The Bath Magazine August by MC Publishing Limited

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LEST WE FORGET: REMEMBERING WW1 IN BATH

FACE THE MUSIC: THE ICE CREAM MAN COMETH... AND NO GREENSLEEVES

ISSUE 143 • AUGUST 2014

SIX OF THE BEST: BATH DELIS TO PICK UP A PICNIC

KIDS LIT FEST PREVIEW: BOOKS FOR AUGUST

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THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CITY OF BATH

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THE BEST LITTLE SHOPS ofBATH 2014

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THE | CONTENTS

AUGUST 2014

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THE ‘MUST-DO’ LIST

From open air cinema to a solemn ceremony commemorating the First World War: five things to do in Bath this month

THE CITYIST Bath Folk Festival organiser Marick Baxter shares his favourite places and events

MRS STOKES Try playing at being a tourist for a day

COMPETITION

A celebration of Bath’s Argyle Players, founded in 1954

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THE REAL WINNERS Community gains from money raised by the annual Bath Half Marathon

20 A SHATTERED PEACE A look back at what happened in Bath at the outbreak of the First World War

24 BEST LITTLE SHOPS We salute Bath’s diverse, useful and beautiful independents

32 WHAT’S ON Cultural calendar for August 4 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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P-P-PICK UP A PICNIC

EATING OUT

MOVERS & SHAKERS News and views from around the city

HARMONY AT HOME Wise words from stylist Catriona Archer

WATER FEATURE Jane Moore is inspired by Forde Abbey

HOT PROPERTY Find your next home in the city or country

Even more online at www.thebathmag.co.uk

FOOD HEROES Bath’s Michelin starred and all-round good guy, Sam Moody on his career so far

THE WALK Stepping out in Berkeley

Tasting the 25-mile menu at The Pig Hotel

EMERALD ISLE Naomi Price explores sunny Sardinia

BATH AT WORK

FOOD & DRINK

FAMILY FUN Entertainment for the school holidays

Neill Menneer’s portrait of the month is Yanis Sims, painter and decorator

Angela Mount picks this month’s wine and we preview the Great Bath Feast

FACE THE MUSIC Dan and Aimee Dimbleby of the Split Screen Ice Cream Company enjoy their coolest sounds

Six of the best for food to grab and go

HOLIDAY READING Young Waterstones’ pick for young readers

ON SHOW The brightest and best art in town

ARTISTS’ PROFILE The Hepworth Gallery’s summer show

There’s £350 of jewellery by Bath designer Tina Engell to be won

60 YEARS OF DRAMA

CITY PEOPLE Awards and appointments

Cover: Bath’s best little independent shops Photography: Nina Miklos

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Georgette McCready 01225 424592 georgette@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Deputy Editor Email:

Samantha Coleman sam@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Web Content Editor Email:

Dulcie Carey dulcie@thebathmag.co.uk

Production Manager Email:

Jeff Osborne production@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Commercial Production Lorna Harrington Email: lorna@thebathmagazine.co.uk Publisher Email:

Steve Miklos stevem@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Contact the Advertising Sales team tel: 01225 424499 Advertising Sales Email:

Liz Grey liz@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Advertising Sales Email:

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2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED Telephone: 01225 424499. Fax: 01225 426677 www.thebathmagazine.co.uk ÂŠ MC Publishing Ltd 2014 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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he offices of The Bath Magazine are right in the centre of the city. From our windows on George Street we can see the world go by and hear the daily screech of gulls and the screams of ambulance and police sirens going by. It also means that every time one of us steps outside the office we’re aware of what’s changing around us – which shops have closed, who’s opening, where’s busy and who needs to up their game to win more custom. That’s one of the great joys of working here in the city centre. The other thing we’re proud to be is independent. We’re not part of a media empire or an international conglomerate, so we know what it’s like to be a small, independent business. We share the pleasures and frustrations that this entails, which is why this month we’re happy to feature a selection from Bath’s best little shops, the independents that make this city such an interesting place to shop. Whether you’re popping out to buy a birthday present or spending a day browsing for an outfit for a special occasion, or a beautiful piece of furniture, Bath’s independents will serve you well. There’s lots more besides, with plenty of good reads, as you’d expect from The Bath Magazine. Historian Dr Andrew Swift invites us to look at the impact the First World War had on the city a century ago, plus we’ve got a round-up of some of the events and ceremonies being held to commemorate the start of the terrible conflict in August 1914. On a more cheery note, we’re delighted to be embedded once more as media partners with the newly named Vitality Bath Half Marathon and the Telegraph Children’s Bath Literature Festival. Have a look at Young Waterstones’ list of suggested holiday reading for children ahead of September’s festival (Page 62) and find out about some of the great causes that the Bath Half helps on Page 14. Mick Ringham’s ever popular Face the Music feature this month features Dan and Aimee Dimbleby, purveyors of ice cream from their uber trend fleet of VWs. Dan’s the latest generation of the broadcasting dynasty, making his mark as an entrepreneur with an enthusiastic following from tiny tots through to Glastonbury Festival goers. Find out more about the Split Screen Ice Cream Company on Page 16. We’re very aware that the school holidays are upon us, so our Family Fun pages (64 and 65) are crammed with things to do with the children – and we’ve picked a selection that are absolutely free so the bank of mum and dad needn’t get over-stretched. And if you’re out and about in Bath in the sunshine you might want to check out Melissa Blease’s selection of six of the best places to pick up an impromptu picnic (Page 50). On the foodie front, Silvana Tann talks to the prodigiously talented but modest chef Sam Moody of the Bath Priory Hotel about how he came from being an obsessed angler to a Michelin star chef (Page 54). If you’re heading for the hills this summer you might want to check out The Pig Hotel, formerly Hunstrete House in the Mendips. As you’ll see from our review on Page 53, it’s been beautifully restored and boasts an oh-so-fresh menu, where virtually everything has been sourced within 25 miles. Well, that’s our summer crop gathered in, all fresh, local and lovely. Brought to you by the very independent minded Bath Mag.

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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ZEITGEIST

things to do in

August

Remember

Hats on Need an excuse for a fabulous new hat? How about Ladies Day at Bath Racecourse? This year’s mighty millinery extravanganza takes place on Saturday 30 August, from 2.30pm, and is sponsored by Clarks Village. While there’s lots of fun to be had trackside, there are also seven horse races to enjoy, between 4.45pm and 7.45pm. Tickets range from £10 for centre course entry, £23 for grandstand, and £55 for a package, which includes hospitality admission, reserved picnic table and chairs for the afternoon, raceday programme, goody bag and a picnic hamper. For more info tel: 01225 424609 or visit: www.bathracecourse.co.uk/whats-on/fixture/ladies-day. There will be prizes on the day for the best hat, best shoes and best dressed woman.

Enjoy

Bath will join the national commemoration of the centenary of the start of the First World War on Monday 4 August by staging a candelit vigil in the Abbey. Hundreds of people are expected to gather together for this solemn and moving occasion, which will begin at 10pm. The Abbey will be lit with hundreds of candles, which will be extinguished one by one until the final candle is blown out at 11pm – the moment when war was declared. Bath’s vigil, which will be held at the same time as the national service at Westminster Abbey, will include music, stories of Bath residents at the time, scripture and poetry. The Rev Claire Robson who will be leading the vigil said: “Drawing upon Sir Edward Grey’s famous remark that, ‘the lamps are going out all over Europe’ Bath Abbey will join Westminster Abbey and other churches throughout the country on the night of Monday 4 August to mark the centenary of the start of the First World War. “I’d urge everyone in Bath to join us if you can. The start of the First World War changed the lives of millions of people across the world, including those of men, women and children right here in Bath. Today, 100 years later, we can join together at

Watch

A giant sunflower, created by Ironart of Bath, has sprung up on the Bathwick roundabout. The 4.7 metre high sculpture is to mark the 50th anniversary of Britain in Bloom and will remain in situ for a year. A sponsor is now sought to provide the £15,000 needed to buy it for the city.

Grab a bag of popcorn and a blanket and head outside to enjoy some magical open air cinema in Bath this month. The Little Theatre Cinema is holding three nights of films in the gardens of the Holburne Museum, from 7pm, on Friday 29 August, with Moulin Rouge through to Sunday 31 August, with the classic The Ladykillers. Saturday’s film has yet to be confirmed at the time of going to press. Tickets are £10/£8.50 concessions, from www.picturehouses.co.uk tel: 0871 902 5735. There’ll also be a free screening of Grease in Bath’s Royal Victoria Park, with a collection for the Forever Friends appeal for a new cancer unit

Play The National Trust’s campaign to get children out enjoying nature – 50 Things to do Before You’re 11¾ – has seen almost 14,000 children in the south west get involved, more than any other region in the UK outside the south west. The top 10 most popular activities from the list in the south west are: climb a tree, roll down a big hill, jump over waves, run around in the rain, pick wild blackberries, build a den, go swimming in the sea, hunt for bugs, play Pooh sticks and skim a stone. How many of these can you do this school holiday? They needn’t cost a lot of money and mums and dads can join in with them to relive their own childhoods. To find out more about the 50 Things visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/50things

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the very moment war would have been declared, not just to remember the start of the war, but also to reflect on the terrible cost in human lives in Bath, across the nation and on all sides of this devastating conflict. It’s an opportunity for each one of us to take a moment to remember and honour those who served in the battlefields and the homefront, those who lost their lives as well as those whose lives were changed forever.” The congregation will hold candles, which they will extinguish as the vigil proceeds until a single candle remains, which will be extinguished at 11pm. Over 1,000 tickets will be free and available to all. The service will be broadcast into the Abbey Church Yard for those without tickets, or who wish to pay their respects outside.

AUGUST 2014

for the Royal United Hospital, on Sunday 31 August from 8.30pm. Bring a picnic, dress up as your favourite characters and enjoy watching this musical classic in a great crowd atmosphere. Get there early to get a good place.

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ist

THE CITY Perform The film Quartet starring Maggie Smith and Tom Courtney showed retired musicians in a care home reviving their skills. Now people living in care homes are being invited to take part in a cabaret, Grey and Gifted that’s being held at Komedia in Westgate Street, Bath on the afternoon of Sunday 17 August. It’s being organised by the Cat’s Whiskers which organises tea parties and music sessions in care homes across the south west. There are no auditions and performers can choose what they would like to perform (song, dance, poem, story, party piece etc) – a member of the Cat's Whiskers team will visit the home/ day centre to go over the cabaret piece with the performer prior to the show. Acts signed up so far include an 80 year old who made her living from performing but hasn’t been on the stage for more than 20 years and a husband and wife who have played the piano together all their married life. If you would like to take part or know an elderly talented person who would enjoy taking part call Harriet at Cat’s Whiskers on tel: 0779 22 97582 or 01225 971273.

A stitch in time

A selection of Quaker Tapestry embroideries, is going on show in Bath at the Quaker Meeting House and in Bath Abbey between Saturday 2 and Saturday 16 August, where visitors will be able to see 15 of the original collection of 77 panels. Celebrating Quaker ideas, faith and practice from the 17th century to the present day, the panels will travel to Bath from their Cumbria home. Produced between 1981 and 1996, the project involved 4,000 people from around the world including Bristol, Taunton and Bradford-onAvon. To coincide with the free exhibition, Bath Quakers are designing and producing their own panel and visitors will be able to see work in progress on the Bath panel. Discover the stories behind the stitches, visit: www.quaker-tapestry.co.uk

Our

PICTURE: Richard Pitkin

The buzz

BATH We ask Marick Baxter organiser of Bath Folk Festival what he’ll be doing in August What brought you to Bath? I’m originally from Bath. I left home and hit the road at 16 and went travelling around the world to learn music and came back in my early 20s, originally to take a break from travelling, but got involved so much here that I’m still here 19 years later. What are you reading? I’ve almost finished a book called Dancers at the End of Time by Michael Moorcock. It’s a science fiction fantasy novel with an interesting view of the future when humans are at the pinnacle of what they can achieve and live in a world where they see everything very differently to now. I first started reading it when I was 16 but someone stole my bag with it in and its taken more than 20 years to get back round to it What is on your MP3 player? It’s a big mix as I like so much music. There is music by Irish bands Danu and Dervish. There’s loads of old school hip hop including Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, KRS1 Big Daddy Kane and the Beastie Boys. Some metal from System of a Down and Skindred, loads of ska, reggae and dub such as Adrian Sherwood, The Skatalites, King Tubby and the Aggrovators. I’ve been listening a lot to a great bluegrass roots fusion album from The Scoville Units a band from Bath that were fantastic but only ever did one album. The more I listen to it the more blown away I am by it. We have such a wealth of talent here. Which café or restaurant takes your fancy? So many amazing food places in Bath. I think my favourites are Mai Thai and Yak Yeti

Yak. The food in those places always makes me feel like its healed me as well as tasting so good. Which museum or gallery will you be visiting? I was at the Museum of Bath at Work in Julian Road recently. It’s a very interesting place and we decided to put a few events there for the Bath Folk Festival. Your passions? What hobbies or interests will you be pursuing? I’m very lucky all my passions and hobbies are my work. I work in music as a sound engineer and musician. We play gigs all the time and engineer so many brilliant bands in the scene here. I’m also a martial arts teacher (Tai Chi, Kung Fu Ba Gua and Hsing I) I have students between the ages of five and 75 years old and I love seeing the difference it makes to people’s lives. Film or play? What will you be going to see this month? The new Planet of the Apes film. I was a massive fan of the originals. I didn’t care for the mess Tim Burton made of a remake where he left out all the issues that made the original film so poignant. I’m looking forward to the Bath folk festival. We are planning loads of great outdoor events and sessions concerts as well as our summer school. Most of my time is spent organising that. It’s massive with over 100 events on at venues all over the city and we encourage everyone to get involved. It runs from 9 – 17 August, the website is at: www.bathfolkfestival.org or tel: 0788 164 6633.

