The Bath Magazine April 2017

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thebathmag.co.uk

ISSUE 175 | APRIL 2017 £3.95 where sold

Stone & THREAD

Wear your art on your sleeve: Carole Waller’s new creations inspired by Bath’s Georgian architecture Also Get the look: Hotel luxury recreated for the home All that jazz: The Roaring 20s revived at The American Museum

Seated debate: Should Bath Abbey remove pews?

Middle aged Bath: Our medieval past explored

THE CITY’S BIGGEST MONTHLY GUIDE TO LIFE AND LIVING IN BATH

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Gilda Gray, courtesy ® James Abbe archive

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Contents April 2017 5 THINGS

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CITY HISTORY

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Mayor’s Guide Carole Boardman on a few of her favourite things

Discover the vestiges of medieval Bath

GUEST COLUMN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

FOOD AND DRINK

Both sides of the Bath Abbey pew removal debate

The dishiest dishes, the prettiest eggs and our new drinks writer

WALKING CANVAS

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Singer Emily Maguire on life, love and the healing power of music

WHAT’S ON

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THE WALK

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INTERIORS INSPIRATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

GARDENING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 It’s time to get busy sowing, with inspiration from Jane Moore

Previewing The Bath Festival 2017’s free opening night ............................................

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PEOPLE IN PROPERTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Marcus Evans of Crest Nicholson

Highlights of this month’s Bath Comedy Festival

THE ROARING TWENTIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 The new Jazz Age exhibition at The American Museum

ART FOR APRIL

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Ideas, advice and products for the home

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YOU’RE HAVIN’ A LAUGH

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Explore the countryside around Chew Valley Lake

Theatre, comedy, music, talks and exhibitions

PARTY IN THE CITY

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Because you’re worth it: de-stress, unwind, rejuvenate

Reporting from Diana: Her Fashion Story show in London

FACE THE MUSIC

BUSINESS

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Bath’s movers and shakers

Carole Waller’s new collection: where fashion meets art

A PRINCESS’ LEGACY

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Neill Menneer’s professional portrait of the month

Your essential events in Bath this month

MY BATH

BATH@WORK

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ON THE COVER

Stone and Thread: the new Carole Waller collection.

Model JoJo Iles, photographer Chris Daw

Who’s been framed in the city’s galleries

Even more great content online: thebathmag.co.uk

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Editors Letter April.qxp_Layout 1 23/03/2017 16:12 Page 1

EDITOR’S PICKS A NEW LEASE OF LIFE: who hasn’t mourned the lost earring? Its lone partner left forlorn and unworn in the jewellery box . . .

But those clever people at the beautifully refurbished Bath boutique hotel No15 in Great Pulteney Street have found a happy way to give these beauties a new lease of life, gathering together dozens of single earrings to create this sparkling Lost Earring chandelier. We’ve turned to the city’s finest luxury hotels for more inspiration and ideas to borrow for making our own homes unique. Turn to Page 98 for more five star luxury.

from the

EDITOR

Georgette McCready Editor 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.

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SCIENCE MEETS ART: Jan Ramscar has created a series of ethereal botanical photograms, which are on show at the National Trust property the Fox Talbot Museum in Lacock, Wiltshire until Sunday 18 June

expected great things to happen ❝ She quietly to her, and no doubt that’s one of the reasons why they did ❞ ZELDA FITZGERALD

American writer and socialite, 1900 – 1948

Astrantia major: pincushion flower by Jan Ramscar

FIT FOR A QUEEN: Hobbs has worked with the Historic Royal Palaces to create a summer Palace Collection. This beautiful floral maxi dress (£169) and butterfly adorned coat (£299) were inspired by a swatch of Queen Charlotte’s wedding dress. By coincidence a dress thought to have belonged to Queen Charlotte, who was married to George III, is in The Fashion Museum’s current Lace in Fashion exhibition

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ur April issue is brought to you by the letter A, which stands for aesthetically pleasing.

Standing back and looking at the features this month I am struck how much we have been inspired by all things beautiful.

Assistant editor Jessica Hope and I thoroughly enjoyed the new Jazz Age exhibition at The American Museum at Claverton, where we were enchanted by the beautiful collection of vintage dresses from the 1920s, which are brought so brilliantly to life through the music, film, photographs and the celebrities. Feast your eyes on some of the highlights of this evocation of the Roaring Twenties on Page 44.

As you can see from our cover, there’s more beauty in Bath textile artist Carole Waller’s latest collection of wearable art; Stone and Thread, which was inspired by the classical architecture in Bath and particularly the golden curve of the Royal Crescent. See more of Carole’s timeless pieces on Page 18.

There are more designer outfits to be admired in a new exhibition at Kensington Palace, which I was lucky enough to visit as the guest of House of Fraser. The royal palace is home to Diana: Her Fashion Story, featuring clothes worn by the late princess (Page 26). I found it quite emotional to follow this young woman’s story through her wardrobe and to be able to get so close to the outfits we’ve seen so many times in photographs.

You might think it’s stretching things a bit to describe food as aesthetically pleasing, but I promise you the dishes we’re featuring in our food and drinks pages are particularly gorgeous this month, from the pretty pastels of the new-laid eggs of New Macdonalds Farm, Page 62, to the photogenic dishes that emerge from the kitchens of genius chef Chris Cleghorn at The Olive Tree restaurant, Page 64.

Our walk this month, Page 88, offers a route devised by Andrew Swift that takes in views of Chew Valley Lake and its surrounding countryside, as he says you may wish to take your camera along with your walking boots. You might also wish to take photographs when following historian Catherine Pitt’s guide to the medieval buildings of Bath that still remain, Page 56.

There’s art to admire (Page 48), all manner of things to do in the coming weeks in our What’s On, from Page 32, and ideas for things to do with the children over Easter, Page 78.

We’re also pleased to introduce our new columnist, wine educator Tristan Darby (Page 66), a Bathonian who’s going to be writing about all manner of drinks and food over the coming months. So, I guess it’s cheers to that!

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ZEITGEIST Enjoy

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things to do in

April

Laugh

The first bank holiday since Christmas, Easter gives most of us a little time off to spend with family and friends. Good Friday is on 14 April, with an extra day off on Monday 17 April. This kit from Hotel Chocolat in Southgate of tasty little bunnies and chicks would be ideal for hiding around the house or garden on Easter Sunday.

Hang on to your seats as Bath embarks on a 17-day bonanza of laughter, with the launch of Bath’s biggest ever Comedy Festival, which opens appropriately on April Fools’ Day (expect some merry japes around the city). The line-up includes some comedians you will be familiar with – such as Barbara Nice who has been making a big splash on Radio2 recently, plus veterans Barry Cryer and Paul Merton – also a whole gaggle (or should that be giggle?) of up-and-coming comedians. There are more than 180 performers lined up, all hand picked by festival founder Nick Steel. For highlights of the 2017 festival, turn to Page 42 and for the full programme visit: bathcomedy.com.

EDINBURGH FAVOURITES: Croft and Pearce’s sketch show is at the Ring O’Bells, Widcombe on Thursday 13 April

Learn

Watch

A date for your diary, especially if you have children, is Saturday 6 May when the University of Bath campus at Claverton Down is staging a free hands-on festival to mark its 50th anniversary. The open day runs from 11am until 4pm and offers people of all ages the chance to find out more about what goes on at one of the UK’s top rated universities. Meet scientists and researchers to find out about cutting edge projects with global impetus, have a go at some sporting challenges and compete in a series of fun competitions. There’ll be three zones to explore – active, creative and discover. We’re told there are plans to bring a T-rex dinosaur to the site that day too . . . Free buses will ferry visitors from Bath city centre on the day, so there’s no need to worry about parking. Find out more: 50years.bath.ac.uk.

Theatregoers in Bath are incredibly fortunate to have the Ustinov Studio theatre on our doorstep, time after time putting on groundbreaking, relevant contemporary productions.

The latest UK premiere at the Ustinov, The Mentor by Christopher Hampton, stars none less than Hollywood star F Murray Abraham, most recently seen in Homeland and countless other roles, including as Salieri in the Academy Award winning film Amadeus. He’ll be playing veteran writer Benjamin Rubin, still basking in the reflected glory of past success, who clashes with rising literary star Martin Wegner. It’s rare to see an Oscar-winning actor in such an intimate space and Abraham’s quiet, intense acting style will make this a mesmerising production, which opens on Thursday 6 April and runs until Saturday 6 May. HOLLYWOOD STAR: F Murray Abraham is coming to Bath

Join Bath owes its success to its waters, both hot and cold, and we’re invited to celebrate its natural hot springs and River Avon on Saturday 23 April with a free World Heritage Day event in Parade Gardens. The park opens at 10am and throughout the day there’ll be river and canal walking tours with the very knowledgable Mayor’s Honorary Guides, as well as mini tours of Parade Gardens, showing 300 years of history in just 30 minutes. A series of speakers will give water and heritage related talks – including one about the Cleveland Baths project – in a marquee, while bands will play on the bandstand as people enjoy their picnics on the lawns. Take a selfie and share #bathworldheritageday.

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WORLD HERITAGE CITY: a free event in Parade Gardens on Sunday 23 April

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Hans J. Wegner Elbow Chair, designed 1956. Dining Table, designed 1960

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Contemporary Nordic furniture from Carl Hansen and Son, Fritz Hansen and Swedese.

Lighting by Louis Poulsen. Our homewares include Marimekko, Iittala, Rorstrand, with lots of Moomin mugs, fabric and throws from Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

68 Walcot Street Bath BA1 5BD 01225 424222 www.shannon-uk.com THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

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THE CITY THE BUZZ

My BATH

We ask Mayor’s Guide Carole Boardman what she’s doing this month

Impact The F-Rating system, created in Bath by Holly Tarquini, director at the Bath Film Festival three years ago as a way of highlighting the role of women in films and film making, is making international news. The world’s largest online film resource IMDb has added FRating search to its site and the Barbican Cinema in London has become the 40th UK venue to adopt the F-Rating system in its programme. Holly said she was pleased and added: “Our real goal is to reach the stage when the F-Rating is redundant because 50% of the stories we see on screen are told by and about film’s unfairly under-represented half of the population: women.”

Mobile

There’ll be a purple bus parked outside Bath Spa station during the afternoon of Saturday 9 April, which people will be invited to board. But once inside the Theatre Bus Bath, passengers could be transported anywhere as the single decker bus has been converted into a theatre. It’s been created by Luke John Emmett and Zoe Bailey and will be available for community groups for music, film screenings, plays, workshops or parties. Visit: theatrebathbus.co.uk.

Remember The annual Memory Walk, organised by Dorothy House Hospice Care for people to take part in as a tribute to loved ones who have died, takes place this year on Saturday 22 April. For the first time it will take place on the same day as the Tulip Tea at the Winsley based hospice, which cares for people in Bath and parts of Wiltshire and Somerset. To find out more, book a tea or join the 5k (which is just over three miles) Memory Walk, visit: dorothyhouse.org.uk.

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What brought you to Bath?

I arrived in Bath in 1983 with my husband Matt and children Wendy and Steve. We are Liverpudlians and had left the small town of Formby in 1979 when Matt’s job took us to work in Monchengladbach in Germany. We had four gloriously happy years there and then we were very lucky to be posted to Bath.

What are you reading?

Since I became a Mayor’s Guide fiction has gone out of the window. My reading choices now are all based around history. My favourite author is Dr Cathryn Spence and in particular Water, History and Style. I go back to it again and again, but I can’t leave out her new book The Story of Bath which is also turning out to be full of interesting facts and stories. Two other books I use regularly are Mike Jenner’s The Classical Buildings of Bath and Rice’s Architectural Primer a delightful book full of intricate architectural sketches.

What music are you listening to?

I listen to the radio a great deal and my favourite programmes are Desert Island Discs, The Reunion and Front Row and my guilty pleasure is listening to The Archers just before I go to sleep. I listen to music less frequently but at the moment my choice would be Elbow.

I love Guy Garvey’s lyrics, his songs always tell a story and for me One Day Like This is just perfect. Just recently out walking with my son and his wife Jude and children Elly and Ben, I was talking about this song and in a flash Steve had it playing on his phone and we shared earphones to listen together – yes, a perfect moment outdoors and in harmony.

would just be plain rude to leave the museum without admiring John Wood’s drawing set yet again. The Herschel Museum of Astronomy in New King Street is another favourite and although it is dedicated to William Herschel, it is also worth noting the brilliance of his sister Caroline. A truly inspirational woman.

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

I had the idea of becoming a Mayor’s Guide about five years or so ago. I applied, did three walks to prove my interest, was successful at interview and invited to start training but there was just one tiny detail that I hadn’t quite thought through – I knew diddly squat about the history. I worked very hard to get my knowledge base secure and thank goodness for the other guides who were so helpful. History has become a real passion and it is a pleasure to share that knowledge with a group of tourists on a walk around the city.

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

The Mayor’s Guides will be contributing to the World Heritage Day celebration in Parade Gardens on Sunday 23 April. There will be an amazing variety of activities on offer including our mini walks of the gardens and circular walks along the river and canal. I think it is going to be a terrific day out for the family.

Toward the end of the month my friends Anne and Tina and I will do the Bath Skyline walk again. If we run true to form we will take a few wrong turns because we are usually talking far too much.

Which café or restaurant takes your fancy?

My favourite place is Ben’s Cookies for a nice cup of tea and the adorable ginger cookies.

For a tasty and informal lunch I would definitely choose The Chapel Arts Café for its delicious flatbreads with amazing toppings.

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

The Theatre Royal is always a special night out. I have recently seen for the second time The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and I am looking forward to seeing another favourite Shirley Valentine.

Which museum or gallery will you be visiting?

The Museum of Bath Architecture in the Paragon is my favourite. The place is a hive of activity at the moment preparing for the Royal Crescent’s 250th birthday – Dr Amy Frost and her team have so many events planned. It

The guides are conducting a series of free walks. There are 10 walks to choose from, beginning Monday 10 and 17 July (weekdays only). Subjects as varied as Tying the Knot in Bath, The Bath Blitz, Around Orange Grove and Spending a Penny in Georgian Times. n

We’re following @royalcres250. It might seem bizarre to be following a whole street but then again the Royal Crescent isn’t just any old street. The much photographed historic site celebrates its 250th birthday this year, so we’re watching out for anniversary events.

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Follow us on Twitter @thebathmagazine

See more online www.thebathmag.co.uk

Contact us: Publisher Email:

Steve Miklos steve@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Editor Tel: Email:

Georgette McCready 01225 424592 georgette@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Financial Director Email:

Jane Miklos jane@thebathmagazine.co.uk

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Jeff Osborne production@thebathmagazine.co.uk

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

The Bath Magazine is distributed free every month to more than 20,000 homes and businesses throughout Bath and the surrounding area. We also have special distribution units in the following city centre stores and coffee shops

2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED Telephone: 01225 424499. Fax: 01225 426677 www.thebathmag.co.uk Š MC Publishing Ltd 2017 Disclaimer: Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Bath Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form either in part or whole without written permission from the publishers.

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GUEST | COLUMNIST

THE GREAT PEW DEBATE CHRISTOPHER COSTELLOE DIRECTOR OF THE VICTORIAN SOCIETY ON WHY BATH ABBEY SHOULD NOT REMOVE ITS PEWS

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ath Abbey is a jewel, even by Bathonian standards. It is unusual in terms of great English churches in its consistency of style. Many people in Bath won’t realise that much of this appearance dates to the mid-19th century, when the great Victorian architect Sir George Gilbert Scott restored it.

He installed the stone vault in the nave, matching those in the rest of the church. He designed beautiful lighting for the church, which survives today, and also a complete set of furnishings, as well as a magnificent font. All this survives virtually intact. For the nave seating Scott thought about how the 16th century builders of the church would have gone about the task, so he went out to Somerset churches and used the designs of surviving medieval pew ends as the basis for his pews. This was typical of his attention to detail. The nave pews, made of oak and lavishly carved, are of a quality that would be unimaginably expensive today. All this work survives; one of the best examples of a major church interior as reimagined by the Victorians in medieval style.

This magnificent interior still works well; Bath Abbey is thriving and heavily used. Much of the abbey’s development plans for improved facilities are uncontroversial and welcome, but they want to remove the nave pews, a major element of the interior, and replace them with chairs. The argument is that this would enable the nave to be used for a wider range of events and different forms of worship.

The abbey argues that its floor needs repairs, so the pews will have to be removed; but there would be nothing to stop them being reinstated afterwards. Another argument is that removing them will enable the ledger stones beneath to be read by tourists; this is pretty thin, considering that most tourists read only a tiny fraction of the hundreds of visible inscriptions on the wall monuments. The fragile ledger stones are currently protected beneath the pew platforms; exposed to heavy foot traffic and with chair legs being moved about on them regularly they might soon deteriorate.

More minor changes, such as removing the pews from the aisles, would ease the flow of visitors and give the abbey more flexible space for smaller services, without causing significant harm. But the complete removal of the nave pews would strip the Abbey of a major layer of its interest and richness, permanently harming the interior. Our online petition against the proposals has been signed by over a thousand people, and we urge you to add your name to it.

As local author Bel Mooney has said: “What is this for? The abbey has worked beautifully (for concerts as well as worship) since the Scott pews were installed and will continue to do so when common sense, aesthetics and economics prevail to retain them.”

It is not too late for Bath Abbey to rethink its plans and we hope they will do so. n 16 TheBATHMagazine

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CHARLES CURNOCK FOOTPRINT PROJECT DIRECTOR FOR BATH ABBEY ON WHY THE ABBEY IS REMOVING ITS PEWS

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ath Abbey’s floor is collapsing. There are massive holes beneath the floor causing it to subside and if left as it is, it won’t be long before it collapses completely. In order to carry out these essential repairs, all the fixed furniture in the church, including the pews, will need to be lifted.

Lifting the pews and repairing the floor is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; it will mean that we can maintain and make improvements to this beautiful building, and change how it can be used to better serve the city, visitors and future generations. It will also reveal an important part of the city’s heritage; for the first time in nearly 180 years, hundreds of ancient ledgerstones currently hidden beneath the abbey’s pews will finally be seen and newly appreciated.

We’ve called this project Footprint.

Footprint is the abbey’s vision for the future; a £19.3m development supported by Heritage Lottery Fund, and provoked by the urgent need to repair and renew the Abbey’s collapsing historic floor. Once the floor has been repaired, and underfloor heating powered by energy from Bath’s hot springs installed, we intend to reinstall all the handcarved Gilbert Scott pews (the Corporation Stalls) and most of the machine-tooled pews behind this. Our proposal is to restore the nave and side aisles to the pre-Victorian layout by opening it up. These areas will remain free of pews – and when seating is required, we’ll use chairs in these areas instead.

An open nave will release the abbey’s potential as a place of worship, celebration and community events, in a way that it previously couldn’t. It will make Bath Abbey a more inclusive space and provide more flexibility in how it is used, where people can gather for informal worship, community meals, massed choirs and bands, festivals, schools’ days, and children running through as yet unimagined events.

An open nave will allow visitors to flow naturally without pinch points and give visitors full access. Currently access is poor for wheelchairs, pushchairs, walking frames or those requiring level access. The new layout will enable wheelchair users to move freely around the church and to be part of the congregation/audience rather than being restricted to the side aisles. We will also have full access to the historic floor and ledgerstones, 80% of which are covered by pews. Many ledgerstones date back to the 17th and 18th centuries, and bear inscriptions which can tell us fascinating stories of those who lived and worked in Bath, as well as visitors who came to use the spa waters.

The abbey is a living church where hundreds gather every Sunday.

It’s important for us to listen to those who use and care about the abbey – and we have. Worship for services now demands more flexibility of seating and spaces for large and small congregations.

Within the abbey community there is broad agreement on that we need the Footprint project in order to bring the abbey one step closer to fulfilling its commitment to being a place of congregation, equal access and hospitality. n

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SPRING | FASHION

COVER FEATURE

Words by Georgette McCready

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nternationally renowned textile artist Carole Waller, who is based in Bath has taken the 250th anniversary of the building of Bath’s iconic Royal Crescent as the inspiration for her latest collection.

Stone and Thread reflects Carole’s take on the textures and colours of her adoptive city. Her fascination, she says, lies not just with “the perfection of the façade but with the stories that surround it; the detail of the scrolls on the iconic columns, the weathering of the Bath stone pavements and the patterns on the roadway.” These are recurring themes subtly depicted throughout the collection, broken up by blocks of colour and gestural brush marks.

The Lace in Fashion exhibition at the Fashion Museum has also proved a source of inspiration for Carole; looking at the grids that the lace creates and how they cannot be separated from their connotations of decoration, ornament and femininity. Lace and its delicacy is contrasted with the bright palette of the summer season’s graphic trends.

Carole’s aesthetic is all about Art to Wear with each piece having its own identity created by painting directly on to silk and other fabrics. Carole says: “Each piece is as unique as the person that wears them.” She adds: “I believe that people want to have a personal connection to their clothes, their art, the things that inspire them. They want to be able to express their creativity and individuality and my clothes let them. It’s alchemy between the garment and the wearer, and because each piece is completely unique, you won’t see someone else in the same dress as you.”

The collection includes easy-to-wear blouses and shirts, shift dresses, stunning jackets and coats, a circular skirt and palazzo pants and a range of her bestselling scarves. Her distinctive aesthetic is complemented this season with a capsule wardrobe of simple black and grey pieces The versatile range suits many occasions; styled formally for a special event or dressed down with jeans, has timeless appeal for every age.

Carole has established her brand of clothing I’m No Walking Canvas from her studio at Bathford and it has been stocked in Liberty, Fenwicks and Harvey Nichols. View her full range at her gallery One Two Five in Abbey Green which also showcases ranges of contemporary jewellery by Annie Beardsley and Gary Wood’s beautiful ceramic ware.

Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 5pm – or for an appointment at any other time, call: 07803033629. n 18 TheBATHMagazine

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STONE AND THREAD

THE TEAM Clothes by Carole Waller at onetwofive Gallery, Abbey Green, onetwofivegallery.co.uk Venue: Bath Assembly Rooms, bathvenues.co.uk Photographer: Chris Daw, chrisdawphotography.com Hair: Abigail Constanza, AbigailConstanza.com Make Up: Sarah Smerdon, sarahsmerdonmakeup.com Models: Jojo Iles and Poppy Skillman-Wilson Producer: Nicky Hancock

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SPRING | FASHION

WEARABLE ART: opposite, Pavement painted wool challis jacket, £395, below, Lace wool gauze shawl, £195, worn with painted silk crepe shirt, £325 and Column painted silk crepe bias cut dress, £395, armhole shawl, £325 This page: Crescent painted silk/viscose coat, £695, with silk crepe scarf, £85 and printed cotton t shirt, £45, inset right from top, Palladio cotton drill kimono coat, £450, worn with heavy silk crepe sleeveless dress, £395, Scroll painted silk organza jacket, £350 and Stripe painted silk crepe fitted blouse, £295

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CITY | FASHION

STEP into SUMMER

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Whether prowling the corridors of power or pounding the pavements, the smart woman is opting for flats this season

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t’s been a long time coming but women’s shoes finally seem to be coming down to earth as the latest generation of flats stride into the shops. There are several key trends. Metallics look here to stay for another season and embroidered embellishes make their way from blouses to footwear.

The trainer and the brogue both remain staples for spring and summer, but while the mood remains androgynous for many styles, the ballerina pump with ribbon ankle tie adds a new feminine touch.

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FLAT OUT: 1) Rachel leopard Oxfords £118 Anthropologie, 2) white top £29.50, gingham skirt £45, shoes £45 all Marks & Spencer, 3) embroidered trainers £29.50 Marks & Spencer, 4) ballet pump £45 Marks & Spencer, 5) Scorpion grey sandal £55 Office, 6) casual slip on £80 Dune, 7) beaded sandal £35 Accessorize, 8) embroidered pump £85 Dune, 9) Zliks natural print £175 Chanii B, 10) Croisse white, fuchsia and black £185 Chanii B, 11) BIBA gold sandal £55 Jollys, 12) Bolt navy £249 Chanii B

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CITY| SHOPPING

RETAIL&

News in brief

FASHION NEWS

OFF TO THE BEACH Favoured by the Duchess of Cambridge and the preferred choice with the A-listers, Melissa Odabash ‘s exotic swimwear is much coveted for its amazing fit as well as beautiful design. Shown are from the new season collection: Brussells (right) in white pique, £191 - and below the Tampa in surf colour, £208.

ROMAN HOLIDAY ■ There’s a touch of Audrey Hepburn

vintage glamour in the summer collection of gloves by Dents. From long lacy gloves to a variety of colours in soft cotton, they are elegant and perfect for all occasions.

Shown here are the contrasting colour dots, £16. Dents summer fashion is available at most main department stores and fashion outlets, or visit dents.co.uk for more information.

The Dressing Room, 7 Quiet Street, Bath, BA1 2JU. Tel: 01225 330563

PERFECTLY FRAMED ■ The new Tom

SUMMER SCARVES How do you wear yours? Regular necktie, backie, or maybe bandana, headscarf or even an impromptu belt? - Hopefully not on the wrist - a la Bay City Rollers style. The colourful scarves in Phase Eight’s SS17 collection are perfect for all purposes and occasions. shown right, Casey print and Colourblock print with raw edge detail, £39 each.

Phase Eight, Milsom Place, Bath. phase-eight.co.uk

Ford eyewear collection offers frames that combine contemporary glamour with a daring but sensual style.

Featured here is frame 5400 in brown horn, £240. Available from Kathryn Anthony Optometry, 16 Pierrepoint Street, Bath BA1 1LA. kathrynanthony.co.uk

COLOURS OF SUMMER ■ Summer colour is hitting the stores at

STYLE AT MCARTHURGLEN There’s plenty of smart-buying to be found at McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Swindon, classic items that smash the ‘costper-wear’ calculation and are future-proof for their timeless chic. Shown left: Phase Eight dress, £99 (RRP £140). Kurt Geiger magenta clutch, £39 (RRP £65) strawberry ice-cream, (models own). With a choice of over 100 premium brands available McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Swindon can be found at: Kemble Drive, Swindon, SN2 2DY.

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Clarks Village. New arrivals include the fabulous Rainbow collection of leather accessories from Osprey London. Shown here in Pebble Grain leather: card holder - RRP £45, now £14.95, large zip around in turquoise - RRP £95, £49.95, red cross body RRP £145, now £95, yellow make-up bag RRP £59, now £39.95, and passport cover RRP £49, now £24.95. Clarks Village, Street. clarksvillage.co.uk

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THE | WISHLIST

ARRIVE in Style

If you are jetting off somewhere wonderful for a special occasion holiday or maybe fancy treating yourself to a little high-life, then here are some luxurious items that should be on your wishlist. Elegant – yes, reassuringly expensive – yes, and will you arrive looking and feeling amazing?... oh yes! His and hers luxury shopping from Mallory Jewellers

OMEGA’S PLANET OCEAN It was with Omega’s maritime legacy in mind that the brand launched its Planet Ocean line in 2005. Today, the stylish Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M, Co-Axil Master Chronometer is the perfect tribute to Omega’s heritage of the finest diving watches, £5760

CHOPARD SUNNIES These Imperiale sunglasses from luxury Swiss brand Chopard are fit for any modern empress. Encrusted with lines of precious sparkling Swarovski crystals, with golden accents they are confident, bold and celebrate modern feminity, £371

LONGCHAMP LUXURY Leading French brand Longchamp is one of the most renowned sensations of the fashion industry today. Elegance is coupled with durability, Longchamp’s totes are perfect for travel and everyday use and make a savvy investment.

Shown here the Longchamp Foulonne City medium tote in white. £395

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THE LUX LIST Visit E.P Mallory & Son Jewellers 1 – 5 Bridge Street, Bath, BA2 4AP for more information mallory-jewellers.com

HEAVENLY TIME The shimmering intensity of the deep purple colouring is a bold yet highly feminine choice which complements the dazzling lines of the JaegerLeCoultre Rendez-Vous Night & Day automatic steel watch with diamonds.

