The Bristol Magazine

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ISSUE 105 I MARCH 2013 ISSUE 107 I MAY 2013

THE

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

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

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CITY OF BRISTOL

IT’S A POP UP CITY MOVEABLE FEASTS Fabulous street food

SUMPTUOUS PROPERTY Bristol’s premium homes on show

Bristol’s empty buildings get a new lease of life

SPEED DATING TBM tests the Bentley Continental GT Speed

MAYFEST MAYHEM FOOTIE, LEGO, AND CROCHET TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT BRISTOL’S CULTURE FEST

WIN

CITY SAFARI

Tickets to see Jools Holland at Westonbirt and a Fisher & Paykel fridge with Homebase

Park life, Bristol style

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contents

May201322

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ZEITGEIST

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THE CITYIST My Bristol, the buzz and a top read

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CITY CREATIVES An exclusive look at Bristol’s newest art space, the historical Guildhall building

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ART & EXHIBITIONS

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OUT AND ABOUT On safari in the city’s green spaces for the Festival of Nature

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BRISTOL PEOPLE DINING OUT

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MOVEABLE FEASTS James Russell enjoys Bristol’s street food

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FOOD AND DRINK

FAMILY FUN Events and activities for all to enjoy

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FIT AND FAB Health and beauty news and product reviews

80 COUNTRY HOME A farmhouse with panoramic views and plenty of space

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A mystery meal at pop-up restaurant, The Flavour Smith

PROPERTY The premium property market in and around Bristol

THE

BRISTOL twitter#thebristolmag

City dining, tasty bites and healthy eating

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DINING IN Recipe - Baked Sea Bass

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What’s on show in the galleries this month

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Business news and latest happenings

WHAT’S ON Theatre, music and other events

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ARTS CELEBRATION The cultural offerings of Mayfest

MOTORING A smooth test drive of the Bentley Continental GT Speed

FACE THE MUSIC Wedding dress designer Jessica Charleston’s top ten tunes

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BARTLEBY On buying a new computer

CORNISH CULTURE The arts festival in Fowey inspired by Daphne du Maurier

Five must-dos in May

COOKERY LESSON

ON THE COVER Alex Brenner photo of Total Football by Ridiculusmus at Mayfest

Creating Italian dishes at Papadeli

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THE WALK Explore the newly restored tunnels on the old Somerset and Dorset Railway line

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

MAGAZINE

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.co.

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A spectacular Grade II listed two bedroom apartment with the benefit of a study and cellar.

Private courtyard garden and beau ful communal gardens to front and rear.

Guide price: ÂŁ399,950

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

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An elegant and beau*fully propor*oned first floor apartment on The Promenade. Spectacular drawing room, kitchen. 2 bedrooms (1 ensuite), bathroom, storage. Communal gardens and parking for 2 cars. BEST & FINAL BIDS TO BE RECEIVED BY 12PM MIDDAY ON 8 MAY. Call Knight Frank on 0117 317 1999 for details. EPC ra ng D. Offers in excess of £500,000

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

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Abbots Leigh

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Where Clifton meets country. Sitting at the end of a quiet lane in a parkland setting with rural views.

4 reception rooms, cinema/gymnasium, billiard room, office, crafts room and cellar. 7 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 bedroom flat, triple garage, swimming pool, hard tennis court, stables and outbuildings. Landscaped gardens, grounds and parkland including many fine specimen trees. In all about 11.26 acres. EPC ra ng E.

Guide price: £3,550,000

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

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EDITOR’Sletter

I

n days of yore, as my kids used to call them, the arrival of the month of May would have been heralded by whipping out the maypole for a quick hey-nonny-no and a spot of morris dancing. But Bristol now celebrates May in a number of new and original ways, which we’ve included in this month’s issue. They’ll be sparking up the barbies by the Harbourside for the annual foodie fest Grillstock, while at the city’s arts centres and theatres there’ll be all sorts of fascinating shows as part of the gloriously original Mayfest, and crowds will flock to Vegfest to taste delicious meatfree dishes and hear some great bands.

This month also sees the launch of Bristol99, part of the Bristol Festival of Nature, which is encouraging us to go and explore parks and green spaces. This is a good time to take your young David Attenboroughs out on one of the many mini-safaris being held as part of Bristol99 and to remind ourselves that, despite the traffic, ours is the greenest city in the UK. The food and drink scene continues to provide a buzz all of its own. For the second year running, Eat Drink Bristol Fashion will set up its pop-up tented restaurant and tapas bar in Queen Square and the roaming chef, the Flavour Smith will be hosting the latest in pop-up dining with the help of some creative friends.

On the subject of pop-ups, take a look at our report on the Guildhall and courts building in the old city quarter, which is to shortly open as a temporary art space. Just one of many exciting happenings that we’ve squeezed into this month’s mag.

GEORGETTE McCREADY

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

CONTACT THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE: Editor Tel: Email:

Georgette McCready 01225 424592 georgette@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Deputy Editor Email:

Samantha Coleman sam@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Editorial Assistant Email:

Rosie Parry rosie@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Production Manager Email: Commercial Production Email:

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

Publisher Tel: Email:

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

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

Kathy Williams kathy@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Advertising Sales Email:

Sue Parker sue@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

May 2013

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ZEITGEIST Sponsor

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things to do in May

Visit

They say that you can judge how civilised a nation is by how much it values its art. Fantastic experiences of listening to live music are one of life’s great pleasures, but these often need financial backing to survive and thrive. A case in point is Bristol’s own Metropolitan Orchestra, led by inspirational conductor and composer William Goodchild. After hearing William speak at a recent Connections event organised by Bristol firm Ovation Finance, which advises people with tax, pensions and investments, the company decided to become a major sponsor of the orchestra. Ovation Finance is now encouraging others to support the Metropolitan by becoming a Friend of the orchestra. The 80-strong orchestra is giving a concert at St George’s Bristol on Saturday 8 June from 7.30pm, with solo cellist Romain Lapeyre. The programme will comprise three pieces of 19th century European classical music: Brahms, Symphony No 4; Dvorak, Cello Concerto and Weber – Der Freischutz Overture.

We, the public voted, and Bristol Museum and Art Gallery won the chance to host artist Gavin Turk, pictured, and his creation – a magic carpet – as part of Museums at Night. On Thursday 16 May we can visit the museum for an evening of Egyptian themed encounters with beetles, Egyptian make-up, Arabic music and dance. The exhibitions, Pharaoh: King of Egypt and Pharaoh: Reborn will also be open. Gavin told the Independent: “There is something absolutely brilliant about going to museums in off-times, when in theory you’re getting a special look. There’s obviously the fantasy of A Night At The Museum and everything coming to life.” His magic carpet piece comprises an old Turkish rug and some magnets – sounds intriguing.

Eat

Enjoy

Long before there was the Great British Bake Off, Masterchef and before Jamie Oliver was even born, the biggest chefs on TV were Fanny and Johnnie Cradock. The Cradocks were brought vividly to life in what must be called an immersive show, Dine with the Cradocks, which sold out in Bristol last year. Now, due to popular demand, the snobby cook and her hen-pecked sidekick will be back at selected venues in Bristol and the south west from Friday 24 May. Fanny is played by Kate McNab and John Telfer plays Johnnie. The evening includes a two course meal a la Cradock, demonstrated by Fanny, with a bit of help from the audience. Seasoning is added with songs, assisted by Johnnie at the piano, and there’s some extra spice as Fanny’s dark roots are revealed. Producer Sheila Hannon said: “Last year’s run sold out well in advance and a lot of

The tipis will be up in Queen Square from 13 May for the second annual Eat, Drink Bristol Fashion celebration of the city’s foodie scene. The festival opens to the public from Tuesday 14 May and runs until 27 May. There’ll be a Tapas Café Bar, open from 10am to midnight daily, selling all kinds of small plates, while a 100-seater restaurant will be run on rotation by different restaurants and chefs from the city and surrrounding villages. Those taking part include Casamia, the Bird In Hand and the Pony and Trap. This is a great chance to sample these chefs’ dishes in an informal, party atmosphere seated at big tables inside the tents. Booking for the chef events is recommended.

PICTURE: Zuleika Henry

people missed out, so book early.” Venues include the Beaufort Arms, Hawkesbury Upton, 24 May, Bristol & Clifton Golf Club, 31 May and the Hen & Chicken, Southville, 6 - 9 June. For details and to book, visit: www.showofstrength.org.uk

Try It is fitting that in the city where so many nautical innovations have taken place, that the latest generation of craft has been created, harnessing the natural resource hydrogen. The Hydrogenesis has been designed and built by a consortium, Bristol Hydrogen Boats, which is made up of Bristol Packet Boat Trips, No 7 Boat Trips and Auriga Energy. The vessel was commissioned by Bristol City Council as part of its Green Capital initiatives. Bristolians and visitors are now able to try the Hydrogenesis for themselves as it undergoes a six-month trial. It produces zero emissions, so if the technology catches on Bristol Harbour could become a much quieter place. The award-winning ferry boat has already attracted global attention.

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THE CITY

One city . . . one month

The buzz Sew and sew: Inspired by the Great British Sewing Bee, John Lewis at Cribbs Causeway has launched a competition with local schools to start designing. Students in Years 10 to 13 from Patchway Community, Bradley Stoke Community and St Bede’s schools have been invited to customise a basic shift dress to suit an occasion of their choice and to explain why they have come up with the design. All designs should be drafted on paper and must be submitted to John Lewis Cribbs Causeway via their teachers by Wednesday 5 June. With help and advice from experts in the haberdashery department, the winning students will make their outfits. These will be displayed in the haberdashery department where shoppers can vote for the ultimate winner, who will win a sewing machine.

My

BRISTOL

We ask Glen Holmes, director and co-owner of HUSH hairdressing in Baldwin Street, Bristol what he’s doing this month What brought you to Bristol?

I was born in Melbourne, Australia, and travelled to the UK over 20 years ago with a friend. I visited Bristol, where my younger brother was working, and liked it so much I stayed. My brother, along with the rest of my family, is back in Oz. What are you reading?

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, for the second time. I’ve just been away snowboarding in France, so I’ve had more time to read in the evenings than I normally do.

What is on your MP3 player?

Modestep (the album is Evolution Theory). I was watching a music documentary in the early hours of the morning and came across this band. One to look out for! Plus Rob Zombie, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Pendulum and Rage Against the Machine.

Cathedral’s 40th:

If you’ve never checked out the acoustics of Clifton Cathedral, this summer why not take part in its 40th anniversary celebrations? The Clifton International Festival of Music is being staged from 22 – 30 June. Inspired by the 40th anniversary of the building, festival organisers Richard Jeffrey-Gray and Tom Williams have arranged a programme that will combine the talents of musicians of local, national and international reputation, with more than 20 events, including performances

by The Tallis Scholars, I Fagiolini and a local schools’ Big Sing workshop performance of Karl Jenkins’ Requiem. Everyone is welcome to join the cathedral choir with a workshop on Tallis’s Spem in alium, written for 40 individual parts. Jazz, folk and pop concerts will feature in various venues in Clifton Village. Visit: www.cliftonfestival.com. Tickets are available from Colston Hall box office.

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Which café or restaurant takes your fancy?

I love The Rummer in St Nicholas Market – great Sunday lunch, fabulous staff and evening cocktails – and it is conveniently just around the corner from the salon. I’ve heard good things about The Cherry Duck on Welsh Back, but am yet to try it.

Which museum or gallery will you be visiting?

I’m looking forward to visiting a solo show by one of Bristol’s leading street artists, Jody Thomas at Paintworks, 9 – 15 May. Follow

The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer, published

by HarperFiction, paperback £12.99 A debut novel by Bristol writer and poet Nathan Filer is already getting rave reviews, and having read it, I can see why. If you enjoyed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time you’ll be immediately gripped by the story of Matthew. He’s a brother in mourning, a friend who tries to be supportive, a loving grandson – but he’s also a troubled schizophrenic, struggling with his illness. The story is engaging, in turns

the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=68zmhXqvzzs&?vq=hd720 Your passions?

I’m looking forward to a new litter of puppies towards the end of May, from our lovely Rotty Maxie, as well as another snowboarding trip in the French Alps with my younger brother.

What local outdoor activity or event will you be doing or visiting?

I’ll be visiting Eat Drink Bristol Fashion at Queen Square more than once. I’m particularly looking forward to the culinary delights offered by The Pony and Trap.

Film or play?

I’m looking forward to another trip to The Bristol Hippodrome to see Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (I saw Priscilla Queen of the Desert last month, which was great).

HUSH is now exclusive stockist in the south west for Jason Shankey male grooming products and we’re about to become the only salon in Bristol to use Phyto organic hair care products. Visit: www.hushhairbristol.co.uk.

I’m also keeping busy with the launch of Dog Squad, a boot camp for difficult and/or overweight dogs (www.dog-squad.co.uk) and later this year a company offering inspirational performance mentoring, with Bristol leaders and entrepreneurs, combined with a ski trip (www.peak-professionals.co.uk).

both sad and funny. It may also help that the author is a trained mental health nurse, giving the scenes in the pscychiatric ward an added realism. We see events unfolding through Matthew’s eyes, as he is overtaken at times by his condition. Set in Bristol, it features some familiar sites such as St Nick’s Market.

GMc

We’re following @Brisfest13, which features ongoing news about this year’s festival of music, dance, comedy etc at Ashton Court. Make a note of the date – 21 – 22 September and watch its followers grow from 6,400 strong.

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The Lord Mayor’s Charity Masked Ball City Hall Held at City Hall, The Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor of Bristol Peter Main hosted an evening of glitz and glamour in aid of the The Lord Mayor’s Children’s Charity and The Bristol Under Privileged Children’s Charity. Guests enjoyed a champagne reception, live jazz music, dinner, dancing and an auction

Mayor of Bristol, George Ferguson

The Lord Mayor of Bristol, Peter Main, with a raffle winner

Guests at the ball

House Coach Kristen Steno talks about the life cycle of the home

BoConcept Trend Talk Bristol Danish house coach Kristen Steno presented an evening focusing on how to get the best out of your home. The event was organised by BoConcept Bristol and was well attended by loyal and new customers alike who have a passion for urban Danish design

Guests at the event

Store manager Grant Whitcombe congratulates the winner of the raffle Mr Gwyther

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Jottings on a new notebook

H

ow quickly things can change! When I penned, or rather tapped, last month’s column I had no idea that my day-today reality was about to be altered. No, I haven’t moved into a space station or started eating hallucinogenic toadstools for breakfast. The change is one millions of people experience every year: I have a new computer. It’s a laptop, in fact, chosen after tortuous research for a combination of reasons, unattractiveness being chief among them. I noticed when I was wading through the reviews how often the appearance of the device under discussion came up. Imagine yourself, one review suggested, sitting on the train and pulling out your ultrabook, then imagine the reaction of those around you when they see this clunky slab of black plastic.

In case you’re wondering, an ultrabook is not a book but a small portable computer, similar to the equally ill-named notebook, but niftier. It ought to be called a mini-lap or tiny-top, but I suppose ‘ultrabook’ is more appealing to the guys who hang around the computer magazines section in WH Smith in Broadmead. If someone sports an ultrabook, then presumably they themselves are an ultraperson, so long as their equipment is up to scratch.

By contrast, my new machine is the computing equivalent of a local authority office building – practical and offering very little in the way of aesthetic thrills. I can’t imagine it exciting my fellow-passengers on a train, but then I’m not sure I want it to; they might look from the laptop to me and wonder what it was doing with such an unstylish human.

Aside from actively seeking low scores on the looks front, I found the choices bewildering. The first computer I ever bought was an Amstrad word processor, which was the size of a small house and about as expensive; this monster did only one thing, which was store words so I didn’t have to type them up again and again. I had about three different machines to choose from, and one shop where I could do so.

This time around I spent hours comparing processors, graphic cards, varieties of keyboard and whatnot. I needed something cheap and dependable while Bartleby Jr was desperate for a computer he could use to visit the imaginary worlds where he and his friends play. Our age being what it is I was driven to find an online bargain, which meant negotiating hundreds of websites in search of that incredible, once-in-a-lifetime deal.

Having surfed, analysed and compared until my head span, I did what I should have done to begin with: I walked into a well-known High Street computer shop and picked the second cheapest.

❝

The first computer I ever bought was an Amstrad word processor, which was the size of a small house and about as expensive

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❞

What I really wanted to talk about was the upheaval this purchase has caused in my generally simple existence. It’s amazing, isn’t it, how in a few short years computers have become such an essential part of our lives, to the extent that I wonder how on earth we coped before. If we wanted to know what the weather was going to be like we had to be sure to catch the forecast on TV, and if we wanted to write to someone we had to locate paper and pen, envelope and stamp – and to remember to post the letter when it was finished.

Now that we rely on our computers to communicate for us and remember everything, changing computer is rather like receiving a bang on the head. The smooth flow of information from brain via fingertips to the great web is interrupted as passwords are lost and addresses forgotten.

Applications are quicker, in some ways easier to use and in other ways frustrating; it takes an effort to do things that were effortless last week.

Bartleby Jr is happy, though; the artificial worlds he inhabits whenever he can are more real than ever before. ■

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Making dreams come true Wedding dress designer Jessica Charleston talks to Mick Ringham about making brides’ dream dresses and which pieces of music move her to tears or make her get up and dance

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wedding in the family prompts all sorts of responses. Mums may have a little weep and dads will be beaming with pride. As a recent father of the bride I can testify that planning a wedding is a joyful and emotional time, albeit a bit stressful and expensive too. But, whatever sort of wedding your family has, the bride, looking suitably radiant, will be the centre of attention and it will be a day you’ll never forget. And you can be sure that one of the talking points will always be what the bride wore. . .

Wedding dress designer, Jessica Charleston, is a Bristol girl who now runs her own design studio on the London Road in Bath, where she creates dream dresses for brides of all kinds.

Jessica has a lifelong passion for fashion and costume, learning to sew by watching her mother, and then making

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dresses for herself. She studied at Leeds University and then taught English in France for two and a half years. It was a chance meeting there with the French director of a charity, linked to a similar charity which ran homes for street children in India, that led Jessica to getting professionally involved with textiles and design.

In India she started working as a volunteer, teaching local women to sew and produce clothes for the fashion shops of Mumbai. She said of this time: “It was a huge learning curve for me and made me determined to learn more about fabrics and design and hopefully obtain a master’s degree.”

To achieve this ambition she returned home to the west country and enrolled in a two year course at Bath Spa University. After leaving there four years ago, she set up her own business designing and making bespoke wedding dresses.

But why choose bridal gowns to specialise in? She said: “I adore

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW: wedding dress designer Jessica Charleston at work in her studio PICTURE: Saskia Rumbelow

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JESSICA’S JUKEBOX: left to right, Elton John, Sixty Years On, Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation, and Roni Size, Brown Paper Bag

beautiful fabrics and love working with silk and I wanted to design detailed flamboyant work. To be absolutely honest it would be difficult for me to make clothes such as that for the high street, particularly in these days of austerity.”

Jessica takes her inspiration from all kinds of sources, including historical costumes. Her latest collection Fleurs Sauvages is inspired by memories of time she spent abroad; the skirts of Sevillanas dancers, lace curtains blowing through doorways and the patterns of lavender fields. You can see some of her dresses at Carina Baverstock wedding boutique in Bradford-on-Avon.

Jessica’s clients are as diverse as her designs and come to her with their own preferences and ideas for the dress for their big day. She usually requires six months notice to allow for fittings and any alterations that may occur before the final result is achieved. She is constantly looking out for gems of inspiration in antique markets and vintage boutiques throughout the country and when in London can often be seen whiling away an odd hour in the V&A, picking up ideas from the museum’s vast costume collection.

Jessica lives with her boyfriend Stu on a customised narrow boat moored along the banks of the Kennet and Avon canal just outside Bath.

Who would she most like to design a dress for, I wondered?

Without hesitation she said: “Audrey Hepburn.” Sadly, that’s not possible. However, she can always look forward to the next blushing bride...

Jessica’s top ten: ● Duke Ellington – Satin Doll I love a bit of jazz. This is an instrumental version of the song but it’s also fun to sing along to. All seamed stockings, pencil skirts and pin curls whisk me off to a time when women (and men for that matter) paid a lot more attention to how they dressed. I went to a vintage festival last summer and people looked amazing. I’ve done quite a lot of work on vintage dresses including a few family heirlooms. It’s so lovely to see brides wanting to wear their grandmother’s wedding dress. ● Yann Tiersen– Sur le fil My boyfriend Stu is a brilliant pianist and accordion player. I’d choose one of his compositions but it wouldn’t mean much to most people, so the next best thing would have to be something

by Yann Tiersen. This piece was used as the soundtrack in Amelie and it also takes me back to time, enjoying cafe culture when I lived in France. ● Puccini – O Mio Babbino Caro I used to do a bit of singing and I sang this aria at my sister’s wedding. I burst into tears before I reached the end. My uncle skilfully faded out the accompaniment in an attempt to rescue my dignity. I was mortified but when I looked up, I wasn’t the only one crying. www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

● Air – Alone in Kyoto The soundtrack from Lost in Translation, one of my favourite films. It reminds me of the sense of displacement I loved when travelling to new and strange places. In this scene the woman is wandering around a temple in the cherry blossom season. I’ve watched the film so many times now but I never get bored and always find it oddly comforting. ● Bonobo – Nightlite This is for summertime and festivals, freedom and the great outdoors. It also fills my head with tents, audacious fancy dress and glitter. This particular track featuring Bajka is like a meander around the world of music influences incorporating Asian strings and Brazilian percussion. ● Jesca Hoop – Murder of Birds A fairly recent discovery, but she has become a favourite quite quickly. I first heard this on Woman’s Hour but kept it a secret from friends as it’s a bit of ‘our song’ with my boyfriend. I saw her perform at a small gig in Bristol. Small venues are always the best for me; she was quirky and refreshingly playful. ● Nitin Sawhney – Immigrant I could choose so many of Sawhney tracks. This one is about the lure of faraway lands and also of remembering home. I worked for a women’s organisation in Mumbai designing textiles before coming back to the UK. I like to think this fusion of cultures has shaped my design ethos although I had a fascination for South Asian dance long before I when to India. ● Roni Size – Brown Paper Bag I don’t often listen to drum and bass at home any more, but if I hear it when I’m out I just can’t help but want to dance. It takes me back to being 16 again and I’m sure I’ll still feel that way when I’m 99. Occasionally, if I’m working very late in my studio I’ll put this on to keep me awake. Roni Size is an obvious choice for a Bristol lass. ● Elton John – Sixty Years On I thought that I would include an inheritance track. Elton John is what I call car music, as my parents would listen to this on car journeys when we were children. I love the epic intro. ‘Who’ll walk me down to church when I’m 60 years of age, When the ragged dog they gave me has been ten years in the grave. And señorita play guitar, play it just for you, My rosary has broken and my beads have all slipped through.’ It fills me with nostalgia and the curiosity of childhood. ● Cinematic Orchestra – To Build A Home Such a fabulous track. The lyrics ‘I’d love to build a new house – one with an old soul’ paint a picture of a young couple laying the foundations of a life together. It also reminds me of how fragile we are. Living on a boat I often feel close to the elements and nature, a theme which runs though this song. It’s simply beautiful. ■ May 2013

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A little less ordinary In the ten years since Mayfest began it has grown to attract national and international acclaim, and yet it remains resolutely Bristolian at its heart. Georgette McCready talks to co-artistic director Matthew Austin and picks some of the highlights of this month’s diverse cultural festival

I

n these straitened times when, due to a shortage of money all round, everything is becoming homogenised, corporate and safe, isn’t it great to know that Bristol is defiantly, and successfully bucking the trend by laying on events for the city that are funny, clever, exhilarating, thoughtprovoking and fabulously unique?