SHOP WINDOW OF THE MONTH Martin Tracy, owner of the long-standing Framing Workshop and unofficial Mayor of Walcot Street, always goes the extra mile when it comes to supporting Bath. This year has been no exception as Martin and his team have hoisted Leonard The Lion Framer over the shopfront, surrounded by golden blooms to show his support for Bath during the 50th anniversary of Britain in Bloom. The sharp-eyed among you may see a likeness to Leonard the Ring Master from a previous display over the shop. Martin said: “We have re-clothed him in a coat of antique gold while he leaps from our roof top through a frame of golden foliage above floral baskets bursting with yellow blooms. Not only are we delighted with his appearance, he also looks extremely pleased with his regal elegance. The shop has been entered for the Bath in Bloom business category for the cleanest shop frontage and pavement with floral display. Whether he wins or not, Leonard is a roaring success.

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We’re following Bath Cats and Dogs Home @BathCDH one of the busiest animal rescue centres in the UK. If you’re after a cute cat, a bouncy dog, a fluffy bunny or a shy hamster, look at the home’s gallery of appealing pets in need of good homes.

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Mrs Stokes

Try the crocodile view of Bath

©www.robbiddulph.com

takes a sideways look at life in Bath

nside I was raging. If I’d had to draw a cartoon of myself I’d have had steam coming out of my ears. Why? Because driving around the city centre I’d been caught in the never-ending slipstream of stop, start, crawling cars and coaches, driven by dazed day-trippers lost in the Groundhog Day of Bath’s one-way systems. The red mist of road rage was descending . . . But just before I was about to shout something rude at an unsuspecting Toyota driver, my better self saw sense and reasoned that perhaps I should have some sympathy with these doddery drivers. Ok, they’re even more annoying when they get out of their cars and coaches because then they join giant crocodiles of tour groups four people wide and 25 people long, making it impossible for anyone who lives here to actually use the pavement. But they are the lifeblood of the city, especially in summertime, so I figured, if you can’t beat ‘em why not play tourist for a day and see what it’s like to join ‘em. First stop the tourist office near Bath Abbey where the helpful ladies on the info desk gave me a leaflet with top 26 things to do in and around Bath, particularly useful if you only have two hours. Top three tourist picks are Sally Lunn’s, The Roman Baths and the Pump Rooms and Bath City Sightseeing bus tour, although refreshingly, the tourist board doesn’t just

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recommend Roman and Georgian sights. The Bizarre Bath Comedy Walk makes it in at no 6, The Herschel Museum at no 9 and The Museum of East Asian Art at no 17. The Visit Bath ladies recommended I joined a free walking tour run by the Mayor of Bath’s Honorary Guides who take walks every day of the year except Christmas Day. They didn’t know anything about a rival free tour, Footprints, whose sparky young guide had approached me Abbey-side just by the spiritual healers. Not being one to do as I’m told, I decided I’d try Footprints, especially as I was in the mood for low-brow tales of scandal. So I joined some well-dressed Aussie retirees, a lone American divorcee, a young Dutch couple and several Italian twenty-somethings with shaved heads and a basic understanding of English, who none-the-less enjoyed hearing their clapping hands echoing around the Circus (try it, it’s free). During a two hour walk from the Abbey to the Royal Crescent, our tour guide (Emily) told us tales of the city. My favourite titbits included: ① The myth of King Bladud, who is said to have been imprisoned for contracting leprosy before escaping and finding work as a swineherd. He founded Bath after bathing in the waters and curing his skin condition. His piggy tale explains that street art exhibition of the animals a few years ago. ② That the dandy Richard Beau Nash used to live in the Strada restaurant building near the Theatre Royal and had a penchant for gambling, not helped by the fact that he lived opposite a casino. Which is ironically a stone’s throw from where there are plans to build a new one. ③ Guests dancing at the Assembly Rooms were at the mercy of shards of glass falling from a badly-designed chandelier. Plus ladies were continually at risk of lit candles setting their elaborate dos alight. Well, at least they looked hot (literally). Slowly my blood pressured lowered and I began to see Bath and its tourists from a totally new perspective. The reason they meander in your way is because once they’ve joined a tour, they literally give over responsibility for their safety, logical thinking and well-being to the guide, who has to usher them across roads and out of the way of passers-by, as a shepherd corrals sheep. It’s ultimately a relaxing experience, escaping the stress of daily life for a while and immersing yourself into the city’s past. Plus when you’ve finished you can allow yourself to do what the real tourists do – reward yourself with a thoroughly indulgent iced coffee and big fat cake. When in Rome (Bath) and all that . . . n

@mrsstokeschina

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BATH | HALF

Some of the real winners The Bath Magazine is proud and delighted to be asked to be a media partner again for the 2015 Bath Half Marathon, which next year is being sponsored by health insurance giant Vitality. We look at some of the local good causes which have benefited from community grants from the race funds

ong after the runners in the annual Bath Half Marathon have hung up their trainers and got their breath back, the money they raised during their long hard slog round the 13 mile course has gone on giving to all kinds of good causes. As well as some of the big name charities, such as Macmillan Cancer and Oxfam, who had sponsored runners in the event, there are numerous small charities and community groups which benefit from the income raised. From money raised in the 2013 Bath Half Marathon (now known as Vitality BATHALF since it gained a new sponsor), more than £15,000 has gone to help people and good causes in and around Bath. Three Ways School in Bath is a special school for children and young people with learning disabilities, with 176 students ranging in age from three to 19. The school was one of the most recent beneficiaries of the Bath Half Marathon Fund, being given a £5,000 grant to put towards wheelchairs. The school was able to buy ten sports wheelchairs for a variety of activities. This has provided the school with the opportunity for disabled and able bodied children to compete at an equal level, and for the local community to observe and participate in disability sports. Husband and wife duo, Mel and Andrew Taylor of Running High, who organise the Vitality BATHALF visited Three Ways School to see the children using the sports wheelchairs. Charity director, Mel said: “It was fantastic to have the opportunity to see the children at Three Ways School using the sports wheelchairs first hand, and it really touched us both. We see the Bath Half Marathon Fund as a way to invest directly in the local communities and help groups who are too small to benefit as official race charities, of which Three Ways is a perfect example.” The organisers of the Vitality BATHALF are always looking for new ways to give something back to the local community, and in 2003, the Bath Half Marathon Fund was the first named fund to be established in Bath and North East Somerset with the Quartet Community Foundation. Over the last 11 years, more than £133,000 has been distributed by the Bath Half Marathon Fund to over 130 small local charities and voluntary 14 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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groups within Bath & North East Somerset. The event has also invested significant sums in an endowment fund through Quartet which is match funded by the Government to create a permanent legacy for the city. Mel said: “The Bath Half Marathon Fund provides a great opportunity for race participants to give directly to projects for local residents, as a thank you for their support each year. The money in the fund is generated by donations from runners at point of entry and is distributed through Quartet by grants to local community projects.” Other community projects to have benefited from last year’s grants include: Paulton Amateur Swimming Club; Bath City Farm; Bath Parkrun Steering Group; Community Bus; 93 Squadron Air Training Corps; and SWALLOW. Applications for the 2014 Bath Half Marathon Fund grants will open shortly through Quartet. Next year’s race, the 34th annual BATHALF will take place on Sunday 1 March. The course offers runners a fast flat on road route straddling both sides of the river Avon, taking runners on a tour around the city. The two lap course is suited for both those new to running or experienced runners who are chasing a new personal best. The Lead Charity for next year’s race has been confirmed as Teenage Cancer Trust. It is the only UK charity dedicated to improving the quality of life and chances of survival for 13 to 24 year olds diagnosed with cancer. The Trust funds and builds specialist units in NHS hospitals and provides dedicated staff, bringing young people together so they can be treated by teenage cancer experts. Jamie’s Farm is the Official Fun Run Charity. The Box based charity transforms the lives of vulnerable children between the ages of 11-16 in challenging urban schools by providing a unique residential experience from a working farm. During their stay, the children from city schools are involved with the daily running of a 60 acre livestock farm, enjoying seasonal activities from lambing to hay making, in addition to helping with the preparation of meals, gardening, carpentry, horse care, art and participating in a daily walk. Bath Rugby Foundation has been confirmed as Local Charity of the Year. Head of sponsorship and fundraising, Halena

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BATH | HALF

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD: main picture, students at Three Ways School enjoying their new sporty wheelchairs Above BATHALF director Andrew Taylor has a go at wheelchair sport Top right, Jamie’s Farm, which introduces city youngsters from challenging backgrounds to country life

Coury said: “Bath Rugby Foundation is thrilled to have been chosen. As a small charity, we are entirely dependent on fundraising or donations; historically the BATHALF has been a great fundraiser and profile raiser for us. We already have ex-Bath players David Barnes and Lee Mears signed up to run on our behalf, with many other ex players being coerced. We are really hoping that the 2015 BATHALF will prove to be a huge fundraising success to allow us to continue delivering our award winning inclusion and education projects.” The RUH Forever Friends Appeal will return as the Featured Appeal for the annual race. Events and community officer for the appeal, Emily Lynch, said: “We are thrilled to be chosen as Bath Half’s Featured Appeal Charity. We hope that we can increase participant numbers, to help us reach our £8.5m fundraising target to build a pioneering new cancer centre at the Royal United Hospital – we really couldn’t achieve this goal without the wonderful support from the public as well as our runners who take on this 13.1 mile challenge.”

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A breakdown of the grants given from the 2013 Bath Half Marathon Fund: l £5,000 to Three Ways School for ten wheelchairs for use in sport, allowing wheelchair users and their more mobile contemporaries to compete at the same level. l £2,000 for Paulton Amateur Swimming Club for training for swimming coaches. l £2,000 for Bath City Farm to extend the children’s play area. l £2,000 for the Bath Parkrun steering committee. l £2,000 for the Community Bus in Twerton and Whiteway, which runs holiday playschemes for five to 13-year-olds. l £1,430 for 93 (City of Bath) Squadron Air Training Corps to supply archery equipment and coaches for local young people. l £886 for SWALLOW, a walking group for adults with learning difficulties, to help them stay healthy. Entries are now open for the Vitality BATHALF, which takes place on Sunday 1 March, £42.50. For more information, running tips and race day guidance visit: www.bathhalf.co.uk. n

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Photo courtesy of Robin Allison-Smith

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THE COOLEST JOB IN THE WEST Mick Ringham talks to Dan and Aimee Dimbleby of the Split Screen Ice Cream Company and gets the scoop on how they met and how theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re making people happy this summer by bringing Marshfield Ice Cream to events across the UK

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FACE | THE MUSIC

TOP TUNES: left to right, Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen, Where Did Our Love Go?, The Supremes and Led Zeppelin’s The Lemon Song

t’s a far cry from the gaudily coloured ice cream vans of our childhoods, which circulated the streets peddling Mivvis and Fab lollies, warning parents of their arrival with a tinny rendering of Greensleeves. This is a cool, pastel coloured Volkswagen serving up various flavours of organically locally produced ice cream from Marshfield Ice Cream at weddings and events to eager customers of all ages. I met the couple who run the Split Screen Ice Cream Company from their home near Bitton to hear how the latest in the Dimbleby dynasty is enjoying life as an ice cream entrepreneur. It was a little more than three years ago that Dan Dimbleby’s obsession with vintage VWs and he and his wife Aimee’s love of ice cream combined when they founded the Split Screen Ice Cream Company, which takes its name from the Volkswagens of the past. Dan said: “I had this concept of putting my love of these particular vehicles into some sort of business and when we were lucky enough to acquire a rare and original 1964 factory ordered ice cream van, it became obvious this was the moment to try out the idea and move it forward.” The couple met by accident. Dan, who comes from the Dimbleby dynasty of broadcasters but grew up in Bath, had been living in London working as a television director/producer on lifestyle shows including Masterchef, while Aimee worked as a freelance nanny. One day she was sent to look after some children, but there was a mix-up in the address and she turned up instead at Dan’s flat. After apologies and some small talk they exchanged phone numbers and their relationship blossomed after that. Dan was working on the Channel 5 series Build a New Life in the Country which followed the aspirations of urban based couples and their dreams of starting life afresh, away from the rat-race of major cities into the more natural and welcoming environment of England’s green and pleasant land. The programme influenced Dan and Aimee to the extent of dipping their toes in the water and buying a VW campervan. Dans ays: “That old van literally changed our lives. We started going away every weekend camping and generally getting out of London. We would also go to various festivals around the country and to the coast, where we would see the queues of people waiting to be served at the Mr Whippy van.” The pair moved to near Bitton to a former farm, with Dan’s mother, journalist and writer Bel Mooney, and his stepfather. They set about finding a local ice cream maker and Marshfield Ice Cream came out top of the scoops. The travelling ice cream sellers have been the length and breadth of Britain bringing ice cream to fetes, festivals, weddings and even a rather unusual wake at an eccentric multi millionaire’s funeral. Happy customers include Stella McCartney, the smart sets at Henley Regatta, Beaufort Polo and for the first time this year, Glastonbury Festival. Their biggest sellers are caramel fudge and clotted cream but the old favourite vanilla, is still popular. The range of vintage vehicles now includes a customised 1967 VW convertible Beetle and trailer, and as well as expanding the fleet, the Dimblebys have added to the family, with son Barnaby. Finally I asked Dan who would be the person that he would most like to share a cornet with? “That has to be my grandfather the broadcaster Richard Dimbleby. He was in his day, and in many respects still considered today, television royalty. But apart from that, I am told he was such a lovely and genuine man with a great personality.”

