The Bristol Magazine December 2011

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£3.00 where sold

THE

ISSUE 90

I

DECEMBER 2011

BRISTOL THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CITY OF BRISTOL

MAGAZINE

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

FESTIVE SPIRITS James Russell on Bristol’s Ghosts

HOFF the HOOK It’s Panto Season...

Oh yes it is!

YULETIDE YARNS Books for Christmas

REG the VEG Feels the Beet with his Top Tunes

LOCALLY SOURCED Good Food is Never Far Away

GIFTED CITY

Deer Santa Presents with a Twist

TBM’s Sleigh Ride of Festive Fun

The very best in local writing, what’s on, the arts, lifestyle, property and so much more in your guide to life and living in Bristol

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Knight Frank December:full page

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Knight Frank James Toogood Partner Bristol

■ ■

■ ■ ■ ■

Knight Frank's Bristol office has approaching £25,000,000 worth of property currently under offer The property market is tough. Pricing your property at the right level and using the right media to advertise your property is key in getting your property sold.

Knight Frank has 18 London offices to assist in finding you a buyer for your property, including over 700 people in our head office.

Viewing levels are lower than average but offer levels are up 27% on last year's figures.

Knight Frank.co.uk receives 600,000 unique web hits a month.

We offer a free, no obligation market appraisal service should you be considering selling your home.

SOLD Stoke Bishop

Guide £795,000

33 viewings. Similar properties required.

A 5 bedroom family home with generous gardens in Queens Gate. Full depth drawing room, sitting room. Dining room. Kitchen/breakfast room. Utility room. Cloakroom. Master bedroom, guest bedroom both with en suite shower rooms. 3 further bedrooms. Family bathroom.

Gardens to rear & front. Detached double garage, off street parking.

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol

0117 3171999 bristol@knightfrank.com

SOLD

SOLD Wookey

Guide £2,650,000

Clifton Wood

Guide £645,000

Sold for 8% above the guide price with 2 overseas buyers bigging for the property.

Sale agreed in 2 weeks.

Impressive Jacobean manor house overlooking its own stream, pond and cricket pitch. 6 reception rooms, library, cinema, billiard room, sauna and cellar. 15 bedroom suites. Double garage, therapy room, summer house and club house. Landscaped gardens, grounds and croquet lawn. In all about 17.8 acres.

A contemporary townhouse (2,300 sq ft) with breathtaking harbour views. Open plan kitchen/dining room, full width balcony. First floor drawing room. 4 bedrooms (2 ensuite). Family bathroom, utility, cloakroom, storage. South facing decked balcony, extensive roof terrace.

Paved rear courtyard. Off street parking.

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol

0117 3171999 bristol@knightfrank.com

SOLD

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol

0117 3171999 bristol@knightfrank.com

SOLD

Clifton

Guide £1,250,000

Clifton

Guide £850,000

12 viewings with 2 parties offering on the property.

Relaunched with 4 viewings on day 1 and sold to a London buyer.

An exceptional modern family house with drawing room, dining room & balcony.

Kitchen/breakfast room. Utility room. Servery. Cloakroom. Wine cellar. Master bedroom with dressing room & ensuite shower room. 4 further double bedrooms (2 ensuite). Bathroom. Gated parking. Integrated double garage. Enclosed rear garden.

A superb end of terrace townhouse with spacious accommodation over 4 floors and private rear garden. 3 reception rooms, 4-5 bedrooms. 2 bathrooms. 2 cloakrooms. Family kitchen. Utility room. Attic. Fabulous south facing garden. Possibility of self contained lower ground floor apartment.

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol

0117 3171999 bristol@knightfrank.com

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol

0117 3171999 bristol@knightfrank.com

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Knight Frank

Clifton

Clifton

Victorian family house (4,381 sq ft) retaining many original features. Entrance lobby, hall, 3 reception rooms. Kitchen, utility room, cloakroom. Master bedroom with en suite and dressing room, 4 further bedrooms (2 en suite), family bathroom. Self contained 2 bed flat at lower ground floor. Garden, off street parking.

A wonderful Edwardian family home, moments from Clifton village.

Entrance hall, drawing room, dining room, family kitchen (with Aga), utility room, cloakroom. 4 first floor double bedrooms and family bathroom, 4 second floor double bedrooms and shower room.

Garden. Detached double garage & workshop.

Guide £1,195,000

Guide £1,175,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com 0117 3171999

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com 0117 3171999

Leigh Woods

Clifton

A wonderfully spacious period apartment (2,050 sq ft), just 0.5 miles from Clifton village. Generous reception room, separate kitchen/breakfast room. 2 double bedrooms (1 ensuite), bathroom.

2 large vaulted reception rooms (1 with ensuite shower room).

Private driveway & OSP. Single garage.

A wonderfully spacious period maisonette with private garden close to Clifton village. Drawing room, sitting room/dining room, study, kitchen, utility room. 3 double bedrooms (1 ensuite), bedroom 4, bathroom.

Private south facing landscaped garden & balcony with stairs to the garden from the hall floor.

Guide £375,000

Guide £545,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com 0117 3171999

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com 0117 3171999

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Knight Frank

Almondsbury

Clifton

Detached house adjoining The Bristol Golf Club and within the grounds of Over Court. 4 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room.

Master bedroom suite. 3 further bedrooms, 2 futher bathrooms.

Guest 1 bed annexe, gym, double garage, car port and landscaped gardens.

A pair of Grade II Listed period town houses. Full planning has been granted for each house to accommodate gym, cinema room, games room, family kitchen, dining room, 3 formal reception rooms, music room, study. 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, vaulted storage, au pair accommodation, gated drive, garden, balcony.

Guide £1,195,000

Price on Application

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com 0117 3171999

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com 0117 3171999

Harbourside

Lower Langford

An exceptionally spacious apartment with harbour views. Drawing room. Kitchen. Master bedroom with ensuite bath and shower room.

Guest bedroom with ensuite shower room. Bedroom 3/study.

Shower room. Utility cupboard and storage. Allocated underground parking with lift access. Terrace overlooking the harbour.

A delightful Grade II listed village house (4,678 sq ft) dating back to the 19th Century. 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms (3 en-suite). Outbuildings including garden room, study, double garage and stores. Enclosed level gardens.

Guide £435,000

OIEO £700,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com 0117 3171999

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com 0117 3171999

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contents

2011 28

36

22 12

TALK OF THE TOWN

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Highlights this month

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BARTLEBY

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STAR INTERVIEW The Hoff promises he’ll be on top form as Captain Hook in panto

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CHRISTMAS SPIRITS James Russell tells tales of ghosts and hauntings for the year’s darkest days

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FESTIVE FASHION

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A GOOD READ

56

ICING ON THE CAKE We taste test the Bristol school where you can learn to decorate cupcakes

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

EATING ETHICALLY

MOTORMOUTH TBM test drives the family-friendly Peugeot 508 SW

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FAMILY FUN Animated activities for the kids

76

HEALTH & BEAUTY Rest, revive, restore with a massage

82

INTERIORS At home and sitting pretty this Christmas

THE

BRISTOL MAGAZINE

We explore the cornucopia of fresh and local produce at Source in St Nick’s market

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THE LOCAL LARDER TBM takes the hard work out of finding the best food for your Christmas table

60

A round-up of books to give at Christmas

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FOOD & DRINK Our festive foodie fun starts here with tasty titbits from the city’s eateries

Get ready to party with this season’s beautiful bags and sparkling accessories

34

ART&EXHIBITIONS What the city’s galleries are hanging this month

MR BRISTOW World travel with our columnist

WHAT’S ON Looking forward to a new twist on Cinderella, plus the slapstick of panto – and a new version of the Coram Boy

FACE THE MUSIC Tom the man behind Reg the Veg on why he’s a lucky man

SEASON OF FUN Christmas events to enjoy in Bristol

Musings on family life in Bristol

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TBM can be viewed with the online edition on our website: www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

A HOLIDAY WALK Take the family along the banks of the Severn to blow away the cobwebs

ON THE COVER

BUSINESS

Rudi the Reindeer gets ready for Christmas. Image courtesy of www.Shutterstock.com

News from the city’s movers & shakers December 2011

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EDITOR’Sletter

E

very year I always intend to get Christmas organised in good time, buying presents in summer when I’m on holiday, spending my autumn evenings lovingly handmaking gifts for everyone and having them wrapped and ready weeks before the big day.

Needless to say, it invariably ends up with me in a last minute flap, rushing round the shops and queuing crossly to get in and out of some overcrowded supermarket. I do hope your Christmas preparations are smoother than mine. In this issue we’ve set out to give you inspiration for a great Christmas, from gift ideas to how to decorate your home. Being an independently-minded magazine, we think everyone should do a large proportion of their Christmas shopping from the artisans, artists and one-off traders who help make Bristol such a special place.

We’ve gone a bit foodie this month, what with learning how to decorate cupcakes so they look professional, talking to Joe Wheatcroft at Source about the revolution in ethical food shopping, and chatting to Reg the Veg, aka Tom Hagon, in Clifton Village about greengrocery and music. We’ve a round-up of places where you can order your local produce for Christmas, which should help make your preparations easier too.

On top of all that, there’s a comprehensive round-up of festive entertainment and things to do in Bristol in the lead-up and during the Christmas break, so you and your family won’t miss out on the fun.

I enjoyed an early Christmas present in the form of a lively chat with the irrepressible David ‘The Hoff’ Hasselhoff, who’s heading for the Hippodrome to star in panto. I’m sure he’s in for a very warm Bristolian welcome during his stay in the city.

Now, I’m off to start my shopping. Time for the first mince pie of the season I think . . .

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas to you and your loved ones!

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 Ewart sam@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Contributors

Mick Ringham, David Parmiter, James Russell, Andrew Swift, Ann Armstrong, Charlotte Stone

Production Manager Jeff Osborne Email: production@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:

Jodi Monelle jodi@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

December 2011

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TALKofthe TOWN

My cultural life

BOOK OF THE MONTH A Cruel Bird Came to the Nest and Looked In, by Magnus Mills (Pub: Bloomsbury, hardback, £12.99) Review: Joe Salter of Blackwells I’ve never read anything like this before, but I daresay I could say the same for any of Magnus Mills’ works. His writing always bears his unmistakable stamp – dry wit, sparse prose and the occasional over-use of the power of suggestion – but as a storyteller he is unrivalled in his talent for original, thought-provoking concepts. The story takes place in the Empire of Greater Fallowfields where a council struggles to run the empire in the mysterious absence of its Emperor. The narrator is one of these apparently arbitrarily selected councillors, responsible for overseeing the Imperial Orchestra despite having no prior knowledge in the field. His colleague Whimbrel, an Astronomer Royal doesn’t know what a constellation is and only has a coin operated telescope. The characters with their unique foibles are an amusing diversion from a more sinister tale of political oppression and incompetence. The world Mills creates is just a thinly veiled mockery of our own, to which it could be argued that the reader is the eponymous Cruel Bird. Both dark and funny, Mills does it with aplomb and should be widely celebrated for it.

Raise a smile this Christmas

NEWS IN BRIEF An independent approach

H

omegrown Bristol-based Aardman film-makers have teamed up with Sony Pictures to make this year’s big Christmas family movie, Arthur Christmas. The CG animated comedy breaks away from the Wallace and Gromit model-based approach but keeps its very British understated, warm humour. And there are some great British actors behind the characters. James McAvoy plays Arthur, Jim Broadbent voices Santa, Imelda Staunton Mrs Santa and Bill Nighy is the gloriously old-school Grandsanta. At one point he rails against the new, slick way of delivering Christmas: “What happened to going down the chimney? Never did me any harm?” The film avoids being sickly sweet and offers something for adults and children, with its plotline of what happens when Santa’s streamlined, computerised gift delivery goes horribly wrong and one little girl doesn’t get a present . . .

The Bristol Magazine The Bristol Magazine 2 Princes Buildings George Street Bath BA1 2ED Telephone: 0117 974 2800 Fax: 01225 426677 editor@thebristolmagazine.co.uk sales@thebristolmagazine.co.uk © MC Publishing Ltd 2011 The Bristol Magazine is distributed free every month to over 24,000 homes and businesses throughout Bristol.

Printed by PCP Printers Published by MC Publishing Limited Disclaimer: Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Bristol Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form either in part or whole without written permission from the publishers.

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One of the things that makes Bristol such a vibrant, interesting city is the high number of one-off shops and cafes that trade independently.

At Christmas, when we spend more than at any other time of the year, we can show support for our local traders, artists and artisans by choosing to buy handmade gifts. Colston Street is just one of those little hotspots where you can find unique and unusual presents. Alongside The Silver Shop, Booty, The Rag Trade and the Handmade Shoe Company is an artists’ run shop, Blaze, where from just a few pounds, you can pick up beautiful handmade pieces (such as this cheeky ceramic owl by Bristol designer Hannah Turner).

Star turn to launch calendar The countdown to Christmas begins on Thursday 1 December at 6pm when US star David Hasselhoff makes a personal appearance in Cabot Circus to launch a prize-winning Advent calendar, hosted by the shopping centre and Destination Bristol. Daily prizes include tickets to see the Hoff in panto at the Hippodrome. Log on to www.visitbristol.co.uk to find out how to enter the draw.

Put on your festive sparkle The Cots for Tots Appeal is inviting people in Bristol and the south west to pay £1 to wear tinsel and take part in Tinsel for Tots on Friday 9 December. The money raised will help sick and premature babies at the Special Care Baby Unit at St Michael's Hospital in Bristol. To register to take part, visit www.tinselfortots.org.uk or tel: 0800 919 649.

Sue Stones, general manager of Harvey Nichols, Bristol Which book are you reading?

The winter evenings call for pure indulgence, and that’s exactly what I get from Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty by Andrew Bolton. The book focuses on six of the most famous McQueen collections and, as you can imagine, it is stunningly illustrated.

Which cafés or restaurants will you be visiting?

Obviously our Second Floor Restaurant to enjoy a Christmas menu prepared by our chef Louise McCrimmon. I’ve also promised myself I’ll try The Hardwick, near Abergavenny, as I have heard such good things about the food.

Which museum or gallery will you be visiting?

As December is non-stop in retail, I shall be saving my gallery visit for next month when M Shed hosts Norman Parkinson: An Eye for Fashion. This promises to be the perfect exhibition for anyone who loves the style industry as it showcases the work of one of the great pioneers of fashion photography.

What’s on your MP3 player?

I have such an eclectic taste in music that my iPod skips from Lady Gaga to Abba via Miles Davis and even a spot of Glee. I’m enjoying Deconstruction’s Murray James, who played at our Freshers’ Hub earlier this year.

What outdoor local activity will you be enjoying this month?

Does shopping count! Despite the fact that Christmas starts for me in September, I don’t actually get round to buying all my gifts until the last minute.

What’s preoccupying you?

It’s all about Christmas, whether that’s at our Quaker’s Friars store or our temporary pop-up gift shops in Cabot Circus and Cribbs Causeway. When everyone else is enjoying the festive spirit, my mind quickly turns to the sales.

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TALKofthe TOWN

Avoid cabin fever: go for a walk The perfect way to blow away the cobwebs over Christmas is to wrap up and take the family or friends out for a walk. Bristol Ramblers are extending an invitation for people to join them in the national Festival of Winter Walks, with a programme of guided walks of various lengths in the Bristol and Bath area.

• Sunday 18 December, meet at 7.55am at Bath Spa train station for a 16-mile Solstice Stomp that begins at sunrise and ends at sunset.

• Tuesday 27 December, meet at 8.30am at Great George Street, Bristol for a post-turkey 13-mile walk around Ebbor Gorge.

• Wednesday 28 December, meet at the Water Tower on the Downs for a five mile stroll to Temple Meads.

• Sunday 1 January. The New Year’s Day walk begins at 9am at Great George Street, Bristol and takes to the Mendip Hills for a 12-mile walk.

• Monday 2 January, meet at 8am at Great George Street, and be prepared for a strenuous 12-mile walk as the group tackles the spectacular Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons.

All the walks are free and open to all. Find out more by visiting: www.bristolramblers.org.uk.

The National Trust’s splendidly restored Tyntesfield estate is for the first time remaining open throughout the winter. The gardens, estate, shop and restaurant – but not the house – will be open to visitors every day except Christmas Day. If you just want to stretch your legs there’s a one-mile walk that can be downloaded from: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/walking.

IN

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Awards for the angels of Arnos The tireless work done by supporters of Arnos Vale was recognised nationally when Lori Streich and Joyce Smith, in the centre of the picture above, attended the English Heritage Angels Awards ceremony in London to receive the prize for the conservation of the old Bristol cemetery.

Judges included Michael Winner, Melvyn Bragg and Andrew Lloyd Webber and the award for the best rescue of a site from the Heritage at Risk register was given jointly to Bristol City Council and the Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust.

The Trust is hosting its first Christmas memorial service on Saturday 17 December at 2pm in the beautifully restored Anglican Chapel. This will provide an opportunity for people to come together to light candles and remember loved ones. Refreshments will be available afterwards in the Spielman Cafe.

Arnos Vale is also launching its new Guardian Angel scheme so supporters can continue their relationship with the site, begun when so many signed petitions and fought to save it. For from £5 a month Guardian Angels receive benefits including discounts to events. Email: info@arnosvale.org.uk

McArthurGlen’s Swindon Designer Outlet Quba & Co Reader Offer

With the winter months drawing in, Quba & Co at McArthurGlen’s Swindon Designer Outlet share their top tips on how to wrap up warm during these cold winter months, as well as offering one lucky reader the chance to win a £500 luxury shopping spree at nautical fashion clothing store Quba & Co in McArthurGlen’s Swindon.

McArthurGlen’s Swindon – part of McArthurGlen, Europe’s largest designer outlet group - offers leading designer and high street brands such as Aquascutum, Hobbs and Jaeger as well as LK Bennett, Ted Baker and Kurt Geiger, for up to 60% less, making McArthurGlen’s Swindon the perfect place to

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find all your Christmas gifts.

The cold winter months can often prove difficult for even the most fashion forward among us. McArthurGlen’s Swindon Designer Outlet and Quba & Co share their tops for staying snug and stylish this festive season:

For your chance to win, simply answer the following question:

• Keeping warm and looking good doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive; warm up this winter with classic fairisle knits and accessories - the perfect way to add a festive finish to your winter warmers.

• Mittens and gloves will keep hands cosy and looking chic. Leather or knitted, gloves are essential for any winter wardrobe and the perfect way to extenuate your style.

• Classic casual wear should be worn to keep chills at bay and stay toasty indoors.

Gorgeously soft hoodies and sweat pants to match can combine both comfort and style this Christmas.

a) Nautical Heritage

Where does Quba & Co take its style inspiration from:

b) Vintage Chic c) 60’s Retro Please send answer on postcard with your name and address to The Bristol Magazine, 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED

For more information on McArthurGlen’s Swindon Designer Outlet or to book a free style consultation, please visit: www.swindondesigneroutlet.com or call: 01793 507625 Follow us on Facebook at:

www.facebook.com/swindondesigneroutlet Closing date 30.12.2011

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designer jewellery and gifts

Catherine Amesbury Home of

contemporary jewellery design

214 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NU Tel: 0117 924 1003 www.artemisbristol.co.uk

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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the darkness

BANISH

I

don’t know about you but I find that each year the winter seems a little darker. No, I’m not suggesting that it’s literally getting darker – I don’t want to start a nationwide panic – but the seasonal adjustment seems just a bit harder to make. I suppose it’s age. Ho hum.

But wait. I’m not trying to put a downer on the festive season. The point is that one has to make more of an effort to combat the symptoms of the ailment known as SAD (that’s Seasonal Affective Disorder, but SAD makes more sense). The desire to drink heavily and sleep 18 hours a day is perhaps perfectly natural but it isn’t very good for productivity.

Anyway, one of the things you’re supposed to do is embrace whatever sun there is, to boost your intake of Vitamin… D, I think it is – not that it matters because they’re all good. And also that other stuff, that makes you feel happy. Serotonin, I think it’s called, but I’m not a scientist so please don’t take my word for it. Ask Dr Google. The way you do this is obviously to lead a Healthy Lifestyle, which means Eating Fitter, Staying Active and all the rest of it. Or you can go for a walk, which on a short Sunday afternoon at Bartleby Towers means going to Dundry.

One minute you’re in Withywood the ❝ next you’re enjoying Hardy country with drystone walls, sheep nibbling the turf

❞

If there is a heaven then it is something like Dundry, perched above the hurly burly and sprawl of the city in perpetual sunshine. There’s a church on the hill which you can see from our kitchen window if you don’t mind a crick in the neck (should we add ‘views of Dundry’ to the property details?

I’m not sure), and up close it is a truly wonderful building, with elaborate stone carving all around the top of the tower.

But we’re not here for the church. We’re here for the fields and the wide views over the Chew Valley. Ah, those fields! One minute you’re in Withywood, the next you’re enjoying Hardy country, with drystone walls, sheep nibbling the turf and crows cawing away as if their lives depended on it. Just thinking about the breeze riffling through the waving grass I can feel my SAD dissolving away – that’s visualization, that is – although our most recent visit was not altogether a relaxing experience.

We had parked the car and proceeded into the first field, with the view just beginning to open up ahead. As usual there were cattle about, which were apparently male but lacking aggressive instincts. We kept an eye on them, though, which is how we spotted the small car racing across the field.

It raced towards the cattle, which lumbered out of the way, and then it raced towards us.

At first I thought the car had somehow escaped and was driving itself across the rough ground, as there was no sign of a driver. Then I saw that I was mistaken. There was indeed a driver, but said individual was too small to be seen over the steering wheel. Her companion was equally diminutive, and not because she was stunted. They were, in fact, children. Children! I gathered my own offspring close about me and we stood still as the car approached. It came closer and closer, until suddenly we heard a cry, delivered in an accent that could only be described as Broad Bristle.

“Look out for the people!”

With that the car veered to the right, and the driver – who evidently couldn’t see us any more than we could see her – gave a laconic apology and sped off. We also sped off, to the safety of the nearest stile. We didn’t even bother to assess the gender and potential aggression levels of the animals in the next field. We just jumped. ‘Can we go home a different way?’ Someone ventured. ‘That,’ I replied, ‘sounds like a good plan.’ ■

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CITY FACEgardens theMUSIC

AND THE beet GOES ON As we prepare the sprouts for Christmas Day greengrocer Tom Hagon tells Mick Ringham how he became known as Reg the Veg as he picks his top ten favourite tracks

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FACEtheMUSIC

TOM’S FAVOURITES: left to right, Johnny Cash and Hurt, Mumford and Sons’ The Cave, and Stevie Wonder, Superstition

T

here is no doubting that brands play an important indeed significant role in business. Millions are spent by multi-national companies in achieving the right name for that certain brand. However, this caused little concern to John Boot when he started his chemist or, for that matter when Reginald Meek opened a small greengrocers shop in Clifton Village.

As is so often the case in the retail world, it’s all in the name, hence Reg the Veg was proudly displayed above the door. Some four decades later Tom Hagon is more than happy to trade under that same iconic sign, which in many respects has become part of the area’s landscape. Tom was born in Colchester and after leaving school and attending college, became a railway engineer, but he always harboured a burning ambition to visit Australia.

His dream became reality when his job hit the buffers; he leapt on a Jumbo and headed for a life of adventure on the other side of the world, undertaking all manner of different jobs including selling ice cream on Bondi Beach. During his year-long stay he met his future partner Beth, who was on a gap year from her home in Bristol and when he eventually returned to the U.K. he headed down the M4 for a visit.

Tom takes up the story: “I fell in love with Beth and at the same time the city and I’ve never really left.” To meet the bills and pay the rent he started working part-time for George the then owner of Reg the Veg; unloading the van, delivering groceries and polishing the odd apple. During the evenings he could be found pulling pints in local bars. After a few months George took him on full-time and he started to take a keen interest in the world of carrot tops and cabbages, eventually being offered the ownership of the business. He contacted his father in Essex who agreed to go into partnership with him and a result, his family decided to relocate here to help in the shop.

Tom talks with genuine passion about the business: “I’m a great advocate in keeping things local and try to source as much organic and regional food as possible. It’s good for the growers, good for us and ultimately good for the customers.”

His displays spill-out on barrows like a wash of colour onto the tiny cul-de-sac, offering seasonal fruit and vegetables, from the basic to the more exotic. He is lucky in having a following of loyal customers, ranging from bed-sit students to Clifton Village’s glitterati. The personal side of this busy greengrocer’s life sees him living across the city in Easton with Beth and their two small children. Finally I asked him how he felt about having another man’s name over the shop. He laughs : “My grandfather’s name was Reg. so I suppose it’s turned full circle and I guess you could say we’ve kept it in the family.”

Tom’s top ten: ● Mumford and Sons – The Cave I chose this for no particular reason, other than I like the way these guys blend many genres of music together. The audience’s reaction to their live gigs is epic. One of the band comes from a village just outside Bath, so I’m hoping he’ll come in one day and I can tell him how much his music means to me. ● Bon Iver – Skinny Love I listen to the radio in the shop on most days and heard this band www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

on 6-Music, which is one of my favourite stations. They have a beautiful and unique sound and I’ve been a fan for many years.

This particular track is one of my all time ‘must have’ pieces of music. ● Stevie Wonder – Superstition This was chosen for an odd reason. It was the song our young son danced to – on the back seat of our car. It just came on the radio and we couldn’t stop him from dancing. I suppose it proves that no one can sit still listening to this classic record. ● Israel Kamakwiw’ole – Somewhere Over the Rainbow A really beautiful song and it’s also my mum’s favourite, so I had to put it in. My family moved down to Bristol to help me in the shop. They live just around the corner in Victoria Square, which couldn’t be more handy. They enjoy the buzz of the village. ● The Verve – Lucky Man This takes me back to living in Colchester. It reminds me of growing up and leaving school and also the fun times I enjoyed as a young chap going to college. I was feeling very excited about my future and what it had in store for me. Now I have a partner and two beautiful children. The title says it all! ● Gil Scott-Heron – I’m New Here Chosen for my fabulous mother-in-law, who introduced me to Gil Scott-Heron when she saw him last year at the Womad festival. I wish I had been aware of him earlier. He writes in such an honest and open style, it’s really great music which never fails to lift you. ● Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart I started listening to them after seeing the film Control, which was a moving and sometimes tragic story. They are incredibly talented and conjure up a mixture of feelings and emotions.

Music used as a film soundtrack, paints such a vivid picture and this is no exception.

I’m a great advocate in keeping ❝things local and try to source as much organic and regional food as possible

❞

● Mylo – Need You Tonite While travelling around Australia during 2005, I listened quite a lot to Mylo. This track takes me right back to those days and the good times I was lucky enough to have. I was meeting new people, seeing sights and experiencing that fast, unique country. ● The Doors – The End Before my time I suppose, but I’m so appreciative of this 60’s band and their cutting edge music. They also featured this number in Apocalypse Now which is one of my absolute top films of all time. They don’t make tracks like this anymore. ● Johnny Cash – Hurt This is one of mine and Beth’s favourites. It is such a personal song and always manages to give us both goosebumps. You can’t but admire Johnny Cash, the voice, image and lyrics are just wonderful. This is a recording that stays with you; it is in many respects timeless. ■ December 2011

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Mr Bristow YULETIDE

on the beach T

he strangest Christmas I ever spent was on the tiny Bahamian island of Eleuthera. I say tiny: Eleuthera is 100 miles long, but mostly only one mile wide. You could walk from the Atlantic beach to the Caribbean beach in your swimming togs. On most days the Atlantic side was blissfully calm and the Caribbean fearsomely rough. At one point the island narrowed to just the width of a single carriageway, with waves from both sides growling at each other as they made attempts (sometimes successful) to cross to the other side.

Due to the shallowness and the pure white sand the Caribbean was your classic blue whatever the weather. The Atlantic was indigo and was said to be three miles deep. This island was certainly perilously perched on an edge. Anyway, we managed to find a shiny new Italian hotel that served up the full works on Christmas Day. Turkey, stuffing and even sprouts. It was bizarre to sit munching roast parsnips as a school of dolphins obligingly plunged by out on the bay. We even pulled crackers on the beach.

On a less glorious occasion, we found ourselves stranded in a Berlin airport hotel over New Year. It was part of a chain, and hopes were not high for a knees up. The only other party in residence was a group of evangelical American students. They sang a couple of hymns in the bar as they sipped their orange juice, then retired to an early bed.

Somehow, the kitchen managed to find a goose in the back of their pantry and rustled up an almighty feast. And jolly good it was too. I followed this up by distributing great chunks of chocolate from a giant Toblerone I had bought in town earlier. I thought the huge triangular box would contain enough bars for all my chums, but it contained just one.

Quite the biggest and hardest in the world. Once again chef came up

Allium contemporary Jewellery www.allium-clifton.co.uk

It was bizarre to sit munching roast ❝ parsnips as a school of dolphins obligingly plunged by ❞ trumps by providing an axe with which to chop it into bite-size segments.

We hoped it wasn’t the same axe used earlier to dispatch the goose.

The worst (and in retrospect maybe the funniest) Christmas I ever spent was in a cheap bed and breakfast establishment in Hamburg. Brekky consisted of a hard bread roll, a margarine portion and a tiny tub of jam.

This was put outside your room at an unearthly hour every morning. Ten minutes later there would be an angry rap on the door if you hadn’t replaced the empty basket on the threshold.

We received our Christmas Day breakfast the night before, along with a curt note saying there would be no staff on duty over the festive period.

The only concession to joy to all mankind was a silver sprayed pine cone nestling next to the marge.

What we were supposed to do on Boxing Day wasn’t explained. What, no turkey sandwiches? Not on your Nelly, not even a stale bread roll.

To make it worse our agent was staying in the five star establishment directly opposite. If I stood on tiptoe and peeped over my grubby net curtains I could just see the top-hatted commissionaire standing next to the brass plate reading One of the Top Hotels of the World. But to give her her due, after many hints were dropped, said agent invited us over the road on Boxing Day for a slap-up dinner, albeit with the miserly proviso ‘Don’t pick the most expensive thing on the menu.’ Needless to say, we all went for the second most expensive item. ■

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42 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4JG 0117 9237477

Open: Monday – Saturday 10.00 til 5.30 Sunday 11.00 til 4.00 • Wrapping service available

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CITY STARgardens interview

DON’T HASSLE the HOFF Georgette McCready talks to Baywatch & Knight Rider star David Hasselhoff ahead of his panto appearance at the Bristol Hippodrome – and he finds time to share his top ten musical favourites

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STARinterview

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t’s a long way from the sun-drenched beaches of California to the wintry streets of Bristol, but the legend that is The Hoff is very excited about spending over a month in the city in his role as Captain Hook in the pantomime Peter Pan. It’s a role he first played last year in Wimbledon, where the show broke box office records for the theatre. As we talk over the phone – him in LA and me in Bristol – his energy and enthusiasm for British panto is unstoppable. He says of his role as the evil Captain Hook in Peter Pan: “It’s such fun. I had a blast, so when they asked me to do it again I said yes.”

He said he had hoped his former fellow cast member Louie Spence would be free to reprise his role as Roger the cabin boy, but Louie was tied up so Hoff is forging a new partnership with Andy Ford, who he says is great fun.

David has clearly developed a deep affection for Britain, not least because his girlfriend Hayley is Welsh. He makes regular appearances on British TV, between appearances as a global superstar. He has a huge fanbase in Germany, where he is best known as a rock star and recently played three nights in Las Vegas. He returns to Germany as part of a European tour in the spring, but meanwhile says he is looking forward to returning to the west country.

“I spent time on the beach not far from Bristol with my daughters doing T4,” he says, “and we got caught up in the traffic and all the fans. It was awesome. I’m really looking forward to spending time in Bristol.”

He has a gruelling schedule of two shows a day at the Hippodrome which for anyone, let alone a 59year-old with an already busy life to keep up with. I asked him how he keeps his energy levels so high.

on Friday and Saturday night ❝ shows when everyone’s had a few beers we crank it up and go over the top

❞

BOUNDLESS ENERGY: main picture, David Hasselhoff in sunny California and top, right, as Captain Hook in Peter Pan

“Coffee,” he says, and then starts waxing lyrical about all the things he loves about the UK. His favourite words are ‘cool’ and ‘awesome’. “I’m really getting into tea, peppermint tea, breakfast tea. Oh, and I love a full English breakfast with toast and everything. That’s awesome.

“I really like the way when the sun shines you all take the day off, and when it rains you all go to the pub. Which is why there’s a pub on every corner I guess. You don’t take life too seriously, I love the English mentality.”

He had recently guest hosted Never Mind the Buzzcocks

David Hasselhoff’s top tracks and albums 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Traffic Spark of High Heels Steely Dan Reeling in the Years The Rolling Stones Goat’s Head Soup Yes Fragile Emerson Lake & Palmer Lucky Man from Brain Salad Surgery Robert Gray Smokin’ Gun from Bad Influence The Jeff Healey Band Angel Eyes from See the Light Seal Crazy Shiny Toy Guns Stripped Down to the Bone from We Are Pilots Mick Jagger Goddess in the Doorway

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

when I spoke to him, “Oh, my, I’d love to host that show permanently! It’s the coolest show on TV. It’s great to be in charge of those comedians, to feed them lines you know they’ll turn into jokes. Noel Fielding is hysterical. You know it takes two hours to do that show? Then they cut it. We got some pretty great out-takes.”

As Captain Hook is he going to be a scary baddie, or play his twinkling Hoff self I wonder?

“When it’s a matinee we’re playing it firmly at the kids. I tone it down. My daughter told me off last year, she said ‘Dad, the kid next to me was crying, she was about four,’ so I keep it down. But on Friday and Saturday night shows when everyone’s had a few beers we crank it up and go over the top a bit more.”

He met one of his heroes, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood recently. There is something endearing about the Hoff – the man in the Guinness Book of Records who’s the most watched man ever on TV – being genuinely touched by the fact that the Stones’ guitarist had heard of him.

We had just a few minutes time left before his next interview.

I asked him if he’d had time to pick his top ten favourite pieces of music, as we had requested in advance. I half expected him to say he’d been too busy, but no.

“Sure. This is such a cool idea I have been writing them down while I’ve been interviewed today.”

There wasn’t time to ask him why he had picked each album or track, but there was a bizarre moment, which I will cherish for a long time, when the Hoff was singing down the phone from America to me the lyrics by Shiny Toy Guns: “Let me see you stripped down to the bone, let me hear you crying just for me.”

Say what you like about David Hasselhoff, but the man is an unstoppable force of nature and being called ‘babe’ by him is just the pick-me-up every girl needs on a rainy evening in Bristol. ■ Peter Pan is at the Bristol Hippodrome from 10 December to 8 January. For tickets visit: www.bristolhippodrome.org.uk or tel: 0844 847 2325.

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HAUNTEDcity

the spirits of Christmas Pull up a chair, pass the port ... and share a few haunting winter’s tales with James Russell

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HAUNTEDcity

I

t was a dark and stormy night, and across the city the spirits were a-stirring… December may bring Christmas, but it is also the darkest month, the time when night rules over day and people walk nervously past gloomy alleyways and deserted churchyards. All cities have their ghosts, but old cities have the most, and in Bristol there are spooks a-plenty.

You might assume that ghosts are only found in dark old buildings but this is not the case in this city, where one of the most haunted edifices is less than fifty years old. Buildings come and go, but the spirits that inhabit them remain, and the Fire Brigade Headquarters in Temple Back has often been troubled by spectral visitors. This shiny new building opened in 1975, and no sooner had staff moved in than strange things began happening.

Hooded figures appeared at all times of the day and night, and on one occasion a cook chased a ghostly intruder out of her kitchen.

But why the fire station, of all places? Perhaps because it is built on land owned for centuries by the medieval Knights Templar, whose garrison here was one of the biggest in the country.

A more suitable home for wandering spirits is the Llandoger Trow, the famous 17th century pub on King Street. With its beamed interior and ancient oak carvings, the old inn has long had a spooky reputation, and in 2006 and 2007 it was twice visited by Bristol’s very own team of ghostbusters, the Bristol Society for Paranormal Research and Investigation. This group takes its investigations seriously, using video and voice recording equipment, temperature data logging machines and other bits of scientific wizardry to back up eyewitness observations.

The Llandoger Trow has allegedly been haunted for many years by a limping ghost, whose distinctive footstep has been heard on occasion moving to and fro in the attic. Some say this is a boy called Pierre, who died in the pub centuries ago, and when BSPRI members went down into the cellars late at night they indeed felt the presence of a small boy cowering in a corner. Of course, as member Claire Reynolds explained to me at the time, it isn’t entirely surprising to feel a ghostly presence when you’re in a dark cellar at four o’clock in the morning.

Be that as it may, there is something stimulating to the imagination – or unnerving, depending on how you look at it – about old places, especially at night. King Street, on which the Llandoger Trow stands, is one of the oldest and least altered in the city; whether one believes in ghosts or not, the sense of history is palpable.

The Theatre Royal, home of the Bristol Old Vic, is another historic building with a well-established ghost, a woman in black who appears from time to time in the older parts of the building, particularly the auditorium.

it isn’t entirely surprising to feel a ghostly ❝ presence when you’re in a dark cellar at four o‘clock in the morning ❞ According to legend this is the famous 18th century actress Sarah Siddons, whose prodigious talent as a tragedienne occasionally convinced audiences that she had genuinely died of shock or trauma in front of their eyes. However, she rarely appeared on stage in Bristol, so it seems more likely that this, instead, is the spirit of Sarah MacReady, a manager of the Old Vic during one of the theatre’s lean periods (it’s had one or two) in the 19th century. Then again, the wraith really ought to be Ms Siddons, the greatest drama queen of them all.

For an entertaining introduction to the city’s spirit world you can’t beat the tour of Haunted and Hidden Bristol led on Friday evenings by local expert John Hughes, who has been leading www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

gaggles of people round the centre of the city for years. Starting from the main door of the cathedral, the tour winds in a leisurely and informal way around the old city, taking in some particularly dark corners. A scurrilous talking encyclopaedia, John seems to know not only every ghost in the vicinity but all of the celebrity gossip too, but what stuck with me, after I’d forgotten most of what I’d learned, was the experience of walking around dark, narrow, deserted streets.

I took John’s tour when I was researching my book Discovering Harbourside, and the experience made me look at the city in a different way. Before we left College Green and headed via the back streets towards the Hippodrome, we’d already heard about a cathedral spook who walks through bricked-up doorways and a dead tramp found in a room at the Bristol Royal Hotel after its years of dereliction, and learnt that a lucky group of Bristolians once earned £5 a day as extras in a forgettable 70s movie, The Medusa Touch. All they had to do was lie on the ground, apparently, while polystyrene boulders fell around them.

DISTINCTIVE FOOTSTEPS: staff at the Llandoger Trow pub have heard someone walking about in the attics Off then to the Hippodrome and up St Augustine’s Parade, following the course of the buried river Frome. We heard the story of the Colston Hall ghost, a poor chap with a toolbox seen some years ago by two members of staff as they were closing up.

Then, at the bottom of Christmas Steps, another member of the group chipped in with the grisly news that witches used to be dragged up them to meet their deaths at the top.

Every building and street in the old city has its stories and its ghosts, although the prize for Most Haunted probably has to go to a building a couple of miles away. Close by Arnos Vale Cemetery, the Arnos Manor Hotel began life as a merchant’s house. At some point the building was supposedly inhabited by nuns, who ran a girls’ school there, and, so the story goes, one of these students became pregnant and committed suicide. Her body was bricked up in a wall, to be discovered during World War II by workmen repairing bomb damage. They allegedly hid it elsewhere, and the girl’s spirit is said to haunt a particular room.

Of course I don’t believe a word of it. I mean, it’s just an old story. There are surely perfectly logical explanations for those apparitions on the stairs, mysterious cries, and baths filling by themselves… ■ For further information visit: bspri.org.uk or hauntedandhiddenbristol.co.uk December 2011

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A Gift that is Loved Beautifully crafted engagement rings, wedding rings and fine jewellery designed and traditionally handmade on the premises

Gold & Platinum Studio 19 N or t hum b er l an d P l a ce , B at h B A 1 5A R Tel: +44 (0)1225 462 300 www.goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk email: mike@goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk

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December 2011

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▲

CITYstyle

It’s in the BAG Clutch bags are the ultimate party accessory this season. In all shapes, sizes and colours, they make any outfit look stylish and fashionable.

There’s a great selection on offer in Accessorize to suit all purse strings and luckily they’re big enough to fit all your must-have items in.

SHOW OFF: Add a bit of bling with this silver Jane at the Disco bag by Marc Jacobs, £225 from Garment Quarter; and left, Aspinal of London’s little black box clutch bag, £395

Well heeled Walk tall and turn heads in these fabulous shoes that were made for the limelight...

Temple Bordeaux shoes from Lk Bennett, £225

TIME TO

celebrate Celebrate in true James Bond-style with a Martini, shaken not stirred, complete with this eye-catching Kenneth Jay Lane cocktail ring, £110 from Harvey Nichols

Get into the party spirit with fabulous fashion pieces guaranteed to add glitz and glamour to any occasion

Jimmy Choo crystal sandals, £650 from Harvey Nichols

SUBTLE SPARKLE: These elegant pieces of jewellery make lovely gifts for yourself and can be worn day to night. Above: Sterling Silver Cubic Zirconia Earrings, £60 from Ernest Jones; and Carlad necklace, £29 from Oliver Bonas, Cabot Circus

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DAZZLING: Perfect for any festive kneesup is this Unlimited Sequin Cardigan, £169 from Hobbs. Wear over a dress or plain top to add a touch of glamour

Sam Edelman suede heels with studs, £180 from Harvey Nichols

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Estuary All things irresistible....

STATE OF

independents Matt Collins of Design Flooring on why Bristol’s independent traders are what helps make the city unique

T 85 Hill Road, Clevedon, BS21 7PN 01275 343030

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

here’s a lot to be said for chain stores. I might be an independent trader myself, but I’m happy to admit that what they offer – wide range of goods, cheap prices, decent quality – has its place on the high street. The drawback is that they offer exactly the same thing on every high street. Bristol is an endlessly exciting place to live, ethnically diverse and full of sparklingly creative talent right across the fields of arts, industry and commerce, and you get a taste of it every time you visit a local store. If I’m in the centre, I’ll go and eat in Saint Stephen’s Café because I know that the chef, Edna Yeffet Summerell, is drawing on her Middle Eastern roots to offer recipes I’m not going to get anywhere else. Her spicy egg dish is something else! Bristol draws in people from all over the world, and it’s to our enrichment that they’ll often set up independent stores to share their culture. If I’m in the shop and need a quick bite, I’ll pop round the corner to Rosemarino, where Mirco Bertoldi and Sam Fryer are celebrating their first anniversary.

I opened Design Flooring in 1996, a time when other traders in the rank were closing. I’d been operating from home, a cul-de-sac in Downend, and the neighbours were rather unimpressed at having lorries delivering carpets every day! But I’m so glad I did. The shop is my baby, my success. That’s the thing about independents – they’re run by the people who do the work. When you’re pitching in yourself, you motivate your staff and get a better response. We appeal to those looking for more select products, ones you won’t find in chain stores who need to stock wares of mass appeal. Customers clearly enjoy the relaxed atmosphere here – I don’t think it’s coincidence that we get so much of our work through word of mouth. For instance, people will come to us if they’re looking for high quality floor runners from Roger Oates, very specialist to install, very few can do it. It’s a knowledge thing, and the same reason I buy my music from Rise Records; you’re not going to find a brilliant, obscure jazz record in the supermarket.

If you buy from one independent shop, you’re almost certainly helping to support a host of others. Independents will use supplies from local crafts folk making their own bespoke items at low volume, something the large companies can’t cope with. For example, Clifton’s Nick Mitford - The Kitchen Man – produces stunning high-end stuff thanks in no small part to his team of expert local joiners and carpenters. He was a finalist in the 2011 Design Awards, so it clearly works.

Flooring can be a big investment and it’s an integral part of a customer’s home they’ll be living with 24/7. So our job is to make it easy for them: we’ll consult in the shop to understand what they’re looking for, source the products, and present them with a selection of budgets and materials. They’ll see the same face in their house, so it’s easier for them to talk about any concerns. We had a person call recently who said “Actually, I want to change my mind.” It was very late notice, we’d already cut the carpet, but we changed it as per their wishes.

My 20 years experience in fitting has helped me find the best fitters and they know they need to go the extra mile. Lots of subcontractors don’t want to do that – they just want to get the floor down as fast as possible, and get onto the next job because they’re on the meter.

It’s a matter of pride, being an independent trader, and it really gets into your blood. I also work as a freelance photographer - Crush Images – and the feeling is no different. I’ve done a lot of jobs snapping local businesses and discovered there are more of us independent traders out there than I could ever have imagined. Even in this economic climate, it seems many of us are flourishing. There must be a reason for that. ■ December 2011

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CHRISTMASgifted DOGGIE T’s BRIZZLE STYLE ‘Bark at Ee’, ‘Grrrt Lush’ and ‘Cuz Ize Woof it’... These doggie T-shirts from Beast really do take the biscuit, and at £11.99 each (or 3 for £30) they’re not to be sniffed at. Go Fetch!

Beast, 224 Cheltenham Road, or at St. Nicholas Market, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 942 8200 www.beast-clothing.com

JOURNALS BY RACHEL GOODCHILD A WASHBAG THAT WILL TRAVEL Moquette Wash Bag, in RT, (named after the post war ‘RT’ type buses) from the London Transport Museum, made with the hardwearing moquette material used to upholster the seating on London’s transport system, price £59. There’s also a superb matching Holdall at just £250. Visit the website for many more great gift ideas.

London Transport Museum. www.ltmuseumshop.co.uk

Bristol based Rachel Goodchild has been enjoying national acclaim for her gift wrapping, greeting cards and paper gift ideas. TBM loves these wire bound Journals and the range of charming covers make great and thoughtful gifts.

However a visit to her website will reveal many more...

Rachel Goodchild Designs, Studio 26, 42 Triangle West, Park Street, Clifton.

Tel: 0117 974 5173 www.rachelgoodchild.com

Something a Little Different TBM’s mini guide to a few of the best little gifts with a twist

CUPCAKE DECORATING COURSE Not sure what to get your loved ones for Christmas this year? Why not buy them a day of fun and creativity on a Cupcake decorating course with Cake Couture by Stephanie. You will receive a personalised gift voucher to give on the day but they get to choose when they want to do the course! They will spend the day learning lots of different techniques to be able to make there own beautiful cupcakes at home! Check out the editorial on page 36 to see more about the courses.

Tel: 07815 061772. www.cakecouturebristol.co.uk

CUPS FOR CHRISTMAS Iittala have launched a beautiful new range of ‘Kulku’ mugs designed by Oiva Toikka, which are only available until the end of December 2011.

The name refers to the Finnish word for Christmas Bell (Kulkunen) and the pattern is designed to evoke a festive theme reminiscent of snow and Christmas ribbon. £14 each.

Sphere Living Design, Embassy House, Queens Avenue, Clifton Tel: 0117 929 2365 www.spherelivingdesign.com

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THE A-Z OF WHERE YOU LOVE TO LIVE The A-Z of where you love to live!

The Alphabet for Bristol is made up of letters, objects and places photographed around Bristol. For a truly original gift, it can be personalised - a friend, a place, an event... Prints, posters & cards available.

FFI & local stockists. Personalised prints from £50. www.snappyfamilies.co.uk

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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 •

Kemps would like to wish all our customers a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year.

• Jewellery and watch repairs undertaken • • Gold purchased - old jewellery & coins •

www.kempsjewellers.com

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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CHRISTMASgifted

PERFECTLY WYLDE DESIGNS THE WARM WATERS OF BATH Thermae Bath Spa Gift Vouchers make a great treat for friends, family or colleagues! Relax in the naturally warm, mineral-rich waters and take in the fabulous views of Bath from the open-air rooftop pool. Some gift vouchers include a choice of treatments and the option to enjoy a delicious meal in the Springs Restaurant. Choose from the 10 Spa Gift vouchers ranging from £26 - £188. They can be purchased from Thermae Bath Spa Shop, or online.

Reservations: Tel: 0844 888 0844. www.thermaebathspa.com

CERAMIC CLASSICS

This is a solid silver Duck with chain necklace. £97 It’s part of a wonderful ‘Wild’ collection designed by jeweller and acclaimed goldsmith; Nicholas Wylde. With other animals available, you can see the full range with a visit to his Clifton showroom.

Nicholas Wylde. 6 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 974 3582 www.nicholaswylde.com

Specially made for Christmas by Moorcroft, this Christmas Rose vase is available from Clifton Ceramics & Fine Jewellery, in Clifton. Price £185. There is a huge selection of Moorcroft to choose from including lamps and enamels. Also for that special diamond ring or precious stone piece see their unique collection of new and vintage jewellery. Tel: 0117 373 0256. www.cliftonceramics.co.uk

Something a Little Different TBM’s mini guide to a few of the best little gifts with a twist SWEETIES FOR CHRISTMAS This is our simply gorgeous Sweetie Necklace and Bracelet set, a timeless classic that has been lovingly created using hundreds of tiny Sterling Silver links and hand-crafted Thai Silver hearts.

All of our pieces can be customised to suit individual tastes. Spoil someone special this Christmas, all of our designs are available in our shop, Artemis, or on our website. Bracelet from £55, necklace from £115. www.catherineamesbury.com Tel: 0117 924 1003 Artemis, 214 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol,

EXOTIC DESTINATIONS

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DR. HAUSCHKA SKIN CARE

This is the perfect gift for that special someone who is curious and discerning.

Why not take a small ship expedition and cruise to magical locations - There’s a afull range of incredible cruises from just £1995 p.p.

Give the gift of beautiful skin and a wonderful sense of wellbeing. Exceptional Dr.Hauschka skin care products and treatment vouchers make a gift to remember. For on-line shopping with the personal touch go to www.graceemmerson-online.co.uk

For further details please contact the Noble Calendonia agent; John Kennedy.

Or contact Grace Emmerson on 0117 904 2296 for advice to select the perfect gift.

Tel: 0117 946 6000 www.johnkennedy-noblecaledonia.com

Grace Emmerson, 38 Fernbank Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 6PU

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Very Best Wishes for the Festive Season from all the team at T H E

BRISTOL MAGAZINE Advertisers Please Note: The Deadline for Receiving Copy for the January 2012 Issue is Wednesday December 13th Telephone 0117 974 2800

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DECEMBERreading

Books For Christmas

A selection of books handpicked by Foyles Bookshop to treat you or your loved ones this Christmas, whatever their taste 1. Into the

Silence by Wade Davis, Bodley Head, £25

5. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami, Harvill Secker, 1&2: £20, 3: £14.99

A monumental work of history, biography and adventure ten years in the writing, Into the Silence explores George Mallory’s expedition to the summit of Everest as a mission of national and personal regeneration in the aftermath of the First World War. This book will satisfy everyone from adventure-seekers to history buffs to those simply in search of a gripping narrative.

Anticipation for the new novel from the master of cool and quirky Japanese fiction saw queues forming outside of bookshops across the UK for its midnight release. Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84 draws inspiration from George Orwell’s 1984 and is told from the perspectives of two main protagonists, Tengo and Aomame.

2. The

In this acute and witty new book, Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman brings to life the tragedy and comedy of the British Empire, revealing its profound and lasting effects on almost every aspect of the UK and its people. From sport to politics, architecture to economics, Empire is part history and part analysis, and a must-read for any one wishing to understand the Britain of past and present.

6. Empire by Jeremy Paxman, Viking, £25

Bees by Carol Ann Duffy, Picador, £14.99

Carol Ann Duffy’s newest collection of poems since her award-winning Rapture celebrates the fragile natural beauty of Britain with the all the striking imagery and playfulness of language we’ve come to expect. It also contains the poems commissioned in her role as Poet Laureate. Finish it all of with a stunning blue jacket, embossed with a golden honeycomb and bees, and this volume is truly a must for the poetry lover.

7. The 3. All Hell

Let Loose by Max Hastings, HarperCollins, £30

In this powerful new book, acclaimed historian Sir Max Hastings explores the conflict’s impact from the perspectives of the lives of millions of ordinary people. From the sacrifices on the front lines to the women in the munitions factories, workers on farms to fighter pilots to the children evacuated to safety, Hastings presents a startling range of human experience and behaviour. flip

Death Ray by Daniel Clowes, Jonathan Cape, £14.99

The newest instalment from Foyles’ favourite and Oscar-nominated author of Ghost World. Daniel Clowes, comic book legend from Chicago, starts with the classic superhero formula but, never one to rely on cliché, throws in a down-and-out teenage nobody with a host of vices as his protagonist.

The result is a wholly fresh and unique, plus of course hugely entertaining, exploration of the human psyche.

8. Nostalgia 4. Death

Comes to Pemberley by PD James, Faber, £20

The Grande Dame of British crime writing explores her life-long passion for the writing of Jane Austen with this gripping Regency-era thriller, in which preparations for an annual autumn ball are disturbed by accusations of murder. With ultimate respect for Austen’s work, Lady James attempts to resolve unanswered questions in Pride and Prejudice, making this an ideal read for fans of Austen, James, crime novels and romance.

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in Vogue by Eva MacSweeney, Rizzoli, £35

A celebration of the world’s most famous fashion magazine, Nostalgia in Vogue features a selection of columns from such luminaries as Patti Smith, Anna Wintour, Joan Didion, Karl Lagerfeld and Helmut Newton, and includes the stunning photographs that accompanied those columns. Filled with evocative, amusing coming-of-age stories, this wonderful volume is an essential for fashion and photography fans who like a literary edge to their eye-candy.

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CREATIVEbristol

ICED gems Samantha Ewart joins a cupcake decorating course to learn the tricks of the trade

T

here’s something so enticing about a beautifully decorated cupcake. I don’t know if it’s the promise of sweet buttery icing to complement the sponge, or just the fact that they look extra special, but either way, people can’t resist them. You see them everywhere now – stacked high at artisan markets, in cafés, at parties and it has even become a popular alternative to the traditional wedding cake. And it’s this obsession with cupcakes that inspired local cupcake decorator, Stephanie Maytham, to set up cupcake decorating courses in the Heart Space Studios in Redland, Bristol.

Stephanie started making cakes a few years ago as a hobby to feed her artistic flair and after frequent requests from colleagues and friends to make cakes for special occasions, she took the leap and started up her own business – Cake Couture by Stephanie.

She makes cupcakes, cakes and cookies for any occasion in a variety of flavours and all the recipes are made with top quality ingredients with handmade edible decorations. And she can even personalise them too – what better way to say ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘I love you’?

Stephanie deicided to hold courses when she realised that there’s a real demand for people wanting to learn the techniques behind cake decoration.

As I am planning to host a party soon, I decided to sign up to the beginners cupcake decorating course (£59.50 for 3 hours) in the hope of learning some tricks of the trade to impress my guests.

I say beginner with a lot of emphasis – I am not a whizz in the kitchen and the extent of my cupcake baking and decorating comes in the form of a ‘just add water’ packet from the supermarket.

I arrived at the quaint Heart Space Studios on a wet morning to be greeted with warmth and the bright colours of fabulous cupcakes stacked high on a polka dot table cloth. There was only a small group of us on the course and that’s how Stephanie likes to work, as it means you get the most out of your time and more one-to-one tuition if needed.

After introductions had been made and aprons tied, we enjoyed a delicious cupcake made by Stephanie and cup of flowering jasmine tea in vintage teacups while she talked us through what we would be learning.

To start, Stephanie showed us how to use sugar paste to create flowers, leaves, butterflies and other motifs for the top of your 36 The Bristol Magazine

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cake. Stephanie suggests starting this part of the decorating a few days before as it is quite fiddly and takes time. Normal food colouring is too wet to use on sugar paste so Stephanie showed us how to use special concentrated solution to colour the paste in different shades – you can find every colour in the rainbow available and the more variety you have, the more fabulous your cupcakes will look at the end.

After kneading and rolling the paste thinly, we used cutters and moulds to create our desired shapes and left them to harden.

Next, we learnt how to colour buttercream and pipe it onto two cupcakes that Stephanie provided us with. Lots of people in the group admitted they’d always had trouble with piping and at first most of us struggled to get it perfect but with Stephanie’s guidance we all managed to create beautiful swirls. Stephanie’s cheerfulness helped to keep us motivated, even when we started to go wrong, because as she continued to tell us, “you have to put a lot of energy and positivity in to get good results”.

We then learnt the best way to colour and use flat icing, applying patterns and prints and laying them on top of two more cupcakes. Water icing came next and proved the hardest technique of them all. Getting the right consistency took quite a long time but eventually we had two more cupcakes with shiny circles on top.

Adding the finishing touches was the most fun part of all. We had edible glue to stick our sugar paste motifs on along with lots of glitter, pearlescent spray, pearl balls, metallic balls, edible glaze and sprinkles to play with. The table looked as if a glitter bomb had exploded by the time we had finished!

And the result? A box of your own fabulous and individual cupcakes to take home for all the family to enjoy, and techniques to take away with you for life. ■ For further information or to book a place on a course, visit: www.cakecouturebristol.co.uk or contact tel: 07815061772. Stephanie will be running special Christmas cupcake decorating courses throughout December, for further information contact the number above. The courses can also be booked for hen parties, birthday parties and other occasions.

BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED: adorn your cupcakes with with shapes, motifs, glitter and sprinkles to create a fabulous feast for the eyes; below: adding the finishing touches to my cupcakes

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CHRISTMASevents

Celebrations Events THE CHRISTMAS DIARY Coldharbour Road Open Evening, 1 December, until 8pm

Henleaze Christmas Festival, 4 December, 4pm – 8pm

Coldharbour Road, Westbury Park, Bristol.

Local independent shops and businesses will come together for a late night opening with a festive spirit. You’ll find home interiors, hair and beauty treatments, jewellery, textiles, art, crafts and food and drink.

Henleaze Road, Bristol.

Enjoy late night shopping on Henleaze Road and browse the stalls selling a range of Christmas gifts. There will also be hot chestnuts, mulled wine and a hog roast. Children will be entertaining shoppers with songs and there will be music from the Gas Works Singers and the Bristol Gilbert and Sullivan Operatic Society, and dancing from the Westbury Scottish Clubs Dancers and the Rag Morris Dancers.

Christmas Artizan Market, 3 December, 11am – 4pm Christmas Steps, Bristol.

Charming artizan stalls will cascade down the steps, showcasing a high standard of crafts and wares – everything from frilly knickers and original art to handmade instruments. The perfect opportunity to pick up unique gifts.

Ashton Court Christmas Food & Craft Fair, 3 & 4 December, 10am – 4.30pm

Luxury Christmas Wrapping Workshop & Afternoon Tea, 5 December, 2.30pm – 4.30pm Berwick Lodge, Bristol. Cost: £45 per person, including wrapping. Book on tel: 0117 958 1590 Make your Christmas parcels look fabulous with the help of designer Amanda White, followed by a fabulous mulled wine and afternoon tea.

Aston Court, Bristol.

Situated in the beautiful grounds of the historic Ashton Court estate, this festive event will offer handmade jewellery, crafts, ceramics and more in the Hayloft; and downstairs in the stables and courtyard, food stalls selling a wide selection of local artizan food. There’ll also be hot chestnuts, mulled wine, mince pies and a hog roast to keep you warm along with festive music.

Berwick Lodge, Bristol. Book on tel: 0117 958 1590 or visit www.berwicklodge.co.uk Book a special dinner in the restaurant and enjoy a glass of mulled wine before you dine, whilst listening to a performance of Christmas carols by the children from Henbury School Choir.

Family Christmas Concert, 4 December, 1pm

Robins and Mistletoe (talk), 6 December, 7pm – 8.30pm

The national Trust’s Tyntesfield House www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tyntesfieldchristmas Gather everyone together for a festive family celebration in Tyntesfield’s beautiful chapel. Sing along with The Great Western Chorus of Bristol and bring something to jingle.

Bristol Zoo Gardens, Clifton, Bristol. Cost: £4, including a mince pie and a hot drink. Book on tel: 0117 903 0609 Discover the stories and symbolism behind Christmas flora and fauna in this evening of festive wildlife folklore.

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Carols Before Dinner, 5 & 14 December, 6.45pm – 8pm

Christmas Wreath Making Workshops, 7 & 8 December, 10am – 12.30pm, 2pm – 4.30pm or 6.30pm – 9pm The national Trust’s Tyntesfield House. Cost: £20 per person, book on tel: 0844 249 1895 This is one of Tyntesfield’s most popular events of the year. Make your own Christmas wreath using fabulous foliage gathered from the estate with lots of festive cheer and guidance from expert florist Sarah Pepper.

Twelve Days of Christmas Market, 9 – 20 December Broadmead West, Bristol.

This new festive market made up of twenty small wooden chalets will offer everything from mulled wine and local cheeses to handmade candles and knitted mittens.

Creating Christmas Garlands, 10 December, 10am – 3.30pm Bristol Zoo Gardens, Clifton, Bristol. Cost: £38 including materials. Book on tel: 0117 903 0609 Get into the Christmas spirit on this practical workshop with Sue Amesbury of greengarland.co.uk. In the morning, Sue will show you how to make a fresh, fragrant, twometre Christmas garland using locally sourced materials to decorate your fireplace, staircase or door. In the afternoon, you’ll go for a short walk on the Downs to discover the folklore of trees and shrubs used to make seasonal decorations.

Clifton Arcade Festive Shopping, 14 December, 5pm – 7.30pm Clifton Arcade, Clifton, Bristol.

Late night shopping with mulled wine, mince pies, music and festive story telling.

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CHRISTMASevents

ss Great Britain, Great Western Dockyard, Bristol. Tickets £34 from tel: 0117 926 0680 Enjoy a three-course Christmas lunch in the First-Class Dining Saloon, plus you’ll also have the opportunity to explore the ship.

specimens, paths and vistas in the tree collection.

Families can also enjoy a new winter wonderland in the education centre where, amongst a snowy setting, children can meet Westonbirt’s green Father Christmas and make festive crafts. And don’t forget to visit the forest shop where you can buy gifts and decorations and enjoy warming festive fare.

Berkeley Castle by Candlelight, 16 – 18 December

Christmas at St Nicholas Market, Until 24 December, every day

Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire.

Tel: 01453 810332 Visit the castle which has been beautifully decorated for the Christmas season with a 12ft tree in the Great Hall and over 400 candles throughout the rooms and listen to music from local musicians. Mulled wine and mince pies will be served in the tea room. The castle is lit predominantly by candles from 5pm so don’t forget your torch.

St Nicholas Market, Bristol.

The market is home to the largest collection og independent traders in the city and guarantees to satisfy even the most demanding Christmas shopping list. The wide selection of goods, festive food, and quirky ambience combine to make it the perfect place to shop, eat and find that special gift.

Christmas Lunch on board the ss Great Britain, 15 & 16 December

Family Carol Service, 18 December, 3.30pm Bristol Cathedral, College Green, Bristol.

Join in with traditional carols and see the blessing of the crib.

Enchanted Christmas Until 18 December, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 5pm – 8.30pm Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire.

Advance tickets can be booked online at www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt The spectacular annual Enchanted Christmas event returns once again to Westonbirt Arboretum, thrilling winter visitors with the onemile illuminated trail through the trees. A new route is created each year to take in different

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Winter Wonderland at The Mall The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol. www.mallcribbs.com Winter Wonderland provides a magical place to skate and soak up the Christmas atmosphere , featuring the south west’s largest outdoor rink, Santa’s castle, traditional Christmas stalls and late night shopping at The Mall until 10pm.

After a spin on the ice you can wander through the festive stalls which will be offering a selection of handmade gifts, crafts and stocking fillers, and this year you’ll also find a range of foods from around the world too.

Christmas at the Zoo Bristol Zoo Gardens, Clifton, Bristol www.bristolzoo.org.uk There’s a host of festive fun at the zoo throughout December. Visitors can meet Santa in his grotto and take a ride around the zoo on the Santa Express which journeys every day until 28

December. Santa’s Grotto will be open every weekend until December 18, and then every day from 19-23 December. The magic really begins from Saturday 17 December when Santa’s reindeer fly in for the Christmas season and visitors will be able to get up-close to Jingle and Belle, stroke their velvety noses and feed them their favourite food, every day until 28 December. The zoo is also offering two evenings of festive frolics at its Fantabulous Christmas events on Monday 19 December and Tuesday 20 December, 5.30pm – 8pm, where you can join in with carol singing, listen to a merry brass band and be entertained by the Snowball Sprites and the Lost Elves as they roam around the zoo, listen to story-telling around the bonfire and visit the animals in the heated Aquarium, Reptile House and Bugworld. The grounds will be lit up by animal-shaped lights, which can be admired while warming yourself by the fire and enjoying a selection of festive treats including mulled wine and cider, hot mince pies and roasted chestnuts.

Sustainable, locally-sourced Christmas trees will also be on sale in the zoo’s west car park, in College Road, until Christmas Eve.

New Year’s Eve at the Glassboat, 31 December, 7pm till late Glassboat Restaurant, Welsh Back, Bristol.

Tickets cost £55 per person, including the below..

Book on tel: 0117 9290709 Celebrate the coming of the new year at this stylish black tie event. Enjoy a champagne reception, canapes, four-course meal and dancing into the night.

Images, left to right: Enjoy Christmas events at the National Trust’s Tyntesfield House; see the deer at Ashton Court when you visit the Christmas Food and Craft Fair; visit Santa in his castle at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway’s Winter Wonderland; celebrate Christmas in style at Berwick Lodge; and discover festive treats at Tyntesfield

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WHAT’Son THEATRE – listed by venue

FAIRYTALE fantasy

B r i s to l H i pp o dr o me

Peter Pan, Saturday 10 December – Sunday 8 January, please contact theatre for times Fly away on a journey of wonder and excitement into the magical world of Neverland. Join Peter, Wendy and the Lost Boys in their thrilling adventure to save Tinkerbell from the villainous Captain Hook and his crew of dastardly pirates. With special effects, great costumes, and a good helping of fairydust, Peter Pan is a perfect treat for the whole family. David Hasselhoff is starring as Hook and the hilarious Andy Ford will be returning to the Bristol Hippodrome as Smee.

T h e Toba cc o Fac t or y T he at re Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol.

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

Cinderella: A Fairytale, Wednesday 7 December – Sunday 15 January, please contact theatre for times The team behind Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves return to the origins of the Cinderella story to bring you a brand new version of one of the oldest, best loved fairytales of all time.

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This Christmas, join Bristol Old Vic at Colston Hall for an epic tale of love, loss and reunion, brought to you by the team behind Swallows and Amazons and Treasure Island. Alexander Ashbrook is a talented young man possessed by the idea of becoming a musician. Forced by his father to choose between his two passions, music and family, Alexander makes the painful decision to abandon his home, his first love and unbeknownst to him, his unborn child. Set in south west England in the 18th century, Coram Boy is a gripping story about the power of human kindness to transform people’s lives. Moving from cathedrals to orphanages, stately homes to slave tunnels, Alexander and the child he never knew existed embark on a remarkable journey, eventually to find each other. Directed by Melly Still (who created the original production at the National Theatre), with music by Adrian Sutton (War Horse) and featuring Simon Shepherd (Peak Practice), Emily Head (The Inbetweeners) and Tristan Sturrock (Treasure Island), Coram Boy is adapted from Jamila Gavin’s Whitbread Award Winning novel, and features a cast of 35, a full chorus, a live orchestra and a host of Bristolian children.

R e d g ra v e T h e a t re

Cinderella at the Tobacco Factory Theatre

St Augustine’s Parade, Bristol. Box office tel: 0844 847 2325 or visit: www.bristolhippodrome.org.uk

Coram Boy, Wednesday 21 – Friday 30 December, 7pm; matinees: 2pm, at Colston Hall

Percival Road, Bristol.

Box office tel: 0117 973 3955 www.oldvic.ac.uk mourns her beloved mother with a grief as deep as the snow on her grave. Before the spring sun has time to melt it, her father takes a second wife and their peaceful life is taken over by a host of new and unpleasant relations. Her only friends are the woodland birds who roost in the tree that grows over the grave, but they are no ordinary birds. With its quirky visual style, original live music and pitch-perfect ensemble acting, director Sally Cookson and team bring this classic tale of fortunes reversed imaginatively to life.

B r is tol Old Vic King Street, Bristol.

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

The Morpeth Carol, Thursday 8 – Saturday 17 December, 8pm A festive story for adults featuring blood on the snow, crippled reindeer, Christmas presents on fire, a schoolboy in a stolen car and a strange man who may or may not be Santa.

Sleepdogs returns to Bristol Old Vic with another chance to see their enchanting sound play from January’s Ferment Festival. Five performers, a darkened room and a dazzling array of sound effects will transport you to an unnamed northern town and the moors beyond, in the company of a delinquent and desperate otherworldly stranger.

Mother Goose, Friday 2 – Wednesday 21 December, please contact theatre for times Following on from last year’s runaway success of Cinderella, the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School presents another much loved traditional pantomime for the whole family with thrills and spills, foot tapping songs and laughs galore. Once again written and directed

by Clive Hayward, with original songs composed by John Telfer, this promises to be a Christmas treat. Goosebury Downs nestles in the heart of Victorian England, and Mother Goose is the life and soul of the village. Her pet goose, Priscilla, has not laid an egg in years, yet Mother Goose wouldn’t change her for the world. But that world is threatened by a dangerous secret that lies hidden in the woods.

Mother Goose

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WHAT’Son M U SI C – li s t e d b y d a t e Bristol Concert Orchestra, Saturday 3 December, 7.30pm

Clare Teal’s Festive Fiesta, Wednesday 14 December, 7.30pm

Organ Elevenses with Owain Park, Saturday 17 December, 10.30am

St George’s Bristol, Great George Street, Bristol. Box office tel: 0845 4024 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk A trio of Russian delights beginning with a selection from Prokofiev’s enchanting ballet score Cinderella, moving on to the 2nd Piano Concerto by Shostakovich which uniquely blends the witty and mischievous with the sublimely beautiful (with a welcome return from virtuoso soloist You-Chiung Lin) and revealing as its centrepiece a real winterwarmer in Tchaikovsky’s dramatic and emotionally-charged 4th Symphony.

St George’s Bristol, Great George Street, Bristol. Box office tel: 0845 4024 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk Award-winning singer-songwriter and BBC Radio 2 presenter Clare Teal brings her warm voice, show-woman extroversion and easy audience rapport to a unique blend of seasonal swing, cheeky Latin grooves and cosy fireside ballads.

Holy Trinity Church, Church Road, Westburyon-Trym, Bristol. Suggested donation: £5 A 40-minute recital by Owain Park, Junior Organ Scholar of Wells Cathedral, who has recently been appointed Organ Scholar at Trinity College Cambridge beginning in 2013.

Oxford Philomusica & András Schiff, Thursday 8 December, 7.30pm St George’s Bristol, Great George Street, Bristol. Box office tel: 0845 4024 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk András Schiff, one of the world’s most respected pianists, will be playing and conducting in this all-Haydn programme with Oxford’s critically acclaimed professional symphony orchestra.

Carols by Candlelight with Exultate Singers, Wednesday 14 December, 7.45pm St James Priory, Whitson Street, Bristol.

Tickets £15, including refreshments, from Providence Music Shop on tel: 0117 927 6536 or visit: www.exultatesingers.org Bristol’s accomplished chamber choir, Exultate Singers, returns to St James Priory to give its first Carols by Candlelight concert there since the £4.4 million restoration of the medieval church. They will sing a programme of a capella Christmas music for the festive season.

Bristol Bach Choir: Carols & Readings, Friday 16 December & Saturday 17 December, 7.30pm St George’s Bristol, Great George Street, Bristol. Box office tel: 0845 4024 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk This annual miscellany of carols and Christmas music, old and new, is interwoven with highly acclaimed readings for a jolly celebration of the festive season.

András Schiff

Handel’s Messiah by Candlelight, Friday 9 and Saturday 10 December, 7.30pm Bristol Cathedral, College Green, Bristol.

Tickets from tel: 0117 922 3686 The Bristol Ensemble presents the popular annual event of Handel’s Messiah in candlelight setting of Bristol cathedral.

Bristol Phoenix Choir, Saturday 10 December, 7.30pm Tyndale Baptist Church, Whiteladies Road, Bristol. Tickets £7.50, including refreshments, from Providence Music Shop on tel: 0117 927 6536 or tel: 0117 909 9112 A Christmas concert from the Bristol Phoenix Choir with festive music and readings including Finzi’s In Terra Pax.

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Clare Teal will be performing 50’s favourites at St George’s Bristol

Bristol Choral Society, Saturday 17 December, 7pm Colston Hall, Bristol. Box office tel: 0117 922 3686 or visit: www.bristolchoral.co.uk A Bach Christmas oratorio featuring a quartet of fine soloists including Mark Padmore.

Bristol Cabot Choir, Monday 19 December, 7.45pm Bristol Cathedral, College Green, Bristol.

Tickets from tel: 0117 968 6822 The Bristol Cabot Choir with soprano Shoshona Pavett and accompanied by Claire Alsop on the organ and the Easton Band of the Salvation Army will perform works by Parry, Berlioz, Handel and Whitacre, together with a mixture of carols. Proceeds will go to Alive! and the Easton Salvation Army.

Benefit Concert for Hope’s Place, Thursday 29 December, 7.30pm Clifton College Chapel, Bristol. Tickets £8 in advance from tel: 07860 457859 or £10 on the door A Messiah concert performed by the Clifton Harmonic Ensemble and Choir and conducted

by Nicholas Bromilow.

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WHAT’Son O T H E R E V E N T S – l i s te d by date An Illustrated Talk: Eric Ravilious and Paul Nash in Pictures, Tuesday 6 December, 6.15pm

Peter Clifford: Magic Crackers, Thursday 15 December – Saturday 7 January, 8.15pm

Foyles Bookshop, Cabot Circus, Bristol. Free To celebrate the launch of his new book, Paul Nash in Pictures: Landscape and Dream, local author James Russell introduces the work of Eric Ravilious (1903-42) and Paul Nash (1889-1946), two dynamic and imaginative British painters. Author of the bestselling series Ravilious in Pictures, James is well known for his entertaining talks, in which he goes behind the scenes of his favourite paintings to explore hidden stories, places and people. He offers a unique mix of original and archive photographs, stories and historical research.

The Brewery at The Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol. Box office tel: 0117 902 0344 www.tobaccofactorytheatre.com After two acclaimed sell out runs at the brewery, local discombobulater and Derren Brown favourite, Peter Clifford returns with a cracker of a show filled with jaw dropping magic and hilarity.

This year Peter leads you on a magical Christmas journey making the seemingly impossible possible whilst making the ordinary extraordinary. Join Peter for an evening of puzzles, propositions, revelations and fun; all presented with his unique brain stopping and heart lifting magic.

Made in Bristol Gift Fair, Saturday 10, Sunday 11 and Saturday 17 December, Saturday, 10am – 4pm; Sunday, 10am – 2pm Colston Hall’s foyer, Bristol.

Three floors of Colston Hall’s impressive foyer space will be transformed into a unique shopping extravaganza featuring over 100 carefully selected creatives from all over the region. You’ll find handmade jewellery, original illustrations, bespoke furniture, ceramics, clothing and foodie delights.

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A Narnia Christmas, Tuesday 20 December The Passenger Shed, Brunel’s Old Station, Temple Meads, Bristol. Tickets £35 + VAT from tel: 0117 971 0320 A magical Christmas party with a Narnia theme featuring an ice bar, woodland grotto shot bar, sparkling wine reception, three course dinner, live band and DJ and after dinner games. In aid of local charity Above & Beyond which raises funds for Bristol’s nine central hospitals.

LOOKING FORWARD...

Slapstick is back: Thursday 26 – Sunday 29 January Britain’s biggest festival of visual screen comedy returns to Bristol for the eighth year in January 2012, bringing with it hilarity, top name guests – including Sanjeev Bhaskar, Barry Cryer, Griff Rhys Jones and Terry Jones – and the chance to salute a comic genius who counts Woody Allen, Jean Luc Goddard, Terry Gilliam and David Lynch among his fans. See the festival’s full programme online at www.slapstick.org.uk

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ARTSgardens &EXHIBITIONS CITY EXHIBITION: 159TH AUTUMN EXHIBITION RWA Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol.

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

Until 31 December Michael Alford, Umbrellas

▲ EXHIBITION: CHRISTMAS SHOW Lime Tree Gallery 84 Hotwell Road, Bristol. Tel: 0117 929 2527 www.limetreegallery.com

Until 24 December A mixed show of expressive painting linked by a common theme of use of colour. The gallery is introducing four new but well established artists at the exhibition: Morag Muir, whose deep colours and unusual use of space build intricate, sometime mysterious, compositions from everyday items; Mary Davidson, whose elegant still life paintings in oil have a lightness of touch often found only in drawing; Euan McGregor, an artist who is drawn to, and inspired by landscapes, but who delivers his own, very distinctive, creative representation of the world he sees; and Michael Alford, who has work in notable collections worldwide. His impressionistic imagery is moody and evocative, capturing a sense of literature and poetry in a visually compelling style. The exhibition will also be featuring work by gallery favourites Emma Davies RSW, Annette Edgar, Ed Hunter, Jackie Philip, Gareth Thomas, and Marion Thomson.

EXHIBITION: SARAH DUNCAN Bristol Folk House 40a Park Street, Bristol. Tel: 0117 926 2987

2 December – 5 January In both her travels and her work, Sarah is drawn to the coast with its rich light and sea-worn colours and textures which form the basis of many of her paintings. Subjects vary from plants grown in her Bristol garden to everyday objects, seascapes and coastal landscapes.

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EXHIBITION: EIGHT LINKED IN INK Grant Bradley Gallery Number One St Peter’s Court, Bedminster Parade, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 9637673 www.grantbradleygallery.co.uk

Until 31 December A diverse exhibition of work from eight printmakers. Linocuts, screenprints, etchings and digital prints will be on show, demonstrating how different methods of printmaking can be used in varying ways. The artists have been inspired by the urban and the natural world, with the intricacies of line and tone and size and exuberance. If you are already interested in the print process or would like to find out more, there will be an opportunity to meet the artists at the gallery on Saturday 11 December.

Over 2000 pieces of work were submitted to the Royal West of England Academy’s annual exhibition, of which 508 pieces by 338 artists have made it into the exhibition. For the 159th year running, the RWA is showing painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture and architecture from unknown, emerging and established artists as well as two works from honorary academician, HRH The Prince of Wales. Each year, the RWA invites an artist to show their work at the Autumn Exhibition and Wimbledon College of Art graduate Ian Robinson, is the invited artist for 2011. Ian’s work explores the personal, obsessive world of collections and collecting. The 159th Autumn Exhibition is the last show of 2011, marking the close of a triumphant year of change for the RWA and 2012 looks set to be its most exciting year yet, with another raft of high-profile artists exhibiting.

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Christmas Exhibition Nov 26 - Dec 24

“Black Pansies” by Mary Davidson

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

Tel 0117 929 2527

www.limetreegallery.com

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ARTS&EXHIBITIONS EXHIBITION: THE ART BOX The Showroom 31 College Green, Bristol www.jamaicastreetartists.co.uk

EXHIBITION: MIXED CHRISTMAS SHOW Sky Blue Framing and Gallery 27 North View, Westbury Park, Bristol. Tel: 0117 973 3995 www.skybluefineart.com

8 – 23 December Jamaica Street Artists have combined the idea of the pop-up shop and the pop-up gallery to create The Art Box once again this year. The artists will be taking over and transforming the empty unit on Park Street into a unique shoping experience selling everything from cards, limited edition prints,original paintings and much more. The artists from JSA will be running the exhibition-shop themselves so they will be on hand to answer questions and accept commissions.

EXHIBITION: RYCA

Throughout December A mixed exhibition featuring work from Quentin Blake, John Knapp Fisher, Sam Toft, Susie Brook and many of the gallery favourites, including Stephen Hanson’s humorous dog images. There’s also a great selection of contemporary jewellery and sculpture that make ideal gifts for Christmas. Pop along to the special Christmas opening day on Saturday 3 December from 11am – 6pm for mulled wine and nibbles.

King of Paint Gallery Haymarket Walk, Bristol. www.KOPgallery.com

Genevieve Browne

▲

9 – 31 December EXHIBITION: RESOLUTION

The Glass Room Colston Hall, Bristol www.inkdot.co.uk

Bristol street art gallery King of Paint is hosting an exclusive solo show in the lead up to Christmas showcasing one-off and limited edition pieces from renowned artist RYCA who has been influenced by the global movie world to create edgy pop culture visions.

EXHIBITION: CHRISTMAS MIXED SHOW

1 December – 1 January The sixth annual exhibition from Ink-dot, a platform for local independent designers to come together the create exciting and vibrant shows that celebrate their talent. The designers come from all different backgrounds of illustration, film, animation and graphics.

POP-UP SHOP: ANTLERS

Coldharbour Framery & Gallery 111 Coldharbour Road, Westbury Park, Bristol. www.coldharbourgallery.co.uk

Throughout December New and original work by local artists and craftspeople including Abigail McDougall, Jenny Urquhart, Jim Sharples and Jill Dunmore.

▲

Rebecca Hiscocks

Abigail McDougall, Snowy Night Bridge

Antlers Winter Shop Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus, Bristol www.antlersgallery.com

Until 24 December Antlers, Bristol’s nomadic gallery, is celebrating its first year by bringing together a selection of original, editioned and design products by its group of artists to a Christmas pop-up shop. On show will be a range of products to suit varying purse strings including Alexander KorznerRobinson’s book sculptures, Mr Mead’s playing cards and Anton Goldenstein’s ceramic antlers. The gallery has also invited guest artists into the show bringing together a diverse gathering of creatives.

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Stephen Hanson, Second Breakfast

POP-UP SHOP: SMITHSON GALLERY Smithson Gallery Pop-up Level one, Cabot Circus, Bristol

Until 24 December The Smithson Gallery will be selling a varied range of work from 28 artists in its pop-up shop in Cabot Circus.

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jenny life studio & gallery

Ceramics, sculpture, paintings, prints, textiles, glass Beautiful artwork and inspired gifts at affordable prices

15 Christmas Steps, Bristol BS1 5BS • 0117 3020003

www.jennylifegallery.co.uk

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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FOOD&DRINK

A very cordial invitation to sew and eat A new tea room with an unusual twist has opened just in time for the Christmas rush.

Not only will customers be able to enjoy brunch, lunch or afternoon tea, but there will also be sewing machines to hire in the downstairs parlour.

Cordial & Grace has been opened by Maria Whiteman who said: “I am delighted to be able to share my passion for sewing, tea and cake with Clifton. It’s been a long-held dream of mine to open such an establishment.”

The tea room and parlour occupies the premises formerly taken by the Posh Spice

Seasons greetings The brothers Jonray and Peter SanchezIglesias who run the award-winning and Michelin-starred Casamia restaurant in Westbury-on-Trym, have unveiled a new concept.

The family’s former flat above the restaurant has been converted to create a high tech development kitchen called Apt. This is where the brothers have the space to work on new ideas and projects. It also offers food lovers the chance to get more involved in Casamia with what they are calling Apt experiences, which range from masterclasses to private chefs’ dinners.

The restaurant is also going to embrace the changing weather and seasons enjoyed by the UK by reflecting it in the decor and food on offer. This concept is called Seasons.casamia.

While the pair go from strength to strength with their much-talked about tasting menus, they are also making time to write their first cookery book which will be called Elements. This is a closely guarded project but Jonray and Peter have let slip that it will include anecdotes from their life so far as well as insight into their influences and inspirations.

Good start to 2012 Welcome in 2012 in style with an evening of celebration at Harvey Nichols Bristol’ s Second Floor restaurant.

The evening kicks off with a Champagne and canapé reception in the Second Floor Bar before diners move into the elegant but relaxed restaurant to enjoy a four course menu, created by executive chef Louise McCrimmon.

The party will also feature live music from Eric Okafo and after midnight the resident DJ will play in the New Year until the early hours. Tickets are £95 per person.

The price includes the Champagne and canapé reception on arrival, four course dinner, coffee and petit fours.

To make reservations, contact the Second Floor Restaurant, tel: 0117 916 8898 or email reception.bristol@harveynichols.com.

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Indian restaurant. The tea rooms are licensed to serve alcohol too and local suppliers for food and drink have been used wherever possible.

From January Cordial & Grace will be offering sewing and craft workshops, but until then, sewing machines are available to rent by the hour. This is ideal for anyone making Christmas presents but who doesn’t own a machine of their own.

Cordial & Grace, which is at 9 The Mall, Clifton, also sells a range of haberdashery and ribbons which will change with the seasons.

PARLOUR GAMES: Cordial and Grace in The Mall in Clifton offers the use of sewing machines alongside its tea, coffee and cake

FOODIE TITBITS

A voyage round my cakestand The ss Great Britain has given visitors more reason to go and see Brunel’s restored masterpiece, with the draw of a whole range of homemade cakes on offer in its Dockyard Café Bar. Every cake, from the traditional Victoria sponge with raspberries and butter cream to the Belgian style chocolate brownies, is made on board the ship. Every morsel sold is helping the ss Great Britain Trust, the charity which cares for the historic ship and keeps it going for generations of visitors to come. Eating cake seldom felt so virtuous.

FOOD & DRINK A celebration of Bristol’s food producers and eateries

A welcome break If you find yourself weary from Christmas shopping and need a break, we recommend the independent bar and restaurant The Urban Wood in Colston Street.

It’s already a hit with visitors and staff from the Bristol Royal Infirmary just along the road, and it’s easy to see why. You can go in alone or with a group and have just a coffee or a full-blown meal. The bar is divided into two so there is usually somewhere you can chat uninterrupted during the daytime.

The Urban Wood does breakfasts, lunches and dinner and we hear it makes cocktails too.

On a recent visit I sampled the kedgeree cakes with mayonnaise and French fries, which came to a reasonable £8.50 and were delicious. The menu changes regularly and includes dishes such as venison sausage casserole, Cornish mussels with bacon, cider and tarragon sauce (with ciabatta to mop up the juices) for £9.

There is a tapas menu too, so you can call in for an early supper and glass of wine. It has a Christmas menu also, which is £25 for thee courses and looks very promising.

A good atmosphere, a warm welcome and not expensive either.

GMc

A culinary tour

The Clifton Sausage Bristol has an unusual seasonal addition to its Christmas menu – reindeer and cranberry sausages. Reindeer is a traditional dish in Scandinavia and, says operations director Simon Quarrie: "Reindeer tastes very much like venison but with a less gamey and rich flavour." Just don’t let Santa know you're tucking into poor old Rudolph . . .

At the time of writing Bristol’s newest arrival on the restaurant scene hadn’t yet officially opened so we can’t tell you what the Za Za Bazaar £3m investment down by the Harbourside is really like.

But we do know that the company has been searching in the city for 35 chefs to serve a variety of cuisines as it promises to take its customers on a culinary tour of the world. It boasts that it will be the biggest restaurant in the world and its bar menu offers an eyewatering 300 different drinks from the five continents.

The cocktail menu alone stretches to 35 recipes, including the Za Za Bazaar cocktail, which numbers raspberry vodka and elderflower among its ingredients.

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Christmas & New Year’s Eve - until 31st December 2011 The festive season is upon us one more... ...now join us for a party of laughter, fun and festivities galore!

MILES FROM DELHI

A new culinary experience...

house wine Free bottle of 4 or more for a table of her with this vouc

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• Christmas Lunch Buffet £9.95 per person • Gourmet Christmas Banquet £24.95 per person • New Year’s Eve Menu £24.95 Happy Hour 5pm - 7.30pm • 2-4-1 Cocktails

Opening hours • Daily lunch: 12pm - 2.30pm • Evening 5pm - 11pm Sun to Thurs 5pm - 11.30pm Fri & Sat 4500miles.co.uk • fiveriverssreastaurant.co.uk • Tel: 0117 9292224 8-10 Colston Avenue • Bristol • BS1 4ST

December 2011

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Food for thought

Every month more copies of The Bristol Magazine is distributed to homes and businesses in and around Bristol.

That’s a lot of readers who will eat out regularly.

Tell them your dish of the day.

Advertise in The Bristol Magazine and feed 1000’s Telephone 0117 974 2800 MORE MAGAZINES - MORE READERS - MORE ABOUT BRISTOL

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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FOOD&DRINK

THE ONLY WAY is

ethics

Source food hall and café brings the best elements of a country farm shop to St Nicholas Market in the heart of Bristol city centre. We went to meet these purveyors of seasonal and carefully sourced produce

S

aint Nicholas Market at lunchtimes has a real buzz about it.

City workers gather in the informal food court – which is mercifully free of international high street chains – where they can enjoy hot, freshly cooked dishes such as Portugese chicken piri piri, Moroccan lamb meatballs with couscous or a bowl of fresh pasta.

Having sated their lunchtime appetites, they then have the chance to browse for ingredients for their evening dinner table at Source, a food hall and café also in the market. If you haven’t found Source yet, but want to impress your guests this Christmas with some seriously good food, this will surely fulfill that need.

Founded by three people with a passion for quality, seasonal food that’s locally sourced where possible and with a sound provenance, Source is where modern discerning taste meets oldfashioned service and produce. Head chef Ross Wills, pastry chef Liz Carrad and fishmonger/deli expert Joe Wheatcroft have got together to create a one-stop shop for all your grocery needs, without the bland uniformity of a supermarket.

Nestling on a bed of ice native oysters are a fresh delicacy enjoyed on many a Bristol dinner table, while orders can now be taken for Source’s own traditional gravadlax. Across the hall is the meat counter, which prides itself in offering cuts from rare breed and nose-to-tail approach to enjoying meat. This Christmas the turkeys are not only free range, but free roaming, as are the organic chickens which have been able to enjoy foraging for their own food.

Source also caters for the rise in interest in game, with pheasant, mallard and partridge, along with low cholesterol favourite venison.

Joe says: “Most of what you’ll find on our meat counter you won’t be able to buy in supermarkets. We take great pride in seasonal produce and in the provenance of what we buy. For instance, we like to buy the whole animal and we make our own sausages.”

The three directors and their team of in-house chefs also enjoy the chance to meet their customers and discuss recipe ideas.

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Source is a member of the growing Slow Food Movement, a not-for-profit organisation which links the pleasure of food with a commitment to the community and the environment. Founded in Italy in 1989 it now has groups and members in 150 countries.

One of the great things about Source is that it has appeal both for those who love to cook, and for those who love to eat but don’t want to spend too much time slaving over a hot stove. There is much here that is ready prepared in-store but could be passed off as one’s own efforts, provided you were a liar of poker-faced ability.

While the vegetables and fruit are from small west country growers and there is cheese from the region’s artisan cheesemakers, Source is also pragmatic about getting the finest ingredients from abroad when the occasion calls for it, so its Cornish Yarg cheese sits happily alongside the French Brie de Meaux and the Italian buffalo mozarella.

The specialist bread is made inhouse, as are the Scotch eggs, made with confit of duck leg. A mouthwatering display of cakes, including rum babas and salted caramel and cherry brownies, all made by Liz, are there to tempt.

They may be serious about their food at Source but they also have a sense of humour. Foodie cartoons adorn the walls, originally printed in The Guardian, by Berger & Wyse, which take a tongue in cheek to the middle class obsession with knowing where our food comes from.

Orders are being taken for a whole range of seasonal goodies – pick up a form from Source or email info@source-food.co.uk.

And if all that food on show makes you come over all faint, you can take a seat in the central café and enjoy one of the best, hearty breakfasts in the city. The café also does lunch, with an ever-changing daily menu, tea, coffee and cakes. It’s also recently started opening for dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

As a city centre worker scurries out, happy with his steaming hot take-out soup, one can’t helping feeling the rest of the city ought to be in on this foodie secret too. ■

TAKE A BREAK: diners sampling the food in the Source café in St Nicholas Market, which is now open three evenings a week for diners as well as at lunchtimes

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Situated in the heart of Bristol’s historic St. Nicholas Market, Source offers a unique food experience where you can buy the freshest produce from the shop and eat from a seasonally changing menu.

1-3 Exchange Avenue, St. Nicholas Market, Bristol. BS1 1JP t: +44 (0)117 927 2998 • f: +44 (0)117 929 2930 • e: info@source-food.co.uk

For more info on our products and events follow us on twitter; http://twitter.com/sourcefoodcafe

Website: www.source-food.co.uk

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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GOODfood

FESTIVE and LOCAL This Christmas, as we make plans for our ritual feast of plenty, show support for the local growers, producers and artisans who make the west country great for good food. Here’s a round-up of some of the best places to shop local

S

upermarkets in the run-up to Christmas are hell on earth. Shoppers end up walking miles in the aisles in search of pickled walnuts or glace cherries, only to find themselves rammed in trolley traffic jams while they queue to pay. There’s also the sneaking feeling that your hard-earned pennies are going to some faceless monster of an international conglomerate.

There is a solution. We can turn instead to local food producers, interact with the people who actually grow the meat, potatoes and sprouts, and go home with wholesome and delicious ingredients for our family’s Christmas feasts. Many of them are taking orders now, which means you can just call in and collect your Christmas in a box. It’s also worth comparing prices against the supermarkets – you can find some goods that are cheaper than the big brands. We’ve picked some great places to shop locally this winter.

Sheepgrove Organic Farm’s butchers shop in Lower Redland Road is a traditional butcher, now taking orders for Christmas, including for free range Norfolk Bronze turkey, goose, duck and gammon. The shop also sells organic delicatessen meat and cheese, home-made chutneys, freshly-pressed organic apple juice, single-estate olive oil, fresh organic vegetables from Devon and organic eggs from Somerset. Its sausages and burgers are made fresh daily with meat, organic spices, seasonings and no rusk.

Also taking orders for Christmas meat and other seasonal goodies is family butcher and delicatessen Molesworth’s of Henleaze. Along with Copas organic free range turkeys, Wiltshire geese and salt marsh lamb from the Gower, Molesworth’s team also make their own pies and sausages and offer a gluten free range. Christmas boxes can be made up for customers with turkey, chipolatas and all the trimmings for Christmas dinner, as well as chutneys and cranberry and orange sauce.

Also in town is Reg the Veg in Clifton Village, where the obligatory sprouts for Christmas dinner can be bought still on the stalk, along with a whole host of colourful fruit and veg to ensure everyone gets their five-a-day throughout the 12 days of Christmas. Also providing us with seasonal and wholesome vegetables is James the Greengrocer at Wetsbury on Trym – he may be young but he knows his onions (and his broccoli, potatoes and parsnips too).

For a bit of old-fashioned marketeering, head out to the market outside the Tobacco Factory in Southville on a Sunday morning, where you can pick up all sorts of delicacies from 58 The Bristol Magazine

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local, artisan cheese to cakes, pies, cider and wine.

Bristol’s a great place for foodies, with delis including the Arch House in Clifton, Papadeli and Ruby & White, which combines being a butcher, baker and greengrocer. The city’s pastry heroes Pieminister have three seasonal pies to grace our Christmas tables; The Three Kings, the Christingle (vegetarian) and Deer Santa.

The English countryside might seem an unlikely place to grow hot and spicy chillis, but the Upton Cheyney Chilli Company, based at Manor Farm, does a roaring trade in chillis mild to fiery and even hosts an annual chilli festival. Its range of chilli sauces and jams – with the aim of making you ‘hot and happy’ – are available at the Manor Farm shop. The organic farm produces free range pork, beef and lamb which it sells in the shop, along with its homemade sausages and homegrown veg. There’s also a café serving winter warmers such as homemade stews and soups.

Farrington’s farm shop at Farrington Gurney, which can be found at Home Farm, just off the A327 between Bath and Wells was named earlier this year as British Champion – Local Food by the Countryside Alliance. Owners Tish and Andy Jeffery know that customers return because of the service they receive, as well as the quality of the food. The run-up to Christmas sees the shelves groaning with all sorts of goodies, from organic vegetables from the farm to more than 50 kinds of cheese. In-house butcher Jon Thorner, recently won the title Somerset’s best butcher, and has all the locally raised meat needed for a traditional Christmas.

Pick up ready-made soups, pies, puddings and cakes. There’s also The Thoughtful Bread Company, the Pink Prawn Fishmongers, a gift shop, florist, beauty clinic, hair salon and café. ■

LOCALLY SOURCED: you can be sure this Christmas of feeding your family the best, seasonal ingredients from west country food producers – and support local businesses at the same time

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Newly opened in Bath, The Mint Room, Fine Indian Dining from the award winning Viceroy Group of Restaurants.

At the Mint Room, our ethos is to ensure that tradition and modernity go hand in hand. Tradition, because we don’t want you to miss out on what has made Indian cuisine so renowned.

Modernity, because we want you to enjoy innovative and exciting flavours that our chefs are just so good at producing.

Whilst our cooking speaks for itself, our ambience, comforting surroundings and first rate service add to the elevated dining experience.

It’s a combination that makes the Mint Room quite irresistible.

The Mint Room Longmead Gospel Hall, Lower Bristol Road, Bath BA2 3EB 01225 446656 • www.themintroom.co.uk

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OUT&ABOUT

THE INCREDIBLE HULKS A walk beside the Severn estuary has something to divert every member of the family, with its birds, wide open spaces and abandoned ships, writes Andrew Swift

A

bright December’s day is the ideal time to head north to Gloucestershire for a canalside walk on the shores of the Severn estuary. Whether the estuary is a shining expanse of mud or a fast-flowing waterway will depend on when you visit. Whenever you go, though, the views across to the far bank, with trains scuttling along the water’s edge and the Forest of Dean beyond, are magnificent.

The estuary is one of the country’s most important habitats for migrating birds – Slimbridge is only a couple of miles away – so don’t forget your binoculars. And if you’re even remotely interested in industrial relics, you’ll find the walk fascinating, while there is more than enough to absorb even the most adventurous and inquisitive children.

The walk follows the last couple of miles of the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal to its junction with the River Severn. The canal opened in 1827 to provide a safe route for ships working up to Gloucester, avoiding the treacherous currents, tides and mud banks of the river, and it is still busy today. As it’s a ship canal, it’s wider than most canals, vessels travel faster and the swing bridges are electrically operated. The delightful Greek Revival bridge-keeper’s lodges still survive from when the canal was built, however.

In 1909, when this section of the canal was in danger of being undermined by erosion, the canal company’s chief engineer came up with a novel solution – driving redundant barges and schooners into the river bank at high tide to create an artificial barrier. As the beached boats gradually filled with silt, more boats were driven in on top of them, raising the ground level and further stabilising the bank.

So successful was the scheme that no less than 81 vessels ended up here – a fascinating collection of rusting and crumbling hulks dating back to the mid-nineteenth century, and now cared for by an organisation called the Friends of Purton.

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Along this stretch of the canal, you can also see the remains of the Severn Railway Bridge, three-quarters of a mile long, which opened in 1879. It continued in use until the night of 25 October 1960, when two tankers, full of oil and petrol, were carried upstream by the tide past the entrance to the canal in thick fog, before colliding with one of the piers. In the ensuing conflagration, five men died and part of the bridge collapsed.

The remains of the tankers can still be seen at low tide. The bridge was demolished in 1967 – all apart from the abutments on either side of the canal. The western abutment housed a steam engine which powered a swing bridge, allowing tall ships to continue to use the canal.

Further on along the canal towpath is another swing bridge at the entrance to the new dock, opened in 1874, beyond which are the locks leading to the river. If you carry on along the towpath, however, past long lines of moored narrowboats, you will come to the site of the original 1827 lock, with the Old Lock House beside it.

Finally, back at Purton, the Berkeley Arms Inn, despite its very restricted opening hours, is well worth a visit. It is one of only two pubs in Gloucestershire on the Campaign for Real Ale’s Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors. It was LTC Rolt’s local when he lived on a narrowboat on the canal, and, over half a century a later, it remains virtually unchanged. No food is served – just beer and cider, with wooden settles beside a huge open fire, regulars chatting away around the bar and a peerless view of the river from the window.

Directions: To get to Purton, head north on the M5, leaving at junction 14 and continuing north on the A38 for five miles, before turning left onto a road signposted to Breadstone, Halmore and Purton. Half a mile further on, follow the road as at it swings left at a junction. Carry on for a mile and a half before taking a right turn signposted to Purton. Carry on for another mile and

ALONG THE WAY: children will be fascinated by the sight of old shipwrecks that dot the shoreline

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OUT&ABOUT

ARCHITECTURAL PAST: before the gleaming Severn Crossing bridges were built there was this one, photographed in 1956. Far right, a lock-keeper’s cottage with rather a grand entrance

a half into the village where you will find a free car park beside a swing bridge on the right.

After parking the car, cross the swing bridge and turn left along the canal towpath. At the next swing bridge a right turn will take you to the Berkeley Arms Inn. A footpath continues along the river bank past the inn but this is not recommended unless you are fond of walking through mud.

If you continue along the towpath past a gnome reserve and across a small bridge you will see a path leading off to the right.

This leads down to a path through the hulks, which eventually leads back up to the canal. The abutments of the old swing bridge are further along and the end of the canal is another 1,000 metres beyond that.

Suitability for small children / wheelchairs: The towpath has a good, hard surface; the path through the hulks, although posing no real difficulties, is uneven and muddy in places. ■

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

FURTHER INFORMATION Length of walk: from the car park at Purton to the canal at Sharpness is 3km (making a round trip of 6km) with the option of turning back at any time ■ Map: OS Explorer: OL14 ■ Approximate time: 1– 2 hours ■ Refreshment stops: The Berkeley Arms opens at lunchtimes only on Sundays (12 to 2pm) and evenings 7pm, Wednesday to Sunday ■

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BUSINESSnews Olympic trio get in gear to compete Dick Lovett BMW and Mini of Bristol is supporting three south west athletes in their efforts to qualify for Team GB and ParalympicsGB at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games by providing them each with a car.

Katie Dawkins and Anya Tarasiuk, who are synchronised swimmers and Georgie Twigg, hockey player, all live near the car dealership. The family-owned business has provided the trio with a BMW 1 Series Convertible, Mini

Countryman and Mini Cooper D Convertible, along with sponsored clothing, pictured right.

Katie said “This is just so great; we can’t thank Dick Lovett enough.

We spend a lot of time driving to and from training sessions and driving to events ahead of London 2012 so having new cars is amazing.”

Katie and Anya train at the Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre and have been synchronised swimming together since 2009.

News in brief ■ A pair of friends who first met in the gym have set up what they believe is the UK’s first one-stop shop for sportswear, leisurewear and swimwear specifically designed for pregnant women.

Susan Patrick, pictured, and Brenda Patterson, have launched Maternity Fitwear. Susan, who has a two-and-a-half year old daughter, said they felt there was a gap in the market for stylish and supportive clothing which would allow women to continue to enjoy taking exercise throughout their pregnancy. Find out more: www.maternityfitwear.com.

■ Nailsea Electrical in Gloucester Road has come second in the National Showroom of the Year Award for its showroom created in the loft of an old Methodist Chapel. The ERT Awards recognise excellence in independent electrical retailing. Pete Gilks co-owner, said: “We have been told by manufacturers that it is one of the best displays in the country and the sort of showroom you would expect to see in London but not at London prices.” The showroom was designed by Pete’s son, and co-owner Ben, pictured together.

■ Clifton is officially the best urban community in the south west thanks to the businesses, community groups and good neighbours who worked for the In Bloom competitions and picked up a clutch of certificates. The efforts of groups around Bristol ensured that the city also received a Gold Medal and Best in Large City in the 2011 RHS Britain in Bloom National Competition, and also in the south west regional competition.

To join the Clifton in Bloom efforts next year contact bakersj@btinternet.com

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Fairtrade awards

LATEST BUZZ

A warm glow for Christmas National recruitment organisation Resource Solutions Group Plc (RSG), which has its HQ in Bristol, has raised almost £13,000 this year for charity – smashing its target of £10,000.

RSG operates a Matched Giving Scheme, through which every member of staff is entitled to claim up to £400 each year towards a charity of their choice. This has helped the Clifton-based firm raise approx. £12,734 in sponsorship from clients, candidates, suppliers, friends and family as part of its CSR commitment to raise at least £10,000 for charity.

BRISTOL BUSINESS news & views

A round up of achievements and events from the city’s business community

The first ever Fairtrade Business Awards, sponsored by The Co-operative, are being held in Bristol, and are now open for applications from all businesses in the region which support Fairtrade.

The ceremony, to be hosted by the BBC’s George Alagiah, will be held at Leigh Court, home of Business West, from noon on Friday 9 March as the major event in the south west for Fairtrade Fortnight.

The aim of the awards is to increase the visibility and sales of Fairtrade through an scheme which provides a tangible benefit for the organisations participating, enhancing reputation and ethical credentials, to confirm Bristol as one of the world’s leading Fairtrade cities.

The Awards scheme has five categories: Best Fairtrade Office, sponsored by Burges Salmon; Best Fairtrade Retailer; Best Fairtrade Catering Outlet; Best Fairtrade Accommodation and Best Overall Fairtrade Business, sponsored by Lyons Davidson.

The awards are organised by Bristol Fairtrade Network in association with Business West, Destination Bristol and Bristol City Council.

For more details, to sponsor an award or to enter the awards, visit: www.bristolfairtrade.org.uk. Contact Jenny Foster, Bristol Fairtrade Co-ordinator, tel: 07970 878337, or email: bristolfairtradenetwork@gmail.com

Training a new generation of engineers It’s good to report some encouraging news for the next generation of engineers and technicians, as a £1m technical learning centre has been opened at leading independent training provider, S&B Automotive Academy in Bristol.

Performing the opening ceremony was Richard Noble OBE, project leader of the Bloodhound SSC (SuperSonic Car) team, also based in Bristol, which is preparing for its 1,000 mph world land speed record attempt in South Africa during 2013.

To get school pupils actively involved in choosing careers using maths and science skills, the Academy has become the first Bloodhound Education Centre in the south of England. It has dedicated one of its workshops to the project,

transforming it into a classroom for hosting a range of three day ‘taster’ courses in engineering and technology for local schools.

Two of the Academy’s apprentice learners have been selected as Event Ambassadors for the Bloodhound project. They will be part of a volunteer team providing support at public engagements to promote the initiative.

S&B recently announced record annual achievement levels for its apprenticeships in its 40 year history, which position it at the top of the UK rankings for the motor industry. Figures show an overall success rate of 95 per cent in vehicle body and paint compared with a national benchmark figure of 60 per cent.

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Management I’ll have a loaf of Information bread, milk and is Crucial in a will please Recession Katie Hughes, Commercial Law Solicitor with AMD Solicitors considers the radical changes expected to the provision of legal services

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usinesses are required to keep adequate accounting records by the Companies Act and the Taxes Act. However, while a business’ accounting records may be adequate to ensure compliance with the law, they may not be adequate to provide the management information needed to run the business effectively, profitably and solvently.

There are four main areas that businesses need to monitor: sales levels; gross profit margin; control of overheads; and cash flow management.

Many smaller businesses often say that they do not have the resources to set up, maintain, and monitor management accounts systems and information. The reality is that such systems do not need to be complex and take relatively little time and expense to set up.

Set a budget If the business knows its forecast gross profit margin on sales and its forecast overheads, it will be able to calculate its breakeven sales level. If you need help on this, we have an easy to use breakeven calculator on our website at www.hollingdalepooley.co.uk. Once you know your breakeven sales level, you will then be able to set a sales target to achieve the level of profits that you require, and complete the budget.

Monitor actual performance against budget If your business keeps its accounting system on SAGE or Quickbooks, you can enter the budget onto the accounting system.

You will then be able to run an actual profit and loss account versus budget report on a monthly or quarterly basis. This will show you if your business is not achieving budget and enable you to address this.

If your business has a manual accounting system, simpler measures will have to be adopted, such as comparing monthly sales against budget and reviewing cash balances. You may wish to consider adopting SAGE or Quickbooks and we can help you in setting this up.

Cash flow is King Profitable businesses fail due to cash flow not being managed. We can help you set up simple and effective cash flow spread-sheets.

If you would like Hollingdale Pooley to help you, please contact Mark Pooley at our office on 0117 9733377, enquires@hollingdalepooley.co.uk

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

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

T

he creation of alternative business structures (ABS’s) by the Legal Services Act 2007 will mean that regulated legal services previously reserved only to lawyers can soon be provided by other types of businesses.

Calling into your supermarket for legal services may therefore become a reality!

It may be seen to be convenient to buy legal services with your weekly shop, especially with time appearing a scarce resource nowadays but with legal transactions taking longer than the time it takes to do a weekly shop what other factors should be considered important when choosing where to buy your legal services?

Price! Big businesses will no doubt offer budget prices and other compelling incentives because of the economies of scale only they can achieve. With budget prices, however, there is often a compromise and all too often the compromise is quality.

Location! In these days of e-commerce with location seemingly less important, buying locally, particularly in the context of legal services, will provide the opportunity to visit your solicitor at their office without travelling many miles.

Inevitably we will see the face of our high streets change as we have over the last few decades with the reduction of butchers, greengrocers and other specialist providers from our high street, replaced by out of town supermarkets who are able to offer a “one stop shop”. Perhaps the lesson to be learned is that those independent specialist businesses that remain do so because by and large they are experts in what they provide, offering quality local products and a customer focussed service.

AMD Solicitors offer a wide range of legal services for both individuals and businesses. To learn more about our range of services and to keep up to date with our latest news and events call into one of our 4 offices or visit our new website www.amdsolicitors.com.

AMD Solicitors are the winners of the Local Law Firm of the Year award 2011.

Katie and the other members of the Commercial Team can offer advice and information upon legal issues for businesses (including a free first half hour consultation). E-mail commercial@amdsolicitors.com or telephone 0117 989 8510. AMD have offices at Henleaze, Shirehampton and Clifton. © AMD Solicitors 2011

Advice Making a Difference

Telephone us on (0117) 9621205 or visit our website www.amdsolicitors.com December 2011

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Small Ship Cruise Expeditions

A bespoke portfolio of fascinating itineraries aboard comfortable, fine quality small ships.

Unique travel experiences for the curious and discerning.

SOUTH SEAS ODYSSEY - Celebrate Christmas on Pitcairn Island during an epic voyage from Easter Island to Fiji via the Gambier Islands, the Tuamotus, Tahiti, the Society Islands, the Cook Islands, Niue, Tonga and Wallis & Futuna Group.

Depart 16 December 2012 ex London via Santiago to Easter Island return 21 January 2013.

The portfolio has an enticing array of options from around coastal Britain, circumnavigation of Iceland, Norwegian Fjords to Murmansk and the White Sea, the intimate Mediterranean, the Levant and Black Sea, West to South Africa, South America and coastal New Zealand.

Explore in depth at :

www.johnkennedy-noblecaledonia.com or call John Kennedy on: 0117 946 6000

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BUSINESSnews

Pop up and see me sometime . . .

This month will see more than 100 local artists come together as part of Pop-Up Bristol, which is a new initiative from Made in Bristol to bring art to Cabot Circus.

Made in Bristol is a local artist and designer showcase which brings together creative talent, including illustrators, painters, jewellers, craft-makers, sculptors and photographers. Made in Bristol will be joined by sister project Drawn in Bristol in Quakers Friars, featuring original illustrations, prints and cards, handmade toys and locally designed T-shirts.

Bristol’s Creatives Gallery, also at

Quakers Friars, features cards, original artwork, prints, photographs, jewellery and other gifts. Upfest, now Europe’s largest graffiti art festival, has an urban art and graffiti gallery, POP-UPfest.

The Smithson Gallery pop-up will provide a platform for artists, offering original art and prints alongside cards, bags, cushions, tea towels, ceramics and decorations.

Antlers Gallery returns to Quakers Friars with a treasure trove of artists’ products, from limited edition prints and playing cards to artist designed T-shirts and Christmas cards.

News in brief ■ A Bristol events company wanted a

different way to enjoy its staff bonding day – without striking fear into its employees’ hearts. GDS International came up with an innovative Physical Graffiti challenge for its 150 strong workforce.

They were challenged to create their own street art using a camera, themselves and any props they could find. The end results were witty and innovative and staff admitted that they’d actually enjoyed the process too. A £500 donation was also made to the Children’s Hospice South West.

CREATIVE: give something handmade this Christmas

Step back in time

BUSINESS BUZZ

Customers take a step back in time at the Clifton showrooms of jeweller and antique dealer Stephen Grey-Harris, where the newly-refurbished showrooms on Princess Victoria Street beautifully recreate a society jewellers of the 1870s. Under a chandelier, customers browse modern and antique silver and jewellery displayed in lavish display cases, including a circular cabinet made for the 1851 Great Exhibition. For a beautiful and precious Christmas present for someone special, the selection of antique, modern jewellery and silverware here should provide inspiration.

Accolades for the intermediary Jelf, the Stoke Gifford based advisors in insurance and financial planning, has won six accolades in the annual Health Insurance and Protection awards. Founded in 1989 by Chris Jelf, the company has been named; Intermediary of the Year (for the fourth time), Best Group Risk Intermediary, Best Newcomer Intermediary, Best International Intermediary, highly commended in the best healthcare category and was a finalist in the best use of cashplans by an intermediary.

■ The Surviving Winter appeal has been

launched, with the support of Saga and the Quartet Community Foundation to help people who are vulnerable and struggling with their fuel bills. Funds raised will be directed to those in need of help to allow them live with dignity. To donate visit: www.localgiving.com/communityfoundati on/quarter ■ Housebuilder Redrow is celebrating its

The Bowery development at Cheswick, near Stoke Park, North Bristol, winning a five star rating in the UK Property awards.

Homes at The Bowery start at £299,995 and range from four to six bedroom homes.

BRISTOL BUSINESS news & views Activities and ideas from the city’s business community

A chance for us all to play Santa in season of giving During what is a very difficult time for so many individuals and families in Bristol it’s good to hear that a local charity is encouraging all of us to lend a helping hand and give what we can this Christmas.

Bristol Debt Advice Centre (BDAC) is taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge, which means that any donations made during the week Monday 5 December to Friday 9 December will be doubled, thanks to Gift Aid. BDAC’s chief executive Carol Alexander-Reid said: “We’re delighted to be part of the Big Give

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Christmas Challenge 2011 and hope for a big success. The Christmas Challenge is a matchfunding scheme. If you make a donation online during the challenge week your donation amount will be doubled. This will make a huge difference to what can be achieved for people suffering financial hardship in Bristol.”

“You can make a big difference in someone’s life with even a small amount of money. For example, if you donate £10 this will be doubled to £20 and will contribute to the cost of a home visit to an elderly person who is struggling

financially. If just 200 people log in to the Big Give website and each give £10, we will reach our fundraising target of £2,000. This will then be doubled to £4,000 and will contribute to 200 older people receiving essential advice and support. Debt Advice helps people financially and reduces the worry and isolation caused by debt.”

To donate log on to hhtp://bit.ly/BDACBigGive between 5 and 9 December, or call in to the office at West Street, Old Market on Wednesday 7 in the afternoon.

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MOTORINGcity

PEUGEOT 508 SW the estate of things to come Peugeot's 508 saloon and SW estate continue to win back the UK audience with smart styling, impressive economy and emissions, competitive pricing and quality equipment.

What was good for fleets is now also very good for families.

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MOTORINGcity

BACK IN THE DRIVING SEAT TBM test drives the Peugeot 508 GT and finds there’s a new determination by the French maker to really impress the UK market with a seriously good car.

THREE IN ONE: there are three ways to drive the 508 GT. The default setting is automatic mode, with a Sport button for the revs and engine noise to rise. Or change gear WRC-style by pressing forward for upshifts and back for downshifts. Should this not be enough for you, then you can use the steering wheel mounted paddle shifts Test car courtesy of Robins and Day, Lysander Road, Cribbs Causeway, Bristol.

Pictured on location in Queen Square, Bristol.

F

or many years now nearly all family-sized Peugeots have dissapointed in the UK market, mainly because, while the mostly-German opposition was growing in prestige and polish, the French (prefering to wow their home market) were giving us family saloons that were distinctly below par. The 406 was okay but lacklustre. The 407 was badly packaged and its styling was so wrong that no thinking man could imagine parking it on his driveway.

However the new 508 is very different from the previous Peugeot family models. With its latest executive car – whose name-change to include the 5 from 5-series is significant – Peugeot has left the old days behind at a stroke. The new look is svelte and modern, and best of all, it now proudly shows what its predecessors never had – real class.

Gone is the awkward, big-nosed, gaping-mouthed look of the Peugeot 407 for a far more cohesive, balanced style. The 508 is a solid, premium-looking machine. It’s a night-and-day improvement over its predecessor, with the more upmarket feel and look being carried over to the interior, too.

The impressive bonnet lines give a powerful nose to the car whilst a bulging shoulder line carries this through to the rear.

The rear end with the twin exhaust pipes look like a little monster.

And the 508 is a genuinely good car to drive. It’s more of an A-road cruiser than a B-road weapon, but 99.9% of the time, this is what will be demanded from it. The ride is perfectly set up to suit the driver and passengers, with the handling very good for a front wheel drive execution saloon. Steering feedback is actually better than I found in the RCZ and puts me in mind of big Peugeots of yesteryear. The 508 GT could be a latter day 405 Mi16.

The 508 gets off to a bad start because it doesn’t have a BMW, Mercedes or Audi badge on the front grille and for some this is a disadvantage. But for the enlightened and open minded driver, the 508 presents a strong case for kerbside appeal.

During my weekend with the car, I was amazed by the attention it attracted, the 508 genuinely received more head turns and glances than the RCZ. My theory for this is that the 508 s styling is a real departure for the brand, perhaps more so than the RCZ, which is ironic considering the different sectors the cars will play in.

The 508 GT isn’t a cheap car to buy, but the ongoing running costs should be quite attractive. The road tax is only £130 per year and if my experience is anything to go by, the 508 is an easy car to drive economically. The combined MPG figure of 49.5 seems easily achievable and I often saw figures knocking on the door of the claimed 64.1 MPG. For a car that doesn’t set its stall out to be green and considering the level of power sapping kit, the 508 GT needs to be applauded.

The 2.2 litre diesel engine is one of the quietest, most refined diesels I’ve recently experienced. When coupled with virtually zero wind and road noise, it is almost whisper-quiet at motorway speeds. This hides the fact that it has the ability to push the car along at quite a rate, helped in no small part by the 450 Nm of torque. With the engine mated to the automatic 6speed ‘box, you effectively have three ways to drive the 508 GT. The default setting is automatic mode, with a Sport button available should you want the revs and engine noise to rise. But push the lever to the left and you can change gear WRC-style by pressing forward for upshifts and back for downshifts. It’s a lot of fun and very precise. Should this not be enough for you, then you can use the steering wheel mounted paddle shifts. This is the best way to drive the 508.

The Peugeot 508 GT has an excellent Connect Navigation

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RT6 multimedia system, heads up display which projects essential driving information onto a glare-proof translucent polycarbonate pop-up panel that appears in the driver’s line of sight. This conveniently provides information on vehicle speed, cruise control/speed limiter setting and satellite navigation instructions. The GT has 18 Electra alloy wheels, Nappa double stitch leather, xenon directional headlights, LED daytime running lights and the clever Peugeot Connect SOS system to an already generous level of kit. This option includes an automatic SOS feature that, in the event of the airbags being deployed, contacts the emergency services and pin points the exact location of the accident.

The GT also has intelligent lighting too. The adaptive main beam system fitted to selected 508 models has been designed to optimise main beam use, and therefore enhance driver vision. It employs a camera on the back of the rear-view mirror to analyse aspects such as approaching or following vehicles, brightly lit urban areas and the like, and then activates or deactivates the main beams accordingly.

Allure and GT versions of the 508 are equipped with an electric parking brake which offers convenient operation. On start-up, the handbrake releases automatically when the driver pulls off, while the handbrake is automatically activated when the engine is switched off.

The handbrake can also be manually activated using the push-pull next to the start/stop button.

The 508 is the first Peugeot model to offer hands-free access and start-up on selected models. The system replaces a conventional key with an electronic unit that employs recognition technology to allow convenient unlocking and starting of the vehicle, without the need to insert a key, or to press any buttons on the key fob.

The electronic key can be detected by the car from a distance of 1.8 m and can be kept in a pocket or handbag. A start/stop button on the fascia is used to start up or stop the engine, while brushing a hand over the door handle locks or unlocks the vehicle.

Another plus point about owning a 508 GT SW is the glass roof, never have I driven a hard top car with so much interior light. If it does become too light a twist of the control and the interior cover emerges. Both fronts seats are heated and the driver’s seat has a lumber massage button, adding total relaxation while driving.

In short, the 508 is loaded with a level of standard kit that shames the likes of Audi and BMW and it has a high level of presence on the road. However, the gleaming paintwork and relative newness of the 508 helps to give it a standout quality.

I tested the range topping GT HDi 200 model with its 2.2 diesel engine and 6-speed automatic gearbox. At £29,050 plus options, the GT model isn’t cheap, although 508 ownership starts at £18,450 for the basic 1.6 Access model. By emitting just 150 g/km of CO2, the 508 has a combined MPG figure of 49.5. It will accelerate to 60mph in a little over eight seconds and will go on to a top speed of 145mph. The 508 achieved a maximum 5-star Euro NCAP rating, including a 90% and 87% rating for adult and child safety respectively.

The 508 GT is a genuinely satisfying, if not fun car to drive and is a sure signal that Peugeot is once again back on form. If the RCZ was a sign that that the lion is waking up, the 508 signals that the cat is back on the prowl. ■ To arrange a test drive contact: Robins & Day Bristol Lysander Road, Cribbs Causeway, Bristol BS10 7TS Tel: 0117 301 1700 December 2011

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FAMILYfun

Create your ow film n Chris w he n tmas you v animat isit A ion t− B r ist o l

torian ritain’s Vic B t a e r G s s sidents Explore the −legged re r u e o f th meet k it c h e n and

A CREATIVE CHRISTMAS There’s plenty to keep the kids occupied in the run-up to Christmas – here’s a round-up of all things fun and festive, from theatre and storytelling to music and science

Childrens theatre

The Brewery, Tobacco Factory Theatre, Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol.

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

Bath Time, Wednesday 14 December – Sunday 8 January, 10.45am & 2.15pm Oxford Playhouse presents this magical, perfectly silly show about the games we all play in the bath. With words, music, dance and puppets, there are lots of chances to join in.

This is an ideal treat for children aged two to five.

Fun on-board

ss Great Britain, Great Western Dockyard, Bristol. Tel: 0117 926 0680 or visit: www.ssgreatbritain.org

Sea Hear, Tuesday 6 December, 11am Join professional storyteller Sarah Mooney for adventures of the high seas with plenty of props.

Victorian Christmas Storytelling, Tuesday 6, Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December Enter a magical Victorian Christmas with traditional tales.

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Mr Brunel Visits Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December Meet the great engineer, Brunel, and listen to readings from A Christmas Carol.

New Steamship Gallery Explore the ships’s Victorian kitchen – feel the heat from the oven, smell the cooking fish and smoky bacon, see the pots boiling on the stove and listen out for the scratching rats.

Magical stories

The Southville Centre, Beauley Road, Bristol.

Tickets £5 from the centre or tel: 0117 923 1039

Recycled Stockings, Tuesday 20 – Thursday 22 December, 10.30am & 2pm Go on a magical journey to meet six characters, each with a Christmas story to tell.

Musical entertainment

St George’s Bristol, Great George Street, Bristol.

Box office tel: 0845 40 24 001 www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

Family Christmas Carnival, Friday 23 December, 2pm & 4.30pm Bristol Ensemble present Prokofiev’s enchanting musical tale, Peter and the Wolf, followed by an exciting selection of Disney themes and plenty of audience participation.

Family laughs

Bristol Old Vic Studio, King Street, Bristol. Box office tel: 0117 987 7877 www.bristololdvic.org.uk

Good Clown, Bad Clown, Thursday 1 December – Saturday 7 January, please contact theatre for times Good Clown Bad Clown is a highly visual, comic tale of high jinks and heroics, suitable for anyone aged four and over.

Discover science

Explore At-Bristol, Harbourside, Bristol. Tel: 0845 345 1235 www.at-bristol.org.uk

Christmas Animation, Saturday 10 December – Monday 2 January Create your own Christmas animation film.

There will be a selection of festive backgrounds to give your scene an extra bit of sparkle and you can even email the animation to your friends as an alternative Christmas card.

Winter Wonder-land, Saturday 10 December – Monday 2 January Discover the science behind festive foodie favourites – try the Brussels sprout challenge and see flaming Christmas puddings.

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THE PERFECT LITTLE CHRISTMAS GIFT A 12 MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO THE

BRISTOL

MAGAZINE

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 £30.00 (12 issues) UK Mainland. £25.00 (6 issues) or £50.00 (12 issues) Euro zone. Please See website for World Zone prices.

To subscribe just send a cheque payable to MC Publishing Ltd and fill in the form and return to: 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED or Telephone 01225 424 499 for card payment.

Name:

Daytime telephone No:

Address: Postcode: Email

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12 ISSUES FOR JUST £30

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DO YOU HAVE A SPARE ROOM? FRIENDLY HOSTS WANTED FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 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

Study Travel Exams Holidays

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FIT&FABULOUS

Party perfection Feel like a star this festive season and make sure all eyes are on you with the help of the Party Collection from Bobbi Brown which has been inspired by the glitz and glamour of screen sirens like Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall. To make eyes dazzle, try the Onyx & Silver Eye Paint Palette (£36) which features four shades of the exclusive Long Wear Eye Paint formula which can be applied wet or dry and lasts throughout the night. Perfectly complementary is the Party Rose Lip Colour (£18), a creamy matte formula which gives full coverage and a wonderful rich colour. It’s also made of a unique blend of beeswax and vitamins to ensure lips are protected, moisturised and ultra-kissable for that moment under the mistletoe.

■ If you are tired of spending lots of money on expensive skin care and beauty products, why not learn how to make your own? Anna Christensen offers workshops in central Bath where you can learn how to make natural skin are and cosmetic products. It’s really easy and one you know how, you can do it yourself at home. All ingredients are supplied and you can take home what you make. Half day weekend courses cost £49 and can be booked through Anna on tel: 07811 956685.

Gift vouchers for the course are also available and make a lovely unique Christmas gift. For further information visit: www.annachristensen

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SKIN DEEP A selection of tried and tested health and beauty products that we love

Before you even think about applying fabulous makeup, you need to prepare your skin first. After all, makeup is supposed to enhance your natural look, not cover it up. A great way to heal and renew the skin is with Crème de la Mer’s Hydrating Facial (£180 for 6 masks, available from Harvey Nichols).

Offering ultimate moisturisation, this two-zoned cotton mask covered in moisturising cream delivers super hydration that reawakens the appearance of youth. Play some relaxing music, smooth on the mask and relax while you let the fast-acting formula work its magic. In minutes, your complexion is renewed and skin is left nourished and conditioned and you’ll notice a healthy glow instantly

If you’re looking for a beautiful perfume to give to someone special this Christmas, the new limited Christmas edition of Nina by Nina Ricci, called Snow Princess, is just perfect. It celebrates winter, romance and elegance with a light and delicate floral fragrance of peony and moonflower mixed with apple wood and white cedar and swathed in soft musks. The apple-shaped bottle is a special pearly white with gold leaves. Available at House of Fraser and Boots

▲

■ Lush, the handmade and natural bath and body products shop, is opening its 100th store in Cribbs Causeway on Saturday 3 December.

The new concept shop design, central to which is a country kitchen table consultation area, allows customers to sit down and discuss their skincare needs with one of Lush’s consultants. Pop in to the store and discover gorgeously fragranced soap, shower jellies, fresh fruity face masks and fizzing bath ballistics amongst lots of other fabulous products. Lush will be holding an opening party on Saturday 3 December at the new store where you can sip on champagne, enjoy fruit platters and indulge in a hand massage

For the ultimate preparty preparation before you don your little black dress and heels, apply a bit of Lustre Dusting Powder (£10) from Lush to your skin. fragranced with sensual jasmine, this light powder has a very fine gold shimmer to give skin a beautiful glow

▲

NEWS IN BRIEF

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A Perfect Christmas Gift For PERMANENT Hair Removal, Choose Laser Hair Removal NO MORE WAXING OR SHAVING! COURSE OF 6:

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Terms and Conditions: BRISTOL MAGAZINE READERS ONLY! To obtain offer Present advert to reception. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Only 10 of each available. Ref: BM 1-6

107 Coldharbour Road Westbury Park, Bristol, BS6 7SD Tel: 0117 9500500

Main stockists of REDKEN

www.beautology.co.uk

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

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REVIEW

Radiant skin is not just for Christmas…

Give the gift of beautiful skin and an enduring feeling of total wellbeing.

AROMA therapy Samantha Ewart visits Beautology on Coldharbour Road for a relaxing treatment to ease the stress of Christmas shopping

On-line shopping with the personal touch:

I

t’s that time of year when there’s so much going on and so much to think about that it’s easy to lose track of yourself and your wellbeing.

You can spend a whole afternoon walking around the shops hunting for that perfect gift and trying to organise party pieces and not get anywhere.

And at the end of the day you feel frustrated, stressed and weary.

At this point, it’s time to treat yourself to a pamper and find yourself again. And there’s no better place to go for top-to-toe polishing than Beautology on Coldharbour Road.

Beautology is Bristol’s largest aesthetic skin and beauty clinic, or medispa if you like. It has eight treatment rooms, all decorated to a high standard, where men and women can enjoy the most advanced range of treatments, from laser hair removal, skin peels and dermal fillers to spray tanning, massage and facials. When you visit, you will find professional service and expert advice in a comfortable and relaxed environment and the friendly staff will listen to your concerns and tailor the perfect treatment to suit your needs, whether it’s a problem like pigmentation that needs addressing or you just fancy sprucing up your nails with a French manicure.

After a lot of manic Christmas shopping, I was in need of an uplifting, re-balancing treatment and was recommended the aromatherapy full body massage (£53, 65 minutes). After a consultation, experienced head therapist Karon selected a combination of organic essential oils to suit my mood. She mixed geranium and clary sage together to create a beautifully tranquil scent that filled the room and created a soothing atmosphere.

Karon used light, gentle strokes all over my body, from my neck to my toes, to relieve even the deepest stress while I drifted into a relaxed state, helped along by the calming spa music.

At my request, Karon used a medium pressure to relieve the knots in my back and shoulders and she also released the tension in my wrists whilst recommending a few massage techniques that I could use on myself regulary to ease tightness.

The massage left me feeling completely relaxed and revitalised and in a positive mood. Karon explained that other benefits to aromatherapy massage include improved circulation, lymphatic drainage, and a deeper sleep – and I must admit I slept very well that night. Well enough to face day two of Christmas shopping. ■ For further information or to see a list of treatments and services, visit: www.beautology.co.uk or to book an appointment tel: 0117 944 6655.

Alternatively, you can pop into the clinic on 107 Coldharbour Road, Westbury park, Bristol. If you are unsure of which treatment would best suit your requirements, you can book a free consultation with one of the specialists who will advise you. Gift vouchers are also available for all occasions – just ask for more information.

76 The Bristol Magazine

Exceptional Dr. Hauschka skin care products and Gift Vouchers for the profoundly relaxing Dr.Hauschka facial & body treatments.

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December 2011

www.graceemmerson-online.co.uk 38 Fernbank Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 6PU • 0117 904 2296

Luxurious gifts for every body and budget

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December 2011

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

www.naturopathy-uk.com

Healthy food this Christmas Georgie O’Connor, a lecturer for The College of Naturopathic Medicine in Bristol and a practising naturopathic nutritional therapist, offers her advice for eating healthily this Christmas without missing out on the festive fun.

H

ere at CNM we believe that healthy food can and should be a truly joyous event at every meal, every day, for everyone, not just for Christmas. The sheer excess of the season is usually down to misguided generosity and our reluctance to offend people by not indulging.

My recommendation is to celebrate with quality rather than quantity, by opting for the freshest, best, food you can find, and remembering that less is truly more at this time of year when our level of physical activity tends to be Georgie O’Connor, nutritional lower. As you will see below, much of therapist and CNM lecturer what is traditionally eaten at Christmas is good for us! Simply remember the axiom ‘all things in moderation’ to enjoy a wonderful Christmas!

Turkey is high in protein in general and the ‘feel-good’ amino acid, Tryptophan, in particular. So not only can it blunt your appetite for overindulgence in fattier foods, such as roast potatoes, it can improve your mood.

When preparing vegetables in advance save yourself time in the kitchen and keep it chunky: Julienne style veggies may look pretty, but valuable nutrients will be lost from the increased surface area. Cover and chill them with a little squeeze of lemon juice for antioxidant protection, as soaking in large amounts of water will leach out the water soluble vitamins. When you’re ready to cook, use a pan with a tight fitting lid and a small amount of water, or better yet steam them to give the gift that keeps on giving – good health.

A variety of winter vegetables can be put to good use in salads and coleslaws such as grated beetroot, carrot, celeriac or swede or finely shredded cabbage or kale rather than overpriced, out of season products. Try to make these as close to the time of eating as possible to preserve their nutrient value. Grain mustard vinaigrettes or honey & mustard dressings go particularly well with winter veg.

80 The Bristol Magazine

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Most Christmas pudding recipes contain only about seven per cent fat, and all the currants and sultanas count as a fruit serving (although of a highly calorific kind). Just try to avoid adding brandy butter or indeed, eating the whole pudding!

Nuts in limited quantities can be a truly delicious and healthy treat.

Four brazil nuts per day, for example, can provide you with the antioxidant that can protect your heart and arteries, selenium.

Special treat Try this recipe if you want to make a really special treat for the ones you love: Coarsely crush some brazil nuts, combine with chopped dried apricots, figs and cranberries and mix with some melted dark chocolate. Place teaspoons of the mixture on a baking tray in the fridge to harden. A glorious and comparatively much healthier alternative to a bargain box of massproduced sweets!

I’ll leave you with a thought for the season “We are not unwilling to eat more, but are afraid of doing ourselves harm.” François de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680), so step away from the buffet, wrap up well and get out doors for a stroll through the park, woods or seaside to whet your appetite for life and have a happy, healthy holiday.

If you’d like to find out more about training in Bristol for a new career as a Nutritional Therapist, come along to CNM Bristol's next free-to-attend Open Evening on 13th December from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. To book your place please call 01342 410 505. www.naturopathy-uk.com

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CITYinteriors

A CONTEMPORARY

CHRISTMAS Take one state-of-the-art city home, add the talents of one of the west country’s leading floral designers and you’ve a got a stylish, understated and elegant approach to decorating for Christmas

TRICKS OF THE TRADE: this seasonal romantic bouquet in dusky shades is fastened to the front door with a ribbon, secured by a drawing pin discreetly pushed into the top of the door Left, the family room and kitchen has a central focal fireplace 82 The Bristol Magazine

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CITYinteriors

SAY IT WITH FLOWERS: above, deep red roses and berries form the centrepiece for the Christmas table Top right, the mantelpiece display in the sitting room Right, the spacious kitchen at Damson Orchard Photographs by Charlotte Stone Flowers by Johanne Shipp of Passion

F

loral designer Johanne Shipp, founder of Passion, is responsible for the flowers that adorn some of the west country’s top hotels, including Babington House and the Royal Crescent Hotel in Bath. So we knew she was a good person to ask for some top tips on creating some sophisticated displays for Christmas in a contemporary home.

The house we chose is a detached family home, one of only a handful in a quiet cul-de-sac in Bannerdown on the edge of Bath with far reaching views. Built in stone with cedarwood and designed with spacious living accommodation and five bedrooms, along with a walled garden, 3 Damson Orchard is an ideal venue for hosting a family Christmas for all the generations.

Johanne began with the front door, where our Christmas visitors are welcomed. Circular wreaths are always popular, but for a change, she created a layered spray bouquet of dried hydrangeas, rosehips, eucalyptus pods and leaves. Tied with a simple ribbon bow this can be hung from the front door without damaging the paint work if you simply put a drawing pin into the top of the door and suspend your bouquet from there.

The mantelpiece in the sitting room is where we might traditionally place a vase of flowers at Christmas time, or opt for the cheerful clutter of cards, candles and the occasional bauble. Instead, Johanne opts for a selection of identical little stone jars, a bunch of deliciously scented creamy white Norma Jean roses, which really do smell of garden roses picked in June.

She splits the bunch, adding one or two blooms to each jar, along with smaller, peony-like ranunculus and some dark, fluffy grasses. With a handful of jewel-bright glass tea light holders and some plain pine cones, the overall effect, as you can see, is visually impressive yet understated.

Preparing the dinner table for Christmas is always a challenge for the host or hostess. A dramatic centrepiece of dark red roses and berries echoes the colour of the deep red curtains in the dining room, and while eye-catching, is still low enough for the diners to see over the top. The floral display will

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look equally good during the daytime or in the evenings.

If you have such a display, either that you’ve made yourself, or ordered from a florist such as Passion, it can be moved around to where your guests are. For instance, for a Christmas drinks party, which would be easily accommodated in the walkthrough kitchen/family room at Damson Orchard, with its central fireplace and wodburning stove, the floral display could be brought through from the dining room next door for the occasion.

There is still room for a Christmas tree in this long family room, which is filled with natural light from picture windows and french doors looking out into the gardens. And if the children wanted to indulge in a colourful spectacle of paper chains, tinsel and glitter, there’s always the playroom off the hall opposite the sitting room.

From the spacious ground floor an elegant glass staircase leads to the first floor. The master bedroom has an ensuite shower room and a balcony, which is plenty large enough for a table and chairs, from where the adults could enjoy a few minutes peace and quiet looking at the stars before joining in the fray of turkey basting and cracker pulling downstairs.

There are four more bedrooms, one of which also has a balcony, and two more bathrooms. Damson Orchard takes its name from a picturesque fruit orchard which is jointly owned and enjoyed by the houses in the cul-de-sace. The property lies behind electrically controlled gates, has a large parking area and a double garage which can be reached from the hall.

Hamptons International is the agent and the guide price for the property is £1,195,000. ■ To book a consultation with Johanne Shipp of Passion flowers tel: 01225 859994 or email: hello@flowersbypassion.com.

Hamptons International is handling the sale of 3 Damson Orchard, Bannerdown, Bath, tel: 01225 312244. Photography

by Charlotte Stone. For commissions visit: www.charlottestonephoto.com or email: charlotte@charlottestonephoto.com December 2011

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My Painted House Hand Painted Furniture & Interior Decoration Studio Workshop

Shabby Chic • Bespoke • Retro Recycled Furniture Room makeovers to suit all budgets SPECIAL CHRISTMAS SALE OLD STOCK CLEARENCE – MAKE WAY FOR NEW ITEMS Up to 50% off selected painted furniture. Book your space for hands on paint workshops in January & February

www.mypaintedhouse.co.uk 13, Alma Vale Road, Clifton Bristol. BS8 2HL 0117 9733699

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CITY INTERIOR gardens style

A COUNTRY

CHRISTMAS Ann Armstrong visits a Georgian house which interior designer Alison Riva has restored to create a Stylish and environmentally friendly home. Photographs by David Parmiter

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INTERIORstyle

SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE: Alison’s sociable kitchen was once the village shop. She has scoured antique markets and junk rooms for many of the beautiful household objects the family uses every day. Keeping it green, she uses a potted Christmas tree from Trees Direct, while decorations have been handed down through the generations

A A NEW LEASE OF LIFE: main picture, Alison has created a calming sitting room with practical cotton covers on the sofas, the walls are coloured in Pawprint made by Earthborn, and the floor is covered in natural wood cord from The Alternative Flooring Company Left, the natural festive table decoration, featuring snowberries, white orchids, green thistles, silver brunia, and eucalyptus leaves, was created by Amba Tyson of Blooming Scrumptious at Mipo Minnie May, the cat is soon to star in her own book

lison Riva, her daughter Isabella, and their beloved British Blue cat, Minnie May, live in a Grade II listed Bath-stone house, built in 1830.

Alison, internationally known as a successful film set designer, is also the founder of Riva Interiors.

A few years ago, Alison Riva decided to abandon the bright lights of London, to live amid a peaceful, yet thriving village community in Somerset, where she, and nine-year-old daughter, Isabella, have happily settled. “I still enjoy visiting London for the buzz, but I love it here. It’s a far healthier place to live,” enthuses Alison. Home is a double-fronted Regency house, which, at one stage, served as the local shop.

She says: “It is a beautiful building that must have been a hub of village activity for generations. When we bought it, though, it had already been converted to domestic living. It was, however, in a rundown state, definitely ready for renovation. There was some damp and the décor was very dowdy.

“I don’t think it had been touched for 15 years,” explains Alison, a renowned film set designer, who also runs her own interior design company.

‘Recycling,’ observes Alison ❝ ‘is good for the soul’ ❞ The house, built over two storeys, stands at the top of a hill, a stone’s throw from a weathered old church. It’s a location which wouldn’t look out of place in a dramatisation of a Jane Austen novel, and the interior of the house comes very much into its own at Christmas, when the decorations are elegantly understated – not only in sympathy with the fine but unfussy architecture but with Alison’s keenness to be environmentally friendly. She likes to make fragrant wreaths from what she finds in the hedgerows, and mother and daughter also design their own Christmas cards which are printed on eco-friendly paper.

Their organic turkey is cooked in an energy efficient cooker.

“Our electricity is as ‘green’ as possible, supplied by Ecotricity, and it is reasonably priced,” stresses Alison. The spacious, classically –shaped kitchen, installed against a backdrop of walls covered in a soft white natural paint, and a sustainable oak floor, is arranged at the front of the house, occupying the floor space once used for retailing groceries.

It is north facing but it feels warm and welcoming. Some ornamental plasterwork, most likely installed in Victorian times, adds a touch of grandeur. “The previous owners used it as a bedroom, and had their kitchen at the back, whereas I felt

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this space was crying out to be the kitchen because, on the other side of the open plan hallway, we have an informal sitting room with a wonderful Jetmaster wood burner, which heats the whole house. I’ve tried to make the kitchen as environmentally friendly as is possible at the moment.

“There was quite a lot of building work needed in here; joists had to be ripped out and the floor had to be levelled,” adds Alison, who asked a local craftsman Roger Spiller to provide cabinetry made from sustainable ply and an eco version of MDF. The new kitchen is now unquestionably the hub of the house. Immediately above it, on the upper floor, there’s a formal, taupe-painted sitting room graced with an elegantly carved wooden fire surround. It is carpeted with cream wool cord and furnished with sofas made from natural fibres and covered in washable cotton.

“It’s a pale canvas, and typically me. I like a classic look with soft, earthy colours. I have never been led by fashion but I do like eclectic details,” smiles Alison, who mixes English and French antiques, vintage finds, and contemporary furnishings with aplomb.

Hunting around antiques fairs, auction rooms, junk shops, and reclamation yards is one of her favourite pastimes. The flea markets held at Kempton Park are a regular haunt, as are French brocantes. She is a devotee of anything that has been hand-crafted by ethically-aware artisans, and she particularly likes searching for old fabrics which can be given a new lease of life. “Recycling,” observes Alison, “is good for the soul.”

The curtains in the master bedroom – like those in the sitting room – are second-time-around textiles which have been remodelled to suit Alison’s lovely sash windows. “Initially, I used the master bedroom as a studio because it has such good light.

I’ve also been testing a new paint on the walls. Mainly, I use paints made by Earthborn but the biscuit-tinged shade in here is from a collection of water-based paints by Farrow and Ball,” she explains. The colour creates a perfect background for Alison’s bedroom furnishings which include a very heavy, paintfinished mahogany armoire which came from France. “After falling forwards and nearly killing me, that armoire is now well and truly battened to the wall,” asserts Alison.

Parts of the house are still a work in progress. The two bathrooms, for instance, are awaiting a new look, and there are plans to plant a roof garden. After those projects are completed, Alison, Isabella, and Minnie May, the spirited family cat (the latter is soon to be the subject of a book) will surely enjoy their home to the full for years to come. ■ Riva Interiors, tel: 07767 371337, www.riva-interiors.com.

Blooming Scrumptious at Mipo, tel: 01225 866610, December 2011

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CHRISTMASinteriors MIMOSA HOME Decorate your home at Christmas with style and atmosphere, candles make such a lovely gift and Lene Bjerre offer high end beautifully presented candles. Visit Mimosa Home and choose from a selection of colours and prices with napkins to match.

Mimosa Home, 34 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol. www.mimosahome.co.uk

MY PAINTED HOUSE Angela Yon who has been a specialist decorator for over 25 years opened her shop/studio /workshop My Painted House in July this year. Apart from selling hand painted furniture, Angela also paints furniture to commission and will undertake decoration work in your home. With the present economic climate never has the ethos for recycling existing furniture been more relevant, to make way for new stock and ideas, they are offering up to 50% discount on clearance of selected hand painted furniture. For yourself or as a Christmas gift you can book your space for one of Angela’s hands on paint workshops starting in January & February 2012.

My Painted House, 13 Alma Vale Road, Clifton.

Tel: 0117 973 3699. www.mypaintedhouse.co.uk

DENON - BRITISH AUDIO AT ITS BEST The Denon RCD-M38DAB at AV Bristol. A 5-star award winning mini Hi-Fi system with many excellent features – an all-in-one amplifier with CD player, FM and DAB radio, iPod USB connectivity and more! Ideal for living rooms, the bedroom or the dining room. Wherever you put it, the Denon D-M38 will entertain you with its rich and dynamic sound. Available in black or silver, £289 with speakers or £199 without.

AV Bristol.

247-249 North Street, Bedminster, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 966 0644. www.avbristol.co.uk

Blenheims offers the full range of block management services and excels in delivering outstanding service with a personal touch.

We work closely with our clients to devise an approach that works for their building and the way in which they would like it to be run.

• Professional property management for blocks of flats of all sizes • • Outstanding Accounts support for collecting and managing service charges • • ARMA members • 28 Chandos Road, Redland, BS6 6PF T: 0117 933 9560 E: Bristol@blenheims.co.uk W: www.blenheims.co.uk

88 The Bristol Magazine

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BRISTOLproperty

D

eerfield is a thoughtful conversion of a selection of farm buildings that once belonged to the nearby Tyntesfield Estate. The southwesterly position of the property makes the most of some outstanding views over rolling countryside toward the Mendip hills. The conversion has retained the charm of the stone built barns, at the same time adding many contemporary features providing excellent space for entertaining and modern family life. The wonderfully spacious entrance hall is at the centre of the property leading on one side to the dining hall, country style kitchen and the drawing room and on the other to the study, sitting room with doors to the side terrace, swimming pool utility areas and integral double garage. Upstairs there is a master bedroom suite, a guest bedroom suite, four further en suite bedrooms and a family bathroom. In addition to the main accommodation is a first floor annexe, comprising a living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. The accommodation continues within the grounds of the property in the form of a guest cottage with living room, kitchen, bedroom and en suite shower room. In all, the plot totals almost six acres with landscaped gardens of formal terraces, lawned areas, workshop and field.

This fabulous property offers endless possibilities and would meet the requirements of many lifestyles. Viewing and full particulars are from agents Knight Frank.

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

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DEERFIELD, BELMONT NORTH SOMERSET •Barn conversion •6 principal bedrooms •1 bedroom annexe •1 bedroom garden cottage •Indoor pool •5.9 acre plot

Guide Price: £1,600,000

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BRISTOLproperty

GOLDEN ACRES, TICKENHAM Guide Price: £499,995

A

traditionally built 1930’s detached double-fronted dormer style residence approached by its own private drive set well back from the main road (B3130). The property has deceptively spacious accommodation with the benefit of a separate self-contained annexe.

This property is a very versatile home ideal for those with a large family or dependant relatives seeking privacy, yet within easy reach of all the amenities of Clevedon, Nailsea and Bristol. The property has the benefit of gas central heating with an AGA cooker, fitted kitchen, some UPVC replacement windows and doors, upper floor veranda and a feature external spiral staircase giving independent access to one of the bedrooms. In addition the property consists of four bedrooms, 2 kitchens one open plan to dining area, 3 bathrooms a shower room, and separate WC. There are 3 further reception rooms. Outside there is also a large covered patio area to the rear and side of the house with 6 chairs, 1 large table patio set with parasol and outside lighting.

The property is south facing with most rooms enjoy dual aspects having views towards the Mendip Hills and Weston-super-Mare.

The grounds of approximately 2.12 acres (0.86ha) are laid to mature gardens including a lawned area, trees and shrubs, covered patio area, and a very productive soft fruit market garden including a large selection of apple and plum trees, fruit bushes to include strawberries, gooseberries and blackcurrants.

Clifton Estate Agents, 140 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2RS. Tel: 0117 946 6363. www.cliftonestateagnets.co.uk

Letting an agent do the work for you I f you’ve got a property to rent but haven’t got the time to devote to being a full-time landlord, you need the help of an experienced lettings agent. Peter Greatorex, Managing Director at The Apartment Company explains how to choose the right agent and service for you.

“When landlords rent out a property for the first time many may not have considered just how much work it involves. As a private landlord you are responsible for finding tenants, running background checks, advertising your property, organising repairs, collecting rent and being the Peter Greatorex, Managing direct line of communication with your tenant Director at The Apartment whenever they have issue at whatever hour of the Company day. That’s just the start of a long list so it’s not surprising that many property owners would rather step back and get a management company to look after almost everything.

Before you sign up with an agent, know your requirements. The service offered by lettings agents will greatly depend on what type of landlord you want to be, from simply finding tenants all the way up to a fully managed service where the agent acts as a buffer between you and tenants. Obviously, the fees involved increase the more the agent does.

Quiz any potential lettings agents on how they will fulfil all your requirements and market your property. For example, do they already have properties similar to yours on their books? How will your property be presented to tenants? How will they advertise your property? Discuss fully with an agent what you would require them to do and the kind of tenants you want so you can rest easy.

It is also worth remembering that lettings agents may have a database of people actively looking for your type of property, thus saving you money on advertising for tenants.

Whichever agent you decide to use it is always a sensible decision to select 92 The Bristol Magazine

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one who is targeting your market and who is a member of professional organisation, such as The Guild of Professional Estate Agents. This will give you greater peace of mind as these agents adhere to The Guild’s own code of practice.”

The Apartment Company has just opened a lettings department in its Bristol Office and welcome Deborah Emery to their team. Peter Greatorex says “We are delighted that Deborah has joined the team, her 15 years lettings experience and her market knowledge will really strengthen our service and deliver excellent value to our growing client base, we wish her every success!”

For advice on letting an apartment, please contact Peter Greatorex or Deborah Emery, The Apartment Company, Tel: 0117 900 1617 Website: www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk

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The Hollies Care Centre, Dursley

• A purpose built Care Home offering the highest standards of Nursing Care and retirement living • Luxury hotel style accommodation, with all bedrooms having en-suite wet rooms, lovely views, sat T.V. broadband internet and many other convenient adaptations • Independent family run with a highly trained, friendly team of staff • Wholesome home cooked food using fresh home-grown produce • Wide range of daily activities with our own minibus for accompanied outings • Short Respite Care service available (Christmas bookings now being taken) and a new Day Care service is also available • Other in-house services on offer include: Hairdressing, Physiotherapy, Chiropody, visiting Beautician, Newspapers and periodicals • We are conveniently located for easy access to surrounding towns such as Bristol, Bath, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Cirencester

For more information: Contact Gill Lee 01453 541400 Or visit our website: www.littlecombepark.com

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Bristol & Clifton’s premier Commercial Property Agents IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO RELOCATE OR ESTABLISH A NEW BUSINESS IN 2011 PLEASE PHONE THE BURSTON COOK TEAM FOR ALL TYPES OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

(0117) 934 9977

WESTBURY PARK – COLDHARBOUR ROAD

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A large prominent corner shop of 913 sq ft and 929 sq ft stores.

Modern open plan offices of 1,758 sq ft with onsite car parking. Superb views and new lease available.

Rent only £15,750 per annum, exclusive.

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WESTBURY-ON-TRYM Attractive open plan office suite of 835 sq ft with two car parking spaces.

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Suites of offices from 470 sq ft to 1,452 sq ft.

Low rent of only £8.95 per sq ft & new flexible leases.

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CLEVEDON OFFICES FOR SALE

Business unit comprising 1,570 sq ft stores and 1,547 sq ft first floor offices (total 3,117 sq ft).

Modern high quality offices of 2,530 sq ft with 7 car parking spaces.

For Sale - £180,000 To Let - £5.95 per sq ft.

FOR SALE FREEHOLD

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ALMONDSBURY BUSINESS PARK – M4/M5 JUNCTION

Economical offices of circa 1,400 sq ft in a convenient Clifton location.

High quality modern office suite of 1,733 sq ft & fully refurbished.

New flexible lease and low rent.

Available to let at only £10 per sq ft.

We can help you

• Sales • Lettings • • Valuations • Rent reviews • • Acquisitions advice • Investments • • Development advice • Landlord & tenant • For more about who we are... www.burstoncook.co.uk Julian Cook

Jayne Rixon

Andrew Oliver

David Ball

*Winner EGI most active Local Agent in Bristol 2008 & 2009* *EGI Top 5 Regional Agent in Bristol, Bath & Swindon 2010 & 2011*

Please telephone Julian Cook FRICS Jayne Rixon MRICS or Andrew Oliver MRICS or David Ball BA MSc (Hons) (0117) 934 9977 Burston Cook Dec.indd 1

Awards ‘08, ‘09, ‘10, ‘11 22/11/2011 12:25

Bristol & Clifton’s premier Commercial Property Agents IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO RELOCATE OR ESTABLISH A NEW BUSINESS IN 2011 PLEASE PHONE THE BURSTON COOK TEAM FOR ALL TYPES OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

(0117) 934 9977

WHITELADIES ROAD, CLIFTON

25/27 CLARE STREET, BS1 Landmark office HQ of 2,645 sq ft to be fully refurbished.

Refurbished to a high standard. An office suite of circa 880 sq ft including one car parking space.

A new lease at £12 per sq ft.

New flexible lease available.

CITY CENTRE – BS1

CENTRAL BRISTOL

Situated close to the Grand Hotel, D1 consulting rooms with offices and retail – circa 3,112 sq ft.

Good quality offices of circa 3,868 sq ft with 12 car parking spaces.

Close to Cabot Circus & new lease at low rent!

To rent or for sale.

DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL

INVESTMENT

Community Hall in Windmill Hill, Bristol.

Fully let shop with 3 bed maisonette – current rental income of £15,400 per annum, exclusive.

Offers invited £195,000

Freehold offers IRO £180,000 invited.

We can help you

• Sales • Lettings • • Valuations • Rent reviews • • Acquisitions advice • Investments • • Development advice • Landlord & tenant • For more about who we are... www.burstoncook.co.uk Julian Cook

Jayne Rixon

Andrew Oliver

David Ball

*Winner EGI most active Local Agent in Bristol 2008 & 2009* *EGI Top 5 Regional Agent in Bristol, Bath & Swindon 2010 & 2011*

Please telephone Julian Cook FRICS Jayne Rixon MRICS or Andrew Oliver MRICS or David Ball BA MSc (Hons)

Burston Cook Dec.indd 2

Awards ‘08, ‘09, ‘10, ‘11 22/11/2011 14:54

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Clifton Park, Clifton

£1,200,000 Trelawney Road, Redland

7 Bedrooms

3 Bathrooms

Stone Porch

Drawing Room

Dining Room

Private Garden

Spacious Edwardian House Open Plan Kitchen/Diner

£320,000 Queens Drive, Bishopston

Two Double Bedrooms

Two Bathrooms

Garage Available

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Secure Parking

Sunny Gardens

3 Bathrooms

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Elm Court, Redland

£580,000 5 Bedrooms

Stylish & Contemporary finish

Beautiful Kitchen

Balcony

Great Location 3 Reception Rooms

4 Bedrooms Kitchen / Diner

£450,000 2 Bathrooms Large Sunny Garden

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0117 974 1741

LEESE NAGLE

E S TAT E A G E N T S

www.leeseandnagle.co.uk

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HENLEAZE

SNEYD PARK

CLIFTON

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SUCCESSFULLY SELLING PROPERTY THROUGHOUT 2011

COTHAM

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Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from all at Leese & Nagle.

We are Independent Estate Agents Successfully Selling Our Clients Property Throughout North West Bristol.

WESTBURY-ON-TRYM

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REDLAND

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WESTBURY PARK

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STOKE BISHOP

ALMONDSBURY

BISHOPSTON

Here to accommodate.

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Clifton

OIEO £360,000 We offer first class presentation

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100% of our buyers are looking for apartments

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OIEO £175,000

We maximise our client’s sale price potential

The Apartment Company DEC.indd 1

OIEO £365,000

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City Centre

Sneyd Park

Stoke Bishop

OIEO £210,000

Selling your apartment? Call the experts on 0117 900 1617

21/11/2011 15:33

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