A truly captivating eye-catching and extraordinary timepiece, £10,800

BRILLIANT SPARKLE Peridot is an ancient gemstone treasured by the Pharaohs of Egypt and renowned for its bewitching light green sparkle. When married with the brilliance of diamonds and set in 18ct gold these earrings from Mallory Jewellers are simply enchanting, £1795

TO TRAVEL IS TO LIVE The Montblanc Nightflight cabin bag in black will add style to every voyage. Made from fine-rib nylon, it’s resistant to stains, water and scratches, combined with soft leather, jacquard lining and a subtle Montblanc emblem, £450

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ROYAL | COLLECTION

DIANA: A STYLE ICON An exhibition of the princess’ wardrobe unfolds the story of the world’s most photographed woman creating her own image.

Georgette McCready visits Kensington Palace

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anyone over 30 will recall exactly what they were doing on 31 August 1997, when they heard the news that Diana, Princess of Wales, had died in a car crash in Paris.

The nation was plunged into mourning, the ornate gates outside her London home, Kensington Palace piled feet deep in floral tributes. It was from here that her coffin left for her final journey, followed on foot by the heartrending sight of her beloved sons, William and Harry.

Two decades on and admirers of Diana still leave fresh flowers on the gates, but inside what must surely be one of the country’s prettiest palaces there is a positive celebration of Diana’s legacy taking place.

Diana: Her Fashion Story is a trip through the princess’ sartorial life, from her days as ‘Shy Di’ the teenage Sloane Ranger, through her years as the wife of the future king, to her post-divorce phase when she found a new confidence, honing her style to suit an independent woman supporting good causes. The People’s Princess, as the press dubbed her, was the world’s most photographed woman. This exhibition of 25 of her dresses gives us the chance to get within inches of the outfits we have seen time and again in newspapers and magazines.

The exhibition has been curated by Eleri Lynn, curator for the Historic Royal Palaces, with special responsibility for dresses. She showed a party of us round the six rooms.

Eleri said: “Diana didn’t like to see herself as a clothes horse but she used clothes as a tool to help her to do her job. She is still a relevent cultural force today.”

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Diana Spencer did not own many clothes as a young woman, borrowing from her sisters, her friends and her mother. The first item on show is a long dress by Regamus, the sort an innocent girl would wear and purchased under a mother’s watchful eye from Harrods.

The pale blouse with the floppy neckline that Snowdon photographed Diana wearing in 1981 is also here from her Shy Di days, as is the brown tweed skirt suit she wore on her honeymoon to Balmoral.

If we’re reading the early signs that here was a wife not prepared to stomp through the heather in the rain, Diana’s jacket is defiantly early 80s urban bomber style and in the photographs, taken on the stony riverbank, she is wearing flimsy ballet pumps.

As Diana’s role as a Royal grew she developed her own style. She abandoned the tradition of wearing gloves so she could have skin to skin contact with people when she shook their hands. She also chose British designers to dress her. Bruce Oldfield recalled her sitting informally on the floor to go through sketches, which had never been done before.

One of Diana’s favourite British designers was Catherine Walker and it was she who created Diana’s distinctive long, lean look which perfectly flattered her five foot ten athletic frame.

Eleri said: “Although Diana loved her ruffles and frills – as seen in her romantic full wedding dress – she gradually pared down her look. Yes, she made mistakes over the years but she learned from them and what worked in the press. Collaborating with her favourite designers she created her own style.”

Although the David and Elizabeth Emanuel designed wedding dress is not in the exhibition there are plenty of ‘wow’ moments. One stand-out piece is a sheath dress, encrusted with pearls and worn with a cropped bolero jacket with a raised collar, which Catherine Walker created in 1989, inspired by Tudor collars. It was this raised collar which earned the gown the nickname the ‘Elvis’ dress.

It is simple, beautiful and elegant.

Next to this in the glass case is another show-stopper, which Eleri

admits to being slightly obsessed with.

This dates back to 1985, but as Eleri says, it could still be worn today without looking dated. It is a midnight blue long dress designed by Victor Edelstein which Diana famously wore to the White House, where she spent a happy half hour on the dancefloor with John Travolta. And so this piece was dubbed the Travolta dress.

The exhibition moves on to Diana’s life after her divorce. She chose business-like suits, but in pretty and pastel shades which appealed to people. She abandoned hats as she said she couldn’t cuddle a child while wearing a hat. Jewellery worn for her charity visits was selected so children could play with it.

Diana’s charitable legacy still continues today. She famously broke down prejudice about HIV and Aids, holding hands with patients and sharing her warm smile and empathetic manner. She campaigned against landmines, visited hospices and

SHOW STOPPING: main picture the pearlencrusted ‘Elvis’ dress designed for Diana by British designer Catherine Walker Inset, the princess wore the dress in 1989, for a State visit to Hong Kong and to the Royal Albert Hall

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A PRINCESS’ PROGRESS: from left, pale pink chiffon blouse by Emanuel worn for a portrait by Lord Snowdon at the time of her engagement to the Prince of Wales; the Bill Pashley designed tweed suit Diana wore on honeymoon to Balmoral (photo from the time, below); the ice blue silk dress with beading by Gianni Versace, in which she was photographed for Vogue in 1991, and the Victor Edelstein blue silk evening dress (inset at the White House when she danced with John Travolta) drew international press attention to the plight of the hungry and the homeless. Above all she was seen to be warm and approachable, her concern for others palpable.

The last room in the exhibition is lined with large photographs of the princess looking confident, glamorous and joyful. These photographs include those taken by Mario Testino, who said Diana looked as though she’d just come in from a party. Her shoulders are bare, her hair short and she’s not wearing jewellery.

With her bodycon dresses there’s a sense that finally, here is a woman happy in her own skin.

This is a poignant moment for the visitor. Here are the dresses Diana wore that we remember seeing her in. By her mid-30s Diana had created a sense of timeless elegance. In the summer of 1997 she and her sons sorted through her wardrobe and picked 79 outfits to sell. The auction, Sequins Save Lives, in New York raised over £3.4m for cancer and Aids charities.

The dress she wore to attend the auction is in the display. It’s a short floral embroidered and sequinned dress by Catherine Walker and there’s an accompanying photograph – as there is for most of the outfits in the show – to show Diana wearing it, with her trademark beaming smile.

As Eleri says of this summer auction: “It was as if she was closing a chapter in her life before moving on to the next one.”

Sadly we will never know what this next chapter of her life would have held as Diana died in a car crash in Paris, aged just 36 in August 1997.

This exhibition gives us a chance to look at Diana in a fresh light. Many of us feel an

emotional link to her, as her life story was unfolded so publicly in front of our eyes. But here we can step back and assess how a woman in the 21st century stepped out from relative obscurity to make such a huge impact on the global stage.

And once you’ve had your fill of the exhibition there’s a chance to wander through the palace gardens. Enjoy afternoon tea in the Orangery, built in 1704 for King William and Queen Mary and admire the formal sunken gardens with their fountains and still ponds. These are being planted with white flowers throughout spring and summer as a tribute to the princess’s memory.

As a curator Eleri has had a challenging but rewarding task putting together 25 pieces that track Diana’s fashion story. Standing by the Versace beaded sheath dress – another timeless piece – she says: “Diana is stepping into the same space as a style icon as Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy.”

Just two decades on, now is a good time to assess that view and consider for ourselves whether Diana’s style is, indeed, enduring. n Diana: Her Fashion Story is at Kensington Palace until 2018. Admission, if you book in advance online, is £17 (children free), concessions £13.60. Admission includes the chance to see other public rooms at the palace.

To book visit: hrp.org.uk. The closest Tube station is Kensington High Street.

To wake up with a view over Kensington Palace, the five star Royal Garden Hotel (royalgardenhotel.co.uk) has rooms with commanding views over the palace and Kensington Gardens.

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FACE | THE | MUSIC

OUT OF THE SHADOWS INTO THE SUN Bath based singer-songwriter Emily Maguire talks to Georgette McCready ahead of her latest Bath gig, about making music and cheese – and the musicians she most admires

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inger-songwriter Emily Maguire says her life has been a rollercoaster. It’s certainly had some dramatic twists and turns, from the three week visit to a friend in Australia, which turned into four years, a love story and her first album – to how she became the best maker of feta cheese in Australia and found herself talking about mental health on Radio 4 with Libby Purves.

Now Bath based, Emily has just released her fifth album, A Bit of Blue. Her songs are stripped bare and hauntingly beautiful. She says, of life ‘in the midst of suffering there is hope, there is potential, there is even joy.’

Emily understands both physical and mental suffering. She was a promising young classical musician, playing the cello from the age of seven. But she had to put off going to university after being struck with the cripplingly painful condition fibromyalgia pain syndrome. She was stuck at home, in pain and depressed.

“I got my first guitar and started playing as a distraction,” she says.

“Songwriting was a revelation, I’d always loved poetry, so this was an extension of that. I wrote hundreds of songs, with no intention of playing them in public – I thought that would have been a very exposing thing to do.”

And so the songs remained unperformed and Emily continued to write, even as her physical health returned. But she suffered a breakdown, the result of her bipolar condition, which led to a stay in a psychiatric ward.

On her way to recovery Emily’s long standing friend Christian Dunham (known to many in Bath as a successful hypotherapist) invited her out to the Australian outback to stay with him on his mother’s goat farm for a few weeks’ holiday.

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her as her partner and in her career ever since, including as her bass player when she’s on stage.

Emily and Christian lived in the outback in a shack that Christian built with friends, using recycled wood, tin and potato sacks. They made their living making goat’s cheese and shared their home with various wildlife, including a visiting seven foot python called Dudley and three giant rainforest spiders – ‘bigger than my hand and hairy as anything’ – they nicknamed Harry, Harriet and Horace to make them less scary, who lived in the couple’s bathroom, waving a hairy

leg or two from under the toilet rim or round the corner of the mirror.

But despite the creepy crawlies Emily says of her time living in the outback: “I was the happiest I had ever been out there, growing our own vegetables and making cheese.”

During the annual quiet weeks of the goat’s cheese production cycle Christian and Emily would throw a couple of guitars and some clothes into a case and fly to the UK to play clubs and pubs. But things were about to take another dramatic turn . . .

“I went from playing to 20 people in a church hall in Bishop’s Stortford

ON TOUR: main picture, Emily Maguire Picture: Richard Ecclestone Opposite, Alanis Morissette, Tracy Chapman and Eva Cassidy Inset, Shaktu, Emily’s home in the Australian outback

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to playing in front of 4,000 people at the Royal Albert Hall,” Emily explains that someone saw her play in Bournemouth and sent her CD with some chocolates to a Radio 2 producer, who in turn got her music played on the Aled Jones show.

“Next we knew we had a call saying would I like to tour with Don McLean. We had to cancel our flights back to Australia.”

From that successful tour Emily has toured with other acts, including Eric Bibb and Squeeze frontman Glen Tillbrook, as well as playing various festivals and, in recent years, sell-out solo gigs at Chapel Arts Centre in Bath.

Emily doesn’t see herself as a campaigner for mental health issues, but she has given many media interviews on the subject and describes being able to talk about being bipolar as liberating. She regularly plays to patients on mental health wards and is patron of Restore, a charity which uses the restorative power of gardening. She is also a supporter of Bath MIND, playing at its recent AGM. I ask her if the fear of an episode haunts her? But she is adamant that she is so grateful for being well that it doesn’t stop her from enjoying life. That the days of sunshine and warmth of good health more than balance out the dark, shadowy times.

She is adept at turning difficult times to produce something creative. A couple of years ago a serious bout of tendonitis meant Emily couldn’t play her beloved guitar.

“I was very depressed, but I meditated every morning, then made myself write a poem a day. It was largely stream of consciousness stuff.”

The product of this time without making music is Emily’s latest collection of poetry, song lyrics and prose, called Notes from the North Pole. As with her music – which Maverick magazine has described as ‘music for the soul’ – her writing is straight from the heart. There are descriptions of feelings that many others will recognise and identify with.

“Sometimes,” she says, “people will come up to me after a gig and say ‘you made me cry’ and I think ‘good’. Art of all kinds is a great way to communicate.”

We can hear Emily play and in

conversation with Clare Balding on Radio 2 on Sunday 30 April and meanwhile, she continues her tour of the country promoting A Bit of Blue, produced by her and Christian’s record label Shaktu (named after Shack Two, their Aussie home).

What next for Emily, I ask?

“I have a tour of Germany to look forward to, I already have 21 songs for my next album and plans for another book of poetry. Then, when I have time I am going to take my guitar and some Guinness and take myself off on a musical retreat to my spiritual home, the Isle of Purbeck.”

it made me go all wistful thinking of far-off places. Years later I went to one of her gigs and sat there in floods of tears while she sang this song.

JS Bach – Mass in B Minor, Agnus Dei I grew up with classical music at home and I still listen to it a lot. Although I’ve never liked opera, I love choral music. Bach and Bob Marley strangely have the same effect on my mind, making me feel all is well with the world.

Tom Waits – Martha His album Closing Time, from which this song is taken, is another all-time favourite.

He writes such beautiful melodies all sung with that unique, fabulous voice.

Joni Mitchell – River I have to confess that I’m not that into her other records but her album Blue is absolutely stunning and this song is one of my favourites. Again I get that lovely feeling of wistful longing when I listen to it.

EMILY’S TOP TEN SONGS Eva Cassidy – Fields of Gold One of the most beautiful recordings of a song I think I have ever heard. It makes me sad every time to think that she died so young but she left such a treasure behind.

Tracy Chapman – Baby Can I Hold You Her album Fast Car is one of my all-time favourites. I always loved singing along and making up harmonies. So many songs to choose from but this one is just gorgeous.

Ben Powell – Farewell Ladakh Ben is a excellent guitarist and composer I met when he was busking in Bath. I love acoustic guitar music and both his albums are just brilliant.

Alanis Morissette – Thank U I loved her album Jagged Little Pill and this huge song from the follow-up is fantastic.

She always writes from the heart, as do I. I love her words, her voice and her kickass attitude.

Bob Marley – Misty Morning I was obsessed with Bob Marley as a teenager and when I got a guitar for my 21st birthday I taught myself to play it from his songbooks. The first song I ever learnt was Time Will Tell as it only has two chords.

Fauré – Élégie I was classically trained as a cellist and I played this piece as a teenager at a masterclass with the world-famous cellist Paul Tortelier just before he died. It was an amazing moment meeting him and playing this incredibly passionate piece with my sister on piano.

Suzanne Vega – Gypsy I used to sing this song all the time when I was 16 and working in France as a chambermaid. I’m an incurable romantic and

Emily is playing at the Chapel Arts Centre, Bath on Friday 28 April. Tickets are £12 in advance from tel: 01225 463362 or online at: chapelarts.org. n

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Bath’s Wylde Treasure Hunt Registration is open now!

Nicholas Wylde celebrates 30 years of business in Bath by launching an amazing treasure hunt to win a fantastic prize package of over £10,000

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oin Nicholas Wylde’s 30th anniversary celebrations by entering our amazing Wylde Treasure Hunt around the city centre of beautiful Bath, for a chance to win a stunning £10,000 prize package.

This includes a Wylde Flower Diamond®, a VIP stay at Bath’s luxurious Gainsborough Hotel & Spa, entry to Bath’s top tourist attractions, a fabulous selection of gifts for him and her, champagne balloon flight, a horse-drawn carriage ride and lot’s more still to be announced - from many of Bath’s independent shops.

We’ll be hiding seven jewelled treasures in secret locations in Bath city centre and the mission – should you choose to accept it – is to crack the clues, find the treasure, gather information and enter the draw where one lucky winner wins all the booty! You’ll spend an enjoyable couple of hours on the hunt in historic Georgian streets.

It’s easy to take part: 1. Register to hunt at wyldetreasure.nicholaswylde.com 2. Receive all the clues from April 1st onwards by email 3. Wylde Treasure Hunt officially launched and accepting entries from June 1st – August 31st 2017.

And that’s not all. For more chances to win prizes, like and follow our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages for extra competitions before and during the main event.

Enjoy Bath this summer and embark on the Wyldest hunt of all!

In association with Visit Bath and our sponsors celebrating the independent business spirit – Shop local and support the indies!

Nicholas Wylde is the South West’s leading jewellery designer, creating beautiful bespoke jewellery in his unique and visionary manner.

One of the few jewellers in the world to have a registered, patented diamond (The Wylde Flower Diamond ®, containing more cut facets than any other brilliant cut diamond), Nicholas continues to explore new frontiers in designer-led jewellery – all crafted with skill and love.

Nicholas Wylde, Goldsmith & Jeweller, 12 Northumberland Place, Bath BA1 5AR Tel: 01225 462826

EVERY MONTH THE BATH MAGAZINE IS PERFECTLY DELIVERED TO OVER 20,000 HOMES AND BUSINESSES

AN INSERT IN OUR MAGAZINE WILL REALLY REACH GREAT QUALITY READERS

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WHAT’S ON in April EVENTS ARE LISTED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OUT OF THE BLUE: THE STORY OF BLUE IN ART Monday 3 April, 7.30pm n The Guildhall, High Street, Bath Bath Decorative and Fine Arts Society presents an evening talk looking into the history and development of the colour blue in art, from the lapis lazuli mines in Afghanistan to the studios of Titian, Vermeer, Hokusai, Picasso and Matisse. Visitors £8 at the door.

EDITOR’S PICK FRESH TAKE: Pygmalion by Headstrong theatre company at the Theatre Royal

Thomasina Miers, founder of Wahaca is coming to Topping & Co

Jodie Prenger is playing Shirley Valentine at the Theatre Royal

The Shee, playing at the Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford on Avon

Moishe’s Bagel at Chapel Arts Centre

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CATHRYN SPENCE: THE STORY OF BATH Thursday 6 April, 6.30pm n Waterstones, Milsom Street, Bath Bath historian Dr Cathryn Spence has written a thoroughly researched and fascinating hsitory of our city. Even a dyed-in-thewool Bathonian will learn many surprising and fascinating facts from Bath’s past and this free event will also suit those who know little about Bath yet and are keen to know more.

MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 April, 7.30pm, matinee Saturday, 2pm n The Mission Theatre, Corn Street, Bath Angela’s husband has had a mid-life crisis and a mid-European fling.

Angela is left with the dog. An insightful and hilarious exploration from the Next Stage Theatre Company of what life can be like for a 40-something, suddenly single woman. Tickets: £12 (£10 concs) tel: 01225 428600, tel: 01225 463362, visit: missiontheatre.co.uk.

THOMASINA MIERS Tuesday 4 April, 8pm n Topping & Co bookshop, The Paragon, Bath Former BBC Masterchef winner, Guardian food columnist and founder of the successful Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca is coming to talk about her new book Home Cook and cook up a selection of tasty treats. Tickets: £8 from the bookshop, redeemable against the book. Tel: 01225 428111.

Also hosted by Topping & Co this month THE UNMUMSY MUM Wednesday 26 April, 8pm Sarah Turner, GQ columnist and blogger, shares her hilarious take on being a less than perfect mother of two, offering recognition for other parents in her refreshing memoir. Tickets: £6 / £7 redeeemable against book price.

CRAFT SHOW Thursday 6 – Saturday 8 April, 10am – 5pm n Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet Enjoy all manner of crafts from more than 100 leading craft suppliers, groups and guilds. Plus 75 workshops, demonstrations and make and take sessions. Refreshments and free parking. Tickets: £8 / £7 concessions, u16s free, tel: 0345 3040222, visit: craft4crafters.co.uk.

CHARITY FASHION SHOW Thursday 6 April, 6pm n LK Bennett, New Bond Street, Bath Four legged and two legged models will be taking to the fashion dogwalk for an LK Bennett spring show, held in support of dogs’ charity Forever Hounds Trust, (formerly Greyhound Rescue West of England). There’ll be a 20% discount on the night. Tickets: £10 (to include a glass of prosecco) text WOOF05 £10 to 70070 and show phone confirmation on the door.

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BATH MINERVA CHOIR: GALA CONCERT Saturday 8 April, 7.30pm n Bath Abbey Join Bath Minerva Choir, an international team of soloists and Bath Philharmonia for the epic Verdi’s Requiem. Book tickets at the Bath Box Office, tel: 01225 463362 or visit: bathboxoffice.org.uk.

PYGMALION Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 April, times vary n Theatre Royal, Saw Close, Bath How much do our voices and accents define who we are?

Innovative theatre company Headlong brings a contemporary take on Bernard Shaw’s drama about a professor of phonetics, who takes a flower girl and aims to convince people she’s a duchess.

Tickets, tel: 01225 448844 or online: theatreroyal.org.uk.

Also at the Theatre Royal this month SHIRLEY VALENTINE Monday 10 – Saturday 15 April, times vary Jodie Prenger takes the role that Pauline Collins made famous, as the put-upon wife who escapes to Greece, where in the sunshine she discovers herself.

THE MIKADO Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 April, times vary A joyful new all-male G&S production from the team that brought us the award-winning Pirates of Penzance and HMS Pinafore.

The Mikado at the Theatre Royal NELL GWYNN Tuesday 25 – Saturday 29 April, times vary The production that won the 2016 Olivier award for best comedy during its sell-out run in the West End. Nell Gywn is the 17th century heroine who won the heart of the king.

HANDEL’S MESSIAH Friday 7 April, 7pm n Bath Abbey Bath Abbey’s choirs of girls and men perform this choral masterpiece under the direction of Huw Williams, Bath Abbey’s new director of music, and accompanied on period instruments by the leading baroque ensemble, Canzona. Tickets: from £10 – £20, from Bath Box Office, tel: 01225 463 362.

MISBEHAVIN’ Friday 7 April, 7.30pm n Freshford Memorial Hall, Freshford Drawing upon the band members’ eclectic and diverse journeys across musical frontiers including jazz, music theatre, traditional and contemporary music, Misbehavin’ has created work inspired by the elements. There’ll be a mix of covers and original songs.

Tickets: £10, tel: 01822 833668, bar proceeds to Dorothy House Hospice Care. Visit: misbehavinjazz.com.

RICHES OF THE EARTH: THE BEAUTY OF MINERALS Saturday 8 April – 30 September, Monday to Saturdays, 10am – 4pm n Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, Queen Square, Bath This free exhibition reveals the beauty of minerals through the astounding forms and vibrant colours of more than 100 specimens.

Alongside these, close-up photographs will allow visitors to appreciate tiny details of crystal form and colour.

More information: brlsi.org.

JOURNEY TO EASTER Until Sunday 16 April, when the abbey is open n Bath Abbey A touring exhibition of Via Crucis, a series of 14 new images for the Stations of the Cross by Bath artist Caroline Waterlow. Follow the final events of Jesus’ life as he goes to the place of his crucifixion and death.

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WHAT’S | ON FAMILY FUN DAY Saturday 8 April, 11am – 3pm n Rhymes Pavilion, Coal Pit Road, Batheaston The day is being organised by Michelle Russell and Maggie Herbert from Batheaston and will feature live music, a licensed bar, pizza van, a raffle and stalls including Neals Yard, Usbourne Books, Stella & Dot Jewellery and Keylicious Cakes. Children’s activities include an Easter egg hunt, bouncy castle, face painting, glitter tattoos, a craft area and space for unsupervised football or basketball. Special visitors include firemen from Avon & Somerset Fire Service who are bringing a fire engine along for children to sit in. Entry is free and all money raised will be donated to Dorothy House Hospice Care.

PARAGON SINGERS: PORTUGUESE POLYPHONY Saturday 8 April, 7.30pm n St Swithin’s Church, Walcot Paragon Singers present a concert of music from Renaissance Portugal, centred around the Requiems of Duarte Lôbo and Manuel Cardoso. Known as Portugal’s ‘Golden Age of Polyphony’, these composers were writing music in a Renaissance idiom well into the 17th century while the rest of Europe had moved on to a more antiphonal Baroque style. This is the first concert with new conductor Sarah Latto. Tickets: £12 / £6 from Bath Box Office, tel: 01225 463362.

Michael Collins at the Wiltshire Music Centre

Gainsborough’s Guitar at the Herschel Museum

Pop Up Bowie at Chapel Arts Centre

Pianist Melvyn Tan at Wiltshire Music Centre

Timothy Richards’ scale models of classical buildings are on display at No 1 Royal Crescent Museum

VIVA NEIL DIAMOND Saturday 8 April, 7.30pm n Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls, Bath Bob Drury presents a new one-man stage show celebrating the music of Neil Diamond. Tickets: £14 / £16 on the door. Please note the bar only takes cash. Visit: chapelarts.org, or tel: 01225 461700.

Also at Chapel Arts this month THE MUSIC OF JAMES TAYLOR AND CAROLE KING Friday 21 April, 7.30pm Featuring all the great songwriters’ best loved hits in a new theatre show. Tickets: £17.50 / £20 on the door.

POP UP BOWIE Saturday 22 April, 7.30pm Pop Up Bowie is the late, great British singer-songwriter’s most successful tribute act. Relive some of those golden years. Tickets: £18 / £20 on the door.

CITY OF LONDON SINFONIA Saturday 8 April, 7.30pm n Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon An evening of orchestral classics includes Vaughan Williams’ spellbinding The Lark Ascending. The programme also features Finiz Clarinet Concerto, Britten Folk Song Suite and Beethoven Symphony No7 in A Major, with Michael Collins conducting and on clarinet.

Tickets: £28 / £14 u18s. Pre-concert talk, 6.30pm. Tel: 01225 860200 or visit: wiltshiremusic.org.uk.

Also at Wiltshire Music Centre this month THE SHEE Wednesday 12 April, 7.30pm This traditional Scottish folk and bluegrass six-piece is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, featuring music from its latest album Continuum. Tickets: £16 / £8 u18s.

MELVYN TAN: PIANO Saturday 22 April, 7.30pm Internationally acclaimed pianist Melvyn Tan comes to Wiltshire for a virtuoso performance. His recital will include Liszt’s Sonata in B Minor S178, two mature late works by Beethoven and a new piece by composer Jonathan Dove written for Tan’s 60th birthday. Tickets: £22 / £11 u18s.

LONDON SWING ORCHESTRA Sunday 23 April, 3pm Celebrate St George’s Day with this lively Jazz Age swing band, playing vintage hits from the 1930s and 40s for St George, mad dogs and Englishmen. The band played Kate Middleton’s 21st birthday party, before she became the Duchess of Cambridge. Tickets: £20 / £10 u18s.

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Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution Forthcoming events:

The Life of Mary Somerville 10th April @7.30pm

The Vietnam War

18th April @7.30pm

Plate Tectonic Theory 27th April @7.30pm

Rosa Luxemburg Day

29th April : Begins @2pm

boxoffice@bathfestivals.org.uk

FOALE & TUFFIN

The Sixties—A Decade in Fashion Professor Iain R Webb Tickets: boxoffice@bathfestivals.org.uk Wednesday 12th April 2017

www.brlsi.org 16 - 18 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HN 01225 312 084

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Bath Decorative and Fine Arts Society Bath Afternoon DFAS

Image courtesy of the Forbes Collection. Photographed

by Joseph Cosica Jr. Copyright © All rights reserved

2017 Lecture Programme

1.30pm at the Guildhall, High Street, Bath Monday 3rd April – Out of the Blue: The Story of Blue in Art with Alexandra Drysdale Monday 8th May – Uniting Elegance with Utility: George & Alice Hepplewhite with Janusz Karzewski-Slowikowski Monday 5th June – The Imperial Easter Eggs of Carl Faberge: Before the Revolution with Toby Faber Visitors welcome £8 at the door (no booking required) www.bathdfas.com

TALK: FOALE AND TIFFIN Wednesday 12 April, 7.30pm n Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institute, Queen Square, Bath Fashion writer and professor in fashion and design Iain R Webb will be talking about Marion Foale and SallyTuffin, two key British fashion designers of the Swinging Sixties. Tickets: £6 / £4 concessions, visit: boxoffice@bathfestivals.org.uk.