Aimee’s choices: ❶ The Supremes – Where Did Our Love Go? This is Tamla Motown at its very best. My earliest memories are of my mum listening to this at home when I was just a little thing. And then when I passed my test and started driving for the first time, I would take most of her Motown CDs and play them endlessly in my old car. I still love this kind of music and

it still has that spark that makes me want to get up and dance. ❷ The Awesome Three – Don’t Go (Kicks like a Mule) I was lucky enough to live and work in Ibiza for three years. During the day I was a nanny but whenever I got the chance I would dance the night away. I was living on little sleep but that didn’t stop me falling in love with house music and this particular track is a classic example of what it’s all about and takes me right back to that time. ❸ Queen – Crazy Little Thing Called Love Anything by Queen is all right with me. Spending time with children and their families on Ibiza was great. I would join them and go to shows on the island. I saw We Will Rock You and it did just that. I also remember Dan and I listening to their CDs in our old campervan on the way to music festivals. ❹ Joe Jackson – Stuck it Up This is from The Big Chill festival and the first one I ever went to. I was always a clubbing girl so it was a bit of a shock seeing all this carnage unfolding in the open air. People dancing in the rain was not the kind of thing I was used too. However I adjusted to it after my initial misgivings and now enjoy spending half my life there selling ice creams. ❺ Barry Louis Polisar – All I Want is You This is a cute little song used as the soundtrack from the film Juno. This was going to be the first dance at our wedding or the track played when we walked down the aisle. In the end we never got round to having a big wedding but the quirky and beautifully simple lyrics tell a story that both of us can relate too.

Dan’s choices: ❶ Wire – 12XUWire – 12XU I had to pick a number from this band’s debut album Pink Flag because they were part of the first gig I ever attended. It was 1987 and I was 13 and went with my mother. The line up was epic, with Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Fall and Wire. I went overnight from listening to Dire Straits, headlong into punk. Afterwards I couldn’t hear for three days, but it really was life- changing. ❷ The Rhythmites – 1&1 These guys were a local Bath band and were legends at a lot of festivals back in the 1980s. I saw them first at the Treworgy Tree Fayre in ’89 they played roots reggae and were part of my introduction to and my love of reggae and dub. I became good mates with the lead singer Angus and he introduced me to the legendary Hat and Feather pub in Bath. I still play this song and still miss that brilliant pub at the far end of Walcot Street. ❸ The Prodigy – Everybody in the Place At Glastonbury in 1990 I discovered raving. I had my hands in the air and the obligatory whistle round my neck and felt invincible. I must have caused my parents a great deal of stress but at 18 there was no stopping me. This music rocked me through the night and helped me discover a passion for dance, funk, techno and many other genres. ❹ Da Mob, featuring Jocelyn Brown – It’s All Good (full remix) By the late 90s I was trying to DJ – in my bedroom, at friends’ parties and in my dreams. I was playing a lot of soul/disco and house music but this song stands out. It was a particularly difficult and traumatic period for my family and listening to this with my sister Kitty briefly made things a little better. ❺ Led Zeppelin – The Lemon Song I have always loved this song. It’s from their second album and has been played by me so many times from the age of 14. I was in the van the other day with Aimee and I played her another track from the album, Thank You and dedicated it to her. The lyrics sum up totally and utterly how I feel about my beautiful wife she asked me to play it again. n To book a vintage VW ice cream van at your event, tel: 01179 323 437.

Listen to the Face the Music tunes visit : www.thebathmag.co.uk WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

AUGUST 2014

THEBATHMAGAZINE 17

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COMPETITION BAG A FABULOUS PRIZE AT DENTS FACTORY SHOP IN NEARBY WARMINSTER! Dents designer accessories are sold by the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest shops and department stores in over 40 countries. From its signature gloves and handbag collections to its hats and scarves created in stylish new season shapes and colours, Dents fine accessories are sought after the world over. So how fortunate it is that right on our doorstep we have access to the Dents Factory Shop with its low factory shop prices. The Dents Factory Shop, at Furnax Lane, Warminster, BA12 8PE, stocks its international collection of summer fashion accessories to cater for every occasion, from summer holidays and casual day wear to formal functions plus gift ideas for everyone.

Now here is a chance for eight lucky winners to each win a voucher for ÂŁ50 which can be used against the purchase of any handbag in the factory shop. Whether your personal style is a leather organiser, a trendsetting leather pouch, or a sparkling clutch for that glamour night out, in the Dents Factory Shop you will find a stunning new look that will add a dash of style to your wardrobe. For a chance to win one of these eight fabulous prizes, all you need do is answer the following question: Dents has been crafting fine accessories since the year of: a) 1792 b) 1777

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If you need help, visit www.dents.co.uk Please email your answer, together with your full name and address, to: competition@dents.co.uk The competition closes on Friday 5th September and the first five correct answers drawn will be notified soon after that date. For full rules and regulations, please contact The Bath Magazine. Please note that vouchers are not exchangeable for cash.

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AUGUST 2014

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CITY | ARCHIVE

PICTURE: courtesy of Akeman Press BILLETED IN BATH: these soldiers from the Hampshire Regiment are photographed on Bathwick Hill, they were staying in Raby Place

A city at war: looking back On the 100th anniversary since the First World War began historian Andrew Swift examines the impact the war had on the city and people of Bath

hen Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914, John Hatton, Bath’s head of tourism, was not alone in viewing it as a temporary inconvenience. He placed advertisements in national newspapers and magazines advising those whose ‘annual cure at Carlsbad or Homburg or Bad Nauheim may have been interfered with,’ to ‘try a British Cure this autumn at Bath.’ They needed little persuasion. Bath’s tourist industry, long in the doldrums, was soon booming, as wealthy visitors, with the continent closed and London under aerial bombardment, sought the safety of Bath. So great was the upturn that the Grand Pump Room Hotel in Stall Street, closed since 1902, was refurbished and reopened in 1915. And there was plenty for visitors to do. In June 1916, the Holburne Museum moved to larger premises in the rebuilt Sydney Hotel, and the Pump Room Orchestra continued to play, albeit without the German musicians who had graced it before the war. But an influx of wealthy visitors was only part of the story. In other ways Bath’s experience of the war was little different to that of other towns and cities. The early months of the war brought large numbers of Belgian refugees to the city. A Belgian lace shop opened at 8 Abbey Church Yard to sell lace made by refugees. The city was soon overrun with volunteer soldiers as well. In the first five months of the war, over a million men signed up, swamping existing facilities. In the autumn and winter of 1914-15 they were billeted wherever rooms could be found for them. In Bath, they not only stayed in family homes and lodging houses, but took over buildings such as the County Rink – now the Pavilion – and Prior Park. The dangers of large groups of young men, many of them away from home for the first time, roaming the city with little to do, was obvious, and church and community groups came together to provide facilities for them, while civic and business leaders organised entertainment in cinemas and theatres. As the war machine swung into action, they left their makeshift lodgings for newly-built training camps. Before the war was a year old most of the soldiers trudging Bath’s streets were wearing not khaki but the pale blue hospital suits issued to the wounded. 20 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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Bath’s first war hospital was at Newton Park – now Bath Spa University – which had 35 beds. There were other hospitals at Rock House, Bathampton House, Kingswood School and 9 Lansdown Place West, while the Mineral Water Hospital cared for a total of 3,329 soldiers ‘incapacitated by rheumatism, arising from campaign hardship or wounds complicated with muscular trouble.’ In July 1915, however, the War Office announced that a War Hospital with 500 beds was to be built in Bath. Work started on 20 September and it opened seven months later. Within ten weeks, as casualties from the Battle of the Somme mounted, it was decreed that the hospital’s capacity should be doubled, with the extra beds housed in temporary marquees. The hospital continued to care for wounded soldiers until 1929, and was later taken over by the Royal United Hospital, which still occupies the site today. Most of Bath’s factories came under government control and produced munitions during the war. Stothert & Pitt produced 200,000 high-explosive shells, along with submarine engine parts, mine sinkers and an experimental supertank, while Horstmann’s made over half the gauges used for testing the accuracy of gun and shell components. The city’s cabinet makers switched production from furniture to aeroplanes – then largely constructed from wood and canvas – and by the end of the war there were three aircraft factories in the city. As increasing numbers of men went off to fight, women were recruited to take their place. Over 1,000 were employed as munitions workers, often working with hazardous materials in dangerous occupations. They also drove trams, cleaned railway engines and joined the police force, none of which they were able to do before – or indeed after – the war. One of the main problems facing the civilian population was the shortage of food. Much of Britain’s food was imported from America. Germany took advantage of this by using U boats to sink ships carrying food, in the hope of starving Britain into submission. In April 1917, as U boat attacks escalated, there were fears that the country could run out of food within four weeks. The introduction of a convoy system to protect vessels and a ‘dig for victory’ campaign averted the threat, but shortages and rationing continued until the end of the war. On one occasion the Stothert & Pitt workforce downed tools

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CITY | ARCHIVE

WOMEN’S WORK: above, a group of munitions workers in Bath, and right, the city’s War Hospital which opened in 1916. Some wards were housed in marquees, which occasionally blew down in strong winds PICTURES: above, courtesy of Akeman Press Below, a poster from the time, which can be seen at the Fashion Museum’s exhibition on women’s lives during the 1914-18 war

and marched on the Guildhall to demand a fairer distribution system. The war also saw the first visit by a reigning monarch for over 200 years, when, as part of a morale-boosting tour of the West Country, the King, George V and Queen Mary came to Bath on 9 November 1917. They were in the city for less than two hours, but managed to squeeze in visits to munitions workers at Stothert & Pitt, wounded soldiers at the War Hospital and the Pump Room and Roman Baths. There were extraordinary fundraising efforts as well. In February 1918, Bath’s business community launched a campaign to raise £150,000 to buy a destroyer for the Navy, and within four days £183,035 had been pledged – equivalent to around £9m today. Other campaigns raised money for ambulances, howitzers, planes and the all-important tobacco to send out to the troops. Yet, although the overwhelming majority of people were firmly behind the war effort, it was a desperate time. The desperation only intensified as the war went on and the death toll rose. Food shortages, combined with ever-rising prices, meant that for most people there was never enough to eat. Peace, when it eventually came in 1918, did not bring the prosperity – or the homes for heroes – that had been promised. Britain was virtually bankrupted by the war, and, in the months following the armistice, unemployment soared. By April 1919, alongside scores of munitions workers whose services were no longer required, there were 894 ex-servicemen out of work in the city. By June the number had topped 1,000. Ahead lay years of hardship, depression and – less than two decades later – another world war. n To find out more about the impact of the First World War on Bath, read Dr Andrew Swift’s book All Roads Lead to France, published by Akeman Press. Dr Swift will be giving several lectures on the war over the coming months. l The City at War: Bath 1914–18 at the Museum of Bath at Work museum, Julian Road, Bath, on Thursday 7 August at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5. This is part of a series of lectures accompanying the exhibition Home Fires: Bath and the First World War, which opens on 4 August at the museum. His next lecture will be on Thursday 28 August at 7.30pm, entitled Conscience: Conscientious Objection in Bath 1914-18. Tickets are £5. l He will be at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases on Thursday 4 September at 12.30pm to talk on Healing the Wounded: Bath’s Hospitals in the First World War. Tickets from: 01225 465941.

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Bath’s commemorations On Monday 4 August people are invited to attend a shared act of remembrance which will take place at Bath’s war memorial just inside the gates of Royal Victoria Park from 6pm to 7pm. Organised by Bath and North East Somerset Council this will feature a parade, the laying of a wreath, music, readings, and poetry from people in Bath and North East Somerset. The event is free and no ticket is needed. From Friday 1 – Monday 11 August there’s a free exhibition in Bath’s main public library in the Podium. WW1 Remembered: World War One Centenary will comprise local people’s stories and memorabilia telling the story of Bath and North East Somerset during the war years. It will be open during libary opening hours. The Fashion Museum is currently staging an exhibition which explores how women’s lives were dramatically changed by the First World War. The Great War in Costume: Family and Fashion on the Home Front traces women’s lives and roles during the war, their work on the home front and how that influenced the way they dressed. There are examples of uniforms and civilian dress, memorabilia and propaganda, and costumes from Downton Abbey. The exhibition runs until 31 August. For ticket prices and opening times visit: www.fashionmuseum.co.uk. There will be a lecture by costume historian Lucy Adlington, on Wednesday 6 August at 2.30pm in the museum’s tea room which will look at Great War Fashion. Tickets £10/£8 Discovery Card holders. Includes entrance to exhibition. Over the weekend of 17 – 19 October BRLSI (Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution) is hosting a symposium and exhibition, The Great War: Responses and Reactions – The Cultural, Artistic and Social Legacy. This will include a series of talks on different aspects of the First World War, from trench art to the role of women, and from medical improvements which took place at the time, to the effect of people going missing had on families. Tickets from £5 for individual talks or £40 for the whole weekend (concessions aavilable). Tel: 01225 312084. For details of these and other events being held in the coming weeks visit: http://91.212.105.45/services/tourism-and-heritage/local-hi story/world-war-one-centenary#August2014

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

MAKING A STATEMENT FOR YOUR HOME

Reclining white Moon Chair by Fama

aking a statement in your home need not require complete redecoration; it can be as simple as introducing a key piece of furniture says Richard Hayes of TR Hayes furniture store in Bath. The saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is apt if you relate that to the myriad of different ways we now style and furnish our homes. From traditionally antique through to uber modern, whatever your choice there are a number of ranges designed to provide you with unique, personal and bespoke furniture that will be perfect for you. Over the last few years it has become increasingly popular to mix and match living room furniture. In particular, there is a trend towards experimenting with sofas and chairs in the same, or complementary ranges but choosing in different textures and colours rather than opting for the traditional matching three piece suite. Creating features by decorating one wall in a room has triggered a range of new thinking in how it's furnished and buying one stand out piece of furniture to create interest and a wow factor is a particular favourite with people looking to create a contemporary living feel. Using uniquely patterned chairs to make a statement and draw attention to a room can define a space and add a splash of colour, rejuvenating the look and feel of a room without the expense and hassle of changing the entire decor. Making a room feminine, rustic, glamorous or creating a shabby chic effect is easily done with a key piece of furniture. The Fama collection is a Spanish brand that has embraced this radical change, and is one of the most technologically advanced manufacturing

Mix and match with the elegantly stylish Arianne Sofa by Fama 22 TheBATHMagazine

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Fama My Club Chair with Bluetooth speakers companies in the world today. Its enormous range of fabrics mean you can get a classic, funky graphic, plain or floral pattern to suit virtually everyone's taste or style. Fama's range of modular sofas offers great versatility. The My Club chair is geometrically designed so that it can be adapted to suit large rooms or fit into the smallest of spaces. My Club chair also offers some clever and interesting features including inbuilt speakers that you can play your favourite music through simply via Bluetooth on your phone, laptop or iPad. The Moon Chair is a cool recliner big enough for two to snuggle up and relax in and is also a good option for mothers looking for a modern yet comfortable nursing chair. The Lenny Chair, perhaps even the most comfortable of all in stock, perfectly combines style with comfort. Perhaps the piece de resistance is its versatile Arianne love sofa which can be switched around and changed to suit your changing style, preference or space. A modular based system that offers low level seating and a host of fabrics, textures and patterns it’s certainly a great example of how adding a statement into your home can be created instantly. For more information about TR Hayes Fama collection and summer sale, please see: www.trhayes.co.uk or see for yourself by visiting the Contemporary Showroom at 15 – 18 London Street, Walcot, in Bath. Local delivery is free and there is a customer car park at the side of the store. n

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GRASSE

Luxury Items for Home and Garden | Truly Tempting Skincare A unique shopping experience with fresh style and approach 3 Argyle Street, Bath BA2 4BA 01225 444260 | www.grasse.me.uk

Gold & Platinum Studio

Beautifully crafted engagement rings, wedding rings and fine jewellery designed and traditionally handmade on the premises. All types of jewellery remodelled. Efficient repair service. Established 1970

Gold & Platinum Studio, 19 Northumberland Place, Bath BA1 5AR | Tel: +44 (0)1225 462 300 www.goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk | email: mike@goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

AUGUST 2014

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BEST LITTLE SHOPS

BATH’S BEST LITTLE SHOPS Bath is renowned as a golden city paved with shops offering one of the best shopping experiences outside London. With TBM’s extensive local knowledge we are proud to celebrate some of the lovely independent little shops which make our city such a unique and vibrant shopping experience.

Robert Welch 6 Broad Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 336530 Robert Welch is well known for the exceptional design, quality and functionality of its products. With over 50 years of industry experience and award winning products from its in-house design team, Robert Welch offers a unique range of cutlery, kitchen knives, utensils and tableware. Bath was chosen as a location for the Robert Welch Studio Shop as the city’s rich design heritage lends itself well to the company ethos. The Bath store opened in 2012 on Broad Street in the main shopping district of the city. Company founder, Robert Welch (1929-2000) was an inspirational designer who believed that everyone should be able to use beautifully designed pieces in everyday life. Still family-run, the company is now an international brand with an extensive range of products including award-winning Signature kitchen knives and over 30 traditional and contemporary cutlery designs. Today the company’s products can be found around the world in department stores, on the tables of top restaurants, in the rooms of five star hotels and in the Robert Welch Studio Shops in Bath, Chipping Campden and Warwick.

Moss of Bath

Great Western Wine

45 St James Parade, Bath. Tel: 01225 331 441

Wells Road, Bath. Tel: 01225 322810

Independent electrical retailer, Moss of Bath, is a family business with its roots firmly in the city and it has grown considerably since the early days of selling black and white televisions and small electrical appliances. Founded in 1962 by Frank Moss and now managed by his son Tim, Moss of Bath's history, longevity and reputation is built on great service, knowledgeable staff, repeat custom and the ability to move with the times. Today, Moss of Bath is increasingly involved with ‘Smarthome’ installations from multi-room music and home cinema to the provision and installation of complex satellite and aerial distribution systems. Tim Moss says “In our industry it is important to be pro-active and willing to adopt change in an increasingly diverse market. Businesses that are surviving are those able to deliver an exceptional level of service and expertise and those who continue to innovate to remain relevant in today's ever changing retail environment. I believe that it is this exceptional level of service that sets Moss of Bath apart from the mass market big-box electrical retailers.”

Great Western Wine’s shop is an Aladdin’s cave of over 1,000 of the world’s best wines and an eclectic range of rare, small batch spirits. Old-fashioned service is matched with modern, award-winning wines, as recognised by the International Wine Challenge, who voted GWW the Best Wine Merchant in south west England. A selection of wines is always open for tasting, and enthusiastic, experienced staff encourage visitors to linger and browse while helping to find the perfect wine. Prices at every level are competitive. A mail order service is also available and the same attention to detail and personal advice is available by phone, email or through the website: www.greatwesternwine.co.uk. Regular wine tasting events and dinners sell out quickly, at GWW and at some of Bath’s best restaurants which are supplied with its wines.

Shannon - Original Scandinavian Design 68 Walcot Street Bath. Tel: 01225 424222 Shannon occupies an old town house on Walcot Street and has possibly the best collection of real iconic Scandinavian designer furniture and lighting to be found outside London. And there’s nothing quite like the real thing; with an impressive line up of products from acclaimed designers such as Hans Wegner, Arne Jacobsen, and Fritz Hansen, you will find the shop is jam-packed with furniture, fabrics, lighting and wonderful, colourful gifts from Marimekko, Klippan, Moomin, and Iittala. Owner Sue Shannon opened the store in 2000 and has built up a superb reputation with architects and interior designers from all over the UK who rely on her knowledge to source and deliver classic pieces of timeless design and of the highest, authentic quality. Best buy this month... the Marimekko shoulder bag.

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BEST LITTLE SHOPS

Fabric Mills

Fabric Mills, London Road, Bath. Tel; 01225 471167

Fabric Mills offers the largest range of clearance designer soft furnishing fabrics in Bath. Stock is updated weekly offering customers access to the latest looks and trends at extremely competitive prices. The impressive showroom on London Road stocks two floors of curtain and upholstery fabrics. It also sell tracks and poles, trimmings and accessories. It offers a measuring, make-up and fitting service and is unrivalled in providing curtain solutions for unusual windows. Fabric Mills can complete your look by making up cushions, pelmets, bedding, headboards etc. Its upholstery team can rescue a much loved sofa or chair or create a bespoke item of furniture from scratch. They also has extensive experience with commercial projects; hotels, theatres and property developments. But what really sets Fabric Mills apart is its customer service! The staff are always happy to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. Fabric Mills is the number one choice for anyone hunting out designer fabrics at competitive prices. The store is open seven days a week with parking available nearby.

John Anthony 26-28 High Street, Bath Tel: 01225 424066 A trusted hub for the fashion focused and trenddriven gentlemen of Bath, John Anthony offers a comprehensive range of designer clothing and accessories. Bringing you the finest luxury labels from the British phenomenon Vivienne Westwood, to the innovative iconic Stone Island. The friendly and knowledgable staff make for an easy and enjoyable shopping experience.

Avonvale Carpets

My Small World Shop & Café

37 Kingsmead Street, Bath Tel: 01225 427057

18 Little Southgate, Bath. Tel: 01225 938338

Avonvale Carpets has served homeowners and businesses throughout Bath and Wiltshire for over 40 years, providing a unique combination of excellent choice, in-depth expertise and perfect fitting. A family-run business, the company employs its own professionally trained fitters and offers a selection of quality flooring that’s truly second to none.

TBM has long been a fan of My Small World as a great place to go to find toys and games. Over the years it has built up a loyal following of parents and children from Bath and outside the city. It is one of Little Southgate’s ‘musts’. An inviting interior beckons you in for a closer look. You’ll find a treasure trove of real toys for real children, where the most funky new toys for the under fives rub shoulders with sturdy classics. You’ll find wooden toys and games, books and partyware, and it’s perfect for choosing gifts for newborn babies. My Small World is also staffed by people who genuinely love children. They’re always ready to lend a hand – from giving advice on toys to cuddling babies and keeping toddlers amused. There’s also a Café which hosts plenty of events and activities for the children; and for parents to meet up and enjoy a very good cuppa!

Up to Seven 6 Pulteney Bridge, Bath. Tel: 01225 422333

Christopher Barry Old Bond Street, Bath, Tel :01225 464585 Christopher Barry in Old Bond Street Bath has specialised in stocking only the finest menswear collections. He introduced many of the now famous designers to this country, in a constant quest for the finest clothing, casual wear, shoes and accessories. In these days of mass production it’s comforting to know that there are dedicated makers still producing wonderful garments in the traditional hands-on way. They are passing on their skills to a younger generation, ensuring that you will always find the best at Christopher Barry. The store is much larger than the frontage indicates, with two further showrooms on the first floor.

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Have you visited Up to Seven in its gorgeous shop on Pulteney Bridge? The store has an exciting mix of children’s clothes for this season, with dresses, sunhats, appliqued t-shirts and baby clothes, as well as its famous strawberry hats, many of them made right here in Bath, or by small manufacturers from across the country. Up To Seven places an emphasis on supporting British businesses but also stocks a range of items from around the world, all carefully vetted to make sure they are fairly traded and sold to help the local communities that make them. If you’re looking for a gift for a new baby, a frock for a special occasion or clothes for your kids to be comfy in, pop in to Up To Seven.

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BEST LITTLE SHOPS

Flock Bath 12-13 The Corridor, Bath.

Tel: 01225 442227

Born from Uttam London, Flock Bath has now spread its wings to fly solo, stocking the best of Yumi and Uttam Boutique's best lines. These sit alongside many more fabulous brands that are unique to the High street. There’s a mixture of contemporary and timeless classics, and their clothes and accessories are designed to meet the tastes and fashions of the UK market and further abroad. They are enhanced by our partners, who add their ideas, know-how and local materials to make them the comfortable, beautiful and original items we love to sell. Their input and our radical designs are what make our products unique and differentiate us from the high-street chain stores. In-house clothing brands include Yumi, Uttam Boutique, Miss Jolie, Purplish and Made In Italy. Flock also sell cutting-edge accessory brands including Dogo footwear, Ruby Shoo and Disaster Designs; from bags to shoes, jewellery to printed tights. There are two main collections each year, with many injection lines added throughout the seasons. In a nutshell, Flock is about lovely clothes and great prices.

Sofa Workshop 21 Milsom Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 442586 Sofa Workshop has been at the top of Milsom Street in Bath for 20 years and is Bath’s first port of call for anyone in search of a very comfortable sofa. All the sofas are handmade in Britain and are available in the greatest choice of fabrics on the high street, including all the best known design houses. Visitors can find a wide choice in the spacious showroom with sofa styles ranging from contemporary to traditional. The experienced team at Sofa Workshop are there to help customers through the process ensuring that they choose the sofa that’s right for them.

Kindle Stoves 2 Sussex Place, Widcombe, Bath. Tel: 01225 332722 Family run Kindle Stoves are specialists in a new generation of wood burning and multi fuel stoves that are high efficiency, clean burning, and are approved for use in Smoke Control Areas. Now we are all able to benefit from carbon neutral energy and a real log fire at the heart of our homes – and can save money on fuel bills too. Kindle Stoves offer a full supply and installation service, with stoves to suit everything from a modern apartment to a Georgian family home. The showroom has three rooms to explore with stoves from wellknown brands such as Clearview, Aga and Burley as well as Bath stone fireplaces, locally woven baskets and lovely fireside accessories.

Gold & Platinum Studio 19 Northumberland Place, Bath. Tel: 01225 462300 Traditional goldsmith and gemmologist Michael Parsons, and a highly experienced team run a very pretty shop offering a range of beautifully crafted engagement rings, wedding rings and fine designer jewellery. As well as its workshop’s own creations, pieces by other notable British and European designers are also on display – offering a superb choice to fit all budgets. Above the gallery, Michael runs the workshop where he undertakes special commissions, but also carries out repairs, and jewellery adjustments. Trading in Bath for over 40 years with an enviable reputation makes a visit to the Gold and Platinum Studio an absolute pleasure and its jewellery will always be treasured.

Total Fitness 3 Saracen Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 444164 Road, cycleways, triathlon, mountain biking, leisure riding, commuting or kids bikes – Total Fitness has it all. Stocking Specialized bikes and lots of clothing, accessories, shoes, helmets and much more to make your cycling experience comfortable and enjoyable. Come and visit them on Saracen Street to have a nose through the shop or if you need advice on any aspect of cycling they would be more than happy to help.

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BEST LITTLE SHOPS

Grasse

3 Argyle Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 444260

Grasse in Southern France provided the initial inspiration for owner Joanna Davies's shop in Bath, which opened five years ago. It stocks beautiful and useful items for every room in the house and has a hand picked collection for the garden, Joanna’s talent for buying ensuring that nothing here would look out of place in the style pages of an interiors magazine.There are antiques from around the globe and everything sourced is unique and special, to create an eclectic, natural feel. Grasse is a main stockist of the Neom organics range, one which Joanna is extremely passionate about. The award winning collection contains nothing but organic and natural essential oils with 100% vegetable wax. The perfect pampering treatment for you, while scenting your home beautifully. Grasse is a cornucopia of elegant household accessories and stylish items for the garden.

Woodhouse & Law 4 George's Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath. Tel: 01225 428072 Bathwick Hill is the home to Woodhouse and Law – a unique offering of a showroom and studio for both the home and the garden. As well as an extensive range of fabrics and wallpapers by well-known names such as Colefax & Fowler and Zoffany, the showroom has a hand-picked range of decorative lighting, furniture and accessories for the home. The garden showroom is a new addition this year, with a selection of items for the outdoors from hand-made Italian terracotta planters to timeless benches for your outdoor space. The in-house studio also has a design team on hand to offer friendly advice or discuss any interior or garden projects, from colour or planting schemes to the design and renovation of larger properties and gardens.

Quadri

Tina Engell

29 Belvedere, Bath. Tel: 01225 443334

Is it a workshop or a shop? In Danish Goldsmith Tina Engell’s Scandinavian-style space you will find glass cabinets full of beautiful handmade jewellery, as you would expect. Perhaps more unusually, this is also Tina’s workshop, with a huge workbench illuminated by industrial lamps and covered in precious metals, stones, hammers, chisels and clamps. Tina designs and makes every piece by hand, using traditional methods. Although you can buy off the shelf, Tina often works to commission, creating unique pieces of jewellery to order. She can design and make a bespoke piece, or take inherited jewellery and refashion it. In this open-plan space the entire creative process is visible, and the results are bold and individual.

16 Milsom Place, Bath. Tel: 01225 329 212

Trading as a family independent in Bath for over 25 years Quadri has an enviable reputation as a purveyor of both precious and fashion jewellery sourced from the UK and Europe. It’s watch collection is based on high design and quality exemplified by leading brands such as Skagen and Michel Herbelin.

Magpie and Bear 7 Green Street, Bath Tel: 01225 446909 Magpie & Bear has just relocated to 7 Green Street. They have transformed what used to be the Sausage Shop into a gallery of colour and design with their unique collection. Their beautiful accessories and jewellery, for both men and women, are hand picked by the owner Karen Keenan who always manages to find the items that the big high street stores tend to overlook. Karen often chooses pieces that are also noted by the buyers of more discerning brands such as Net-a-Porter, Liberty’s, Harvey Nichols and Matches and brings small quantities of these to the Bath store. Design, quality, style and British brands are always uppermost in the choice of products, this together with excellent traditional values towards customer service means that Magpie & Bear has already been recognised as one of the shops you must visit when you are in Bath by various tourist guides to the city.

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BEST LITTLE SHOPS

Coopers - Electrical Superstore The Silver Shop of Bath

13 /15 Walcot Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 311811

25 Union Passage, Bath, Tel: 01225 464781 In Bath now for 62 years, The Silver Shop has become a firm favourite in the city. It had built up a reputation for great customer service with an ever-changing range of silver jewellery and gifts – all reasonably priced. From necklaces to woollen throws, it is certain to have something for you.

Coopers is a family owned business that has been trading continuously since 1948. Back then founder Harry Cooper sold from a small shop in Mitcham South London. Son Paul joined the business in 1973 and now operates from a large showroom right in the centre of Bath. Back then Coopers sold (and repaired!) lots of small appliances as well as TVs, radiograms (remember them?) washing machines and cookers. In the early days no one even dreamt of owning a dishwasher or tumble drier. Today Coopers specialises in ‘white goods’ – kitchen appliances, built in and free standing, luxury and basic. Over the years Coopers has built a strong reputation – great products, fantastic friendly knowledgeable staff and highly competitive, fair prices. This is independent retailing at its best – values driven and customer focused – a real antidote to the soulless online shopping experience

Fabulous 17 St Lawrence Street, Bath Tel: 01225 330333

Silvershoon 11 Upper Borough Walls, Bath. Tel: 01225 469735 Silvershoon offers a veritable feast of footwear delights. In Bath for more than 20 years, Shoon’s very first shop (there are now ten across the south of England) can be found on the corner of Upper Borough Walls and New Bond Street Place. Stepping into Silvershoon is akin to finding a hidden gem – stylish and comfortable footwear styles supported by friendly and knowledgeable staff. Silvershoon’s ranges are sourced from around the world – an eclectic mix of well-known and harder-to-find brands alongside some specially selected SHOON shoes. What they all have in common is the attention to detail, quality, materials and, most importantly comfort, which will leave you looking and feeling good. Mix in some well-chosen accessories such as handbags and scarves and you’ve a treat in store.

Award-winning designer jewellery retailer, Fabulous, based in Bath’s SouthGate, prides itself in being the first UK stockist of many leading international designers and brands. This year has seen it be first to launch leading US jewellery brand, Alex and Ani – who make stackable, recycled brass bangles, retailing from £24 – along with Moog-Paris, an interchangeable watch brand, and Key Moments, which are gorgeous glass lockets that you fill with keepsakes. Owner Jo Stroud spends much of her time seeking out new and exciting designers to add to the store. With over 30 collections, from leading international brands like Pandora, Thomas Sabo and Swarovski, to up-and-coming designers like Nikki Lissoni, to established British designers like Vivienne Westwood, Fabulous is the place to go for inspirational gift ideas, or to treat yourself. With bracelets starting from just £12, this is the perfect place to pop in for a browse.

CoralQuay Fairtrade Shop and Café 8/9 New Bond Street Place, Bath. Tel: 01225 446362 Independent and full of character, this unique world shop and café buzzes with colour, good food, music and the skilled craftsmanship of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Explore a wide selection of ethically traded jewellery, crafts, homeware, textiles and fine art with new lines being added frequently. There is fine silver from Mexico, with styles to suit all ages. Silver link bracelets, large hammered silver cuffs, organic and creatively shaped silver pendants, dangly silver earrings and exquisite opal and silver three piece sets are among the most popular jewellery lines. Each piece, beautiful and eco friendly, and made by local artisans with traditional skills in communities around the world, is a work of art, classic and timeless for everyday wear or a particular special event. Be inspired by ingeniously recycled sweet wrapper bags, intricately crafted waste metal tin cars, Mexican tin and tile mirrors, intricately carved picture frames and jewellery boxes. Coral Quay is particularly proud of its own commissioned banana fibre and soapstone products from Kenya such as Christmas decorations and soapstone love knots. New in is a collection of Indian recycled pencil picture frames and boxes.

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BEST LITTLE SHOPS

London Camera Exchange

Aria

13 Cheap Street, Bath Tel: 01225 462234

Aria Lingerie, 3 George Street, Bath, Tel: 01225 447700

London Camera Exchange has 28 branches nationwide. The company can trace its origins back to the original photographic studio in Guildford in the 1950’s. Each branch retains its individuality and the Bath store carries most popular camera models as well as a range of stock chosen by the manager and staff specifically to suit their clientele. There is an excellent part-exchange service so that customers can either trade up with the latest photographic equipment or choose from the selection of used items. Space is also devoted to other types of optical equipment such as binoculars and telescopes. Knowledgeable staff and competitive prices are what make a visit to London Camera Exchange a rewarding experience.

Aria opened 2 years ago and has already built up a loyal following. With an ever evolving collection of hand picked lingerie, swimwear and nightwear from leading brands including Chantelle and Fantasie they carry a range of sizes up to an H cup. Whether you are looking for the everyday lingerie essentials we all need or those extra special pieces, their ranges are all chosen to make you feel fabulous! They offer a full fitting service and happily accept bookings for post surgical ladies too. Don’t be afraid to ask the Aria girls for help in finding the perfect bra.

Eton Design 108A Walcot Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 639002 If you’re starting off a redecoration project, make sure you head for Bath’s artisan district on Walcot Street and pop in to Eton Design’s impressive showroom at No 108. These guys offer arguably the largest range of designer fabrics, wallpapers and trimmings in Bath and are happy to help you find exactly what you are looking for or maybe suggest an idea you had not considered before. Their knowledge, contacts and supplier library open up a vast resource for unusual lighting, furnishings and floor-coverings. Whatever your interior needs, the Eton Design team will gladly offer you professional and friendly advice and source that one item you just can’t find anywhere else. For outstanding customer service, handmade curtains and blinds (made in their own workroom) but above all inspiration – visit Eton Design.

Savannah Home

Nicholas Wylde

25 Milsom Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 317272

12 Northumberland Place, Bath. Tel: 01225 462826

Milsom Street is fast becoming the go-to place for furnishing and decorating our homes. Springing up like stylish mushrooms, the interiors shops along the street offer everything from candles to sofas, from wine glasses to sideboards, in a variety of styles. One of our favourites for a browse is Savannah Home. Despite its very slick appearance this is not part of a chain, but a one-off shop which specialises in unusual treasures and bits and pieces. The magpie eye behind Savannah Home is interior designer and antiques dealer Candida Molyneux, who travels far and wide in her quest to bring her customers unusual and desirable decorative objects. One of the great joys is that this is not mass market, so generally when you buy something it will either be unique or at least one of only a few made. As its current window reflects, there’s a wide range of stock including these architectural large urns – just the thing for one’s terrace . . .

Award-winning Goldsmith Nicholas Wylde has been designing original, high quality jewellery since the early 80’s. A graduate of the prestigious School of Jewellery in Birmingham, Nicholas opened his Bath store in 1987 and has built up a superb reputation for designing outstanding pieces, from one off commissions to larger corporate orders, all hand made, with great passion, in the workshop on the premises. Following last year’s fire, the Nicholas Wylde showroom has been completely renovated and is a firm favourite along pretty Northumberland Place. For timeless designs, great service and a knowledgeable and helpful team, Nicholas Wylde is a great destination for anyone looking for a special piece of jewellery.

Clandar 15 Cheap Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 335486 Clandar, is an independent, locally owned shop, working closely with textile mills in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, to offer beautiful men’s and ladies accessories and textiles, such as handbags, wallets, caps, hats, scarves, throws and knitwear. Their motivation is to offer the finest textiles made in the British Isles, which is why you’ll find handwoven Harris tweed made in the Outer Hebrides, finest quality cashmere woven in Scottish mills and 100% pure wool woven in English and Irish mills. Many of the mills it works with are over 150 years old and have been perfecting the art of making fine textiles for generations. We’re not talking about disposable fashion. We’re talking about expert craftsmanship that has been used to make enduringly beautiful accessories and textiles that give many years of pleasure. Clandar can be found near Bath Abbey. WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

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BEST LITTLE SHOPS

Mallory 1 – 5 Bridge Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 788800 Mallory’s is Bath’s destination jeweller, and has a long history in the jewellery trade, having traded in Bridge Street, Bath for over 115 years. The business encompasses everything one would expect from a traditional jewellers, with jewellery and watchmaking workshops, together with the best in world famous names, such as Patek Philippe, Rolex and Omega. The imposing frontage may look daunting but the offering encompasses luxury accessories to suit all pockets, such as Longchamp, Smythson, Baccarat and Lalique. The service and knowledge is the foundation of the business and no job is too small whether it be a simple sizing of a favourite ring, or a bespoke designed piece of jewellery, Mallory’s expertise will not disappoint.

Mimi Yuyu 12 Margaret's Buildings, Bath. Tel: 01225 420333 Mimi Yuyu is a pretty, feminine boutique close to the Royal Crescent. Carefully selected pieces from Out of Xile include gorgeous dresses and coats for weddings and special events, adult basics and the new ranges from Petit Bateau (probably the best tee-shirts in the world). Lovely cotton nightwear and beautiful affordable pieces from Avoca. Inspired gifts, silk and velvet scarves and hats and Dr.Hauschka's skincare and make-up ranges and our new natural fantastic skincare range from Nourish.

Bath Cake Company 14 Fountain Buildings, Lansdown Mews, Bath. Tel: 01225 446094

The British Hatter 9-11 Walcot Street, Bath Tel: 01225 339009 The British Hatter is just two minutes walk from the Podium and Milsom Street and is one of the specialist independent retailers which make Bath such a unique and enjoyable shopping experience. the shop is brimming with colour and stocks a huge selection of contemporary designs along with a hint of vintage and a touch of the outrageous, all beautifully crafted.

Bath Aqua Glass 14 Cheap Street / 15 Abbey Churchyard, Bath. Tel: 01225 428146 At Bath Aqua Glass all glass is hand produced using traditional techniques; you can watch their unique group of artisans sculpting glass in Walcot street or view their wears in the city shop located next to the Abbey. Also in the shop you will find a highly trained team of stained glass and jewellery designers working on display. And... if you want to get involved? There are a wide range of activities on offer from blowing your own bauble to stained glass and glass blowing tuition.

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Delve in to a colourful cave of cake decorating delights and find everything you need at Bath Cake Company. Nestled behind the fashionable Bartlett Street, you’ll discover a unique shop that’s perfect for inspiring your cake designs with an array of cake decorating tools and decorations. Bath’s only specialist sugarcraft shop offers all the advice you need when creating your masterpiece, along with beautiful award winning bespoke wedding and celebration cakes and a cake decorating school to learn all the tricks. If you’re looking to top up your decorating cupboard with the latest moulds, paste colours or modelling tools, then Bath Cake Company has all the sugarcraft treasures for you. Gift vouchers are available and make the perfect present for budding cake decorators, and for those who love a show stopping cake at their celebration, look no further than Bath Cake Company’s award winning cake designer, Celia Adams.

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BEST LITTLE SHOPS

The Dressing Room 7 Quiet Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 330 563 Since opening in Bath in 1985, The Dressing Room has maintained its reputation as the ‘go to’ place for beautiful lingerie, beach and nightwear. Whilst offering the most stunning lingerie collections from the likes of Marie Jo, Aubade and Lise Charmel, we also have a wide range of very basic t-shirt bras and invisible briefs. The beachwear has simply gone from strength to strength, recently adding world class Melissa Odabash to its repertoire (to arrive in November 2014) to run alongside Maryan Mehlhorn, Gottex, Seafolly, Miraclesuit and Roidal amongst others. The nightwear collection boasts Olivia von Halle pyjamas, Hanro cottons, Laurence Tavernier robes and silk gowns from Luna di Seta and Marjolaine. With experienced and professional staff ready to show you around, why not come along and have some fun?!

The Card Collection 8a Green Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 425426

Bloomsbury 15 New Bond Street, Bath and at: 2 Quiet Street Bath.

The Card Collection has been providing the residents of Bath and beyond with original and highly innovative quality greetings cards since 1992 – firstly from its former premises in the Podium and more recently from its bigger and brighter store on Green Street. Excellent customer service and the best range of greetings cards and gifts that the industry has to offer has led to the Card Collection being recognised as one of the leading independent card retailers in the south west.

Bloomsbury Store is alive with edgy, humorous, collectible and novelty gifts that have been adventurously sought out and lovingly chosen to inspire and delight those seeking something different and unique. Walking through Bloomsbury Jewellery stores doors will instantly leave you feeling that you’re in very capable hands, and surrounded by a wealth of knowledge and appreciation of every piece we have in our collection. Our well-chosen and thoughtfully considered pieces reflect our passion and respect for beautiful and forward thinking jewellery.

Jody Cory Goldsmiths 9 Abbey Churchyard. Bath. Tel: 01225 470072 Jody Cory Goldsmiths in Abbey Churchyard, is an independent jeweller and member of the National Association of Goldsmiths with over 25 years of experience. So what better way to mark an occasion than with a beautifully crafted and unique piece of jewellery? Free and friendly advice is available seven days a week from a team of highly skilled goldsmiths who create unique and extremely covetable silver, gold and platinum jewellery using personally selected rare gemstones. Old or broken treasures can be repaired or remodelled, with the aid of the free design service, to become exciting new pieces to be enjoyed all over again. Jody also offers restringing, rhodium plating and a valuation service. On display too is work from other contemporary designers, providing a variety of interesting, superbly crafted jewellery from inexpensive silver pieces to diamond set engagement rings and both traditional and contemporary wedding rings to suit all tastes.

The Bath Magazine would like to thank all of Bath’s Best Little Shops of 2014 for their co-operation and participating in this feature. You can visit our website: www.thebathmag.co.uk for a complete gallery and easy links to their websites.

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Kimberly 13 Trim Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 466817 Nestling down behind the only remaining section of the Borough Walls and with a further entrance on Trim Street, Kimberly is a destination shop for those seeking superb quality and design in clothing for business or pleasure, town or country, day or evening. Collections include Max Mara, Cavalli, Alberta Ferretti, Lamberto Losani, Teresa Ripoll and more.

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Hay Fever at the Theatre Royal

WHAT’S ON in August Events are listed in chronological order To promote your event visit: www.thebathmag.co.uk

Therese Raquin by Emile Zola Wednesday 30 July – Saturday 16 August Theatre Royal, Bath Set in 19th century Paris is this tale of list, madness and destruction. The beautiful but doomed Therese, played by Pippa Nixon, is married to her sickly cousin when she falls in love with his handsome friend. Alison Steadman plays Madame Raquin, Therese’s domineering aunt. For tickets tel: 01225 448844.

Also at the Theatre Royal this month Hay Fever by Noel Coward Wednesday 20 August – Saturday 6 September

Sheelanagig at Bath Folk Festival

Felicity Kendall and Simon Shepherd star in this 1920s comedy which has stood the test of time. This production is directed by Lindsay Posner.

★Editor’s pick

Chris Woods at Chapel Arts

Iford Festival

Bath Folk Festival Saturday 9 – Sunday 17 August Various venues across Bath This locally grown festival goes from strength to strength each year. You can see some big names, including Martin Carthy and Sheelanagig, or you can pop into your local pub, grab a pint and enjoy some great live music. Venues include Green Park Station, The Bell, Milsom Place, The Huntsman, The Curfew, The Star, the Museum of Bath at Work and The Trinity. There’s also a New Shoots competition for emerging talent in British roots music. Visit: www.bathfolkfestival.org for full programme details.

Monteverdi’s The Return of Ulysses Until Saturday 2 August Iford Arts Festival, Iford Manor near Bradford on Avon A beautiful, fast paced opera combining a deeply tender exploration of family values and a sidelong look at the real world of carnival Venice. Iford Arts welcomes back celebrated Baroque conductor Christian Curnyn. Directed by Justin Way, baritone Jonathan McGovern and mezzo Rowan Hellier are the reunited Ulysses and Penelope. Tickets tel: 01225 44 88 44 or visit: www.ifordarts.org.uk.

Also at Iford this month August Festival Proms £34 Friday 8 August: Another World at Iford 12-piece Orchestre Ruffanti serve up Latin, funk and bossa nova and four piece alternative disco sci-fi folk pop band Maia play the ukulele, cajon, trumpet, banjo, mandolin. Tickets: £34.

Saturday 9 August: Final Fling Robert Plant and the Sensational Shape Shifters

Award winning Celtic roots and rabble-rousing funk folk band Mabon play the Cloister. Folkwaves with gypsy jazz quartet Gypsy Fire at the Casita. Tickets: £34. For all tickets tel: 01225 44 88 44 or visit: www.ifordarts.org.uk.

Mike Dawes: Fingerstyle Wizard Saturday, 2 August, 7.30pm Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1QR Mike Dawes has been hailed as one of the world’s finest fingerstyle performers thrilling audiences with his virtuoso playing and appearing on film and TV advert soundtracks, achieving viral YouTube hits in the millions. Tickets: £10 (£12 on the door), bookings www.chapelarts.org.

Also at Chapel Arts this month Chris Woods guitar and Rachel Sermanni voice and guitar Sunday 3 August, 7.30pm Visit our website for more great events and things to do. To promote your event: log-on and get it listed

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Folk noir balladeer, 21-year-old Rachel Sermanni played over 200 shows across Asia, North America, had a No 1 with debut EP Black Currents in the Independent Charts; and an iTunes Single of the Week with Waltz resulting in 60,000+ downloads. Tickets: £10 (£12 on the door) Tel: 01225 461700.

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A Midsummer Night’s Dream Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 August, 7.30pm The Boater, Argyle Street, Bath Permanently Bard is putting on Shakespeare in the newly revamped garden with views across the River Avon. Tickets are £12, visit: www.boaterbath.co.uk.

Meet the artist workshop with ceramicist Nicky Martins Sunday 3 August, 2pm – 5pm Glove Factory Studios, Holt, Wiltshire Nicky Martins, an experienced art teacher and ceramicist, will be holding a workshop for young people to explore various expressions of dialogue. To book a place tel: 01225 784084.

Lazy jazz in the afternoon Sunday 3 and Sunday 17 August, 1.30pm – 4pm The West Garden, Dyrham Park, off the A46 north of Bath Enjoy a live jazz band playing relaxing music, while the tea-room and shop will be open for visitors’ picnic and refreshment needs.

The Taming Of The Shrew Sunday 3 August, 2pm Shockerwick House Gardens, Shockerwick, near Box, Wiltshire Following last year’s successful national tour of Romeo and Juliet, Folksy Theatre is back this year, performing at the Ammerdown Gardens in Radstock on Saturday 2 August at 7pm and Shockerwick House Gardens on Sunday 3 August. Set in 1950s Britain, this production is filled with doo wop, combed back hair and fedoras. Take a picnic, blankets, folding chairs, friends and family to enjoy this open-air production. Tickets: £8 – £12, on door, £10 – £15. Visit: www.folksytheatre.co.uk/OpenAir_Shakespeare.

Home Fires: Bath and the First World War Tuesday 5 August – 1 November The Museum of Bath at Work, Julian Road, Bath The exhibition will concentrate on the local response and reaction to the pressures of war during the four years of the conflict. The displays will feature never before published images from private collections and will feature contributions from Dr Andrew Swift the leading expert on the First World War in this area. Admission to the exhibition will be free with admission to the museum. To accompany this exhibition the museum is holding three lectures on aspects of the World War and Bath. See our feature about the First World War for details.

Boules tournament Sunday 10 August Hartham Park near Corsham The grounds of this Georgian country mansion will be used to stage a 32 team boules tournament to raise money for Asthma UK. Teams of three, (over 18s), can take part for £75 per team, to include a barbecue lunch and a bottle of wine to share. Spectators are welcome at a donation of £1 to Asthma UK. There will be entertainment and the Active Trowbridge Sports Roadshow, an under fives play zone and an inflatable assault course. New pistes will be laid for the event. To book a team tel: 01249 691067.

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters Saturday 9 August Glastonbury Abbey, Glastonbury, Somerset Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters will perform alfresco in the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey as part of the Abbey Extravaganza founded by Michael Eavis, with what promises to be a barnstormer of a set, topped off with a firework display. The band will be mixing African trance, psychedelia, and 21st century warped dance beats into a web of reenvisioned Led Zeppelin classics. Tickets: £35, £20 children aged six to 16. Gate prices are £40, £25. Visit www.glastonburyabbey.com/Extravaganza. Continued on page 34

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Guided Walk and Tour of Bath with Peter Lovesey Sunday 10 August. Meet at Topping & Co bookshop, The Paragon 10am for 10.30am walk Bath crime writer Peter Lovesey will lead this walk of around 90 minutes through the streets of Bath, around the locations and settings that inspired the latest instalment of the Peter Diamond Mysteries, The Stone Wife. Lovesey has a natural affection for the city of Bath, demonstrated in the rich and evocative descriptions of Bath architecture and culture that pepper his work. £10 (includes £10 off a copy of The Stone Wife). Tel: 01225 428111.

Bath Artisan Market Sunday 10 August, 10am – 4pm Green Park Station, Bath Ceilidh band Threepenny Bit and the barn-storming ARDS CCE from Ireland, with headliners Owl in the Sun will be playing free throughout the day as visitors browse among more than 60 stalls selling art, vintage and designer-maker wares, plus local food producers, coffee and hot food. The Bath Artisan Market runs on the second Sunday of each month and recently won a BEHTA Award (Bath Events, Hospitality and Tourism Award) for working with other event organisers in the city. Visit: www.bathartisanmarket.com.

The Great War in Costume

★ Editor’s pick TreeFest Saturday 23 – Monday 25 August

The Grand Budapest Hotel at the Pound, Corsham

Westonbirt Arboretum near Tetbury A weekend of forest based family fun activities, exhibitors and live music. Watch falconry displays, have a go at archery or enjoy watching the big carving. Children’s activities include Treefrog climbing, zip wires and den building. The food hall will be offering tasty delights and has joined forces with Love Food Festival to offer stalls from 30 local producers. Adult tickets, £15, concessions, £12, under 18s go free. Members of the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum receive a 50 per cent discount. Visit: www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt-treefest.

The Great War in Costume: Family & Fashion on the Home Front Until 31 August Assembly Rooms, Bennett Street, Bath The First World War changed women’s lives forever; in terms of status, class, position and what was acceptable for a woman to wear. The exhibition traces women’s lives and roles during the war, their work on the home front and how that influenced the way they dressed. There are examples of uniforms and civilian dress, memorabilia and propaganda, and costumes from Downton Abbey. For ticket prices and opening times visit: www.fashionmuseum.co.uk.

Creating Voices audio guide launch Tuesday 19 August, 10am-4pm

Peter Lovesey

TreeFest at Westonbirt

Bath Abbey This occasion marks the completion of the Creating Voices oral history project which shares the fascinating stories of the men and women who helped to care for and restore the abbey since 1942. Download the audio guides in advance via www.bathabbey.org/creatingvoices and take your smartphones/MP3 players along on the day to listen to them and find out more about the stonework, stained glass windows and history of this beautiful city landmark.

August film series at the Pound, Corsham The Grand Budapest Hotel (15) Thursday 28 August, 11am and 7.30pm

Bath Artisan Market at Green Park Station

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The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham, Wiltshire The Pound is hosting a weekly film screening on Thursdays throughout August – see the full programme on www.poundarts.org.uk. We recommend Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, a quirky, gorgeously detailed comedy with a star studded cast. Ralph Fiennes stars as Monsieur Gustave, a concierge at a pastel pink hotel perched high up in a misty Mitteleuropean mountain range. It’s beautifully filmed and it’s fun to spot various stars in the cast, including Jude Law, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Tilda Swinton and Jeff Goldblum. Tickets: £6 (£5 concessions), £3.50 u16s and full time students. Tel: 01249 701628.

The Tour of Britain comes to Bath

Bath Peace Weekend Thursday 18 – Sunday 21 September Various venues across Bath To mark UN Peace Day on Sunday 21 September this weekend includes talks, music, art projects and yoga. To find out how to get involved visit: bath2014peaceblog.wordpress.com.

The Jane Austen Festival Friday 12 – Saturday 21 September

The 2014 Tour of Britain: the Bath leg Friday 12 September The Royal Avenue, Royal Victoria Park, Bath Cycle mania will once again hit the country with this round Britain race, which begins in Liverpool, goes via Bristol and Brighton and ends up in London after eight days of action packed racing. Bath is to host a leg of the race for the first time in the modern race’s 11-year history. The race will set off from Royal Avenue in Royal Victoria Park, complete a lap of the city and then head out to Hemel Hempstead. Visit: www.tourofbritain.co.uk for more details.

One Man Two Guvnors Monday 8 – Saturday 21 September The Theatre Royal, Bath Physical theatre at its best. Fast-paced, clever and very, very funny. The West End hit visits Bath as part of a national tour. Get tickets, you won’t be disappointed. Tel: 01225 448844.

Various venues across Bath This is the 14th year of the festival based around the 18th century novelist and there’ll be all sorts of events, from walks and talks to an attempt to break the World Record for The Largest Gathering of people dressed in Regency Costumes to open the festival. Prepare to don bonnets to gather in the Assembly Rooms for the world record attempt and join the costumed parade through the streets of Bath. For more information visit: wwwjaneaustenfestival.bath.co.uk

Chef’s Table with Michelin Star Executive Chef Hywel Jones Wednesday 24 September, 6.30pm Lucknam Park Cookery School, Lucknam Park Hotel, near Colerne Hywel will work at one of the cookery school islands to prepare a five course menu, talking guests through each dish and the skills and techniques he uses. Tickets: £150 per person, includes Champagne and canape reception, five course menu with wines matched to each course. Tel: 01225 742777.

A new waxwork of Jane Austen

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Graham Norton Friday 31 October The Forum, SouthGate, Bath Comedian, talk show host, Radio2 DJ, writer and agony uncle, the acerbic Irishman with a winning smile will be making a one-off visit to Bath this autumn. Tickets: £34.75. Tel: 01225 443114.

Also at The Forum this autumn Kate Rusby Wednesday 17 December The English folk singer and song writer, often known at The Barnsley Nightingale. Tickets for this would make a great Christmas present for fans of this talented musician. Tel: 01225 443114 for ticket information.

Visit our website for more events and things to do. To promote your event log on and get listed. www.thebathmag.co.uk

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Textiles Fair Saturday 23 August, 12pm – 5pm The American Museum, Claverton Manor, Bath The museum has teamed up with the Bath Summer Textile School to bring a wide range of textiles makers and retailers to the manor. There’ll be all kinds of delights for textile lovers, including vintage pieces, lace, embroidery silks and the chance to meet artists and other enthusiasts. To find out more about the Bath Textile Sumer School, which is running workshops 18 – 23 August, visit: www.bathtextilessummerschool.co.uk.

Also at The American Museum The Colourful World of Kaffe Fassett Until 2 November. The museum is closed on Mondays This uplifting, inspiring, vividly hued exhibition demonstrates how American designer Kaffe Fassett lives by his maxim to “find colour in a grey world.” It’s been designed by theatrical designer Johan Engels with over 100 works of textile art – a kaleidoscope of knitwear, needlepoint, beading, and quilts. Put a bit of colour in your life and head up to Claverton to see for yourself.

Being Caroline, A Second Self Until 18 December The Herschel Museum, New King Street, Bath An exhibition celebrating the life and achievements of Caroline Herschel. An astronomer, professional musician and help-meet for her brother William, Caroline overcame the disadvantages of coming to Bath as an immigrant to forge a successful life. Her brother taught her English, gave her singing lessons and involved her in his own passion for star gazing. A family trail is available.

The Ralph Allen CornerStone: home of Bath’s Stone Opens from Saturday 19 July, 10am – 2pm The new centre is on the site of former stone quarries in Combe Down village. It provides a unique educational resource for schools, teachers and visitors with digital displays, touch screens and items for visitors to handle, all depicting the origins, uses, and popularity of Bath stone for building and design, plus the histories of local residents including Ralph Allen, William Smith and Harry Patch. All are welcome. For opening times visit: www.ralphallencornerstone.org.uk.

Planning ahead Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd Wednesday 10 – Saturday 13 September, 7.30pm The Rondo Theatre, Larkhall, Bath The Rondo’s winter season kicks off with Merriman Productions’ version of this Gothic musical masterpiece. Sweeney Todd is a heart-poundingly entertaining musical thriller about a man driven mad by injustice. It is a razor sharp tale of vengeance and true love – featuring some of the finest music ever written for the theatre. Tickets: £10/£8 concessions. Visit: www.rondotheatre.co.uk.

Will Self Wednesday 10 September, 7.30pm Christ Church, Julian Road, Bath hosted by Topping & Co bookshop As columnist for the New Statesman and The Observer, and with regular appearances on Have I Got News for You and Radio 4, Will Self has gained a cult following for his scathing yet humorous wit. His shrewd observations are reign supreme in his new novel Shark, centred around the real-life story of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the shark attacks that plagued the stricken survivors. Tickets: £6 in advance (redeemable against book price) from Topping & Co, tel: 01225 428111. Continued on page 36 WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

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CITY | THEATRE

60 YEARS ON: above, the cast from Cider with Rosie in 1990, who made a trip to the seaside. Top right, Pygmalion 2002, featuring, Phyllis Brown, Howard Crowe, Cathy Adeane, George Williams, Jane Rentall, Chris Moreton, Marjorie Harper, Anthony Scott and Jean Fell. Right, The Happiest Days of your Life 1954 – the first production, in which the 2014 chairman Michael Burgess, second from right, played a young teacher

Diamond jubilee of curtain calls One of Bath’s longest running amateur theatre groups, the Argyle Players, which has been delighting audiences for years, looks back over the last 60 years of drama and comedy

hose of us who grew up on stories about aspiring actors defeating all the odds to put on shows, winning praise from all quarters, are charmed and impressed by those who actually realise those dreams. The people who run Bath’s amateur theatre groups are largely unsung heroes and heroines, giving up hours of their time freely and expecting little in return except a round of applause. To have a group of people who have kept an am dram company going for 60 years without the sniff of a grant or the deep pockets of a commercial sponsor, deserves three cheers indeed. The Argyle Players, founded back in 1954, is this year celebrating its diamond anniversary. And, as with all happy and long-lived marriages, this is a tale of give and take. The Players’ chairman is Michael Burgess, who took the leadership baton many years ago, but knows more than anyone in the company that maintaining professional standards is vital to its longevity. One of Argyle Players’ golden rules is that anyone in the cast must stay in character – no dashing over to greet friends while in costume. They must keep up the fourth wall right until after the last curtain call, allowing the audience to suspend its disbelief and get lost in the drama before them. The theatre company began when some members and friends of what was then the Argyle Congregational Church came together to form a drama group. The very first production was The Happiest Days of Your Life, in which, second from right in the old black and white photo from the time, we can see an improbably young schoolmaster played by Michael Burgess. The Argyle Players know their audiences and get pleasure from choosing a play which will please cast and guests. They’ve gone on to perform The Happiest Days twice since 1954, and other classic dramas have also been repeated, with favourites from writers such as Oscar Wilde, Granville Barker and Agatha Christie. As the group’s home is the United Reformed Church in Argyle Street, where the cast rehearse, perform and store an enviable wardrobe of costumes and props, play suggestions are run by the minister out of respect – that’s not to say there haven’t been some edgy scenes over the years, although sometimes the swearing is cut back if the director feels it’s gratuitous. WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

Membership stands at around 35 to 40 people, with some having been with the group since its inception. Marjorie Harper, who was the group’s first producer, now in her 90s, helps out with front of house. There’s a huge age range, with the last production’s cast involving people aged 14 to 83. From time to time people with a love of acting who find themselves in Bath for work will join the group. They are happy not to be seen as glory seekers, or pot hunters as they put it, but rather a family which enjoys social get-togethers between productions. But they were very proud to lift the trophy last year in the Rose Bowl drama festival, for the creativity and design put into the production of A Small Family Business by Alan Ayckbourn. There has been much joy and laughter over the years. For a production of Cider With Rosie, the cast replicated Laurie Lee’s charabanc trip to the seaside for their publicity photos, all of them heading down to Weston-Super-Mare for authentic looking tableaux. On another occasion, for the comedy Tons of Money, in which a character has to fall in a lake, the actor playing the part was ‘persuaded’ to jump in the River Avon to make his publicity shot as realistic as possible. Michael Burgess has many tales to tell, some illustrating the power that live theatre still has even in this age of television. He said: “When we played some of the Wakefield Cycle of Medieval Mystery Plays, one scene was the Crucifixion, which we played on the back of a farmer’s cart in Bath Abbey Church Yard. At the very solemn moment when, playing Christ, I was being nailed to the cross, you could feel the intense silence of the watching crowd. It was a powerful, moving moment.” On another occasion a young actor in Lark Rise to Candleford was having a bath on stage, when a young woman was required to pour warm water over him. He was meant to be wearing swimming trunks but one night cheekily went naked, giving her a shock as she looked down – she got her own back the next night by dowsing him in ice cold water as revenge. If you’d like to join the Argyle Players call the secretary Helen Brettell on 01225 423866. The next production, which has not yet been announced, will be in December. n AUGUST 2014

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ARTIST | PROFILE

GO FIGURE: Kristin Vestgardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paintings, which always depict women, left, In Safe, Adventurous Hands, top right, Whispers, and, below, Directors

THE STUFF OF DREAMS The haunting romantic paintings of a Norweigan artist and work by a British sculptor are being shown in a summer exhibition at the Anthony Hepworth gallery in Bath this month

TRIBAL ELEMENTS: Grace I Head

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KRISTIN VESTGARD Recent Paintings

CATHY LEWIS Sculpture

2 - 16 August, 2014 BADCOCKS GALLERY, PENZANCE in collaboration with ANTHONY HEPWORTH FINE ART DEALERS 16, Margarets Buildings, BATH BA1 2LP Nickie Carlyon: 07977 059 326 badcocks@madasafish.com www.badcocksgallery.co.uk

01225 310694 / 07970 480 650 anthony.hepwor@btconnect.com www.anthonyhepworth.com

Exhibition opening hours Tue - Sat 11 - 5, or by appointment

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

ART FOR AUGUST

Pulteney Bridge – Summer Dawn by Nick Cudworth Petanque, the Importance of Distance by David Ralph Simpson

David Simon Contemporary and Article Bartlett Street, Bath Tel: 01225 460189. www.vidsimoncontemporary.com www.lucysimon.com A New Light A husband and wife team, who met in Bath, has taken over the premises of the much-loved Itchy Feet shop site. David and Lucy Simon met at an art event in Bath two years ago and were married at Bath Abbey last October. David is a contemporary fine art specialist (since 2000), who is now opening his own gallery, David Simon Contemporary, having managed several galleries in London, Bristol and Bath. He is showcasing artists new to the Bath market, with a focus on contemporary, semifigurative paintings, sculpture and ceramics. The first exhibition shows a mix of both established and emerging British artists, including this year’s winner of the Lynn Painter-Stainers prize, Catharine Davison, Royal Society of British Artists Nick Tidman and Bridget Moore, Bath Spa graduate Peter Ceredig-Evans, ceramicist Jane Wheeler, landscape painters David Ralph Simpson and David Taylor and bronze sculpture by Richard Southall, as well as three-dimensional constructions by Jemimah Patterson. Lucy Simon, a classical singer by training, is also a chandler (candlemaker) and she will be selling her own hand-poured soy wax candle range, alongside other artisan homewares, in her adjoining shop, Article. Other stock includes fine linens and throws, beeswax candles, ceramics, baby gifts and design-led homewares, all of which are made by hand, either locally or by artisan makers across Europe. Lucy’s passion for the scents in her candle range (all from essential oils) extends to a range of seasonal floristry, also on sale in pots. Lucy plans to lead some small workshops on candlemaking in the autumn.

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Nick Cudworth Gallery London St, top of Walcot Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 445221, visit: www.nickcudworth.com Summer in the City Until Saturday 30 August An exhibition of paintings and prints by Nick Cudworth that show Bath in the summer, capturing the intense golden light on the city buildings at various times of the day. The show includes a new, large oil painting, The Great Pulteney Triptych which features a panoramic view looking down Great Pulteney Street split into three sections presented as three separate paintings in an imaginary art gallery.

Rostra Gallery George Street, Bath Tel: 01225 448121 Made in Bath Saturday 2 August – 8 September Rostra Gallery’s annual Made in Bath exhibition is back. To mark the arrival of Bath’s summer season Rostra is showcasing the best local creative talent with work inspired by Bath’s history, culture and distinctive skyline. Highlights include Helen Burgess’ delicate paper-like ceramic work

inspired by vintage maps and walks of Bath. Original paintings from Andrew Lansley who was a recent prizewinner at the Bath Society of Artists 109th Annual Exhibition held at the Victoria Art Gallery. New artist Chris Lee presents his pen and ink drawings of Bath, which are brought to life with exuberant bursts of colour. Janine Roper will have a new collection of porcelain vases and trays on display featuring her iconic Sydney Gardens design and Jazmin Velasco who creates etchings and lino prints with a quirky take on some wellknown Jane Austen novels. CITY PRIDE: Helen Burgess’ ceramic piece Bath Walkscape, above, features different aspects of the city, from the towpaths to the valleys, painting pictures with words

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nick cudworth gallery

The Great Pulteney Triptych

SUMMER IN THE CITY Exhibition to 30th August An exhibition of paintings and prints that show Bath in the summer, capturing the intense golden light on the city buildings at various times of the day.

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

www.greenhillcottagegallery.com New Art Gallery recently opened!!

The Gallery specialises in the very finest original artworks only with artists from the local area and as far afield as Skye and Orkney. Paintings, Sculpture, Ceramics and more in a broad selection of styles and media.

Located in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside On the outskirts of Southwick, Nr Trowbridge we are within easy reach of all major towns and cities in the region.

Ample parking. Ease of access. A friendly welcome. We offer a real alternative for the discerning art collector, that one off purchase for the new home or simply a beautiful gift for the special person in your life.

SatNav-Greenhill Cottage, BA14 9PR. Brokerswood Road, Southwick, Wiltshire, BA14 9PR. Proprietor: Martyn Slade. Hours: Wed, Thu, Fri 10am till 6pm. Sat 10am till 5pm/Sun 10am till 4pm/Mon & Tue closed.

Nickie Carlyon: 07977 059 326 badcocks@madasafish.com Original Art for www.badcocksgallery.co.uk

Original People.

01225 310694 / 07970 480 650 anthony.hepwor@btconnect.com www.anthonyhepworth.com We are all Original

Exhibition opening hours Tue - Sat 11 - 5, or by appointment

WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

Lansdown Road by Sylvia Gosse

Victoria Art Gallery Bridge Street, Bath Tel: 01225 477232 Lasting Impressions print exhibition Until 31 August From Hiroshige to Hogarth and Goya to Whistler, this exhibition explores the gallery’s diverse print collection. It includes works by some of the best and most influential printmakers from the 16th to the 19th century. This exhibition is free. Enjoy a free gallery tour. To book a place, tel: 01225 477232. Tours take place from noon till 12.45 on Wednesdays, 20 August and 17 September.

Bath Contemporary 35 Gay Street, Bath Tel: 01225 461230 www.bathcontemporary.com email: gallery@bathcontemporary.com

Summer Exhibition Until 31 August Bath Contemporary plays host to a summer exhibition of new work by artists including: Mike Bernard, Peter Kettle, Diana Matthews and Ellen Watson.

Gallery Nine 9b Margarets Buildings, Bath Tel 01225 319197 www.gallerynine.co.uk Summer Exhibition: featuring ceramics and watercolours by James Campbell Until Sunday 31 August

Also at the Victoria Art Gallery Radev2 Exhibition Until 31 August (closed Sunday mornings and on Mondays) The collection is named after Mattei Radev, an émigré from Bulgaria who became a prominent picture framer. He befriended Eddy Sackville-West and Eardley Knollys, both avid art collectors. Artists featured include Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant, Chaïm Soutine, Maurice Utrillo and Alfred Wallis. Lunchtime exhibition tours every Thursday, 12.30-13.10. Free to ticketholders.Admission is £3.50 (£2.50 with a Discovery card), under 21s free.

An array of British printmakers including Edward and Richard Bawden, Bernard and Chloe Cheese and David Gentleman, all outstanding artists. The ceramic presentation will feature James Campbell and David Leach, with a carefully selected collection of ten pieces of David’s work. The aforementioned will be complemented by two new jewellers Grainne Morton who aspires to evoke a feeling of nostalgia in her jewellery and Solange who works in silver and gold incorporating many precious stones.

Natalie by Mark Demsteader Hilton Fine Art 5 Margarets Buildings, Bath Tel: 01225 311311 I Bow to the Divine in You by Emma Rose Emma Rose Art Works 78 Walcot Street, Bath Summer Art Exhibition Following shows in London and Toronto Emma Rose is hosting her summer show featuring landscapes encompassing every colour of the rainbow.

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Mixed Summer Show Until 30 August Featuring work by Mark Demsteader, who has been hailed as one of Britain’s best selling figurative artists by The Daily Telegraph. His subject is the female figure and his work is a cross between Renaissance master (eg. Carravagio), mixed with modern day fashion photography and is striking in its accomplished execution. Showing alongside Mark is an eclectic mixture of gallery artists such as Linda Weir, Janette Kerr, Victoria Achache, Rose Hilton and sculptor John Huggins.

Ceramics by James Campbell

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

Ciara Long’s designs for the Indigo Paris Trade Show

How many Orthopods does it take to apply some sticky tape? by Alison J Blake-Reed

Lane House Arts Nelson Place East, Bath, BA1 5DA Tel: 07767 498403 www.lanehousearts.co.uk Nostalgia by Ciara Long Wednesday 6 – Saturday 16 August Jenny Pollitt, owner of Lane House Arts is to give the gallery over to showcase the work of emerging talent, Ciara Long. Ciara,a former pupil at Ralph

Allen School, is a surface pattern designer and illustrator currently working in Swansea. She specialises in illustrative line drawing, drawing with stitch and creating decorative prints. For Ciara, drawing is a method of recording her surroundings, the places, the people and the stories she has discovered. She has exhibited in Chongqing, China, designed blankets for the National Wool Museum of Wales and is a regular illustrator for Welsh Country Magazine.

Quercus Gallery Queen Street, Bath. Tuesday – Saturday 10.30am – 5.30pm Galliversary Summer Show Until Saturday 23 August An eclectic yet harmonious summer exhibition of contemporary paintings, prints, mixed media, ceramics, jewellery and textiles. Celebrating Quercus’ first year Severn Walk towards Oldbury (galliversary!) this group show is a chance by Martine Baldwin to see new work by present gallery artists such as Vanessa Gardiner, Lauri Hopkins, Karen Parker and Matt Waite, and to discover new some names including paintings by Georgina Allen, Susan Laughton and Lynda Marwood, prints by Sally James and Martine Baldwin with ceramics by Elisabeth Barry and Desa Philippi. Beaux Arts 12 – 13 York Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 464850 www.beauxartsbath.co.uk Artists of Fame and Promise Throughout August, 10am – 5pm This summer show has work by the gallery’s better known artists, such as Paul Mount and Elisabeth Frink, as well as a selection of up and coming talent. These include marvellous watercolour drawings by Peter Haslam Fox, the innovative gold and silver sculptures on carved wood by Simon Allen, and Sir John Moores prizewinner Martin Greenland. Above: Tamarisks and Hogwood: Stewart Edmondson Left: Sarabande (bronze) by Paul Mount 44 TheBATHMagazine

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Royal United Hospital, Combe Park, Bath Open in the main corridor, 1 8am – 8pm RUH and staff exhibition & Fresh Art at Hillview Until 16 October Following success from the first staff and volunteer exhibition held in 2012, this summer Art at the Heart is once again giving staff and volunteers a chance to share their creativity and to help transform corridors in the RUH, providing an expressive, colourful and welcoming environment. Also on display will be Fresh Art at Hillview, the artwork in Sycamore and all around Hillview Lodge has been created by service users, their friends, family members, volunteers and staff from Hillview, Bath Museums, Creativity Works, Bath Artists’ Studios and Sirona. The idea behind the project came from patients who wanted to give something back to the ward and saw that fresh artwork would promote conversation and wellbeing. Walcot Chapel, Walcot Gate, Bath BA1 5UG Tuesday 5 – Sunday 10 August, 10am – 6pm Fragments: work by 11 artists Art inspired by the notion of ‘fragments’. The artists are; Paul Brokensha, Beryl Desmond, Marlis Hetling Court by Ann Hines Garner, Ann Hines, Craig King, Anna Kot, David Ladds, Jackie Maundrell-Hall, Usha Pearce, Caroline Rudge and Edward Willis. Craig King: Walk to the Lighthouse

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THE

TIME ZONE

DIGEST

ONES TO WATCH

Mallory Jewellers in Bath explores some of the most exciting new watches which 2014 has to showcase. So whether you are a serious collector, or just have a penchant for beautifully crafted timepieces, this year's offerings have a little something for everyone... ROLEX GMT MASTER II For 2014 Rolex have released a technical tour de force. Influenced by the 1955 original and combining ground breaking technology and precious metal appreciation the new GMT Master II, with iconic red and blue Cerachrom bezel, is truly stunning. The watch allows the wearer quick and easy second time zone recognition and the opportunity, through refined finishing, to appreciate the 18ct white gold case and bracelet. For both, the client new to Rolex, or the devotee, the new GMT Master II is an excellent choice.

BULGARI With the ongoing challenge of creating an identifiable and revered timepiece Bulgari stands out as one of the few design led modern brands to be achieving this. Throughout the last decade huge effort has been made to produce a collection which personifies the Bulgari name, image and quality. Through the ladies collection we find Bulgari Bulgari, B-Zero and Serpenti offering dynamic every day models to extravagant evening show stoppers. The gentlemen’s range now encompasses brand identity and movement quality to rival the large manufacturers yet offering a diverse range to enliven any collection. Two models which embrace this are the new gentlemen’s Bulgari Carbon Gold and the ladies’ Lucea.

PATEK PHILIPPE During the build up to Patek Philippe’s 175th anniversary celebration the manufacturer could be forgiven if they kept their offering small and let anticipation grow. On the contrary, the 2014 collection includes new models demonstrating exquisite manufacturing tradition merged with contemporary evolution. New colours are juxtaposed into the collection complementing and enhancing creations old and new. As always, none of this detracts from the refinement and exacting skills within any Patek, it merely entices us to browse and appreciate even more. The perfect example to showcase this is the new platinum, self-winding perpetual calendar, with a honey brown dial - the 5496P-014.

LONGINES History has been the motivating factor with Longines for the last few years. Looking to classic periods in their illustrious past to inspire and rebuild with modern requirements in mind. 2014 sees the arrival of the 42mm Heritage 1935. The increased case size makes this watch wearable in everyday style whilst allowing its owner to tip their hat in appreciation to the watches origin.

CARTIER Since the 1904 release of the Santos the Cartier connoisseur has owned a piece of history, style and design. Denoting the character of each decade whilst pioneering the art of watchmaking, Cartier has always aspired to achieve this goal. 2014 sees this drive and determination continue with the release of the Cartier Calibre Diver range. A watch which combines steel and precious metal with in-house movement manufacture to give a practical, striking yet elegant watch which truly personifies the Cartier image.

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JAEGER-LECOULTRE

IWC

With its cutting-edge design, super-thin cases and elegant style, Jaeger-LeCoultre has built a glittering reputation as one of the top Swiss manufactures. The 2014 offerings are no exception… For the discerning lady the new Rendez-Vous Date and Night & Day are a stunning addition to an already successful line. If you are a fan of the black case timepiece, the 46mm Master Compressor Ceramic Chronograph would be the connoisseurs’ choice.

Unique, quality and engineering are three words which combine to personify the values at IWC Schaffhausen. Building watches to surpass user requirements has long been the goal and achievement of the brand. Working tirelessly to ensure every watch leaving the factory conforms to their rigorous testing regime and affords their clients long term reliability and enjoyment. The 2014 Aquatimer certainly fulfils these requirements. Whether steel, titanium specialist or bronze the combination of materials and practical style encourage us to appreciate IWC to the full.

OMEGA If you are looking for a watch which is both iconic and cool, then a serious contender is the Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11. Produced to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the first lunar landing as a limited edition of 1,969 pieces this watch is a superb mix of quality, colour and design. Of course we are familiar with the collectability of the Speedmaster watch but this speciality has the potential to take the range in a new direction. Utilising titanium for the case, Sedna gold for the bezel and matt ceramic for the tachymeter scale the Apollo 11’s appeal is supported by modern technology to create a watch of inspired design.

PANERAI

CHOPARD CHANEL Chanel introduced the ceramic J12 in the year 2000. Since then this model has become the main protagonist in high tech polished ceramic watches. With a wide range of sizes and options they have managed to cultivate a loyal client following, therefore each year it has become imperative that new models merge well with the core range. For 2014 this has been achieved with the collection evolving and seeing the release of the J12 365. Automatic but with a reduced case size of 36.5 mm the family options are in the traditional Chanel black or white. The bezel comes as steel or new unique alloy ‘beige gold’, specially developed for Chanel, with and without diamonds. Whether for every day or a special night out this family of eight new watches has something exciting for all Chanel devotees.

WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

Since 1988 Chopard has been the official sponsor of the Mille Miglia, each year creating a watch commemorating elements of the race. As an ongoing success story 2014 welcomes the arrival of several new models. Our choice for this year is the Grande Prix de Monaco Historique. Chopard have been the official timekeeper since 2002 demonstrating skills in case and dial manufacture to keep each model exciting. This year the 44m chronograph is housed in a titanium case with dial detail accentuated in yellow. The perforated strap stays true to historic racing style. For a watch to add to your collection yet still be unique, Chopard have again been successful in whetting our appetite.

Intuitive is the word to describe the ongoing evolution of this historical diving brand. The last few years have seen increased competition yet the Italian legend remains one step ahead. 2014 sees the arrival of the 5000 series, 8 day movement protected by a refined Luminor case. Retaining black sandwich dial options as well as crisp white make it easy to appreciate the subtle style changes. The ETA era sees the end of one icon and the birth of a better one. These adaptations and the addition of the beautiful Radiomir 1940s inspired chronographs demonstrate that Panerai are honouring their history whilst staying true to their values, thereby, securing their future.

For more information on any of the timepieces featured or to see an even greater range of luxury watches on display; visit the Mallory specialist watch showroom. Mallory, 1–5 Bridge Street, Bath BA2 4AP Telephone: 01225 788800 www.mallory-jewellers.com

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

Yanis Sims Carpenter, painter and decorator

y dad, a GI, met my mum, a Cockney, when he trod on her heel as she came out of a cinema in Leicester Square in 1943. After the war, he worked for the American Red Cross for many years, which was how I came to draw my first breaths in American Military Hospital (number 2) in Frankfurt am Mein in West Germany. That was 1960. In the early seventies (if I remember correctly) we settled in Alabama for some time. My dad then married my stepmother, a German lady. Theirs was an intense and lifelong love – the stuff of romantic myth made real. Although my father is no longer alive, Ruth still lives in Mississippi, where I visit her each year. I also spend time in Germany with my stepfamily whenever I can. I love Germany. I lived there for some time as a kid, where I spent all my time playing in the woods. It’s a walker’s paradise and Germans seem to find a balance in their lives that I appreciate. As an adult, I’ve lived in many places – Germany, USA, Greece, Russia and UK. Bath and its environs has been home to me since 1991. When I arrived here in 1991, I worked in the Bell in Walcot Street until 1997 and I took a degree in German and Russian here at the university. I’d worked in construction off and on since I was a teenager, so after I left university I started up as a painter and decorator. Although I love languages and literature, I like to work with my hands. Around the turn of the millennium I discovered I had an affinity with wood. It started, somewhat ironically, with Neill Menneer’s windows – the portrait photographer for this article. I was painting them and discovered they needed some work, so I fixed them. Since then I’ve worked roughly half the time as a painter and decorator, and half the time as a carpenter. I really learned the skills of cabinetry when working for Tim Gardner, a fine cabinet maker here in Bath. We made beautiful kitchens and bespoke furniture for homes in London, Bristol and Bath. So now I’m incredibly fortunate to do a wide variety of fine work in Bath. