music. On Monday 17 June, Mayor George Ferguson will set out his eco-vision for Bristol and on Tuesday 18, Richard Branson will be on a live video link answering questions about business innovation. There’ll be a free question time in City Hall on Wednesday 19 June on the state of nature and by Saturday 22 June more than 200 market stalls will take over the city centre for Bristol’s BIG market. There are lots of other events, including an art trail, films and guest speakers. For a full line-up of events visit: www.biggreenweek.co.uk.

Laugh

Book

Have a laugh on us at this year’s Bristol Comedy Garden when it returns to Queen Square for four nights in July. We’ve got a pair of tickets for one lucky reader and friend to go and see Irish star Ed Byrne on opening night, Wednesday 3 July. Answer the question below and stand a chance of joining Ed and a supporting cast, featuring Tony Law, a regular face on Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and award-winning Aisling Bea, with her Tigger-like energy and infectious charm. Hosting the show is Canadian story weaver Craig Campbell, cited by many as the best rabble-rouser around.

Q: How many nights is this year’s Comedy Garden running for?

Send your answers by noon on Friday 21 June to competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk, marking your email Comedy Garden. Or, if you prefer post, send a postcard to MC Publishing, 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED. Whichever method you use, don’t forget to include your name, address and a contact phone number. Competition entries must be 18 due to the adult content of some of the humour.

The Bristol Old Vic is doing away with all haughty formalities for a new summer Proms season, which runs from 29 July to 3 August, and provides live music of all genres for almost pocket money prices. For just £5 you’ll be able to stand in the theatre’s pit, just as they did in the 18th century, to witness shows such as Max Richter’s fresh take on Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Jon Boden performing Elvis Costello’s The Juliet Letters and the internationally acclaimed violinist Nicola Benedetti playing solo and unaccompanied in a programme which includes The Lark Ascending. Seated tickets are priced up to £12 and all are on sale now from the box office, tel: 0117 987 7877.

Listen Bristol Zoo is hosting its third annual WOMAD (World of Music and Dance) gig on Saturday 22 June, set in the Zoo’s gardens, home to over 400 species from lions, lizards and lemurs to gorillas, geckos and giant tortoises. The Dhol Foundation, with its thunderous drum sounds, is topping the bill, while confirmed performers include Cajun inspired Sarah Savoy and The Francadians, Australian The Barons of Tang, Diabel Cissokho from Senegal and UK-based Katy Carr & the Aviators.

Revellers can also visit a host of different animal species as some of the animal houses will be kept open late. Tickets are £22 (adult) and £5 (child). Under 5s are free.

For more information visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk/whats-on or phone 0117 974 7300

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THE CITY

One city . . . one month

The buzz

My

BRISTOL

We ask Lottie Storey writer, blogger and arts marketing manager what she’s doing this month What brought you to Bristol?

Apart from a few years at university and the obligatory stint in London, I’m Bristol through and through. Born and raised in this wonderful city, and now raising my own family here.

Shop: With a fast growing celebrity

What are you reading?

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. It’s the latest read for my book group, and the first I’ve read as an e-book. Loving it.

following, and a rave review from Vogue, which described her as “the shoe world’s new rising star” Sophia Webster has made her colourful statement designs available in the south west for the first time, at Harvey Nichols in Bristol. This pair of head-turning heels will set you back £595.

What is on your MP3 player?

I’ve just made a playlist for summer: First Aid Kit, Phoenix, Laura Marling, Daft Punk, Alela Diane, plus Elvis Presley, The Police, Fleetwood Mac, Al Green, and Johnny Cash.

Something old, something new.

Which café or restaurant takes your fancy?

I love the Ethicurean, particularly at this time of year. The walled garden is utterly beautiful, with food to match. It always feels like a mini holiday heading out to Wrington in the sunshine.

Sing:

Make a note to be down by the Harbourside at 3.15pm on Saturday 6 July to hear 1,000 voices raised in song for WaterAid’s Big Sing for charity. Find out more, visit: www.singforwaterwest.org

Splash: Now’s the time for your company to sign up for the annual paddle thrash that is the Dragon Boat Festival, held in Baltic Wharf in Bristol Harbour in September. Teams of 16 are required to take to their 40 foot long dragon boats and race the 250 metre course – all to raise money for the charity of their choice. Organisers Funraisers are now taking entries for the Sunday 22 September event. Visit: www.funraisers.org.uk and start teambuilding and preparing those ‘guns’ for paddling.

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Film or play? What will you be going to see this month?

The Six Wives of Henry VIII at the Brewery Theatre. I’m just coming out of a nearobsession with the Tudors after reading The Other Boleyn Girl. And I can feel a binge of back catalogue Woody Allen films coming on…

The Yellow Book: 2013 National Garden Scheme, Gardens Open for Charity When the sun comes out there can be fewer greater pleasures for a gardener than visiting someone else’s garden and enjoying the fruits of their hard labour. Most weekends between now and the end of September we can find private gardens thrown open to raise money for good causes, including Macmillan Cancer and local hospices. The main season kicks off with a national garden festival over the weekend of 15/16 June. With a copy of the famous yellow

Portrait by Alice Hendy

Which museum or gallery will you be visiting?

The Royal West of England Academy – I can’t wait to see the Sophie Ryder exhibition, Monumental. I’ll love a nose around Jamaica Street Studios over the open weekend.

Your passions? What hobbies or interests will you be pursuing?

I’ll be desperately trying to get in shape for summer with Bristol Bootcamp Company’s early morning sessions. In slight contradiction, I’m also hoping for plenty of dinner parties, summer cocktails and general decadence. Plus, we’re building a treehouse in our back garden, so the whole family is keeping everything crossed for plenty of sun.

What local outdoor event will you be visiting?

I can’t wait for Giffords Circus. The family was enchanted with last summer’s show, and we have high hopes for this year’s performance, Lucky 13. It’s traditional circus chockfull of wonder and west country. British summertime at its finest.

Any other projects/work in progress?

I’m a Bristol writer, blogger and marketer, specialising in lifestyle and the arts. Currently, my clients include the Architecture Centre, University of Bristol and Future Publishing. I’m also busy writing my first book. My blog is Oyster and Pearl (www.oysterandpearl.co.uk), and you can read my writing portfolio at: www.lottiestorey.co.uk

book, or a look at: www.ngs.org.uk, you can choose which gardens take your fancy in the city or the villages around it.

We’re following @Queen_UK the delightfully caustic spoof Elizabeth Windsor, who has over a million followers and whose witty observations on her family, her Government and her daily routines – ‘gin o’clock’ – raise a loyal smile

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Kemps Jewellers established 1881 9 CARLTON COURT, WESTBURY ON TRYM • 0117 950 5090

Kemps are a family business, carrying an extensive range of new and second-hand jewellery, across a wide price range, and offering you • Professional Friendly Advice • • Beautiful Gift Ideas • • Gift Wrapping Service • • Registered Pawnbrokers • • Jewellery and watch repairs undertaken • • Gold purchased - old jewellery & coins •

www.kempsjewellers.com

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Time to invest in creative thinking

T

here’s a debate going on at the moment about public funding for the arts. Should all artistic endeavours pay for themselves, as the late Lady Thatcher might have suggested? Or should the taxpayer support theatres, art galleries and so on, allowing them to show us plays and exhibitions that would not otherwise be viable?

We understand that, here in Bristol, Mayor George Ferguson and team are planning a thorough review of the council budget, starting from scratch and then allocating money to the most crucial or valuable services. Phrases like ‘cutting out dead wood’ spring to mind, and I’m sure that lots of people will be waiting nervously to see whether their jobs and activities are deemed relevant enough to receive funding. There’s bound to be a certain amount of subjective decision-making. Is it more important to encourage physical health by supporting sports and fitness activities, or to provide more care for the elderly, or to boost the city’s economy by promoting tourism?

I have to admit that I’m now beginning to confuse Mr Ferguson in my mind with Danish TV Prime Minister Birgitte Nyborg (strange, I know), whose agonised decision-making we at Bartleby Towers have followed avidly from the start. If ‘Borgen’ taught us all one thing it is that funding decisions are never not political. While every politician has some kind of vision of the world he or she would like to leave behind, the machinations of government at any level mean that deals have constantly to be negotiated and compromises made.

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It is difficult to quantify the economic benefits of a cash injection into a theatre or art museum, and harder still to say how the public gains when an experimental venture receives seed funding. In some ways the arts have become so specialised that we taxpayers don’t understand the work being produced with our money. I often emerge from an exhibition at the Arnolfini wondering what it was all about, yet at the same time I firmly believe that this remarkable Bristol institution should be funded as fully as possible.

There are sundry experimental arts ventures based in and around the Watershed, and elsewhere in the city, that are investigating the artistic possibilities of new media and advanced technologies. Do I have a clue what they’re up to? No. Should their work be funded nevertheless? Absolutely.

Even if nothing comes of the experiment and we’ve simply paid someone to waste their time? Of course. That’s what experimentation is all about.

I believe this partly because I’ve lived long enough to see marginal ideas (eg wind farms) become mainstream, and partly because I think that the arts in all their myriad forms are every bit as important as day centres and sports facilities, or even roads and schools. Imaginative self-expression is a vital part of life, and any city that wants to be considered civilised should do everything in its power to support and encourage writers, artists and performers and the institutions that nurture them. Why do tourists now flock to Bristol? Because it has the atmosphere of a civilised European city – and the institutions to match.

any city that wants to be considered ❝ civilised should do everything in its power to support and encourage writers, artists and performers

❞

Some people complain that the arts are elitist or not for them, and I can appreciate this point of view. But the response of those in charge should not be to say ‘oh, OK, we won’t give the theatre or the galleries any money then’, but to challenge that perception. Get more children into art museums and theatre performances. Work with institutions to improve their public image and help them coax people through the doors. Encourage creativity wherever it can be found because if there’s one thing we’re going to need in the uncertain times ahead, it is creative thinking. ■

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The queen of vintage Singer turned designer Pearl Lowe chats to Lindsey Harrad about her creative life in the west country, her love of vintage style, and the new book that shares some of her secrets

P

earl Lowe’s transformation from indie rock singer (of mid-90s bands Powder and Lodger) to designer all started with a piece of old lace, a pack of pink dye and a spark of inspiration. She explains how it all began: “I was renovating a house in Camden, London in 2001, and was looking for a curtain for my bathroom but I was on a tight budget so I found an old piece 20 The Bristol Magazine

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of lace and dyed it fuchsia. My neighbour showed my curtain to a friend who owned a lifestyle boutique in Notting Hill and I made some more for her to sell. They sold out almost instantly, and then they caught the eye of Elle Decoration’s editor, who commissioned a big feature on me, and I started getting amazing press after that. My design career just grew organically from there.”

MULTI TALENTED: Pearl Lowe combines bringing up a family, restoring old houses and designing clothes and homeware – and she’s also found time to write a book

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MIX’N’MATCH: mismatched vintage china and glassware lends charm to tea time or the cocktail hour Inset, old jewellery is draped over a light to create a chandelier

Producing her range of curtains and cushions became a thriving cottage industry, and she continued to make everything herself, running one washing machine for the family and another for dyeing her fabrics. But in 2005 she accidentally branched out into fashion design.

“After I had Betty I was too big for all my clothes so I commissioned a local dressmaker to adapt some of my clothes.

The next thing I knew Liberty wanted to stock my bespoke handmade designs and it all took off amazingly again.” Pearl was also invited to design a capsule range for budget fashion chain Peacocks for three years from 2009.

Pearl’s celebrity status, and the fact she was in a relationship with rock star Danny Goffey, drummer/vocalist with Supergrass, certainly gave her a PR advantage in her new career, but her continued success in the following years proved she was a genuine creative talent. It was also the incentive she needed to give up singing and stay clean after a long struggle with drug addiction.

I didn’t set out to be ‘vintage’ but I’ve ❝ always avoided anything mass-produced and I hate to be the same as everyone else, so it’s important to me to take time to seek out original pieces

❞

“My design projects gradually started taking over my life, and I just didn’t have time for singing too. It helped me to realise that singing wasn’t my life’s calling, it was always such a struggle,” she says. “It didn’t help that I was off my head all the time when I was in a band, and when you have an addiction it’s a form of oblivion, you’re living in a bubble. It’s all very well getting clean but in order to stay clean you have to find something to fill the massive space left behind. When you’re a creative person and you don’t use your talents, I believe that frustration can actually turn you into an addict. After I finally got my life together I realised this creative life suits me better, and I really believe my new career is what saved me.” www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Looking back, Pearl says she’s always been a creative personality but that singing was something she felt she needed to do when she was younger, an itch to perform that needed to be scratched. “I grew up around creative people, my grandmother was a dressmaker and my mother is an interior designer, so I’ve inherited something from each of them as I now design fashion and interiors,” she says. “When I was younger I was offered a place at Central St Martin’s College but turned it down to be in a band and mum was horrified! But I always loved singing and being on stage, I think it was something I felt I needed to do at that time.”

Pearl and Danny married at Babington House in 2008 and, in contrast to their former rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, now live a rather more sedate, but no less busy, life in rural Somerset with their children Alfie, Frankie and Betty (Pearl’s grown up daughter is London-based model Daisy Lowe), and she says her life revolves around the kids, her work, doing up properties, and exploring her creative talents.

“I love to be surrounded by beautiful things, so when I was in a band, spending hours on sweaty tour buses wasn’t the best environment for me, especially as I need my creature comforts. I was quite miserable at times although some aspects of my old life were such fun.”

So what tempted the couple to Somerset? “Somerset chose me,” she laughs. “We had already moved out of London and were renting a very expensive house in Hampshire. It was just eating away at our money, but we just couldn’t find the right place to buy. Then a friend suggested we move to Wiltshire as the June 2013

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property is cheaper – we ended up coming to see an old Georgian house in Frome and lived there for two and a half years. I think we thought Somerset was too far from London but it’s actually very easy to go back to the city to see our friends and for work, it’s a nice balance.”

Next, Pearl and Danny decided to move to a rural location and found a property in Great Elm, which is featured in her new design book, Pearl Lowe’s Vintage Craft. “The house was built in the 1860s but it was done out like a horrible London hotel when we moved in, and all the lovely period features had been stripped out, it was so frustrating!” she says. “I had to cover everything in beautiful wallpaper and in the end it became the set for the book shoots.”

Pearl’s signature style is best described as boudoir style meets granny chic, combining gipsy lace, extravagant embellishment and vintage floral designs with an elegant, muted colour palette and a dash of black to give the fashionably old fashioned prettiness a gothic edge.

“I particularly like the glamour of the 1920s, I love the way pieces from this period are so beautiful and well made,” she says.

“I love the textiles too, the fringing, the piano shawls and the way everything was so decadent.”

The vintage trend is still going strong, influenced by the recession-induced revival of ‘make do and mend’. Pearl’s book offers a refreshingly grown-up, sophisticated take on the trend, with plenty of ideas for upcycling bargain buys. “I didn’t set out to be ‘vintage’, but I’ve always avoided anything mass-produced and I hate to be the same as everyone else, so it’s important to me to take time to seek out original pieces, even if it’s only a sink or a tap for the bathroom,” she says.

“I’ve always been on a budget too, and it’s a great way to find bargains by buying secondhand and I’ve learnt over the years how to make really cheap things look really nice with a bit of a revamp. In fact Danny is mad with me as I’ve just bought three old baths on eBay for £50 and they are in pretty bad condition. I 22 The Bristol Magazine

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got a quote for £350 to have them re-enameled professionally, which is a crazy price, so I’ve bought a kit to do it myself. I’ve definitely got a ‘have a go’ mentality.”

Pearl admits she has a compulsion to move regularly, although she says “the children hate it”, and their latest restoration project is an old country rectory with parts dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries.

“This house is a very different style to our previous properties, complete with beams, William Morris wallpaper and lots of history, it’s much more traditional.” However, Pearl reveals that Danny had visions of living in a “posh hotel” environment in their new home, with luxurious designer fixtures and fittings.

“He’s not happy about the old fashioned sinks and baths from eBay,” she laughs. “I’ve ruined the dream for him, but I have saved us a huge amount of money this way!”

So, after swapping the thrill of performing on stage for sanding down old wardrobes and doing the school run, does Pearl ever get nostalgic for her past life?

“I do get a little wistful in quiet moments,” she admits. “I heard an old Oasis track in the car the other day and it just transported me back to 1995 and some really fun times. But a slower pace of life has its advantages, – I’m sure I’m going to live longer – and I go to see friends in London all the time, so I have the best of both worlds.” ■ Pearl Lowe’s Vintage Crafts is published by Collins, £20, and includes 50 step-by-step craft projects. To find out more about Pearl’s work visit: www.pearllowe.co.uk.

HOMELY TOUCHES: top left, fresh flowers, whether from the garden or the hedgerow, around the house are welcoming Below, a shed becomes a picturesque summerhouse with some pastel paint and a floral windowbox Main picture, Pearl has transformed an old wardrobe into a mini foldaway studio cum office space

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Celebrate all things upcycled at the Make Do and Mend Market © Marcus Way

Modern makers You’ll find contemporary craft groups all over the south west, feeding our creativity by offering everything from dressmaking workshops to upcycle exchanges. Queen of everything vintage and handmade, Catherine Stokes names some of the best...

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one are the days when craft meant little old ladies in village halls selling homemade lavender bags and crocheted loo-roll covers.

These days, handmade has been turned inside out and had its cushion feathers plumped, so that it’s now embraced by everyone from East London hipsters running workshops in pubs (www.craftguerilla.com), to the 81-year-old winner of TV’s The Great British Sewing Bee, who made the most beautiful – and most contemporary – navy lace cocktail dress (bravo Ann Rowley, you’re our new heroine).

This revival in sewing ’n stitching has been growing steadily over the Cameron years, thanks in part to the Age of Austerity, which had us all yearning for the comfort of days gone by, nourished by the nostalgia that buying vintage affords us. But now we’re no longer satisfied with just buying second-hand, we want to repair what we already have or turn trash into treasure and upcycle worn out goods into something different – saving us money, helping the environment and giving us creative satisfaction all at the same time. Blogger and young mum Jen Gale from Warminster in Wiltshire agrees. She writes about her adventures in not buying anything new, which she started in September 2012 and says: “I think many people are beginning to tire of our throwaway culture, and are fed up with cheap, mass produced products. Upcycling means that we can make the most of the resources we already have, and make something unique that is exactly what we want.

There are also so many new ways to make it fun and sociable that it’s a trend that’s not about to stop anytime soon.”

So if you’re keen to shut the pastel-pink baby blanket brigade in the drawer and join the modern designer-makers’ movement instead, where do you go to get involved? Luckily for you, the south west is a magnet for people who make things and bursting at the French seams with all sorts of 24 The Bristol Magazine

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inventive meet-ups where you can learn new skills while having a lovely sociable time too. Here are just some of the ways you can:

Mending cafés Can you stitch on a button without bitching? Darn a sock without swearing? Wish you could put a needle and thread to that annoying tear in your vintage linen but just don’t have the smarts? Mending cafés are the answer for anyone who wants to patch up textiles but just doesn’t know where to start. They started life in America as repair cafés; groups of people

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CREATIVEcollectives Learn to darn at a mending café © Scrapiana

Handmade fabric bags by Jessie Lou Designs © dotandlucyphotography.co.uk

getting together to fix anything for free from a broken chair to tired toasters, but the west country incarnations are concentrating on sewing for now. The Big Mend is run by celebrated blogger, vintage haberdashery expert and workshop tutor, Eirlys Penn who arranges regular meetings in Bristol, Bath and Bradford-on-Avon. Bring your mending project along, use her wide range of materials, drink tea, eat cake and share skills. You don’t have to have ever picked up a pincushion before and there is no membership or entrance fee, although a small donation is appreciated to cover the cost of the venue. For more information about when and where, visit: www.scrapiana.com or follow @scrapiana on Twitter.

The Big Mend © dotandlucyphotography.co.uk

Make do and mend & artisan markets In April, the first ever Make Do and Mend market was held by the Bath Artisan Market, which celebrated all things upcycled. Held on the second Sunday of every month, the event is regularly packed with local food, art, craft and vintage traders and holds free workshops and demonstrations in tune with the monthly themes. A roaring success, the Make Do and Mend market will be repeated on 8 September, with free mending sessions, free kids’ workshops and a charity clothes swap. Trowbridge is also holding a Make Do and Mend Vintage Market on 29 June to celebrate Armed Forces Day. Artisan markets, meanwhile, are thriving all across Britain and in the west we’re proud to be leading the movement, with Frome Artisan Market being the original Sunday event on the first Sunday of the month in spring and summer.

Upcycle exchanges Not exactly a social event, but a useful way to afford to keep crafting with the help of others, The Bath Artisan Market regularly hosts the Upcycle Exchange run by Jen Gale (www.mymakedoandmendyear.wordpress.com).

Another American idea, Jen’s stall is full of craft supplies leftover or donated by others. Exchange your own unwanted materials for those on the table or simply Pay-What-You-Wish – quite literally naming your price. This offers an affordable way to continue making and reduce landfill at the same time, by passing on bits and pieces you might have otherwise thrown away. Plus you can find inspiration by using different materials or buying just one of something instead of a whole bag. www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Sewing and crafting workshops Buying fabric, thread or trimmings is no longer just shopping. South west haberdashers have turned the simple art of buying materials into an experience, by running a whole host of workshops to complement their goods, from beginners’ classes and dressmaking to patchwork and quiltmaking – and it’s moved on from knit and natter groups that started becoming popular about ten years ago. For instance, you can learn to make a vintage-style dress with Mille Moon, which has shops in Frome and Wells (www.milliemoonshop.co.uk), have a party to make your own knickers at The Makery, Bath (www.themakery.com), learn to love your sewing machine with Lynn at Stitches in Frome or upcycle old lampshades at Jumble Jelly in Bradford-on-Avon (www.jumblejelly.com). Check out your local haberdashery for details or look out for private workshop tutors or sewing schools like the Bristol School of Sewing & Textiles (www.bristolsewingschool.co.uk) or the blogger, Butterfly Bright, who has a series of classes in Sherborne, Dorset and who has also started a sewing bee, inspired by the BBC2 series of the same name (www.butterflybright.com). ■ June 2013

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A director with vision Theatre director Sally Cookson, who breathed new life into stories such as Cinderella, Peter Pan and Treasure Island, talks to James Russell about the important role music has played in her life – and why she’s caught the Daft Punk craze

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f you live in Bristol and love going to the theatre then you will almost certainly have spent time in the extraordinarily vivid world of director Sally Cookson. In the past couple of years she has brought pirates back to King Street in Treasure Island, turned that staid old classic Cinderella on its head and created a version of Peter Pan which left the audience feeling that they’d been flying along with the cast.

If you’re in London in July you can go along to the West End production of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, the stage adaptation of Michael Rosen’s book which Sally originally directed at the Bristol Old Vic Studio in 2006.

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Sally’s productions are somehow both spectacular and intimate, simple and sophisticated. These are family shows in the best sense of the word, designed to entertain adults as much as they do children. In the Tobacco Factory’s Cinderella we saw Craig Edwards transformed into a psychotic stepmother so blinded by greed that she hacks off her own daughter’s toes to make the glass slipper fit. Treasure Island was supposed to be a stopgap, staged in the street while the Bristol Old Vic was being renovated, but Sally turned the major inconvenience of having no theatre into an opportunity, finding ingenious ways to exploit the unusual staging.

Invention and energy are hallmarks of her work, but design

INNOVATIVE: director Sally Cookson at work _ this summer she’s staging The Boy Who Cried Wolf in the open air outside the Bristol Old Vic

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SALLY’S SOUNDTRACK: left to right, Blossom Dearie’s Satin Doll, James Taylor, Walking Man, and Peter Erskine, Not a Word Inset, the stage set for Treasure Island

too is crucial. Bear Hunt has been a worldwide success in part because it was so beautifully and simply designed by Sally’s long-time collaborator Katie Sykes, with props made out of ordinary domestic objects and materials used in the early years classroom. Like young children playing, the actors create a river by pouring water into a plastic tub, and demonstrate the qualities of mud by making handprints in brown paint on big sheets of paper. Similarly playful, cost-effective and eye-catching devices were employed in another Tobacco Factory production, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, where the thieves were Action Men attached to their leader’s belt.

Alongside innovative design, witty dialogue and hilarious set-pieces – who could forget the flipper-wearing singing mermaids in Peter Pan? – it is the music that gives Sally’s productions their energy and special atmosphere. She is fortunate in having the multi-talented composer and musician Benji Bower as a regular collaborator, and the actors she works with all seem to sing, dance and play numerous instruments with the greatest ease. At no point in a Sally Cookson show is the audience kept waiting while sets are changed; every time there is a lull in the storytelling the music takes over, carrying us on to the next scene.

And on the subject of ‘next scenes’, King Street is about to be transformed into a live theatre venue once again, as Sally’s next Bristol Old Vic production gets under way in July. Once again it’s a retelling of a familiar tale, or in this case multiple tales: The Boy Who Cried Wolf… and other stories from Michael Morpurgo’s Aesop’s Fables – or, in theatreland shorthand, Wolf. Sally kindly took some time out to give us her ten favourite tunes and, not surprisingly, it’s a lively and diverse list.

Sally’s top ten: ● Satin Doll – Blossom Dearie My dad was a big fan of American jazz singer and pianist Blossom Dearie (who died in 2009) and her album Blossom Time at Ronnie Scott’s was always on in the kitchen when he was cooking a roast. I associate her voice with food, happy times and my dad.

● Purple Rain – Prince This reminds me of being a young woman in London, and hanging out with my closest friends Cal, Lil and Jules. ● Not a Word – Peter Erskine My husband John O’Hara played this to me when we were ‘courting’ (as he calls it). It reminds me of early days in Bristol, falling in love and drinking a lot of wine. ● Lemonjelly.ky – Lemonjelly The first album by this electronic duo was something we had on in the house when our children were small. It’s fun family music which makes me smile. ● Lux Aurumque – Eric Whitacre I heard this piece of contemporary choral music on the radio a few years ago and immediately bought the album it’s from. The choir my daughter sings in performed it at Bristol Cathedral last year and it sent me into a transcendental state! It’s perfect relaxation music, based on a Latin poem that translates as ‘Light, warm and heavy as pure gold, and the angels sing softly to the new born baby’. ● Vienna Concert – Keith Jarrett I play this piece of amazing improvised piano by the American jazz and classical musician Keith Jarrett when I need inspiration. The opening 15 minutes is perfection. ● Get Lucky – Daft Punk I’ve just been introduced to this track by the dancers in Varmints [Sally’s new children’s dance theatre show, which tells the story of one small creature’s struggle to preserve a threatened world, premiered recently in London] who do their warm up to it every morning. It’s funky, happy music that is impossible not to dance to. ■

● Walking Man – James Taylor Singer-songwriter James Taylor comforted me through my angst ridden teenage years. I was given this album for my 15th birthday, and still play it today. ● Seeräuber Jenny, Kurt Weill, performed by Lotte Lenya I was in a production of The Threepenny Opera at sixth form college, which is what made me want to go to drama school. I borrowed a copy of the original cast recording in German from the local library. I didn’t understand a word of it but was completely transfixed by the edgy, spiky, speak singing of the delivery. Seeräuber Jenny translates as Pirate Jenny. ● The Soldier’s Tale – by Igor Stravinsky When I was in my final year at Lamda, unusually we did a dance piece as one of our final shows. It was liberating to tell a story through movement with the most thrilling music. It introduced me to Stravinsky’s work, which I love. www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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WHAT’Son THEATRE, OP ERA, & COM EDY – listed by venue

Fragments of society

Based on real-life events, this is an uplifting tale of black and white teenage clubbers in the 1970s, set against a classic love story of 30 years earlier. Playwright Amanda Whittington cleverly fuses two defining moments in Bristol’s social history.

Moonfleet, Monday 17 & Tuesday 18 June, 7.30pm Smugglers, shipwrecks, a haunted crypt, hidden treasure, vengeance and enduring love are the ingredients of J Meade Falkner’s classic tale brought vividly to life in Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s latest west country touring production. Set on the Dorset coast in the village of Moonfleet, orphan John Trenchard is captivated by the story of the ghostly Blackbeard and his lost treasure. His search leads him to high adventure with smugglers, the revenue men, and eventually love.

Moonfleet has enthralled generations with its fast-moving and breathtaking drama. This is a new literary adaptation written especially for Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and with an original score by Tim Laycock.

Hermione Steel and the Island of Lost Minds, Wednesday 19 – Saturday 19 June, 7.45pm, The Brewery Theatre Stepping Out in association with Chrysalis Theatre and Dreamweavers presents this play which sees Hermione Steel, mental health detective, lead an expedition to the Island of Lost Minds where you can claim back all that you have lost, but only at a terrible price.

The Last Days of Mankind at Bristol Old Vic

B ri stol Old Vic King Street, Bristol.

Box office tel: 0117 987 77877 www.bristololdvic.org.uk

Fornight and, with its provocative, intelligently handled exploration of sexually motivated violence, it has been given a second airing.

The Last Days of Mankind, Tuesday 18 – Saturday 29 June, 7.30pm; matinees: Thursday & Saturday, 2.30pm Karl Kraus’ powerful satire The Last Days of Mankind will make its English debut at the Old Vic in a co-production between Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and the Bristol Old Vic. Written in Vienna during the years of the First World War, the play, over 800 pages long and requiring a cast of 500 in its original form, is an extraordinary collage of overheard conversations, incomplete fragments from newspaper columns, quoted speeches and stolen letters, all threaded through with Kraus’ furious, biting comic vision. This new version of Kraus’ apocalyptic satire is terrifying, damning and caustically funny – as much a warning to our future as a condemnation of our past.

Bluebeard, Tuesday 11 – Saturday 15 June, 8pm, The Studio In his chamber, Bluebeard talks with tender intimacy. His passion is disconcerting, as is his belief in the beauty of his deviant, violent, sexual acts. Will he repulse or entertain? Or will he seduce you? Gallivant theatre company first scratched Bluebeard at last July’s Ferment 28 The Bristol Magazine

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The Rivals, Tuesday 25 – Saturday 29 June, 7.30pm; matinees: Thursday & Saturday, 2.30pm Performed by members of the International Acting Course, The Rivals by Richard Brinsley Sheridan tells the story of young captain Absolute, son and heir of wealthy Sir Anthony who arrives in Bath to court the rich and lovely Lydia Languish. His ploy, to appeal to her romantic nature by appearing as penniless Ensign Beverley, backfires when he discovers Lydia prefers an elopement with Beverley to a marriage with Absolute. But what of her fortune? And what will Lydia’s censorious aunt, Mrs Malaprop, say about all this? This play is an uproarious comedy of manners.

The Rivals

Bluebeard

T he Toba cc o F ac to ry Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol.

Box office tel: 0117 902 0344 www.tobaccofactory.com

The Dug Out, Until Saturday 15 June, 8pm; matinee: Saturday 2.30pm Splice Theatre (Under Milk Wood, Sus) returns to the Tobacco Factory Theatre with an exciting, original new play inspired by the legendary Bristol nightclub, The Dug Out.

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WHAT’Son

Mark Watson and Friends, Sunday 30 June, 8pm The high octane and hilarious Mark Watson headlines a bill of comedy featuring some of the comedians of the moment. Mark is a comedian and novelist who is lauded by critics and loved by Edinburgh Festival devotees.

B r is t o l H i p p o d r o m e St Augustine’s Parade, Bristol.

Box office tel: 0844 847 2325 www.bristolhippodrome.org.uk

Bill Bailey: Qualmpeddler, Sunday 16 June, 8pm Bill Bailey had doubts about the modern world, but these have now grown into qualms.

He will be channeling these feelings of unease and apprehension, with the help of religious dubstep, his folk bouzouki, horntallica, a reappraisal of some of the world’s greatest works of art and perhaps a dub version of Downton Abbey. He looks at the consequences of lies, the unending search for the higgs and the hiding skills of dentists. Bill tries to confront his cluster-qualm of living in a time of spectacular ignorance, and rare planetary alignment that may be part of the Mayan end of days prophecy.

The Pirates of Penzanze, Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 June, 7.30pm; matinees: Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday, 2.30pm

Mark Watson

Diary of a Madman, Friday 5 & Saturday 6 July, 8.15pm, The Brewery Theatre Considered by many to be Gogol’s best work, Diary of a Madman is set in 1830s St Petersburg, among the petty bourgeoisie of Tsarist Russia. The one-man show is based on the character of Poprishchin (performed by Robert Bowman) who is a 40-year-old lowranking civil servant driven insane by government bureaucracy and hierarchy.

Gogol’s dark comedy focuses on how one man’s reality spirals deeper into a surreal fantasy world – dogs talk, they write love letters, his bosses are mad and hell bent on destroying him. But a final, thrilling discovery suddenly makes sense of the chaos. Walesbased actor Robert Bowman, (Royal National Theatre and Sherman Cymru) will captivate audiences with his arresting portrayal of one of Gogol’s most entertaining characters.

This new co-production with D’Oyly Carte Opera Company – returning to the stage for the first time in over 10 years – brings the humour bang up-to-date with a Python-esque twinkle. This is a vibrant, stylish and hilarious romp through one of Gilbert & Sullivan’s finest scores. A young man bound by an overactive sense of duty, a soft-hearted pirate king with a hopeless band of rogues at his side, a beautiful young girl, a very modern major-general and an ineffectual bevy of policemen – what could possibly go wrong?

The Pirates of Penzanze

Bristol Comedy Garden

Alan Davies

Bristol Comedy Garden is live at Queen Square from 3 – 6 July showcasing some of the most exciting comics in the UK ☺

Ed Byrne, Aisling Bea, Tony Law & Craig Campbell, Wednesday 3 July A true master of observational comedy, Irish star Ed Byrne headlines. Joining Ed is surreal genius and Never Mind The Buzzcocks favourite Tony Law, charming Aisling Bea, and acclaimed Canadian story-weaver Craig Campbell as host.

☺ Alan Davies, Josh Widdicombe,

Andrew Maxwell & John Robins, Thursday 4 July The much-loved star of Jonathan Creek and Stephen Fry’s partner in knowledge on Qi, Alan Davies heads to Bristol Comedy Garden after a triumphant return to stand-up. Joining Alan is Mock The Week’s Josh Widdicombe, award-winning Irishman Andrew Maxwell, and John Robins as host.

☺

Mark Watson, Henning Wehn, Isy Suttie & Richard Herring, Friday 5 July Bristol born Mark Watson headlines and continues to be one of the most acclaimed acts in comedy. Joining him will be Have I Got News For You star Henning Wehn plus multi-award winning cult Peep Show star Isy Suttie, and Richard Herring as host.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Tuesday 25 – Saturday 29 June, please contact the theatre for times Having enjoyed sensational reviews, Bill Kenwright’s production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sparkling family musical continues to enjoy huge success.

Retelling the Biblical story of Joseph, his 11 brothers and the coat of many colours, this magical musical is full of unforgettable songs including Any Dream Will Do, Close Every Door To Me and One More Angel.

Diary of a Madman

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☺ Omid Djalili, Seann Walsh & Arthur

Smith, Saturday 6 July Omid Djalili is renowned for his razor sharp wit, boundless energy and expertly crafted cultural observations. Joining Omid is Live At The Apollo star Seann Walsh, a special guest to be confirmed and ‘Grumpy Old Man’ Arthur Smith as host.

Visit: www.bristolcomedygarden.co.uk

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WHAT’Son MUS IC – listed by date Bristol Concert Orchestra, Saturday 15 June, 7.30pm St George’s Bristol, Great George Street, Bristol. Box office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk or www.bristolconcertorchestra.org.uk This will be a Last Night of the Proms concert featuring favourites such as Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending with talented local teenage violinist Jo Edwards (who will also play a Delius’ Legende), along with the orchestral works by Ravel, Wagner and more, all rounded off with the Last Night favourites including Jerusalem and Rule Brittania.

Bristol Choral Society, Saturday 15 June, 7.30pm Bristol Cathedral, College Green, Bristol.

Tickets from Colston Hall box office, tel: 0117 922 3686 or visit: www.bristolchoral.co.uk A feast of Vivaldi with the famous Gloria, a tender Kyrie, glorious double-choir Dixit Dominus and Summer from The Four Seasons with Roger Huckle and the Bristol Ensemble.

Bristol Bach Choir, Saturday 22 June, 7.30pm St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol. To book tel: 0117 214 0721 or visit: www.bristolbach.org.uk Bristol Bach Choir closes its current season

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with a concert that revels in music’s timeless ability to transort the listener to a place of beauty. Early masterpieces will be performed including Tallis’s O Sacrum Convivium, Purcell’s Hear My Prayer as well as modern gems such as John Travener’s profound Anthems from the Veil of the Temple.

Panama Jazz Band, Saturday 22 June, 7.30pm Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall, Westbury-onTrym, Bristol. Tickets £10 including a buffet, tel: 0117 9623241 or 0117 9623399, or email: enquiries@wotvillagehall.org Eat, drink and dance to summer jazz with the Panama Jazz Band.

The Clifton International Festival of Music, Saturday 22 – Sunday 30 June Clifton Cathedral, Clifton, Bristol. For more information visit: www.cliftonfestival.com or to book tickets for paid events call the Colston Hall box office, tel: 0117 922 3686 Inspired by the 40th anniversary of Clifton Cathedral this festival has a programme that combines the talents of musicians of local, national and international reputation. There are more than 20 events to enjoy including performances by The Tallis Scholars, I Fagiolini and a schools’ big sing workshop.

Duo Domenico, Friday 28 June, 7.30pm Bristol Music Club, 6 St Paul’s Road, Clifton, Bristol. Tickets £15/£12 including interval refreshments, visit: www.duodomenico.co.uk When is a cello not a cello? Jonathan Rees and Vladimir Waltham tackle eccentric four, five and six-string bass instruments with beautiful music by Bach, Boccherini, Gabrieli and more.

Bristol Chamber Orchestra, Saturday 6 July, 7.30pm Frenchay Parish Church, Frenchay Common, Bristol. Tickets £10, under 18s free available on the door or in advance, tel: 07879 455330 or 0117 9620056 The chamber orchestra will perform a programme including Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Bach and Tchaikovsky. Sarah Bence, pictured, will also perform works including the first movement of Vaughan Williams’ Oboe Concerto.

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WHAT’Son OTHER EVENTS – listed by date Book Launch: Bosworth – The Birth of Tudors, Thursday 6 June, 6.30pm Bristol Grammar School, Bristol. Tickets £5, visit: www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk and click on OBs and Foundation for the link Bristol Grammar School and Weidenfeld and Nicolson invite you to the Bristol book launch of Bosworth: The Birth of the Tudors by MP and Old Bristolian Chris Skidmore. There will be light refreshments and live music, with book sales courtesy of Blackwell’s.

Weston Beach Kite Festival

Weston Beach Kite Festival, Saturday 8 & Sunday 9 June Weston Beach, Weston-super-Mare. For further information visit: www.westonkitefestival.co.uk This is a new festival and it will become a

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annual fixture. Spectators will be able to enjoy watching colourful kites of all shapes and sizes including giant 3D creatures, power kites and synchronised team routines flown to music, as well the national sport kite championships.

printing and print onto paper or textiles with Stereograph Screen Print Workshops to create a set of your own original prints. The workshop includes all equipment and materials.

Course: Ancient Living, Thursday 13 June, 7pm – 9.30pm (11 July, 12 September, 10 October)

Literary Evening: Charlie Higson, Wednesday 19 June, 6pm

Bristol Zoo Gardens, Clifton, Bristol. £225 per adult. Book through Jackie at Wild Place Outdoor Learning, tel: 0117 974 7354 or email: jroby@bristolzoo.org.uk Join herbalist Max Drake on a unique four session course delving into the skills associated with pre-agricultural living. The course will be based outdoors, centered around a fire-pit in a woodland. Each session will have a theme: fire, food, medicine and poisons. By the end of the course you will have a profound sense of how our ancestors lived in harmony with nature.

Course: Screen Printing, Saturday 15 & Sunday 16 June, 10am – 4pm The Gallery Space, The Island, Bridewell Street, Bristol. £75 per person, tel: 07810 755628 or email: stereographworkshops@gmail.com Learn photo exposed multicoloured screen

Bristol Grammar School, Bristol. Tickets £5, visit: www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk/Even ts.aspx or email: lshepherd@bgs.bristol.sch.uk Bristol Grammar School and Puffin Books in association with The Bristol Festival of Ideas presents an evening with best-selling author Charlie Higson. Charlie will talk about and sign copies of his new book, The Sacrifice – the latest book in his hit Enemy series and give a sneak peak of The Fallen.

Dance Course: Argentine Tango, Begins Saturday 22 June, 10.30am – 1.30pm Westmoreland Hall, Westmoreland Road, Redland, Bristol. Five-week course, tel: 07767733948 or visit: www.tango-ytu.com/bristol.htm No experience or partner is required, just wear smooth-soled shoes. Enjoy a relaxed atmosphere with friendly help from Janet who has 16 years experience.

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‘Applause’ for Beryl Cook auction record Beryl Cook (1926 - 2008) was a self-taught artist and had no formal training. Her style is instantly recognizable. The Wirral based vendor of this work selected Clevedon Salerooms having followed their unparalled recent success at selling original works by the artist. Clevedon Salerooms offered this oil on panel titled ‘Applause’ depicting Sir James Galway in Concert, at their recent Specialist Sale.

Clevedon Salerooms Fine Art Consultant Sheena Stoddard, former Curator of Fine Art at Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery was involved in the 2011 Beryl Cook exhibition held at the Bristol Art Gallery and was delighted to see such a fine work by Beryl come on to the market.

Exceptional works are currently making exceptional prices and this oil on panel measuring 46cm x 56cm proved the point, the winning bidder paying £30,000 to take Sir James Galway home and in the process establishing a new auction record for the artist outside of London.

Auction Record £30,000

If you have Antiques or Fine Art that you may be thinking of selling why not bring them to one of Clevedon Salerooms Free Valuation Days held at the salerooms on the 10th 11th 12th & 24th 25th 26th June, 9.30am - 1pm & 2pm – 5.00pm.

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers The Auction Centre Kenn Road, Kenn,Clevedon, BS21 6TT Tel: 01934 830111 www.clevedon-salerooms.com

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ARTISTprofile

Here’s a pretty kettle of fish Bethany Wivell meets Bristol artist Lucie Sheridan, whose illustrations can be found on everything from The Sunday Times book section to tea towels

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ave you ever wondered what a kettle of fish looks like? Lucie Sheridan has and it’s precisely this ability to visualise common wordplay that has become a central focus of her art. Everything from cocktails to labradoodles have made their way onto her screen prints and inside publications such as The Sunday Times.

“I’m dyslexic, so I’ve always had a different way of dealing with words. I’ve learnt to use this as my inspiration and the English language is now an essential part of my style,” she says.

Lucie is bright, bubbly and brimming with baby excitement (Lucie and her partner have just welcomed baby girl, Belle, into the world) and her positive attitude is clearly reflected in her work. “I love colour and I want my work to be fun. My designs are whimsical and based on instinct – I don’t mess around, I just go with what I feel there and then!”

While her ideas come quick and easy, Lucie’s career has been a long time in the making. After studying for an art foundation in ’99, Lucie went on to complete a degree in illustration at UWE, during which time she fell in love with Bristol and decided to make this her creative home. Immediately after graduating Lucie joined Spike Island Print Makers and worked around the clock to develop a strong body of work. “It’s not easy to break into the arts world and I did my fair share of slogging away; working part time in a café and spending every spare second in my studio.

After taking part in the Southville Arts Trail, I gained the confidence to take my work to London and find an agent.”

Lucie set up meetings with the art directors of national newspapers and now features regularly in their weekend supplements and has designed the cover of the Book Culture guide for the Sunday Times for the past eight years. “The market was a lot less competitive when I graduated and my meetings had an 80% success rate. Editorial work is a great way to earn money and keep yourself afloat, so I’d definitely recommend it to anyone starting out in the industry. I still get approached for editorial commissions but over the past few years I have been focussing more on my own work, joining local collectives and getting my prints into shops.”

Lucie recently moved to CentreSpace arts co-operative in the city centre and shares a studio with friend and illustrator, Paul Farrell. “I’ve always dreamed of being at CentreSpace so I am thrilled to be sharing a studio with Paul. It is such a great environment with so many interesting artists and a waiting list to prove it. It used to be the Guilberts Chocolate factory but was reopened as an independent gallery in 2000 and there are plans to open a workshop space and letterpress studio later this year.”

It’s a big space with lots of natural light and all the equipment to hand. From here Lucie can produce all of her work without needing to use external printers or resources. “I draw a sketch which is then turned into a positive on film. Using a UV light

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box that my dad built me, I then burn the image onto a screen ready to make a print. The image can be reproduced as many times as I like to create cards, tote bags, cushions and tea towels but I like to keep my numbers limited.” The instantaneous nature of screen printing means that like Lucie’s ideas, her work can be produced quickly, allowing instant gratification with colourful looking results. “There’s nothing more satisfying than leaving the studio after a morning’s work with dozens of finished tote bags hanging up to dry,” added Lucie.

So, after welcoming a new baby and a new studio all in the last year, what else does Lucie have planned for 2013? “I love to travel so I hope to go on a few city breaks as they always provide me with lots of interesting ideas. I’ll also be expanding my stocklist and exhibiting at the Affordable Art Fair and Pick me Up show in London.”

Locally, Lucie’s cards and prints and tea towels can be purchased at Howkapow in Quakers Friars, Fig 1 gallery in Totterdown and Here Gallery in Stokes Croft and with their quirky bold designs, they are all quite simply, ‘to dry for’. ■

CLEAR MESSAGE: clockwise from top, the Matthew of Bristol in full sail, a witty take on a labradoodle, and Lucie’s vision of a kettle of fish

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TOP TEN... places to enjoy outdoor theatre Lindsey Harrad discovers some of the best places to experience outdoor theatre in the south west 1. Twelfth Night at Lacock Abbey, Lacock, Wiltshire Nestled in rural Wiltshire in a picture-perfect historic village, a beautiful National Trust property with a vivid history provides the backdrop for one of Shakespeare’s most colourful and enigmatic romantic comedies, presented by Quantum Theatre.

Thursday 13 June, 7pm, doors open 6pm. Tickets £13 adults, £7 children. To book tel: 0844 249 1895 or visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock

2. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Brownsea Open Air Theatre, Poole Harbour, Dorset The Brownsea Open Air Theatre is a little bit special, as the experience starts with a ferry journey from Poole Harbour, with a return to shore by starlight. Guests will set foot upon the shores of a magical land, where the romantic escapades of four young lovers collide in spectacular fashion in Shakespeare’s bestloved comedy. Ticket holders are free to explore the island and enjoy a picnic beforehand. Brownsea Island is the only National Trust property to have its own traditional Shakespeare theatre company, which celebrates its 50th season with two performances this year. A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs from 24 July – 2 August; Pericles runs from 7 – 16 August. Tickets cost £21, including ferry fare. Visit: www.brownsea-theatre.co.uk

3. Anne Boleyn at The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall With a backdrop of blue Cornish seas crashing against the cliffs of Porthcurno and surrounded by glorious tropical gardens, the Minack Theatre’s summer season offers a varied programme of shows, ranging from opera to musicals and Shakespeare, with something to tempt every theatrical taste. The acclaimed Stamford Shoestring Theatre’s production of Anne Boleyn is a must-see show this summer – a fast-moving, powerful – and at times very funny – story of a woman who defied convention to topple a queen and marry a king, only to be lost to the brutal world of male power politics. You’ll be on the edge of your seat, as well as the cliff, for this dramatic performance. 22 – 26 July.

Book online at: www.minack.com or tel: 01736 810181.

4. Pride & Prejudice at The Manor House Hotel, Castle Combe, Wiltshire Gather on the rolling lawns of the idyllic 14th century manor house as Chapterhouse Theatre Company present Jane Austen’s classic love story. You can relax, enjoy the show and picnic in the 38 The Bristol Magazine

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grounds – hampers are available in advance, and the hotel will be serving barbecue food, hot drinks, Pimms and beers. Sunday 26 August, doors open 4.30pm, show starts 5.30pm. Tickets £15 adults, £9 children, family tickets from £45. To book tel: 01249 782206 or visit: www.manorhouse.co.uk for further information.

5. Waiting for Godot, Fistral Beach, Newquay, Cornwall Surfers’ paradise Fistral Beach is one of the most laid-back locations for Miracle Theatre’s touring production of Waiting for Godot, and offers an alternative to the usual historic properties.

Watching a theatre production while listening to the sounds of the waves lapping the shores of this beautiful beach must surely be one of the most pleasant ways to end a day by the seaside.

Wednesday 10 July, 7.30pm. Tickets £12 adults, £10 concessions, £8 children. To book tel: 01872 262 466 or visit: www.miracletheatre.co.uk

6. Brief Encounter at the Open Air Festival, Tuckwell Amphitheatre, Cheltenham The Open Air Theatre Festival 2013 at the Tuckwell Amphitheatre offers a variety of alfresco theatre, film and music performances in an idyllic setting, with everything from vampires (Heartbreak Productions’ Dracula) to Shakespeare (Rain or Shine’s The Comedy of Errors). A highlight for the festival this year will be Brief Encounter by Jenny Wren Productions, which will be presenting the Emma Rice stage adaptation of Noel Coward’s screenplay. Packed with charm, romance, inventive staging and humour, this is a spiffing take on the iconic 1940s film, in which passionate longing burns beneath a veneer of sensible suits and polite conversation. Friday 26 July. Tickets: £11 adults, concessions £8. To book tel: 01242 258002.

7. As You Like It at The Bishop’s Palace, Wells, Somerset All the world’s a stage according to Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy of love and lust among outcasts, runaways and fools in the Forest of Arden, and the dramatic ruins of the medieval Bishop’s Palace in Wells are the perfect backdrop for this all-male performance by the acclaimed outdoor touring Shakespeare company The Lord Chamberlain’s Men. Sunday 4 August, 7pm.

Tickets £15 adults, £10 children, £45 family. To book tel: 01749 988111 or visit: www.tlcm.co.uk or www.bishopspalace.org.uk

8. Treasure Island at Pentillie Castle, St Mellion, Devon Pentillie Castle is a striking property on a family-run estate

DRAMATIC SETTING: above, The Minack Theatre in Cornwall offers a backdrop of blue Cornish seas crashing against the cliffs and is surrounded by tropical gardens

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DIVERSE LOCATIONS: above from left, outdoor theatre in the private woodland gardens of Pentillie Castle in Devon; and the laidback location of Fistral Beach in Newquay offers a refreshing alternative to the usual historic property theatre performances – see Waiting for Godot here in July

located on the banks of the Tamar river. The private woodland gardens will become the scene of adventures on the high seas in this fun family adventure suitable for everyone aged 3+ presented

by Cambridge Touring Theatre. Children are invited to get involved by dressing up as pirates and have pictures taken with the cast. Sunday 11 August, 3pm, gardens open at 1pm. Tickets: £14 adults, £9 children under 12, £42 family. To book visit: www.pentillie.co.uk

9. Sherlock Holmes at Prior Park Gardens, Bath How can one open-air show with just four actors possibly contain so much action and adventure? Elementary, my dear, when you take your performance to the magnificent Palladian Prior Park gardens, which offer the finest views of Bath and provide an atmospheric arena for an evening of suspense. The critically-acclaimed Pantaloons theatre company put dynamic detective duo Holmes and Watson through their paces as they

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tackle a fiendish case in an inventive and hilarious show for all ages, featuring live music, audience interaction and more mystery than you can shake a magnifying glass at. Saturday 27 July, 5.30pm. £12.50 adults, £7.50 children, £35 family. To book tel: 0844 249 1895.

10. Romeo and Juliet, Brandon Hill, Bristol You don’t have to go to a country manor house to find a spectacular spot for outdoor theatre. Heartbreak Productions is bringing Romeo and Juliet to the Bowling Green on Brandon Hill, a location that offers panoramic views of the city of Bristol, and if you’re lucky, wonderful sunsets too. This performance offers thrills and dynamism, masks, dance, blades, potions and poetry – Heartbreak’s inimitable storytelling style infuses a modern twist but maintains all the intensity of this legendary tale.

Saturday 6 July, 2pm and 7.30pm. For tickets visit: www.bristolshakespeare.org.uk ■

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Changing world

Moish Sokal, Coming of Age

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MOISH SOKAL Malthouse Gallery, East Lambrook Manor Gardens, Somerset www.moishsokal.co.uk www.eastlambrook.co.uk

3 June – 20 July Somerset-based traveller and watercolour artist Moish Sokal is seeing the world change around him. In this exhibition he tells his story of Morocco and India. Winding his way through the seemingly blind twisting alleyways of Fez in Morocco, Moish discovered that they lead to squares with exquisite fountains and souk homes, filled with the rhythmic hammer music of copper beaters. He then travelled to the infamous Rif Mountains where he found a collage of shapes, subtle colours and an interplay of shadows in the blue washed villages.

In India, Moish began in Rajasthan where Biblical and colourful images are in abundance. He went on to the world famous Pushkar camel fair and to the bathing Ghats of sacred rivers and lakes across India, finding pilgrims clutching burning incense and a mother showing her daughter how to make a wish. He also charts changing landscape and weather back in his beloved Somerset.

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Everywhere, in towns and cities across Britain, landlords and planners are wondering what to do with unoccupied and unused premises. The old pattern of High Street shopping is not coming back and we know that new and different uses will have to be found for empty and boarded buildings that are not going to disappear any time soon.

The question is what.

Can anything be done to start successful regeneration?There have been lots of suggestions and lots of trials but there is no simple answer.

But what is becoming clear is that problems like this can also be opportunities in disguise.

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TheTrevor Osborne Property Group, which plans a luxury hotel on the site, has given Art Ventures Ltd., the opportunity to do something useful with the courtrooms, meeting rooms, corridors and cells to create an Arts Centre open until the end of 2013.

The Centre will be home to exhibitions of painting and photography, it will provide studios for painters and will have spaces for workshops, lectures and theatrical events.

It will give artists the chance to present their work in the heart of Bristol and for everyone in the City to view the work in an unusual and remarkable building.

We shall be delighted to welcome artists, and audiences The magnificent Gothic faรงade of Here in Bristol some wonderful to make good use of this The Guildhall (Broad Street entrance) City Centre buildings are marvellous building.

A having new life breathed into programme of events and them.This summer the former Guildhall and Assize Court in exhibitions is now being assembled to include some novel the heart of The Old Town of Bristol will join them to painting and photographic competitions with significant become a home to a new regeneration effort.... The prizes. The first phase of the Centre (Gallery One) opens Guildhall Arts Centre. on Saturday June 22nd with: INSPIRED! an exhibition of new painting and sculpture

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ARTSgardens &EXHIBITIONS CITY A BEAUTIFUL DEATH

Sophie Ryder, Lady Hares in a Forest

Hannah Lewis-Davies, The Birdhouse

View Art Gallery 159-161 Hotwell Road, Bristol.

Tel: 05603 116753. www.viewartgallery.co.uk

Until 7 July This new exhibition explores how the cycle of life can dramatically influence the visual arts. A Beautiful Death will take you on an emotional journey through life’s ups and downs and brings together an eclectic mix of artwork in a range of medium.

SARAH SENSE

SOPHIE RYDER: MONUMENTAL

SUMMER SHOW

RWA Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 973 5129 www.rwa.org.uk

Rainmaker 123 Coldharbour Road, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 944 3101 www.rainmakerart.co.uk

18 June – 10 August Weaving Water is the latest international project by Native American Indian artist Sarah Sense. She creates sublime and complex imagery by weaving digital photographs into the traditional Chitimacha basket designs of her tribe – exploring the legacy of tribal craft skills and the migration of peoples.

12 June – 8 September Sophie Ryder is one of the leading sculptors working in Britain. Her work is an amalgamation of multiple forms: animal and human; miniature and monumental; domestic and wild; transparent and opaque. The show encompasses fact and fiction – part autobiography, part mythology – and straddles two very different worlds. Arguably the largest indoor exhibition of her work ever to be staged, Monumental brings the outside in and allows for a conversation between scale, site and sculpture.

BIRDS, BIRDS, BIRDS Sally Stafford, Distant Isle

Jenny Life Studio & Gallery 15 Christmas Steps, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 302 0003 www.jennylifegallery.co.uk

1 – 29 June This collection of work inspired by birds and flight is a colourful and vibrant mix of paintings, prints, textiles, ceramics and sculpture. Contributing artists include Sarah Duncan, Jenny Life and Carmen Veliz.

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Innocent Fine Art 7a Boyces Avenue, Clifton, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 973 2614 www.innocentfineart.co.uk

1 – 30 June Innocent Fine Art’s summer show has new work

by Elaine Jones, Sally Stafford, Andrew Hood and Carl Melegari, plus other gallery artists.

Sarah Sense, Weaving Water

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“White Rose,Apples & Bottles” by Philip Richardson

Lime Tree Gallery, 84 Hotwell Road, Bristol BS8 4UB

Tel 0117 929 2527 www.limetreegallery.com

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ARTS&EXHIBITIONS DAVE TABRETT

GROUP SHOW Coldharbour Framery & Gallery 111 Coldharbour Road, Westbury Park, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 944 6244 www.coldharbourgallery.co.uk

Dave Tabrett

3 – 29 June This month sees regular favourites returning to the gallery with new work, including a selection of welldressed wolves from Mary Collett; woodcuts of swirling north Devon seas by Merlyn Chesterman; and screenprints depicting Bristol streets and skylines by Emily Ketteringham.

The Victorian Public Convenience Woodland Road, Bristol.

Email: tabrett666@hotmail.co.uk

22 – 30 June Sculptural photographer Dave Tabrett presents a contemporary art exhibition providing an excellent opportunity to view or buy some of his contemporary art, displayed within the splendour of the municipal Victorian convenience.

Mary Collett, Wolf 1

ROSE SANDERSON

BY THE SEA Gallery Room 212 212 Gloucester Road, Bristol.

Coates and Scarry 6 Philadelphia Street, Quakers Friars, Bristol.

Tel: 0754 0793 264 www.coatesandscarry.com

SUMMER EXHIBITION Lime Tree Gallery 84 Hotwell Road, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 929 2527 www.limetreegallery.com

27 June – 9 July Rose Sanderson’s first solo show, A Sense of Place, is inspired by the natural world and seeing beauty in the seemingly ugly. All the works have taken species out of their natural environments and into a new world.

Playing with perceptions of beauty, Rose works with the idea of being out of place – birds on abstract backgrounds, butterflies on stains, decorated specimens – all embodying a sense of transformation.

Adam Kennedy, Awaiting the Waves Liz Issacs’ pottery

22 June – 15 August This summer exhibition features work by leading artists such as Morag Muir, Rachael Rebus, Philip Richardson and Andrew George.

New talents include brothers Adam and Paul Kennedy – Glasgow-based artists who grew up next to the River Clyde and whose paintings reflect impressions of a city that has undergone rapid change. Just 18 months after graduating from Edinburgh College of Art in 2009, Adam won the Aspect Prize worth £15,000.

10 – 15 June Peri Taylor, Liz Issacs and Jonathan Rees will be exhibiting their work in this mixed exhibition. Peri presents her new series of coastal paintings of Devon; Liz’s pottery will be for sale together with new designs experimenting with oxides; and Jonathan, a wood turner, exhibits his glassware and pottery.

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Rose Sanderson, Bird Head VIII

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WEEKENDbreak

A weekend with Thelma Hiring a campervan for a holiday is more cost effective than buying one. Georgette McCready took to the wheel of a Quirky Campers van, Thelma for a weekend in north Devon

I

f you won the lottery, what would be on your wishlist – a a holiday home in Marbella, or a chocolate labrador, a walled garden – or how about a campervan? It seems the campervan, preferably one with style, is one of the modern objects of desire – and I can see why, having recently spent an idyllic weekend in north Devon in one.

Campervan owners David Ffrench and Lindsay Berresford of Easton lovingly converted their van, Bella for their own use, using David’s carpentry skills and Lindsay’s design and upholstery talents, but soon realised that beautiful as she might be, Bella was not earning her keep for around 48 weeks a year as she sat outside the house. So they hit on the idea of matching owners of campervans such as Bella with people, like me, who would like the use of one for the occasional weekend, festival or roadtrip, and so Quirky Campers was born.

We booked Bella’s quirky stablemate Thelma for our weekend away. She is a green Citroen Relay, neatly lined in pine and insulated with sheep’s wool. Thelma’s fitted with a permanent – and very comfortable – bed which, with a quick addition of a wooden back, becomes a bench. There’s a cooker, a fold-down table big enough for a game of Scrabble, and all sorts of ingenious cupboards and clever storage devices where we were able to easily stow everything neatly away. She’s really cosy at night and because of that insulation you can enjoy the luxury of a proper duvet and pillows, rather than sleeping bags as you might in a tent.

Thelma’s not a pop-up camper so you have to adjust to her ceiling height of five feet while you’re pottering around inside, but she’s easy to drive and to park, so she’s ideal for novice van users. She sleeps two adults but there is room for a small child.

We hit the M5 and headed for Braunton in north Devon, where we’d booked into Lobb Fields campsite, after being recommended by friends. It’s a clean, well organised site with generous sized pitches and views over the grassy dunes of Braunton Burrows. Lobb Fields’ electric hook-ups meant we could plug in Thelma’s onboard fridge and enjoy light and a three pin plug socket for recharging phones and the laptop (some people can’t bear not to be in touch with the office).

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was much warmer and cosier than our usual tent.

The table lifts out and can be put up outside for eating alfresco. As a fan of radio, I really liked being able to listen to Graham Norton on Saturday morning inside the van while cooking up brunch of bacon, mushrooms, scrambled egg and toast (done under the tiny grill).

Braunton village centre is within walking distance of Lobb Fields, with a small Co-op, several pubs and cafés, a smattering of gift shops and the British Museum of Surfing (one for rainy days perhaps).

I recommend you find Otter Cycle Hire in Station Road and try out the level and picturesque Tarka Trail, a cycle path along a former railway route which runs parallel with the Taw estuary. In an afternoon you can easily pootle by bike the six miles to Barnstaple, explore the town where sailing ships set off to beat the Spanish Armada in the 16th century, and be back in Braunton by tea time. It’s a child-friendly route too, judging by the number of little ones wobbling along with their parents.

HOME AND AWAY: Thelma, the quirky, cosy camper

If you’re a beach dude all kitted out with ❝ waxed board, figure-hugging wetsuit and tousled curls, then you’ll definitely want to head for Croyde

❞

If you’re a beach dude, all kitted out with waxed board, figure-hugging wetsuit and tousled curls, then you’ll definitely want to head for Croyde, even if it’s just to pose, although the waves are very tempting even for a body boarding session.

Nearby Braunton beach is a massive expanse of sand, with designated dog zones and enough space for everyone to play as they please, building sandcastles, flying kites or re-enacting Robbie Williams singing Angels (my personal favourite activity as his music video was shot here). There’s plenty of surf here too and a café and loos, athough the downside is that you have to pay to park.

The South Coast path runs all along this stretch and we enjoyed the yomp up the steep hill from Saunton, enjoying the

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WIDE OPEN SPACES: the beach at Braunton stretches for miles, and the Tarka Trail is level, well-signposted and ideal for leisurely cycling

masses of wildflowers along the way, and down into Croyde, where we rewarded ourselves with hot pasties and Devon ice cream. There are frequent buses too, so it would be possible to do one-way stretches of the walk and bus it back to Braunton.

The other north Devon delight which I feel the need to share, is the Indian Kitchen at The White Lion pub in Braunton. The pub is unassuming, but the Indian Kitchen under chef Rohman, is turning out some seriously good curries at very reasonable prices, either to eat in or takeaway. I asked for a chicken Tarka, in light of our cycle ride, but was met with blank faces. “It’s like a chicken tikka,” I explained, “but a little otter.” . . . No, they didn’t laugh either. ■

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Fact file ● Quirky Campers: www.quirkycampers.co.uk, email: quirkycampers@gmail.com Choose from three campers - although more may be available soon. Prices from £42 a night ● Lobb Fields campsite: www.lobbfields.com Prices, £16 a night for a camper van (mid-season) with hook-up, additional adults, £6, dogs £2 a night ● Otter Cycle Hire, Station Road, Braunton, tel: 01271 813339

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CITYpeople

Yes, there is life over fifty...

The revelation that only a small minority of TV presenters are women over 50 has prompted others to demonstrate that older sisters are doing it very successfully for themselves. Catrin MacDonnell meets two Bristol presenters who are bucking the national trend

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t’s hard to pick up a newspaper or magazine without mention of the lack of women in senior positions – only 4% of FTSE 100 companies have women as CEOs. Women often lose out in the workplace when they take time out to care for their families – be it by choice or indeed lack of childcare. Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead, written by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, has ignited much discussion (and criticism) for telling women to focus on work rather than get distracted by family. And it’s not just women of childbearing age who are suffering. Older women are finding themselves marginalised – not least in the media, where it has been recently reported that only 18% of TV presenters over 50 are women.

Two local BBC radio presenters, Livvy Rose and Chrissie Lloyd – both in their fifties are most certainly getting out there and bucking the trend.

Livvy and Chrissie have been there and done that and taken life by the horns. Now they’re living their next big dream – making it in the youth obsessed media with their own show on local BBC Radio Bristol, The 12 O’clock Show with Livvy and Chrissie every Saturday.

Chrissie, one half of the inspiring duo, says: “This is just the beginning of our next exciting journey! Life is out there, and just because we’re no longer what society deems ‘happening and youthful’ we know that a positive attitude and a load of determination will get us where we want.”

They’ve already lived a rich life of anti-semitism, divorce, single motherhood, glamour modeling, empty nest syndrome, psychotherapy, inequality, financial struggle, IT, Star Trek . . .The list goes on – they’ve always believed in sorting themselves out and leaving the self pity at home.

Livvy, a privileged Jewish girl, was disowned by her family for getting pregnant by a non-Jewish boy. She sold jeans in Portobello with a toddler at her ankles to make ends meet.

Fascinated by people, she trained as a psychotherapist and has practised for 28 years. “I’ve seen how everyone needs someone to really listen to them and that women across the board lack confidence and even the most outwardly successful are self critical.”

they have amazing life skills, ❝ whether they were full-time mothers or 9-to-5-ers – they are used to getting things done, quickly and effectively

❞

Chrissie, living in a bedsit at 17, was lured into the not-soglamorous world of glamour modeling. Later, married with four children, her home repossessed, she trained in IT to prove she could make it in a man’s world – this time using her brain. She jokes that he first thing she learnt was how to switch a computer on . . . Brought up to believe women could not be logical or technical, she says: “Bizarrely it was my love for Mr Spock and all things Star Trek that inspired me – I just knew I could do it!”

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see hope for the future – it’s a message that they don’t have to give up as soon as the grey hairs appear. Bristol’s very own Big Brother winner, Josie Gibson who made it against the odds on the reality TV show raves about them in her New magazine column – they’re 50-something women with chutzpah and verve.

Livvy and Chrissie trained in radio production and their hard work is paying off. Ratings have shot up for The 12 O’clock show with Livvy and Chrissie, on BBC Radio Bristol as their fast paced mix of celebrities, music, food & gossip wins listeners across the south west. Opinionated, yes, blazingly direct, yes – their sometimes controversial questions get them into trouble.

They interviewed Michael Eavis on a bed and Miles Leonard, chairman of Parlaphone, in a hedge, chatted with Smokey Robinson about men’s misdemeanors and quizzed Bob Geldof about psychotherapy, saving the world and whether to call him Sir Bob or just Sir. These two believe the so called glass ceiling is there to be shattered.

“Older women have so much to offer – they have amazing life skills, whether they were full-time mothers or 9-to-5-ers – they are used to getting things done, quickly and effectively. They are brilliant in a crisis, remain calm and know how to manage people. Office politics are just child’s play – they take it in their stride,” laughs Livvy. “More mature women know what they want, they can focus on work unlike younger women who have often have a husband and children to please – but don’t get me started on that – women need to stop feeling they need to please everyone and start pleasing themselves – that’s when they can be their best and inspire others.”

There is laughter and chat but the pair are earnest about some issues, as Chrissie explains: “Employers need to break with the ridiculous belief that older women are past it – but women themselves also need to stop apologising and thinking that nothing can be done.”

They are on a mission to prove that a woman’s career doesn’t end at 49 and that older women have so much to offer – their life experience and wisdom brings an invaluable perspective to the workplace. And their advice to others? “Get out there and show them what you’re worth!” ■

WINNING NEW LISTENERS: Livvy and Chrissie’s show goes out on BBC Radio Bristol between noon and 1pm on Saturdays

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FOOD&DRINK

Quick bites ■ Some 5,000 people can expect a free hot lunch on College Green on Saturday 1 June as part of an ongoing campaign to make us more aware of the scandal of wasted food.

TV chefs Stevie Parle and Emma Grazette, presenters of the recent Spice Trip series will be at the event.

Organisers plan to top the success of last year’s event, where 4,187 people were fed a lunch of veggie curry and fresh bread, while highlighting the scandal of wasted food. Between 20 to 40% of UK grown fruit and vegetables is rejected before it reaches the shops – mostly because it does not match the supermarkets' cosmetic standards.

■ Josh Eggleton, pictured, Michelin star chef of the Pony and Trap at Chew Magna, went back to his old school, Chew Valley Secondary recently to talk to students about where our food comes from. He was also promoting a new free app designed to make cooking with kids easy, which includes some of his recipes. Josh said: “Food is one of the staples of life and we must educate children in how to cook food, explain what is good for us, and inform them about the basics of sustainability.” With the backing of Tesco Realfood, the app contains 105 recipes. Search for ‘great-british-chefs-kids’ on itunes.

■ Chinese restaurant Dynasty in St Thomas Street, Bristol has launched a new dim sum menu which now offers more than 100 dishes for people to try. The new menu incorporates old favourites and new specialities including Sichuan pork buns and Japanese pork gyozas.

Dynasty owner Suzanna Ho said: “Dim sum allows customers to try lots of bite-sized things that perhaps they haven’t tasted before.”

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An ideal showcase for west businesses Bristol’s fabulous and diverse world cuisine will be among the subjects celebrated at The Bristol Home, Food & Drink Festival, which takes place at the purposebuilt UWE Exhibition & Conference Centre in Frenchay, over the weekend of 26/27 October. Local food producers, specialist drink makers and those who make or sell furniture, furnishings and other homeware are being invited now to book stall space at the show.

This third annual show, organised by Nationwide Exhibitions, will include cookery demonstrations by two Michelinstarred TV chef Martin Blunos and other award-winning chefs including Josh Eggleton, Chris Wicks and Vince Castellano.

Husband and wife team, Sherrie

UNDER ONE ROOF: last year’s show proved popular with locals and because of its proximity to the M4 and M5, people from a wider area

Eugene-Hart and Pat Hart will be showcasing Carib-asian cuisine, Romy Gill, will be sharing Indian delicacies and Abie Pixley will demonstrate Creole food.

Exhibitors booked to date include: Devon Duvets (as sold in

Harrods), water purification systems, garden gazebos, Robert Welch fine cutlery, Bramley & Gage liquors, Riverford and the Upton Cheyney Chilli Farm.

Entry to the festival is £9. Visit: www.homeandfoodfestival.co.uk

Fun on the farm Bristol’s burgeoning Community Farm overlooking Chew Valley Lake, is hosting a series of events this summer, including a midsummer day on Saturday 22 June for volunteers to help around the farm, enjoy a communal picnic, some live theatre and show children where our food comes from. On Saturday 18 June there’s a guided wild food walk, which you’ll need to book for. Other events include a cookery workshop run by Jo Ingleby of Demuths’ Vegetarian Cookery School in Bath.

Visit: www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk to find out more about the farm and its veg box delivery scheme.

National foodie festival returns for a city feast Some of Bristol’s top chefs and foodie experts will be taking part in the city’s third annual Foodies Festival over the weekend of 12/13/14 July at Bristol Harbourside.

Chefs, including Michelinstarred Martin Blunos, Ronnie Faulkner from Ronnies, Romy Gill from Romy’s Kitchen, Richard Davies from The Manor House Hotel and Chris Staines from The Allium Brasserie will cook their signature dishes in the Chefs’ Theatre and explain how to prepare the same dishes at home. The compere is food writer and Daily Telegraph columnist

Xanthe Clay, pictured, who will also host food and wine matching demos.

Other highlights include a bake-along with members of the

audience invited to participate and demonstrations from steampunk baker Emilly Ladybird, Manisha Parmar of The Great British Bake Off and sugar craft with Ann Pickard.

Bristol cookery school, 102 Cookery School will be giving cookery demos and a BBQ arena, hosted by Broil King, will feature hourly BBQ classes and competitions. There’ll be a bar with beer and cider, a wine village, live music and even a family-friendly beach with deckchairs and ice cream.

Find out more, visit: www.foodiesfestival.com

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Bristol’s Award Winning Restaurant open for lunch Tues – Sun from 12pm, open for dinner Tues – Sat from 6pm

2 course lunch with a glass of wine at £10 Tues – Sat, Sunday roasts from £12 a la carte menu available lunch and dinner Tues – Sat

12-16 Cli on Road, Cli on, Bristol, BS8 1AF. T: 0117 973 7248 • e: eat@themuset.com

w: www.themuset.com

Twi er @TheMuset • Facebook: The Muset

Fantastic Breakfasts Wonderful Lunches Sublime Suppers 225 Gloucester Road, Bishopston 0117 944 5500 220 North Street, Southville 0117 963 9004 info@zazuskitchen.co.uk

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Harveys Cellars 12 Denmark Street, Bristol BS1 5DQ. Tel: 0117 929 4812

REVIEW

A taste of Spanish sunshine H

arveys Cellars has hit on a rather clever solution to making sure its tapas dishes have an authentic ring to them – by employing a head chef who’s made it his mission to live and work in Spain for several years in order to learn at first hand how the locals create these tasty little plates.

Chris Soloman, who Bristolians may recall from his time at The Olive Shed on the Harbourside, left the UK for Malaga to extend his knowledge of Mediterranean food. Now back in Bristol and settled into the historic home of Harveys’ sherry, he is happy to enthuse about the tapas culture.

“The Spanish don’t sit down like the Brits to eat tapas. They’ll have a plate at the bar and maybe through the evening move with friends to four or five differents bars, enjoying a plate of something different in each one. It’s a very sociable, relaxed thing,” he says.

Chris’s new summer menu combines the traditionally robust flavours of rustic, artisan food such as chorizo or prawns with garlic, with a new lighter choice of dishes, such as crab filo tartlets or caesar salad with poached salmon. I liked the sound of stuffed pepper with pine nuts, raisins and lamb.

Harveys has long been a popular evening haunt with the after work crowd enjoying a cocktail or two and some tapas, and then later, the couples or groups of diners settling in for one of the restaurant’s famous sherry flights, combining Spanish food with different sherries. Harveys is now offering a lunchtime deal, of two courses for £10, or three for £12.50 which should prove popular with people in search of a bargain meal, or somewhere to have a business lunch, which is why we were here.

Catherine and I popped her laptop on the table and enjoyed that rare luxury of combining work with pleasure. Because the tables are well spaced in the cellar there’s plenty of room for this kind of lunch and we decided to go for the Menu del Dia, which is pleasingly short and simple.

We began with a little extra side, a plate of boquerones – little white anchovies marinated in a lemon juice and garlic dressing, tasting as fresh and delicious as if they’d just swum in from the Med. Delicious with a slice of Chris’s homemade bread and some dipping olive oil, imported especially from Spain.

Starters were two hot dishes, one of chorizo in red wine, the other a traditional piperada, a Basque dish of eggs with peppers, 52 The Bristol Magazine

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tomatoes and herbs. I’m not a huge fan of ubiquitous chorizo, which seems to have thrust itself onto everyone’s menus these days, but this was a good sample – meaty but not chewy, with layers of warm flavour.

Being sharing types, Catherine and I adopted the traditional tapas habit of trying a bit of everything. We then sampled an extra dish of good, crispy calamari puffed up in a beer batter, which we then dipped in mayonnaise that had been given a twist, with some chopped apple. Some delicate skewers of fresh vegetables with grilled halloumi and a casserole of pork, spinach and chickpeas joined our plates from the Menu del Dia. If you were to order the tapas dishes separately they’re priced at £4.50 – £6 each and we reckon that three plates each would be enough to satisfy most appetites. For the bigger eater, a plate of mixed bread with oil and vinegar at £3.25 could be added.

AUTHENTIC: main picture, some of head chef Chris Soloman’s tasty tapas plates Right, separate tapas dishes are priced from £4.50 – £6, with three being enough for most appetities Below right, the central cocktail bar at Harveys Cellars

little white anchovies marinated in a ❝ lemon juice and garlic dressing, tasting as fresh and delicious as if they’d just swum in from the Med

❞

Chris and his Spanish sous chef pride themselves on making as much of the menu in-house as they can. They plan to add homemade ice cream to their list of pudding choices soon.

Included in the three courses for £12.50 is pudding. There was a quite sophisticated orange and almond cake with more than a hint of sunny Saville orange in its syrup, topped with a blob of vanilla mascarpone. The other pudding, a warm chocolate brownie doused in chocolate sauce and served with strawberries and vanilla ice cream was sheer, naughty indulgence for any time, let alone lunch. I was pleased we were in a cellar where no-one passing could see this display of unadulterated greed.

Aside from the lack of sunshine – which we’re well used to in Bristol – we both felt as if we’d enjoyed a genuine Spanish experience. Muchas gracias, as they say in Denmark Street. ■ GMc

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Abb ots Leigh

Opening Friday June 14th from 12 noon Open from 11am weekdays for coffee, cake, lunch & dinner and 9.30am at weekends for Brunch Manor Road, Abbots Leigh, Bristol BS8 3RP www.thegeorgeinnbristol.co.uk • thegeorgeinnbristol@gmail.com • Tel 01275 376985

Simply drop this coupon into the free prize draw box in the Menswear department at John Lewis, The Mall at Cribbs Causeway. No purchase necessary.

Entries close 17.00 30 June 2013

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PRIZE DRAW Keep in touch for your chance to win a make over for your Dad worth £300 Sign up to recieve our regular e-newsletter, plus other offers and details of products and services via email, post or SMS from the John Lewis Partnership†. You will also automatically be entered into our free prize draw for your chance to win a make over for your Dad worth £300

Our policy on data protection: Your privacy is very important to us, that's why we will never release your personal details to any company outside the John Lewis Partnership (which includes John Lewis.

Waitrose . Greenbee, John Lewis Insurance and John Lewis Financial Services Ltd) for mailing or marketing purposes. We may contact you by post. telephone, email and if requested above, by SMS text messaging. We are constantly looking (or ways to improve our service so we may occasionally contact you for research purposes.

Prize Draw Terms and Conditions: 1. Entries must be on this coupon and entry into the draw implies acceptance of these conditions. 2. Only one per household. 3. Entrant must be at least 18 years of age, and not employees of the John Lewis Partnership, their dependants or their agents or anyone else connected with the promotion. 4. All entries must be received by 17.00hrs, 30 june 2013 and no responsibility is accepted for entries which are incomplete or illegible, or which fail to be properly submitted. 5. The prize of a Make over with a Fashion Advisor and £300 worth of Menswear will be awarded to the first entry drawn on Monday 1 july 2013. 6. The judges' decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into. 7. The prizes must be accepted as offered. 8. No cash alternatives. 9.

Winners will be notified by phone by Monday 1 july 2013. 10. The Winners’ name and county can be obtained by sending a stamped SAE to Promotions ( John Lewis. branchDraw) John Lewis Cribbs Causeway The Mall at Cribbs Causeway Bristol 8S31 5QU. 11. No purchase necessary. 12. No bulk, consumer group or third party entries are permitted. † which includes John Lewis. Waitrose. Greenbee. john Lewis Insurance and John Lewis Financial Services Ltd

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MOTORINGcity

TELLING THEM FROM ADAM As Vauxhall’s strangley named super mini car goes on sale in the UK, Dara Foley enjoys all the fun of scaled down modern motoring – but with all the extras

Picture by TBM

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MOTORINGcity

B

ack in the early 1980s the small car market offered a simple choice – Golf, Fiesta, Uno, 205, Nova, to name pretty much all of them.

The ‘city car’ tag didn’t even exist, instead they were known as economy cars, small and affordable, they were made popular by a rise in the number of motorists taking to the roads, and the need for greater fuel efficiency; this was the dawning of the age of petrol price fluctuations and a new propensity for oil crises, all thanks to the likes of JR Ewing and some well dodgy sheiks.

Thirty years on, and the small car market is now one of the most fiercely competitive, slick, global businesses of all. And there are whole new sub segments labelled super minis, eco’s, urbans, retros, city cars, boutique cars, to add to the motoring trade narrative. Indeed, for motor manufacturers there’s big profit potential in the smalls. But to achieve the type of brand success as enjoyed by the ever omnipresent BMW Mini, or the Fiat 500 you will need to have a really good and well conceived super product.

Enter the Adam, named after Adam Opel the founder of Opel (Eurochat for Vauxhall) group. Unveiled at the Paris motorshow in 2012, and now on sale in the UK, the Adam is Vauxhall’s fresh little, fun and fully functional mini boutique car.

Unlike the BMW Mini or Fiat 500 there is no iconic small car heritage for the Adam to refer back to, so the challenge for Vauxhall was to come up with a completely new strategy that steals the momentum from the broader competitors, such as Nissan and Toyota, but also takes full advantage of any sway in the bandwagon trend for retro. The thoroughly modern Adam could easily muscle its way to becoming a fashionable bestseller.

Adam is essentially a four-seat, three-door hatchback, it measures slightly longer then a Mini (not the big or really big Mini, but the mini one) and at over 6ft across it is the widest in its class. The result is a surprisingly roomy inside and the wider wheelbase gives sportier cornering and a robust, road holding centre of gravity. Adam is well built too, compared to many of its rivals it has a nice solidity, good fittings and padding under the dash and in the panels which gives a quality feel and reassuringly good ‘clunk’ when closing the doors.

There are several choices of engine options; a 1.2i or 1.4i litre 16v petrol engine tuned to 86bhp or 98bhp. Both the 1.2 and 1.4 are available with the added option of ecoFlex start/stop for really good fuel economy. Coupled with five-speed manual gearbox the 1.4 is punchy and responsive, however a recently passed driver will get a much better insurance quote on the 1.2 which, being based on the tried and tested Corsa unit remains one of the best.

All engine options surpass 100mph with the fastest being notched up by the 1.4i 98bhp, it will accelerate to 60 in just over 11 seconds and has a top speed of 115mph.

Emissions are not quite under 100g/km CO2, but very close, so the 1.2 with ecoFlex will have cheap on-the-road and running costs, and at around 55mpg you will certainly notice a decline in your accumulated Nectar points.

Adam’s big attraction is its choice of specification. Vauxhall says there are a million ways to personalise your car, and you’re almost guaranteed never to come across someone in an identical Adam to yours. The official brochure invites you to go online and “Go Configure!” with countless colour combinations of body, roof, mirror, and trim. There’s even a wide choice of alloys (as standard), graphics, interior decors, and you can opt for a roof liner with illuminated stars (60 or so LEDs integrated into the fabric) much to the delight of my teenage daughter. In fact our test car, being an official Vauxhall demonstrator was kitted out to full effect with a surreal display of some of the more shocking choices, the end result being slightly camper than a row of tents, but nonetheless great fun and without doubt, unique. What’s more, all these pimping options are nicely affordable, so you can personalise away without racking up a fortune.

To add to the fun the 39 exterior colour variations have movie inspired names such as: I’ll be Black, Saturday White Fever, Purple Fiction, and Buzz Lightgreen. I’m attracted to the more reserved colouring of The Greyfather, and my daughter reinforces my taste for the ordinary by saying my online styling would best be called The Borin’ Ultimatum.

But where Adam really excels, and where Vauxhall really wins, is that it has also thrown down the challenge to all competitors by including a generous load of extras as standard, as well as a lot of optional extras. A big appeal for the target market. Our car was the mid range Adam Glam: there’s also the slightly lower spec Jam and a top-of-the-range, sport inspired Slam.

Our Adam Glam came packed with goodies as standard: to start with there’s a big Intellilink touchscreen at the centre of the dash, featuring DMB digital radio, bluetooth and mp3 connectivity as well as an Apps feature where you can hook up your smartphone to display sat nav and app things..

Other great inclusions are the very well designed ambient lighting, the

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partial leather seats, front daylight running LED lights, front and rear proximity sensors which work together to offer a self parking option – something I have never felt easy with but we tried parallel and car park situations and this odd but very clever feature was trustworthy. There is also blind-spot monitoring built into the wing mirrors – another bang up to date techie feature. Added to that there’s climate control, trip computer and cruise control. And considering that this is a city car in a city car market . . . the front seats are heated and, wait for it . . . so is the steering wheel.

Vauxhall has stuck to the simple job of ❝ making a very good small car, packing it with extras, loading it with fun and producing something that seems to be worth far more than its price tag

❞

Throughout Adam, the design and materials used are good and everything feels well built. From the air vents to the knobs and dials, everything should last and is thoughtfully designed. The drive experience is good, in fact better than its near rivals, but as the Fiat 500 has proved, it’s not always about the drive or build quality – more the cuteness or trend for nostalgia.

Adam enters a market full of preconceptions and pre-comparisons, but Vauxhall have stuck to the simple job of making a very good small car, packing it with extras, loading it with fun, and producing something that seems to be worth far more than its price tag. Other car manufacturers should sit up and take note, if they want to be better than Adam, then “Go Compete.” Prices start at £11,250 ■ The Bristol Magazine’s test car courtesy of Saltford Motor Services.

For more information or to test drive the Vauxhall Adam contact: Saltford Motor Services, 491 Bath Road, Saltford.

Bristol, BS 31 3HQ Tel: 01225 873172 www.saltfordmotors.co.uk Online configuration: www.vauxhall-adam.co.uk June 2013

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Lost Profits

By Grant McCall Commercial Law Specialist AMD Solicitors

W

hen entering into business to business contracts for goods or services it is essential that every angle is considered, particularly if a party is wishing to rely upon an exclusion of liability clause.

In a recent Court of Appeal decision, the Court decided that a Business Customer who terminated a 5 year supply of services agreement before the completion of the term was unable to rely upon the exclusion clause in the contract and therefore could not exclude its liability for the Supplier’s loss of profits.

In the 2013 case, the Customer (being the business receiving catering services under a 5 year agreement) became unhappy with the poor service levels and quality of service provided. They terminated the contract after 3 years into the term. In consequence the catering company (the Supplier) sued the Customer in the High Court in damages for loss of profits for £1.3m being the sum they would have earned from the contract had it continued for the full 5 years.

The exclusion clause relied upon by the Customer attempted to prevent the Supplier claiming for damages arising from breach of contract resulting in loss of goodwill, business, revenue or profits. In the High Court, the Supplier was not successful in arguing that loss of profits could be claimed and the Customer’s reliance on the exclusion clause was upheld.

The Supplier then took their case to the Court of Appeal where the Judges decided that the exclusion clause had to be considered in the context of the agreement as a whole and could not exclude the Supplier’s claim for loss of profits.

The Judges viewed that the exclusion clause did not stand up as the Supplier’s main claim on early termination by the customer was for profits due and expected from the time of early termination to the end of the 5 year contract period.

Put simply, if the parties intended the Supplier to be excluded from any loss of profits by a failure to perform (early termination) by the Customer then this should have been set out clearly in the contract.

The case illustrates the importance of taking specialist advice on commercial contracts at the earliest opportunity.

For further advice on business contracts or other legal commercial matters contact Grant by email to grantmccall@amdsolicitors.com or telephone 0117 9733989 © AMD Solicitors

Winner of the local law firm of the year award 2011

NEED ARTWORK? BROCHURES? PRINT? ADVERTISEMENT DESIGN COMPANY LOGOS FLYERS MENUS LEAFLETS BROCHURES FULL SERVICE, DESIGN + PRINT SOLUTIONS TEL: 0117 974 2800 EMAIL: STUDIO @ THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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BRISTOL Telephone us on (0117) 9621205 or visit our website www.amdsolicitors.com 56 The Bristol Magazine

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CREATIVE

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News in brief ■ Alison Bevan, pictured, currently director of the Penlee House Gallery in Penzance, has been appointed as the new director of the Royal West of England Academy. Alison, who was a awarded the British Empire Medal in last year’s Queen’s Honours, for her services to cultural heritage in Cornwall, will take up her new post on 1 August.

■ Congratulations to the team from Bristol-based charity Life Cycle UK who beat the resident Eggheads on the BBC2 quiz show, winning £26,000 for the charity. The team, Two and a Half Tandems, knocked out two Eggheads in individual head-to-heads, before sealing victory in the team round. Team captain Ed Norton said: “We only applied to go on the show as a way of promoting Life Cycle’s work, which includes Two’s Company, a service offering blind and visually impaired individuals days out cycling on tandems, and Bike Minded, a project which supports those recovering from mental health issues to get out, take exercise and meet people. It was a complete surprise when we won.”

■ HRH The Earl of Wessex, pictured centre, is to become the first Royal Patron of the Bristol Zoo and the Bristol, Clifton and West of England Zoological Society. Prince Edward visited the zoo in 2011 to help celebrate its 175th anniversary and has shown a great interest in the zoo’s conservation and education work.

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A stylish romp through fashion history Clifton Hill Costume and Textiles, which has a 30-year collection of vintage costume, accessories and textiles has reopened with a launch party.

Gillian Hodder, the owner of the business died in 2011 leaving the contents of the shop to employee Jen Ford who supported Gill through the latter stages of her illness.

Jezebel Events organised the launch party at Clifton Hill House, with models wearing costumes from different eras and surrounded by props, a mini market place of suppliers and music from 1940s style trio The Marionettes.

PICTURE: Helen Field Photography

Satisfied customers Bristol residential letting agency Piper Property, run by businessman Peter Stephenson, is setting out to break the mould in a market where customers are traditionally less than satisfied with the service they receive. Piper Property’s policy is to ensure landlord fees are fixed, transparent and free from mark-ups, ensuring tenants are kept happy – and as a result the properties on its books are being let three times faster that the industry average. The company is on target to double the number of properties it manages over the next six months. Visit: www.piperproperty.co.uk.

Praise for surgeons Two Bristol cosmetic surgeons have been singled out by The Times for excellence in their field. Miss Lisa Sacks, a specialist in breast reduction surgery, and Mr Nigel Mercer, an expert in facelifts, work at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital in Clifton. Health journalist for The Times Dr Mark Porter highlights Miss Lisa Sacks and Mr Nigel Mercer among the group of cosmetic specialists who feature in his little black book of safe hands. The listing follows an independent public review of the industry.

Arthur the dog secures VIP visit for hospice Actor Anthony Head and his wife, animal behaviourist, Sarah Fisher recently paid a visit to St Peter’s Hospice in Bristol.

Head of supporter relations John Flanagan met the couple at a local radio station and began by talking to them about his chocolate labrador Arthur. He said: “We then began to discuss my work at the hospice and they agreed to come along and see for themselves what we do. I think they got a real idea of the amazing things we do here. St Peter’s Hospice is now in its 35th anniversary year so it’s fantastic to be receiving some high-profile support.”

Anthony said of his visit: “What struck me the most was not only do they extend care to the patients themselves but to the extended family who are struggling to come to terms with the loss of loved ones.”

CARING: actor Anthony Head with his wife Sarah Fisher at St Peter’s Hospice with Arthur and his owner John Flanagan

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Protecting your business in the downturn The last year has been a tumultuous time for the UK economy; with the effects of the Olympic Games and Queen’s Jubilee pulling the country out of a double-dip recession, adverse weather conditions affecting businesses and predictions of negative growth for 2012.

Tax and business planning will, as ever, remain essential. With this in mind, we explore the ways in which you can protect and boost your business during these challenging times.

Looking back Since August 2012, the economy emerged out of a double-dip recession when GDP figures indicated a 0.9 per cent growth in the third quarter of the year. In December, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) was forced to downgrade its growth forecast for 2012; after predicting 0.8 per cent growth in March, the OBR said in December that the UK economy would contract by 0.1 per cent last year.

Looking forward With a raft of downgraded forecasts from the OBR and the news that the financial crash was deeper than anyone expected, it would seem the road to economic recovery is a longer one than previously forecast. The OBR now estimates UK GDP growth at just 1.2 per cent in 2013 and 2.0 per cent in 2014.

Protecting your business These are just some of the measures you can take over the next six months to ensure your business is in the best possible position: New business plan An up-to-date business plan is essential for start-ups and established firms alike. With the start of the 2013/14 tax year, it is worth revisiting your business plan to ensure that you’re making the most of all relevant reliefs and allowances.

Keep on top of your record keeping This will help you meet important tax deadlines - and avoid any late payment fines - and ensure you keep an accurate and up-to-date record, which can help build a picture of your business’s overall performance.

Review your customer list Receiving payment on time is essential for good cash flow. Balance your credit by billing early, pursuing late payers and rewarding those who pay on time.

DO YOU HAVE A SPARE ROOM?

Business opportunities While it will be tempting to protect your business by battening down the hatches over the next few months, there will be opportunities to take advantage of. Business development and marketing is a vital activity.

FRIENDLY HOSTS WANTED FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Finance The Government announced recently that it was channelling £55 million to non-traditional, non-bank lenders as part of the Business Finance Partnership (BFP). A total of £1.2 billion will be available to sole traders and SMEs through the BFP. Investments and capital allowances As announced in the 2012 Autumn Statement, the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) has now increased ten-fold from £25,000 to £250,000.

Businesses will have two years to take advantage of the increased amount of investment that qualifies for 100 per cent relief under the AIA, which allows tax reliefs on certain asset purchases and investments.

We can help you to identify and take advantage of any opportunities to prosper over the coming months. Please contact Mark Pooley to arrange a meeting.

Hollingdale Pooley Bramford House, 23 Westfield Park, Clifton, Bristol BS6 6LT

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We are looking for welcoming, hospitable hosts to accommodate our international students.

• Long and short stays available • Great experience • Great rates of pay For more information, please contact: Elaine Sawyer Accommodation Officer 27 Oakfield Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2AT Tel: 0117 909 0911 Fax: 0117 907 7181 Email: elaine@ihbristol.com Web: www.ihbristol.com

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FAMILYfun

Let’s Go Fly a Kite at Ashton Court Estate

Savage Children at the Bristol Old Vic

Here comes the summer sun There are plenty of events and activities on offer for all the family to enjoy this month; from an outdoor detective drama to riding on the boats, trains and cranes around the Harbourside. Use our guide to help plan quality time with your children

Outdoor theatre

Sleepover

Explore history

Tyntesfield, Wraxall, North Somerset.

Tel: 01275 461900 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tyntesfield

Bristol Zoo Gardens, Clifton, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 9747300 www.bristolzoo.org.uk

M Shed, Princes Wharf, Wapping Road, Bristol and Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Queen’s Road, Bristol.

Sherlock Holmes, Saturday 29 June, doors open 6pm

Midsummer Family Camp, Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 June, 3pm Saturday – 11am Sunday

Family Explorer Kits

The critically acclaimed Pantaloons Theatre Company will put detective duo Holmes and Watson through their paces as they tackle their most fiendish case yet in this inventive and hilarious outdoor show for all ages. There will be live music, audience interaction and plenty of mystery. Tickets: adults, £16.50; child, £10; family £31.30 – £48.

Stars in your eyes At-Bristol, Harbourside, Bristol.

Tel: 0845 345 1235 www.at-bristol.org.uk

Make merry with the fairies on an enchanted walk, huddle around a roaring fire in the woods while listening to a storyteller, and camp beneath the stars. The Midsummer Family Camp weekend is a unique opportunity for families to live the magic of a midsummer night’s dream.

Suitable for adults and children aged 6-12 years; one adult and up to two children, £45; two adults and up to five children, £65. To book email: bookings@wildplace.org.uk.

Flying high

Discover the museums afresh with the new explorer kits – try the photo trail, take a closer look with binoculars, a magnifying glass and more. Suitable for under sevens, £2 to hire.

Ride M Shed’s Boats, Cranes and Trains, Weekends and school holidays Sail on the Mayflower, John King Tug and Fire Boat Pyronaut for great views of Bristol’s Harbourside; be transported back to the days of steam with a ride along the dockside on Bristol Harbour Railway; or experience the historic industrial electric and steam cranes. Visit: www.mshed.org for dates and timings.

Explore Your Universe, Weekends and school holidays

Ashton Court Estate, Long Ashton, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 963 3438

Children’s theatre

Explore your universe with this exciting family show, bringing to life the latest discoveries in science – from atoms to astrophysics. Follow in the footsteps of top UK experts at the cutting edge of research and explore what links particle accelerators with 80s hair, and find out what space telescopes have in common with adrenaline-fuelled police chases.

Let’s Go Fly a Kite, Sunday 16 June, 10.30am – 3.30pm

Bristol Old Vic, King Street, Bristol.

Box office tel: 0117 987 7877 www.bristololdvic.org.uk

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This Father’s Day mums and dads are invited to bring their children to Ashton Court where they can learn to make a kite and fly it in the kite flying arena of the estate. There is no need to book, just turn up. Suitable for children aged 414 years.

Savage Children, Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 June, contact theatre for times, The Studio Enjoy two plays, Wild Girl (8+) and Mirad: Boy from Bosnia (11+) which will tour nationally – see them at the Old Vic.

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OUT&ABOUT

Great views and no hills A level walk beside the shores of the River Severn provides the chance to explore some tranquil countryside. Andrew Swift plots a circular route suitable for all abilities of walkers

I

f your idea of a country walk includes strenuous climbs, boggy impasses, blocked stiles, unfriendly livestock and unmarked paths, then you probably won’t enjoy this one.

For those of a less rigorous disposition, however, it ticks a remarkable number of boxes. There are no stiles, all the paths are clearly marked and well maintained, it crosses no busy roads, encounters hardly any livestock and is largely flat.

It also includes one wow-factor moment, when, after following a dead-end lane past orchards rich in mistletoe and fields stretching to the horizon, with no hint of a river near, you walk up a small bank to find the tidal Severn stretched out before you in all its steely glory.

The rest of the walk follows the river as it curves in a great arc through 180 degrees, with views of the cliffs and villages on the far bank, before heading back to the starting point past centuries-old buildings.

To get to the starting point, leave the M5 at junction 13, bear west along the A419 and turn left at the roundabout along the A38. After half a mile turn right along the B4071 and carry on through Frampton on Severn. After crossing a canal bridge, where the main road curves right, carry straight on, following the signpost for Arlingham. When you get to Arlingham, carry on past the Red Lion pub for 100 metres and turn right into a free car park.

Just beyond the car park, on the other side of a ditch (known locally as a rhyne), turn right along a path with a restricted byway sign.

Carry on through two metal gates, past St Augustine’s farm, and carry straight on with a rhyne on your left. Ignore footpaths leading off to right and left, and carry on through a gate with a ‘road used as public path’ waymark.

When you meet a lane at a T junction, turn left, following a ‘road used as a restricted byway’ sign (SO711114). Follow the lane – known as Warth Lane – as it swings left and then right past an old orchard. (Warth is another local word, dating from Saxon times, for a flat meadow by a stream.) After bearing left and then right once more the lane ends at a group of farm buildings (SO710122). Go through a gate, bear right through 62 The Bristol Magazine

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another gate and turn left, passing the barns on your left. Bear right through another gate with a footpath waymark and carry straight on. After going through another gate, walk up a slight rise to a levee overlooking the Severn. Ahead you will see the spire of Westbury on Severn church, and, to the right of it, the distinctively stratified Garden Cliff, noted for fossils.

Turn left to follow the path along the levee. Although initially you will be heading north-west, the river – and the path – soon swings round to head south-west. After rounding the bend, look out for two reed-choked lakes between you and the river. These were formed when soil was extracted to shore up the sea wall in 1984, and the farmer has since turned them into a refuge for birds. The trains you will see on the far bank are on the scenic line between Newport and Gloucester. The village on the opposite bank, with its church perched atop a cliff, is Newnham on Severn.

ON THE OTHER SIDE: the parish church at Newnham on Severn on the opposite bank

after following a dead-end lane past ❝ orchards rich in mistletoe and fields stretching to the horizon, with no hint of a river near, you walk up a small bank to find the tidal Severn stretched out before you in all its steely glory After a mile and a half you come to the Old Passage Inn, famous for seafood, and once the embarkation point for a ferry, dating from Roman times, which ceased running more than 50 years ago. At one time, it was also possible to ford the river here if the tide was right. It must always have been a risky business, and finally became impossible after shifting sands caused the channels to deepen alarmingly in the early 19th century.

As you carry on past the inn, look across to see a small boatyard and harbour south of Newnham. This is Callow Pill.

Similar pills or harbours could once be found in tidal inlets all along the Severn. Further along you will see another, known as Bullo Pill.

❞

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OUT&ABOUT

POINTS OF INTEREST: left, the footpath beside the Severn as it curves and right, looking over to Garden Cliff

Carry on as the river curves once more to head south-east, and, just before you reach the pylons, turn left through a kissing gate (SO704098) and follow a path alongside a rhyne. The path soon turns into a track which turns into a road leading past old buildings, including the 14th century Arlingham church.

When you reach the crossroads by the Red Lion, turn left to the car park. Before getting into your car, look ahead at the lane leading to the Old Passage Inn. Its extraordinarily wide verges indicate that it was a ‘drove road’ along which cattle were driven to market – sometimes for long distances. In this case their journey would have included fording or being ferried across the Severn. This road almost certainly follows the course of a Roman Road from the Fosse Way at Easton Grey to the ferry. For centuries it was a busy thoroughfare, but, although there have been plans to revive the long-lost ferry or even to build a bridge,

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

for the moment at least this is one part of Gloucestershire you won’t pass through on the way to somewhere else. You have to make a special effort to get here, but its unique character and unspoilt tranquillity makes the trip well worthwhile. ■

FURTHER INFORMATION ■

Length of walk: 4½ miles

■

Approx time: 2 to 2½ hours

■

Map: OS Explorer OL14

■

Level of challenge: on the level, with well-marked footpaths or lanes throughout. No stiles

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FIT&FABULOUS

CROWNING GLORY

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Lisa Piddington from Harvey Nichols, picks her favourite products to restore the beauty to your barnet Just as we up our daily skincare routine in the summer, so too do we need to give our hair some much-needed TLC. Don’t be fooled into thinking summer is an invitation to be more relaxed about looking after your hair – the sun, sea and sand can play havoc with your style.

Humidity and heat can leave you with dried out frizz, while a couple of days on the beach and you’re dealing with lanky lacklustre. Ensure you take time to lavish your locks with the latest hair care products, designed to nourish and style, restoring bounce, health and shine.

Heat sprays are a must, use alongside your driers, straighteners and rollers to protect your hair; while a weekly masque will leave you with a crowning glory that really deserves its glorious title

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3 6 4

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▲ Just launched ❶

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For summer 2013, Tom Ford has created a colour collection that capture the luminous and sensuous effect of bronzed skin. The Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust (£46, available at Harvey Nichols) gives the face a natural sun-kissed and radiant look while also moisturising the skin. The shimmering peach-pink shade flatters every skin tone and can be used on its own, as a highlighter or under makeup Inspired by relaxing beach holidays is AERIN’s Shell Color makeup collection featuring a Summer Style Pallete (£45) of two lipsticks, two lip glosses and three eyeshadows; bronze illuminating powder (£45) in two shades; lip gloss (£22) in two shades; lipstick (£24); and beach cream (£40), all offering an effortless makeup application and natural and delicate look for those who are always on the go. Available from John Lewis

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SKIN DEEP The latest health and beauty news and product reviews

▲

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Osmanthus Blossom is a new limited edition fragrance from Jo Malone London that’s perfect for a summer afternoon. Delicately exotic and with a sophisticated sweetness, it will please fans of the recent Sugar and Spice collection and is perfect for any bride. £76, 100ml, from Harvey Nichols

1

2

1: Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque. 2: Macadamia Natural Oil Healing Treatment, £30.

3: Michel Mercier detangling brush, £12.95. 4: GHD paddle brush, £22.

5: GHD limited edition styler, £110.

6: GHD Heat Protect Spray, £11.

7: Show Beauty Treatment Oil, £50.

8: Dr Hauschka Hair Oil, £23.

9: Percy & Reed Quite Wonderfully Wavy Texturising Spray, £14.

10: Cloud Nine The O Ultimate heated rollers, £199.

All products are available from the Ground Floor Beauty Hall at Harvey Nichols Bristol

STAY SAFE IN THE SUN...

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Crème de la Mer’s Reparative Face Sun Lotion SPF 30 (£85, from Harvey Nichols) is nongreasy and absorbs quickly for high protection to prevent skin damage and ageing; and Sisley’s Super Stick Solaire SPF 30 is ideal for sensitive areas on the face like nose, lips and eye contours – it’s waterresistant too (£67.50 from John Lewis)

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CENTRE4HEALTH CLINIC At Whiteladies Health Centre with Susanna Priest

Lymphatic Management, uses a light medical massage to reduce oedema and stimulate the lymphatic system, this is called Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD). For MLD Therapy patients often have, swollen limbs or ankles, lymphedema, Lipoedema, Pre and Post-Operative Shoulder, Hip and Knee replacements, Cosmetic Surgery and the need to detox. Decongestive Lymphatic Therapy combines MLD and specialist bandaging to reduce swelling and improve mobility and appearance. A Compression Hosiery fitting service if offered using attractive modern hosiery (no Norah Batty tights!) Before setting up our service in Bristol I was working in a major NHS London Hospital in the Lymphatic Departments.

ElectroMagnetic Stimulation (EMS), a gentle, effective therapy helping conditions like arthritis, back pain, joint pain, sports injuries, MS and fractures.

'M'Technique™, a hypnotic massage for stress and insomnia, which I practiced at NHS Cheltenham Hospital.

Bristol: Tuesday and Friday Whiteladies Health Centre, Whatley Road, Clifton, BS8 2PU Nailsworth: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday Suite 2, 2 Market Street, Nailsworth, Stroud, Glos GL5 5AB. Free car parking.

www.centre4health.co.uk FOR DETAILS AND TESTIMONIALS

Tel: 07867 934677 / 01453 836230 susanna@centre4health.co.uk

hair

CARLO &beauty M

MOROCCANOIL ®

Stockists

Main stockists of REDKEN

Tel: 0117 968 2663 • www.carlohairandbeauty.co.uk 6 Rockleaze Rd, Sneyd Park, Bristol BS9 1NF

SET IN THE LUXURIOUS LOCATION OF THE PRESTIGIOUS BRISTOL ROYAL MARRIOTT HOTEL, LAVISH SALON AND SPA IS A BUSY BOUTIQUE SALON, OPEN TO NON RESIDENTS WITH FREE PARKING. EXCLUSIVELY CHOSEN BY TIGI TO BE THE FIRST SALON IN BRISTOL TO STOCK TIGI HAIR REBORN, THE ULTIMATE LUXURY HAIR CARE RANGE. STOCKIST OF TIGI, PEVONIA BOTANICA, JESSICA, GHD AND MOROCCAN OIL FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND PROMOTIONS

THE BRISTOL ROYAL MARRIOTT HOTEL, COLLEGE GREEN, BRISTOL, BS1 5TA WWW.LAVISH-SPA.CO.UK 0117 927 3389

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Free From Foods – Who wants them?

By Nutritional therapist Sarah Chandler who is giving a talk on ‘Free From Foods’, for CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine) in Bristol.

T

he apparent growth in food intolerances, sensitivities and allergies, may reflect our enormously changed diet over the decades.

Consequently, a trend has emerged in recent years and is gaining momentum; the demand for foods that are “free from” specific ingredients which increasing numbers of people believe are affecting their feeling of wellbeing. Leading the way is the demand for wheat free and gluten free products, but what does this mean and why would anyone choose to avoid wheat or gluten?

Gluten is a protein Sarah Chandler found in some cereals, including wheat, barley, rye and wheat derivatives. It is commonly found in breads and baked goods, pasta, couscous, breakfast cereals, and some beer.

It gets added to a huge variety of everyday processed foods, supplements and prescription drugs. So we are eating more gluten-containing products than ever before.

If our gut is healthy, cells forming the gut wall are very tightly connected in order to form a barrier which allows the absorption of nutrients, yet is impermeable to foreign particles such as viruses and bacteria. When undigested, gluten, or more specifically a sub protein called gliadin, can have an abrasive effect like sand paper, causing inflammation and damage to the gut wall. People who may be sensitive to eating gluten-containing foods may experience symptoms such as abdominal bloating, unexplained discomfort, diarrhoea and cramping pains. When such symptoms are more severe, the villi, (the major site for absorption of nutrients in the gut), can be damaged or stripped, and this could be a sign of Coeliac disease, which needs to be diagnosed by a doctor.

There are no tests that can confirm merely a gluten intolerance or a sensitivity to eating gluten, so if you think you may have a problem

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and you can access support from a health professional with training and experience in nutrition, it could be worth following a gluten elimination then re-introduction programme, whilst symptoms are monitored. The important thing is not to self-diagnose. There are many different problems that can affect the gut so make sure that you get your symptoms checked out at the earliest opportunity.

Fortunately, if gluten is a problem for you, the gut wall will begin to heal as soon as gluten is removed from your diet. However, it takes time for damage to heal completely and for the gut wall to repair. You should get advice on eating healthily without gluten, and on how best to re-establish the function of the gut wall.

There are many foods available to eat that are naturally gluten free, including buckwheat, corn, millet, potato, quinoa and rice. There is no gluten in meat, diary, pulses, fresh fruits or vegetables. Cooking and preparing meals from scratch from fresh natural, raw ingredients is the very best way of ensuring you know exactly what is on your plate every meal of every day, but that is not always easy to achieve in our busy lives, so an increasing variety of products are now being sold for those who wish to avoid gluten in their diets and who don’t want to give up bread, pasta and other foods.

Free Health Talk Thursday 30th May 2013: 5:30pm – 6:30pmm Join Nutritional Therapist Sarah Chandler for a talk on the health facts about eating gluten and dairy free.

Free tastings from The Better Food Company.

Free Open Evenings Thursday 6th June or Thursday 4th July 2013: 6:30pm – 8:30pm Find out about training at CNM Bristol for a new career in

Naturopathic Nutrition, or Naturopathic Acupuncture.

For more info and venues 01342 410 505, info@naturopathy-uk.com

www.naturopathy-uk.com

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A new star on Whiteladies Road I

must have chosen one of the windiest and wettest days to visit Clifton’s new hair salon, Neostar on Whiteladies Road – just the kind of weather you don’t want when you’re sporting a chic new hair style. But it is testament to the skills of Neostar director, the eponymous and charming Neo, that the ed’s hair which normally has a wild and crazy life of its own, was tamed by him and not only survived the storm but looked salon-fresh for a full two days of sleek loveliness and felt healthier for many days after that.

Neo – real name Nail – is Turkish and has spent many years honing his cutting and colouring skills in London salons before falling for the charms of Bristol, where he opened his own salon just before Christmas. He is backed by what he calls his angels, Natalia, Sam and Angela, who make clients feel at ease and somehow manage to create the atmosphere that we’re here to have a good time.

Neostar’s clients are all ages, men and women.

Neo is happy for clients to tell him exactly what they want, but he’s much happier if you do as I did and trust your stylist to try something different.

As with all good stylists, Neo can quickly sum up by your clothes, face shape and skin tone what will suit you. He surveyed my frizzy curls and talked about keratin being the best long-term treatment for this, and indeed for all damaged hair.

Natalia washed my hair, inviting me to try the salon’s super-relaxing lounger, which is an alternative to leaning your neck back into a basin – great if you have a dodgy back.

REVIEW

FRIENDLY TEAM: Neo, with his Neo allstars Sam, Natalia and Angela

Neostar uses the reassuringly reliable Kerastase range by L’Oreal and is the only salon in the city to stock the Japanese top-end hair range Shu Uemura.

I emerged from a cut and a blow-dry with a 60s style sleek bob. It’s nice that people complimented me on my new look too. Neo also does a nice line

in glamorous up-dos too for special occasions – worth remembering for big dates. ■ GMc Neostar, 138 Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2RS. Tel: 0117 973 4517. Check the website for current offers: www.neostarstudio.co.uk. Typical prices, cut and blow dry, £35 – £53, half-head £45 – £70.

COMPETITION

WIN OCCASIONWEAR WORTH £500 o celebrate the start of wedding, graduation, christening and garden party season, McArthurGlen’s Swindon Designer Outlet is giving one lucky reader the chance to win an occasionwear wardrobe worth £500. Those who have a special event to attend this summer will be on the lookout for the perfect outfit, and McArthurGlen Swindon is on hand to take the stress out of shopping for one lucky reader. As well as a £500 shopping spree, the winner will have a personal stylist on hand for the day, to help them select a fabulous ensemble.

McArthurGlen’s Swindon Designer Outlet offers yearround savings of up to 60% on 90 designer and high street fashion brands including Ted Baker, Kurt Geiger and Jaeger, and is a must-visit destination for shoppers who want to keep up with the latest fashion trends.

For your chance to win, simply write to us and explain what occasion you would love a new outfit for. Email your entry, with Occasionwear Competition in the subject line to competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk, along with your full name, address and telephone number. Or alternatively, post your entry to: The Bristol Magazine, 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED. Closing date: Friday 28 June.

The top ten answers will be selected at random, and the lucky winner will be chosen by Swindon Designer Outlet.

For more information about the centre visit: www.swindondesigneroutlet.com

T

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Phase Eight Cleo occasion cream hat, RRP £110, outlet price £77

Jaeger Orange Pleated Dress, RRP £399, outlet price £149

Ted Baker Bloom clutch, RRP £99, outlet price £69

French Connection Pink Flares Dress, RRP £120, outlet price £72

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CHARACTERproperty

In a class of its own Marianne Swinkells visits a former Victorian village school which has been imaginatively converted to provide masses of living space. Never mind enough room to swing a cat, you could swing a couple of jumbo-sized elephants in this interior . . .

S

ometimes size really does matter. Imagine a kitchen/living room large enough to say, play an indoor game of badminton in at one end, while cooking up family dinner at the other. A space big enough to merit having a pair of binoculars to hand, to help focus on a flat screen TV at the far side of the room. A 57ft long and 20ft wide open-plan expanse where, if I’ve done my sums correctly, you could easily park up two double decker buses and still have a bit of extra capacity. Or even house a couple of elephants. I could go on . . .

Whichever way you do your homework, there is no denying that this restored Grade II Listed building all adds up to one spacious and very classy property. Small wonder perhaps, as this was once a Victorian school.

Built as a Coronation school in what was then the deeply rural backlands of Oldland Common in 1837, it is still easy to have a sense of the local youngsters, many from poor mining, shoe industry and pin making families, traipsing down School Road.

Like so many national schools of that era, it marked a huge step forward in providing elementary education to the children of the parish poor – with a dollop of Victorian morality and strict discipline thrown in for good measure.

Much has changed during the 176 years since this educational establishment was founded to mark the ascension to the throne of the young Victoria. A queen who ironically never actually went to school herself.

Take Oldland Common itself. Described in archives as “extremely rural, both in appearance and outlook” it is now a desirable village an eight mile distance between two great cities.

The Old School of today can boast the benefits of both worlds – easy access to Bristol and Bath and a life on the fringes of open countryside, in a no-through road close to the popular cycleway and Avon Valley steam railway. The vendor regularly commutes by bike to work in central Bristol.

It was this oasis and the architect owners’ search for an ambitious building project that also changed the life of this former school, which came to be called St Anne’s C of E Primary.

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It closed in 2004: a new school had long been built on adjacent land and the old site used only for its handy hall.

Boarded up for years, time and weather took its toll and the neglected building faced total dereliction.

The vendor explains: “We saw a photo of the old school hall and thought it was amazing. No-one had known what to do with it and we just saw its huge potential. In a quest to bring the school back to life and create a home, we decided to go for it.”

That was in 2009. Split over two floors with the main hall on the upper ground floor and the former old masters’ offices and teachers’ quarters on the lower ground floor, the project proved to be a complex and exciting challenge – architecturally and financially.

“The building was sick, there were massive holes in the roof.

It was pretty grim. We had to take it back to its bare bones and rebuild and restore it bit by bit. It could have been overwhelming and there were moments when I was almost in despair.

“The biggest challenge was trying to keep the finances going.

Sometimes it really felt touch and go, like rolling a dice. It was also hugely exciting and worth it all. We really have achieved our dream house.”

Years on, and this former place of learning has been utterly transformed – teaching the owners a lesson or two along the way. The Old School is now a meticulously converted and superbly renovated five-bedroomed home.

It is the school hall, where the vision to create a dramatic space coupled with the needs and practicalities of family life, is best evidenced. With its 57ft long stretch and voluminous 19ft ceiling, it is open plan living at its best. Bathed in natural light from its ten windows, the freestanding kitchen forms the centrepiece, with the main dining and sitting rooms either side.

It’s a house where contemporary flirts with quirky; where arched school doors and exposed brick walls provide historical context to contemporary Scandinavian units and quality pieces of retro furniture; where old and new happily merge.

The original fireplaces with woodburning stoves provide focal

WORK, REST AND PLAY: the main open plan living room includes zones for cooking, entertaining and dining

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CHARACTERproperty

A LESSON IN STYLE: left, one of the two private gardens and right, an overview of the Old School in Oldland Common

points to each sitting area; the three generous bedrooms, bathrooms and opulent shower room which fan out from the central hall, once served as school kitchens and larders.

Its separate boy/girl entrances, outdoor toilet blocks and two playgrounds, once designed to segregate the sexes, now combine to offer lots of lobby storage and two distinctly different and private gardens, each with outbuildings.

And the same is true of the old Victorian staff quarters at ground level. Now also accessed from the family hall, with its restored leaded windows and cast iron kitchen range it provides two bedroom, two bathroom self-contained accommodation.

Oh, and should I spell out why the owners are moving on?

Simple really – they want to tackle another project. ■

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

PROPERTY PORTFOLIO Where: The Old School, Oldland Common What: restored Grade 2 listed Victorian school Price: £595,000 The spec: set in a no through road with 3,500 sq feet of accommodation over two floors, five bedrooms (two of which are in self-contained suite), three bathrooms/showers, 57ft living/dining/kitchen space, two gardens, parking Agents: Hamptons International (Clifton office) tel: 0117 901 5591 email: bristol@hamptons-int.com visit: www.hamptons.co.uk

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Advertisement feature

CITYinteriors

Whatever the weather A

fter last year’s wash-out summer, you can’t help but wonder if we’ll get enough warm, sunny days to give us the chance to enjoy our gardens this year. But while we can’t control the weather, we can make the most of our homes and gardens, even if the summer does end up soggy rather than sunny.

With the desire for open plan living and the need to maximise every inch of space, a conservatory from Crystal Clear could be a stylish way to make the most of your garden. An individually designed conservatory offers additional flexible living space, providing an extra dining room for meals while looking out over the garden; a playroom close to the kitchen; or simply somewhere to relax and enjoy the daylight streaming in – the options are endless.

A conservatory can complement the style of any home. With the wide range of styles available, there’s a conservatory to suit every age of home and a conservatory specialist from Crystal Clear can create a 3D image and superimpose it onto a photo of your property so you can see what it would look like.

Choose from a wide range of colours, designs and upgraded materials, including the latest generation of high spec Ambience Glass, which helps keep your conservatory cool in the summer and warm in the winter, making it a useful living space that can be enjoyed all year round, as well as offering you the opportunity to bring the outside in and take full advantage of your garden space.

If you’re looking for additional living space, an orangery offers a stylish solution; particularly when the

requirement is for a design that is sympathetic to your existing home. It differs from a conservatory which has walls mainly of glass, as it features side elevations partly constructed from solid building material.

An orangery can look as if it has always been part of the existing building and costs less than a traditional extension, while being lighter and more distinctive.

With the right permissions, it can become a kitchen, a family room or simply extra living space and it works equally well in traditional and contemporary settings.

Lantern roofs allow light to flood down from above and through tall windows, creating a bright space.

Orangeries are frequently used as kitchen extensions incorporating bi-folding doors, allowing the whole of one side to be opened up to your garden. More than a simple door; bi-fold doors create both space and potential, transforming living space by removing the barriers between the inside and outside.

A conservatory or orangery with bi-fold doors is an investment that will add value to your home, as well as making more of your living space. Even during the winter you can enjoy the view through bi-fold doors while remaining in the warmth of your home.

The team at Crystal Clear can manage all necessary building work, plumbing, electrics, and decorating to complete the project, working to specific designs, individual requirements, agreed budgets and planned timescales ensuring the standard of installation and aftercare is as good as the products installed.

Make more of your home and garden, come rain, wind or shine. ■

ALFRESCO DINING: bi-folding doors bring the outside closer

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LET THERE BE LIGHT: Crystal Clear’s bespoke conservatories can be designed for all kinds of spaces

Contact us: Crystal Clear 22a Emery Road Brislington Bristol BS4 5PF Tel: 0117 971 7880 Email: info@crystalclearbristol.co.uk Visit: www.crystalclearbristol.co.uk

GARDEN ROOM: enjoy a barbecue come rain or shine

CSKB APRIL 13:Layout 1

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GLOBALgardening

Necessity is head gardener On a recent trip to the Caribbean west country gardener Rebecca Pow visited allotments in Cuba, where she saw self-sufficiency and sustainability in action and brought back some inspiration for Bristol gardeners

A

s I came back to the west country from London the other day on the train I was struck by the number of people busy at work in their allotments. You get a bird’s eye view from the train as many allotment sites run alongside the railway lines. I think it would be fair to say that for many of us vegetable growing is more of a hobby than a necessity but I’ve recently been to Cuba, where food grown on allotments makes a crucial contribution to people’s daily diets, providing valuable nutrients in a country where food is rationed and trade with much of the rest of the world is cut off.

Self-sufficiency and sustainability are the name of the game on the 11-hectare Vivero Organoponico Alamar urban allotment site in downtown Havana, Cuba’s capital. The vivid green vibrancy of the extensive area of raised vegetable beds packed with crops was in stark contrast to the surrounding Soviet style apartment blocks, which are home to many of the 174 people who work in the allotment co-operative. The collapse of the Soviet Union combined with the US trade embargo drastically affected Cuba in the early 1990s, and the country was left with insufficient food as well as dwindling supplies of fertiliser, insecticides and fuel for cars and modern machinery.

Faced with the crisis of the Special Period, an organic revolution began to take place as the government realised that the only way out of the crisis was through self-sufficiency. So the Cuban government introduced Organoponicos, organic urban market gardens, like the one I visited, giving land and water to co-operatives in return for a share of the crops. The allotment site and its associated enterprises churn out fruit, vegetables, herbal medicines, pickles, spices and preserves, rabbit meat, mushrooms, various composts and even mycorrhizal fungi.

As a gardener I appreciate that the key to successful crops lies in nurturing your basic growing material, the soil, and here they do it with amazing results enabling each bed to produce four crops a year, for example aubergines are followed by green

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beans, then tomatoes and finally cabbage. This is extremely intensive and yet I was impressed by the health and vigour of the plants. The key is the addition of copious quantities of homemade worm compost to every raised bed between each crop. At home, wormeries tend to be cute bucket-sized operations fed with kitchen waste, but in Cuba the wormeries were on the grandest scale I have ever seen.

On a 90-day system an army of red composting worms chomp their way through vast quantities of cow manure in enormous troughs beneath the shade of palm thatched roofs. Initially hot humid conditions are induced to encourage the worms to reproduce, then the sprinklers are switched off, the troughs covered and the worms left to retreat enabling the perfect, odour free worm compost to be removed ready for spreading on the veg beds. It really was fantastic stuff. This, together with an additional compost made from a mix of waste plant material and chopped sugar cane husk broken down naturally by soil organisms, forms the bedrock of the organic system.

CUBAN SPIRIT: the islanders work hard to grow their own food

the Cuban government introduced ❝ Organoponicos, organic urban market gardens . . . giving land and water to co-operatives in return for a share of the crop

❞

Every conceivable crop is grown, including aubergines, manioc, bananas, sugar cane, pak choi, lettuce, carrots, beetroot, onions and green beans. The leaves of sweet potatoes are harvested to feed the caged rabbits which provide a much needed supply of meat. Avocados, coffee and mango also dot the leafy site between stands of royal palm trees. Experiments are even underway to try and coax peaches and figs to adjust to growing

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GLOBALgardening

INTENSE WORK: armed with gardening tools and a fine Cuban cigar Centre, Rebecca looks in vain for pests Right, this gardener is 80 years old

in the more tropical Cuban climate. Extensive beds of herbs fill acres too, these are used in the kitchen but are also crucial for their medicinal properties and everyone is knowledgeable in their applications, for example, anis tea is used to treat colic in babies, aloe vera for skin complaints and plantain for liver conditions.

I didn’t see a single pest anywhere, which means the biological pest control must be working. A dozen species of ladybirds bred and released to wage war on any pests. Companion planting is used, with marigolds and zinnias grown alongside beds to attract aphids away from the crops. Onions and shallots are grown beside some crops, to deter unwanted pests with their smell.

I have developed my own methods for seed sowing but I’ve got nothing on the ladies here who sow every crop from seed, using their exquisitely painted, long nails to drop one seed at a time into the modules of potting compost. This organic potting

compost is mixed up in great piles incorporating wood humus, rice husk and the magical ingredient – mycorrhizal fungus which prevents disease. Judging by the phenomenal root systems that develop on the plants the fungus must be working.

Once the plants are finally planted out they are tended like babies, with many of the elderly workers (several over 80 years old) weeding around them by hand.

The allotment project in Cuba is a long way from our shores but is a splendid example of how organic growing can be practised on a large scale in an urban environment. It produces healthy food at fair prices and creates jobs for all ages and is an enviable model of sustainability and self-sufficiency, which perhaps we should be taking seriously in the light of world food shortages and a growing need to produce more food at home. ■ Visit: www.rebeccapow.com

203 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NN

For a preview of the showroom search "Natural Born Flooring" on Google, visit their website at www.naturalbornflooring.co.uk or call 0117 942 7829. www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

June 2013

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The Bristol Magazine 77

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Vintage Retro & Collectables 109 St George’s Rd, College Green, Bristol • www.Relicsfurniture.co.uk

Vinyl and Music memorabilia

78 The Bristol Magazine

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June 2013

LIGHTING SPECIALIST

8 BATH STREET, FROME. TEL: 01 373473555 WWW.FIATLUX.CO.UK

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The Bristol Magazine 79

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the directory to advertise in this section call 0117 974 2800 Health, Beauty & Wellbeing

the directory ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE AND REACH MORE OF BRISTOL Feature your business or service in full colour.

Our monthly shelf life means The Bristol Magazine lasts longer and keeps working Here’s our basic price list.

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For the full range of sizes and prices please call us on

0117 974 2800 Email: classified@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

THE

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Restoration techniques, unique non-toxic, non caustic System 2000. Suitable for both hard and soft wood. Non harmful.

Our customers range from Home Owners to the V&A Museum

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We deliver to over 24,000 addresses every month. But if you live outside our distribution area or would like us to send a copy to friends or family then we are able to offer a mailing service for only £15.00 (6 issues) or £25.00 Euro zone; £30.00 (12 issues) or £50.00 Euro zone World Zone 1 £95.00 World Zone 2 £120.00

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80 The Bristol Magazine

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June 2013

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BRISTOLproperty

S

ores Court is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and derives its name from the Le Sor family who originally occupied the property. The Grade II listed former manor house is located at the end of a no through lane in delightful woodland and has views towards Tyntesfield and across to the Severn Estuary. Features include a panelled drawing room with fleur-de-lis decorations on the ceiling and a substantial fireplace with woodburning stove. The dining room has a cross beam ceiling, carved wood panelling and a pretty window seat and there is evidence of a priest hole between the kitchen and dining room. In brief the accommodation comprises: Entrance hall, drawing room, sitting room, garden room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility, shower room. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom and balcony, guest bedroom suite with en suite shower room, three further bedrooms, family bath and shower room, attic storage space. There is an outbuilding comprising: Home office, workshop, three stables, tool store, gardener’s WC. Two further outbuildings provide additional storage and parking is in the form of a triple bay garage. In all this landmark property stands in about nine acres of beautiful Somerset countryside yet only seven miles from Bristol and with Backwell Station one mile away. For full particulars and viewing contact agents Knight Frank.

Knight Frank, Regent House, 27A Regent Street, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 317 1999

82 The Bristol Magazine

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June 2013

SORES COURT, BACKWELL, N. SOMERSET • An historic Grade II* listed former manor house believed to date back to the 14th Century.

• 5 Bedrooms • 5 Bath/shower rooms • 5 Reception rooms • Beautiful views • Home office, workshop, stables, and outbuildings • Gardens, paddock and woodland • In all 9 acres

Guide Price: £1,450,000

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Commercial Property Specialists & Chartered Surveyors

CLIFTON VILLAGE

COLLEGE GREEN

PARK STREET

(0117) 934 9977

PARK ROW

• “You’ve been fantastic” • • “Thank you for your excellent input during the deal” • • “Your input and ability to get things done is admirable” • T N E I L • “You are a lovely company to do business with” • NT C RECE DBACK • “Well done – Your advice did the trick” • FEE • “Thank you – You couldn’t have worked harder or done more” • • “We chose Burston Cook and delighted we did so” • • “Burston Cook met the challenge with enthusiasm, support and knowledge” • • “I would not hesitate to recommend Burston Cook” •

CLIFTON – DEVELOPMENT SITE SOLD

CLIFTON – HOUSE FOR REFURBISHMENT SOLD

CITY – 14 OFFICE BUILDINGS – STRATEGIC LEASE ADVICE

BALDWIN STREET – INVESTMENT PURCHASE

• • • • Julian Cook

Jayne Rixon

Andrew Oliver

Finola Ingham

FRICS

MRICS

MRICS

MRICS

Burston Cook June.indd 1

Sales /Lettings Acquisitions advice Valuations Landlord & tenant

• • • •

Rent reviews Development advice Investments Dilapidations

(0117) 934 9977 21/05/2013 14:11

Bristol & Clifton’s premier Commercial Property Agents Keep up-to-date with our latest news and market comments at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk FREEHOLD FULLY FITTED RESTAURANT – REDLAND

STOKE BISHOP - LARGE RETAIL SHOWROOM

A fantastic rare opportunity to purchase freehold.

A thriving high quality restaurant (with ‘4 bed’ flat if required).

A very busy main road frontage in established location – EXCELLENT CUSTOMER PARKING – 2,500 sq ft sales.

LOW RATES. LOW RENT.

Full bar license as well!

123 STOKE LANE

FULLY LET CITY CENTRE INVESTMENT Two modern shop units let until 2017 and 2019.

A very busy neighbourhood parade serving Stoke Bishop and Westbury –

NET INCOME £29,000 PA.

Large Shop –

PRICE – ONLY £325,000.

To rent or to purchase

HIGH STREET, PORTISHEAD

CLIFTON VILLAGE SHOP Situated close to Cote Brasseris at the heart of Clifton Village – An ideal lock up shop for new/existing business.

Adjacent the new ‘Lounge Café/Bar’ this large shop unit is c. 1,134 sq ft.

NEW FLEXIBLE LEASE AT A VERY COMPETITIVE RENT.

CLIFTON OFFICE TO LET LAST TWO SUITES LEFT.

RENT ONLY £12,500 PAX.

1 TE ING I SU AIN M RE

Only £11.50 per sq ft.

700 sq ft and 1,375 sq ft.

6 CAR SPACES.

LY F ON PS 7 £

STUNNING BS8 OFFICES Last suite of 2,500 sq ft.

4 secure car spaces.

High quality open plan.

Fantastic views.

LEASES FROM 1 YEAR.

Rent £10.95

CITY CENTRE OFFICES

CLEVEDON OFFICES

Only £7 per sq ft

New build high quality offices – 2,400 sq ft.

High quality open plan.

8 car spaces.

800 sq ft and 1,680 sq ft Leases from 1 year.

• • • • Julian Cook

Jayne Rixon

Andrew Oliver

Finola Ingham

FRICS

MRICS

MRICS

MRICS

Burston Cook June.indd 2

(0117) 934 9977

Sales /Lettings Acquisitions advice Valuations Landlord & tenant

FOR SALE OR TO LET.

• • • •

Rent reviews Development advice Investments Dilapidations

(0117) 934 9977 21/05/2013 14:11

RESTAURANTS & SHOPS – BS1, BS8 & BS9

(0117) 934 9977

There remains good demand for restaurants and shops throughout the BS1, BS8 and BS9 postcode areas.

We are pleased to have let many such units already this year and we are currently registering good demand, particularly from independent restaurateurs and retailers for units in BS1, BS8 and BS9.

We are delighted that we have recently been instructed to handle the following:Coldharbour Road, Redland A fantastic opportunity to purchase freehold a thriving restaurant (with ‘4 bed’ maisonette if required), fully fitted to a high standard. Currently 30 covers and rear garden seating.Full bar licence as well. Freehold offers on application.

Large Retail Showroom, Stoke Bishop Offering a very busy main road frontage in BS9 and circa 2,500 sq ft retail space and excellent customer parking.

New lease at a rent of only £25,000 pax.

Low business rates of £6,700 per annum.

City Centre Restaurant – BS1 Established Bristol city centre restaurant premises with 54 covers.

New lease at a rent of just £16,500 per annum, exclusive.

A great opportunity on affordable terms.

19-23 Colston Street – BS1 With full A3 restaurant and retail consent this unit of 1,700 sq ft is situated just up from the Colston Hall and is available on a new lease at no premium.

39/41 St Nicholas Street – BS1 Formerly ‘Tantric Jazz’.

This former restaurant/jazz café is now available to lease at only £13,950 per annum, exclusive – NO PREMIUM.

123 Stoke Lane – BS9 This unit is situated in a very popular and busy neighbourhood parade and will suit shop or restaurant use – circa 1,122 sq ft.

FOR SALE OR TO RENT.

PLEASE TELEPHONE ANDREW OLIVER MRICS OR JULIAN COOK FRICS (0117) 934 9977 Burston Cook June.indd 4

(0117) 934 9977 21/05/2013 12:41

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BRISTOLproperty

A

beautifully presented and extended 1930s four bedroom semi-detached family house with an 85ft long south facing rear garden. Situated in a popular cul-de-sac on the edge of Westbury village within easy walking distance of Westbury-on-Trym Primary School and local amenities. The house has been tastefully improved throughout recent years and provides comfortable family accommodation over two floors. Approached by a brick paved drive providing off street parking for several cars and access to the single garage with an area of lawn to the front of the house and hedge providing screening. A recessed storm porch opens into a hallway with tiled floor. To the front of the house is a dining/family room. At the rear of the house - a well proportioned sitting room opens into a conservatory, which in turn opens onto the decked entertaining area and rear garden. The kitchen has been extended and provides a range of modern units and space for a breakfast table. Upstairs there are four well proportioned bedrooms and a family bathroom. There is potential to extend up into the loft to provide an additional bedroom and bathroom (subject to consents). The rear garden is a particularly attractive feature of the property. It enjoys a private outlook, is level, enjoys a southerly aspect and measures circa 85ft in length. Being set away from main roads it also surprisingly peaceful for a town property. There are timber decked entertaining areas adjacent to the house, perfectly positioned to provide al-fresco dining throughout the day in full sun. The garden provides well stoked sweeping borders and a central lawned area for children’s activities, with timber play house set into the borders. No onward chain.

Leese & Nagle, 125 Stoke Lane, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol Tel: 0117 962 2299 88 The Bristol Magazine

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June 2013

SHIPLEY ROAD, WESTBURY ON TRYM • Four bedroom 1930s semi detached house • Beautifully presented throughout • Long south facing garden • Garage and off-street parking space • Popular, desirable location

Guide Price: £475,000

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43 North View, Westbury Park, Bristol BS6 7PY

0117 973 5859 www.haighandsons.co.uk

SELLING OR RENTING YOUR HOME? TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR SUCCESS Due to a successful run of sales and rentals agreed, we desperately need more properties throughout Bristol, North Somerset and South Glos.

We are a local family-run estate agency, with an extraordinary international reach!

In the unlikely event that we don’t already have people registered with us who would be interested in your home, our internet coverage is, we think, one of the most extensive in the Bristol area. Your property will appear on Rightmove, Zoopla, Primelocation and many other property websites, ensuring that we showcase your property to the widest possible audience.

What’s more, through our membership of the Guild of Professional Estate Agents, all of our properties are advertised in our associated office in Park Lane, Mayfair in London.

Three of our most recent rents agreed have been to separate people from mainland Europe and Asia.

That wouldn’t happen with just a board in your garden and an advert in the local paper!

As we don’t insist that anyone signs a lengthy agreement with us, what do you have to lose?

Give us a try; we are confident you’ll be pleased you did!

HENLEAZE Offers Over £425,000 One of two semi’s that we have very recently agreed sale at more than the asking price, leaving 25 or more people desperate for us to find them something similar

CITY CENTRE £1,000 pcm

Rent agreed. One of a growing number of properties that wehave been successful with, outside our traditional “patch”; we need more, more, more!

CLIFTON £1,900 pcm

We weren’t the only agents trying to find tenants for this large apartment – we were the successful agents

REDLAND £370,000

One of a pair of houses in this popular area for which we have found buyers; we could quickly do the same for another twenty more, at least!

WESTBURY PARK Offers Over £375,000 Another sale agreed at more than the asking price; another crop of disappointed buyers waiting anxiously for us to find them something

HENLEAZE £1,195 pcm

Rent agreed almost immediately; we’ve had loads of enquiries since, so if you have something along similar lines...

HENLEAZE £2,100 pcm

Since agreeing the rental of this family home we have been inundated with other families seeking properties for up to this figure and more.

WESTBURY ON TRYM £129,950 Sale Agreed but then sale fell through, so we found another buyer straight away! We need more apartments to rent and sell all over the City and surrounding areas

Here to accommodate.

More homes needed to sell or rent: if you're thinking of moving please give us a call

www.maggsandallen.co.uk

0117 949 9000 60 Northumbria Drive, Henleaze, Bristol, BS9 4HW

“

Thanks to James Goodchild for your patience, thanks to Jo Ramsey for her enthusiasm. We looked at a lot of houses and it was always Maggs & Allen who showed the most interest and desire to help us find our home. You were a pleasure to deal with, responsive, polite and considerate. The perfect example of how all estate agents should handle themselves.

SOLD

”

Regards, Mr & Mrs E. Oakwood Road, Henleaze (Buyer) March 2013

SOLD

“

SOLD

We were very pleased with the friendliness and professionalism shown to us from Maggs & Allen who made our stressful move as painless as possible.

We would recommend them to anyone who wants a team that cares about their clients.

Mr. R. & Ms. M. Dugar Walk, Redland (Seller) April 2013

”

Just a small selection of letters, cards, emails and testimonials we have received from buyers and sellers.

If you are thinking of selling or would like advice, please contact us:

0117 949 9000 agency@maggsandallen.co.uk

“

SOLD

“

James recently acted in both our recent house sale and subsequent purchase. The service provided by James personally, as well as his team, was nothing short of exceptional.

James delivered our target sale price quickly. He then managed a protracted purchase with great integrity, in respect of both ourselves and the vendor.

I would not hesitate in recommending James and would certainly instruct him to manage any future property sales.

Mr. A. Eastfield Road, Westbury On Trym (Seller & Buyer) April 2013

Maggs & Allen offer a professional, friendly and supportive service. They have an excellent reputation and I would definitely recommend them to people wishing to sell a house.

Many thanks.

”

Mrs. W. Charlton Gardens, Brentry (seller) May 2013

Estate Agents

Maggs & Allen JUne.indd 1

Lettings & Management

Auctioneers

”

New Homes

Chartered Surveyors

Commercial/ Investment

Energy Assessors

22/05/2013 14:01

Alexander May June:Layout 1

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www.alexandermay.co.uk TC

Clifton branch: 01179 744 766 35 Regent Street, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4HR TC

SS

Coombe Dingle

£395,000 Clifton

Beautifully presented two bedroom maisonette set on the ground floor of a Victorian Terrace. Located in Clifton within easy reach of Clifton Village and Bristol City Centre. Many of its original features maintained. It consists of two double bedrooms, family bathroom, utility area and vaulted store cupboard on the lower ground and on the upper level it has a reception room and a kitchen dining room.

It also comes with a CAR PARKING SPACE which is a real bonus in Clifton and a front and rear garden. EPC: E.

W

£365,000 Harbourside

Well maintained first floor balcony apartment in the heart of Clifton. Many original features maintained. Impressive views, delightful communal gardens and PRIVATE PARKING. The apartment consists of two double bedrooms, open plan contemporary kitchen, dining room, sitting room (with access onto a recently restored Regency Balcony) and bathroom.

£275,000

This is a well presented contemporary apartment located in The Crescent, Hannover Quay. It benefits from being 'second in line' to the waterfront, therefore being much closer to the water than most of the other apartments in the building and having good water views. It consists of: two double bedrooms one with en-suite, additional bathroom, open plan kitchen/ sitting room and a private balcony overlooking the harbour. Resident underground permit car parking. Viewing highly recommended. EPC B.

Long Ashton branch: 01275 393 956 50 Weston Road, Long Ashton, Bristol, BS41 9HH W

W

NE

NE

Long Ashton

W

NE

SS

£665,000 Long Ashton

Seldomdoes a house of this calibre, offering accommodation of over 3,500 sq.ft appear on the market. Built in c1960’s and set well back from the road, boasts spectacular far reaching views. The property is arranged over three floors and boasts accommodation to include a fabulous light, airy and spacious hallway, a drawing room, sitting room as well as a dining/family room and first floor conservatory that opens up onto extensive decking. EPC D.

NE

£599,950 Dundry

This outstanding four bedroom executive home is situated in the much sought after private road of Miners Close. The accommodation comes with high-spec finishes and briefly boasts three separate reception rooms, quality kitchen/breakfast room, master bedroom with en-suite, three further bedrooms, two of which share a Jack-and-Jill showerroom. There are also private rear garden backing onto the golf course. EPC D.

£485,000

Sitting in c0.35 of an acre plot, this three-bedroom detached barn conversion enjoys a commanding position with panoramic views over the valley. The barn benefits from two generous reception rooms, kitchen-dining room and utility room complete with exposed beams and stonework! There is a family bathroom to service the three bedrooms. Furthermore, there is a self-contained one bedroom detached barn annexe and two further barns currently used as workshops. EPC D.

Westbury on Trym branch: 01179 500 118 25 Canford Lane, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, BS9 3DQ TC

SS

Coombe Dingle

£395,000 Royal Victoria Park

HOME & ANNEX Situated in a conservation area, this large(circa 2900 sq ft ) family home sits in approximately 1/3 of an acre. There is an attached annex to the side of the property that offers great use for a number of buyers, dependant relative, teenager, extra income. In total, three/four reception rooms, five bedrooms, three bath/shower rooms, farmhouse style kitchen, two utility rooms. GCH, Double glazing, garage, driveway. EPC E.

£585,000 Westbury On Trym

Situated in an enviable position, backing onto protected woodland. Large (in excess of 2700 sq ft) detached family home over three floors. Excellent condition, living room, second reception with glazed atrium ceiling, plus kitchen/dining room.

Five double bedrooms, four bath/shower rooms (two en-suite) utility room, cloaks, integral double garage. Front and rear gardens, double width driveway. No onward chain. EPC C.

Guide Price £1,000,000

Large (circa 3600 sq ft) family home situated in an enviable position opposite Durdham Downs. The accommodation comprises eight bedrooms, two/three reception rooms, four bath/shower rooms (two en-suite) an extended kitchen/diner, utility room, cloaks. There is a hugely impressive entrance hall reached via a vestibule. Period features throughout, GCH, Oversized garage to the rear. EPC F.

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Stoke Bishop

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£639,950

This imposing four double bedroom detached family home occupies a fantastic position in Stoke Bishop backing onto Stoke Lodge playing fields. With large 'L-shaped' reception and kitchen/breakfast room and four double bedrooms. Boasting mature gardens front and rear with garage along with off street parking. Energy rating - D

Westbury on Trym

Sold

Westbury on Trym

£375,000

This light and spacious extended four bedroom 1930s semi detached house is positioned on Abbey Road in the highly sought after Westbury on Trym. With a light and spacious reception rooms, loft conversion and extended kitchen breakfast room create a substantial family home. Energy rating – D

An extended four bedroom linked detached family home, nestled within a quiet cul-de-sac in the highly desirable Westbury on Trym.

With mature rear gardens and double garage and driveway parking. Energy rating - TBC

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Henleaze

Westbury on Trym

Westbury on Trym

£360,000

Sat between the bustling centre of the historic village of Westbury on Trym and the shops on Henleaze Road, 49 Cheriton Place is being marketed with no onward chain. A fine example of a three bedroom family home, with an extended kitchen/dining room and a separate bay fronted living room. Energy rating - E Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Henleaze

£315,000

Available with no onward chain, a beautifully presented three bedroom bay fronted terraced family home. Located in the highly sought after Henleaze area of Bristol this property benefits from off street parking and a garage. With an extended family kitchen breakfast room and further development potential. Energy rating – TBC Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

£330,000

This beautifully presented bay fronted mid-terrace family home with a garage occupies a position equidistant from Westbury on Trym village and Henleaze high street. The accommodation offers two light spacious reception rooms and three bedrooms. With mature rear garden, garage this property offers much more than your typical terrace. Energy rating – D Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Westbury on Trym

Sold

This beautifully presented, two double bedroom hall floor apartment is located a stone’s throw from the heart of Westbury on Trym village and the Durdham Downs. Set within and imposing Bath stone townhouse on Westbury Road this fantastic home occupies the hall floor. Energy rating – D Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

OIXO £330,000

A five bedroom family home bolstered by three reception rooms, two kitchens and four shower/bathrooms. The exceptional square footage for a property in this location enables the property to offer large families, or those who are looking to balance work/home life, a flexible solution to their accommodation needs.

Energy rating – D Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Westbury on Trym

£120,000

A fantastic opportunity for investors and owner occupiers alike, this one bedroom ground floor apartment has been refurbished with a new kitchen, bathroom and central heating system during Spring 2013. With a private garden accessed from the living room, neutral decor throughout this property is able to be moved into straight away. Energy rating – TBC Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

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Redland

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£165,000 Cotham

An impressive one double bed apartment close to Redland Green with accommodation comprising a 15' living room, separate fitted kitchen, utility room, double bedroom and modern bathroom with a white suite and a shower over the bath. The property has gas central heating. Energy rating - C Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Redland

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Clifton

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

£279,950 Clifton

A spacious two bedroom garden flat with two allocated parking spaces. This beautiful property consists of a sizeable sitting room with bay window, dining room, a hand built kitchen, two generous double bedrooms & a refitted modern bathroom and a private South West facing garden at the rear . Energy Rating - D

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

£284,950

Stylish Clifton townhouse for sale in a tucked away cul-de-sac yards from Whiteladies Road. The property presents itself over four floors of accommodation consisting of kitchen/diner, cloakroom, lounge, two bedrooms, en-suite bathroom and an ensuite shower room. Energy Rating - D Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

£300,000 Clifton

A well proportioned two double bedroom garden flat on Osborne Road with private access, private lawned garden with south westerly aspect, lounge/diner with Victorian bay window, modern separate kitchen overlooking the private lawned rear garden, spacious bathroom, sizeable storage cupboard. Energy Rating tbc

£192,500

A bright and stylish garden apartment with a lounge with bay window, period fireplace, sash windows and shutters, separate modern kitchen/breakfast room, spacious double bedroom and a modern refitted bathroom. The property has its own private entrance. Energy rating - D

£399,950

Occupying the entire top floor of this stunning period detached building is this substantial apartment measuring in excess of 1200 sq.ft. There is flexible accommodation comprising either four double bedrooms and a living/dining room or three double bedrooms and two separate reception rooms. Energy rating - D Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Clifton

£250,000

A top floor apartment with the rare benefit of an allocated parking space. This light and airy apartment has a generous living room to the front, a separate kitchen with stainless steel units, two bedrooms and a modern bathroom with a shower over the bath and a lawned communal garden to the rear. Energy Rating - D Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Sneyd Park

£285,000

A simply wonderful period Garden flat with an impressive lounge/ dining room that opens to a modern kitchen, an internal room that is currently the main bedroom with en-suite shower room, double guest bedroom, a stunning bathroom, 38' x 18' 'alfresco dining terrace' and a garage which also houses a sauna. Energy rating - D Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Clifton Wood

£550,000

A simply stunning period home with some of the most impressive views seen from a Bristol property. The property offers accommodation over four floors and consists lounge with bay window, spacious dining room with French doors onto the southerly aspect garden, separate kitchen, utility/WC area, five bedrooms and a large bathroom. Energy rating - D Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Montpelier

Bishopston

Montpelier

This impressive Georgian townhouse with a beautiful 30ft southerly rear garden and driveway, is a unique purchase in the area.

The spacious accommodation includes a formal living room, a cloakroom, a fantastic family kitchen/diner with gorgeous views, four double bedrooms and a luxury bathroom. Further benefits include lovely period features throughout. EPC – D

A beautifully, newly refurbished apartment in this imposing double bay fronted period property. Bathed in natural light, it comprises an open plan kitchen, a bay fronted living area, a master bedroom complete with a second bay window and a stunning en-suite, and a second double bedroom and shower room. This is a truly rare find for this sought after area. EPC – C

Ideally located overlooking Montpelier Park, this impressive Georgian townhouse offers a lounge, stunning open plan kitchen/diner a sunny enclosed rear garden, four double bedrooms, bathroom, and an additional shower room. Boasting an array of period features, this characterful property is a rare find for this highly sought after location.

EPC – E

£315,000

£249,950

£339,950

Henleaze

Westbury-on-Trym

Henleaze

Conveniently located within close proximity to Henleaze shops and schools, this extended family home now offers six bedrooms and two bathrooms (one en-suite). The ground floor has two interconnecting reception rooms; the rear with double doors leading to a delightful 20m family garden, kitchen diner with dual aspect, downstairs WC, garage and ample parking. EPC – D

A superb example of an exclusive detached family home positioned within a quiet cul-desac of Westbury-on-Trym village offering open outlook onto playing fields beyond a private landscaped garden. The property comprises four bedrooms, master with en-suite, three receptions, all with access to garden, kitchen breakfast room with modern appliances and worktops and double garage. EPC - C

Positioned in the popular and prestigious Brecon Road, this semi-detached family home is approached via an arched feature storm porch, four double bedrooms, master with en-suite, three individual receptions, rear sitting room with inglenook fireplace, kitchen breakfast room, private parking and detached garage. Marketed with no onward chain. EPC - E

Price Guide £600,000

Price Guide £600,000

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Price Guide £625,000

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MANAGEMENT • SALES • LETTING • CONSULTANCY

Clifton £325,000 Caledonia Place is a terrace of Grade II listed buildings and this courtyard flat forms part of No 25. The property is accessed via steps to an enclosed lobby and large hallway with two bedrooms to front elevation, contemporary bathroom and large store cupboard. The light and airy sitting room is to the rear of the property with access via French doors to a charming courtyard and steps leading to a half-share of the rear garden. The contemporary good-size kitchen boasts a pantry and glazed door to the outside area which is perfect for al fresco dining. Within walking distance of the shops, restaurants and cafes of Clifton village, the property has access to the beautiful communal gardens.

Harbourside £259,950 This first floor apartment in the prestigious Steamship House occupies an enviable position on the Harbourside. Completed in 2010 this purpose built development sits alongside the present site of the SS Great Britain. Cafes, restaurants and the recently opened M Shed museum are all within walking distance. The City Centre, Clifton Village and all major transport links are all also easily accessible. The well planned accommodation incorporates a good sized open plan kitchen/living room with a balcony benefitting from lovely water views, two double bedrooms, one with en-suite shower room and a further balcony with water views.

There is a separate bathroom and also good storage facilities. The apartment further benefits from an allocated secure parking space.

Clifton £280,000 A well planned first and second floor maisonette with a single garage. The apartment is presented in good decorative order and situated in an excellent central location close to Clifton Village with a nice open aspect overlooking the local school grounds opposite. The accommodation comprises first floor sitting room with French doors, modern fitted kitchen with window, good storage cupboards in hall, two double bedrooms and modern bathroom. The garage can be found to the rear. A rare opportunity as these apartments do not often become available.

There is no onward chain. EPC Rating C.

Clifton £320,000 Property Concept is very pleased to be able to offer to the market this delightful and particularly spacious garden flat in Manilla Road. This large apartment benefits from its own entrance and private gardens to the front and the rear, and is within easy walking distance to Clifton village. The accommodation consists of an entrance porch, large south facing sitting/dining room with open plan kitchen, bathroom, separate cloakroom, with the master bedroom and further double bedroom to the rear. The apartment has been recently newly decorated throughout, has gas central heating and a fully fitted kitchen. This apartment is being sold with no onward chain. EPC Rating C

21 Princess Victoria Street

Tel 0117 970 6119

enquiries@propertyconcept.co.uk

Clifton, Bristol BS8 4BX

Fax 0117 970 6109

www.propertyconcept.co.uk

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

NEW INSTRUCTION

Clifton, Bristol

Guide price ÂŁ445,000

Situated on the raised hall floor of this striking Victorian house, you will find a beautifully presented, opulent maisonette with over 1,500 sq ft of accommodation.

The apartment offers 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, spacious drawing room, kitchen/breakfast room and allocated covered parking. EPC Rating: C

NEW INSTRUCTION

Redland, Bristol

Guide price ÂŁ695,000

This wonderful five bedroom semi detached Victorian house is set over three floors with south/west facing rear garden and generous front garden, providing offstreet parking. This house is bursting with period features including stripped pine floors, sash windows and open fires. It is finished to a high standard throughout and located in a popular road in the heart of Redland, close to Whiteladies Road. EPC Rating: E

Hamptons Bristol

Sales. 0117 322 6362 | bristol@hamptons-int.com

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NEW INSTRUCTION

Clifton, Bristol

Guide price ÂŁ895,000

This semi-detached house has been finished to an exceptionally high specification and was completed in the latter part of 2012. Built as one of a pair and comprising three floors with about 1884 sq ft, it occupies a wonderful position within this well-regarded enclave close to Clifton Village. It offers 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, large kitchen/ dining room, landscaped front and rear courtyard gardens, gated off street parking and set in a beautiful central location. EPC Rating: C

Chew Stoke, Bath & North East Somerset

Guide price ÂŁ1,000,000

This elegant and substantial period house had humble beginnings but was substantially extended during the early part of the 18th century and mid 19th century into the lovely family house you see today. Grade II listed, it has a wonderful array of period features and is set in the sought after village of Chew Stoke. There are various outbuildings including a 2 storey barn and is set in about 3.5 acres, with more by separate negotiation.

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Clifton £965,000

A very impressive family house situated in central Clifton with attractive outlook. Flexible accommodation over 5 floors with plenty of space. Large open plan kitchen/dining area, 2 receptions, study, 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. EPC rating - D.

Westbury Park £850,000

A stunning Edwardian semi detached family house in desirable Downs Park West. Comprises 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room opening onto C.70 ft rear garden. 6 Double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Garage and off-street parking. EPC rating E

Clifton Guide price £435,000

A superb 3 bedroom/2 bathrooms mews house with courtyard garden in a prime tucked away Clifton location. This imaginative conversion is stylish and has contemporary feel. EPC rating B.

Leese & Nagle June.indd 1

Brandon Hill £735,000

Offering something a little bit different, this attractive Victorian end of terrace townhouse benefits from an expansive south westerly outlook over Brandon Hill Park to the front. It benefits from a versatile layout with 5 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms as well as garden & garage.

EPC rating - F.

Redland Guide price £425,000

A charming Edwardian four bedroom family home situated within walking distance of Redland Green school and within a few minutes of shops on Coldharbour Road. Welcoming hallway, formal sitting room to the front, dining room opening into the kitchen and rear garden. Four bedrooms, family bathroom and cloakroom. Gardens to three sides and a rear garage. EPC rating D.

Clifton £325,000

A beautifully presented 2 double bedroom apartment forms part of this refurbished property on Clifton’s ever popular Percival Road. Communal gardens to the front of the property & a secure allocated parking space behind automated gates. EPC rating - TBC.

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Westbury-on-Trym Guide Price £935,000

A stunning lifestyle orientated detached family house set in lovely private gardens in a tucked away location. Combines stunning open plan living areas and traditional 1930’s reception rooms, five bedrooms including a spacious loft conversion room with views. Superb gardens with sunny aspect, garage and off street parking.

Henleaze £515,000

An attractive and extended five bedroom 1930’s semi detached house situated within five minutes walk of the desirable Henleaze primary schools. The house provides a lovely open plan living/dining/kitchen area opening onto the 60’ level rear garden. Formal sitting room to the front, cloakroom. Five bedrooms (one en suite), family bathroom and a useful study/nursery room. Garage and parking.

Stoke Bishop Guide Price £565,000

A completely remodelled and extended 1930’s semi detached six bedroom, three bathroom family house in central Stoke Bishop. Almost unrecognisable from the original layout the house boasts a large continental style open plan living area opening onto the rear garden. Additional sitting room, garage and parking. No onward Chain.

Leese & Nagle June.indd 2

Westbury-on-Trym £1,100,000

A stunning Edwardian family home of extremely generous proportions set in a desirable side road on the Westbury/Henleaze borders. The impressive ground floor provides a reception hallway, three reception rooms, large open plan kitchen/dining area opening onto the 100 ft long rear garden. Five double bedrooms including master suite, three bath/shower rooms.

Garage and parking.

Stoke Bishop £365,000

This is a characterful 1930’s three bedroom semi-detached family house situated at the end of a select cul-de-sac in the highly sought after Stoke Bishop district. There is a long driveway for parking up to 3 cars and leads to an attached single garage. EPC rating –TBC

Westbury-on-Trym £499,950

A spacious 1930’s three double bedroom detached house situated on the Stoke Bishop/ Westbury borders within level walking distance of Stoke Lane shops. Ideally suited for those looking to downsize or for families looking for a detached house with potential to extend.

EPC rating - TBC.

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SALE

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