CLARIDGE LECTURE: AT HOME AT HIGHCLERE, THE REAL DOWNTON ABBEY Thursday 13 April, 7pm n The American Museum in Bath, Claverton Manor, Claverton The 8th Countess of Carnarvon, lives at Highclere Castle and has published two books focusing on the social life of the house Highclere Castle, the real Downton Abbey around the First and Second World Wars.

Her newest book develops the theme of entertainment, with photographs and archive gems. Join Lady Carnarvon for an inside view of Highclere and a book signing. Admission £7, pre-booking essential, tel: 01225 820866.

Also at the American Museum in Bath this month EASTER YARN BOMB TRAIL Friday 14 – Monday 17 April, 10.30am – 5pm A family event at the Claverton Down museum, featuring a magical knitted trail celebrating the glamour of Hollywood. Follow the trail through the grounds to win the chance of a prize. All the items have been hand knitted by the museum’s volunteers.

JUBILATE: THE MUSICAL SCENE IN 18TH CENTURY BATH Monday 17 April – 10 December, daily 1 – 5pm and 11am – 5pm at weekends and bank holidays n The Herschel Museum of Astronomy, New King Street, Bath This year marks the 250th anniversary of William Herschel taking up the post of director of music in Bath. Herschel later went on to make major astronomical discoveries, but he was also a prolific composer, musician and teacher, while his sister Caroline, also an astronomer, was a fine singer. The exhibition focuses on the development of music in Bath during the period of the Enlightenment and its importance to the social makeup and cultural life of the city when it was at its most fashionable and vibrant.

NICOLA BENEDETTI AND BATH PHILHARMONIA Friday 21 April, 7.30pm n The Forum, Southgate, Bath One of the UK’s leading violinists joins forces with Bath Philharmonia for two powerful mid-20th century Russian pieces, Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No1 and Prokofiev’s ballet score, Romeo and Juliet. Tickets: £25 – £35, £5 under 16s. Tel: 01225 463362 or visit: bathboxoffice.org.uk.

ORGANIC SKINCARE PRODUCTS WORKSHOP Sunday 23 April, 9.45am – 4.30pm n BRLSI, Queen Square, Bath Make organic skincare products in a workshop led by senior international trainer Anna Christensen. Create personalised skincare products which suit you. Be natural, feel good, and look radiant and healthy. Places, to include recipes, ingredients, products to take home and lunch, are £145. To book, visit: annachristensen.eu/workshops or tel: 07811956685.

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BATH DRAMA: GOTHIC @ THE RONDO Wednesday 26 – Saturday 29 April, 7.30pm n The Rondo theatre, St Saviour’s Road, Larkhall A double bill to celebrate the gothic short stories of WF Harvey, Robert Aickman and Edith Nesbit. The Paradise Club meets regularly to frighten each other out of their wits. But someone has been doing this too well. Could this be the last meeting ever? All Hallows’ Tide: Hugo and Fran go on a weekend in deepest Suffolk.

Where’s the mobile signal and why are the bells all ringing?

And what happens when they stop? Tickets: £12 / £10 concessions, visit: ticketsource.co.uk.

FROM ROME TO THE ROYAL CRESCENT Until Sunday 4 June, open Tuesday – Sunday, 10.30am – 5.30pm, Monday, noon – 5.30pm n No1 Royal Crescent Museum, Bath As part of celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of the building of the Royal Crescent, an exhibition of intricate models of classical buildings by Bath model maker Timothy Richards which includes a replica of the Royal Crescent. Free with admission to the museum: £10, child £4. Visit: no1royalcrescent.org.uk.

RUSSELL KANE: RIGHT MAN, WRONG AGE Thursday 27 April, 8pm n Komedia, Westgate Street, Bath In his new show, Russell Kane, pictured, unleashes another blisteringly-funny, award-winning stand-up performance about growing up and growing down.

Tickets from: £17, visit: komedia.co.uk.

Also at Komedia this month THE MINISTRY OF BURLESQUE’S TWISTED CABARET Friday 28 April, doors open 6.30pm The audience is invited to pull out all the stops and dress appropriately for an evening of high camp comedy, music and Victorian swagger. Enjoy burlesque acts featuring the daring antics of scantily clad showgirls, the sultriest of sirens and the edgiest comiccabaret masters. Tickets: from £17.

PLANNING AHEAD . . .

CITYSOUND VOICES: FIFTH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT Saturday 6 May, 7.30pm n St Stephen’s Church, Lansdown, Bath CitySound Voices 5th Anniversary concert featuring the choir’s top ten favourite songs and the world premiere of Mark Boden’s That Music Always Round Us. Tickets: £10 / £5 from Bath Box Office, tel: 01225 463362 or visit: bathboxoffice.org.uk.

CYCLING: THE TOUR SERIES Saturday 20 May n Great Pulteney Street, Bath Bath will host the first ever Saturday night stage of The Tour Series 2017 and the Matrix Fitness Women’s Grand Prix, with a new city centre route, starting and finishing on Great Pulteney Street.During the morning there’ll be the chance to take part in the Love 2 Cycle Bath and North East Somerset Sportive, a non-competitive event offering cyclists of all levels the opportunity to cycle either 53km or 116km. For more details visit: bathnes.gov.uk/tourseries.

THE BRIAN ROPER MEMORIAL CONCERT Friday 30 June, 7.30pm n The Forum, Southgate, Bath Bath Philharmonia presents a concert dedicated to the memory of local philanthropist Brian Roper. Internationally renowned pianist Peter Donohoe performs Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto in a programme that includes Stravinsky’s Firebird and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. Tickets: £25 – £35 (plus booking fees), under 16s £5, tel: 0844 888 9991. n

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SET YOUR CLOCK FOR PARTYTIME You are cordially invited to attend the opening night of the 2017 Bath Festival as the free Party in the City prepares to bring live music to the streets and venues in time honoured tradition

D

ig out your dancing shoes, pin back your listening ears and choose appropriate British summer clothing as hundreds of performers prepare to take to the streets of Bath for the free Party in the City, which kicks off at 6pm on Friday 19 May and marks the opening of this year’s Bath Festival.

This year, for the first time in many years, a lot of action will take place in Alfred Street near the Fashion Museum, where three marquees will be set up with 15 performances taking place during the evening. Expect school choirs and bands, some rhythm and blues from the Harlem Rhythm Cats and covers from The Bourbons. There’ll be art, street theatre and the chance to eat and drink at Woods, the Boston Tea Party and The Assembly Inn. A few drum beats away in Milsom Street, the carnival comes to town with costume making workshops and parades from old favourites Jamma De Samba, along with Horning Glory, an eight-piece playing popular songs in a brassed up New Orleans style.

Stroll along to Queen Square where the festival spirit will be alive and throbbing to the sound of up and coming bands introduced by Moles.

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favourites Sleeptalking, an alt rock band and Bare Knuckle Parade, a fantastically energetic band who honed their entertainment skills busking on the streets of Bath.

There’ll be food and drink stalls, making this a great place to meet friends.

For those who prefer their music while seated, Bath Abbey as always, offers some great sounds, beginning with a choir of local schoolchildren who’ve worked with composer Richard Barnard and artist Edwina Bridgeman to create a festival opener.

Other performances include The City of Bath Male Choir who appeared on the BBC’s Last Choir Standing.

There’ll be music of all kinds at venues across the city centre. Perhaps you’d like to soak up the atmosphere of the historic Roman Baths to the brass sound of the Bath Spa Band or the Lambeth Swing Band, or check out Bath’s newest venue Widcombe Social Club where a host of choirs will be raising the rafters.

There’ll be music where you might expect it – at St Swithin’s Church in Walcot, St Michael’s Without in Broad Street, St James’ Wine Vaults and the Pig and Fiddle (where fans will be delighted to find Rivers of England playing). But there will also be music in places you might not

expect, including the Museum Of Bath Architecture in the Paragon, the chapel at the Gainsborough Hotel, Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Museum in Queen Square and the Friends Meeting House in York Street.

You might want to head down to Southgate where a number of live acts will be staged, kicking off with former Pan’s People dancer Dee Dee Wilde leading her latest dance troupe Pan’s Fans.

As this is a night of free entertainment you could venture into venues you haven’t been to before and this is a good chance to sample their ambience. Komedia in Westgate Street is putting on nine acts throughout the evening, including the fabulous sounding The Blues Others who’ll be proving they’ve got ‘both kinds of music’ as they roll out some crackers including Soul Man, Gimme Some Lovin’ and Rawhide. Or how about sampling the hospitality at uber cool venue The Nest on the Paragon, to hear from indie band Little Wonder, some upbeat jazzy pop from The Rosa Gray Band and a dash of rock and roll with a slice of soul courtesy of Pink Hotel.

Age is no barrier for this party, so let’s turn out in our droves to enjoy all these free Party in the City events.

If you want to buy tickets for the

ALL KINDS OF MUSIC: pictures from the 2016 Party in the City, taken inside Bath Abbey and at venues around the city Opposite page, Louise Prynne Bath BID chief executive, Ian Stockley, Bath Festival chief executive, Tom Searle of Bath Marks and Spencer and Samantha Little of Jollys PHOTO: James Cheadle

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rest of The Bath Festival which runs from Friday 19 May to Sunday 28 May, visit: thebathfestival.org.uk or buy in person at Bath Box Office from 10.30am to 5pm. You can also reserve tickets on tel: 01225 463362. Gift vouchers for The Bath Festival can also be purchased at Bath Box Office, by telephone and online.

Please use #TheBathFestival and @bathfestivals in social media.

NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR FESTIVAL The Bath Magazine is already proud to be media partner to the new-look Bath Festival. It’s been joined by The Bath Business Improvement District (BID) as a strategic corporate partner of the new all encompasssing music and literature festival. This year’s festival programme is designed to appeal to a wider audience, build visitor numbers and remind the world that Bath remains a destination for culture. These aspirations are shared with Bath BID, which represents many businesses in the city.

Bath BID member businesses will have the opportunity to get involved individually, as well as benefitting from umbrella Bath BID sponsorship. Benefits include marketing and branding, 10% off ticket sales for their staff, hospitality opportunities, including the chance to host events in Marks and Spencer and Jollys. A number of Bath BID businesses involved include Waterstones, Jollys, The Abbey Hotel, Number 15 Great Pulteney and the Gainsborough Hotel. A discounted corporate package of £3.5k is available to all Bath BID members. Call Celia Mead on 01225 462231 or email: Celia.Mead@bathfestivals.org.uk.

Other strategic partners of The Bath Festival include Wessex Water, Rotork, UBS with Bath Spa University as creative partner.

Festival highlights include: an event with Mary Berry; Sir Salman Rushdie (his only appearance outside Paris and London); Costa award-winner Sebastian Barry; politician and Strictly Come Dancing star Ed Balls and New York acappella band Naturally 7 (championed by Coldplay and Michael Bublé).

There will also be events with India Knight; Charley Boorman; Madeleine Shaw; Dan Pearson; Simon Callow and numerous literary and musical giants including Colm Tóibín; Margaret Drabble and Fay Weldon; Ali Smith; Harriet Harman; Victoria Hislop and Georgie Fame.

Look out too for events suitable for children. Children’s entertainer Kid Carpet will be staging one of his hilarious interactive shows with four performances at The egg theatre.

There’s also a free family arts day on Sunday 28 May in Parade Gardens with a musical theme and everyone is encouraged to join in. n

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COMEDY | FESTIVAL

JUST BRING US YOUR GSOH The 2017 Bath Comedy Festival runs for a record 17 days this year, with gags and giggles for all types of audience. We take a look at some of the highlights

W

orking to quash the stereotype image of standup comedians as men with mikes cracking gags about their mothers-in-law, Bath Comedy Festival is the UK’s only F-rated comedy festival.

The 2017 event, which runs from April Fools Day until Monday 17 April, offers more acts than previous years, over more days and promises a huge range of acts, from the tremulously starting out to well known veterans, including Barry Cryer, Paul Merton and Arthur Smith.

Festival founder and director Nick Steel has also ensured that women form a key role in the programme, which includes: at least one female act every day throughout the festival; at least one female comic in every multiple line-up; at least two female contestants in each heat of the New Act Competition, and female compères, as well as women judges on the panel of the New Act Competition final.

Nick says: “This is anything but tokenism.

Our ‘F’ also stands for funny. There are many highly accomplished and very funny women out there, and by applying this rating system to our core programme, we aim to show that once and for all.”

The New Act competition sees 72 up-andcoming comics compete through a series of heats during the festival to win the coveted prize – and the chance to return and perform at future festivals, as previous winners Archie Maddocks and Harriet Kemsley are doing this year. Winning this competition can prove the impetus to launch a comedian’s career.

The 2017 comedy festival kicks off at the Bath Forum, with Paul Merton’s Impro Chums and continues with a mix of acts, including broadcaster Andy Kershaw, comedian Simon Evans and fringe festival favourite Pip Utton, talking about what it’s like to play Margaret Thatcher.

The almost legendary force of energy, John Otway – self-styled rock’n roll’s greatest failure – will be at the Rondo theatre for us to find out what he’s been up to in the 25 years since his hit song Cor Baby That’s Really Free.

There are plenty of other acts that you may not have heard of, but a straight forward search online and a scroll through their Twitter feeds will give you an idea of whether you might enjoy their brand of humour. Abi Roberts has tested her material on some tough audiences and in her pay what you feel show at the Bath Brew House she delivers a new routine about what it’s like to be the first UK comic to perform comedy in Russia. Ashley Storrie has been described as the sexy Hodor of Scottish

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RAISING A SMILE: clockwise from top left, Abi Roberts, Simon Evans, Ashley Storrie, Harriet Kemlsey, Jon Monie on the wine trail and Viv Groskop, one-time Bath Literature Festival artistic director, bringing her new routine to Bath

comedy and she makes her Bath debut after sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, while London comedian Bisha K Ali promises to talk about inter-racial, inter-disaster love.

Returning to Bath too is Viv Groskop, known to many as the former Bath Literature Festival artistic director, but who has since honed her skills as a stand-up. In her latest show, Anchorwoman, she explores our relationship with the news and asks why it’s so annoying at the moment.

Some of the stand-up you’ll hear during the festival may use some strong language and shock tactics, but there are also familyfriendly and children’s entertainment too.

For the Easter holidays Bath’s own favourite comedian Jimmy Mc will be leading the field with his daytime Family Mad House (Monday 10 – Thursday 13 April at Widcombe Social Club, from 11.45am daily). If you have a young comedian in your family this will be a great place to launch their careers, as if they come up with a great joke or a funny act they may be invited to compete in the Kids’ Comedy Competition on Good Friday, 14 April from 3pm at Widcombe Social Club for the title of Little

Lord and Lady Laughalot 2017.

There are 14 Bath venues for this year’s festival, with the Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford on Avon as an outpost of festival fun. Most of the gigs and events need a ticket, but there are also a few pay-whatyou-like and some free events too.

There’ll be festival favourites, including the wine tour on a bus, with comedian Jon Monie clipping your tickets this year and the annual music gala at Moles featuring The Unrelated Family’s evening of original and classic comedy songs, plus a night with Arthur Smith reprising his turn as the much lamented Leonard Cohen.

For full details of the biggest comedy festival the city has yet hosted, visit: bathcomedy.com or pick up a programme.

This year’s headline sponsor is Bath-based company Lovehoney, which will be running its own Butt of all Jokes Twitter competition with some unusual prizes.

Whether you’re up for a LOL, a gentle titter or simply a wry smile, Bath Comedy Festival has something for all. Must have Good Sense of Humour, as they say on the dating sites. n

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JAZZ | AGE

Andree Spinelly in Paris, 1927, courtesy ® James Abbe archive

GIVE ’EM THE OLD RAZZLE DAZZLE

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JAZZ | AGE

I

mmerse yourself in the glamorous sights and sounds of the roaring ‘20s at the new exhibition dedicated to the fashion and photography of the Jazz Age at the American Museum in Britain.

From sparkling flapper dresses to couture, evening capes to ready-to-wear garments, 1920s Jazz Age: Fashion and Photographs allows you to get up close and personal with more than 100 exquisite pieces from the era.

The exhibition challenges the stereotypical idea of the flapper from the 1920s – through the pieces on display, it reveals how there was such a variety of fashion at women’s fingertips in this decade, from tea dresses to swimming costumes, formalwear to brightly patterned silk pyjamas.

As popular music from the time fills the exhibition room, visitors can gaze upon different collections of garments according to a scenario or event that these clothes may have once been worn to, such as the theatre, a wedding or a trip to the seaside. The picnic scene is a particular favourite theme of mine – nine dresses, all in different shades of yellow, mustard, white and pinks, stand on a parkland background, the cascades of lace reflecting the romanticised and feminised ideas of women in the early 1920s that you would find in an F Scott Fitzgerald novel.

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women were attempting to emulate the glamorous actresses on the big screen at the time

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The 1920s has been hailed as a time of great social change in both the UK and the USA. The end of the First World War in 1918 brought considerable moral and cultural changes, and with this women’s fashion changed dramatically. Hemlines got higher, waistlines dropped, and haircuts got shorter and more stylised. With the growth of department stores and ready-to-wear items available at lower prices, fashion became a way that women from all areas of society could express themselves.

Moving through the exhibition to evening wear, the sumptuous layers of velvet, fur and silk are a feast for the eyes, and the countless amounts of sequins and crystals shimmer in the light.

These ensembles wouldn’t have looked out of place in a Hollywood film, demonstrating how women were attempting to emulate the glamorous actresses on the big screen at the time. Women in cinema were moving away from the submissive characters seen in silent movies and were becoming more modern, sexualised and dangerous, just as portrayed by the likes of Joan Crawford and Colleen Moore, and female viewers wanted to be just like them. This was what we might argue the creation of what we would consider the modern day celebrity.

In addition to these glamorous dresses and fur-trimmed coats is a gold lamé wedding dress which visitors were drawn to almost immediately at the opening of the exhibition.

The dress is made of a silk and metallic thread weave, lined with silk tulle and is almost medieval in its style, mirroring the gothic revivalism in architecture at this time.

The lack of glass casings mean that visitors are free to get close to the items and see the extent of the detail on each garment, which is rather rare when most exhibitions have to present items behind glass cases. Only a handful of pieces are too delicate to hang on mannequins, so these are laid out flat so visitors can see just how well preserved these items are for their age.

Alongside the tantalising dresses on display, the exhibition includes the enlightening work of photographer James Abbe, who captured portraits of some of the most notable names of the early 20th century, including The Dolly Sisters, Noël Coward and Gilda Gray. Abbe lived in Paris in the 1920s, working in the centre of the high fashion and cultural industry and documenting the lives of the celebrities of the day from the stage and the screen. The collection includes photographs of Dolores del Río, considered by many as the world’s first supermodel, theatrical brother and sister duo Fred and Adele Astaire, and iconic flapper actress and dancer Louise Brooks, allowing visitors a snapshot into the glamorous careers of these stars.

Illustrations by American designer Gordon Conway are also on display, demonstrating how graphic art was used to influence the consumer market in the 1920s. Many of Conway’s bright illustrations featured in Tatler magazine and reflected the way consumers were becoming bolder and more daring with their choices of clothing and hair styles compared to previous generations.

The museum has also explored a personal connection with the Jazz Age within the exhibition. Beatrice Pratt, the mother of Dallas Pratt, one of the museum’s founders, was a prominent socialite and fashionista in the early 20th century, known for her flamboyant style and love of haute couture.

The museum has dedicated part of the exhibition to the oil heiress’ influence on the social and fashion scene during this era.

We left the exhibition in awe of the beautiful items on display and in search of a hairdresser to create the perfect Gatsbyinspired wavy bob . . . n

1920s Jazz Age: Fashion & Photographs is on until 29 October 2017, open Tuesdays – Sundays from 10.30am. There is a free shuttle bus to the museum available from Terrace Walk (Bog Island). The museum will be holding a variety of 1920s themed live music events, family fun days and film showings throughout the year. Visit: American Museum in Britain, Claverton Manor, Bath, BA2 7BD. Tel: 01225 460503, web: americanmuseum.org.

Chinese-inspired silk pyjamas were a popular trend

The Dolly Sisters, 1923, courtesy ® James Abbe archive

Delicate lace dresses perfect for a picnic

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nick cudworth gallery

Spring Window – April Stile. Oil on canvas

LOOK THROUGH ANY WINDOW 1 – 29 April The seasonal changes as observed through stiles and windows alongside other works exploring this theme Prints of various sizes and cards also available

5 London Street (top end of Walcot Street), Bath BA1 5BU tel 01225 445221 / 07968 047639 gallery@nickcudworth.com www.nickcudworth.com

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

GALLERIES IN SPRING FINERY April sees an exciting, eclectic mix of exhibitions and open studios in Bath

Pistachio by Julia Cooper

DAVID SIMON CONTEMPORARY

Summer Window: August Stile by Nick Cudworth

NICK CUDWORTH GALLERY London Street, top of Walcot Street, Bath Closed on Mondays. Tel: 01225 445221 Visit: nickcudworth.com LOOK THROUGH ANY WINDOW Throughout April To celebrate the arrival of spring Nick has produced four new oil paintings incorporating the seasonal changes as observed through stiles and windows.

These will be shown alongside the many other prints and cards of work which explore this theme.

3 – 4 Bartlett Street, Bath Tel: 01225 460189 Visit: davidsimoncontemporary.com Open Monday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm, and Wednesday, 2 – 6pm JULIA COOPER: MAKING MARKS Until Monday 24 April Living on the Cornish coast, Julia Cooper is inspired in her paintings and ceramics by her environment. Exploring the coastline, she enjoys finding sun bleached and weathered marine debris, vintage boat timbers and jetsam on the beaches. She often utilizes these materials to create abstract constructions. Julia’s landscapes and coastal paintings often emerge out of the thought processes and physical discoveries of surface textures made when creating the threedimensional works. Whether constructing or

painting, she becomes completely engrossed in the job of adjusting colours, or shapes until the whole looks right. Much of this side of her painting involves scraping back to layers underneath to add texture and visible history of the making.

Julia has always enjoyed painting kitchen still lifes, following a timeless tradition of depicting simple shapes such as bowls and jugs, as a mode of studying the juxtaposition of colour. Often she will incorporate repetitive patterns suggesting chequered floor tiles to build a spatial tension within the composition. She says: “The term wabi-sabi represents Japanese aesthetics and a Japanese world view. It means finding beauty in imperfection, modesty, intimacy or austerity.

I like to think the objects in my still life and the intimacy of the wood constructions are akin to to such an aesthetic, a bit faded and quietly satisfying.”

BATH CONTEMPORARY 35 Gay Street, Bath Email: gallery@bathcontemporary.com Visit: bathcontemporary.com Twitter: @BathContemp Tel: 01225 461230 Open: Monday to Saturday, 10am – 5pm PAINTED COLOUR Friday 7 April – 1 May Celebrating the structural diversity of colour and its varying potential for visual composition, Painted Colour shows pieces by three contrasting artists whose work indulges our sense of form, structure, materiality and movement. Presenting abstracted geometry of harmoniously balanced colour by the reputable Alfred Stockham, powerfully bold and expressive Cornish landscapes by Paul Wadsworth and an exuberantly vibrant palette exploring feminine beauty by Iryna Yermolova.

Old Tin Roof by Paul Wadsworth

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

44AD GALLERY Abbey Street, Bath Open daily, noon – 6pm, Sundays 1pm – 4pm

Frome Meander by Anna Boss

BATH ART FAIR Farleigh Road Farm Shop, Farleigh Road, Norton St Philip Open: Friday 11am – 7pm,Saturday, 10am – 6pm, Sunday 10am – 5pm Twitter: @bathartfair Web: bathartfair.co.uk

A IS FOR DONKEYS . . .

Until Sunday 30 April We’re pleased to hear that a visually witty exhibition of an illustrated alphabet has had its stay at the gallery extended until the end of April. The exhibition coincides with the launch of a stylish and beguiling alphabet book, A is for Donkeys, a first-time collaboration between a Bath-based writer Jonathan Hope and Italian illustrator Riccardo Guasco. Admission is free and you’ll find the pictures displayed in the stairwell.

BLACK SWAN ARTS PRESENTS: BATH SPA UNIVERSITY Black Swan Arts, Bridge Street, Frome Tel: 01373 473980 Visit: blackswan.org.uk Open: Monday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm and Wednesday afternoons

WHY NOT BE ORIGINAL? Friday 7 – Sunday 9 April Original work from more than 50 of the country’s leading contemporary artists in the second art fair organised by awardwinning Somerset artist Alce Harfield.

THE FUTURE CAN’T WAIT Until Saturday 15 April Exhibits from 30 MA postgraduate students in ceramics, fashion and textiles, fine art and visual communication.

The exhibition addresses the issue of uncertainty in a time of political, economic and environmental upheaval.

To encourage more people to get creative, Black Swan artisans will be offering drop-in taster workshops for adults and children over ten years old on Saturday 8 April, 2 – 4pm. Try porcelain bead painting, watercolour and ink drawings, and learn from demonstrations in silver and gold jewellery.

Tick Tock by Kate McDonnell

Lotus 1989 (detail) by Hong Ling

THE MUSEUM OF EAST ASIAN ART

THE EDGE

12 Bennett Street, Bath Open: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm, Sunday, noon – 5pm Visit: meaa.org.uk

University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath Open Tuesday – Thursday, 11am – 8pm, Friday and Saturday, 11am – 5pm, closed Sunday and Monday. Free admission Tel: 01225 386777 Visit: edgearts.org.uk

HONG LING: SELECTED Until 2 July The Bath museum is one of only three UK venues to show paintings by the celebrated Chinese painter from different stages of his career.

JAMES CAPPER: SCULPTURE AND HYDRAULICS Until Saturday 8 April James Capper is one of the country’s most exciting sculptors, creating machine-like pieces that link art, nature and technology.

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

FRESH: ART FAIR Cheltenham Racecourse Visit: freshartfair.net Tickets: £6 on the door, or £6 for two online Friday 12 – Sunday 14 May Anthony Wardle is the Bath based founder of a new regional art fair. He says of the new venture: “If there’s one word to describe Fresh: Art Fair it’s accessible, from practical, emotional and financial perspectives. It’s only 10 minutes off the M5 with unlimited parking, it’s really easy to get to. With nearly 5,000 original prints, paintings and sculptures from 45 leading UK galleries, there’s something for everyone.

“We want to help newcomers to contemporary art to understand what they see and find what they love, at a price they can afford. We aim to help enthusiasts to expand their boundaries and maybe dip a toe into collecting. And we set out to find fresh galleries and artists so that established collectors can discover new talent.”

There are some very special artists. As a Picasso muse in the 1950s, Sylvette David became the subject of more than 60 of his paintings and sculptures. Today she is a celebrated watercolourist in her own right and her own name, Lydia Corbett. Her work will be shown at Fresh: by Bath gallery, David Simon Contemporary.

Gerald Laing was one of the greats of British pop art. Laing offered a unique artistic commentary on 20th and 21st century society. His work will be shown by

Geese and Cherries by Alan Halliday: Camburn Fine Art, Chinon, France

his long time agent, Bath art adviser and dealer Olivia Connelly.

Pall Mall gallery Panter & Hall will be showing the instantly recognisable figurative work of PJ Crook MBE RWA FRSA. From Chinon in France, Camburn Fine Art will bring the work of Alan Halliday, widely recognized as the world’s leading artist in live ballet, opera and theatre.

There’ll be emerging artists too with New Blood Art demonstrating an unerring ability

to spot new talent straight out of art school.

“There really is something for all tastes and budgets,” says Anthony. “A very broad cross section of genres, media and subjects from traditional landscape and classical still life to expressionist, naïve and abstract.

There’ll be original prints and paintings, glass, ceramics and small sculptures for a few hundred pounds, and Royal Academicians and famously collected artists for a few thousand.”

ONE TWO FIVE GALLERY 4 Abbey Green, Bath Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 11am – 5pm Tel: 07803 033 629 Visit: onetwofivegallery.co.uk

VICTORIA ART GALLERY

By Pulteney Bridge Open Daily, 10.30am – 5pm Tel: 01225 477233 Visit: victoriagal.org.uk HISTORY THROUGH A LENS: ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHS Until Wednesday 10 May More than 75 images depicting key moments in 20th and 21st century global events have been lent to the council-run gallery by the Incite Project. Images include the assassination of JFK, the Normandy D-Day landings, Nelson Mandela in his cell on Robben Island, the 9:11 Twin Towers attack in New York and boats filled with refugees in the Mediterranean.

Entry: £4, £3.50 concessions, children free. Tours every Thursday, to 27 April inclusive, 12.30 – 1pm. They are free to Discovery Card and ticket holders.

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HOME brooch by Polly Horwich

PASSION Thursday 13 April – 14 May Painted clothes and scarves full of hot colour

by Carole Waller and new cool ceramics by Gary Wood. With a mixture of pieces by six exciting contemporary jewellers: Polly Horwich, Annie Beardsley, Kaz Robertson, Shelby Fitzpatrick, Fionna Hesketh and Amy Keeper.

EMMA ROSE Upstairs at 78 Walcot Street, Bath, visitors welcome Open: Mon – Sat, 10am – 5pm Tel: 07885235915 or 01225 424 424 Visit: emmaroseartworks.com PALATE OF COLOUR Throughout April A solo show of a pulsating palate of colour: dynamic brushwork and vibrant hues. These are the trademarks of Emma Rose’s work, bringing the marvel of colour to canvas. Her work is inspired by an emotional response to the natural world, in particular to the quality of light, which is a vital part of the mood of the paintings which can also evoke memories

Paradise Found by Emma Rose

and personal interpretations in the viewer.

There is a sense of intimacy and intensity, and the idea of a glimpse into a remembered reality.

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ORIGINAL art direct from ORIGINAL artists at

Farleigh Farm Shop, Farleigh Road, Norton St Philip, Bath BA2 7NG (on A36 between Bath and Frome) For more information and to preview our artists, visit

www.bathartfair.co.uk

Friday 7th April - 11am – 7pm Saturday 8th April - 10am – 6pm Sunday 9th April - 10am – 5pm

This is a TWO for ONE TICKET £5.00 for two adults with this advert (normally £5 on the door each) Children and Students FREE FREE parking / pop up café / FREE children’s entertainment THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

BATH OPEN STUDIOS From the end of April, throughout May Bath’s popular arts trails and open studios start at the end of April and run throughout the month of May, with an event in a different part of the city each weekend. It’s an opportunity to discover the wide range of art and craft being created here, meet artists and makers, talk about their ideas or just enjoy browsing. You might even buy a piece of original art at an affordable price, or feel inspired to take up a new creative activity.

With painting, printmaking, photography and sculpture on show as well as glass, jewellery, ceramics and textile art, there’s something for all tastes.

Each trail has its own individual style but all share a relaxed and friendly welcome. It’s a great way to spend a day or the whole weekend, exploring a different neighbourhood, on your own, with friends or as a family. Whether you’re walking or driving, the routes are manageable and refreshments are provided at pubs, cafés and some artist venues.

Dates of all events are: 29 Apr – 1 May, Larkhall Open Studios, 6 and 7 May, Newbridge Arts Trail, 13 and 14 May,

Flowers by Jim Emiston

Widcombe Art Trail, 19 (evening) and 20 May, 44AD artspace Open Studios 27 – 29 May, Bear Flat Artists Open Studios.

For full information about the trails, visit: bathopenstudios.co.uk and see links to

THE HOLBURNE MUSEUM Great Pulteney Street, Bath Tel: 01225 388569 Open: Daily, 10am – 5pm (11am Sundays)

GALLERY NINE 9b Margarets Buildings, Bath Tel: 01225 319197 Visit: gallerynine.co.uk Open: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5.30pm HILARY BROWN JEWELLERY Throughout April The work Hilary Brown is currently making is the result of experiments with very thin sheet silver – the manipulation of it and fixing it to shape with the minimum amount of intervention. It is the distillation of many ideas and influences.

Crumpled, creased and rolled paper; ancient Roman, Egyptian and Minoan jewellery; ethnic jewellery; found objects such as stones, shells, bones – spontaneously picked up and threaded onto rough string or twisted plant fibre.

She says that over 30 years of making familiar themes keep emerging. Early work used thin sheet acrylic but her concerns were still with reduction of thickness, erosion, lightness and simplicity of form and ethnic influences. Now the jewellery she produces is silver – sometimes gold plated, sometimes blackened with oxidising chemical.

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BRUEGEL: DEFINING A DYNASTY Until Sunday 4 June This is the UK’s first exhibition exploring the work of the Bruegel dynasty and it really is an exhibition of international interest. It follows Antwerp’s artistic dynasty across four generations through 35 works, including masterpieces lent from the National Gallery, Royal Collection Trust, the National Trust, the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Ashmolean Museum.

There are so many stories to be enjoyed from this exhibition, which takes a wide range of subjects, from early still lifes to portraits and paintings containing proverbs.

individual websites for maps, venues and details of exhibiting artists.

In May’s issue we’ll be featuring more about the month-long arts trail across the city of Bath.

Still Life with Cheese by the Circle of Jan van Kessel the Elder

We are very fortunate in Bath to have this collection on our doorstep. The museum cafe also serves excellent cakes, coffee and light lunches.

KIT GLAISYER Garden Flat Gallery, 48 Great Pulteney Street, Bath. Open: Friday 31 March, Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 April, 11am – 6pm, or by appointment. Email: kitglaisyer@gmail.com or tel: 07983 465789 Visit: kitglaisyer.com THE CINEMATIC LANDSCAPE Popular west country artist Kit Glaisyer continues his Bath residency with regular weekend exhibitions at his Great Pulteney Street studio – which is also open to view by appointment. Enjoy panoramic Dorset landscapes from his cinematic series of paintings plus recent nocturnal Bath street scenes.

Lewesdon Winter by Kit Glaisyer

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Summer Garden by Mariusz Kaldowski. 40”x28”. £1500 Memb

er Galle

The Art Gallery home of ArtGallery.co.uk

ry

Spencer House, 34 Long Street, Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8AQ Tues-Sat. 9.30-5pm. Tel: 01666 505152 help@artgallery.co.uk artgallery.co.uk

art_gallery_uk

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BATH @ WORK Our series of photographic portraits by Neill Menneer shows Bath people at work. View a gallery of Bath@Work subjects at: thebathmag.co.uk

Mark Packer

Builder

I

was born and educated in Chippenham. At 16 I went to work for Graham Watling through the efforts of career advisor Tim Scott who helped me onto The Enterprise Allowance Scheme.

This gave you a small amount of income (£22 a week) and was a sort of early apprenticeship programme.

Graham, a well-known gold and silversmith working at Lacock, taught me a lot about metal working. However, when the notorious Bunker brothers tried to monopolise the market silver went through the roof and resulted in my redundancy.

Unbeknown to me my friend Dido applied on my behalf for a silversmithing course at Camberwell School of Art. I was travelling at the time and out of the blue I got a call to say I had an interview in London. Mad rush back and after showing my work from Lacock I was accepted.

I had an exciting time in London and shared a flat in Pimlico with Dido and other members of the Chippenham band King Trigger. After graduating I worked for a character called Mark Kirkley who made architectural fixtures and fittings. I also had a workshop in Clerkenwell making lights and other arty metal work for hotels and casinos.

London wasn’t ultimately floating my boat though and my network was thinning out. I couldn’t quite take the country out of the boy. I love the outdoors, nature, gardening and the changing seasons. In London the season was either too hot or cold and not much of the other things I loved in Wiltshire.

In 1987 I left and returned to Chippenham. A few chats in the pub led to work on the motorways building crash barriers. I built that business up (and a related one working with passenger boarding bridges) and was eventually employing 24 people. It was precarious though, as work depended on a series of related contracts and ultimately road building is political and can be turned off and on. My lifestyle was unsustainable in other ways too and I kind of exploded as the work and responsibility became unsatisfying.

My wife Vivian, an accountant, and I decided to run the business down gradually and strive towards a better more relaxed lifestyle. After years of hard graft we were in a good position to buy a house and set up a new business. We now run this building and decorating firm and life is good. We only really work for people we want to and much of this is in Bath or abroad.

We are presently working on projects in France and Italy. Long projects! I’ve learnt a lot from the Italians. How to make joints from wood ‘in the round’ using the whole branch not squaring it off; this saves wood which can be scarce.

What also satisfies the soul is being able to help people locally.

The neighbourly act of doing small jobs for people is rewarding.

Not for the money but for all the other human reasons. And it makes you feel good.

I am still involved in art though as I paint and I love to collect other artists’ work. Patrick Caulfield, Jo Tilson, Howard Hodgkin, Robin Denny and Dick Smith are all contemporary British artists I love. n

PORTRAIT: Neill Menneer at Spirit Photographic.

Visit: capturethespirit.co.uk, tel: 01225 483151.

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CITY | ARCHIVE

REMAINS OF THE DAY Historian Catherine Pitt takes a look at what remains of a neglected side of Bath’s history – and shows us where we can find vestiges of a much older city

B

ath – celebrated for the Roman Baths and its Georgian architecture.

More than 1,300 years separates the RomanoBritish occupation of Bath and the Georgian city we still inhabit today, yet little is visibly evident on the streets of this interim age.

Much of medieval Bath was swept away by the developments of the 18th and 20th century. However, you can still discover pockets of this postRoman, pre-Georgian city if you know where to look.

BATH ABBEY The building of the current abbey, the third church on this site began in 1499, and was completed in the 16th century. Although there are some 19th century inclusions by Sir George Gilbert Scott, Bath Abbey is the last great medieval cathedral to be built in England.

Inside, in the Gethsemane Chapel, part of the 12th century Norman cathedral, a rounded window arch, has been incorporated into the present structure. Opposite in St Alphege’s Chapel a Norman pillar peeks through a floor grill. Underneath your feet, as the current Footprint Project is unearthing, are further remains of the earlier structures.

The original monastic complex that would have been part of this great church’s landscape was sadly dismantled during the dissolution of religious houses in the 1530s.

However, if you make your way into Abbey Green and stand beneath the modern-day archway linking you to the appropriately named Abbeygate street you will, on looking down, see a few surviving stones, and on looking up discover a remaining iron hinge still embedded in the wall, where once a gate hung – indicators of the entrance that once separated the secular world from the spiritual.

CITY WALLS AND STREETS Bath was originally a small town, around 24 acres in size (nine hectares), with the monastery, cathedral and dwellings protected by walls, towers and gates. It was the 18th century expansion of the city by John Wood and his contemporaries that stretched Bath out beyond the medieval limits.

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century town created by King Alfred during his fortification of Bath. The Roman street pattern had by this point probably been lost under the debris of the preceding centuries, although it’s possible that Alfred followed the line of the Roman defensive walls.

The most obvious remains of the city walls can be seen in the appropriately named Upper Borough Walls. Although a mainly 19th century reconstruct, if you head down the steps behind the wall you can see some of the medieval stone work.

Other extant medieval wall remains can be found in Old Orchard Street, in the delivery area of Marks and Spencer.

Of the gates that once welcomed so many to Bath, the only remaining one is the small East Gate, on Boat Stall Lane. It once gave access to the River Avon but now peeks out at passers-by from below today’s street level – between the Empire Hotel and the back of the Guildhall. Although the other major entrances into the city are long gone, their locations are still remembered in street names, such as Westgate Street and Southgate; while a defensive tower built by William Gascoyne in Saw Close c1475 is remembered in the name of a nearby restaurant.

Street names are a good indicator of

PRE-GEORGIAN BATH: main picture, a glimpse of an older timbered building seen from Milsom Place

the layout of early Bath, although names can change over the centuries reflecting developments and fashion.

Cheap Street was once known as Souter Street, or Shoemakers Street, up until 1398 when it was renamed; cheap being an Old English word for market.

Today most of the streets have been widened to ease the flow of modern day traffic; but when walking along Bridewell Lane, Parsonage Lane, and Union Passage one is following in 9th century footsteps. Slippery Lane, a narrow stone flagged thoroughfare with high medieval walls just off Northgate Street, running down to the River Avon, where the old ducking stool once stood, also gives us a better visual idea of how Bath once looked prior to the 18th century. We can’t walk down here as it is gated, but we can get an idea of how narrow Bath’s streets would have been for our ancestors.

Inset, the city stocks, an old form of public punishment, on display in the Guildhall Opposite, from top left, Henry Savile’s map from around 1600 shows Bath as little more than a town in size and right, Slippery Lane off Northgate Street Below, right, East Gate on Boat Stall Lane beside the Empire Hotel, and the medieval city wall in appropriately named Upper Borough Walls, restored by the Victorians Archive pictures courtesy of BathinTime.co.uk

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CITY | ARCHIVE

LIVING AND WORKING In the 19th century the Roman Baths were excavated and further baths re-discovered; this does not mean though that after the Romans left Britain the thermal waters were abandoned. In books, illustrations and maps historians know that the waters continued to be of use.

In Henry Savile’s map of Bath c1600, he records the Hot Bath, Lazers’ Bath and the Horse Bath. Today the Hot Bath survives, incorporated into the new Thermae Spa. Beneath the 17th century Abbey Church House in Hetling Court the cellar contains the remains of what is thought to be the 16th century Lazers’ or Lepers’ Bath.

After the Roman occupation of Britain, apart from the street layout, there is little visible evidence in Bath for the period between the 5th and 11th centuries. We do know from literary sources that the town’s wealth gradually grew with the burgeoning wool trade. Sheep were grazed on the surrounding countryside; then the fleece taken to be woven into cloth. One such place this occurred was just outside the city walls in what is now Broad Street – named after the broad looms that were used to weave the broadcloth. The wool and cloth produced here was sold by the city merchants around Britain and abroad via Bath’s road and river networks.

Bath also had a flourishing market; its first Market Charter issued by King Richard I in 1189. Along today’s High Street, still wide enough to accommodate the old stalls and shops that once lined it, there was a central market cross, later replaced in the 16th century by a covered hall. Here goods and live animals were brought to be sold.

In the 18th century the market was moved into the newly built Guildhall, and it is here

you can find the original nail on which deals were agreed, and from where we get the term “to pay on the nail”.

The 18th century Guildhall is the seat of today’s Bath and North East Somerset Council, mere yards from where the medieval town corporation would have met to discuss local grievances, set taxes, and mete out punishments. In the entrance hall you can find the 17th century city stocks that once stood in the Orange Grove.

The excavations at Saw Close, once an area used as a Timber yard in the 17th century, hence its name, have revealed another Bath industry, albeit of a much later date: that of clay pipe making. Down by the Parade Gardens you can also see the ruins of the 13th century abbey mill, one of two medieval mills, Bathwick being the other, that at one time stood opposite each other harnessing the power of the River Avon.

It is back in Broad Street however that you will find some further remnants of the city’s medieval past. Many of the buildings along this street are much older than they first appear. In the 18th century it was quicker and much cheaper to add a brick or stone façade to a property than pull it down and rebuild. So, on what looks like a Georgian street are hidden older timber framed buildings, one of which can still be seen in the courtyard of Milsom Place.

With a monastic community present in Bath until the 16th century, the town had to cater for all the pilgrims and worshippers who would pass through or stay for charity and cures. Still to be found today are a few of the premises that once housed sick and weary travellers. On Beau Street one can see the arms of Bellott’s Hospital (1609), nearby Bilbury Lane was the site of St Catherine’s alms-houses built in 1435, and St John’s

Hospital in Chapel Row, founded in 1174, still operates as a charity today.

There are other pockets of medieval Bath to be found in and around the city. So if you think Bath is just about the Romans and the Georgians look again. You might be surprised by what you can find. n

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ABBEY | FACTS

A STEP INTO THE ABBEY’S PAST The Bath Magazine reveals fifteen little known facts about Bath Abbey and its 1,200 year history

1

There has been a place of Christian worship on the site of Bath Abbey for over 1,200 years and it continues to run as a living church today with services taking place throughout the week, including five services on Sundays.

The ladder of angels on the abbey’s west front

The King Edgar stained glass window

2

The present abbey is the last great medieval cathedral to have been built in England. Building work began around 1499, but was not completed and used as a parish church until 1616, meaning it took nearly 120 years to finish.

3

Three different churches have occupied the site of today’s abbey since 757 AD. First, an Anglo-Saxon monastery was constructed but then pulled down by the Normans; then work to build an enormous Norman cathedral began around 1090 but the building lay in ruins by the late 15th century; and finally, the present abbey as we now know it.

4

The first sight most visitors have of Bath Abbey is the west front, with its unique ladders of angels. It is said that the plans behind this design were first thought up by the Bishop of Bath, Oliver King, who one night had a dream about angels ascending and descending above him.

5

Upon Henry VIII’s orders to dissolve the monastries across the country in 1539, the abbey lay in ruins for more than 70 years. The valuable parts of the building were taken away, including the beautiful stained glass windows which were ripped out and the roof which was stripped for the lead.

6

You could have bought the abbey for 500 marks (roughly the equivalent of £160,000) in 1539 when the abbey’s commissioners put the church on sale to the city, but remarkably this was turned down.

7

The first king of all England, King Edgar was crowned on the site in 973 and his coronation service set the precedent for the coronation ceremonies of all future kings and queens of England and Great Britain.

8

The abbey has a special chapel dedicated to remembrance. Known as the Gethsemane Chapel, an Amnesty candle burns on the altar and a Book of Remembrance which records the names, ages and addresses of all civilians and military personnel from Bath who were killed during the Second World War is on permanent display.

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9

The abbey has 1,508 memorials in total – 617 on the walls and 891 on the floor. Only Westminster Abbey has more wall tablets than Bath Abbey.

Contrary to popular belief, you did not have to be rich or from the aristocracy to be commemorated in the church. People from all walks of life are represented – from the Chilton family who were plumbers in Bath in the early 19th century to wealthy sugar plantation owners from Jamaica and Barbados.

10

The abbey’s beautiful ceiling is considered one of the finest examples of fan vaulting in the country. The stone vaulting at the east end dates from the early 1500s and was built by master architects Robert and William Vertue. However, the ceiling wasn’t finished until the abbey was restored in the 17th century, which is why we can see a slight difference between the vaulting at the east end of the church and at the west end over the nave.

11

Pews were only introduced in the mid 19th century, before that the majority of the congregation had to make do with standing throughout the services. The stone ledges round the walls were used by those of limited physical ability and the sick, giving rise to the saying ‘the weak go to the wall’.

12

There are estimated to be up to around 8,000 bodies buried under the abbey floors, the last one laid to rest in 1845. So far, the earliest burial which has been discovered under the floor is from 1625.

13

The church’s beautiful chandeliers were installed nearly 150 years ago but were only converted from gas to electricity in 1979. The chandeliers were fitted with energy-efficient LED lights in 2013.

14

The nose and sword arm of the monument to 17th century Parliamentarian general William Waller has been defaced – it is alleged this was by his opponents from the Royalist army during the English Civil War.

15

The choir screensmay look old but were only installed in 2008.

There are 12 angels in total on the top of both screens, each playing a different musical instrument and conducted by an angel facing the high altar, modelled on Dr Peter King, who was the abbey’s director of music for 30 years until his retirement last year.

To find out more about the history of Bath Abbey, visit: bathabbey.org. n

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COMPLIMENTARY DESIGN SERVICE AND CONSULTATION With every site survey booked

SHAK E R&M A Y BESPOKE HANDMADE KITCHENS 01373 764345 L11 Commerce Park Frome BA11 2FB www.shakerandmay.co.uk

Behind the menu April.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2017 09:53 Page 1

PLANTS STEP UP TO THE PLATE Melissa Blease goes behind the menu of Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen to hear how owner Richard Buckley and chef Steven Yates put vegetables at the centre of their delicious, innovative dishes

F

or a tiny, narrow street North Parade Passage has more than its share of tasty titillations, from cream teas to cocktails, by way of cinder toffee, ham’n’cheese toasties, tagines, upmarket pub grub and a certain classic bun of historic origins, which can all be found in a few short yards. But there’s a distinctly contemporary aroma of innovation subtly wafting on the breeze around the second house on the lane.

Having worked for Bath’s legendary vegetarian cookery queen Rachel Demuth as head chef at her eponymous restaurant for many years, Richard Buckley bought the tiny little modern bistro from her in 2013, and embarked on rebranding, revitalising and gently reinventing a long-established Bath institution.

Five years on, and Richard and his team at Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen (which includes the fairly recent arrival of head chef Steven Yates, whose experience in the kitchens at the Bath Priory Hotel and Sienna, Dorchester, clearly shines through) have steadily built a sparkling reputation locally and nationally, aided and abetted by inclusions in The Good Food Guide and gongs including the Viva! award for Best Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurant in the UK. Despite such acclaim, Richard is refreshingly guileless when asked about why he’s so successful.

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and why we do it is very simple. We turn plants into good food, served up in a lovely space in one of Bath’s oldest buildings.” Well yes, that’s what they do. But somehow his description doesn’t quite do justice to what’s on the menu here.

Richard and Steven’s continously changing seasonal selection offers an exciting wake-up call to the senses.

On my most recent visit to Acorn I tucked into potato – surely the most prosaic of root vegetables – that had been smoked before being pureed into such sublimely silky submission that I swore I was eating a delicious, rich French Rambol Fume cheese. Now that’s what I call culinary alchemy. So come on, Richard – big yourself up?

“I can’t,” he insists. “We honestly do work to a really simple formula.

Every dish much be original and delicious, and that’s it. We use top local ingredients and suppliers and cook with passion and intelligence – and what we do is accessible to everybody.

“While our dishes are designed to be conversation pieces that combine exciting techniques, novel ingredients and visually arresting presentation, we’re aware that food like ours can often be off-putting if it’s served in an environment that’s too precious. So we’ve created a relaxed dining room, and all our staff have a down-to-earth attitude towards what we do. We cook the way we do because it tastes better and is more interesting, not

because we think we’re important.

There’s a very fine line between clever, and being too clever just for the sake of it. Ultimately we have to always hold the thought that we’re simply cooking dinner for someone; first and foremost, that dinner has to be good to eat.”

Despite the recent rise in the popularity of meat-free dining, Richard has a similarly laidback approach to the notion of food fads and fashions.

“It’s good to be in touch with food trends to an extent, but ultimately I believe that you have to follow your own path in the kitchen because fashions change constantly, and it’s important to be part of the conversation rather than just following a diktat around whatever this week’s big thing might be. For the same reason, we consciously avoid having anything on the menu that could be taken as a signature dish.

“As soon as a dish becomes a popular ‘go to’ for our diners, we pull it.”

Isn’t that a little bit of an odd thing to do? “It may seem crazy, yes. But this is what keeps our menus interesting, and forces us to keep thinking. Really importantly, it also guides people towards trying the other exciting things we have on the menu. We might get complaints when we remove a popular dish, but if we didn’t do that we’d never move forward. And anyway, we could have

GREEN HEROES: this page, colour and texture are used in Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen’s awardwinning meat free dishes Opposite, the two men behind the current Acorn menus, chef Steven Yates and owner/chef Richard Buckley

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filled the menu three times over with dishes we could have called signature at one point or the other.”

Having said that, Richard happily admits that Acorn’s legendary chocolate tart has been around, in various guises, for a long time (“only because we couldn’t better the recipe”). But generally, he and Steven work hard every day to move things along in exciting, dynamic ways. Right now, for example, Steven is obsessed about working with grains of all sorts (especially buckwheat and quinoas), while Richard is nuts about, well, nuts.

“There are people who complain that the only vegetarian option in a restaurant is a risotto or a nut roast, but when we include those on our menu we know that dish will outsell the other dishes three to one.”

But don’t be fooled that an Acorn risotto will be anything like the standard veggie option on most menus. On the same evening that I experienced that rather surreal, pleasantly disorientating potato/cheese confusion, I also had a creamy pine nut and squash risotto that turned my erstwhile longstanding estrangement from Brussels sprouts (they were in the mix too, along with garlic and lemon zest) to do a 360° turnaround.

So if the duo were to embark on tucking into an Acorn menu right now, what would be their own favourites? “Steven’s new

parsnip and hazelnut soup is rich and creamy, and a perfect foil for the lively wild garlic pesto and confit lemon that garnishes it – I don’t normally like soup, but love this one.” says Richard. “I’m also crazy about the new roast squash with smoked spelt – it’s so simple to look at, but we compress the squash in a cider marinade for twelve hours before roasting it to achieve the perfect flavour. ” Richard shared a rather special piece of news: “I’ve finally got around to writing the big cookery book I’ve been asked to put together on so many occasions. Now that I’ve got Steven – such a superb, innovative,

reliable chef – in the kitchen, I’ve got time to write. The book should be out next spring, published by Jacqui Small. It’s going to be a proper plant-based cookbook that goes beyond quinoa salads and avocado on toast and shows how to cook plants properly at home.”

And as the little A-board that sits in North Parade Passage says, ‘Plants Taste Better’ so plant yourself at a cosy corner table at Acorn, and discover just how much those three little words can really mean. n Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen, 2 North Parade Passage, Bath BA1 1NX. Tel: 01225 446059; web: acornvegetariankitchen.co.uk.

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FOOD | HEROES

THE EGGS FACTOR

Melissa Blease meets the eggscellent food heroes Matthew and Louise of New Macdonalds Farm

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here can’t be many people unaware that Old Macdonald had a farm – E-I-E-I-O. But it’s doubtful that anyone who used to sing this nursery song, when it first emerged in the 1920s, gave a second thought to the moral welfare of Old Mac’s multiple animals.

But fast forward to the 21st century and Matthew and Louise Macdonald’s brood (seven-year-old twins Archie and Noah and 20-month old Hugo) are part of a new generation of children to whom Old MacDonald’s way of life is antiquated. For their mum and dad are, in their own words, ‘newfashioned’ farmers.

Lou says: “Our main aim is to produce the best quality produce from the happiest animals. High welfare is a priority to us. All our animals are fed an organic diet, and we’re working hard to support rare breeds that are at risk of dying out, while educating people about them.

“We’re a fully sustainable farm, with a low carbon footprint too. It isn’t the most cost effective way of farming, but the rewards far outweigh the effort and costs.”

Such commendable practices have, however, paid off in terms of customer loyalty; the quality of New Macdonalds Farm poultry, pork and meat rates highly among the most popular ranges at Hartley and Neston Farm Shops, and farmers’ markets around Bath. But meaty matters aside, there’s another very special activity going on down on the farm.

Soft sky blue, pearly white, milk chocolate and the prettiest ever shade of pink; olive, cappuccino and speckled; New Macdonalds Farm’s Quattro Eggs (quattro meaning four in Italian, because there are always a minimum of four colours guaranteed in each box) are known for their wonderfully rich taste and, of course, those beautiful coloured shells.

But there’s no chicanery going on behind the scenes in the coops to produce those almost ethereal shades.

“We don’t feed our hens artificial additives to colour either the shells or the yolks,” says Lou. “All our hens have a totally natural diet, including organic corn, flax, and kelp. To an extent, what they eat may determine 62 TheBATHMagazine

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the yolk colour as certain foods contain carotenoids which make the yolks more orange – but that’s a totally natural benefit, just like the colour of the shells.”

Today, Lou has almost 30 different breeds in total and also hatches chicks, some pure breeds and some crosses, including her own Kingsdown Green Olive hens, and she has a quail project in the pipeline. But egg-sciting news aside, the farm has come a long way since it was first established around 11 years ago.

“Our story began when a friend of Matt’s asked him to lend a hand on his dairy farm,” Lou recalls. “He’d been a carpenter/joiner for 18 years, but he fell in love with farm life and ended up helping out for two years.

As for me, I’ve always been a lover of animals and have been vegetarian since the age of nine, but like Matt, farming was hardly in my blood – I’d mainly worked in office-based jobs.

But when we got married in 2009 we moved to a village just outside Bath.

Some land become available to rent, and we jumped at the opportunity, bought a small flock of sheep, went on to buy a small herd of Dexter cattle . . . and here we are today!”

In 2015, the Macdonalds moved

into a bigger farm on the Neston estate in Wiltshire – and that’s when Lou started to hatch her own plan.

“Matt and I had been producing rare breed meats for several years, but being vegetarian I just couldn’t get enthusiastic about rearing animals to eat, even though I very strongly feel that if someone’s going to do it I’m glad it’s us, as our welfare policies are so high. But I had this dream about rearing my very own small flock of hens that produce different coloured eggs – pretty eggs. Something different, and not just your standard free range, tinted eggs.

I have to admit that Matt (and several other people) said it would never work. But that just made me even more determined to make a success of my plan. I purchased 40 hens of different breeds and colours, and within a few weeks they started laying gorgeous coloured eggs which I started selling to villagers. As more people started seeing them, the orders started growing; two years on and, even though I’ve got 500 hens (each of which produces a specific colour shell), I’m struggling to fulfil our orders.”

Food fashions can be as fragile as shells. In recent months, the egg’s

ANIMAL WELFARE: this page, coloured eggs from New Macdonalds Farm Opposite, Matthew with one of his free range pigs on the Wiltshire farm

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FOOD | HEROES

breakfast plate companion, bacon has been subject to a bombard of negative headlines.

How do such campaigns affect Matt and Lou’s business?

“Bacon, sausages and ham have been a topic of controversy in recent months, deemed unhealthy to eat because of the high level of nitrates used in the processing of these meats,” says Matt. “We have our bacon dry cured in a salt cure, and although it does contain nitrates, the level is much lower than typical shop-bought options. Our sausages are a minimum 90% pork, unlike many brands that contain as little as 40%.

Everything we produce has health benefits considered, including our eggs.

“It’s sad, though, that so many of today’s food trends focus on low fat because good fats are very important for health. Having said that, not all food trends are negative.

Since Jamie Oliver highlighted the issue of food waste and promoted pullet eggs (very small eggs from new-laying hens) in his latest series, we’ve noticed a demand for us to supply them.

“We count Jamie, Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall and Jimmy Doherty among our own food heroes, as they’re all so good at raising awareness of where our food comes from and how it is produced.”

Matt and Lou support local food businesses, suppliers and producers when away from the farm too, citing The Longs

Arms head chef Rob Allcock (“an amazing chef, who creates fabulous vegetarian dishes and homemade ice cream in nearby South Wraxall”) and the creative team behind Hunter & Sons (Milsom Place) as their favourite escape-from-it-all chill out zones.

“Widcombe Deli and Cafe au Lait in Dorchester Street also offer some delicious treats and bites, and we’d particularly like to shout about local producers such as Warleigh Lodge farm in Bathford, which not only produce delicious home reared beef, lamb and pork but also hosts school visits, educating youngsters about farming, animals and food. And Ivy House Dairy is simply a lovely family farm, producing deliciously creamy dairy products from their own herd of organic Jersey cows.”

While we’re so lucky to be surrounded by so many egg-ceptional food producers, I’m confident that I won’t be left with egg on my face for saying that this month’s food heroes win the Eggs Factor for us. n Find New Macdonalds Farm produce at Hartley and Neston Farm Shops (hartley-farm.co.uk; nestonfarmshop.co.uk), Bath Farmers’ Market from May and via the Three Bags Full delivery service. Quattro eggs are stocked at Widcombe Deli, Widcombe Parade. For updates and news, follow New Macdonalds Farm on Twitter @MatthewandLou.

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RESTAURANT | REVIEW

THE OLIVE TREE The Queensberry Hotel, Russel Street, Bath BA1 2QF. Tel: 01225 447928, twitter: @OliveTreeBath, visit: olivetreebath.co.uk

R E V I EW

ON TOP OF HIS BEAUTIFUL GAME

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head chef on fine form in the kitchen is like a Premier League footballer in terms of jaw-dropping skills for an appreciative audience. Yes, anyone can kick a ball, or serve some vegetables, but these experts seem to be able to almost effortlessly create something so beautiful and skilful out of the simplest thing.

Take the little plate of amuse bouches which The Olive Tree chef Chris Cleghorn woos his diners with before the main event even begins. There’s a tiny profiterole, barely bigger than your thumb joint, topped with a neat drizzle of chocolate. Although, of course it’s not chocolate, but deliciously umami truffle, while inside the profiterole is creamy savoury Tamworth cheese. We marvel at this and at the shell-like squid ink cracker topped with pink pearls of roe and salmon mousse.

Both are the perfect appetiser, tantalising our tastebuds for more, please.

It takes a certain kind of patient, inventive genius to make these exquisite miniatures only for people to scoff them in two greedy bites, but Chris Cleghorn is such a man.

He keeps his menus simple. Each dish is summed up in less than half a dozen words.

If you want to know more about how the ingredients will be served, ask the waiting staff who have tasted the dishes in their development stage and clearly relish this perk of the job. They also explain that you can opt for the seasonal tasting menu, or Chris’s signature tastings menu, or simply dive in and mix and match as your fancy takes you.

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to Thursday) are £13.50, main courses £26.50 and puddings are £9.50. There’s a separate purely vegetarian menu too.

The last time we dined at The Olive Tree I’d enjoyed crab lasagne, a pale pink tower served in a black bowl in a sea of lobster bisque, topped with a single basil leaf. A vision and taste of intense loveliness, I had raved about its subtle layers of flavour. On this occasion, working on the last Rollo principle, I let John choose it. He agreed that my enthusiasm had been justified.

My starter read on paper as simply mackerel, cured, avocado, cucumber, pink grapefruit. Again, pretty as a picture, it whetted the appetite by appearance alone.

The flavours were perfectly aligned – slender disks of cured fish met soft, creamy avocado balls and cool chunks of cucumber, with small cubes of pink grapefruit jelly.

Across the dining room a pair of DFLs (Down from Londons) were enthusing about their experience, praising the front of house for the friendly yet efficient service, the food (‘better than we had at Le Gavroche recently’) and the wine list (‘how clever of you to get that Moroccan wine, it’s extremely rare’). Praise indeed.

We sat and enjoyed the theatre of fine dining, sipping a chilled Muscadet (£30 a bottle), as the main courses arrived. Mine was two pieces of rare, perfectly tender venison loin served with celeriac mash, roasted grelot onion and hazelnuts. All redolent of an English woodland, hearty, earthy and tasty. But wait. Blackberries?

How does a chef who swears by seasonality square these fruits in spring? He gently pickles them in elderflower in the autumn, is the answer.

John’s English veal loin was cleverly teamed up with black truffle infused mash, shallots and the first of the new Cornish wild garlic.

If we were a more flamboyant race we’d have been standing and applauding every course, waving our napkins and kissing our fingers to the air. But being British we merely smiled quietly and contented ourselves with an understated: “Mmm, well yes. That was delicious.”

We had to try one of Chris’ famous puddings. John doesn’t have a sweeth tooth so opted for Roquefort with celery pear sorbet. And this was a happy marriage of salty, creamy cheese cut coolly through with delicate fruit and crisp celery.

Chocolate lovers, be prepared for pudding envy. Imagine an ingot of the finest milk chocolate that you satisfyingly crack open with a fork, to find sweet and salt peanut parfait inside, with an unctuous salted caramel ice cream on the side. As good a pudding as you could wish for.

If you’re thinking of treating yourself to a truly excellent dinner any time soon, I’d get yourself a table at The Olive Tree. We’re told that Chef is working on a new generation of petits fours that he’s creating to leave his diners sighing with pleasure.

This indeed is a British player at the very top of his beautiful game. n

GMc

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FOOD | NEWS

TITBITS

BIKE BRINGING HOME THE BACON

An eco-friendly delivery service bringing fresh and organic produce to people’s homes is going down a treat in Bath. The distinctive electric bike bearing the Three Bags Full Company logo, has been frequently seen whizzing about the city, taking bread from The Oven, meat from Hartleys Farm, coffee from Easy José and other goodies to people’s houses or holiday apartments. Delivery is free, as are the delivery vehicle’s emissions.

Contact: hello@threebagsfulldelivery.co.uk, follow on Twitter @Threebagsfullco.

CHUNK OF THE MONTH: adult Easter egg from Hotel Chocolat ■ You’ll want to lock this beauty away, as

it’s far too good to let the kids get their hands on it. It’s a half pecan pie, half salted caramel cheesecake Easter egg stuffed full of choccies filled with the flavours of classic puddings such as fudge sundae, treacle tart and Eton mess. Extra Thick filled egg, £27 from Hotel Chocolat, Southgate.

■ Congratulations to executive chef

Michael Nizzero and his team for reinstating 3AA Rosettes after only two months in his new role heading the kitchens at The Bath Priory.

■ Securing a booking at one of Noya’s

Kitchen Friday night suppers at the Bear Pad Cafe in Bear Flat is a much boasted about achievement in Bath foodie circles, so popular is the pop-up. Now, thanks to wine critic Angela Mount and Great Western Wine, diners can take delivery of specially matched wines to enjoy. Many people find pairing wine with Asian dishes can be a challenge, so GWW and Angela have a selection to complement the food cooked by Noya Pawley. Diners enjoy a 20% discount with Great Western Wine delivering the wines prior to the event. To book places at Noya’s Supper Club and Cookery School visit: noyaskitchen.co.uk/supperclub.

For wine visit: greatwesternwine.co.uk.

■ Customers at the popular fish and chip

restaurant and takeaway The Scallop Shell in Monmouth Place, Bath, will be delighted to see that the venue has expanded, with the opening of a first floor dining room.

Work has begun on creating a terrace, ready for summer. The Scallop Shell’s signature ice bath filled with fresh seafood is joined by the quirky Potato Room, in which diners can see that their chips have been handmade from fresh potatoes.

LEARN A NEW STYLE OF CUISINE

Learn how to prepare authentic Japanese food at home on a cookery workshop at Lucknam Park country house hotel near Colerne. The new spring courses at the hotel’s cookery school are run by chef head tutor Ben Taylor.

Eating freshly prepared Japanese food is a great way of eating healthily as most dishes are low in fat and high in protein. Using authentic Japanese ingredients and recipes, the course will show you how to prepare authentic Japanese cuisine which leaves you feeling energised. Healthy Japanese Dishes is running on Wednesday 26 April and Wednesday 10 May. Street food is becoming increasingly popular in the UK and it’s one of our favourite styles of food; laid back, full of flavour and down-to-earth. Dishes include pulled pork with honey coleslaw in crunchy tacos and Philly cheese steak sandwich.

Street Food runs on Friday 7 April, Thursday 11 May and Thursday 8 June.

There are also monthly taster courses including Festival of Spices, Creative Canapés, Cooking Gastro, Discover Thai and Speedy Suppers, plus a monthly cookery school supper club, in which Ben Taylor shows guests how to rustle up the perfect

FRIENDLY APPROACH: chef and tutor Ben Taylor

speedy supper while enjoying a glass of wine.

After the demonstration, take a seat and enjoy sampling Ben’s cooking.

Ben is also running courses aimed at men of all abilities, with a variety of great dishes to learn as well as techniques to test out at home.

The cookery school offers full and half-day courses for up to 12 people, including all ingredients, lunch (for full-day courses), a cookery school bag and use of chef jacket and apron throughout the day. Prices from £35 to £175 per person. Visit: lucknampark.co.uk or call 01225 742 777.

CHANCE TO BLEND A BESPOKE GIN

Find out more about the art of making your own gin at workshops run by The Bath Gin Company at its distillery in the city. The workshops, led by a member of the Bath Gin team, teach people how to combine their favourite flavours, blend them and create a bespoke gin to take home and enjoy.

As part of a distillery tour visitors learn about the history of gin, from its prominence in the British Empire right through to the current billion-pound industry. The tour includes a behind-the-scenes look at the production of Bath Gin. The tour, including a Bath Gin and tonic, is £25. The tour, gin making class, a Bath Gin and tonic, plus a 20cl bottle of Bath Gin and £10 voucher is £110.

Bath Gin is also available in a flavoured range which includes hopped rhubarb, cucumber and parsley, and sloe and damson. If you have an empty bottle of Bath Gin, the team will happily refill it at a discounted price on a normal bottle. Visit: thebathgincompany.co.uk.

PRIDE OF BATH: ‘Gin’ Austen and Bath Gin

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FOOD | & | DRINK

THAT’S VINTERTAINMENT

Introducing The Bath Magazine’s new drinks columnist Tristan Darby, who talks to Georgette McCready about his career as the founder of the Bristol Wine School and the launch of the Great Wine School in Bath

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lot of people love music and wine, but very few manage to combine both passions as part of their working lives.

Tristan Darby, proudly Bath born and bred, is a singer, actor and founder of the Bristol Wine School.

He has 20 years’ experience in the catering and wine trade and enjoys sharing his extensive knowledge of the world’s wine in what he calls his own brand of ‘vintertainment.’ He uses skills learned from his years as a professional theatre actor, alongside his natural charm with people, to educate, entertain and inspire those who attend his wine workshops, tastings and food-pairing events.

The Bath Magazine is delighted to welcome Tristan as our new drinks expert and over the coming months he’ll be sharing news and views about wine, along with thoughts on gin, whisky and craft ales. He may even, he laughs, touch on the art of ciderology.

So, how does one go about getting a job as a professional wine taster, we asked, leaning forward eagerly . . .

“In short, I left school at 16 with no qualifications,” says Tristan.

“There was a lot of family stuff going on and I ended up leaving school and having to get a job.”

And so began years of work in the kitchens and restaurants of Bath, rising from pot washing in Binks, through cooking at the Walrus and the Carpenter (both former Bath establishments each with their own distinct reputation) and the Jazz café.

Tristan also worked at the Bath Spa Hotel and Lansdown Grove, gathering both chef and front of house skills along the way.

Then he was prompted to consider where his life was taking him: “One evening a lecturer from Bath College happened to be in and he asked me what I was going to do with my life. I hadn’t really thought about it, I was working hard and playing in a band in the evenings. We hung around places like Moles, they were good times and my music meant a lot to me – it still does.”

And so the young Tristan ended up taking a two year course in performing arts at Bath College before fetching up in Manchester and launching his career as a professional 66 TheBATHMagazine

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actor. This time included stage work, musical theatre and school tours, which he recalls fondly as sometimes tough audiences that it would be a challenge to win over.

Perhaps it was facing such a bunch as a group of rebellious teenagers in Birkenhead that equipped Tristan for managing even the most daunting of audiences.

He was back in his home city, juggling acting with various agency jobs in catering when Will Baber, who was running The Tasting Room in Larkhall (the Tasting Room is now in Green Street) said he was looking for someone to help him lead wine tasting workshops.

Will tested Tristan’s palate, found it to be ideal for the job – not everybody possessing a nose for expert wine tasting – and then handed him two large books on wine to study.

“That was my homework, and my moment of revelation,” says Tristan, “the more I learned, the more I wanted to learn. Here was a subject that fascinated me.”

Armed with his new-found knowledge Tristan was ready for his first wine tasting group, Which turned out to be a hen party of 18 giggly women, ready for a good time and accompanied by a large, naked inflatable man called Roger.

“I went a very strange colour at the sight of them,”admits Tristan now, who bravely ignored the background of Will’s laughter to entertain the women to an evening of fun and wine.

And from that baptism of fire Tristan’s reputation grew and soon he launched the Bristol Wine School, which ran informative sessions for people curious to learn more about

VINOUS ADVENTURES: Tristan Darby, founder of the Bristol Wine School and one of the founders of the new Bath Great Wine School, finds that audiences now want to learn more about other drinks, including Champagne, sherry, whisky and gin

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the wonderful world of wine, out of Averys, Bordeaux Quay and the Hen and Chicken in Bristol. Over the years his workshops have evolved. While some might combine tapas and sherry, others cover traditional wine regions or wine producing countries, generally with a quiz to get people involved.

He leads corporate groups to English vineyard Three Choirs in Gloucestershire and takes part in drinks industry tastings in London.

The Bristol Wine School recently hosted the President of the sherry region, Beltran Domecq, for a sherry tasting which Tristan co-hosted to a packed restaurant at

Bordeaux Quay, and have other similar events lined up with other wine regions and local spirits producers.

Most recently Tristan has teamed up with Great Western Wine in Bath. “I really like what they’re doing, they’re very progressive and going from strength to strength.” The new partnership has spawned The Great Wine School, which has so far hosted events at Great Western Wine’s shop at the foot of Wellsway, the Allium restaurant and at Chequers.

Tristan is very keen on helping people match wine with food. He’s largely vegetarian by choice, although he calls

himself a demitarian, eating meat when the professional occasion arises. He’s currently dining out in Bath and Bristol as part of his role as judge in this year’s Good Food awards for the respective cities.

When he’s not working Tristan enjoys spending time with his five-year-old daughter. He also performs as part of a jazz quartet and with a group of friends as The Foxes, which plays regular gigs at Chapel Arts Centre.

Sometimes Tristan’s love of music and knowledge of wine combine. He was invited to sing with a wine trade supergroup, Skin Contact last year to raise funds for Comic Relief. On drums was one of his teenage heroes, Matt James who had been the drummer with Tristan’s favourite indie band, Gene.

As they took to the stage at the Islington O2 Tristan was somewhat star-struck: “There was Matt the Hat playing drums, with me up there singing. It was amazing! It was the nearest I’d ever get to being the lead singer of Gene. We raised around £10,000 too and went for a few beers afterwards with Matt, which absolutely made this fan’s night.”

Busy he may be, but Tristan is very grateful where his career has taken him. He smiles:“It’s a good gig, this, a great gig.” n Find out more about Tristan at: bristolwineschool.co.uk. Follow him on Twitter: @singsandslurps.

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TRISTAN DARBY Our new columnist talks about the perfect wine for springtime sipping

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y wine choices for April celebrate the change of season into warmer days, moving away from the hearty indulgences of fireside quaffers towards lighter, fresher wines for springtime sipping.

The darling white grape of the moment for many people I meet is sauvignon blanc. Originating in France, sauvignon is now grown across the globe, from Patagonia to India. However, it’s the wines from Marlborough in New Zealand, and Sancerre in the French Loire region that enjoy the most popularity and fame – they are, however, distinctly different styles of the same grape.

I’m confident Domaine de Pierre, Touraine Sauvignon 2015 (Great Western Wine, £10.95) will unite fans of both styles. Well-made wines from Touraine in the Loire can offer superb value for money compared to their superstar neighbours in Sancerre and Pouilly Fume, and this delicious mouth filling wine doesn’t disappoint.

It delivers more depth of flavour than your average flinty, citrus and gooseberry style Sancerre, but at a better price point – it also has ripe fruit flavours and a delicious fresh green pea and herbal snap, but without hitting the heady heights of pungent, herbaceous and exotic tropical-fruited Marlborough sauvignon. Try it with a goat’s cheese salad with rocket, beetroot, broad beans, asparagus and lemon oil dressing. It’s good too with chicken, pork, grilled fish, fish stews or seafood based risottos and pasta.

Fresh into Great Western Wine’s diverse and interesting range this month are the spectacular Spanish wines of Rioja’s Sierra Cantabria. I had a sneaky preview of them and was remarkably impressed by the Sierra Cantabria Rosé 2015 (GWW, £10.95).

Made from a blend of viura, tempranillo and garnacha (grenache) it’s a few quid cheaper than posh Provençal rosé, but every bit as good. Elegantly refined and dry, but bulging with satisfying fresh strawberry, raspberry and pomegranate flavours. Sit back, sip up and think of summer. Spot on with salmon, sea bass, salads, sushi, goats cheese and cured meats.

Planeta Plumbago 2014 (GWW, £13.50) is made in Sicily by a leading winemaking family, from nero d’avola, in a lighter fruitier style but with plenty of satisfying juicy plum, black cherry and blackcurrant flavours. It’s so smooth and soft, with a hint of savoury herbal notes. To my palate, this is the definition of perfect springtime sipping. Thinking of Easter, it’ll be cracking with spring lamb or a perfect weekday winner with Mediterranean vegetable dishes or pork chops.

My cheese of the month is gorgeously creamy and citrusy Monte Enebro from Castilla y Leon in Spain. It’s a great goat’s cheese to try with the sauvignon or rosé, from local online cheesemonger Pong (pongcheese.co.uk). I’m hosting an artisan cheese and wine tasting with Pong at Great Western Wine on Wednesday 26 April. Visit: greatwineschool.co.uk to book tickets. n

“The food was exceptional, probably the best Chinese food I had in all the UK”

@PekingBath

Peking Restaurant Bath

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1 – 2 New Street Kingsmead Square Bath BA1 2AF Tel: 01225 466 377 pekingrestaurantbath.co.uk

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6 books April v3.qxp_Layout 1 24/03/2017 17:40 Page 1

CITY | READING

MADE IN BATH

A round-up of some of the latest books from Bath based writers

LOVE AND BETRAYAL

RESCUE RABBITS

Olivia is working in a boarding school as a house mistress and living in a shabby flat on the premises. Her husband Geoffrey, wracked with guilt after his business went bust and the couple lost their home, is living with his uptight mother. And, as if things couldn’t get any worse, Geoffrey makes another terrible mistake. Can their marriage survive?

This is an absorbing family drama in the Joanna Trollope mould from this Bath based writer.

What if the animals in your neighbourhood had a secret community all of their own? The author’s family adopted two fluffy rabbits from Bath Cats and Dogs Home and they inspired the first of what Sam plans to be a series of children’s illustrated books. Raffiki is the main character, an adventurous buck and Kiki is his best friend. Bessie and Beans are guinea pigs who live in the garden next door with Hamish the hedgehog. Tommy the toad makes everybody laugh and Ricky is a cheeky rat who is often quite naughty.

Ruby the robin always notices everything that is going on in the yard. This charmingly illustrated book is aimed at pre-school children.

An Unsuitable Marriage by Colette Dartford, published by Bonnie Zaffre, paperback, rrp £7.99

Kiki and Raffiki the City Rabbits – A Birthday Surprise

by Sam Davies, published by Austin Macauley, paperback, rrp £5.95

A MOTHER’S LAST REQUEST

Kicking the Bucket List by Cathy Hopkins, published by Harper Fiction, paperback, rrp £7.99

THE WORRY HABIT

Iris has drawn up a bucket list for her children to act on after her death. She and her best friend have fun making videos leaving instructions for her three middle aged daughters, which they must adhere to in order to inherit. Unfortunately the three daughters haven’t got on for years. How will they cope spending time together? Funny, heartfelt and warm, this is a life-affirming book to lift the spirits and not feel so bad about your own family dynamics . . .

Flying for Beginners: A Proven System for Lasting Self-Confidence by Jo Emerson, available as an e-book or from Amazon, rrp £7.99 Many of us lack confidence and self-belief, and most of us don’t know why. This book will help you if you are crippled by low self-esteem or if you simply have annoying moments of self-doubt. It will help you understand the link between what you are thinking and feeling, Library image and how this manifests to create the reality of your life. If you’ve ever attended one of Bath confidence coach Jo’s workshops you’ll know how effective her methods can be.

SERIAL SUCCESS

Quieter Than Killing by Sarah Hilary published by Headline paperback, rrp £7.99 We love a detective with a dark back story. DI Marnie Rome is slight in stature but has a steely core. She’s living in the shadow of her parents’ murder by her adopted brother. When four incidents of violent assault are reported in London, she and her fellow officer Noah discover all four victims have all served time for committing brutal acts themselves. Tautly written, with very real characters and a page-turner of a plot, this is a crime writer at her best. If you haven’t read the three previous Rome books it doesn’t matter, but you won’t want to miss out on Someone Else’s Skin as the first of the series.

BATH TIME STORIES

Little Tales from Aquae Sulis: Life in Roman Bath by Gerry McKeown, illustrated by Rob Grieve, published by SSP Ltd of Bath paperback, rrp £7.99 Children love a gruesome fact – look at the success of the Horrible Histories series. Gerry McKeown works parttime at the Roman Baths, which inspired him to explore what life was like in Roman Britain in the time of Aquae Sulis, some 2,000 years ago, using evidence from the

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much visited attraction. The stories in the book may be fiction but the facts are accurate. Gerry teamed up with Bath artist Rob Grieve who has brought the stories visually to life with his illustrations. Details about how the Romans lived, what they believed, their rituals, the medicines they used (prepare to be revolted), what they ate and what they wore have been gleaned from many reliable sources. Fittingly Little Tales is on sale at the Roman Bath shop.

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Bath Canoe Club The Old Organ Factory, situated on the banks of the Avon in Bath, was used by Bath-based organ maker William Sweetland in the 19th century. The striking building has been given a new lease of life by its current tenants, Bath Canoe Club (BCC).

After receiving a total of £100,000 in grant money from British Canoeing and Sport England last year, BCC has redeveloped the inside of the building into a classroom, a social room and a mixed use area.

The river access has also been widened and upgraded to make carrying boats down to the bank easier and safer.

The project has been guided by current chairman Ashley Matthews and his committee of volunteer kayakers. Quartermaster Sue Spurling recently attained £9,573 in grant money from Sport England’s ‘This Girl Can’ campaign for smaller-sized canoes and sea kayaks which are lighter and more suitable for female paddlers.

BCC hopes the improved clubhouse and new boats will encourage people in the local area to get paddling. The club offers kayaking and canoeing courses at Saturday-afternoon taster sessions and four-week training courses which run throughout the summer. Kids, adults, families, beginners and improvers are all welcome so BCC has something for everyone.

As well as being lots of fun, kayaking provides a full-body workout and is a great way of meeting people, with many trips ending in tea and cake or a visit to the local pub. So pop along, give kayaking a go and meet the volunteers that make BCC such a fun place to be. n For more details: Visit: bathcanoeclub.co.uk, @bathcanoeclub on twitter, Bath Canoe Club on facebook.

SMARTY DRY CLEANING

Sarah Wringer KIE Bath, 5 Trim Street, Bath, BA1 1HB Direct Line (01225) 473502 Email: sarah.wringer@kaplan.com

FREE COLLECTION DELIVERY SERVICE Subject to terms and conditions

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Smarty, Bradford on Avon Elms Cross Shopping Centre (next door to Sainsbury’s), BA15 2AZ

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01225 444666

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CITY | PEOPLE

CITYNEWS News in brief

n Combe Grove Hotel, pictured, on the outskirts of Bath, has been bought by the Elmhurst Foundation, which plans to turn the 40-bed hotel into a centre for health and wellbeing. In due course visitors will be able to enjoy residential courses in a range of activities, from yoga to painting or beekeeping. Elmhurst plans to create jobs for apprentices at Combe Grove and has appointed Sharon Love as general manager, who has spent 12 years as manager of the Royal Crescent Hotel. n Bath law firm

Mowbray Woodwards has appointed Lucy Terrell, who joins as a solicitor specialising in all aspects of family law work including divorce and separation, financial matters, injunctions and children. Lucy was one of the youngest people to qualify as a solicitor at the age of 23 and has developed her expertise in family law since qualifying in 2007. She joins the firm from Pooleys in Swindon.

HOSPITAL AIMS TO BE PIONEER IN CARE Actor Sir Tony Robinson visited the Royal United Hospital in Bath for the launch of a three year pilot project to revolutionise how people with dementia are looked after on visits to the hospital.

The Volunteer Dementia Project will use a team of 160 trained volunteers to guide and soothe patients who have dementia, who can find hospital visits a bewildering experience. One of the methods being used to reassure and relax the paitents is through reminiscence pods, as seen

SUPPORTER: Sir Tony Robinson

on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, which create pop-in scenes such as a beach or an oldfashioned kitchen.

The £200,000 project has

NEW BREWERY FOR BATH ALES St Austell Brewery, which has taken over Bath Ales has unveiled plans which include a multi-million pound investment and the appointment of a new general manager.

The new Hare Brewery at Warmley will give Bath Ales some of the most sophisticated and technologically-advanced brewing and packaging facilities in the south west.

General manager Tim McCord brings with him more than 20 years of senior drinks industry experience.

He was consultant in the

role of managing director at Dartmoor Brewery in Devon and responsible for leading the set-up of the Salcombe Brewery and brands.

James Staughton, chief executive at St Austell Brewery, said: “The creation of a new brewhouse will ensure we’re able to offer even more of what Bath Ales’ customers know and love. Alongside the appointment of Tim, we’re very much looking forward to being a part of Bath Ales’ next chapter and building on the legacy created by its founders.”

BATH BUSINESS BAROMETER provided for

n To enable Bath BID Businesses to have a better understanding of how the city is performing throughout the year, Bath BID has made an investment over a four year period with market leader Springboard. A global leader in the provision of intelligence and insights into retail location performance, measuring footfall and recording retail sales.

The research will run 24/7 and the investment will provide businesses with detailed information regarding the overall performance of Bath city centre; identifying trends and benchmarking Bath’s performance against other UK regions and cities.

To find out more information contact: info@bathbid.co.uk.

The Bath Business Improvement District (Bath BID) Company Limited is an independent, not-for-profit company, funded by Bath BID businesses, with a rateable value over £25,000.

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been backed by fundraising body the Forever Friends Appeal and a volunteer coordinator has been appointed.

Tim Hobbs, head of fundraising at Forever Friends, said: “This is an opportunity to take the lead and set up a new standard for dementia care in hospitals such as the RUH.” If you’d like to be part of the volunteer befriending scheme at the RUH contact volunteer co-ordinator Brogan Knight, tel: 07702 108 994 or email: Brogan.

Knight@alzheimers.org.uk.

EXPERIENCED: Tim McCord

Work will begin in on the Hare Brewery in September and it’s expected it will be complete by spring 2018.

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ocl A C C O U N TA N C Y

141 Englishcombe Lane, Bath BA2 2EL Tel: 01225 445507

www.oclaccountancy.com

Making tax digital (“MTD”) – your obligations In the recent Budget the Chancellor announced that small businesses, landlords and their agents would get an extra year to prepare, before being required to keep digital records and send HMRC quarterly updates.

Now, businesses that have an annual turnover below the VAT registration threshold will not be required to start keeping digital records and providing quarterly updates until April 2019, although they can choose to do so voluntarily before that date.

The MTD changes are therefore being introduced gradually, starting in 2018 with businesses, self-employed people and landlords with annual turnover above the VAT threshold who will be required to comply.

The government has already pledged to remove the smallest businesses, self-employed people and landlords from the scope of the changes by exempting all those with annual turnover of less than £10k from digital record keeping and quarterly updates (although they can still choose to enroll).

2018 sounds too far ahead to be concerned, but we all know it will arrive very quickly. We are encouraging clients to be organised well in advance, deciding their approach (e.g. adopting simple on-line accounting solutions) and agreeing what they do and what we do to help them comply.

What our clients say:

“Believe it or not, in the 25+ years that we have been trading, the meeting with you was the first one ever where we went through accounts - very refreshing” “For us, in our 30 years experience OCL Accountancy is the best fit we have found”

SPACE FOR BUSINESS AND PLEASURE

W

orkmen are busy laying miles of cables, installing bathrooms and fitting lifts as Bath’s largest hotel gets ready for completion this summer. The Apex City of Bath hotel, on the corner of James Street West, will have 177 bedrooms and the biggest purpose-built conference facilities in the city when its first guests check in to the four-star rated accommodation.

This is the tenth hotel for the British company, which opened its first in Edinburgh in 1996 and general manager Tim O’Sullivan is excited about the Bath hotel offering something new. As he took us on a hard hat tour of the four storey building he highlighted facilities which we might not find in other Bath establishments – including the double double-bedded rooms especially for families, the Lansdown Suite conference room which takes up to 400 people and has its own entrance, the noise-proof bedroom windows, black-out blinds and the terrace where people will be able to enjoy a coffee and watch the world go by.

There’s a gym, changing rooms and a 15 metre swimming pool in the basement, plus smaller meeting rooms, benefitting from natural daylight. Some of the rooms on the fourth floor have balconies and enviable views across southern Bath. Needless to say, being a new hotel, the wi-fi connection is being flagged up as super-speedy and excellent.

At the time of writing a new head chef was being recruited for the restaurant and interest was already coming in from organisers of events, including weddings, interested in booking the Lansdown Suite. This will be suitable for myriad events and even has an access point that a car could be driven through for motoring promotions. And unlike many of Bath’s historic buildings, the Apex will have purpose-built lifts and entrances suitable for disabled people and those with mobility issues.

The site, on the corner of James Street West and Charles Street, was formerly home to the JobCentre and was one of Bath’s least loved buildings. Until the Second World War this area of Kingsmead was densely populated with small houses, pubs and churches. A cluster of bombs fell on the area during the Blitz of April 1942, prompting later new developments for the neighbourhood.

Bookings are being taken for the Apex City of Bath, from August at an introductory rate, £99 a night.

Visit: apexhotels.co.uk. n

We look forward to meeting you - and see our website for more, including FREE download guides.

Call Marie Maggs, Mike Wilcox or Hannah Bratten on 01225 445507 to arrange a no-obligation meeting 74 TheBATHMagazine

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SOUND PROOFED: the new bedrooms at the Apex City of Bath hotel, which is due to open in the summer

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

DIVORCE ACROSS INTERNATIONAL BORDERS In our diverse and multicultural society, modern-day families are becoming increasingly international.

Questions you may have Any divorce or separation is difficult – and one that spans different countries can seem even more so. This is why it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. At Sharp Family Law, we’ve helped many couples work through the questions that arise from untangling an international relationship. These can include: • If I move overseas, where will the children live – and how will child maintenance be arranged?

• Does it matter if we divorce in another country or should we start the process in England?

• We were married abroad and the marriage certificate is in another language – will that cause a delay?

• If we’ve already divorced abroad but are yet to sort out the financial arrangements, can this be dealt with in England?

• What happens to our second home – can one of us keep it?

• I think there might be bank accounts in other countries but I can’t be certain – how can I find out?

Finding the right outcome for you To start overcoming these challenges, you should think about whether you’re still communicating with one another effectively and have sufficient mutual trust to be honest and open. If you can cooperate, then it’s more than likely that these issues can be dealt with between you with guidance from

❝

and when a relationship does cross international borders, so can divorce and separation – bringing with it a specific set of challenges to overcome

different situations. What is vital, almost always, is that you ask questions and seek information immediately to ensure that matters can be dealt with in the most favourable way for your family.

For more detailed information contact Clare Webb on 01225 448955 or email her at clare@sharpfamilylaw.com.

5, Gay Street, Bath, BA1 2PH. Website: www.sharpfamilylaw.com Clare Webb

❝

W

hether taking frequent holidays abroad, owning second homes in other countries or relocating for work and sunnier climates, life outside of the UK is more accessible than ever before.

Working as a family lawyer in Bristol, I have seen a growth in the number of families facing multiple international issues when separating or divorcing. These can be legally, financially and geographically very complex.

lawyers, in mediation or in meetings with you and your lawyers together. If there are geographical difficulties, then matters can be addressed via email, Skype and post.

If communications have broken down between you, or the trust is gone, you still have plenty of options. If you fear you will be significantly disadvantaged if you don’t take immediate action, then your lawyer may recommend you make a court application.

This will protect your interests while you seek answers to your questions. If your concerns can be addressed without the need for court attendance, then legally binding agreements can still be made by consent.

International borders are no longer a barrier to exploring new countries and cultures. Nor should they act as a barrier to separating families seeking to resolve their

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EDUCATION NEWS BOARDING SCHOOL IN TOP TEN ACCOLADE: Simon Morris, the head of the Kingswood Foundation receiving the trophy from Mary Murayama, joint managing director of Education Advisors Kingswood School in Bath has been named one of the top ten co-educational boarding schools in the UK by Education Advisors Ltd, based on its 2016 A Level results.

Kingswood was also ranked 62 in the national league tables for A levels results by The Daily Telegraph in August. The school offers outstanding academic results and places emphasis on providing superb all-round education with excellence in the arts, sport, music and extra-curricular activities. Last year 85% of all A Level results were awarded the A* – B grades necessary to obtain places at Russell Group universities, 61%were at A*– A and 22% A*. The school is also in the top four per cent for added-value in the Department for Education’s performance tables 2015 – 16.

PRAISE FOR VIBRANT ATMOSPHERE The Royal High School is celebrating a recent visit by a team from The Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC), who, afterwards in a report, described the school as a ‘vibrant, stimulating place for girls to learn’. As a kite mark of global quality, innovation and excellence in education, the school is a member of this network, which represents the world’s leading independent schools.

The HMC team described how they saw Royal High School girls supported to think for

themselves, to solve problems and be prepared to have the confidence to take risks and learn through their mistakes. The core aims of the school, supported by its recent ISI inspection results, are to provide an outstanding, contemporary, girl-centred education which specifically works to develop the next generation of prepared, confident and competent women.

Each girl is encouraged to be a force for positive change in the world and as the report says, what better aim could there be in this age of global uncertainty?

ACADEMY FOR WOMEN PLAYERS Bath College is to launch a women’s football academy in partnership with Bath City FC. Spaces are available for up to 20 players aged 16 to 19 to train three times a week with the academy from September.

The academy will help to meet an increasing demand for women’s football from young players in the past few years.

Sports lecturer Paul Blenkinsopp at Bath College, said: “We’ve been working in partnership with Bath City FC over the last three years to develop the men’s programme and we’ve also had a number of enquiries from people asking ‘do you offer women’s football?’”

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To find out about the academy tel: 01225 312191 or e-mail: paul.blenkinsopp@bathcollege. ac.uk, or visit: bathcollege.ac.uk/footballacademy.

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FAMILY | EVENTS

FAMILY DIARY IDEAS FOR THINGS TO DO WITH THE CHILDREN THIS MONTH SPRINGTIME PAPER CRAFT FUN Saturday 8 – Sunday 23 April n No 1 Royal Crescent, Bath Get crafty during the Easter holidays and try your hand at creating delicate paper flower pictures, inspired by 18th century artist Mary Delany. Take them home, or pin them to the museum’s display board. Free with normal admission. Suitable for five years and over. Visit: no1royalcrescent.org.uk or call: 01225 428126.

Eloise and the Curse of the Golden Whisk at The egg

EASTER BUNNY TRAIL Friday 14 – Monday 17 April, 11am – 5pm n Bowood House and Gardens, Calne, Wiltshire, SN11 0LZ Take part in an Easter trail through the beautiful grounds of Bowood. Children’s Easter activities will be taking place throughout the day, and keep an eye out for a bunny’s fluffy tail! Plus, enjoy Bowood’s famous Adventure Playground and meet the new arrivals at Tractor Ted’s Little Farm.

Normal house and gardens admission applies. Visit: bowood.org or call: 01249 812102.

Also at No 1 Royal Crescent this month MODEL MAKING WORKSHOP Thursday 13 April, 11am – 1pm Using the intricate models in the museum’s exhibition as inspiration, design your own construction using modelling clay. Add some decorative touches and take it home. Suitable for five years and over. Free with normal admission.

GET CREATIVE Saturday 8 April, 10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30 – 3.30pm n Victoria Art Gallery Children can be inspired by the gallery’s collection and let their creativity grow at this artistic workshop. Visit: victoriagal.org.uk.

Free activity, no need to book.

Also at Victoria Art Gallery this month SIDE BY SIDE Wednesday 19 April, 10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30 – 3.30pm Children can investigate mirror images and create work using mixed media. Suitable for ages three – six. Free activity.

PHOTO MIX UP Friday 21 April, 10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30 – 3.30pm Children can learn how to make a photo collage. Suitable for ages six to 11. Free activity, no need to book.

EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA Sunday 9 April, 12 – 4pm n The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street Enjoy an afternoon of creative activities inspired by the peasants, proverbs, tulips, butterflies and beetles in the museum’s colourful exhibition Bruegel: Defining a Dynasty. Free event. Visit: holburne.org.

Also at The Holburne this month EASTER ART CAMP Monday 10 – Thursday 13 April and Tuesday 18 – Friday 21 April, 9am – 4pm

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programme of opera scenes, overtures, and arias from some of the most famous grand operas ever written, including Verdi’s La Forza del Destino and Puccini’s La Bohème.

Timothy Redmond will be conducting.

Tickets: £15 adults, £9 under 18s and students.

Children can learn new artistic techniques.

You can book just the one day session or, if your child is feeling particularly creative, they can go along for the full four days.

Suitable for five – 11 year olds. Booking essential. £38 per day, £20 discount for booking four consecutive days. Call 01225 388568 or visit: holburne.org to book.

THE UGLY SWANLING Sunday 9 April, 3pm n Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1DZ Join Michael Loader and his gang for a brilliantly entertaining family show about the journey of a young swan as she tries to find her true home. This is interactive storytelling and live music that the whole family can enjoy. Suitable for ages five and above.

Visit: wiltshiremusic.org.uk or call: 01225 860100 to book. Tickets: £8 adults, £4 under 18s. Pop along to the playshop at 2pm before the show so children can discover how to fly like a swan, wriggle like a rat and learn a dance routine to perform in the show.

Also at Wiltshire Music Centre this month A NIGHT AT THE OPERA WITH THE WEST OF ENGLAND YOUTH ORCHESTRA Friday 21 April, 7.30pm Join some of the finest young musicians in the south west as they show off their outstanding orchestral playing in this

ART DECO SCENES Thursday 13 April, 12 – 3pm n American Museum in Britain, Claverton Manor, Bath, BA2 7BD Create your own Art Deco-inspired scenes using stencils and collaging. Use repeat patterns and layering to create extravagant interiors and landmarks like New York’s iconic Chrysler Building. Drop-in, suitable for three years and over. Included with gardens admission. Visit: americanmuseum.org or call: 01225 460503.

Also at the American Museum this month EASTER YARN BOMB TRAIL Friday 14 – Monday 17 April, 10.30am – 5pm This year the museum’s magical knitted trail celebrates the glamour of Hollywood. What knitted creations will you find hidden in the grounds? Follow the trail and collect a prize.

All items are hand knitted by museum volunteers. Supported by Red Heart Wool.

Included with gardens admission.

EASTER PAPER CRAFT Thursday 20 April, 12 – 3pm Learn how to make 1920s inspired Easter paper crafts. Drop-in, suitable for three years and over. Included with gardens admission.

OLIVER AND THE OVERWORLD Sunday 16 April, 11.30am and 3pm n The egg The first ever musical created from scratch with sign language. It’s a funny, surreal, picaresque tale of a little deaf boy who

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FAMILY | EVENTS travels to The Overworld, The Land of Machinery, seeking the parts to mend the memory of his best friend Oliver the Grandfather Clock, featuring fully integrated sign language. Suitable for ages five – 11.

Tickets: £8.50 / £7.50 children. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Visit: theatreroyal.org.uk or call: 01225 823409.

Also at The egg this month ELOISE AND THE CURSE OF THE GOLDEN WHISK Tuesday 18 – Sunday 23 April, times vary The year is 1944. In the depths of a dusty larder in the bombed ruins of a Bath restaurant, Eloise finds a beautiful, golden whisk. But when she clutches the shimmering relic, she unleashes an ancient curse. The only way to free herself is to cook the tastiest dish in the world. Tickets: £12 / £10 children. Suitable for ages seven and above.

READ ALL ABOUT IT! Tuesday 18 April, 10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30 – 3.30pm n Fashion Museum, Assembly Rooms Be inspired by the museum’s extensive collection and design fashion from newsprint just like John Galliano. Included in admission price, no need to book. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Visit: fashionmuseum.co.uk.

Join in with the dressing up and family fun on World Heritage Day

SHARK IN THE PARK Friday 21 April, 1.30pm and 3.30pm n St Margaret’s Hall, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1DE Timothy Pope is looking through his telescope one day. But what is that? Is that a Shark in the park? From the creative team behind The Hairy Maclary Show, see all three of Nick Sharratt's Shark in the Park books live on stage in this fin-tastic, family musical. Tickets: £10 adults, £8 under 12s.

Visit: wiltshiremusic.org.uk or call: 01225 860100 to book.

WORLD HERITAGE DAY: PARADE GARDENS Sunday 23 April, 10am – 3pm n Grand Parade, Bath, BA2 4DF

Visit Parade Gardens and join in with a day of activities celebrating Bath as a World Heritage Site with trails, talks, walks, music and family fun. Free entry.

CREATE: TALES FOR TOTS Saturday 29 April, 10.30 – 11.15am and 11.30am – 12.15pm n Ensemble Room, The Edge, University of Bath An interactive workshop designed to introduce young children to the wonders of stories and spark their imagination. This session’s theme is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Suitable for ages three – four. £7.50 per parent and child, additional children or adult for £4. Visit: edgearts.org to book.

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FIT | CITY

OVER 65 AND OVER THE HURDLES

Georgette McCready talks to running ambassador Alex Rotas

A

south west photographer and academic who didn’t take up running until she was in her mid 60s has been appointed by England Athletics as ambassador for a nationwide project, RunTogether.

Alex Rotas had established a worldwide reputation for taking photographs of veteran athletes in action, producing a fascinating book of images, Growing Old Competitively, which features international masters. She collected their stories and captured their sporting highlights visually.

Alex would Alike to see these masters events as well publicised as the Olympics and Paralympics. She says: “These are fantastic athletes achieving great things. Take British runner Moira West, for example, who, at 65, won the gold medal in the 100 metre 65 – 69-year-old women’s event. She ran that in 15.30 seconds – that’s just six seconds slower than Usain Bolt’s 100 metre time.

Extraordinary.

“And yet you look round the stands at these international events and there are barely any spectators.”

What’s also remarkable about these older athletes, running, hurdling, playing squash and badminton at a competitive level, is that many of them didn’t take up their sports until later in life.

Alex enjoyed her career as a lecturer in visual culture and took her PhD at Bath Spa University when she was in her 50s. She has always enjoyed tennis and being active but said it was photographing the masters athletes that inspired her to begin running.

“I looked at them and thought, well if I can talk the talk I need to walk the walk as well. I do find running difficult, I am quite slow, but I love the group dynamic of running with others. I have recently completed my 100th Parkrun, I really feel I have found a supportive community through running.”

“I am very honoured to have been asked to be the RunTogether ambassador and am happy to give talks to groups interested in the concepts of motivation and of how we perceive age in society.”

In contrast to the international athletes tearing up the racetracks, Alex has been photographing a different group of older people in motion. She has been appointed 80 TheBATHMagazine

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TO THE FINISHING TAPE: British runner Moira West, left, born in 1949, narrowly beating Germany’s Ingrid Meier (born 1947) to claim the gold medal in the 100m in the women’s 65 to 69year-old category at the European Veteran Athletics Championships, 2014

official photographer for the REACT research project (Retirement in Action), which academics from the University of Bath are working on, with other universities, the NHS and Age UK. Alex explains: “The study group is of people aged 65 and over who have been sedentary. We know that physical inactivity is the strongest predictor of physical disability in later life. In short, if you don’t keep active you’re going to be less likely to put on your own shoes and more likely to need a hoist to get you in and out of bed.”

And so the study group of human guinea pigs has agreed to take an hour long exercise class every week for a year, with their fitness and flexibility assessed throughout the process. Alex has been along to the classes with her camera: “The first thing that strikes you is how joyful these sessions are.

Everyone is trying hard and there’s a massive amount of laughter. It’s given

them a sense of camaraderie.”

If the REACT trial proves effective it could be rolled out nationwide as a way of preventing disability in older people and retaining quality of life.

If, like, Alex you don’ t see yourself as a serious athlete, you can always join your local Parkrun or a Runtogether group. The Bath Parkrun is held over a 5k course at Free Fields, Claverton Down every Saturday at 9am – the same time volunteer-run Parkruns are held all over the world. To take part you will need to register on parkrun.org.uk and print out your barcode. The run is free to enter, your children can take part with you and it’s fine to walk-run if you can’t run the whole route. More than 200 runners of all ages and abilities take part each week in the Bath Parkrun.

Visit: Alexrotasphotography.co.uk, or to contact her regarding speaking engagements. Twitter @alexrotas and @RunTogether. For Parkrun follow @bathskyparkrun. n

Far left, Gerhard Windolf, Germany, 91, leaps 2.30m for gold medal position in the men’s long jump event, 90 – 94-year-old age group, at the World Masters Athletics Championships, Lyon, France, in 2015. The world record for his age group is 3.26m.

Photography by Alex Rotas Inset Alex Rotas, ambassador for Run Together and motivational speaker

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HEALTH | BEAUTY

REVIVE and REFRESH Part of Bath’s world famous Thermae Spa has been given a dramatic transformation with the opening of a Wellness Suite

I

n the decade since it opened Bath’s 21st century Thermae Spa has attracted visitors from all over the world, with views of bathers enjoying the rooftop pool becoming one of Bath’s favourite spots – with 62 per cent of visitors to the spa stating this was the main reason for their visit to the city. It’s also been estimated that spa visitors have generated more than £100m for the local economy, outside the spa itself.

April sees the opening of an exciting new development at the spa as the middle floor of the building has been transformed from a room of steam-filled pods and showers to a new Wellness Suite. The new suite comprises: two steam rooms, a modern infrared sauna, an ice chamber, a relaxation room and chromotherapy showers.

Appropriately the two steam rooms have been themed to reflect Bath’s history. One will be Roman themed, with a giant wall mosaic of Sulis Minerva and natural stone walls and benches, which will evoke the days when the city’s ancient baths were enjoyed by the Romans. The second steam room is more feminine in character, inspired by Bath’s Georgian architecture, with a fountain and a bright floral fragrance.

The largest of the new rooms is the infrared sauna, where visitors will warm themselves in an acacia and lime wooden interior.

INSPIRED BY THE PAST: an artist’s impression of the Georgian steam room and below, the Roman themed steam room and the cooling ice chamber

In the twinkling Celestial relaxation room individual tiled heated loungers encourage people to lie back and take it easy. Light and music will add to the ambience.

Brace yourselves for the Ice Chamber, a cooling blue room which contains a tank into which small chunks of ice fall continually. This is the chamber to lower the body temperature after heating up in the steam rooms and sauna.

Finally, bathers will leave the Wellness Suite via refreshing showers, with the option to have water from overhead or sideways to body only.

If you live in Bath and North East Somerset Council area you are entitled to apply for a free Discovery Card which gives you a discount on use of the Bath Thermae Spa. Visitors from outside B&NES pay £36 on weekdays for a two-hour session and £38 at weekends (to include robe, towel and slippers plus 15 minutes at the end to get dressed), while Discovery Card holders pay £26 for weekdays, £28 weekends.

Find it online at: thermaebathspa.com, under treatments and prices, look for the discount and concessions section. n

Anxious students use hypnotherapy to tackle exam nerves Exams can be a time of great stress and anxiety for students. Pressure to achieve the right grades for university places and jobs can make young people feel their whole future is at stake.

Sometimes this can result in physical symptoms such as headaches, panic attacks, insomnia and loss of appetite, as well as emotional symptoms such as feeling angry and frustrated.

Bath-based hypnotherapist Christian Dunham is highly experienced at helping young people quickly overcome these problems and realise their full potential in the exam room. “All these conditions are symptoms of anxiety,” he says. “Students who are stressed and anxious don’t do as well as they could in exams as they find it hard to concentrate or retain information.

“My job is to help them regain their focus and motivation, and to feel calm and prepared.”

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Christian practices Solution Focused Hypnotherapy, a cutting-edge technique that combines hypnotherapy with psychotherapy to bring about positive change quickly and effectively.

The results speak for themselves.

Christian sees many students at this time of year who are having a crisis of confidence, who then go on to excel in their exams.

“Going into the exam room feeling relaxed and confident will make all the difference to performance. Getting texts from students when their results come in is one of the best parts of my job,” he says.

Here are some of Christian’s testimonials: “Great news – I’ve got into Exeter and I got AAB! Thanks so much for your help.”

“I have seen a significant difference in his behaviour and outlook. We have not had a meltdown since he’s been seeing you.

Amazing.”

“I just spoke to K’s teacher to ask how things were. She said ‘It’s amazing! What the hypnotherapist has done is incredible.’

Thank you so much for helping K, we’re so thrilled for him and proud.”

For more information, visit: christiandunham.net.

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10-week

courses

• Pilates Mat Classes – £100

Saturday

• Pilates Reformer Classes – £165

workshops

Introducing Pilates (Mat & Equipment) 10.30 – 12.30, 22nd April – £20 Self–massage techniques 10.30 – 12.00, 13th May – £15

For more information and to book online go to: www.bathpilates.co.uk

1 & 2 Broad Street Place, Bath, BA1 5LH - 01225 335757

Removal of moles, skin tags, cysts and other skin lesions If you have been thinking about getting rid of an annoying or unsightly skin lesion then we can help you • Removal of single or multiple skin lesions • • Simple, surgical procedure using local anaesthetic • • Delivered by highly experienced local doctors • • Convenient ‘one-stop’ appointment including consultation and procedure • • Easy-access clinics in BANES with free parking • Please contact us or visit our website for further information

www.gkhealth.co.uk Email: info@gkhealth.co.uk • Tel: 0333 332 1491

We deliver to over 20,000 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 £40.00 Euro zone; £30.00 (12 issues) or £70.00 Euro zone World Zone 1 £95.00 World Zone 2 £120.00 To subscribe to receiving the magazine go to our website; www.thebathmag.co.uk and scroll to the bottom of the page where you can click to an instant link Alternatively send a cheque payable to MC Publishing Ltd 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED or Telephone 01225 424 499 for card payment

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the orangery l a s e r

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b e a u t y

c l i n i c

Hydra Peel Infusion

Facial Red Veins

Hydra Peel Infusion is a treatment that combines exfoliation, hydration, chemical peeling and non-needle mesotherapy to infuse different vitamins into the skin. Treatments have no down time and are suitable for all skin types. It can be used to target fine lines, wrinkles, dry skin, scarring, rosacea, sun damage and pigmentation as well as problematic skins.

Red veins on the face is a common problem that effects both men and women. We can help treat this problem using our gentle and effective IPL system.

Please call and book for a FREE no obligation consultation

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Enjoy a CLARINS Aromatic Balancer Express Facial for just £44 and receive a CLARINS Detox Booster Kit worth £30!

An All-Time Clarins Favourite - Oily and congested, dry and dull, dehydrated or sensitive… Whatever your skin condition this customised facial will rebalance and coax the bloom back.

The potency of Clarins renowned 100% pure plant facial oils, prescribed according to your skin type.

Book online www.frontlinestyle.co.uk 4/5 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2AJ e: bath@frontlinestyle.co.uk T: 01225 478478

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11 Broad Street, Wells BA5 2DJ e: wells@frontlinestyle.co.uk T: 01749 672225

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HEALTH | & | BEAUTY

R E V I EW Georgette McCready tries the latest results-driven facial at The Orangery Laser and Beauty Clinic

FEELING RADIANT

T

here are few better endorsements for a beauty product or treatment than the beauty clinic owner numbering it among her own skin saving secrets. So when Suzannah Chamberlain, who runs the well established Orangery Laser and Beauty Clinic in Bath, told me she’s a regular user of the Hydra Jet Peel Infusion – one of the newest treatments on the market – I knew that this would be worth trying.

“Come and see for yourself,” she invited me, ushering me in to the treatment room where sat the machine like a little R2-D2. The Orangery is the only clinic in the region to have this state-of-the-art equipment. The good news is that this is a results-driven treatment and it delivers on several fronts, from thoroughly exfoliating the skin to some seriously impressive hydration and infusion of vitamins into the skin. It’s great for anyone who’s feeling that their face needs a little brightening and tightening, but without having to resort to the dreaded needle.

Suzannah puts you at ease, talking through the treatment so at no point are there any nasty surprises. We start with a deep cleanse, followed by lymphatic drainage and then exfoliation, all using a saline solution which is swept across the neck and face, using high pressure to really get deep through those layers of dirt and dead skin. It’s quite noisy, but Suzannah puts pads over my ears and the jet stream is refreshingly cool as it rushes over my face.

This is followed by an equally doll-sized suction to target areas – in my case the classic T-zone – where more impurities might lie deep within the pores. By this time my face feels incredibly clean and fresh, but there are two more stages.

The first is the application by air pressure, applying a very fine layer of diluted glycolic acid to the skin. This modern beauty classic is a favourite for smoothing the skin, minimising dark spots and tightening pores. And so to the final phase, which is choosing one of four vitamin infusions, according to your skin’s needs. Once this penetrating treatment is applied to neck and face, a moisturiser seals in the vitamins and glycolic acid solution.

It’s reassuring to know that the Hydra Peel Infusion treatment, developed by leading brand Natura Studios, is FDA (Food and Drugs Administration) approved in the States and that I will be ready to face the world without any reddening or blotches.

Indeed, the new me looks rejuvenated, my skin radiant for the first time in a long time. Someone asked me if I had just come back from holiday, which is always a good sign, and I swear that a couple of my stubborn frown lines are less furrowed. More good news is that this fresh faced look should last for around a week. No wonder I am smiling more readily.

To make an appointment for a Hydra Jet Peel Infusion at The Orangery Laser and Beauty Clinic in Kingsmead Square, tel: 01225 466851. Allow an hour for consultation and treatment which costs £125. n

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RECEIVE THE BATH MAGAZINE BY POST NEVER MISS OUT We deliver to over 20,000 addresses every month, and there’s plenty of pick up points around town. But if you live outside our distribution area or would like us to send a copy to friends or family, we offer a magazine mailing service.

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS FROM JUST £30 SUBSCRIBE ONLINE AT www.thebathmag.co.uk/subscribe or call: 01225 424 499

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Walk April.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2017 10:29 Page 1

DON’T FORGET YOUR CAMERA Andrew Swift plots a challenging nine-mile route to take in the charms of the Chew Valley and the lake

A

pril’s walk is a challenging ramble from the Chew Valley to the heights of Mendip.

Starting beside Chew Valley Lake, it heads through fields and along green lanes to West Harptree. It threads its way through Harptree Combe, past an aqueduct built in 1851 to carry water to Bristol and the ruins of a Norman castle.

Leaving the combe, the climbing begins in earnest. Having reached the Mendip plateau, a walk through East Harptree Woods leads to a high chimney, once used for lead smelting, and spectacular views of Chew Valley Lake, over 200m below.

Heading back downhill, fields and lanes lead to East Harptree, whose church contains an elaborate Elizabethan tomb. From there a level walk through the Chew Valley leads back to the starting point.

DIRECTIONS The starting point is between West Harptree and Bishop Sutton, where the A368 crosses Chew Valley Lake on a causeway, and there is parking on both sides of the road (ST571581).

Head east along the pavement on the north side of the road and carry on along a gravel track. After 250m, by the entrance to New Manor Farm, cross and turn right along a minor road. After 350m, opposite Monksilver Cottage, bear right and follow a signpost through a pair of handgates and across a field (ST576580).

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bear left to walk round the edge of the field.

Go through a gateway, head across another field, cross a footbridge and carry on alongside a ditch. Continue through a KG and, after going through another KG, bear left and go through a handgate on the right a few metres along to head along a green lane. At the top of a rocky incline, when the lane bears sharp left, go through a KG ahead (ST565573). Carry on alongside a hedge for 500m, go through a KG and head across a field.

After going through a handgate, bear right and carry straight on along the main road for 50m before turning left by the White Rose Beauty Rooms.

Bear left along Millennium Way, and, after crossing a playing field, go through a KG. After going through a pair of handgates, follow a track diagonally across a field.

After crossing a slab stile, carry on for a few metres before turning right across a stile into Harptree Combe.

(ST564563) After an hour or so out in open country, the hidden fastnesses of this combe, with high rocks contorted on either hand, seems magical. With the sunlight filtering through the trees and flashing off the tumbling waters of the Molly Brook, photographers will almost certainly want to linger, and, when the aqueduct comes into view ahead they will be jostling to get the best angle on this extraordinary relic of Victorian engineering.

After following a causeway under the aqueduct, as the path starts curving uphill, look out for a yellow arrow on the right and follow it up four steps to continue along the combe. The crag above you is the site of Richmont

Castle, built in the 11th century, besieged and taken by King Stephen in the 12th and abandoned by the 16th.

Virtually nothing of it survives.

After following a path alongside a leat, the track deteriorates to a muddy scramble, which involves crossing the brook on random stepping stones.

After 250m, bear left to follow a waymark up a path hewn out of the rock (ST560557). At the top, look to the left to see a narrow defile, part of a collapsed mine. Carry on across ‘gruffy’ ground created by mining operations, and, after the track drops down towards houses, go through a KG and turn right through another KG beside the drive to Richmonte Lodge. To your left is a ventilation shaft for the pipeline which runs across the aqueduct.

Follow the fence on the right, and, when it curves away, carry straight on.

When you come to two gates, go through the one on the left and carry on with the hedge on your right. Go through a KG, head up to another KG and turn right along a lane. After 75m, go through a KG on the left and head up a field. Go through a pair of KGs, carry on uphill and follow a track as it curves round the lip of a sink hole.

Go through a KG, carry on uphill, and, after another KG, carry on for a few metres before turning right at a T junction along a drive. After passing farm buildings, go through a handgate into what was once a busy industrial site, with lead mines on the right and brickworks on the left. After passing the chimney of Smitham lead works (ST554546), turn left beside a pond to follow a path through East Harptree Woods.

GENTLE LIGHT: main image, looking across the tranquil waters of Chew Valley lake, a favourite spot for bird watchers Opposite page, sunlight streaming through East Harptree Woods

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THE | WALK

When you come to a rough lane, bear left along it. Turn left at the road, and, after 300m, just past Springfield Farm, bear right through a KG (ST559544). Head down a faint track, go through a KG and continue in the same direction. After going through two gateways, go through a KG in the left-hand corner of the next field and head along a high-banked green lane. At the end, turn right and almost immediately left along a lane. Turn right at the end and after 250m turn left by Hill Cottage.

Follow the lane as it bears right and after 500m you will see East Harptree church – worth a detour to see the 16th century monument to John Newton, moved from the chancel to the porch in 1883.

Turn right past the Waldegrave Arms and left along the High Street. At the crossroads, carry on along Townsend. After 175m, when the road swings right, go through a KG to carry straight on through a field (ST571564).

After a pair of KGs take you across a track, carry on in the same direction, heading towards a handgate and slab stile in the hedgerow. Carry on, crossing another slab stile, and, after walking alongside a brook, go through a KG (ST576572).

After crossing a gated footbridge near where the brook joins the River Chew, carry along a track and bear left past a pond. Cross a footbridge and follow a track heading to where the hedge on the right juts into the field. When you get there, carry on alongside the hedge.

After going through a handgate, turn left along a broad strip of grass. Continue along the lane, and, at the main road, cross and turn left to return to the starting point.

Level of challenge: muddy, rocky and waterlogged sections may be encountered, as well as some livestock; sturdy waterproof footwear essential. n Andrew Swift is the author of On Foot in Bath: Fifteen Walks Around a World Heritage City and co-author, with Kirsten Elliot, of Ghost Signs of Bath.

FACT FILE ■ Length of walk: 9 miles ■ Approximate time: at least 4 hours ■ Map: OS Explorer 141 ■ Refreshment stops: the Crown Inn, West Harptree ( the Waldegrave Arms at East Harptree was closed at time of writing)

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Interior Style April.qxp_Layout 1 24/03/2017 17:29 Page 1

HOMES | GARDENS

Interior

NOTEBOOK ART OF GLASS Maleras is an old Swedish glassware company dating back to 1890.

They are renowned for producing splendid pieces of art glass. The Poppy bowl designed by master glassworker Mats Jonasson comes in a variety of sizes and is priced from £25. There’s a full range of bright and very desirable glassware to be seen at Shannon, 68 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BD. Tel: 01225 424222, visit: shannon-uk.com

SUNBURST MIRROR Provide a focal point to your room with this Shanira Sunburst Mirror with decorative fold shards of gold metal. £195. Graham & Green, 92 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BG. Tel: 01225 418300, visit: grahamandgreen.co.uk

ANTLER DINING TABLE If you are looking for a unique, statement dining table then this has to be it... with a salvaged resinous Teak top – perfectly book matched with natural wavy edges – sitting on a handmade, marine-grade stainless steel double neck ‘antler’ design leg base. Solid and substantial at 220 x 105cms it is priced at £7,200. Custom sizes and finishes available. This beautiful table and a range of amazing bespoke pieces have been sourced by interior design company Sunninghill Interiors.

Tel: 01784 435175 or visit: sunninghillinteriors.co.uk

THROWS & CUSHIONS 100% Merino Lambswool woven cushions and throws (cushions £85, throws from £175) designed and made in the UK by Chalk Wovens. Available from Verve, 15 Walcot Buildings, London Road, visit: verveliving.uk

HIDE THE TV Does the presence of your switched-off TV in full view bother you? We all know how that black screen can spoil the ambiance of any room. HIDE is a British company that offers the perfect solution – beautifully designed and locally made furniture which blends in to your room, whilst discreetly concealing your television. When you have finished viewing, have guests arriving, or just want your sitting room back for a tranquil moment, simply press the remote and your TV retires back out of view, and anyone entering the room would be none the wiser. After all... out of sight, out of mind!

Visit: thehidecompany.co.uk or call: 07909 542990

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ON THE HOMEFRONT A trip to the brilliant Homefront Interiors is an absolute must for sourcing all things desirable and interesting for the home – we spotted this grey marble and mango wood paddle board. £27.95. Homefront Interiors Ltd.,10 Margaret's Buildings, Bath BA1 2LP, Tel: 01225 571 711, visit: homefrontinteriors.co.uk

Pietra wood and stone fp April.qxp_Layout 22 20/03/2017 16:05 Page 1

The Old Filling Station 400 Ham Green, Holt BA14 6PX

t 01225 783527 / 782408 e info@pietrawoodandstone.com

NEW HOLT SHOWROOM NOW OPEN

Opening Hours: Mon – Fri 9am – 5.30pm Sat 9am – 5pm

www.pietrawoodandstone.com

Fulham Showroom 196 – 198 Wandsworth Bridge Rd, London SW6 2UE

Tel 0207 610 6111

Colourtrend April.qxp_Layout 1 23/03/2017 09:52 Page 1

A BRUSH WITH SPRING

The long Easter weekend will see many of us tackling home decorating projects. We’ve sought some expert advice from leading Irish paint brand Colourtrend to help you paint like a pro

I

t’s always a good sign when a brand is used by the professionals. And when you go in to Davies of Bath in Monmouth Place, to pick up your decorating products and paints, you’re just as likely to be standing next to someone in the decorating trade as an individual intent on improving his or her own home.

Staff at the shop are able to offer expert advice and there’s also a home visit service, should you need some ideas on what would work in your own home. The Colourtrend paint displays at the shop offer a huge range of colours and surfaces to choose from.

So you’ve picked your colours, laid down your dustsheets and donned your old clothes ready for the big room makeover – but there are still some questions about the best ways to paint like a pro. We asked the experts at Colourtrend who have been dealing in paint for more than 60 years.

To spray, roll, or brush on the paint?

All three are widely accepted by professional painters, builders, architects and designers. Each has its advantages. Brushing and rolling are the more common of the three options.

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Brushing is best for control of application on narrow surfaces, tight spots and edging. Minimal paint is wasted upon clean-up. Brushing gives great ease of applying a heavy coat when needed.

Rollers are very easy to use. They are efficient while keeping control of the paint and can be used for large areas while not putting paint where it shouldn’t be. However, unlike brushes they do waste quite a bit more paint in the clean-up.

Spraying is the most efficient application, for ease of applying a heavy coat when needed. Concern has been expressed about the possibility that spraying may not provide the best adhesion where the surface is at all chalky, whereas brushing would seem to mix up the chalk and facilitate better paint adhesion. However, testing has not borne this out.

Spraying provides an exceptionally smooth finish, but, being so smooth, it can be impossible to touch up unnoticeably later. Some painters spray, and then immediately back-roll in order to make the surface less uniform and thus easier to touch-up.

Spraying has the disadvantages of time needed for clean-up. There could also be the need for use of a respirator and for protective clothing and masks.

Most new build homes are spray painted, although rolling and brushing are used, particularly on smaller jobs.

Residential exterior re-painting is split between brushing and spraying while most interior residential repaint is done by brushing and rolling.

Spraying is used a lot for skirting boards, doors and furniture where a smooth finish is required.

How do I get the edges neat?

Try using masking tape to mask off one area while applying the paint to the neighbouring area, to get a straight line. Apply the tape carefully, and press it down thoroughly. Masking tape should be removed promptly once the paint has dried otherwise it may be difficult to remove, stick too much and pull up the paint underneath. Low tack masking tape is more forgiving in this regard, and can be left on longer, usually for at least a day. Low tack masking tape is available at Davies of Bath.

Can I paint over mildew in the bathroom or kitchen?

You will have to remove all mildew on the walls. When treating mildew, you need to allow the bleach to stay on the surface for at least 20 minutes, or the mildew will not be killed (even though

CRISP EDGES: main picture, a feature wall has been created using Colourtrend Paint Frozen Stream

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CITY | INTERIORS

the colour disappears), and it can grow back. To treat the area, use a 3:1 mixture of water to household bleach and leave on for at least 20 minutes, reapplying as it dries. Protect your eyes, breathing and skin during application and rinsing. Rinse off the area thoroughly; then thoroughly wash it and rinse again and allow to dry fully. For best results, apply an epoxy primer, available from Colourtrend. Then apply two coats of Colourtrend Soft Sheen.

How do I paint a light colour over an existing dark wall?

Firstly be sure that the surface to be painted is clean, dry and free from dirt or grease. To help the colour change from dark to light use a base coat of either Colourtrend Primer Sealer Undercoat or Colourtrend Interior Matt tinted a light grey – ask your Colourtrend expert for Foundation

Coat 1.

Apply this base coat with a quality roller with a three eighths of an inch synthetic nap. Be sure to apply a heavy coat of the base coat, because the beneficial properties of the priming coat depend on having the full film thickness. Allow the prime coat to dry overnight, before applying two coats of your chosen Colourtrend finish.

Davies of Bath stocks a huge range of Colourtrend paints, including the Historic and Contemporary Collections. There is parking and the shop is open 7.30am – 5pm, Monday to Friday and 8am – 4pm on Saturdays. Colour consultancy sessions can be booked by appointment, tel: 01225 423749, visit: rabart.co.uk/locations/rabartbath-davies-of-bath.

To find out more about Colourtrend Paints, visit: colourtrend.co.uk. n

HARD WEARING SURFACES: clockwise, Colourtrend Paint advisors can help you pick your shades, the grey is Wolf. Above, Historic Templar Grey was used in the bathroom on the wood panelling Below left, Pink Chocolate makes a bold statement in this kitchen and below, right, Colourtrend Paint is suitable for use in steamy rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms – this kitchen wall and shelves are painted in Thunderstorm

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HOMES | INTERIORS

TO BLEND IN... OR NOT? Hugo Tugman, from leading home design experts Architect Your Home, offers some words of wisdom on choosing the right exterior finish for your property

I

t’s the great architectural debate – be bold and make a statement, or be sympathetic to the surroundings and try to emulate other properties in the area.

The best solution will depend upon the type of house, its surroundings and, of course, its owners – however, here are some guiding principles to start with...

It’s easier to go forwards than backwards Drawing style inspiration from a particular time or decade of architecture can be an effective way to stand out from the crowd.

In the past we have changed a boxy 1960s house into a very minimalist contemporary style; given a dowdy post-war extension an Arts-and-Crafts style makeover and transformed a bland 1950s house into a pair of perky town houses.

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façade, think twice before removing the 1960s pebble dash covering yours. Many people think that revealing brick that has previously been covered up will look fantastic, but stripping existing render or pebble-dash off older brickwork may well leave the brickwork looking not very nice at all. Doing this can even break the surface of the brick, leaving a very porous surface, which might cause damp problems and will quickly look dirty. Your architect should be able to flag up any potential pitfalls with your exterior plans and suggest a suitable alternative.

Kerb appeal matters With any update to your home, it’s important to consider the potential implications on the value of it. While standing out from the other houses on the street can certainly improve kerb appeal, you also need to consider that bold exterior statements may not be to everyone’s liking.

People often ask us about the added value

to their home from doing various different works, but market value is dependent upon much more subjective and emotional factors than many people give credit for. First impressions count for a great deal and if potential buyers are put off before they even walk in, then the value will inevitably suffer, so making your house attractive externally can be a big plus.

Consistency is key Whether you go for something traditional or a little more unusual, very often the key to an attractive exterior is unifying the use of materials. Frequently we come across houses that may have looked great at one time, but have been added to or altered in a way that may have worked well inside, but has created a complete mess on the outside. Covering ill-matching brickwork and pebble-dash with a unifying rendered finish can be very cost effective and can really tie an elevation together. ■ • architect-yourhome.com

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Azumi lights

by Hannah Simmons

Furniture – Art – Styling – Accessories

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ROOM FOR TWO: Catriona took the single bed out of what felt like a cluttered bedroom and introduced a double, which lifts to reveal storage space underneath. A vintage crate makes a handy bedside table Photography: Jeni Meade

SPACE FOR NEW IDEAS

Bath interior stylist Catriona Archer offers some tips on making your home feel bigger and less cluttered

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t’s very easy to get bogged down with ‘stuff’ at home, to let clutter and possessions get the better of us. The never-ending tidying of shoes in the hallway and propagating paperwork on the ‘to do’ pile. Sometimes a new approach is needed.

I was asked to help a client in Bath who had moved into a two bedroom cottage from a larger home and wanted to make the best use of the space in her new home.We started by keeping the colour palette for the walls and ceilings a calm neutral, making the most of the natural light and allowing the cottage to feel calm and spacious.

RE-ASSESS YOUR ASSETS De-cluttering is one of the first steps to take when re-styling any home. The easiest way to do this is to start with things of least sentimental value, such as clothes, books and paperwork, before tackling more challenging areas such as pictures and memorabilia.

Collect together anything in a certain category, such as all your umbrellas, or hats before deciding which one(s) to keep. As a general guide, if you don’t love it or don’t use it, let it go. Selling items or giving to charity where someone else can benefit from makes everyone a winner.

LOOK AT IT ANOTHER WAY Most of us can do so much more with the space we have. We get used to our items being in a certain place that often our eyes become blind to it over time. Re-organising a 110 96 TheBATHMagazine TheBATHMagazine | | aPRiL DeCeMbeR 2017 2016

space helps change its energy and allows us to appreciate our possessions again with a fresh outlook.

My client had a single bed in the second bedroom. To be honest, it looked pretty cramped in there and it wasn’t helped that she was forced to use space around the bed for much-needed storage.

We opted for a double bed instead, which neatly filled the space and had a sprung base which meant the entire void beneath the mattress can be used for storage, easily accessed from the foot of the bed. A vintage wooden crate fixed to the wall serves as a bedside table, with a light. We chose a soft grey blanket for the end of the bed and extended this gentle hue as a wide stripe up the walls and over the ceiling, like a canopy over the bed.

Throwing out the old and buying new is often seen as the initial step in home improvements, but I think we should first assess what is already available in the home for a more considered approach. Another client had a pretty armoire and needed somewhere to keep her paperwork and computer. She chose a joyful wallpaper for the interior and a carpenter made some shelves, including a sliding shelf to hold the keyboard. It’s a great way to create a home office and, with the doors shut all that paperwork is hidden away.

MIX AND MATCH This kitchen was fairly conventional with cream front cupboards. We wanted to add a

little personality with a breakfast bar, looking out into the garden. We bought some scaffolding poles from building suppliers Avery Knight and Bowlers in James Street, Bath, to use as legs and then a cutdown kitchen solid wood worktop from B&Q for the table top. This we limewashed and waxed it. It’s a little nod to the industrial trend without going overboard.

AIM HIGH Standard sized bookcases are a prime example of how space is sometimes underutilised. I tend to prefer bookcases with adaptable shelving in order to take full advantage of every part of the vertical space.

Most tall bookcases are around 1.8m high, but adding storage right up to the ceiling can often make a room feel larger. Flat-pack units can be easily customised, for example by adding a wood trim to the top and/or sides.

HIDE AND SEEK Nothing benefits from being stuffed at the back of a cupboard only to be forgotten.

Often we go out and buy something only to end up finding that we had it at home all along.

Ideally, furniture should be practical, good-looking and flexible enough to adapt to the changing needs of a multi-functioning home. Good storage should also be easy to access. A useful tip is to use transparent open boxes as drawers in low, deep cupboards that are hard to see into. This way all items

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ADD PERSONALITY: above, a custom made breakfast bar using scaffolding poles and right, a painted armoire is converted to create a home office

stored are easily visible when needed.

The key to living in a challenging space is to be clever with layout and what you decide to have on show. Having a healthy mix of open storage for items that you enjoy looking at daily, while benefiting from plenty of hidden storage for an overall calm and clutter-free space. Everything in its place, not every place with a thing, that’s my motto. n For more details on interior styling, for consultations and projects of all sizes visit: catrionaarcher.com.

SUNNINGHILL INTERIORS BEAUTIFUL & EXCEPTIONAL INTERIOR & EXTERIOR DESIGN Call or email for a free initial consultation Tel: 01784 435175 Mobile: 07534 447676 info@sunninghillinteriors.co.uk www.sunninghillinteriors.co.uk

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GET THE LOOK: HOTEL STYLE Take inspiration from Bath’s finest hotels and borrow ideas for a little touch of luxury at home

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veryone but the most jaded rock star loves a luxury hotel room. There’s that blissful few moments after you’ve shut the door against the world and taken in the perfect peace and order of a room where someone else has done all the hard work. The colours are harmonious, the big bed looks inviting, the curtains are neatly drawn back, bedside tables with twin lamps give a pleasing symmetry and there’s a chair or sofa to throw yourself into once you’ve checked out the bathroom for top quality toiletries.

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Some hotels lay on fresh flowers, a tea tray or a bowl of fruit, or if you’re very privileged there’ll be an ice bucket containing a bottle of Champagne, a pair of fine Champagne flutes and a tempting platter of strawberries dipped in chocolate.

We can’t spend our lives checking in to hotels just so we can experience the delights of Egyptian cotton sheets, fluffy bathrobes and plump pillows. But we can recreate some of those details at home. We’ve asked some of Bath’s top hotels for some five star inspiration for our own homes.

HOME FROM HOME: main picture, the Pulteney Suite at No15 in Great Pulteney Street

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THE BATH PRIORY OASIS OF CALM: interior design house Sims Hilditch has chosen natural shades of Foxglove, top right, and Honey, below, for individually designed rooms at The Bath Priory

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n a city bursting with luxury hotels, The Bath Priory continues to draw visitors, enticed not only by the reputation of its restaurant, its gardens tended by The Bath Magazine’s very own Jane Moore and the only L’Occitane spa in the UK, but also by its beautiful interiors.

Downstairs, guest rooms such as the library and drawing room are opulently decorated and full of some of the private art collection of owners Andrew and Christina Brownsword, while upstairs, the refurbishment of bedrooms in 2016 has provided cool, contemporary spaces in which guests can relax. Designed by Sims Hilditch, the luxury interior designer based in nearby Cold Ashton, we’ve asked them to share their tips on how we can emulate the style of a luxury hotel in our own homes.

Founder Emma Sims Hilditch comments: “I always begin a bedroom design by looking at the amount of natural light the room gets. This will influence the general arrangement of furniture, as well as the colour palette and elements such as floor, wall and window treatments. At The Bath Priory colour was important, so each room is individual with plenty of personality, while artwork was also key, so our interiors took inspiration from key pieces, which is a good starting place for bedrooms at home too”.

Emma continues: “The bed is the centre piece in any bedroom so choose your style carefully. Upholstered beds create a soft, welcoming feeling while four poster or sleigh beds create a dramatic statement. However, a bed is never on its own. I like to think of the side tables and footstool as a triangle that surrounds and anchors the bed – as well as having an important aesthetic impact, they are also practical for storing books, extra blankets etc.

“Finally, indulge in your own little bit of hotel lux – whether that is just the right linen, the perfect light bulb to give off just the right amount of flight, or a vase of fresh flowers such as the beautiful arrangements supplied to The Bath Priory by florist Deb England, then you can create the finishing touches to create a hotel-worthy bedroom at home.”

LUCKNAM PARK HOTEL

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rand country house hotels need bathrooms that meet expectations at five star level; classic yet modern and practical.

The bathroom project at the hotel was overseen and executed by Robert Cotterill Construction which has been heavily involved in all recent refurbishment of bedrooms and other projects at hotel.

Bath based interior designer Claire Rendall had seen a wash stand idea on her travels to other hotels and commissioned Stephen Graver who specialises in bespoke kitchen and bathrooms to create these sumptuous rooms.

The bathrooms at Lucknam Park feature a number of thoughtful details. The wooden washstands were designed to fit double basins, with bespoke stands made of American black walnut, with maple veneer.

Slatted shelves were created

underneath for extra storage.

The titanium granite tops are from Windsmere Stone, Seend, which also provided the stone for the corner shelves in showers and the well thought out shelves next to freestanding baths for toiletries and glasses of champagne.

The marble tiles are from Mandarin Stone in Bath – polished marble was used on the walls while the honed marble on floors was chosen for its non-slip qualities.

The bathrooms have underfloor heating. The showers have a wet room look with discreet practical frameless screens and doors and no lip on entry to avoid stubbing of toes.

The mirrors have heat pads behind so that they don’t mist up and there are LED lights on the ceiling and floor level, as well as low illumination lights to guide people safely to the lavatory in the night.

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No15 GREAT PULTENEY The interiors at No15 Great Pulteney were brought to life by owners Ian and Christa Taylor together with Martin Hulbert and Jay Grierson of Martin Hulbert Design – one of the UK’s star interior design firms – known for their work at Coworth Park, Chewton Glen and The Grove, Hertfordshire. Unfailingly elegant in style and with an added layer of drama, curiosity and detail on top, the hotel is imbued with new energy while retaining the integrity of its original architectural features.

The design of the hotel is inspired by the Georgian history of the building, in combination with a contemporary look. The interiors are defined by captivating collections of objects, original art, bespoke wallpaper and plenty of sparkling chandeliers (including one made entirely of thousands of lone earrings) that result from the Taylors’ scouring antique fairs and graduate degree shows – creating an almost gallery-like feel. Café 15 features an old chemist’s shop, with hundreds of apothecary bottles lining the walls.

Martin Hulbert Design’s first floor and second floor suites feature calming colour palettes, statement art and chandeliers, contemporary four-poster beds and Perspex furniture. Much of the furniture is bespoke, including doll’s houses that house tea and coffee making facilities.

Alongside the Martin Hulbert suites, local designers Woodhouse and Law, Rossiters of Bath and Eton Design have also each designed a bedroom to showcase local talent. At the top of No15, the Taylors have created the Artist’s Floor, a manifestation of their keen eye for up-and-coming talent – working closely with a range of local students and artists to commission bespoke murals in the seven bedrooms, as well as a charming design with cheeky monkeys stealing food from the pantry on the landing.

Several of the bedroom interior schemes have been inspired by the walls once stripped bare, with some walls left intentionally unfinished for a new twist on the old. Vibrant wallpaper can also

be found throughout – from Rhian Beynon’s botanical prints in the lady’s powder room, to Tracy Kendall’s inventory-print wallpaper reflecting the history of the building in one of the Woodhouse and Law bedrooms, and Rossiters bird-print wallpaper on the ceiling of their Good Evening bedroom.

No15’s quirky and eclectic design throughout could inspire us to cherish and display some favourite vintage objects, and perhaps even to create unique pieces of upcycled furniture or lampshades, using old jewellery for example.

THE ROYAL CRESCENT HOTEL The Royal Crescent Hotel is set in a Grade I listed Georgian townhouse. It underwent a multi-million pound renovation and restoration, which was completed in 2014 and now prides itself as a quintessential English luxury hotel, reconsidered for the 21st century.

The Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa has 45 individually decorated, spacious rooms and suites. While these are all newly refurbished, bespoke design has preserved and highlighted the period features of the Georgian property. Every room has its own distinctive character, with classic antique pieces such as four-poster beds or roll top baths.

Contemporary design touches include the latest mod cons such as TV flat screens, iPod docking stations and Nespresso coffee machines.

All the master suites are named after key figures who formed a part in the making of Bath and the Crescent’s 250 year history.

THE GAINSBOROUGH HOTEL The five star Gainsborough Hotel prides itself on using British products throughout the property, including design classic the Roberts radio in the bedrooms, but updated with Bluetooth connectivity.

The marble for the hotel’s floors is from Zanetti in Bristol. Asprey toiletries are supplied to guests in the bedrooms and classic British brand Neals Yard Remedies are used in the spa and the bedrooms.

Romy Frasier started blending oils in the hippie gathering marketplace of Neals Yard dairy in Covent Garden in the 1970s.

Since then the brand has expanded to become a leading national brand with an international reputation. The Gainsborough’s therapists use the original single note essential oils to make personalised blends at the aroma bar. They also use NYR massage oils. The hotel restaurant, run by head chef Dan Moon, prides itself in using all local suppliers and produce.

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KEEP CALM AND GARDEN ON It’s all kicking off in the garden this month and Jane Moore is running to keep up

I

thanks to Chris Smith and his passion for unusual vegetables I’m now going to try my hand at growing oka, a vibrantly coloured tuber which is hugely popular in South America.

VEGETABLE HEAVEN One job I do have securely underway is my potato and seed planting, thanks to the glorious annual Weston Potato Day which was held back in early March.

One morning was all it took to bag a rich haul of spuds, seeds, strawberry plants and so the list goes on. There’s nothing to beat talking to an expert in person about what you want from your vegetable garden this year, so getting some free advice from the

FLOWER POWER It’s seed sowing time in no uncertain terms and that means flowers as well as vegetables. Here at The Priory we’re big on annuals. We sow some directly into the ground in the time honoured fashion of an annual bed or cutting border but we also save a few seeds for sowing in cells. This is for two reasons; firstly it gives you back up plants for when the slugs decimate your in-the-ground seedlings as they unfurl their succulent little leaves.

Secondly it means you have plants spare to drop into those odd spots that end up looking a bit bare as the season goes on.

A classic case for this gappiness is dicentra with its fabulous flowers and lush leaves right at the start of the season and then a big old bare patch by about June. Pop in a few calendula or cosmos and the gap will be gone in the matter of a couple of weeks.

My current sowing list, besides the aforementioned calendula and cosmos, includes sweet peas, amaranthus or love-lies-bleeding, various annual grasses including the lovely Lagurus Bunny Tails and

f you meet me in April please forgive me as I may be somewhat distracted. After the slow stretch and limber up that constitutes gardening in March I tend to hit the ground running at full pelt in April.

My jobs list is seemingly never ending: along with all the sowing and mowing to get in hand there’s always inevitably a few of the ‘winter’ jobs which are still demanding to be completed To top it all off there’s the looming deadline of our first garden event of the year, the National Garden Scheme afternoon at the end of April. All in all I’m running around like the Loony Tunes Roadrunner. All I need now is an Acme patented seed bomb to land on the Bath Priory and it would be job done. Failing that here’s my whatto-do-now guide to your garden.

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knowledgeable team at Pennard Plants along with my seed potatoes was invaluable.

The potatoes are happily chitting away in my array of enormous egg boxes, courtesy of John the pastry chef. In fact the earlies, an old favourite Home Guard and my little French salad lovely Cherie will probably be planted by the time you read this. Plus I’ve invested in some new asparagus crowns which won’t crop properly for a couple of years but hopefully the purple shoots – yes purple – will be worth the wait.

I’ve also treated our new chef Michael to some perpetual Mara des Bois strawberries, sweet little Douce Provence peas and luminous white French shallots all of which should keep him busy this season. Très Continental, you may say, as it’s all a nod to Michael’s Belgian origins. But

GET SOWING: main picture, raising seedlings in the greenhouse Inset, Jane’s basket of bounty from Weston Potato Day Opposite page, potatoes for chitting on offer at Weston Potato Day, and some favourite flowers for summer include, dicentra (popularly known as bleeding heart) and sweet peas

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anything else that takes my fancy. I don’t necessarily know where they’re going to go, but they usually find a home before the summer is done.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER Early April is your last chance for lifting and dividing herbaceous plants until the autumn.

I have a list of asters that I made back in October 2016, all those huge clumps that need to be split up and replanted. Spring is definitely the best time to do these late bloomers so I’d better get on with it or I know you’ll all be commenting when you come to the Yellow Book afternoon at the end of the month. It’s a bit of a palaver but nonetheless it’s one of my favourite jobs to

do as you end up with lots of free plants which you can use elsewhere in the garden.

A QUICK TRIM Cut back your grasses now. Straight away.

Yes that’s an order because I know how hard it is do it if they’re still looking lush and lovely. Those good looks won’t last long believe me, so you need to be tough now so the new growth pushes through and keeps them looking good all summer long. Because let’s remember there’s a long, warm and hopefully sunny summer still to come.

DATES FOR THE DIARY The Bath Priory Hotel has its first NGS date early especially for the spring bulbs:

Thursday 27 April, 2 to 5pm.

If you can’t make it to us then perhaps you can visit: Job’s Mill, Wiltshire on Saturday 22 April, 2 to 5pm, Iford Manor on Sunday 23 April, 2 to 5pm or the National Trust’s Stourhead on Sunday 23 April, 9am to 6pm.

Useful addresses: Pennard Plants, The Walled Gardens, East Pennard, Somerset, BA4 6TP. Tel: 01749 860039, website: pennardplants.com. Chiltern Seeds, Crowmarsh Battle Barns, 114 Preston Crowmarsh, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 6SL. Tel: 01491 824675, website: chilternseeds.co.uk. n Jane Moore is the award-winning gardening columnist and head gardener at The Bath Priory Hotel. @janethegardener.

HOMEFRONT - INTERIORS -

Homewares Interiors Handmade Gifts Vintage Finds Chalk Paint T: 01225 571711 E: info@homefrontinteriors.co.uk 10 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath, BA1 2LP homefrontinteriors.co.uk

Paint Workshops | Lampshade Making

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the directory

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Gardening

Health, Beauty & Wellbeing

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PROPERTY | HOMEPAGE

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ick is ideally suited for those needing to be in both Bath and Bristol and also has excellent motorway access. The village has good local amenities including pubs, a small supermarket, hairdresser, post office, church and primary school. The Stables is a beautifully presented detached stone built property with accommodation over three floors. The internal house area is 2782 sq ft/258 sq m with outbuildings of 1021 sq ft/94 sq m. Having been recently updated, the house is decorated in a fresh modern style but care has been taken to retain and enhance period features including beams, fire surrounds, windows etc. The linear layout of the ground floor includes a spacious, well planned kitchen/dining room with island, sitting room, library, cloakroom, store, and en suite bedroom and laundry room. On the first floor there are four bedrooms including the master which is en suite and has a pretty balcony, a large family bathroom and further en suite. The second floor houses two more bedrooms and a bathroom. The sizeable outbuildings are set up as a games room and cinema, garaging and office. There is also a useful wood store set within the large, level landscaped gardens. This is a wonderfully versatile property with a sense of space and lots to keep the family at home. Viewing is by appointment with agents Pritchards.

Pritchards, 11 Quiet Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 466225

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THE STABLES, CHELSEY HILL, WICK • Seven Bedrooms • Family bathroom and four en suite • Large kitchen/diner • Library, cinema, games room, office • Level landscaped gardens and open countryside views

Guide price: £1,100,000

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pritchards-bath.co.uk

Turleigh, Nr Bradford on Avon A charming and beautifully presented 3/4 bedroom, detached period cottage in the heart of this desirable village within walking distance of Avoncliff Station. Immaculately presented throughout. Well proportioned landscaped garden & detached garden studio. EPC: D Int. area 1589 sq ft/147.6 sq m.

Guide Price: ÂŁ850,000

The Circus, Bath A beautifully presented 1 bedroom Ground Floor Apartment with private terrace forming part of a most attractive Grade I Listed Georgian townhouse. Reception room with high ceiling and original features. No onward chain. Int. floor area approx. 848 sq ft (78.8 sq m).

Guide Price: ÂŁ675,000 11 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2LB

Tel: 01225 466 225

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The Apartment Co - April .qxp_Layout 1 24/03/2017 14:30 Page 1

THINKING PROPERTY Peter Greatorex, managing director of The apartment Company

First impressions count - how to prepare your apartment for sale this spring

S

Crafting beautiful homes in stunning locations Bath | Somerset | Wiltshire | Cotswold | Dorset

01225 791155 ashford-homes.co.uk

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pring officially arrived in March, bringing warmer weather, longer days, songbirds, snowdrops, daffodils and… propertyhunters!

This is the season when our market traditionally picks up again, so it’s a perfect time to have your apartment for sale. For those with access to a garden, homes are looking more colourful. The weather is also brighter, both of which help enhance the appeal of it in photographs and viewings. Furthermore, demand for good quality apartments in Bath tends to be stronger at this time of year.

However, to ensure plenty of viewings, the best possible price and a timely sale, it is vital that you make sure your home stands out from the crowd. My top tip would be to remember the importance of first impressions ie ‘photographs’ and ‘kerb appeal.’

Photographs are the first thing a potential buyer will see – be it online or in a brochure – and you only get one chance to make a good first impression. This is the moment when your apartment will be initially judged as to whether it is worth viewing. Poor photographs reflect medicore accommodation, which could impact the price and the number of viewings you get. We provide the professional photography, but it is up to you to make sure the rooms are tidy and clean. If unfurnished, we recommend hiring a home staging company to dress the property and enhance its appeal that way.

With apartments, its kerb appeal is a little trickier to manage.

However, it is worth bearing in mind that as a potential buyer approaches the building, the first thing they see is the front of it.

Where you can, remove dead leaves and flowers from around the main front door area. Tidy the communal entrance way and make sure all of the post has been neatly piled. If your home is downstairs, pay attention to your window frames. Your own personal front door needs to look as good as it can too. A fresh coat of paint or a pretty potted plant could add further appeal.

In addition, it’s also important to really clean your property - don’t just hoover. Make sure you scrub the kitchen and bathrooms, clean items such as your fridge and carpets. Dust everywhere including light fixtures, remove cobwebs and polish mirrors. Other things to think about include minor repairs, de-cluttering and decorating. Don’t forget to tidy up the garden either if you own one. Good luck!

The Apartment Company Tel: 01225 471144.

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RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SITES WANTED • From Single Plots to multiple Unit Schemes • Strategic Land • Unused Public Houses, Hotels and Commercial Units

CALL : 01225 444 800

enquiries@nashandcobath.co.uk | www.nashandcobath.co.uk 2 Princes Buildings | George Street | Bath | BA1 2ED

Stoneleigh Court, Lansdown A smart and contemporary two double bedroom apartment, finished to a high specification of design throughout and located on the northern outskirts of Bath in the highly sought-after area of Lansdown. The property is just a short drive from the city centre and benefits from convenient access to the M4 motorway.

Rent: ÂŁ1,600 pcm* bright & spacious living / dining room | modern fully fitted kitchen | stainless steel integrated appliances | private balcony | 2 sizeable double bedrooms | ample fitted storage | stylish shower room | attractive communal gardens | off-street parking Reside Bath | 24 Barton Street Bath BA1 1HG | T 01225 445 777 | E info@residebath.co.uk | W www.residebath.co.uk

*An administration fee of ÂŁ420.00 inc. VAT applies.

RESIDE April.indd 1

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Bathampton Lane

● 3 Bedroom, 3 storey coach house ● Off-street parking ● Gated entrance way ● Beautiful views to the rear ● Large bright living room

£695,000

Chestnut Grove

● 4 Bedroom detached bungalow ● Upper Westwood ● Large, level gardens with mature borders ● Open plan kitchen ● Double garage & ample driveway parking

£575,000

Northend

£585,000

Avondale Road

£375,000

● Grade II listed period property ● 4/5 bedrooms ● Flexible accommodation over 4 floors ● Kitchen/diner opening onto rear garden ● Summer house and garden store

● Bay fronted Victorian property ● Totally renovated ● 2 double bedrooms ● Proximity to many local amenities (including Chelsea Road) ● Low maintenance garden with LED mood lighting

enquiries@nashandcobath.co.uk www.nashandcobath.co.uk Tel: 01225 444 800

NASH & CO

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Attention lAndlords!

We are always happy to welcome new landlords and tenants alike to our portfolio.

We recognise that the personal touch and attention is required for a successful partnership between Landlord and Agent. So, conďŹ dent of the continued buoyancy of the Bath Rental Market, our Spring Oer for 2017 is 50% discount on fees for six months.

Allow us to tailor a package to suit your personal needs and take the pressure out of letting your property.

29 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2DL 01225 326412 www.fountainresidential.co.uk

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PEOPLE | IN PROPERTY

EXCITING TIMES: Marcus Evans at Crest Nicholson’s Bath Riverside Picture by TBM

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PEOPLE | IN PROPERTY

AN EXCITING REGENERATION Marcus Evans, sales and marketing executive with Crest Nicholson talks to The Bath Magazine about his career in property and his pride in his home city

H

ow and when did you get into the property business?

I purchased my first brand new apartment in Birmingham city centre many years ago just as the city was about to commence its huge makeover, when I’d moved from Bath with work as an accountant. The process of buying a new apartment excited me and I formed a great relationship with the onsite sales advisors. A part time position became available on a new build development, I knew I really wanted to be part of this exciting industry, and my chance came when a part-time sales advisor job became available on a new Crest Nicholson development in early 2003.

What significant changes – for better or worse – have you seen in that time?

The industry has been a rollercoaster. I witnessed a real boom while I was still selling at Park Central in Birmingham from 2004 – 2007, where the investment market was huge, leading to soaring house prices and little help for first-time buyers.

Since then I’ve seen a real change in the industry after the government implemented the Help to Buy scheme (HTB) helping numerous first-time buyers. This really changed the culture of the industry. Crest Nicholson by this time had recently purchased what is now Bath Riverside and was working on plans for the regeneration of the old Stothert and Pitt site. As soon as Crest Nicholson obtained planning consent this was my opportunity to move back home and be part of this exciting project from the start. We started selling from a temporary marketing suite opposite the filling station with very little to see apart from concrete structures and trenches.

And what changes in Bath have you welcomed, or regretted, over the years?

Our early days of Bath Riverside saw many challenges, many local residents felt our scheme was not appropriate for the city’s heritage status, but many of those who originally opposed the development now live at Bath Riverside.

As a first time buyer many years ago I was not able to buy a property in my home city.

Crest Nicholson and Bath Riverside have made it affordable and offer something for everyone, especially first-time buyers using the HTB government led initiative. It’s also been an excellent investment opportunity for investors both in terms of rental yields and capital growth. We have also sold to many families and downsizers, with a wide range of houses, apartments and penthouses offering superb views across our beautiful

city. We have only recently launched our long awaited Royal View, designed by Studio Egret West architects, that offers waterside apartments near the newly refurbished Victoria Bridge, as well as a park and a restaurant overlooking the river.

What’s going to happen in the property market in the next 12 months?

The future of new build properties in Bath looks healthy and bright, where we continue to see a high demand from downsizers looking to move into lower maintenance dwellings. We will see more legislation come in where all properties coming to the market either to be sold, or to be rented, will be required to meet new energy performance guidelines.

We have seen prices in Bath steadily increase as demand is clearly higher than the current supply. Let’s look at all other major cities in the UK, they have all developed their riverside and canal networks, this is absolutely the key feature of Bath Riverside.

There will always be a nervousness around the future of the UK’s housing market but this fact remains the same.

Tell us a bit about what makes your team special?

We are a close-knit team that has grown together as we have overcome the challenges of opening a new development. Being so close, we have not only been able to celebrate the numerous successes of Bath Riverside, but also special moments such as colleagues getting married, as well as becoming parents and grandparents. The team was very supportive during my career development as a sales manager and more recently as sales and marketing executive for Crest Nicholson Regeneration. I don’t see them as often as I’d like, but Bath is truly where my heart lies.

Do you have a favourite street?

It has to be Stothert Avenue at Bath Riverside. These were the first homes we sold, with their clean lines, modern architecture and steps up to the front doors, with the traditional features of Bath in mind.

It’s where it all started.

I guess if I were to choose a second favourite street it would have to be Queen Square. I always think, when walking around looking at the buildings, what it would have been like to live there in its heyday. Although most of these lovely buildings are no longer homes, but mostly occupied by legal firms, the facade really has hardly changed. I walked through the square recently to see a First World War re-enactment, it’s great to see these activities in such a great setting.

I’m also a huge fan of Brasserie Blanc, it’s lovely to sit outside here in the summer, enjoying a morning coffee or perhaps a glass of sauvignon in the early evening. It’s a real treat to sit and people watch or catch up with friends. I’ve also had some great nights out in Hall & Woodhouse. It’s a very different venue, but relaxed and good for drinks after work. Even here you still get a sense you are in a former auction house, with what must be one of the best sun traps in the city up on its roof terrace. Given I’m significantly follicle challenged, I’ve come home with a sunburnt head on more than one occasion.

I love a leisurely Saturday morning walking around the Bath Farmers’ Market in Green Park. That’s got to be one at the top of the list of things to enjoy on a weekend in Bath, after a little breakfast in Green Park Brasserie, where the food is superb and service always friendly. Also another great place to sit outside in the summer.

What has been your proudest moment?

There are a few, but if I am honest it’s about the people I have sold homes to. Selling them something that is not yet built (to some buyers who were also overseas) and handing the keys over on the day of completion. Now I love to see the sales advisors do this across all my developments, it’s why we do it.

Another more personal proud achievement was moving back to Bath. The opportunity could not have come at a better time.

We have seen so much change in the city with the development of Southgate, of course change for some is always going to be contentious but what an improvement to what we had before. I remember getting off the train before Southgate had been developed. There was no sense of arrival into such an historical city, now it looks great and we have a real café culture going on that draws you in towards the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey. Nowadays you truly know you have arrived in Bath Spa. Bath especially has a world renowned status, we have created a community and destination with much more to come. I am not only extremely proud to be an original Bathonian but also to be part of creating a part of Bath that has never seen so much change since the Romans.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

Finding a nice country pub and sitting by the fire with my Jack Russells after a very long walk. My working days are long, so free time is when I like to keep things simple and to spend time with my better half and the dogs. n

THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

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APRIL 2017

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Andrews - Bath - April.qxp_Layout 3 22/03/2017 15:15 Page 1

Bear Flat Entry Hill, BA2 ÂŁ520,000

An exceptional period home that has been transformed with a wonderful kitchen family room extension and an attic conversion. Sitting room, three double bedrooms, bathroom and en-suite. Parking and gardens.

Energy Efficiency Rating: E

SSTC

Newbridge Apsley Road, Bath, BA1 ÂŁ475,000

Fantastic 1930s three bedroom semi detached home in need of some updating. Accommodation includes sitting room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, conservatory, fantastic south facing garden, garage and off street parking. Energy Efficiency Rating: TBC

Bear Flat sales 01225 805680 Newbridge sales 01225 809685

Andrews - Bath - April.qxp_Layout 3 22/03/2017 15:16 Page 2

Camden Beaufort Place, Bath, BA1 ÂŁ625,000

A three bedroom, grade II listed Georgian house, with two reception rooms, Kitchen/diner and a lovely walled garden. This charming property has real character and a cosy, yet spacious feel. Beaufort Place is a terrace of painted cottages in the heart of Larkhall, an extremely popular area on North East side of the World Heritage City of Bath. Energy Efficiency Rating: Not applicable

Central Beaufort Place, Bath, BA2 OIEO ÂŁ600,000

A Georgian classic, situated 0.1 miles from Great Pulteney Street. Beautifully presented by the current owners the apartment is spread over two floors with a courtyard garden. With high specification kitchen, drawing room, two double bedrooms and fabulous shower room.

Energy Efficiency Rating: D

Camden Road sales 01225 809868 Bath Central sales 01225 809571

Mark Naylor - April.qxp_Layout 7 21/03/2017 15:52 Page 1

The Rectory Radstock • Detached Victorian house • Four bedrooms • 2,380 sq feet floor area • Generous gardens and parking • Views over countryside • Dry-lined cellars with radiators • Shops, schools and cafés nearby • Price guide: £475,000

or families feeling hemmed in in Bath or daunted by the city’s property prices, looking for a home out of town makes sense. And they could do far worse than consider a large, light and spacious former rectory in the Somerset town of Radstock, nine miles south of Bath.

This is a handsome double fronted stone property with big windows, standing in generous sized gardens with a long drive leading to a parking area.

Inside this is a great, spacious family home. Double doors open into the hall, with dining room to one side and sitting room to the other, both with twin windows facing the front garden. At the back of the house is the impressive 25 foot long kitchen/breakfast room, with masses of room for informal dining, sociable cooking and the overseeing of homework. This room has a practical travertine floor, a built in range, Shaker style cream units plus built-in fridge freezer and dishwasher.

Stairs from the kitchen lead down to the lower ground floor where there’s a handy storeroom with a door out to the garden and next door a utility room and a cloakroom. There are an additional three cellar rooms, all of them dry-lined and this level has seven radiators to keep all warm and cosy.

Up on the first floor the split level landing has enough space for a desk and computer, with a window from which to peer down to the front of the house and the street. There are four bedrooms, three of them doubles. The main bedroom has an en suite shower room and the family bathroom is fitted with tongue and groove panelling and a claw foot bath.

The gardens are mainly laid to lawn, but there’s plenty of scope to grow flowers, fruit and vegetables while looking out across rolling countryside.

F

Mark Naylor, 1 Hayes Place, Bear Flat, Bath. Tel: 01225 422224

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k Mar r o l y a N

local • trusted • independent

St Christopher’s Close, Bath

Price £545,000

Fantastic location and superb opportunity to make this lovely family home your own!

• Highly desirable Bathwick location • Large family gardens

☎ 01225 422 224

• 3 bedrooms • Quiet, cul-de-sac location

• Spacious accommodation and views • No onward chain

Fine & Country April.qxp_Layout 1 23/03/2017 13:49 Page 1

HINTON CHARTERHOUSE, Bath

£1,200,000

Three storey detached period Grade II village house built in 1640, with eighteenth century additions. Comprises five bedrooms, two bathrooms, three receptions, many period features, south facing garden with solar heated pool. Sought after village of Hinton Charterhouse.

EPC Rating: Exempt Grade II listed

Fine & Country April.qxp_Layout 1 23/03/2017 13:50 Page 2

SEMINGTON, Nr Bath

ÂŁ1,100,000

Stunning detached Georgian house which has been renovated to a high standard. This Grade II listed home offers the following accommodation, drawing room, family room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, study, five bedrooms, three bath/shower rooms, nursery, gardens and parking.

EPC Rating: Exempt Grade II listed

Fine & Country April.qxp_Layout 1 23/03/2017 16:27 Page 3

DYRHAM, Nr Bath

ÂŁ980,000

A charming seventeenth century country house in the desirable village of Dyrham. The property offers two reception rooms, kitchen, four bedrooms, two bathrooms, separate detached self-contained studio, parking and gardens.

EPC Rating: Exempt Grade II listed

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DUNKERTON, Bath

ÂŁ599,950

Attractive country cottage enjoying a glorious rural setting in the heart of the delightful village of Dunkerton. Comprises three bedrooms, sitting room, kitchen/dining room, utility room, attic, garden and parking.

EPC Rating: F

Royal Crescent

per calendar month

£1,350

Spectacular spacious one bedroom first floor apartment in the much sought after Royal Crescent.

Part furnished · One bedroom · Beautifully presented · Views · Superb location Tenant fees £420 inc VAT

St. Lawrence House

per calendar month

£1,200

A super second floor modern two bedroom apartment in the much sought after new Southgate development, close to shops and amenities.

Furnished · Two double bedrooms · Bike store · Communal garden terrace · Close to local shops and amenities · Tenant fees £420 inc VAT

SALES

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LETTINGS

01225 303 870

sales@theapartmentcompany.co.uk

24/03/2017 14:13

Chatham Row

per calendar month

£820

A beautiful, top floor one bedroom Georgian apartment that has been refurbished to a high standard, just moments from the city centre.

One bedroom apartment · Unfurnished · Good sized sitting room · Close to city centre shops and amenities · Tenant fees £420 inc VAT

Great Pulteney Street

per calendar month

£1,450

A beautiful apartment set on two levels and boasting high ceilings and well-proportioned rooms with just a short level walk into the city centre.

Furnished · Two double bedrooms · Dual aspect · Short level walk to city centre · Favoured location · Tenant fees £420 inc VAT

www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk

The Apartment Company April.indd 2

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Leopold House

offers in excess of

£425,000

Oozing sophisticated living and contemporary charm, this exceptional two bedroom apartment, offers riverside living with just a short walk to the city centre.

Contemporary living · First floor · Open plan sitting room · Central location · Secure private parking · Approx 783 Sq ft.

Long Fox Manor

offers in excess of

£450,000

Situated on the ground floor of the impressive Long Fox Manor, this three bedroom apartment combines luxury living in a period setting. Residents enjoy a range of facilities including; tennis courts, outdoor heated swimming pool, sauna and hot tub, gym, bar, ballroom, cinema, allocated and visitor parking.

Grade II listed · Georgian · Ground floor · Three bedrooms · Beautifully presented · Superb communal facilities · Approx 1,517 Sq ft SALES

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LETTINGS

01225 303 870

sales@theapartmentcompany.co.uk

24/03/2017 14:19

Gay Court

offers in excess of

£280,000

A super modern block of apartments situated in Batheaston offering wonderful views over Bathampton meadows. Benefitting from private balcony, off street parking with own garage and communal gardens.

Fabulous South facing views · Private balcony · Two Bedrooms · Easy access to the city centre · Garage · 780 Sq ft

Bathwick Street

offers in excess of

£280,000

A charming first floor apartment that has been renovated to a high standard and is situated close to the city centre, Sydney Gardens and Henrietta Park.

Georgian apartment · First floor · High ceilings · Original features · Newly refurbished · Central location · 457 Sq ft

www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk

The Apartment Company April.indd 4

24/03/2017 14:08

N

O

TI

An exciting development of four very high spec apartments all with their own own parking space Millennium House offers four beautifully converted period apartments that offer the very best of Bath living. Located adjacent to Great Pulteney Street and Sydney Gardens and within a level walk of central Bath, these apartments are a must view.

Millennium House

prices from

£680,000

This stunningly refurbished house comprising of four individual apartments, that all offer something special. A garden apartment with its own entrance, and elegant first floor, second floor with views and the penthouse with its own roof terrace. In all the apartments you are welcomed in to a good sized entrance hall, a spacious sitting room with a stylish fitted kitchens, two double bedrooms and contemporary en-suites. The specification is extremely high and all have the benefit of their own parking space, in addition to being well located to the City centre. With beautiful interiors and a convenient central location, these apartments make an ideal home or investment, therefore, early viewing is recommended.

Stunning Interiors · Well balanced and generous accommodation · Private parking space · Level walk to the city centre · Easy access to nearby Sydney Gardens · Individual style · Early viewing recommended

SALES

01225 471 14 4 The Apartment Company April.indd 5

LETTINGS

01225 303 870

sales@theapartmentcompany.co.uk

24/03/2017 14:16

Cavendish Place

offers in excess of

£550,000

A delightful and beautifully appointed Georgian courtyard apartment that has undergone a total refurbishment. The apartment is located on the Northern slopes and is adjacent to Royal Victoria Park and St James’s Square.

Courtyard apartment · Grade I listed · Two bedrooms · Prestigious address Beautifully finished · Private courtyard · Garage · No chain

The Academy

offers in excess of

£335,000

A fabulous two-bedroom apartment built within a private gated development. The apartment is very well presented and makes an ideal home or investment and therefore early viewing is highly recommended.

Modern build · Two bedroom · Open plan sitting room · Central location · Secure private parking · Communal gardens · Chain free · Approx. 724 Sq ft

www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk

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