This month sees the tenth anniversary of Mayfest, the gloriously madcap, wayward, love child conceived at the Bristol Old Vic but raised and beautifully brought up by its current artistic directors Matthew Austin and Kate Yedigaroff who’ve been putting the spring festival together to increasingly larger audiences since 2008. The 2013 Mayfest, which runs from 16 to 26 May, has got everything in – from football and dance, to techno music, giant street crochet, Lego men and the 9th century epic poem Beowulf.

To give you an idea of how broad this year’s offering is, I thought I’d have a quick shufti at the programme online (www.mayfestbristol.co.uk) ten minutes before I was due to interview Matthew Austin. So well designed is the website and so absorbing the descriptions of the events, that it was over an hour later before I emerged, late for the interview.

The programme, with more than 150 performances in just ten days, I ventured, is an incredibly brave and diverse offering.

“We’ve got to know our audience over the years,” said Matthew, “and they like something different. We know that they will take risks. It’s hard work for us, of course, to go for innovation and experimentation. We could have chosen to do a programme of cash cows, then I’d be able to sleep at night – but that would be boring!”

Some of the pieces, such as Zero by the Clod Ensemble at the Bristol Old Vic, will appeal to audiences who are already regular theatre-goers. Others, such as Praxis Makes Perfect at the club Motion, are aimed more at those whose preferred form of entertainment is a live gig.

As always, Mayfest’s events roam the streets and venues of Bristol. The Tobacco Factory is hosting some shows, including 22 The Bristol Magazine

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Cooking Ghosts, a drama about a family in which a mother is forced to abandon her children. The Arnolfini hosts some events, as does the Bristol Old Vic, but there are also performances and installations at the Bristol Diving School and the City of Bristol Gymnastics Centre. There are even a couple of events which will kick-off at secret locations.

making multi-coloured doilies ❝ which will then adorn the pavements and railings around the city – another way of hooking people in

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One of the elements of Mayfest is engaging the public. This has literally brought people in off the streets to buy tickets. A couple of years ago, Matthew recalls, a dramatic rendering of an opera by semaphore flags across Bristol Harbour caught the imagination of passers-by who then investigated further, and got duly caught up in the spirit of the festival.

This year’s street show comes courtesy of Cornish artists Jeremiah Krage and Heidi Dorschler and pays homage to Bristol’s maritime heritage by using local rope and twine. Hook, Skip, Repeat is giant on-street interactive crochet work. People will be encouraged to get involved in making multi-coloured doilies which will then adorn the pavements and railings around the city. As Matthew says: ‘it’s another way of hooking people in.’

The festival will launch with a free opening night party at the Bristol Old Vic. Guests will be invited to take to the stage for an Australian-inspired competition in which contestants give their all in interpretative dance – with hilarious consquences. Other free events include Stand and Stare at Bristol Central Library, a series of short performances by Professor Tim Cole in which

INTERACTIVE ART: Hook, Skip, Repeat is giant onstreet crochet work

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DIVERSE: Zilla is a disaster movie made for the theatre and has a cast which includes Lego men Right, Zero sees the Clod Ensemble return to Mayfest

well-thumbed guidebooks are coaxed into giving up their memories and secrets.

There is plenty of entertainment for those who like to get involved. Particularly intriguing is Zilla, a three-part disaster movie for the stage which begins with the audience entering a room full of hundreds of Lego men. They are then invited to pick up a character and proceed, with their Lego man, to the next phase . . .

The more daring might opt for a real-life re-enactment of the trapeze artists The Great Spavaldos, who used to carry out their high wire stunts without the use of a safety net. Two volunteers will don headphones and video goggles and take on the role of

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the artistes. We’re warned that this is not an experience for those with dodgy hearts or a fear of heights. So, there will be thrills and spills. There will be laughter – much of it. But there will also be some shows that will address the big issues of our time, including the wrongs and rights of the death penalty and the theory of the bystander effect. If someone is attacked in a public place, what exactly is the likelihood of a witness stepping in to help?

To mark the festival’s tenth anniversay, MAYK, Kate and Matthew’s production company, and Bristol Ferment have commissioned ten local artists to make a new work based on one of our five senses. Whichever that turns out to be, Bristol will find itself well and truly stimulated by the Mayfest May bug. ■

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WHAT’Son THEATRE, OP ERA, & COM EDY – listed by venue M a y f es t Various venues across Bristol.

For a full programme visit: www.mayfestbristol.co.uk

Power and passion

Mayfest, Thursday 16 – Sunday 26 May Mayfest celebrates its 10th anniversary with an audacious programme that brings together old friends and new aquaintances to challenge and delight with a fresh perspective on the world we live in and the city we call home.

Venues all over Bristol, including the Bristol Old Vic and The Tobacco Factory will host performances by artists making unusual, playful and leftfield theatre. Highlights include:

Beowulf – A Thousand Years of Baggage, Friday 17 – Sunday 19 May, 7.30pm; matinee: 2pm, The Trinity Centre, Old Market This is an exhilarating song-play based on the 9th century epic poem. Direct from New York, the Herald Angel Award-winning Beowulf – A Thousand Years of Baggage harks back to the raw and rousing style of storytelling in the old Scandinavian mead halls, turning the stage into a swirl of original music combining Weillian cabaret, 40s jazz harmony, punk, electronica and Romantic Lieder.

Goodbye Thailand (Portrait of Eye), Tuesday 21 – Thursday 23 May, 6pm, The Brewery Theatre at the Tobacco Factory

Tosca at The Tobacco Factory

T he Toba cc o F ac to ry

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

Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol.

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

32 College Road, Clifton.

Box office on tel: 07449120137 www.ticketsource.co.uk/bmcctickets

Tosca, Thursday 16 – Saturday 18 May, 8pm

Gypsy, Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 June, 7.30pm; matinee: Saturday, 2.30pm

Following their wildly successful production of La Bohème in July 2012, Olivier awardwinning OperaUpClose returns with another Puccini masterpiece – Tosca. In a new English version by Adam Spreadbury-Maher, with a new orchestration by Danyal Dhondy and design by Nina Fransson, you are transported to 1989 East Germany. Tosca is sensual, powerful and vulnerable. Living in the shadow of the Berlin Wall, she is the toast of the GDR elite, until her lover Cavaradossi helps a political prisoner to escape, putting Tosca at the mercy of Stasi chief Scarpia.

Bristol Musical Comedy Club presents one of the best-loved musicals to come out of Broadway. Gypsy follows the dreams and efforts of Rose, the ultimate show-biz mother, raising her two daughters to perform on stage.

But Baby June and Baby Louise soon start growing up and realise that the world their mother has created may not be everything they expect it to be.

St Ge orge ’s B rist ol Great George Street, Bristol.

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

The Dug Out, Thursday 30 May – Saturday 15 June, 8pm; matinee: Saturday 2.30pm

King Lear, Saturday 4 & Sunday 5 May, 7.30pm; matinee: Sunday, 2.30pm

Splice Theatre (Under Milk Wood, Sus) returns to the Tobacco Factory Theatre with an exciting, original new play inspired by the legendary Bristol nightclub, The Dug Out. Based on real-life events, this is an uplifting tale of black and white teenage clubbers in the 1970s, set against a classic love story of 30 years earlier. Playwright Amanda Whittington cleverly fuses two defining moments in Bristol’s social history.

You’ll have to be fast to grab a ticket to the Globe Theatre’s touring production of King Lear at St George’s. It stars Joseph Marcell (best known as Geoffrey in US tv series The Fresh Prince of Bel Air) who last performed at the Globe in its 2011 production of Much Ado About Nothing. The director, Bill Buckhurst, is well known at Shakespeare’s Globe, having directed Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream..

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New York composer/choreographer, John Moran returns to Mayfest to present the final in a series of theatrical portraits. Goodbye Thailand (Portrait of Eye) presents the story of Eye, a 19-year-old in Bangkok who struggles to find a safe place for herself. John Moran is known for creating theatre performances which are fascinating to watch and unique in the way that they fuse precise choreography and sound. For this performance, Moran is accompanied live by composer and electronic musician Daniel Williams.

Zero, Friday 24 & Saturday 25 May, 7.30pm, Bristol Old Vic Theatre Zero is a turbulent mix of dance, music and theatre featuring a cast of over 20 and set to an original score played live by a band of acclaimed musicians. It is a world where nothing is certain – where women can be tigers and men can be snakes.

Zero

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B ri stol Old Vic King Street, Bristol.

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

Lionboy, Wednesday 29 May – Saturday 1 June, 7pm; matinee: Saturday, 2pm This is a Complicite co-production with Bristol Old Vic, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Oxford Playhouse, Wales Millennium Centre and Warwick Arts Centre.

This is Complicite’s first show for families and young people, suitable for ages 8+, and it is a Bristol Old Vic world premiere. Lionboy tells the story of 11 year old Charlie Ashanti. He’s a perfectly normal boy except for one thing: he can talk to cats. When Charlie’s parents are kidnapped he sets off on a rescue mission – with a little help from a floating circus and its pride of performing lions.

Director’s Cuts: Lonesome West, Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 May, 8pm; matinee: Saturday, 2.30pm In the village of Leenane, County Galway, live Coleman and Valene – two wild gun-loving brothers, always ready to rise to the prettiest provocations and seemingly unbothered by the recent untimely death of their father. Alcoholic priest Father Welsh acts as a peacemaker but his interventions only serve to pour fuel on the fire. This is a violent and dark comedy from award-winning playwright Martin McDonagh.

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

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

Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty, Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 May, 7.30pm; matinees: Thursday & Saturday, 2.30pm Sleeping Beauty sees Matthew Bourne return to the music of Tchaikovsky to complete the trio of ballet masterworks that started with Nutcracker! and the international hit, Swan Lake. This story begins in 1890 at the christening of Princess Aurora, at a time when fairies and vampires fed the Gothic imagination, before moving to the modern day.

Lionboy

A lm a Tave rn The at re 18-20 Alma Vale Road, Bristol.

Box office tel: 0117 973 5171 www.almataverntheatre.co.uk

Director’s Cuts: Tender Napalm, Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 May, 8pm; matinee: Saturday, 2.30pm Bristol Old Vic Theatre School continues its Director’s Cuts season. A man and a woman wrestle between love and hate, violence and desire. Their words rip and tear at the scars of a tragedy neither wants to name. In the aftermath of disaster, is their love enough?

This is a play by multi award-winning artist, poet, novelist and film maker, Philip Ridley.

Yes, Prime Minister, Monday 20 – Saturday 25 May, 7.30pm; matinees: Wednesday & Saturday, 2.30pm Direct from a third West End season, Yes, Prime Minister is fast becoming the most successful play for a decade. The original writers of the classic BBC tv series, Antony Jay and Johnathan Lynn have reunited for this anniversary production with a new satirical take on Whitehall.

Director’s Cuts: How to Curse, Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 May, 8pm; matinee: Saturday, 2.30pm Nick and Miranda, marooned in a bedsit in Great Yarmouth, are not average 17-year-olds.

Obsessed with The Tempest, Nick plans to conjure his own storm. But he’s missing a vital ingredient. When he comes across a boy called William, he thinks he might have found it.

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Yes, Prime Minister

B r is t o l O p e r a The Olympus Theatre, SGS College Wise Campus, New Road, Stoke Gifford, Bristol.

Box office tel: 0117 951 8693 www.bristolopera.co.uk

To celebrate Bristol Opera’s 90th anniversary the company will perform The Tales of the Hoffman by Offenbach. Offenbach’s music paints a picture of a man in search of the perfect woman, who is thwarted at every turn by his evil nemesis.

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Experience cutting-edge analysis, challenging discussion and creative debate as the Festival of Ideas returns to St George’s Bristol this month. Highlights include: ✭ Michael Palin in Conversation, Thursday 16 May, 7.45pm – 8.45pm Michael Palin, pictured, has an established career as a writer and performer with Monty Python’s Flying Circus; an actor; and as a celebrated globetrotter with television credits such as his series, Brazil.

He will discuss his two volumes of remarkable diaries which have been praised widely as well as his work with Christopher Stevens, biographer of Kenneth Williams.

✭ Sandi Toksvig: Valentine Grey,

The Tales of the Hoffman, Wednesday 8 – Saturday 11 May, 7.30pm

How to Curse

Bristol Festival of Ideas

Friday 17 May, 7.45pm – 8.45pm Sandi Toksvig, one of the nation’s bestloved writers and performers will talk about her latest novel, Valentine Grey, a huge and sweeping story about love, liberty, empire and freedom.

✭ Daniel Dennett: Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking, Tuesday 28 May, 6.15pm – 7.15pm Daniel Dennett, one of the world’s most original and provocative thinkers will take you on a profound, illuminating and highly entertaining philosophical journey.

All tickets priced at £8, to book tel: 0845 40 24 001. For a full programme visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

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WHAT’Son MUS IC – listed by date Bristol Ensemble, Wednesday 8 May, 7.30pm

City of Bristol Choir, Saturday 18 May, 7.30pm

Colston Hall, Bristol. Box office tel: 0117 922 3686 or visit: www.colstonhall.org Bristol’s professional orchestra welcomes back the virtuoso pianist Freddy Kempf to perform Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. The orchestra completes its Beethoven symphonies series with a performance of the visionary Choral Symphony work, a work which broke the boundaries of the classical symphony. The choral finale, proclaiming the words of Schiller’s Ode to Joy, is an iconic work in western music.

Clifton Cathedral, Pembroke Road, Bristol.

Tickets £15 from Providence Music Shop, tel: 0117 927 6536 or visit: www.cityofbristolchoir.org.uk In the vibrant acoustic of Clifton Cathedral, City of Bristol Choir presents a concert that explores a mystical and ethereal sound world.

The choir is joined by professional percussionist Jeremy Little with works by Morten Lauridsen, James Whitbourn, Edward Bairstow, Anton Bruckner and John Rutter.

Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, Thursday 16 May, 7.30pm Colston Hall, Bristol. Box office tel: 0117 922 3686 or visit: www.colstonhall.org No Bristol season would be complete without the white night of an all-Russian programme from a leading Russian orchestra. Last season the Moscow Philharmonic performed and this year the state symphony orchestra will play Rimsky Korsakov’s Three Miracles from Tsar Saltan. Nina Kotova plays Shostakovich’s pithy concerto on the cello, and Tchaikovsky’s impassioned symphony entwines fate and love ahead of a triumphant close that will bring Colston Hall’s season to a blazing climax.

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Goodchild and works include Weber’s Overture Der Freischutz, Dvorak’s Cello Concerto and Brahms’ Symphony No 4.

Let’s Rock Bristol, Saturday 8 June Blaise Castle Estate, Bristol. Tickets £35 per adult, £18 per child aged 3-12 years or £80 for a family ticket. For further information visit: www.letsrockbristol.co.uk This is a boutique, family-friendly festival with an action-packed day of the best 80s music including Billy Ocean, Howard Jones, ABC, Brother Beyond, Go West, Nick Heyward and Modern Romance. There will be children’s entertainers from CBBC, a children’s circus, bumper boats and dodgems, play area, stalls, bars and a selection of caterers.

Bristol Choral Society, Saturday 15 June, 7.30pm City of Bristol Choir

Bristol Metropolitan Orchestra, Saturday 8 June, 7.30pm St George’s Bristol, Great George Street, Bristol. Box Office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk The orchestra will be conducted by William

Bristol Cathedral, College Green, Bristol.

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

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WHAT’Son OTHER EVENTS – listed by date Magic: Ian Keeble, Friday 3 & Saturday 4 May, 8pm Smoke & Mirrors Bar, 8 Denmark Street, Bristol. Tickets from £10, for more information tel: 0117 9290362 or visit: www.smokeandmirrorsbar.co.uk Ian Keeble, winner of The Magic Circle Best Comedy Act, brings his one-man show to Bristol for two nights only.

Lecture and Supper: Global to Local, Tuesday 14 May Clifton College, Clifton. Tickets £15 to include supper, for further information and to book tickets tel: 0117 989 7700 or visit: www.quartetcf.org.uk Quartet Community Foundation’s annual lecture and curry supper entitled Global to Local: Finding a Passion for Community Philanthropy, will be given by Matthew Bowcock and Dave Harvey.

Vintage Antiques Craft Fair, Saturday 18 May, 10am – 4pm The Refectory, City of Bristol College, Ashley Down, Bristol BS7 9BU. Entry £1, u16s free There will be quality stalls selling antiques, vintage clothing, retro items, china, homeware, upcycled furniture, arts and homemade crafts.

Workshop: Discover the Traditional Pharmacy of Seasonal Herbs, Saturday 18 May, 10am – 2pm University of Bristol Botanic Garden, The Holmes, Stoke Park Road, Bristol. Tickets £25, to book visit: www.bristol.ac.uk/botanicgarden/education/courses This is a one day workshop on how medicinal herbs have been used in the past, their present uses, how they work, and their pharmacy and pharmacology. The day will concentrate on the plants in season growing in the western herb garden within the botanic garden. The first session will be taught by Julia Green who specialises in botany and herbalism and the second session will be led by medicinal herbalist Ann Freeman who will focus on making herbal remedies, including teas.

Fascination of Plants Day: Discover the Secrets in Your Garden, Sunday 19 May, 10am – 4.30pm University of Bristol Botanic Garden, The Holmes, Stoke Park Road, Bristol. For further information visit: www.bristol.ac.uk/botanicgarden or tel: 0117 331 4906 The University of Bristol Botanic Garden will become a living science lab for the day to explore the hidden world of plants. You can

WIN: A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THE RNAS INTERNATIONAL AIR DAY Few events can rival the intensity, drama and spectacle on offer at the International Air Day at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset, on Saturday 13 July. The award-winning show is one of the south west’s largest one day events, attracting more than 30,000 visitors. Alongside the thrilling flying displays there’s plenty to see and do on the ground.

This year’s theme is teamwork and the breathtaking flying displays will include UK/foreign military and civilian display teams, as well as the resident squadrons performing spectacular role demonstrations. Confirmed participants include world class military aerobatic teams such as the RAF Red Arrows and the Royal Jordanian Falcons.

The star of the show for many will be a roaring display by a Swiss Air Force F/A18 Hornet making its only UK appearance this year. There will also be helicopter displays and the battle of Britain memorial flight’s lancaster, spitfire and hurricane will be present, as well as performances from the Royal Marines band, a fairground, vehicle exhibition, service demonstrations, field gun competition, helicopter pleasure flights, simulator rides, trade stands and much more.

The Bristol Magazine has teamed up with the RNAS International Air Day to give you the chance to win a pair of adult admission tickets to this great day out – we’ve got three pairs to give away. To enter, simply answer this question correctly: What is the theme for this year’s RNAS International Air Day? Email your answer with your name, address and telephone number with the subject line RNAS International Air Day, via email to competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk, or by post to: The Bristol Magazine, 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED. The closing date is noon on Friday 31 May. The usual magazine rules apply, the editor’s decision is final and there is no cash alternative offered. For further information or to buy tickets, visit: www.royalnavy.mod.uk/yeovilton-airday

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take part in a plant hunt in the wild flower meadow, bring in flowers from your own garden to study under UV light and trek through Bristol’s own desert and tropical rainforest to discover fascinating ways that plants adapt to living successfully in extreme environments.

Fascination of Plants Day

Run: The Tyntesfield Ten, Thursday 23 May, 7pm Tyntesfield, North Somerset. For further information visit: www.nailsearunningclub.org.uk Take on the challenge of running a 10k circuit around the estate, organised by Nailsea Running Club. Enjoy the steep ascents and the beautiful views. The run is open to anyone but with a 500 runner limit. Booking is recommended via the website. The café at home farm will be open for the evening, too.

Film Night: Best in Show, Thursday 30 May, 7.30pm Bristol Folk House, 40a Park Street, Bristol.

Tickets £10 to include a hotdog and a pint, tel: 0117 926 2987 There will be a screening of Christopher Guest’s semi-improvised mockumentary following the participants of the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. Following in the footsteps of This is Spinal Tap this satirical look at the world of championship dog breeding is full of eccentric characters and plenty of laughs.

Magic: Matthew Le Mottée, Friday 31 May & Saturday 1 June, 8pm Smoke & Mirrors Bar, 8 Denmark Street, Bristol. Tickets from £10, for more information tel: 0117 9290362 or visit: www.smokeandmirrorsbar.co.uk Matthew’s show includes his signature routines among a whole host of magical feats that will leave you amazed and laughing.

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

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The art of the pop-up An exciting new project in the heart of Bristol’s old city quarter will see the empty walls of the Victorian Guildhall brought to life with original, contemporary art. The Bristol Magazine enjoys a sneak preview of the new art centre

T

here has been much talk lately of giving Bristol’s old city quarter a new lease of life, reviving some of the historic buildings and bringing in more visitors. News broke recently that the Trevor Osborne Property Group has bought the former Guildhall and Assize Courts, with ambitious plans to transform it into a five-star hotel.

But, as we know, these kinds of plans take time to come to fruition, so in the interim, the company has handed over the use of the Guildhall to Art Ventures Ltd, which has ambitious plans for its temporary tenure of this vast warren of corridors, courts and rooms – some 200 in all. From later this month the Guildhall and Assize Courts, which has entrances in Broad Street and Small Street, will open as The Guildhall Arts Centre, offering display and performance spaces to a wide range of painters, sculptors, photographers and musicians.

Money raised from numerous projects in the building will be donated to Bristol-based charity, the Quartet Community Foundation, which works to help all kinds of community-based projects across the city and beyond.

Experienced art dealer Michael Porter, managing director of Art Ventures, has had great visions for how to best use the space and has already identified several large exhibition spaces for painters and photographers, a sculpture court and more than a dozen private studios where individual artists can work on major projects requiring unusually large canvases. The first of these areas, called Gallery 1, will be in use by the end of May. He said: “We are working on a programme of events and activities to run from the end of May until Christmas and intend to involve a wide range of artists and attract a large number of visitors. Already early news of the project has brought a big response from people and groups interested in using the space available. We shall shortly have a website, www.guildhallartscentre.co.uk, through which everyone can contact us.”

Previously home to the Crown and Mercantile Courts, the Guildhall has been empty for several years. It is a fascinating building, with the cavernous Bristol Mercantile Court room left exactly as it was the day it saw its last case, with benches for lawyers, clients and judges, all overseen by the brightly painted lion and unicorn royal coat of arms of the UK, which presides over all British courts. This has already had interest from filmmakers, keen to use it for dramas.

While the corridors lend themselves beautifully to the hanging of pictures, there are other spaces, such as the rather creepy 22 prison holding cells in the basement, which will make an interesting setting for some site specific installations.

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The Guildhall Arts Centre – or GAC as it will be known – will take Bristol as the theme for its first exhibition, Inspired! . This will comprise contemporary paintings and sculpture by invited artists many of whom have an interest in Bristol and the local region. Throughout the year the exhibition will be frequently refreshed with new work from established and aspiring painters who present their work for display.

The centre will also be home to The Bristol Prize, a summer

VICTORIAN TUDOR GOTHIC: The Guildhall, built in the 1840s, damaged in the Second World War, and until a few years ago used as courts and chambers

The Bristol Prize, a summer painting ❝ competition open to both professional and amateur painters, designed to produce a multi-faceted portrait of Bristol

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painting competition open to both professional and amateur painters, designed to produce a multi-faceted portrait of Bristol.

Rather than see dozens of paintings of the Clifton Suspension

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BEHIND THE SCENES: clockwise from left; artist Bonnie Porter at work in one of the rooms which lend themselves as studios for artists; the cavernous Bristol Mercantile Court; a statue of Edward III presides over one of the staircases; the empty corridors will become art galleries this summer, and an unusual statue depicting a young Queen Victoria PICTURES: by Alexi Hall www.alexihall.co.uk

Bridge or the Harbourside, entrants will be required to produce at least one painting inspired by a specified location, these locations will be allocated by ballot.

Artists, who may come from anywhere in the world, will be encouraged to work on the streets, but they can also sketch or photograph their subject and complete the work elsewhere.

The painting judged to have best captured the spirit of Bristol in 2013 will be awarded a prize of £5,000. There will be a range of other prizes for specified styles and locations. Entries will be made online and work selected for final judging will be exhibited in The Guildhall Arts Centre in October. Details will be available at: www.thebristolprize.co.uk from the beginning of May. Photographers will be catered for with two competitions. The first, sponsored by The Osborne Group and specific to the building itself, will be to find a photographer to record the transition from an unused building to a luxury hotel. The project will take at least two years and the winner will be paid an agreed retainer.

The second, of interest to professional and amateur photographers alike, will seek to record 24 hours in the life of Bristol. Photographers entering the competition will be allocated one of 24 one-hour slots in a day, which has yet to be chosen.

Entrants will be encouraged to submit as many other images taken during the 24 hours as they wish. Entries will be made

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online and those selected for final judging will be printed and exhibited in The Guildhall Arts Centre. There will be prizes for each hour and a substantial overall prize for the print considered to be best picture. Details of both competitions will be available on: www.24hrsinBristol.co.uk in early May. There are also plans to allow up to ten artists to closet themselves away from prying eyes within studios dotted around the building. This project, Bristol: The Bigger Picture, will allow artists to create bigger pieces than they are perhaps able in their usual studios.

Alongside these major events The Guildhall Arts Centre will be host to exhibitions from individual artists and artist groups and selected court rooms will be available for presentations, lectures, meetings and recitals. It is hoped to use the basement cells for site specific installations relating to crime and punishment. Those wishing to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the centre will find details at www.guildhallartscentre.co.uk from early in May. Whatever the artistic offerings within these walls, you can be sure that there will be much interest in the city from local people, curious to see what lies behind its ornate façade. Other plans have yet to be finalised, but there is talk of a pop-up café and a series of evening viewings and entertainment. ■

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Inside the creative world

NORTH SOMERSET ARTS WEEK Venues across North Somerset www.northsomersetarts.org

3 – 12 May North Somerset Arts, a volunteer-led, not-for-profit organisation has set up its sixth biennial arts week. Participating artists will showcase a variety of painting, ceramics, glass, sculpture, mixed media, textiles, digital media, music, theatre, dance and poetry from around the county in their homes, studios and other venues. There is the opportunity to discover innovative new talent, revisit established favourites, talk to artists and see their works in progress, as well as live performances. Highlights include: an evening of poetry and fiction readings hosted by The Liminal; a flamenco performance by Judith Kinsman; and Theatre Orchard, which celebrates five years of highly-acclaimed North Somerset theatre tours in a photographic exhibition of performances at Tyntesfield.

Venues will be in Nailsea, Winscombe and Claverham to name but a few. The 2013 programme is available to download from the website or is free to pick up in local businesses and community places throughout the region.

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Jed R Franklin, Mimi (Find the Fairy) Riverside Studio, Banwell, North Somerset

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“Wrap”

“Winter LIght”

“Poppies”

Shadow and Lime Tree Gallery, Light 84 Hotwell Road, Bristol BS8 4UB Molly Garnier May 18 - June 18

Tel 0117 929 2527

www.limetreegallery.com www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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ARTSgardens &EXHIBITIONS CITY UPFEST

Becky Blair, Copper Lillies

An artist at work at Upfest 2012

Various venues and spaces Bedminster, Bristol. www.upfest.co.uk

25 – 27 May Hundreds of urban artists will descend on Bedminster for Upfest 2013. This free bank holiday weekend festival invites you to see world-class painters and illustrators at work, painting 20,000sqft of surfaces including a New York subway train, alongside music stages, pop-up cafés and street parties – with new sponsor, POSCA. MIXED EXHIBITION

▲ BECKY BLAIR

GIANT SNAILS AND TINY LIONS

Grant Bradley Gallery Number One St Peter’s Court, Bedminster Parade, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 9637673 www.grantbradleygallery.co.uk

4 May – 1 June Terence O’Connor, Elaine Storer, Sylwia Lakoma and Didier Yaovi Zingan bring their extraordinary works to the Grant Bradley Gallery for a mixed exhibition.

Sky Blue Framing and Gallery 27 North View, Westbury Park, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 9733995 www.skybluefineart.com

Until 10 June Terence O’Connor, extract from Even-Tide

Becky Blair’s joyful paintings have a dreamlike quality, the images evolving from complex layering of colours, textures, drawing and printing. Becky wants to capture life; the beauty and magic of everyday experience, threaded with dreams for the future.

DRAWN 2013 RWA Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol.

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

Until 2 June Drawn aims to raise the profile of drawing, presenting it as both an autonomous discipline and an interdisciplinary tool. From artists who either draw, or explore the concept of drawing in their work, the show features work from illustrators, videographers, sculptors, printers, embroiderers, typographers, animators and architects. Artists have used wall and floor space using traditional and experimental techniques and technologies.

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Glenn Ibbitson, Batch 11 Unit 4

View Art Gallery 159-161 Hotwell Road, Bristol.

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

Until 12 May Many of the artists use human experience as the inspiration behind their work, everyday dilemmas faced throughout life will be a consistent theme, albeit in unusual circumstances.

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ARTS&EXHIBITIONS ELEGANCE AND FORM SCULPTURE SHOW Wyndcliffe Court Sculpture Gardens, St Arvans, Chepstow, Monmouthshire.

Tel: 01291 621242 www.wyndcliffecourt.co.uk

SECRET GARDENS EXHIBITION Izumi Omori, Inspiration (Cornish Garden)

3 May – 29 September These Grade II listed beautiful arts and crafts gardens will showcase contemporary sculptures throughout the summer. Hundreds of sculptures in all mediums, sizes and styles will be on show to suit all tastes and they will also be for sale.

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

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

8 May – 1 June Ten artists in various media contribute to this show, taking inspiration from the same theme, yet interpreting it in different ways. For lovers of etchings, there are delicate gold cottage garden flowers by Jacqui Watkins. Paintings vary from small, intimate, moonlit scenes to swathes of vibrantly coloured flowers from artists including Izumi Omori and Kirsten Jones.

Wyndcliffe Court

MOLLY GARNIER

Molly Garnier, Covering

Molly Garnier, Field Mist

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SPRING EXHIBITION Lime Tree Gallery 84 Hotwell Road, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 929 2527 www.limetreegallery.com

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

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

18 May – 18 June

1 – 31 May

This is a solo exhibition of beautiful figurative and landscape paintings entitled Shadow and Light by talented artist Molly Garnier. Molly was born in Salisbury in 1981. She spent much of her life in Norfolk before graduating from Edinburgh College of Art in 2003 with a first class honours degree in drawing and painting. She has now returned to live on the beautiful north Norfolk coast. Originally known as a figurative painter, she won several prestigious awards for her small smoky oil paintings of the female nude, playing on the subtleties of light, colour and depth. Since her return to Norfolk, she has used her beautiful control of light to capture the distinctive, slightly bleak colours of the coastline. A brilliant young talent, Molly has already won a string of awards and prizes, including the Lynn Painter – Stainers Young Artist Award in 2006.

This is a much awaited follow up to Molly’s successful solo exhibition in Bristol in 2010. Molly will also be present in the gallery to discuss her work between 11am and 2pm on Saturday 18 May.

Innocent Fine Art is showing spring inspired paintings by new gallery artist’s Sarah Bowman and Sally Stafford, as well as new work by other gallery artists.

Sarah Bowman, Daffodils Are Out

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Join the great city safari Bristol’s Festival of Nature is now in its tenth year and to mark the anniversary is challenging us to get out and about in the city’s green spaces and natural environs. Bethany Wivell takes a £3 railway safari to find out what natural wonders can be seen from a train window

T

he morning commute normally rouses visions of traffic tailbacks, anxious clock-watching and coffee to go – but for Ben Connor, organiser of the Festival of Nature, it is one of his favourite times of day. According to Ben, by travelling on Bristol’s inner city train for even just one or two stops, you’re opening your eyes to the best of our city’s wildlife and once you know what you’re looking for, well, it’s a jungle out there! I hopped on the train at Temple Meads (binoculars in tow) and headed towards Severn Beach to see if I could spot any creatures for myself.

The first site of interest is the Narroways Hill Junction, a Nature Conservation site protected by the Avon Wildlife Trust, which runs alongside St Werburghs. At first glance there is no obvious human access: you are surrounded by the city at the point where three junctions famously meet, but this is the perfect breeding spot for a whole variety of insects. Ben, excitedly spotting his first butterfly, says: “Slow worms, lizards and insects all thrive in the rich soil and circling above you are likely to spot kestrels and sparrow hawks as well as jays and magpies.”

Next stop is Montpellier, a notorious hot spot for badgers and

EXPLORE: main picture, a bio-blitz involves keeping your eyes open for everything from ants to wildflowers, butterflies and birds Inset, the mud flats at Sea Mills, where all kinds of birds can be spotted

birds who love the embankments and cuttings. Of course, it’s not just animals you can see from the window; there are dozens of tree varieties too. Ash trees and sycamores are the most common but you’ll also see plenty of hawthorns and wildflowers.

A green corridor takes you back up to sea level and brings you out above the gorge. A woodland made entirely of oaks and

The festival for enquiring minds June’s Festival of Nature weekend down by the Harbourside is likely to attract in excess of 10,000 visitors of all ages.

The festival takes over four squares – Millennium, Anchor, Waterfront and the Lloyds Amphitheatre for the weekend of 15/16 June, giving us the chance to find out more about all kinds of topics, from viewing the sun to protecting endangered British crayfish in our rivers. There’s the chance to meet experts and talk about wildlife, the environment and sustainability on a local and global scale. Entrance to the festival is free. Here are some highlights of this year’s event:

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● A butterfly house. Walk through it and learn more about native and exotic species with Pete the Bug Man. ● Explore an onsite rockpool and find out how to carry out your own wildlife survey to help the world’s endangered species. ● Learn about the seeds which were brought to Bristol in boats and lay dormant for hundreds of years and visit the floating garden. ● Join in the Bristol Dinosaur Project. Discover the city’s own dinosaur, thecodontosaurus, have a go at digging up fossils and handle a real dinosaur bone. ● Saddle up and take part in Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride on Sunday 16 June. This is one of the biggest non-competitive bike rides in the UK and takes in some family-friendly routes.

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GREENbristol

The big bug hunt To celebrate its tenth anniversary, the Bristol Festival of Nature is launching Bristol99, a citywide project encouraging people to discover the natural world in their own neighbourhood. There’ll be a programme of free wildlife events held across 99 sites in and around Bristol between 3 May and 14 June. You can find out more about the Bristol Harbourside event, which takes place over the weekend of 15/16 June by visiting: www.banhc.org.uk/home. To find out more about Bristol99 – while all the events are free, some you’ll need to book in advance – visit: www.bristol99.org.uk.

Here are five spots you can head for as part of Bristol99: Troopers Hill, St George A former industrial site crowned by a towering chimney, Troopers Hill Local Nature Reserve offers a fascinating mix of history and ecology. An acidic heathland unique within Bristol, the hill abounds with a diverse array of plants, rare insects, and beautiful views across the River Avon. Join in with the Troopers Hill Mini BioBlitz on Sunday 26 May, 3pm – 6pm.

WILDLIFE HAVEN: the gorge is home to many birds Below, the distinctive large grey heron can be seen waiting patiently for fish, amphibians or small mammals beside garden ponds, rivers, lakes and estuaries

managed by the Woodland Trust makes up Sneyd Park Reserve and leads you along the river Avon until you arrive in the Roman town of Sea Mills, originally named Abona.

In the winter, this is a prime site for bird watchers as hundreds of species fly over during migration. Heron, mallard and cormorants are popular here as well as redshank with its distinct whistle. If you are very lucky, you might also see the infamous greenshank that makes an appearance here once a year.

Passing speedily below Kings Weston Estate, you’ll soon arrive in Avonmouth. A wilderness of salt marsh, industrial infrastructure and docklands has created a less than pretty sink but I’m assured it is critical to maintaining habitable environments for even the smallest species.

“Gorse is the breeding place for all sorts of insects. We need scrubby wasteland and weeds to attract water voles that are at risk of extinction and the red berries produced by ribes and the nutmeg bush attracts a number of birds. The railway line is acting as a buffer to stop the further development of this site and destruction of the natural habitat, no matter how wild,” said Ben. A gateway of gorse opens the line up to Severn Beach and our final stop. At least 15 gypsy horses are grazing away on the sea wall. One of only three peregrine falcon nests in Bristol can be found here and has made somewhat of a success story of this area but this is also the site where a young whale was found washed up in August last year. But, for birdwatchers Severn Beach is a dream come true. More than 250 species can be found here and during migration, one can expect to see in excess of 70,000 birds fly over, which provides quite a spectacle.

For novices like myself, easy-to-spot wildlife include: shelduck, gulls, mallards, wigeon and curlew with their big curved beak – so there’s something here for everyone.

On my way back to Temple Meads I reflected on all the things I’d seen and for £3 a return, this commuter safari is definitely worth the distance. Whether it be on your way to work or en-route to further afield, take the time to look outside the window, who knows what will be there to greet you. ■

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Narroways Junction, St Werburghs Hemmed in by railway lines and housing, Narroways is a green sanctuary in inner-city Bristol. The site became a Millennium Green in 2000, securing its longterm future for people and wildlife, with its combination of grassland and woodland making it a perfect spot for birdwatching, as well as a great place for slow worms and common lizards. Bristol99 event: Narroways Mini BioBlitz, date TBC. Brislington Brook, Brislington Trace the course of Brislington Brook as it weaves its way through the secluded slopes of Nightingale Valley and St. Anne’s Wood. Wedged between crowded streets, Brislington Brook provides a lush green corridor, connecting both communities and wildlife, with a packed programme of events courtesy of the Discover Brislington Brook project. Bristol99 event: Bugs, Beasties and Butterflies: Brislington’s Baby BioBlitz, Wednesday 29 May, 1pm – 10.30pm Stoke Park, Lockleaze Most people may only catch a glimpse as they speed by on the M32, but Stoke Park is one of Bristol’s biggest open spaces, a swathe of geologically unique and species rich parkland and woodland just waiting to be explored. Become a plant detective on the Leafy Murder Mystery Saturday 18 May, with events all day from 10.30am.

Badock’s Wood, Southmead Badock’s Wood is a hidden haven for wildlife, with ancient woodland lining the limestone valley of the River Trym, meadows, and even a bronze age burial ground. A perfect place for wildflowers, including bluebells and wild garlic, fungi, and bats. Join the Friends of Badock Wood for a woodland party, with wildlife, arts, music and more. Badock’s Woodland Party Sunday 9 June 2pm – 6pm.

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CULTURALexchange

A new chapter for festival The Cornish town of Fowey celebrates the life and work of its most famous resident, Daphne du Maurier each year with a festival. Joceline Bury visited to find out more about the newly rebranded Fowey Festival

T

ucked into a wooded valley where the Fowey River meets the sea, the little port of Fowey rises from its natural deepwater harbour in a succession of pastel-washed terraces. More elegant, more Mediterranean than its near neighbours, Mevagissey and Polperro, Fowey has a quiet charm that belies its tumultuous past. From pre-Roman tin trading through centuries of piracy and smuggling, to 20th century service as a wartime naval base, the little town has as colourful a history as any Cornish port. Nowadays, for most of the year it’s an attractive holiday destination for those wishing to explore this secret corner of south east Cornwall, and a safe harbour for the hundreds of boat-owners who populate the river estuary in high season.

But for ten days in May, Fowey becomes festival town, drawing in thousands of visitors to its Hay on Wye-style tented village, and playing host to high-profile speakers and performers from the literary, musical and art world.

The festival has gone from strength to strength since it began in 1997 as The du Maurier Festival, in tribute to the town’s most famous resident – the writer Daphne du Maurier. This year, it has a name change that reflects its wide-ranging programme. The Fowey Festival of Words and Music, as it is now known, boasts an outstanding line-up of events and performers.

Festival director Jonathan Aberdeen, a Cornishman born and bred, is clearly one of the main reasons for the festival’s continuing success – even though he’s far too modest to admit it.

His enthusiasm for the festival is infectious, and he speaks warmly of the team of people who work all year to support the event – the du Maurier Society trustees, volunteer stewards, cleaners, event organisers and local businesses – they’re all on board to make it happen. As the festival has grown, the team has grown with it. Several of the trustees have been involved from the start, and as Jonathan says: “We’ve all become good friends, which makes everything so much easier.”

Nevertheless, it’s hard work coming up with around 200 events year after year, keeping regular audiences happy and, most 44 The Bristol Magazine

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importantly, appealing to new festival-goers.

Jonathan is hopeful that this year’s programme strikes the right balance: “We have a really interesting mix of big names and local events, including guided walks, boat trips, a schools day and a marketplace showcasing Cornish artists and craftspeople.

“Also new is the du Maurier Lecture – a keynote speech, given in Daphne du Maurier’s name, and this year delivered by Sarah Dunant, who will be talking about historical research in the writing of fiction.” It’s a theme that would surely have appealed to Daphne, whose novels included many that are based on events and characters from Cornwall’s colourful past.

Highlights of the 2013 festival, which runs from 8 – 18 May (the dates chosen to fall around Daphne’s birthday on 13 May), include appearances by former London Mayor and raconteur Ken Livingstone, writer and broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, star of musical theatre Ruthie Henshall and best-selling author and former children’s laureate Michael Morpurgo.

ON THE CULTURAL MAP: the Cornish town has renamed its du Maurier Festival as the Fowey Festival

fans will still be catered for, despite the ❝ festival’s name change. There are as many du Maurier related events as ever ❞ Jonathan says: “Michael Morpurgo has become a household name since his book War Horse was turned first into a National Theatre hit and then into the film directed by Steven Spielberg. At the festival, he’ll be discussing his book A Medal For Leroy – inspired by the true story of Walter Tull, the first black officer in the British army. He will also be talking about his latest book, Where My Wellies Take Me, a collaboration with his wife, Clare.

“I’m also very much looking forward to hearing Ken Livingstone – he doesn’t tend to do the litfest circuit and I’m sure he’ll draw a good audience.”

The musical element of the festival is as strong as ever this year, with the multi-award-winning Scottish band Lau giving their only south west concert of the year, and Broadway and West End star

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CULTURALexchange

DIVERSE: Daphne du Maurier remains the muse for the festival, which now includes music from Scottish band Lau and guests such as broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby

Ruthie Henshall providing an intimate evening based on her numerous musical theatre roles – including Fantine in the London production of Les Miserables.

Charismatic saxophonist YolanDa Brown will be bringing her award-winning mix of jazz, soul and reggae to the festival; the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and Duchy Opera, with Baron Herzog’s Box of Operatic Delights, are also on the musical menu.

Comedy is always a popular feature of the festival line-up, with TV favourites Seann Walsh and Josh Widdicombe appearing this year.

Daphne du Maurier fans will still be well catered for, despite the festival’s name change. There are as many du Maurier-related events as ever, reflecting the strong links between the writer and this beautiful corner of Cornwall. The du Mauriers’ holiday home, Ferryside, just across the river at Bodinnick, still belongs to the family. It was here that Muriel du Maurier brought her three daughters in 1926, and here that Daphne wrote her early novels.

Her first, The Loving Spirit, written when she was just 22, is set in Polruan, Fowey’s mirror image on the other side of the estuary.

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Nearby Menabilly, where Daphne lived for many years, was the inspiration for Rebecca’s Manderley, and the original Frenchman’s Creek can be found a little way up-river.

The tree-clad banks of the Fowey River inspired another literary great: Kenneth Grahame wrote part of The Wind in the Willows while he was staying at the Fowey Hotel. On display there are letters to his son – “dearest Mouse” – describing the adventures of Mr Toad, Ratty, Mole et al and written on the hotel’s grand Edwardian headed notepaper. The area also has links with writers and artists as diverse as Winston Graham, Mabel Lucie Attwell and Alfred, Lord Tennyson – connections explored in a series of festival guided walks and river trips.

“The festival has a long tradition of bringing top quality writers, musicians, comedians and celebrities to Fowey,” says Jonathan. “They love Fowey and enjoy the quirky charm of the festival and its tented village – there really is nothing like it in the entire south west. That is what makes it so special.” ■ For all the latest news and ticket information, visit the Fowey Festival’s website: www.foweyfestival.com.

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MOTORINGcity

THE BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT SPEED Capable of travelling at over 3 miles a minute, the GT Speed is the fastest ever four seater production car. Dara Foley enjoys a taste of the high life and finds out that this supercar is just as good in the city as it is on the Autobahn

Picture by TBM/ Saskia Rumbelow

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fter 67 years of producing pretty much the same cars but with different badges, Rolls Royce and Bentley were finally divorced from their hapless marriage in late 2002. BMW took over Rolls while Volkswagen acquired the Bentley marque and the famous Crewe motorworks.

Volkswagen lost no time (and spent around $1 billion) in reviving Bentley and quickly deployed an established team to restyle the line-up. There was an eye for tradition as well as a desire to find a more fitting role for Bentley on the global stage. Dirk van Braeckel, a young and talented Belgian designer who was head of design at VW Skoda in the late 90s, was given the enviable job of restyling the Continental R, and in 2003 a new, sleek and very attractive Continental GT was born.

This two door, four seat luxury grand tourer, dubbed the Baby Bentley, was produced as a coupe to start with, and then as a saloon version (the Flying Spur) and lastly as a convertible (the GTC) completing the range.

The world was changing for Bentley, and more interestingly, after decades of being a chauffered passenger, the typical Bentley owner was now exploring life in the driving seat. Still with every conceivable luxury to hand, the new Bentley Continental GT owner was finding far more pleasure underfoot.

The first generation Continental GT was equipped with a 6.0 litre twinturbocharged W12 engine, which produced a whacking 552bhp and blistering acceleration propelling it to nearly 200mph. Although technically classed as a gran tourismo there was no doubt that with its speed, style and great agility for its size, it was a very serious sports car, albeit a heavyweight contender.

Someone once said: “There’s money, and then there’s class, and the two are often separated,” but the early Conti GTs received the full endorsement of millionaires, well-heeled style gurus and the coolest celebrities on the planet, and the GT became very popular as the everyday car for the rich and famous.

Okay, David Beckham was one of the first to pick one up (back of the neck ‘tat’ – optional) and every Saturday afternoon since has been sharing his love of the Bentley with other like-minded individuals.

Rooney, Gerrard, Ferdinand and Terry, and countless other premier leaguers, including Super Mario Ballotelli have been well documented by the nation’s tabloids with their GT antics. But when you live in the spotlight, who wants to be seen driving a Rosso Ferrari, or lemon Lambo? We may curse them for denying us World Cup glory – but it would be very wrong to question their choice of motor. The Conti GT, is effortlessly classy, understated and remains, reassuringly quintessentially English.

Bentley unveiled its latest version of the Continental GT at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed, and if you are going to name a car Speed then you had better deliver just that. It does.

The Continental GT Speed (identified from the range mainly by a gunmetal grille and rifled exhausts) top trumps everything before, it’s the fastest ever four seat production car in the world, which at 206mph will cover three miles in well under a minute – if only we had such a road. With 50bhp more than the standard GT models, and a 10mm lowering of the ride height, as well as engineering refinements all round, it really is very fast and has enormous torque that delivers a ripping acceleration. From a standing start it will reach 60mph in four seconds, and you’ll be touching just over 100mph in another three seconds. Bearing in mind the two and half tonnes it weighs then you get a pretty good idea of the incredible feat of engineering that has taken place to achieve this.

One highly advanced feature is the clever automatic eight-speed gearbox which will select whatever gear is right, for example it it will leap from second straight into seventh and back down again as needed, these ‘any gear’ changes are fast and super smooth. The result is a thrilling yet completely controlled drive. And if you fancy a race-car ride you can opt out of auto and use the

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paddles behind the steering wheel to shift up and down. When selected, you can hear the W12 engine popping and crackling as it clears its throat, ready for action.

However in a city where 20mph is plenty, (and to be honest; to get to 15mph would be fantastic), the GT Speed does slow beautifully, with grace and style. Bristol’s deepening potholes are smoothly traversed by the 21inch wheels, but there is nothing quite as glorious to the senses as the ultra plush interior, created by Bentley’s specialist coachbuilder, Mulliner.

This is the best in the world. Every inch is sumptuous, with quilted, hand stitched leather, luxurious fittings and devilish detail throughout. The padding is deep and deluxe and any outside noise or vibration seems far distant. The simplest things are a real joy too; robust trumpet style valves control the air vents, while knobs – that require turning – have presicion milled edges, and buttons (heck the buttons!) – that require pushing – give a deep, affirmative click that lets you know if they’re on or off. There’s a monster eight inch touch screen at the centre of everything, that offers a full menu: reversing camera and parking proximity alerts all round as well as a high spec’ sat nav, there’s telephone comms and audio options, and you can also make performance adjustments such as suspension damping, ride height, car tyre pressure etc. All just a touch on screen. It’s very complex but simple to use – often the hallmark of great design.

The doors have vacuum self close, so no need to slam, and when you first get in the car, a little robotic arm extends forward to politely present your seatbelt. The 2 front seats are super plush, and are multi-adjustable, heated or cooled if needed, and a back massage makes a long journey a spa-like experience. The boot is expansive and will take plenty of Globetrotter luggage. Above all, a small analogue clock sits quietly in the centre of the dash – bearing the name Breitling, chosen perhaps because of a winged emblem, similar to Bentley’s Flying B – just another one of the well considered touches that make the GT wonderful.

From a standing start, it will reach ❝ 60mph in four seconds and you’ll be touching just over 100mph in another three seconds

❞

The running costs and fuel consumption will be high, at an average 19.5 mpg, but not many Bentley customers will worry about that, as it will still be cheaper for four adults to enjoy a return trip to London by Bentley in ultimate style (on one full tank) than a single first class return by train.

For the GT Speed, prices start at around £150k, but our test car (shown here), with some added extras came in at £165,000. For that money you get the ultimate in handcrafted luxury and a truly splendid car.

The Bentley GT Speed is the epitome of luxury, elegance and quality. It’s quite simply a wonderful car to travel in and oozes class. And should you be fortunate with your investments, win the lottery, or merely do rather well in life, then this has to be one of the finest purchases you might make.

Come on ERNIE . . . . I’ve had those Premium Bonds for years. ■ The Bristol Magazine’s test car courtesy of HR Owen Bentley Motors.

For more information on the Bentley Continental GT Speed contact: H.R. Owen, Bentley Motors, Rutherford Way, Cheltenham.

GL51 9TU. Tel: 0333 240 3659. http://www.cheltenham.bentleymotors.com.

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BRISTOLpeople

News in brief ■ A new workspace has opened in Clifton, offering small businesses the chance to rent a desk in shared offices.

Little White Space has flexible space to hire for product launches, exhibitions, galleries and marketing events, or for meetings and training sessions. Desk space on the first floor can be rented by the day, week or month, with access to wireless broadband, power, a catering point, space for meetings and the opportunity to network. The ground floor, with shop front on to Clifton Down Road, is also available for anything from one day to a month.

Contact Suzy Barnard at Little White Space, tel: 0117 381 2012.

■ Bristol has been shortlisted alongside Brussels, Glasgow and Ljubljana for the European Green Capital Award 2015, with the winner being announced on 14 June in France. Mayor George Ferguson said: “We narrowly missed out on winning the prize last year but with determination we can do it this time round. Bristol is increasingly recognised across the UK and Europe for our work on renewable energy, Green Deal and retrofit programmes, and thriving low carbon economy.” Winning will create up to 1,000 new jobs and generate around £800,000 for the local economy.

To vote visit: http://bristolgreencapital.org/back-thebid.php ■ Robert Rhys Sales and Letting Agents has recently relocated to new offices in Cabot Circus, where it will benefit from a 20,000,000 a year footfall from the shopping centre. Its bespoke marketing package includes HD video tours of each property, prime location poster sites in Cabot Circus and targeted e-marketing.

The Lettings team offers a fully managed package that includes fully referenced tenants, guaranteed rental payments after 14 days, regardless of whether a tenant has been found and quarterly inspections. On the sales side, there’s a guarantee to sell a home within eight weeks or halve the fee. Tel: 0117 9311122 or pop into the office on Broad Weir by Harvey Nichols.

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‘We can fit a pool into any back garden’ Swimming pool installation firm HTP Pools is showing Bristolians that, with a little ingenuity, you can fit a luxury outdoor pool in pretty much any size garden.

Lewis Salvidge, of HTP (aka the Hot Tub People) is the UK distributor for Niveko Pools.

The pools he installs are manufactured as polypropolene shells built to last a lifetime and easy to keep clean – with no need for liners or tiles.

The pool are transported in one whole piece, complete with plant and filtration and the roller cover all attached. The water spills over stones and is then pumped from a balance tank back through the heating and filtration and into the pool.

Monthly service visits are made to pool customers. The

heating systems are eco-friendly air source or ground source heat pumps, one of the cheapest ways of heating a pool.

HTP can bespoke build to any shape or form or to

standard sizes. Lewis has more than a dozen years’ experience in installing hot tub across the south west, and pools too. He says: “We’ve never been defeated by a space yet.”

New marketing team leader

APPOINTMENT: Sheryl Grist

Nuffield Health, healthcare charity, has appointed Sheryl Grist as head of sales and development at its Bristol hospital. Sheryl joins the team following nine years at the helm of Nuffield Health’s Fitness & Wellbeing Centre on Clifton Triangle and brings with her 15 years’ experience working for the charity.

Sheryl will be responsible for building relationships with

leading consultants and GPs in Bristol, introducing them to the services offered by the hospital.

She will also be in charge of marketing and PR for Nuffield Health’s Chesterfield Hospital which opens later this year.

Sheryl’s main objective will be to ensure patients continue to have access to the best surgeons, physiotherapists, consultants, specialist nurses, private GPs and nutritional therapists.

Traders vote to pay more rates for district Bedminster Town Team has secured a further £400,000 of funding following the successful completion of a Business Improvement District for the area. Local businesses voted yes to an extra 1.5% added to their business rates every year for the next five years totalling £400,000 towards improvements in the street scene, marketing, greening and local community

projects. 84% of local traders voted yes to the initiative, which was kick-started this year when the area became one of the Portas Pilot Town Teams.

Bedminster Town Team has managed a series of projects, including the Beautiful Bugs of Bedminster art installation of 82 painted bugs, to bring shoppers and tourists into the area, improve the retail environment

and encourage local people to shop local.

The next project is the installation of ‘pocket parks’ creating areas of green throughout the retail spaces.

Bedminster was chosen as a winner of £100,000 from more than 370 bids along with the original 12 other UK towns to improve the high street and surrounding area.

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DIY Probate is a Risky Business It is possible to apply for probate and deal with an estate, without seeing a lawyer, but it is not without risks, warns Mary McCartney, trust and tax specialist at Meade King LLP Solicitors.

Many professionally drafted Wills contain trusts to save tax and reduce the likelihood of potential disputes. Mary has noticed an increase in families returning to seek advice when they have made a mistake. Mrs A’s Will included a trust, but when her husband wound up the estate, he transferred everything to himself. “We were able to sort out the matter and avoid future complications when Mr A eventually dies”.

In another case, Mr G sold some shares that had made a gain after his sister had died and he had to pay capital gains tax. “If he had transferred the shares to himself first, before selling them, he could have avoided the tax”.

People aren't always aware of the complexities and assume probate work is straightforward.

In all but the most straightforward cases, it is important to seek specialist legal advice that can save you money and worry.

Meade King will work in partnership with the deceased's family to help and support them with the legal and technical work.

For further advice please call Mary McCartney on 0117 926 4121 or email her at mm@meadeking.co.uk.

Seeing the wider picture …focusing on the detail Meade King LLP Solicitors 11-12 Queen Square, Bristol, BS1 4NT

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Tel: 0117 926 4121

www.meadeking.co.uk

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The Flavour Smith www.theflavoursmith.co.uk

REVIEW

PICTURES: courtesy of Morag Macdonald

A magical mystery meal T

he pop-up scene is thriving in Bristol. Empty shops have been occupied by temporary art galleries, while new businesses are taking advantage of short-term lets to test the market. And, thanks to the power of the internet and Twitter, perhaps the most fun is the rise and rise of the supper club, or pop-up restaurant.

A supper club can be a few people gathered in someone’s home, whereas a pop-up restaurant can be anywhere, from a meadow or a boat, to a disused warehouse. The latest venture is by chef Tom Green, aka the Flavour Smith, who three years after being invited to host a pop-up, has succumbed, with delightful results.

Tom used to be a chef at the Riverstation but has lately been busy catering for private dinner parties and weddings. He is very discreet and will not betray any client confidentiality, but that doesn’t stop people gossiping about some of the big names they’ve heard have enjoyed his stylish, seasonal British cuisine.

A Night with Flavour Smith was advertised through Twitter and by word of mouth. Tickets were on sale for £45 and all we knew was that we’d have a reception with canapés and British fizz, followed by a five course dinner, all in a medieval setting somewhere in central Bristol.

On the day of the dinner we were emailed our mystery destination – which turned out to be the 14th century St John the Baptist Church in Broad Street. I must admit I did have visions of plastic chairs, paper plates and a church hall tucked somewhere round the back of the altar.

It was altogether a far more impressive experience. Diners were greeted outside the ancient church door by a smartly dressed maitre d’. The interior of the simple nave was candelit and the sound of gentle organ music lent a real sense of occasion as canapés and drinks were served.

On the dot of eight, Tom in his chef’s whites, took to the pulpit to welcome his congregation. There was no electricity, he warned us, and no loos either. If we needed a comfort break the pub along the street had offered the use of their loos.

At this point we all trooped out of the church and round the corner into Nelson Street, past the graffiti and through a little door down into the medieval vaulted crypt. This was one of those ‘wow!’ moments, like walking into a film set. Long tables were laid with white cloths and dotted with tall candelabra, the lit 54 The Bristol Magazine

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candles casting a romantic light around the medieval vaults. A harpist was playing as we found seats and set to reading the menu while sampling some very good purple beetroot and greenhued wild garlic bread.

It was a little odd to be sitting less than a foot away from the effigies of a long-dead Bristol merchant and his wife, with their ten children lined up on the side of their tomb, but I hope they didn’t find the company disrespectful.

We had a full restaurant experience, with good service and great food. Wine is extra from the short but good wine list. We began with a small but exquisite terrine of chicken with wild garlic, followed by a smoked salmon mousse that packed a punch, served with peppery watercress and creamy quail’s egg.

DEARLY BELOVED: main picture, Tom Green, the Flavour Smith takes to the pulpit Top right, guests enjoy dinner in the crypt of St John the Baptist Church Bottom, a divine pudding of white chocolate and ginger

The interior of the simple nave was ❝candlelit and the sound of gentle organ music lent a real sense of occasion as canapés and drinks were served

❞

Our main course was mutton and we all wondered how he had managed to cook it slowly and yet retain its tender pink interior.

On the side was a small crusty pasty of pulled mutton, and a slice of potato, rosemary and onion cake. All very savoury and tasty.

Pudding was another seasonal dish of rhubarb with white chocolate and ginger. The grand finale was British cheese from Park Farm at Kelston, served with Miller’s Damsels biscuits. By now we were all chatting merrily, like the best of dinner parties when you meet old friends and make new ones too.

If you missed that venture, don’t worry, the Flavour Smith has more. As I write, a theatrical culinary partnership between The Raven and the Writing Desk and the Milk Thistle Hotel will see guests spirited away down the rabbit hole for a theatrical experience and a three course Alice in Wonderland themed feast, courtesy of the Flavour Smith himself, Tom Green.

The last of these three pop-ups is on 5 May – you may be lucky and grab a few remaining tickets, although I suspect they may be a sell-out. ■ GMc

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THE WINE COLUMN Angela Mount, wine and food critic, chooses wines for inside or out over the bank holiday weekends

I

have struggled to even consider the words ‘barbecue’ and ‘salads’ until now, but hope hope that we may yet be enjoying warmth and outdoor eating for the May bank holidays. The wines I’ve chosen this month, are simply some great favourites which will work equally well indoors. The first glimpse of sunshine and a brush of warmth on the skin seems to create an almost Pavlovian reaction in many of us, as we leap to organise impromptu weekend lunches and evening get togethers. The rule of thumb is go for styles that are approachable, versatile enough to cope with lots of different flavours and spicings, and most of all, great value. And those lovely chaps at Great Western Wine are making things even simpler, with at least 10% off the prices of all the wines listed below.

Ruggeri Argeo Prosecco Valdobiadenne £12.95 GWW A proper Prosecco from one of the best areas in the region, and better quality than many of the nasty, acidic, cut-price champagnes that you’ll find on supermarket shelves. With a gentle mousse, and ripe pear and baked apple flavours, it’s a delicious glass of refreshing fizz, with a zesty, lemon peel tang, and gentle, floral aromas – fresh, crisp, and the perfect way to welcome guests. Even better is the extra 10% discount in May.

Cruz de Piedra Garnacha Rose 2011, Spain £7.50 GWW This wine is going to be one of the ones in my fridge this summer – I hadn’t tasted it before, but I’m smitten with this gorgeous, vibrant pink, dry rosé, produced in north eastern Spain – it’s quite bold, with juicy, intense, freshly crushed raspberry aromas and flavours; it’s a real, taste-bud tingling, refreshing wine with a zesty, lime-fresh, citrussy finish. A perfect match for freshly seared tuna or chargrilled prawns, or with tandoori spiced chicken, and chilli and coriander marinaded meat. Fantastic value at the May offer price of £6.50.

Yealands Black Label Pinot Gris 2011, Marlborough, NZ £11.95 GWW I’m forever encouraging people to try new wines, so if you love the New Zealand style of freshness and pure fruit, but are just a little tired of Sauvignon blanc, give this a try. From a winery, which was only set up in 2008, but has won awards, for its wines, and its carbon neutral status, this is sublimely fresh and elegant, yet packed with intriguing aromas and flavours. A perfect white to cope with some of the powerful flavours of the barbecue.

MAY’S CHOICE Wines to go with a barbecue: Where better for a flavourpacked, sunshine red, than the home of the ‘barbie’, Australia? Go for a rich, supple red with bags of ripe, velvety fruit, where the tannins are soft. Heartland Stickleback red 2009, (£8.50 in May) is a quirky mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz grapes, blended with Dolcetto and Lagrein, Italian grapes. It dances across the palate with ripe, juicy, squishy black fruit, a hint of licorice and a fragrant waft of violet and black cherries.

Great Western Wine is at Wells Road, Bath BA2 3AP, tel: 01225 322810. Visit: www.greatwesternwine.co.uk. www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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Moveable feasts

James Russell meets the pioneers of Bristol’s street food, who offer all kinds of world cuisine, from bagels and pizza to spicy Vietnamese dishes and bubble tea

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n some parts of Bristol the approach of summer is heralded by the song of the ice cream van going from street to street in search of custom. So long as there have been wheels, people have used them to deliver meals of one kind and another. Now, though, a new generation is offering a new kind of mobile eating experience; both the food and drink on offer and the means of transportation tend to be quirky, while quality is a top priority. Street food, as it is known, is going places.

You won’t hear Vee Double Moo coming, but there’s no mistaking this unique ice-cream-parlour-on-wheels; there can’t be too many VW camper vans painted beige and blue like some psychedelic cow. Owner Bridget Pilkington first fell in love with Volkswagen campers a decade ago, and bought Daisy, her 1973 Type 2 van, in 2010. Now she and Daisy are to be found at events and festivals around Bristol, or otherwise at an everyday pitch on Brandon Hill, selling organic local ice cream alongside treats like hot chocolate and churros – Spanish doughnuts with a chocolate dipping sauce.

Bridget is one of a growing number of street food vendors who belong to the vibrantly youthful StrEAT Food Collective, an organisation pioneered by mobile restaurateur Lavinia Bartlett.

At her Indian stall, Coconut Chilli, Lavinia serves up savoury lamb kofte or spicy potato topped with salad, mint raitha and hot chilli, all wrapped in Abu Noor pitta, but how did she go from selling food herself to inspiring others?

She said: “The idea was conceived after experiencing the vibrant street food scene in London and I thought of creating something similar for Bristol. But I wanted to set up a collective with a conscience, having been inspired by the amazing La Cocina, a small business incubator in San Francisco, which helps mainly Latina women into self-employment. So I’ve sourced vendors who are mostly home cooks and encouraged them to set up businesses so they can support themselves financially.

“The start-up costs to open a street food business are significantly lower than a traditional bricks and mortar restaurant or café, and the format also allows chefs and entrepreneurs to test inventive cuisine.”

A glance at the list of vendors on the StrEAT website suggests that independent cooks are taking full advantage of the opportunity to experiment. We encountered The Glorious Oyster 56 The Bristol Magazine

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SOCIABLE: main picture, enjoying al fresco dining courtesy of the Ethical Chef Inset, the Vee Double Moo van, Daisy delivering treats on the streets

on the Harbourside last year and thoroughly enjoyed the horror of the younger and more squeamish members of our party as we sampled some excellent oysters. Then there’s Aroy Thai and Viet Vite – the latter surely one of the best-named fast food joints around – as well as Pizza Monkey and Bagel Boy. The award for most unusual dish should probably go to Tambo, which is run by ex-pat Peruvian Carlos Huaman. He sells a national speciality not often seen in the west country, namely grilled ox heart skewers served with potatoes, corn on the cob and chilli sauce. And if you wanted an equally unusual drink to go with that – or possibly have afterwards – you might try a bubble tea from Cupp. To be absolutely fair Cupp is no longer a mobile establishment, since it now occupies a permanent site on Quakers Friars Square. However, the fact that the café inhabits a converted shipping container gives it just enough impermanence to be included – if you’ve never tried bubble tea you really should.

If you thought it was strange enough to put ice in tea, or lemon, or to drink tea made out of peculiar things like fennel, you’re in for a real surprise. The tea part of the experience is not that odd, being essentially iced green or black tea, but the bubble part most certainly is. It seems unkind to spoil the surprise by describing it, so let’s just say you drink bubble tea through an unusually roomy straw. The drink is hugely popular in Taiwan but was scarcely known in this country when Lee Peacock and his partner Amy set up their original van-based enterprise last year. They had come across bubble tea while teaching English on

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DELICIOUS AND DIVERSE: left to right, a truffle froyo with a Baileys shot, the distinctive Cupp café, and the StrEat collective serving up freshly cooked food in style

the island, loved it and proceeded to learn all about it from local independent tea shops.

Cupp may no longer be mobile, but it will still be very much involved in the latest StrEAT project – a series of Friday evening street food markets in Quakers Friars. Vendors will be keeping their prices down to £6 for a main course, and serving half portion sizes too, to encourage people to sample different cuisines, or to buy their children supper. A similar scheme was tried out in Bath last year and proved a success, while pilots in Bristol have also gone well with the city council lending support.

StrEAT will also be running a series of Wednesday evening street food markets in Corn Street – the next two being on 5 June and 3 July. If these prove popular, Lavinia would like to make this a weekly treat. She says the first hour or so, from 5pm, is mostly people on their way home from work, or families shopping with children. Later on the diners are more people just setting out for an evening.

Lavinia said: “StrEAT is a culturally enriching experience for

those eating – people are able to try dishes from all over the world. But what we really want to see are members of different communities hanging out together in a welcoming atmosphere.

Through food you can find out a lot about another person and their culture.”

Last May a street food festival in Cabot Circus was featured on BBC’s The One Show, but most of the vendors shown were from elsewhere. This year’s events are very much home-grown affairs, although with inspiration drawn from around the world.

You can be sure of excellent dishes, a warm welcome and reasonable prices. Best of all, you’ll have the chance to try something strange and wonderful – and this is just the beginning.

“Bristol has a fantastic multi-cultural population,” Lavinia points out, “so wouldn’t it be wonderful for our food to reflect these far flung communities as well? Mobile cuisine is the perfect platform for pushing boundaries when the bricks and mortar numbers wouldn’t stack up.”

Oyster, anyone? ■

Bristol’s award winning restaurant Special events, celebra ons, and wine dinners Current offer:

2 Courses for £10 including a glass of wine

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

w: www.themuset.com

Twi er @TheMuset • Facebook: The Muset

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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HEALTHYfood

Just what the doctor ordered Leading Bristol holistic cancer charity, Penny Brohn has launched a new recipe book designed to strengthen our bodies’ defences

S

carcely a day goes by without some new report into which foods are bad or good for us. We all know that we should be eating more fresh fruit and vegetables, but, particularly when we’re unwell it’s sometimes a challenge to think up dishes that are simple to make yet delicious and energising. The team of doctors and nutritionists at Penny Brohn Cancer Centre understand very well how a healthy diet can help cancer sufferers during and after treatment – they have been offering their holistic support to people for 30 years.

The centre, at Pill, offers a free service to cancer sufferers and works alongside their conventional medical treatment. Penny Brohn’s methods include giving emotional support, with counselling and psychotherapy, physical support, through massage and other therapies, and advice about diet and exercise.

Day care is also offered to people within commuting distance.

Cancerpoint, in partnership with Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre, runs a weekly session for people undergoing or recovering from chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Crucially this can be a time when people just don’t feel like eating, but their bodies need sustaining in order to enjoy a better recovery.

A tasty meal, particularly when ❝ shared with others, is enjoyable – making it good for the body and soul

❞

Nourish: the Cancer Care Cookbook is designed with all this in mind. The book contains 70 easy to prepare recipes all containing healing, nutrient rich foods, designed to help the body following a cancer diagnosis. The good news is that these recipes can be enjoyed by all the family and will form part of a habit of making healthy choices about food.

Dr Catherine Zollman, co author of Nourish and lead doctor at Penny Brohn Cancer Care said: “By incorporating changes to your diet, based on our nutritional guidelines and using recipes

in Nourish can have a significant positive effect on a person’s well-being and help them to live well with cancer.

“Further to this, research has shown that diet is the most important factor in the rise in people getting cancer and many foods can help slow down cancer cell growth.”

Dr Zollman wrote the book with Wendy Burley, nutritional therapist also at Penny Brohn Cancer Care, who added: “At the core, our approach to healthy eating is the belief that foods in their natural state are best for you and we encourage a diet based primarily on plant foods, vegetables and fruit, whole grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices with a small amount of animal products.

“We encourage people to enjoy their food – it does so much more than provide nutrition. A tasty meal, particularly when shared with others, is enjoyable – making it good for the body and soul. In Nourish, there’s a whole host of nutritious recipes which can be enjoyed both in preparation and eating and furthermore support your well-being whether you have had a cancer diagnosis or not.” ■

Chocolate Beetroot Traybake Makes 10 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes plus cooling

nutrients including antioxidants such as betalains, which have been shown to lessen tumour cell growth.

This traybake is similar to a chocolate brownie but healthier and the perfect pick-me-up to restore flagging energy levels.

Beetroot is added because of the soft and moist crumb it produces, and, combined with nuts to add flavour and texture. Almonds and walnuts increase the protein content, which helps to balance blood sugar. They also supply healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, including manganese, vitamin E, calcium and magnesium. Beetroots are rich in cancer-protective

60g/2¼oz/¼ cup butter or coconut oil, plus extra for greasing 250g/9oz dairy-free dark chocolate 3 tbsp xylitol (natural sweetener) 4 eggs 1 large cooked beetroot (about 150g/5½oz), roughly chopped 100g/3½oz/1 cup ground almonds a pinch of sea salt ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 60g/2¼oz/scant ½ cup walnut pieces, chopped 30g/1oz/½ cup flaked almonds

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Ingredients:

Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4, then grease a shallow 20x30cm/8x12in traybake tin and line with baking parchment. Put the chocolate, xylitol and butter into a saucepan and heat gently to melt the chocolate.

Put the eggs and beetroot

EAT A RAINBOW: brightly coloured fruit and vegetables and fish should all feature in our regular diet

into a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

2. Tip the ground almonds into a large bowl. Add the melted chocolate mixture, the beetroot mixture and the remaining ingredients except the flaked almonds. Mix well.

3. Pour the batter into the tin, then scatter over the flaked almonds. Bake for 20–25 minutes until firm and golden.

Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into bars to serve. (Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days or freeze for a month.)

Nutritional content, per slice: Protein 7.7g, Carbohydrates 21.1g of which sugars 20.6g, Fat 26.6g of which saturates 11g, Kcals 349.

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Baked sea bass with olives and tomatoes Serves 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Baking sea bass on a bed of Mediterranean vegetables makes it beautifully moist and full of flavour. It’s simple to prepare, taking only 15 minutes, and is packed with antioxidant-rich and antiinflammatory ingredients. Sea bass is a good source of omega-3 fats and also provides B vitamins, magnesium and the antioxidant mineral selenium. Serve with salad, or steamed shredded kale or spinach.

Ingredients: ½ tsp coriander seeds 1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil 1 red onion, roughly chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed leaves from three thyme sprigs, plus a small bunch of fresh thyme sprigs 115g/4oz/scant 1 cup pitted black olives, roughly chopped 60g/2¼oz/heaped ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped 16 cherry tomatoes 1 large sea bass or trout, head removed, scaled and gutted zest of 1 lemon olive oil, for drizzling sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method: 1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Toast the coriander seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 1 minute, then crush using a mortar and pestle. Heat the olive oil in the frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, coriander and garlic, and fry gently for 2–3 minutes until the onion starts to soften. Stir in the thyme leaves, olives and the sun-dried and cherry tomatoes.

2 Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a large, shallow ovenproof dish. Using a sharp knife, slash the skin of the fish diagonally along each side. Push sprigs of thyme into the cuts.

Sprinkle over the lemon zest, then put the fish on top of the tomato mixture.

3 Drizzle over a little olive oil and cook in the oven for 20–25 minutes until the fish is cooked through. ● Nutritional value per serving: Protein 30.5g, Carbohydrates 3.4g of which sugars 2.7g, Fat 21.1g of which saturates 4.6g, Kcals 323.

Nourish: the Cancer Care Cookbook by Dr Catherine Zollman, lead doctor at Penny Brohn Cancer Centre, and Wendy Burley, nutritionist. Price £12.99 and available from: www.shopatpennybrohn.org or tel: 01275 370112.

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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FOOD&DRINK

Quick bites ■ Eat Drink Bristol Fashion, the popup tipi restaurant in Queen Square, will be hosting a sustainable food summit on Monday 13 May. The summit will host up to 200 delegates from public and private sectors, including representatives from government, schools, traders, restaurants, catering companies, schools, hospitals and prisons. In addition to seminars there will be cookery demonstrations, speakers and discussions to inspire thoughts on how to generate change. Lunch, cooked by The Pony and Trap, will be Bristol on a Plate. The summit will be followed by a fortnight of Eat Drink Bristol Fashion which will bring together some of the city’s top restaurants at the tipi village.

Feathers fly for charity Bristol burlesque troupe, The Flaming Feathers will be entertaining diners at Harveys Cellars in Denmark Street later this month to raise funds for the Bristol Rugby Community Foundation.

The evening, on Thursday 23 May, is hosted by burlesque heroine, Rio Wild of Rio Wild Presents, who will be joined by magician Darren Campbell, UK Wedding Entertainer of the Year 2012 and belly dancer, Pearl Boheme. Harveys’ new head chef, Chris Solomon will be serving a three-course Latino feast and money raised will be donated to

A TOUCH OF GLAMOUR: The Flying Feathers, Kayleigh Hammond, Claire Phipps and Lianna Bennett with Bristol Rugby players Ben Glynn and Iain Grieve

Bristol Rugby Community Foundation, which engages with and educates around 18,000 young people in the city every

year. Tickets are £55 (for VIP seats in the Music Room) or £45 (seated in the restaurant) to include a three-course dinner.

Curry and culture

■ Bear Grillz, aka Tim Peacock and Dan Beswick, pictured, can be found daily in the Bearpit behind Broadmead cooking up fresh, homemade food in a handmade cabin. Delicious bites include waffles, hand cut chips and juicy smoky bacon and blue cheese burgers. Follow Bear Grillz on Facebook to have a chance of winning a free lunch.

■ A line-up of food experts will be tasting the best of west country produce for the Bristol Good Food Awards’ local producers’ categories on 9 May. Chef Martin Blunos, Masterchef winner Dhruv Baker, baker Richard Bertinet will be joined

by Daily Telegraph food writer Xanthe Clay, and head judge Angela Mount to judge producers that have been shortlisted by the public voting process.

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TASTY BITES : Thali’s flexing its mussels in Bedminster

Fans of the fresh tasting dishes served at the Thali cafés across Bristol will be delighted to hear that the locally grown mini-chain has now expanded into the Tobacco Factory café space in Bedminster. It is serving its award-winning modern take on traditional Indian food, to eat in or takeaway in one of its reusable, ecofriendly tiffins. Those concerned about food miles will be pleased to hear that the beer, from the Bristol Beer Factory, has come from literally across the road at the brewery. This is a fifth venue for Thali in Bristol with a brand that grew out of feeding festival-goers.

Ex-fire station joins suspended coffee movement Anyone who goes behind the big red doors of the former fire station in Bristol city centre for a cup of coffee will also be able to do someone a favour at the same time and become part of a global movement called suspended coffee. The Kitchen café, which is run by YMCA Bristol, is giving its customers the chance to choose food or drink to be given free of charge to another customer at a later date.

To be part of the Open Kitchen, simply decide whether you’d like to pay for an extra cup of tea (£1.50), or even something more substantial, like a bowl of

homemade soup and Hobbs House bread (£3.50) or even a hearty full English breakfast with toast (£5). A marble will be dropped in a counter-top jar for those in need – such as the homeless or jobless – to redeem at a later time or date.

The suspended coffee idea began in Italy after the war, when old soldiers couldn’t afford their daily caffeine treat. The kindness of strangers meant customers could ask for a coffee to be suspended and pay for an extra cup. Then someone in need could walk in and be offered a free drink by the barista.

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COMPETITION

WIN TICKETS TO SEE JOOLS HOLLAND LIVE

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orest Live takes place in June and July every summer where an eclectic mix of acts perform in seven woodland locations around the country as part of the annual concert series arranged by the Forestry Commission. Forest Live in the west country takes place at Westonbirt Arboretum, where this year’s headline acts are: Blondie, Paloma Faith, Olly Murs, Jessie J, Paul Weller and Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra.

We have a pair of tickets to give away for the final concert of the summer series: Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra on Sunday 21 July at 7.30pm. A talented pianist and respected musician, Jools Holland has had a prolific recording career which has run in tandem with successful roles in broadcasting. In the live music arena Jools continues to dazzle audiences with his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and their exuberant performances. The 20-piece orchestra, famed for its unique interpretations of original works consists of pianist, organist, drummer, three female vocals, guitar, bass guitar, two tenor saxophones, two alto saxophones, baritone saxophone, three trumpets, and four trombones. Their popularity continues unabated, playing to audiences in excess of 300,000 every year.

To enter this competition, just answer the following question:

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

How many female vocals feature in the Rhythm & Blues Orchestra?

Send your answer via email with Jools Holland Competition in the subject line to: competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk, along with your full name, address and telephone number; or by post to The Bristol Magazine, 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED. Closing date for entries: Friday 31 May. â– For further information about the concerts, visit: www.forestry.gov.uk/music

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FOOD&DRINK

BBQ season

Whatever the weather report, it’s going to be hot, hot, hot for the weekend of May 11/12 for the annual cook-up that’s Grillstock, Bristol. Jon Finch of Grillstock said: “We’re thrilled Grillstock has made its return to the city. It’s the ultimate BBQ celebration with none other quite like it – real tasty food mixed with a musical feast of Americana roots music.” Jon shared these top tips for home barbecuers: ● Before and after every session clean and oil your grill. Get it hot to burn off any crud then, using tongs, rub over with a kitchen towel dipped in a light cooking oil. This keeps your grill hygienic and helps prevent food from sticking to the bars. ● Set up a two-zone/indirect cooking area. Have two cooking zones, one directly over the flames for searing, the other cooler to allow the meat to cook through indirectly. With a charcoal grill pile the coals to one side.

With a gas grill keep the burners medium-high on one side and low-off on the other. ● Slow things down, relax…. The meat is done, when it’s done – don’t try and rush things. Keep the heat consistent. Keep a spritz bottle full of water handy and douse down flames that start getting out of hand.

Happy to join Bill’s chain gang Such is the power of social media that when my colleague Katie announced on Facebook that she and I were to check out the new Bill’s eaterie near the Clifton Triangle, her friends were quick to chip in and recommend their favourite dishes.

So we arrived at Bill’s with suggestions to try the avocado and bacon salad, the pick-me-up carrot, orange and ginger juice and the mini doughnuts with chocolate dipping sauce.

I’m already a fan of Bill’s having sampled his own brand of hearty British food at the original Bill’s in Lewes, Sussex, and the newly opened one in Bath.

It’s a lively place, with a great musical soundtrack which managed to please young Katie and my not-so-young good self.

The waiting staff are friendly and the service efficient but never brusque.

Say what you like about chains, but when they consistently deliver the same great dishes, whether you’re in

JUICY: Bill’s serves up consistently good food and Sussex brewed beer

Sussex or Bristol, there’s the reassurance that you know what you’re getting for your hardearned pennies.

Starters range from £4.95 to £5.95, for a really excellent modern take on a prawn cocktail.

Served in a sundae glass, the Marie Rose sauce has a real chilli

Horse meat scandal prompts race for veg fest The horse meat scandal has seen a massive surge in interest in VegfestUK Bristol, the world’s biggest veggie event, which is being staged in the city over bank holiday weekend, 24 – 26 May. Visits to the VegFest UK website have tripled in the past three months and stalls spaces have virtually sold out.

VegFestUK Bristol, now in its tenth year, drew over 20,000 visitors to the harbourside last year. Around 25,000 visitors are expected at this year’s festival,

which will feature 125 stalls, talks, cookery demonstrations and music from a lineup which includes Happy Mondays, Caravan Palace, The Farm, 808 State, The Abyssinians, The Boxettes, and a DJ set from Peter Hook (New Order/Joy Division).

Tim Barford of VegfestUK, said: “You don’t have to go veggie, or vegan, to get the benefits of a plant based diet. If you reduce your meat and dairy intake significantly you’ll notice a big difference in your health,

● Don’t get saucy until the end. BBQ sauces and glazes have a high sugar content that will burn quickly and go bitter. Cook your meat and then sauce towards the end and allow to go sticky over indirect heat.

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which is what a lot of people are doing right now. In other words, keep the treats – the beloved Sunday roast for example – but ditch the rest and introduce some veggie options.”

Entry is £2 during the day, 11am – 6pm Saturday 25 May, and £2 on Sunday, 11am – 10pm (£1 children u16 and OAPs) – pay on gate. Admission to the evening events on Friday and Saturday is by advance tickets only, visit: www.bristol.vegfest.co.uk.

Enjoy a pie with cider

● Don’t fiddle and poke – and definitely don’t squeeze. Once you’ve put the meat on the grill just leave it.

Your should only turn once or twice through cooking. Squashing burgers and steaks down just squeezes out all the lovely juice and causes flare ups.

● Check for done-ness. Invest in an instant read thermometer so you know the exact temperature of the meat. It takes away the guesswork.

kick and nestling under the lettuce, a tomato and avocado salsa reminiscent of a good Bloody Mary. Katie’s lamb kofta with salad and tzatziki was big enough to share.

You can have all sorts of meals at Bill’s, from a healthy or sustaining breakfast, through to a light lunch, such as a sharing mezze board, or a slice of cake for afternoon tea, followed by a hamburger or fish pie for supper.

Main courses are from £8.50, for a macaroni cheese – which a friend has dubbed (in Jeremy Clarkson voice) as: ‘the best macaroni cheese in the world’ – to £12.50 for a Cornish monkfish stew with potato, fennel, olives, lemon, tomato and peppers.

I recommend the naked burger, a really delicious, juicy burger which comes with salad and fries, but no bun. Katie’s piri-piri chicken and lemon rice was so generous she took a doggy bag home for her supper. We also like Bill’s shop so you can take a GMc foodie souvenir home.

POPULAR: the newly revamped Pieminister café in Stokes Croft

Mayor George Ferguson was among the guests who attended the party marking the tenth anniversary of Pieminister, founded by two friends and brothers-in-law Jon Simon and Tristan Hogg in Stokes Croft.

The pair baked their first pies at 24 Stokes Croft, and in the last decade the brand has gone on to achieve national success.

Meanwhile, at Pieminister’s original mothership, the café has been extended and improved and diners can now enjoy pies, cider and the newly created Bristolbocker Glory ice cream sundae.

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Free WIFI, Discount Parking & Delicious breakfast Specials T 01179 300066 www.brooksguesthousebristol.com

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Papadeli 84 Alma Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2DJ. Tel: 0117 973 6569. Visit: www.papadeli.co.uk

REVIEW

Just like Papa used to make I

t’s one thing to stand with a cookery book propped open on the kitchen worktop, reading the instructions for a recipe, but it’s quite another to have an actual chef at your elbow reassuring you that, yes, you’re putting enough muscle into kneading that bread dough, but another couple of minutes and it’ll be ready. I know we can learn a fair bit about food from watching the likes of Paul Hollywood and Nigel Slater on telly, but that’s passive couch-potato cookery and it’s not going to fill the family’s tummy with good food at the end of the evening.

Here in Bristol there’s a cookery school that’s proving increasingly popular with all kinds of home cooks, from mums wanting a bit of inspiration for feeding their children, to enthusiastic throwers of impressive dinner parties. And it was just that mix of people around the chopping boards when I joined an Italian themed cookery evening class at Papadeli’s purpose built teaching workshop in Clifton.

Not that the Papa himself, experienced chef Simon MacDonnell comes over like my old school cookery teacher. He doesn’t lecture or prescribe, preferring a relaxed but supportive guiding hand through the evening’s menu.

Aprons on, the 11 students for the evening are told by Simon: “If you think you’ve come for a relaxed evening watching someone else cook, you’d be wrong. This is very much a handson course.”

He reels off a list of what we’ll be making in the three hours we have: focaccia, fresh pesto, herb gnocchi, marinated boned lamb, wild garlic risotto, poached seasonal fruit and Amaretti biscuits.

Suddenly I feel like a contestant in Masterchef. I can almost hear Greg saying: “Cooking doesn’t get any tougher than this.”

But, actually cooking doesn’t get any more enjoyable, therapeutic, sociable and informative than this . . .

Kneading the dough for our focaccia loaves is an ice breaker, as people start chatting while Simon shows us how to effectively knead one-handed. Papadeli staff members Louise and Megan are on hand to help demonstrate different techniques – like how to get the right consistency in mashed potato to make the perfect gnocchi. The working kitchen is really well equipped, allowing up to a dozen people space to create their own dishes.

There is team work on some of the tasks, like boning the lamb.

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was paired with a trainee orthopaedic surgeon so my lack of knife skills weren’t too noticable.

The chap opposite me chopped herbs and crushed garlic with professional aplomb, while I worked more slowly and less nimbly. But it really doesn’t matter what level of cook you are, Papadeli’s team will help if you’re unsure, while my fellow participants were also quick with advice and tips.

We picked up all sorts of titbits through the evening. Simon, who travels to source the best Mediterranean ingredients for his award-winning deli downstairs, told us about the different risotto rice types used in various Italian regions. He advised us to discard the basil stalks when making pesto (they turn black when crushed), but not to throw them away as their flavour is great in soup or stock. And, that when making a fruit syrup red wine actually makes a sweeter, mellow taste than white wine.

The proof, with cooking, is always in the tasting. We’re given breadsticks to dip into the tall jugs of pesto we’ve made. The gorgeous emerald paste is very moreish. Some of us find it hard to tear ourselves away and one woman says: “I swear I’ll never buy readymade pesto again, this is so much better.” Well, one reason it could taste better, is the sheer volume of good quality ingredients that went into it – including some very fine parmesan and a fair amount of olive oil.

Italian food is, as Simon points out, robust. It’s food for sharing too. And, after we’ve worked some fresh wild garlic, parsley and spinach into our gnocchi, rolled and cut it into pillows, and once we’ve formed perfect little Amaretto biscuits, we sit down to share the fruits of our labours.

The risotto, creamy with butter, ricotta, parmesan and white wine, is far superior to anything I’ve made at home before and accompanied by a juicy, tender pink slice of the marinated, quick roast lamb, has us all enthusing.

At the end of a happy evening – “I can’t believe it’s been three hours already,” says the woman next to me – we’re given party bags, bulging with the dishes we’ve made, and plenty for supper for the next evening. There is also a pack with all the recipes to take home, so we can replicate the dishes.

Papadeli is running a series of courses over the coming months, including tapas, Tuscan dishes, food for picnics and British summer recipes. If we do get a decent summer, this is the kind of welcome added inspiration for our tables.

GMc

HANDS-ON: main picture, cooks absorbed in their work at Papadeli’s cookery school Top, poached seasonal fruit with Amaretti biscuits Below, fresh and tasty ingredients are redolent of the Mediterranean sunshine

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OUT&ABOUT

Explore two tunnels on foot The newly restored tunnels on the old Somerset and Dorset Railway have opened up new links for walkers and cyclists. Andrew Swift explores part of the route on foot

A

month ago a £4m walking and cycle path, including a 1,672-metre-long former railway tunnel, opened south of Bath. To mark the occasion, this month’s walk heads along it to visit a hidden valley and an abandoned flight of locks, before returning along old footpaths and green lanes. To get to the starting point, we travel, appropriately enough, by train, alighting at Oldfield Park station in Bath.

After heading up the ramp from the platform, cross the road and carry on along a footpath beside the line. When you come to a road, cross and continue along a footpath. Carry on alongside the cemetery wall, and, after going over a railway bridge, cross the road and bear right up the Two Tunnels Greenway (ST733645).

You are now following the course of the old Somerset & Dorset Railway, closed in 1966 and brought back to life as a shared path. The path leads over a new bridge, replacing one demolished after the line closed. After going under a road bridge, the path crosses another new bridge, with public toilets down to the right.

You soon come to the first of the path’s two tunnels. Although only 409 metres long, Devonshire Tunnel had a punishing gradient of 1 in 50. Today the tunnel is well-lit and the air is clear; in the days of steam, it was pitch black and filled with clouds of smoke.

It leads into Lyncombe Vale, a sylvan interlude before the 1672-metre Combe Down Tunnel. Its falling gradient of 1 in 100 provided a respite for engine drivers and stokers heading out of Bath but posed a formidable challenge for those coming the other way. It was not unknown for train crews to be overcome by fumes; on one occasion in 1929 they failed to come round and the train ran away downhill, killing the driver and two others.

Once through the tunnel, the line runs through a cutting with arches shoring up the unstable ground, before crossing Tucking Mill viaduct, high above a lake. Look out for the distinctive Midford Castle to the right, built in 1775 in the shape of the ace of spades and once owned by actor Nicholas Cage.

Carry on through a short tunnel, beyond which is Midford

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TRANSPORT LINKS: main picture, inside the Combe Down Tunnel, one the newly opened former railway tunnels south of Bath Inset, a steam train on the Somerset & Dorset Railway, Lyncombe Vale in c1936

It was not unknown for train ❝ crews to be overcome by fumes; on one occasion in 1929 they failed to come round and the train ran away downhill

❞

station, where the path cuts through the car park of the Hope & Anchor. Walk down to the road, turn left under the viaduct, and cross by the inn to go down steps and follow a footpath under the viaduct (ST760606).

The bog garden on your left is on the bed of the Somersetshire Coal Canal, the route of which you will be following for the next mile and a half. As you go through a kissing gate (KG) and carry on along the towpath, look to the left to see an aqueduct which carried an arm of the canal across Midford Brook (ST757605).

Carry on along the towpath, crossing a stile. After passing an old bridge, the path goes through a KG and veers left to avoid a railway embankment built across the canal. This had no connection with the line you walked along earlier. It closed in the 1950s after being used to film The Titfield Thunderbolt.

Go under the railway and follow the path as it bears right.

Look out for an old conduit on your left, before going through a

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OUT&ABOUT

REMNANTS OF THE PAST: an old bridge over the canal

KG to rejoin the towpath. After another KG, you pass the remains of three locks.

Go up the steps ahead and through a KG (ST748602). Turn right and then left through a gate, heading down steps to the towpath. On your right are the remains of a platform used to tranship Fuller’s Earth into canal boats.

Carry on alongside a meadow on the course of the canal. At the road, cross and go under a railway bridge. After crossing a stile, carry on past a flight of abandoned locks and through another KG. Here the canal doubles back on itself to continue up another flight of locks, but the path heads straight on.

Don’t cross the stream, but carry on and take the footpath bearing right uphill. Cross a stile to the left of a house (ST743608), carry on uphill and, after crossing another stile, bear left up a field. Cross a stile in the top corner and continue along a lane, ignoring a turning to the left. Head through a gate into Southstoke, where ‘Save the Packhorse’ signs demonstrate villagers’ opposition to the recent closure of their pub.

Bear left by the telephone box and left uphill by the old brewery. Cross the road at the top by the Cross Keys, carry on

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along Southstoke Road for 100 metres and turn right into Shepherds Walk (ST748619). When you come to a lane, cross and carry on along the footpath. At the next lane, carry on and bear left along a path between chicanes. After another 400 metres, go through more chicanes and continue along a road.

At the end, turn left uphill. Past the school is a row of quarrymen’s cottages. Turn right along a stone-walled path between the cottages, climb the steps and turn left along the road.

Turn right down Rock Lane into another old quarry (ST758623). Carry on along a gravel drive and up steps to the left of No 6. At the top, fork right, go between the buildings, cross the road and go through a gate along to the right.

Head across the field to the left of the war memorial, passing over 70 metres above Combe Down Tunnel. Cross at the zebra crossing and carry on along the main road. When you reach a large gatepost, turn left along a footpath between stone walls.

This is the original road down to Bath. Although uninspiring at first, after going through a grotto-like arch, its old character reasserts itself as it heads downhill. After passing the Catholic Cemetery, turn right through a KG into the Abbey Cemetery.

Follow a path down to the main entrance and continue down the road. At the bottom, turn left by the White Hart. Head through Widcombe and along the main road before following the signs to Bath Spa station. ■

FURTHER INFORMATION Length of walk: 9 miles Approx time: four hours ■ Map: OS Explorer 155 ■ Refreshment stops: The Hope & Anchor, Midford; Cross Guns, Combe Down or the White Hart at Widcombe ■ ■

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FAMILYfun

Drawing Mum and Dad at the RWA

Explore Your Universe at At-Bristol

Windmill Hill City Farm Spring Festival

Make the most of May The city has plenty of events and activities on offer for all the family to enjoy this month; from a spring festival at a city farm to learning about the universe. Use our guide to help plan quality time with your children

Farmyard fun Windmill Hill City Farm, Phillip Street, Bedminster, Bristol. Tel: 0117 963 3252 www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk

Windmill Hill City Farm Spring Festival, Saturday 18 May, noon – 5pm This year, Windmill Hill City Farm’s spring festival takes the theme of inspiring and improving quality of life for families in Bristol.

The festival will have a range of activities and workshops for children including face painting, cookery, storytelling, drama, singing, woodworking, gardening, outdoor skills at the farm’s forest school and visitors on the day will include Avon Owls as well as two donkeys from HorseWorld. For the adults there will be plenty of stalls by local craftspeople, outdoor cookery demos, a bar, food stalls and live music. Entry is £5 per adult and under 16s are free.

Make a difference Arnos Vale Cemetary, Bristol. www.arnosvale.org.uk and click on the events and activities link

Arnos Vale Community Run and Toddle, Monday 6 May Enjoy the bank holiday and make a difference at the same time. For £2 per entry, toddlers and their parents can sign up to the ‘toddle’, starting

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at 9am and raise funds for Arnos Vale’s Endowment Fund and local swim school Puddle Ducks’ charity, the Cots for Tots Appeal. The 5k run for ages 15+ will follow, giving the whole family a chance to get involved in the fun.

Lightyears away At-Bristol, Harbourside, Bristol.

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

Explore Your Universe, From Saturday 11 May, weekends and school holidays Explore your universe with this exciting family show, bringing to life the latest discoveries in science – from atoms to astrophysics. Follow in the footsteps of top UK experts at the cutting edge of research and explore what links particle accelerators with 80s hair, and find out what space telescopes have in common with adrenaline-fuelled police chases.

Furry fables Bristol Zoo Gardens, Clifton, Bristol.

Tel: 0117 9747300 www.bristolzoo.org.uk

Wild Tales on Wheels: Storytelling Bus Top Tour, Sunday 12 May, 2pm – 4pm Join professional storyteller Martin Maudsley for a unique storytelling tour of the Avon Gorge

and Downs. From a lofty perch aboard the city sightseeing bus you’ll hear a menagerie of wild tales and fables, bringing the local landscape to life with feuding giants, cunning creatures and sacred trees. Suitable for all the family. Book with the Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project at Bristol Zoo, £9.50 per adult and £5.50 per child, tel: 0117 903 0609 or email: mleivers@bristolzoo.org.uk.

Happy faces RWA, Queen’s Road, Clifton, Bristol. www.rwa.org.uk

Drawing Machines, Wednesday 29 May, 11am – 3pm This is a fun drop-in session for all the family to create drawing machines out of simple materials, robots and children’s toys. Bring along your own rucksack and experiment with a machine that sits inside it and draws as you move around, or see how you can draw by working with others and make your own wind-up drawing machine.

Drawing Mum and Dad, Thursday 30 May, 10am – 11.30am Join Anouk Mercier for a fun and informal workshop tailored to children, parents and grandparents to learn basic portrait drawing skills through a series of short interactive drawing games and challenges. £5 per child.

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FIT&FABULOUS

Bronze goddess in an instant

by Emma Noad

T

he ultimate accessory to any outfit this summer is a fabulous tan – I love the sun-kissed look, especially for evenings out and social events, and a spray tan is the only sensible and effective way to achieve it. Avoid the risk of harmful UV rays and try Mobile Spray Tan LLP, a team of spray tanning and mobile beauticians covering Bristol and the surrounding areas.

No matter how busy your schedule is, an experienced Mobile Spray Tan beauty expert will come to you in the comfort of your home, office or any convenient location to give your skin a natural sun-kissed look, ready for any occasion. Mobile Spray Tan Bristol also offers other services, ranging from waxing, manicures and hair colouring to massages and male grooming, so all your beauty treatments are taken care of without the inconvenience of visiting a salon. To make the process even easier, Mobile Spray Tan Bristol has a user friendly website which lists all the treatments, prices and offers available and enables you to book appointments online.

Inbetween juggling my job, family life and keeping fit and healthy, I rarely get time to visit a salon. So when I discovered that the mobile salon would work around my busy schedule and come to me at a time that suited, I booked an online appointment. The beautician came to my office in my lunch break; she was friendly, chatty and made me feel very comfortable. The experience couldn’t have been easier and was very beneficial as I had a wedding to attend that weekend. My spray tan looked gorgeous and natural, adding that extra sparkle to my outfit.

Mobile Spray Tan Bristol is also available for events such as group bookings, corporate bookings, prephoto shoot bookings, hen-dos and weddings – a perfect opportunity to get together with friends to share gossip and enjoy a bit of professional pampering at home. Appointments are available 8am to midnight, seven days a week. To make a booking, visit: www.mobilespraytanbristol.co.uk.

• On 12 May, Bristol Zoo Gardens is hosting a sponsored three-hour Zumbathon, with proceeds going to one of the zoo’s many conservation projects, working to protect the last remaining populations of two critically endangered lemur species that inhabit the northwest of Madagascar. Bristol Zoo Gardens has teamed up with Everyone Active who will be providing qualified and certified Zumba instructors, so it doesn't matter if you have been attending classes, or if you are a complete beginner, you will soon pick up the steps, and you can do as much or little as you like. It costs £12 to enter (£10 for Bristol Zoo members) and spectators can come and watch at the reduced rate of £10 and get access to the zoo for the whole day. To enter Bristol Zoo’s Zumbathon, visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk/zumbathon • Good luck to all those taking part in the Bristol 10k on Sunday 5 May – but don’t worry if you’ve missed it as there are plenty of other opportunities to run in the city. Entries are now being taken for the Bristol Half Marathon on Sunday 15 September and you can also join the weekly fun 5k Parkrun at Ashton Court which takes place every Saturday at 9am.

Register at: www.parkrun.org.uk. It’s free, friendly and sociable too.

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SKIN DEEP The latest health and beauty news and reviews

▲

News in Brief

WOMENʼS 10K

The city has been selected as one of just three UK locations for a new womenonly race, The Women’s Running 10K, this year. The event, organised by Women’s Running magazine and led by former model and top runner, Nell McAndrew, will start and finish at Bristol’s Blaise Castle on Saturday 29 June. The route will avoid steep hills, and follow a scenic loop combining flat, open parkland with forest tracks. Suitable for runners of all abilities, there will be a team of four pacers, targeting times of 45, 50, and 60 minutes and a run/walk group aiming for 70 minutes. The race also includes a warm-up, goody bag, medal, post-race warm down and a personalised email containing your race finish time and personal statistics from the day. The event is open for entries at £25. Visit: www.womensrunninguk.co.uk

The TRUTH about varicose veins...

One in three people suffer from varicose veins at some stage in life, yet there are a lot of myths about the condition, says expert Dr Haroun Gajraj, who recently opened a branch of the VeinCare Centre at Litfield House Medical Centre in Clifton. Here are some of the most common misconceptions: 1. Varicose veins affect more women than men. FALSE. One of the most thorough studies ever carried out, by the University of Edinburgh, found that slightly more men than women had varicose veins.

What is true, however, is that women are more likely than men to seek help.

2. Varicose veins are caused by standing for too long/lack of exercise/bad diet/pregnancy. FALSE. None of these actually causes varicose veins, though all of them can aggravate symptoms. The cause of varicose veins is an underlying condition called Superficial Venous Reflux and the only known cause of this is heredity. In healthy legs, blood is pumped uphill and prevented from falling back down by tiny valves in the veins that open and close. But if these valves don’t work properly, gravity pulls blood the wrong way where it pools in the veins close to the skin’s surface, making them bulge.

3. The NHS will treat my varicose veins. FALSE. You are now unlikely to get NHS treatment unless you are in severe pain, bleeding or suffering complications.

4. The only available treatment is the painful vein stripping method. FALSE. Fortunately, there are several highly-effective, non-surgical treatments that can be carried out in a clinic under local anaesthetic with little discomfort. These are walk-in, walk-out procedures that can be done in a lunch break.

5. Varicose veins are a cosmetic issue for some people, yes, says Dr Gajraj. But for many they cause aching, throbbing, itching legs and if left untreated they can get worse or cause complications such as ulcers and inflammation. Early treatment is the key.

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BEACHbody With the holiday season fast approaching it’s not just your packing that needs your full attention. After months of hiding ourselves behind our winter woollies, it is time to prepare yourself top to toe for summer. Whether you’re cutting the carbs, opting for the 5:2 diet or burning off those cakes and chocolates down at the gym, you’ll want to make sure your skin bares close scrutiny in the sun. Here are my favourite products to leave you preened and pampered in time for your summer sojourn. All are available from the Ground Floor Beauty Hall at Harvey Nichols Bristol.

DARE TO BARE

Get working on that pre-summer prep to get your skin in great shape for your holidays writes Lisa Piddington

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1: Bliss Fabulips set, £39: Pucker up for the perfect pout, thanks to this four-step kit that will leave your lips looking simply luscious. 2: Electric Hairdressing C-3 Serum, £17: This light, non-oily serum smoothes flyaway hair and split ends leaving you with a luminous, healthy shine. 3: Benefit Boo Boo Zap, £13.50: Say goodbye to problem skin with this fast-acting treatment that purifies and dries out blemishes while reducing redness and swelling. 4: Soap & Glory Hand Food, £5: For neglected nails and dry skin, this super silky, non-greasy cream is the perfect post-winter treat. 5: Tria Hair Removal Laser System, £375: The first and only cordless laser system for safe and effective hair removal at home. 6: This Works No Wrinkles Wonder Essence, £30: A beautician in a bottle – this fast-penetrating treatment tackles wrinkles, skin pigmentation and enlarged pores. 7: Elemis Exotic Cream Moisturising Mask, £32.50: A light, creamy mask that leaves skin super-moisturised and enriched. For optimum penetration, leave on overnight. 8: Sisley Sisleÿa Anti-Aging Concentrate Firming Body Care, £265: The power of a sculpting serum, combined with the hydrating elements of a cream, it helps firm skin in four weeks. 9: Crème de la Mer The Radiant serum, £225: The perfect TLC for a tired complexion, designed to illuminate and balance the look of your skin.

74 The Bristol Magazine

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A noble profession Elaine Collins, head matron at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital talks about her profession, as we prepare to mark International Nurses’ Day on 12 May – Florence Nightingale’s birthday

H

ow long have you been a nurse?

“I’ve been a nurse for over 30 years.

I trained as a general and ophthalmic nurse and on qualifying I specialised in orthopaedic and trauma nursing, progressing to a ward sister and then moving into nursing management. From 2007-2011 I was chair of the Royal College of Nursing, Society of Orthopaedic & Trauma Nursing, and have been head matron at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital for three years.

Tell us about an average day at work I work to support and give direction to our clinical teams, ensuring they are caring for patients to the highest possible standard. I have played an integral role in the launch of our new Chesterfield Hospital in Clifton, which opens later this year. Nuffield Health is investing millions of pounds in making the Chesterfield one of the most technologically advanced private hospitals in the south west, it will be my job to make sure that the state-of-the-art facilities are matched with an intimate and personal customer experience.

Why are you proud to be a nurse?

Nursing is a career which makes a real difference and is extremely rewarding. Many of our patients undergo surgery that will help change their lives. To then see these people receive the specialist surgery they need and walk out of the hospital with a different and more independent life ahead of them is incomparable.

Have standards in nursing changed since you qualified?

Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of changes in the profession and in the advancement of medical technology, but at the heart of it all is patient care.

There has obviously been much in the press over recent years about the decline in care standards, and while there are clearly areas for concern, it’s important that we remember all the great work being carried out by our nurses. Our role can be wide and varied, caring not just for the patient, but for their family and loved ones, as well as supporting doctors and surgeons in delivery of treatment. On the whole, our profession is represented by caring, compassionate and dedicated people who want nothing more than to help the people in their care.

How do you think standards could be improved?

Throughout my career I have had the fortune to work with some excellent nurses and to learn a truly exceptional approach to patient care. At Nuffield Health we believe in matron-led care where we have a dedicated and experienced nurse who is responsible for the overall care of patients and monitoring standards to ensure they are kept high. Our role enables our patients to have more one-on-one time with our nurses. That time we spend with the patient, caring and listening to their needs, is priceless and it really brings a true and deserved level of humanity to the work we do. This leads to a confidence among patients and an overall feeling of respect. I think this goes a long way in supporting a patient’s recovery, as well as their impression of the healthcare service. ■ Nuffield Health is currently investing £20m in redeveloping its Chesterfield Hospital on Clifton Hill, opening September 2013.

For more information visit: www.nuffieldhealth.com 76 The Bristol Magazine

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241 on all treatments when you quote “The Bristol Magazine”

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SKIN AWA R E N E SS W E E K AT

58 QUEEN SQUARE BRISTOL

WEEK COMMENCING 20TH MAY 2013 5.30 P.M. – 7.30 P.M. ■ Are you worried you may have Skin Cancer?

■ Do you have a mole that you are unsure of?

■ Do you feel your skin is sun damaged?

■ Would you like to know more about protecting your skin?

■ Do you have an unsightly Lesion on your body?

If you can answer “yes“ to any of the above questions, Bristol Plastic Surgery invite you along to attend a FREE consultation with one of our Consultant Plastic Surgeons to discuss your concerns, offer advice and put your mind at rest. Also available is a FREE digital skin analysis with one of our Practitioners to evaluate the health and appearance of your skin.

Contact 0117 910 2400 or drop in to 58 Queen Square and speak to our receptionist.

Bristol Plastic Surgery, 58 Queen Square, Bristol, BS1 4LF www.bristolplasticsurgery.com

Skin Awareness Week Bristol Plastic Surgery in conjunction with 58 Queen Square are holding a Skin Awareness Week to help raise awareness of the damage that sun can do to skin, both in terms of skin cancer and other skin damage.

S

kin cancer is now nearly as prevalent as all other cancers put together, with more than 200,000 basal cell skin cancers treated with surgery a year. New research has found that, over the past decade, there has been an 80 per cent rise in cases of the skin cancer which are treated with surgery alone. But doctors who carried out the study warn that official government skin cancer figures seriously underestimate the true levels.

With costs of treating each case of this form of skin cancer being a minimum of £1,000, the financial burden to the NHS could be more than £200m a year.

Malignant Melanoma skin cancer is the 5th most common cancer in the UK and the number of people being diagnosed with this type of cancer has more than quadrupled in the past 30 years, partly due to more people taking holidays abroad and spending more time in the sun. Early detection and treatment improves survival rates for malignant melanoma and other less serious forms of skin cancer.

Now that the spring has finally arrived and summer is just around the corner, it’s that time of year when scarves and jumpers are discarded and you may notice a mole that you hadn’t spotted before. Whilst most moles are not skin cancer, it is advisable to get anything ‘suspicious’ checked out, since early diagnosis can put your mind at rest or if a mole is a skin cancer, early treatment can often be ‘nipped it in the bud’.

Each evening during the week beginning 20th May, the clinic at 58

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Queen Square will be open and leading Consultant Plastic Surgeons including Mr Antonio Orlando, lead Clinician in Skin Oncology for North Bristol NHS Trust, and a team of plastic surgery nurses are offering to see people who want to check whether they have moles that could be skin cancer and review how much sun damage there has been to their skin.

They will also offer advice on how safely to enjoy the sun.

Appointments for the free consultations with a Consultant Plastic Surgeon to check moles, and with a Plastic Surgery Nurse to have a digital skin analysis are available between 5.30 and 7.30 pm on Monday through to Friday during the week of 20th May and can be made by phoning the clinic on 0117 910 2400, or by dropping in to 58 Queen Square. ■

May 2013

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The Bristol Magazine 77

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DO YOU HAVE HEAVY, SWOLLEN OR PAINFUL ARMS/LEGS?

Proactive rehabilitation

Depending on your medical condition Manual Lymphatic Drainage and or Decongestive Therapy could possibly help?

What is this? It is a light medical massage which helps to stimulate your lymphatic system and help to reduce swollen legs. Susanna has worked in a large London Hospital specialising in the Lymphatic’s.

Samantha Coleman visits THE Medical clinic recently opened in Westbury-on-Trym to find out about its patient care

T

HE Medical, a Bristol-based company of clinics offering treatments by physiotherapists and leading clinicians, holds a firm belief in making the most of life. Specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions, relieving muscle and joint pain and maintaining optimal physical function, its aim is to keep you playing, carrying, walking, typing, lifting, climbing, jogging, standing and doing whatever it is you enjoy.

In its six locations around Bristol at Aztec West, city centre, Longwell Green, Stoke Bishop, Temple Quay and Westbury-on-Trym, THE Medical blends the skills of chiropractors, osteopaths, physiotherapists, sports massage therapists and acupuncturists to deliver a tailored treatment plan for every client. James Arthurs, one of the partners that run THE Medical says: “We offer supervised rehabilitation programmes, taking people from a reactive situation where clients are using medication and short-term relief, to a proactive one, of ongoing treatments and effective relief.”

THE Medical is an evidence-based clinic, so it only uses physical treatments that have proven results. Among its long list of services are treatments for back pain, headaches, joint pain, sports injuries as well as acupuncture for fertility and turning breach babies. “We did 14,700 treatments last year in the whole company and we are expecting to do 17,000 this year now that we have opened more clinics, including the most recent in Westbury-on-Trym,” says James. Not at all like a doctor’s surgery, the new clinic in Southfield House is a completely refurbished, clean, light and comfortable space with four treatment rooms and one exercise studio where baby massage, baby yoga, Pilates and yoga classes will be held, each one tailored to your needs and led by a clinical-based physician. More family-orientated than any of the others, this clinic is situated in a very residential location so it’s perfect for people looking to book appointments after work, after school and during the day.

“More and more people are booking appointments at THE Medical as a first point of contact,” says James. “We have a loyal client base and have built up an excellent reputation for really caring about patients.” And it is no wonder, with opening hours from 8am – 9pm and being conveniently located to where people live and work, THE Medical is designed for busy people with hectic schedules. It also works very hard to keep the atmosphere in each clinic friendly and welcoming, and make people feel comfortable and at ease. It’s good value too. James says: “Clients do see results and we offer 12 appointments for £348 which can be used at any time over two years by anyone in the family at any of the clinics; or three for £99, six for £186 or nine for £270.”

THE Medical is run by two non-practitioners, James and Mike, who look after the business side of things; and two practitioners, Hayley and Hazel, who represent the patient and purely focus on patient care. “We make sure that the patient is at the centre of everything we do,” says Hayley. “And we will always suggest the best possible treatment.” ■ For further information visit: www.themedicalbristol.co.uk 78 The Bristol Magazine

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Copyright Kendal Lymphology Centre; Cumbria

DO YOU HAVE ARTHRITIS OR BACK PAIN? EMS is widely used across Europe in Hospitals and clinics for arthritis and back pain. Passed by the EU, Susanna uses this non-invasive, drug free therapy in her clinic.

Copyright Kendal Lymphology Centre; Cumbria

Based in Nailsworth and Bristol. www.centre4health.co.uk Call Susanna on 07867 934677 for an appointment.

Mobile visiting is also available.

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Stress – a naturopathic approach The right diet and lifestyle can make an amazing difference to your stress levels, according to Jacquie Lane, lecturer at CNM (The College of Naturopathic Medicine).

With our 24/7 society, it’s no wonder that increasing numbers of us are suffering from ‘stress’.

Signs and symptoms may include feeling tired or overwhelmed; our mood and memory may diminish; we may crave alcohol, have insomnia, or find ourselves frequently coming down with colds or having skin flare-ups for which doctors can’t diagnose a reason. We may suffer tension headaches or find it really difficult to relax, as if the ‘on’ button is on all the time.

When your body gears up to deal with stress, two hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, are released to jump-start fats and carbohydrates in your body for quick energy. Adrenaline increases your heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac output and carbohydrate metabolism. Cortisol directs the necessary energy to meet the increased needs of your muscles or Jacquie Lane, CNM lecturer brain to respond to the stress. With chronic stress, cortisol levels go up and remain high. Our adrenal glands can quite simply become ‘exhausted’ from prolonged overproduction of cortisol, potentially leading to further health complications.

The good news is that there are practical steps you can take to help boost your body’s immune system naturally. In fact, with the right diet and lifestyle, you can increase your energy levels at the same time, and enjoy what feels like a whole new lease of life.

The basis is to provide your body with high quality fuel, unprocessed and organic to provide the necessary ‘buffer’ to physical and emotional stresses on the body. Stick to the basics of good quality vegetables and fruits, wholegrains like oats and brown rice and good www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

quality proteins like fish, beans and legumes. Avoid sugar as this can aggravate stress levels by playing havoc with your glucose and insulin levels.

The nutrients contained in a good diet can really help you to cope with stress. Magnesium is nature’s tranquilliser, whilst zinc deficiency can lead to irritability, chronic anger, and reduced ability to handle stress. The B vitamins are involved in many stress and energy processes. Vitamin C is required for the adrenals and omega-3 for brain function.

If you need extra help, there are some good nutritional supplements, and some excellent stress-relieving ‘adaptogen’ herbal preparations on the market, which your herbalist or naturopathic therapist could recommend to you. Suitable herbs range from Siberian Ginseng to Rhodiola and Ashwagandha.

It is important to eliminate or contain the causes of stress so that you don’t get into a vicious cycle. Getting plenty of exercise is good, as the endorphins released as a result are very stress relieving. Time spent out in nature is deeply restorative so take a walk in the park or the countryside, leaving your electronic gadgets behind. Plus, enjoying some safe levels of sunshine will bump up your Vitamin D levels and make you feel better.

Make sure there are no distractions when you go to bed, such as televisions or mobile phones, which could interfere with a good night’s sleep. Develop some relaxation techniques or treat yourself to a relaxation session such as a massage. Acupuncture is particularly good at calming the spirit and helping the mind to switch off.

Free Open Evenings Thursday 2nd May and Thursday 6th June 2013: 6:30pm – 8:30pm Find out about training at CNM Bristol for a new career in

Naturopathic Nutrition, or Naturopathic Acupuncture.

For more info, to reserve your place, or to find out more about our short course in Nutrition For Everyday Living, please call 01342 410 505, or email info@naturopathy-uk.com

www.naturopathy-uk.com May 2013

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COUNTRYproperty

The best of both worlds Marianne Swinkells visits a farmhouse near Dundry with panoramic views, which has been lovingly renovated as a family home with plenty of space for everyone

I

t’s fair to say that few folk can enjoy a view of Brunel’s mighty Suspension Bridge from their very own bed – without even living in Bristol. Yet perched high on a hillside plot, this Dundry home offers just that, overlooking as it does, a spectacular cityscape that spreads out far and away below the house like a vast urban petticoat. From the Welsh coastline to the west, to distant Wotton-under-Edge in the north, it’s a vista which pans across Bristol landmarks, suburbs and skylines – and yes you can clearly see that famous bridge.

It is literally just one point of view from this family farmhouse which skirts closely to the edges of south Bristol. There is another and equally superb scene to be had.

there’s space aplenty to dine out, ❝ on the decking, watch the sun go down and enjoy a private view of Bristol’s balloon and firework festivals without leaving home

❞

Where buildings fade into fields as the heights of Dundry village kick in, you’ll need to do a visual double-take as there’s a sudden town-to-country shift. From another window in that same bedroom you can see sheep grazing in an uninterrupted swathe of pastureland and meadows.

It is this rich rural-meets-city mix which forms the first, striking impression of Glenside Farm, offering as it does a full-on panorama from every aspect of this five/six bedroom home.

No-one could better sum this up than the vendors’ teenage son who, when asked what he would most miss on moving, answered without hesitation “being in the best of both worlds”.

With some six acres of smallholding, gardens and paddocks it is easy to feel that this delightful period farm would have a 80 The Bristol Magazine

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May 2013

rightful place in any Darling Buds of May meets The Good Life film. Add in the pond, orchard, chicken run, pig enclosures and array of outbuildings and Glenside will appeal to anyone with a yen to ‘escape to the country’ and the desire for easy access to all that Bristol has to offer. Quite a winning combination.

Just a short drive away and you’ll be smack in the centre of Clifton where, who knows, there may be the temptation to stroll across that bridge and take a cityside peep at distant Dundry.

Originally built by a gentleman farmer in 1927 to house two farm labourers’ families, the daughter of former tenants lived on her own here for many decades. Little was done to update the property until it came on the open market for the very first timejust 14 years ago.

It was then that a Bristol based couple and their four young children threw caution to the wind and decided that the time was right to tackle an ambitious project.

As the current vendor tells it: “We outgrew our home in town and were yearning for a place which offered us lots of space. It was a search that took two years. When we came across Glenside Farm we just knew that at last we’d found the house for us. It offered so much potential and, after city life, a luxurious privacy.”

The challenge of modernising and renovating Glenside Farm began in earnest and over the years, project by project, this hillside property was transformed into the spacious home it is today.

With its open fireplaces, wood burner stove and oak flooring, the oil-fired Aga in the 21ft long Shaker style kitchen, the wellstocked library and warm paint colours, the overall tone is one of comfort and cosiness. There is an air too of friendly formality in the two studies and twin sitting rooms and with its half-landings and generous bedrooms and bathrooms spread over three levels, Glenside Farm offers ample opportunity to enjoy both communal living and a bit of personal peace and quiet.

If walls could speak they would surely say that this is a happy family place.

With gardens and paddocks stretching over some 3.6 acres, there’s space aplenty to dine on the decking, watch the sun go

ON A CLEAR DAY: the far-reaching views from Glenside

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COUNTRYproperty

PLEASING: the exterior and interior of Glenside farmhouse

down and enjoy a private view of Bristol’s balloon and firework festivals without leaving home. Or, as the current vendors do, rear rare Gloucester Old Spot pigs as a small family business in the field below.

With a further two and a quarter acres of fields separately available, the land and sheds provide plenty of scope. And there is something else which offers a blank canvas for anyone with a dream and imagination: Glenside Farm boasts a large partconverted barn – ripe with potential. Currently one main room with a mezzanine floor, exposed chamfered beams and four Velux windows to either side, the donkey-work has been done and the possibilities simply endless. ■

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

PROPERTY PORTFOLIO Where: Glenside Farm, Dundry What: period 5/6 bedroom farmhouse Price: £795,000 The spec: spectacular views, part-converted barn, garage and outbuildings. Gardens and paddocks of 3.6 acres, plus c2¼ acres available separately Agents: Alexander May (Long Ashton office) tel: 01275 393 956 email: sales@alexandermay.co.uk visit: www.alexandermay.co.uk

May 2013

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The Bristol Magazine 81

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Heat Resistant

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We go over the top to transform your kitchen!

Our beautiful Granite finish surfaces are only 7mm thick and are expertly laid over and around your existing worktops transforming Your kitchen In just one day...and we dont stop there.

For complete peace of mind we offer a full range of sinks, taps and appliances to complete your transformation.

For your free home survey and no-obligation quotation call us today

01225 738425

AMAZING WORKTOP TRANSFORMATIONS

82 The Bristol Magazine

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The Bristol Magazine 83

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intotal intotal Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installers

Specialist kitchen installers for over 30 years

www.intotalkitchens.co.uk Fixed price quotation

“I’m Martin For the past 30 years I have been working with some of the country’s top kitchen studio’s, turning their designs into reality, including all the building, plumbing, gas and electrical works.

The intotal service I offer is a design consultation, using yoiur ideas. Then using my 30 years of experience, I will help you purchase the best products at the best prices and then fully manage the project.

Call today and see how you can make massive savings. Tel: 0117-2440097

84 The Bristol Magazine

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Bespoke Kitchen Design Handmade in Bristol

Morley Grove offers a wide range ot Bespoke kitchens from the ultra modern handleless kitchen to the classic shaker.

Any design you have in mind we can accomodate all at fantastic prices to suit your budget.

Morley Grove Kitchens : 110 Coldharbour Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 7SB 0117 915 0095 : www.morleygrove.co.uk

Morley g M G rove Kitchens

Open times : 9.30am - 5.30pm Mon-Fri • 10.00am - 3pm Sat

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May 2013

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Bristol Classified - May 2013:Layout 4

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the directory

the directory to advertise in this section call 0117 974 2800

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

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

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T HE

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House & Home

The Furniture Care People.

MAGAZINE

Furniture, door, wood and metal stripping.

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

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

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The Bristol Magazine 87

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BRISTOLproperty

T

his beautiful example of a Grade II listed Georgian townhouse is situated within easy access of Queens Road and is a superb example of contemporary living combined with classical period elegance. The house occupies a significant footprint and is currently arranged as a single dwelling, arranged over five floors with further cellars below. There is the option to convert the lower ground floor back to provide self contained accommodation (subject to consents). Many period features have been retained throughout the property and the upper four floors provide extensive family accommodation which is light, airy and tastefully presented. In brief the accommodation comprises: Hall floor: Entrance hall, kitchen, family/sitting room. drawing room, cloakroom. Upper floors: Six double bedrooms, four bath/shower rooms (one en suite), second floor kitchenette with access to roof terrace. Lower ground floor: Master bedroom with en suite shower room, two further double bedrooms, shower room, storage and utility room. A vaulted cellar provides further storage. The outside space can be enjoyed from lovely decked balcony which is accessed from the family living area on the hall floor, and leads down to the garden. There is also a decked roof terrace leading from the third floor kitchenette. This is an ideal party space and has fabulous views across Bristol. There are two private off street parking spaces across the road accessed via double electric gates. This sophisticated slice of Clifton living is available to view by appointment with agents Knight Frank.

Knight Frank, Regent House, 27A Regent Street, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 317 1999 88 The Bristol Magazine

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May 2013

RICHMOND HILL, CLIFTON, BRISTOL • An exceptional Georgian town house of beautiful proportions offering extensive accommodation • 6 Double Bedrooms • 4 Bath/Shower Rooms • Five floors and Cellars below • Rooftop terrace with great views • Private walled garden • Private parking space

Guide Price: 1,395,000

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Commercial Sales & Lettings

0117 949 1888

Supporting

www.maggsandallen.co.uk NEW INSTRUCTION

NEW INSTRUCTION

Redland

£595,000

Rare opportunity to acquire two adjoining three storey freehold properties (approximately 4,000sqft net internal area) with gated rear car park. The property is situated in a prominent location on the junction of Zetland Road and Gloucester Road. The property comprises a double fronted retail/showroom to the ground floor with additional offices and showroom space to the upper levels. In addition, the second floor of No. 6 provides residential accommodation. Benefits include vehicular access from Cranbrook Road to an enclosed rear car park providing off street parking and rear access. To be sold with vacant possession. Early enquiries recommended.

SOLD, SIMILAR REQUIRED

£320,000

Freehold property arranged as ground floor lock up shop unit with additional basement level (approx 1,000 sqft) and large self contained maisonette with roof terrace to the upper floors. Situated in a prime location just off Blackboy Hill. To be sold with vacant possession.

Maggs & Allen May.indd 3

£99,950

Excellent Location! Well-presented self contained lock up shop currently trading as a sandwich shop (A1 planning use) of approximately 450sqft with kitchen and toilet facilities. The property is situated in Worrall Road, a prominent location just off Blackboy Hill Clifton. Early enquires recommended. To be sold with vacant possession.

NEW INSTRUCTION

Clifton

Estate Agents

Clifton

Lettings & Management

Auctioneers

City Centre

£12,000p.a.

Rare opportunity to acquire a lease on these 3 floors of upper office space (approximately 1200sqft gross/920sqft net). Situated in a prime location in Bristol City Centre, just off Broad Street within very close proximity to Corn Street and The Galleries.

Potential for alternative uses such as D1 subject to obtaining the necessary consents.

Commercial/ Investment

Chartered Surveyors

Land/New Homes

Energy Assessors

22/04/2013 11:19

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

(0117) 934 9977

184 WHITELADIES ROAD

123 STOKE LANE

A large shop with rear ancillary rooms in a prominent location opposite the new Simply Health office HQ (due to house c 400 staff).

A very busy neighbourhood parade serving Stoke Bishop and Westbury – Large Shop – To rent or to purchase

To let £19,200 pax

CLIFTON VILLAGE SHOP

164-166 WELLS ROAD, BRISTOL

A large shop of 908 sq ft over ground and first floors.

Very prominent large shop of c.1,182 sq ft and 6 forecourt car spaces.

A rare opportunity to rent a unit of this size on The Mall.

Only 15,000 pax

New Lease – Rent on application

CLIFTON DOWN HOUSE WHITELADIES ROAD, BS8

QUEEN CHARLOTTE STREET BS1

4,906 sq ft modern open plan office suite with 13 car spaces.

To let (might sell).

23,000 sq ft office building in prime location close to Queen Square.

New lease - £14 psf

Terms on application.

FREEHOLD FOR SALE

FEEDER ROAD, ST PHILIPS

RARE opportunity to purchase offices of 3,258 sq ft on 0.31 acres

Low cost offices of 2,767 sq ft with 15 car spaces – Only £5 per sq ft

£350,000

CITY CENTRE OFFICES

FERNHILL COURT, ALMONDSBURY

Superb studio style offices from 800 – 1,600 sq ft – from only £108 per week!

Contemporary offices within quality barn conversion – TO LET. Sizes from 711 to 2,378 sq ft.

New flexi leases.

GOOD MOTORWAY ACCESS

• • • • Julian Cook

Jayne Rixon

Andrew Oliver

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FRICS

MRICS

MRICS

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Burston Cook May.indd 1

Sales /Lettings Acquisitions advice Valuations Landlord & tenant

• • • •

Rent reviews Development advice Investments Dilapidations

(0117) 934 9977 22/04/2013 13:08

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BRISTOLproperty ▲

ABBOTS LEIGH, BRISTOL

Abbots Leigh House is a prominent and spectacular seven bedroom property, set in magnificent, wellmaintained grounds of over seven acres in the sought after enclave of Abbots Leigh, a moment’s drive from Clifton and Bristol city centre. The property has an additional coach house, and numerous outbuildings including greenhouse and there’s also paddocks and stables with a tack room. £2,995,000

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Contact Hamptons (Bristol office) Tel: 0117 901 5591

FROG COTTAGE, WESTBURY ON TRYM Formerly two cottages and positioned in the oldest part of Westbury-on-Trym, Frog Cottage is a carefully restored and delightful Grade II listed, three bedroom three storey period property with spacious lounge/diner and kitchen/breakfast room to ground floor along with a welcoming vestibule with ample storage. Landscaped paved rear courtyard garden with a front garden/secure driveway with wrought iron gates. £295,000.

Contact CJ Hole, (Henleaze office) Tel: 0117 962 9221

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TENNYSON MEWS, ROYAL VICTORIA PARK This delightful property briefly comprises of entrance vestibule, open plan double height lounge/dining area, a lovely modern fitted kitchen and well equipped bathroom, along with 2 double bedrooms and a "snug/office/occasional single bedroom" and large hallway overlooking the lounge. With the additional benefit of a private garden and use of communal gardens and outstanding grounds, bike storage area and parking space. This is a truly unique property that must be viewed. £249,995

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Robert Rhys Estate Agents Tel: 0117 931 1122

THE OLD POUND, ALMONDSBURY Set behind a natural stone wall and in the desirable village of Almondsbury, The Old Pound exudes character and charm from every pore. Enter through the latched door of the open porch and into the hallway with its exposed stone walls and you will be greeted by an array of period features such as open fireplaces, beamed ceilings and exposed rafters. This Grade II listed farmhouse offers enviable accommodation for the discerning buyer.

Price: £875,000

Contact CJ Hole (Bishopston office) Tel: 0117 923 2888

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T: 01275 877771 www.stevensmithhomes.co.uk

May 10am h t 8 1 y a d y Satur Open Da

to 5pm

FROM

£482,500

“Something Special” Three stunning new 4 bedroom family homes currently under construction in mid Clevedon, a stone’s throw of the sea front with its coastal walks, waterside restaurants, boutiques, shops and wine bars, ready for occupation in early summer.

Each property has the benefit of large family bathroom, master en-suite and spectacular living space with garden room complemented by glazed roof lantern and full width bi fold doors on to the rear garden.

The properties are completed throughout with high quality finishes and include Fully fitted kitchen with Bosch cooking appliances • Granite work tops • High gloss cream kitchen units Oak doors with contrasting in-lay • Engineered Oak flooring throughout ground floor • Carpets to first floor • Fitted wardrobes Fully tiled family bathroom and master en-suite • “Playa” wall hung bathroom fittings with recessed basins in marble vanity units Intruder alarm • Integral garage

Come along to our open day on Saturday 18th May between 10am and 5pm and see for yourself, with special offers for those able to reserve on the day.

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PROPERTYnews

Maggs & Allen sign up for the 24 in 24

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ravely joining local celebrities and international rugby stars, James Goodchild of Bristol estate agents Maggs and Allen has signed up to take part in a gruelling 24 hour charity fundraiser for the Capella Foundation. The charity is setting this test of strength, endurance and sheer determination, with the inaugural 24-in-24 sponsorship challenge and is calling on volunteers to get involved. Made up of 24 different exercises to be completed during the hour, one after the other across 24 hours, it is set to be a monumental fitness challenge that will leave grown men and women weeping.

This mammoth contest is taking place on Saturday 18 May, starting at 1pm in Canford Park, Westbury-on-Trym and running right through the night until 1pm on Sunday 19May, with activities ending in David Lloyd Leisure Centre, Westbury-on-Trym. A full timetable of events can be found on the website: www.thecapellafoundation.com Anyone can take part, and you can decide which of the circuit events you would like to take part in – the choice is yours. All abilities are catered for with tasks ranging from spinning, Zumba and Body Pump to the more gruelling car pull, 1000kg lift and mud runner. The day will culminate in a fabulous Bhangra fitness session run by Bristol based Bhangra band RSVP, where everyone – challengers and supporters alike – can show their support and get involved in a fun, energetic dance off to celebrate the successes of the event.

A barbecue and drinks party will follow the final Bhangra session at David Lloyd to celebrate the completion of the 24 hour challenge, so there’s even more reason to attend and show support.

The Capella Foundation works to increase awareness of medical conditions in pregnancy, a subject that will be dear to many parents’ hearts.

To take part bring £10 for each event you would like to take part in, or better still some sponsorship money (sponsorship forms are available

online), and also a burst of energy and enthusiasm to help keep the Wolfpack going during this gruelling event.

Mathew Britton, co-founder on the Capella Foundation, comments: “This is England Captain Chris Robshaw the first event of its kind for the Foundation and we have been overwhelmed by the support we have already received. We want to make this day as inclusive as possible, so anyone can join in on any of the activities at any time throughout the 24 hours. There will be the core Wolfpack aiming to complete every challenge in the time allowed, but anyone who wants to come along and just give it a go, check out the timetable online, grab your trainers, some colourful lycra and join us. Every little counts, even when it comes to the sweat and tears.”

Local businesses, both large and small, have already jumped at the opportunity to support the charity. David Lloyd are hosting the event through the 24 hour period, Adidas and local independent Chris Williams Embroidery of Clevedon have agreed to donate all profits of special Capella Foundation hoodies and t-shirts to the fundraising efforts. Aston Martin has also donated a raffle prize for one lucky winner the chance to tour their factory, which will be drawn on the Sunday afternoon. n Keep up to date on plans for the 24-in-24 via www.thecapellafoundation.com, or Facebook facebook.com/capellafoundation and on Twitter @twinklecapella. If you are a business and interested in donating funds, time or equipment for this event or future activities, contact Mathew Britton on: Mat@thecapellafoundation.com

Hamptons International takes country homes to London with the Country Living Roadshow Premier estate egent, Hamptons International has announced the launch of its Country Living Roadshow which will take place at key branches in London between 2pm and 7pm each day – Islington (14 May), Fulham (15 May) and Battersea (16 May 16). The Roadshow, which is being run in association with world renowned paint and wallpaper brand, Farrow & Ball provides those living in the capital with a first look at a selection of rambling country houses, chocolate-box cottages and elegant townhouses available to buy and rent in prime areas of the countryside.

With 27 branches in London and 69 in the country, the latest statistics from Hamptons International highlight that there has been a 22 per cent increase in those looking to out-migrate from the capital into the countryside over the past year. Marc Goldberg, Head of Residential Sales at Hamptons International says: “This year, all eyes have been on the commuter belt as more and more Londoners look to get more bang for their buck outside the capital. The Country Living Roadshow is a fantastic one stop shop for Londoners to get a flavour for sales and rental properties available in the country without having to give up too much time.”

Throughout the course of the Country Living Roadshow experts from Hamptons International’s branches will be on hand to provide advice and assistance. Property-related advisors such as mortgage specialists from Capital Private Finance (www.cpf.co.uk) will also be available to provide financial support. In addition, education representatives in key outmigration areas will be on hand to offer advice on schooling and school catchment areas. Marc Goldberg continues: “Schools are one of the main reasons why families decide to leave London. As part of The Country Living Roadshow 94 The Bristol Magazine

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MAY 2013

we will have education specialists on hand to provide advice on schools and the admissions process in popular areas of the country.”

Colour consultants from paint perfectionists Farrow & Ball will also be at the events to offer tips and advice for those looking to paint and decorate a country home.

They will also be discussing traditional country paint and interiors trends and will be available to answer any colour palette queries.

Farrow & Ball Director, Sarah Cole says: “We are delighted to be supporting the first Hamptons Country Living event, it’s a great chance for us to introduce Farrow & Ball to Hamptons customers. Our colour consultants will be on hand throughout the day to offer colour advice and suggested decorating schemes to prospective homeowners.”

If you would like your property to be included in the Country Living Roadshow, please contact Hamptons International Bristol office on Tel: 0117 322 6362

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A letting agency that acts in its clients’ interests...is there such a thing?

s an industry which regularly attracts negative attention in the press, one might well be deterred from employing the services of a letting agency. A recent Which? report exposed that many letting agencies are not being up front with the fees they charge to tenants. Which? found that letting agencies are charging tenants between £310 and £420 each, on top of which many are being charged for their check in and check out, bringing the total up to £600 per tenant.

It is hard to see how such agencies can argue that these fees are in either landlords’ or tenants’ interests. Instead, they make it difficult for landlords to maximise their rental return and result in properties taking longer to let.

But there is a solution! Piper Property is a different type of letting agency, set up specifically to work on behalf of both its landlords and tenants. Tenants are not charged a penny. The result is quicker lets and happy tenants, and Piper Property believe that happy tenants make happy landlords.

So what’s the catch? There isn’t one. In fact, Piper Property offers their service for

A

significantly less than other agencies. As Peter Stephenson, the Managing Director of Piper Property, explains: “We recognise that in today’s market the vast majority of tenants use the internet to search for property. By avoiding the cost of expensive high street offices and instead focussing on offering an exceptional service to both landlords and tenants, we are offering a letting and management service which we believe is in our clients’ best interests”.

It doesn’t stop there either. Many agencies charge extra for services such as writing or renewing a tenancy agreement, providing an inventory, visiting a property more than three times in a month or during vacant periods, and the list goes on and on.

Unscrupulous agencies have also been found to mark up invoices from trades people, for example by adding to the cost of an EPC or gas safety certificate, or taking a commission from a trades person for instructing them.

Piper Property do not charge extras – for anything. The fees are completely transparent and you will not be charged a penny more. Third party invoices are passed onto landlords without any mark-ups at all.

A letting agency that acts in its client’s interests...there really is such a thing!

Contact Piper Property: 0845 544 2596 enquiries@piperproperty.co.uk • www.piperproperty.co.uk

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Stoke Bishop

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£639,950 Westbury on Trym

This imposing four double bedroom detached family home occupies a fantastic position in Stoke Bishop backing onto Stoke Lodge playing fields. With large 'L-shaped' reception and kitchen/breakfast room and four double bedrooms. Boasting mature gardens front and rear with garage along with off street parking. Energy rating - D Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Westbury on Trym

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

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

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

Sold

Sold subject to contract, within one week of marketing with multiple offers. Arranged over three stories this family home, constructed in 1902, is nestled in the heart of the historic village of Westbury on Trym. Beautifully presented throughout, with three bedrooms, two reception rooms and kitchen/breakfast room and a modern bathroom. Energy rating - E Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Sold Westbury on Trym

Sold subject to contract, this two bedroom terraced cottage is nestled within easy reach of the heart of the busy Westbury on Trym village. With period features including fireplaces and sash windows giving the property a cosy feeling throughout. Benefiting from an enclosed rear garden with paved seating area the property is as enjoyable outside as inside. Energy rating - TBC

Sold

This property was sold in its first week of viewings and we require similar properties! An attractive bay fronted four bedroom semi detached family home with off street parking and garage. Located a short walk from the heart of Westbury on Trym village with its shops, bars, restaurants, parks and fantastic primary school.

Energy rating - TBC

£330,000 Westbury on Trym

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

Westbury on Trym

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£210,000

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

Westbury on Trym

Sold

Sold subject to contract. Extensively refurbished to a high standard and located in the sought after Westbury on Trym this three bedroom family home. Within easy reach of Blaise Castle Estate, Westbury on Trym, the City Centre and motorway network, this property is ideally placed to make the most of what Bristol has to offer. Energy rating - E Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Westbury on Trym

£265,000

This three bedroom linked detached family home in Westbury on Trym, located an equal distance from the village and the Blaise Castle Estate, also within easy reach of the city centre and motorway network. Boasting a carport and driveway along with enclosed rear garden. Energy rating -TBC Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

Westbury on Trym

Sold

Sold, a conveniently positioned two bedroom Victorian Cottage situated on Waters Lane in the heart of Westbury Village. This lovely period home comprises living room, dining room open to modern kitchen, two first floor bedrooms and family bathroom.

The property has a rear garden, central heating and is marketed with no onward chain. Energy rating - D Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

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Finzels Reach

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£174,950 Redland

A stunning City 6th floor apartment in the incredibly smart Finzels Reach, a light and well thought out accommodation including lounge/diner, beautiful white fronted kitchen with some appliances fitted, double bedroom with fitted wardrobes, hotel style bathroom and storage cupboards, convenient location. Energy rating - C Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Sneyd Park

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

£250,000

A top floor apartment set in this impressive semi on Pembroke Road with allocated off-street parking.The property benefits from a generous living room measuring 16'4 x 14'10 with period fireplace, kitchen with a window, two double bedrooms with fitted wardrobes and a bathroom with shower over the bath. Energy rating - D Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

£399,995 Failand

A substantial hall floor flat on the front in this Grand old Victorian Villa. The property comprises of sitting room with bay window & fireplace, kitchen/diner, spacious entrance hall/library, three double bedrooms and a 'Ripples' bathroom. Located within 500 yards of the Downs. Energy rating - D

£197,000

A wonderful two bedroom top floor flat offers a convenient location. The flat consists of lounge, separate kitchen, two bedrooms and a modern bathroom. The property is offered with no onward chain and should be viewed at your earliest convenience. Energy rating - D

£209,950 Clifton

An attractive two double bedroom top floor flat with views over Durdham Downs. The interior presents: lounge/diner with vaulted ceiling, dining hall with skylight, separate kitchen with woodblock work surface, The property has an allocated parking space and communal garden. Energy rating - G

Clifton

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£637,500

Situated just 3.1 miles from Clifton Suspension Bridge this generous five double bedroom detached home offering just over 2400 sqft of accommodation with off-street parking and double garage. The ground floor consists of a 28'ft living room with Inglenook fireplace, a dining room and kitchen/breakfast room.

Energy rating - C

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Clifton

£199,950

An impressive one bedroom top floor flat located in a quiet part of Clifton. This unique flat retains many period features. The interior presents: first floor entrance level with private original staircase leading to top floor landing, separate fitted kitchen.

Energy rating - D Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Clifton

£289,995

A stunning second floor apartment located on a highly popular street in Clifton. Accommodation comprises of an open plan 20'10 living room/kitchen, two double bedrooms all with oak flooring and a travertine tiled bathroom. The kitchen has integral appliances and granite work surface, gas central heating and no onward chain. Energy rating - D Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Clifton

£799,950

A beautiful 5 bedroom semi detached family home in a prestigious location in close proximity ofWhiteladies Road and the Downs.The accommodation is arranged over 4 floors and consists two receptions, dining room, Kitchen/Breakfast room,utility room, en-suite to bedroom 2 and separate WC.Externally the property offers up a beautiful South facing garden and a parking space to the front. Energy rating - E Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

CJ Hole May.indd 2

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Westbury-on-Trym

Henleaze

Henbury

Detached and extended family home offering five double bedrooms, en-suite and roof terrace to master, additional family bathroom, through lounge with bay to front and doors to rear onto southerly facing garden, dining room, kitchen/diner with separate utility and downstairs WC. Benefits from picturesque outlook towards Blaise Estate and in close proximity to excellent schools. EPC F

Substantial semi-detached family home naturally offering four bedrooms and modern bathroom with heated flooring to first floor.

Ground floor has two receptions, front with bay and rear with French doors to a lawned family garden measuring approximately 28m, kitchen/diner and additional store/playroom over integral garage. Within close proximity to Henleaze School, double glazing and gas heating. Awaiting EPC

This stylish and spacious semi-detached house boasts four bedrooms and a modern family bathroom to the first floor. The ground floor offers living room, dining room, additional study, cloakroom and substantial kitchen with access to 125ft south westerly facing garden.

Benefits from open outlook onto Westbury Riding School to rear, ample off-street parking, double glazing and gas central heating. EPC E

Price Guide £575,000

£550,000

Price Guide £425,000

Bishopston

Bishopston

Bishopston

Located on an Edwardian tree lined crescent, this family home has an array of original features, including stained glass windows and original mosaic style tiled flooring. This property offers four double bedrooms, family bathroom, three receptions rooms, kitchen, substantial family garden, off street parking and is located in the Redland Green APR. EPC E

A beautifully presented and maintained semidetached Victorian property boasting many period features. Currently run as a successful guest house, the property offers a versatile nine bedrooms, two with en-suites, three shower rooms and a cloakroom, as well a bay fronted lounge, breakfast room, kitchen and substantial cellar with vast potential to expand. EPC E

This fine example of a Victorian period home, lovingly refurbished and modernised is presented to the highest decorative order and offers a lovely blend of modern design and period features. The property comprises bay fronted lounge, second reception, open plan kitchen/dining room, three double bedrooms, the master complete with en-suite, and family bathroom. EPC D

£495,000

£699,950

£355,000

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Richard Harding Chartered Surveyors • Estate Agents • Auctioneers • Valuers

WESTBURY PARK guide £795,000

An impressive 5 bedroom, 3 reception detached late 1920’s period family house set within a generous plot with delightful gardens, driveway parking and large garage; spacious accommodation, full of light & space with bright well-proportioned rooms in need of some updating in the fullness of time; in a much favoured position, so close to the Downs & with easy access to Waitrose/North View/Henleaze Road.

0117 946 6690 www.richardharding.co.uk

124 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2RP

CLIFTON guide £785,000

A handsome large 5 bedroom, 3 reception Victorian family residence in a prized location with pretty rear garden, osp & generous accommodation with many period features; much favoured location with the Whiteladies Road/Blackboy Hill shops and the Downs both within a few hundred yards.

An elegant & impressive grade II listed Georgian town house, superb location just off Christchurch Green, great versatility, 10 main rooms over 5 floors including a flexible lower ground floor able to integrate or be self-contained as required. Wonderful atmosphere, light & airy, many period features.

CLIFTON guide £759,950

A well-presented 4 bedroom, 2 reception Victorian period town house with off street parking space & 40ft rear garden; sought after location in a friendly neighbourly community, easy access central areas, a charming home.

REDLAND guide £629,950

A civilised & engaging 4 double bedroom mid-Georgian (circa 1770) grade II listed townhouse with a lovely 90ft garden & osp at the bottom of the garden + planning permission to develop that land into a single garage with guest accommodation above; in Kingsdown Residents Parking Scheme area. EPC: D

ABBOTS LEIGH guide £595,000

Enviable Location - a deceptively spacious 6 bedroom, 2 reception room period home located on one of Westbury Park's most sought after roads; an attractive & welcoming family home in a great location offering space & flexibility.

EPC: E

WESTBURY PARK guide £619,950

Very pleasant 4 bedroom, 2 reception 1950's detached family house, extensive front & rear gardens (overall plot depth of 220ft), plenty of osp/garaging in this sought after leafy neighbourhood; excellent opportunity to put your own stamp on a well located home.

Set in just under an acre (0.92) - a 3 double bedroom 1980's detached bungalow with generous double garaging and parking. Extensive gardens/grounds - ideal for relaxing and entertaining; ample space for keen gardeners. EPC: D

KINGSDOWN guide £750,000

Professional, Reliable, Successful

SNEYD PARK guide £669,500

www.maggsandallen.co.uk

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

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

Westbury Park

£534,950

A spacious detached bungalow (approx 1405 sq ft) that has undergone much modernisation by the current owners and enjoys a pleasant, private garden to the rear. The accommodation comprises: hallway, three receptions, three bedrooms with en-suite to master, family bathroom and kitchen opening to dining room with French doors leading to garden. The property sits on a lovely plot which includes, larger than average garden, parking for several vehicles along with a substantial detached garage and workshop. The property also enjoys a very sizable loft space that could be converted to create additional space subject to consents or just be retained as storage. Bungalows in this popular area are rare to the market especially those with such pleasant outside space.Energy rating: D.

Redland

£649,950

This commanding 4 double bedroom home is on a favourable road within Redland and has been thoughtfully extended by its current owners. Commanding 4 double bedroom home on a favourable road within Redland. The accommodation comprises: wide side entrance, original vestibule, generous kitchen, dining family room, sitting room, second sitting room, 4 double bedrooms, the master enjoying its modern en-suite, & family bathroom.

Further benefits include solar panels, cloakroom, garage, utility, new central heating, off street parking, & enclosed south west facing rear garden. The house falls within the Redland Green Secondary school APR and is close to the independent shops of Henleaze, Westbury Park, Waitrose, and an easy stroll from Durdham Downs.

The house been made a fantastic family home for the past 25 years, and would suit anyone moving into the area, looking for a well proportioned home close to the city, with convivial layout and period features. Energy rating: D.

FOR SALE

Henleaze

£620,000

1920s home with original features, comprising: wide entrance, 2 generous receptions, rear reception leading onto the southerly aspect rear garden through the sun room, kitchen diner, wide landing, 4 double bedrooms, large family bathroom, & a large master with dressing room & separate en-suite to the second floor. The home further benefits from integral garage, off street parking, rear lobby/utility & downstairs cloakroom. The property can be found at the very popular Owen Grove end of Holmes Grove giving convenient access to Henleaze Road shops, Waitrose and the cinema & library, all of which are a short level walk, as well as Henleaze Infant & Junior Schools, St Ursulas, Bristol Free Secondary, & offers convenient level access to Badminton and Red Maids.

Also within the APR of Redland Green School. Energy rating: F.

Estate Agents

Maggs & Allen May.indd 1

Lettings & Management

Auctioneers

Commercial/ Investment

Chartered Surveyors

Land/New Homes

Energy Assessors

22/04/2013 11:19

Hamptons Bristol Sales. 0117 322 6362 bristol@hamptons-int.com Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

N W TIO E C N U R ST IN

Ubey, Somerset

Guide price ÂŁ630,000

This partially constructed large detached house with stunning lake views is designed by the award winning architect Rebecca Dyer. Designed and constructed to an exacting standard with cutting edge technology including Kinspan TEK structural insulated panels and SIPs, exceeding current building regulations, it offers 5 bedrooms, 2 receptions, 3 bathroom in a wonderful country setting.

N W TIO E C N U R ST IN

Clifton, Bristol

Guide price ÂŁ350,000

Well proportioned dual aspect first floor apartment in a desirable location in Clifton with an allocated parking space. This apartment is set in a semi detached property sitting on a sizeable corner plot in Clifton. The stunning communal hallway has the original tessellated floor and a detailed cast iron balustrade which sweeps up to the entrance of the apartment. The apartment offers 2 bedrooms, reception room, kitchen, en suite shower room and bathroom. EPC: D

Hamptons Sales May.indd 1

22/04/2013 11:15

Hamptons Bristol Sales. 0117 322 6362 bristol@hamptons-int.com Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

N W TIO E C N U R ST IN

Clifton, Bristol

Guide price ÂŁ500,000

A stunning maisonette overlooking Clifton Lawn Tennis Club, with huge front rooms and exceptional features including unique fireplaces and ornate cornicing. Forming the entire hall floor of a large detached Victorian house this impressive property has its own private entrance vestibule with double doors, leading into a spacious hallway with original tiled flooring. The amazing space requires modernisation but its desirable location and unique character make it required viewing. EPC: D

Sneyd Park, Bristol

Guide price ÂŁ625,000

Beautifully presented modern house forming part of a well regarded development. It occupies an enviable position and affords exceptional views to the rear incorporating the River Avon and the Welsh Hills in the distance. It is beautifully presented and has lovely gardens. 5 Bedrooms, family bathroom and en suite, ample off-street parking, generous front garden and west facing rear garden with further outbuildings. EPC: E Supporting

Hamptons Sales May.indd 2

22/04/2013 11:15

Henleaze £1,100,000

Stunning ‘Voke’ detached family home of character and substance in a highly desirable location in central Henleaze.

Circa ¼ acre plot, 100ft rear garden. A highly desirable property!

Redland £485,000

Contemporary townhouse set within a gated development on the edge of Durdham Downs. Arranged over 3 floors with 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen/diner and sitting room with balcony leading down to the garden. Garage and parking space.

Redland £425,000

A very large (C.1750 sq/ft) three double bedroom, two bathroom ground floor apartment with good size rear and side gardens and garage. Private entrance and a fantastic central location in Redland.

Leese & Nagle May.indd 1

Clifton £965,000

A marvellous family home situated in central Clifton with attractive outlook. Flexible accommodation over five floors with plenty of space. Front and rear gardens and off street parking.

Redland £845,000

Stylishly refurbished six bedroom Victorian house enjoying an enviable position overlooking Clyde Park. 3 receptions rooms, open plan kitchen/diner onto garden. Master bedroom suite, five further bedrooms, 3 bath/shower rooms. Off street parking. No onward chain.

Clifton £435,000

A stylish and contemporary 3 bedroom Mews house in a quiet Clifton location. Comprises sitting area, dining area, cloakroom, study and kitchen area with bi-fold doors out to rear courtyard. Upstairs 3 bedrooms, bathroom and shower room. Parking for 1 car.

Cotham £875,000

Exceptional late Victorian semi detached house with attractive townscape elevated views to the rear, gardens and off street parking. Beautifully finished throughout and offering over 3000sq/ft of accommodation this is a super family home.

Stoke Bishop £395,000

Modern four bedroom link detached house situated just off Coombe Lane. Two reception rooms, kitchen, utility, cloakroom and garage downstairs. Upstairs are four bedrooms and a bathroom. Low maintenance manageable gardens to front and rear.

Leigh Woods £325,000

A lovely 2 bedroom second floor apartment situated in a prestigious block in attractive communal gardens. Sitting room with god size balcony, master bedroom with en suite bathroom. Secure car port parking.

22/04/2013 15:36

Stoke Bishop £750,000

Spacious detached house situated in a fantastic level quarter acre plot with 125 ft long South West facing rear garden. Huge reception room, kitchen/breakfast room, cloakroom and double garage. Four double bedrooms, master with en suite and family bathroom.

Stoke Bishop £525,000

A lovely 1930’s bay fronted 4 bedroom semi detached family home with 115ft long rear garden in a desirable side road.

Open plan kitchen/family area opening onto the rear garden, attractive hallway and formal sitting room, cloakroom. 4 bedrooms and bathroom. Potential for loft conversion, garage, workshop and parking on drive.

Henleaze £235,000

A two bedroom second floor apartment in desirable Grange Court. Attractively presented throughout the flat is ready for immediate occupation. Lovely communal gardens and outlook, garage and level walk to Henleaze high street.

Leese & Nagle May.indd 2

Stoke Bishop £650,000

A beautifully refurbished detached 1930’s family house within a few minute’s walk of Elmlea schools. Huge open plan kitchen/living area with bi-fold doors to the rear garden. Sitting room and utility/cloaks. Five bedrooms and three bath/shower rooms. Half a garage for storage and off street parking. No chain.

Stoke Bishop £359,950

1950’s three bedroom semi in quiet side road within a few minute’s walk of Stoke bishop primary. Extended ground floor accommodation with larger kitchen open to dining room. Sitting room, utility and cloakroom. Three bedrooms and bathroom. Large rear garden, garage and parking.

Stoke Bishop £450,000

A spacious detached three double bedroom bungalow set in a quarter acre plot overlooking the wooded Trym valley.

Extended vaulted ceilinged living room. Kitchen/breakfast room, 3 bedrooms and family bathroom. Garden with potential for building plot (subject to any consents).

Stoke Bishop £650,000

A lovely 1930’s four bedroom detached family home set in a large plot backing onto Coombe Lodge playing fields. Three reception rooms, four bedroom, bathroom and shower room. Garage to the side and offers potential for further accommodation.

Stoke Bishop £470,000

A four bedroom 1930’s semi with attractive period features and mature gardens situated within a few minute’s walk of Elmlea Schools. Three reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, four bedrooms and bathroom. Garage and drive parking.

Sneyd Park £225,000

Spacious ‘Benson’ built two double bedroom first floor apartment overlooking the Avon Gorge and Leigh Woods.

Sitting room with balcony, kitchen/diner, bathroom and en suite. Garage and attractive communal gardens. No onward chain.

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Leigh Woods

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Offers in Excess of ÂŁ270,000

3 Bedrooms | Living Room | Kitchen | Bathroom | En-suite Shower Room | Utility Room | Balcony | Garage | Parking | Lift | Communal Gardens Situated in popular Leigh Woods, this purpose built apartment is offers spacious and light accommodation with private balcony off the living room, overlooking the lovely communal gardens. Having sold this apartment we have two disappointed couples who expressed interest and missed out. They are both actively seeking a similar apartment with secure parking.

Stoke Bishop

Offers in Excess of ÂŁ325,000

1/2 Reception Rooms | 3/4 Bedrooms | 2 Balconies | En-suite Shower Room | Bathroom | Kitchen | Garage | Visitor parking | Communal gardens | Swimming Pool | Squash Court and Gym | Energy Rating: C Set in lovely communal grounds this spacious upper floor apartment is highly unusual in having 2 balconies and flexible accommodation including 2 reception rooms and 3/4 bedrooms. Druid Woods is a popular residence with comprehensive communal facilities such as swimming pool, gym and squash court. Delightful gardens with a stream running through and sweeping lawns where you can sit and relax. Garage and visitor parking.

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Hotwells

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Offers in Excess of ÂŁ360,000

Three bedrooms | Sitting Room | Kitchen/Dining Room | En suite shower room | Family bathroom | Roof Terrace | Parking | Overlooking Georgian square and gardens | Energy Rating D A spacious, light, airy apartment on the top floor of this Georgian house to one side of an elegant square of period buildings. The property has a contemporary style with unfussy decor giving a crisp clean feel. There is the added bonus of a rear roof terrace looking towards Clifton crescents to one aspect and across the city to Dundry Hill and allocated parking behind the property.

Harbourside

Offers in Excess of ÂŁ250,000

Purpose-built | 2 Bedrooms | Open-plan living space | Juliet balcony | Undercroft Parking | Gas Central Heating | Visitor Parking | Communal Gardens | Walking distance of city centre | Energy Rating: C Fabulous contemporary apartment situated in Bristol's historic Harbourside. Light and airy accommodation comprising living room, kitchen/breakfast area, 2 bedrooms and bathroom. Far reaching views of the harbour and beyond towards Brandon Hill and Cabot Tower. Secure under croft parking. Ideally positioned for amenities in the city centre and the "Chocolate Path", a scenic cycle route running along the New Cut.

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THE SOFA LIBRARY

DON’T ONLY SELL SOFAS AND CURTAINS WE ALSO OFFER 30 STYLES OF WARDROBE IN HUNDREDS OF SIZE COMBINATIONS

UP TO 25% OFF WARDROBE ORDERS

Our range of German built wardrobes comes in over 30 door styles and hundreds of size/colour combinations Choose from either standard sizes or made to measure/fit and with sliding or opening doors Matching beds and cabinet furniture also available with a wide range of interior fitments

Our retail store at 56-60 Whiteladies Road, Clifton is open 7 days per week We currently offer up to 25% discount off your wardrobes depending on order value

Up to £500 less 15%

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£501 to £900 less 20%

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Bespoke sofas and curtains made in 10-20 days 180cm wardrobes from £350

5 metre corner robes from £1300 We are just past Clifton Down Shopping Centre 56/60, Whiteladies Rd, BS8 2PY Mon - Sat 9.30-5.30 Sunday 12-5

TEL: 01173 292746

Over £900 less 25%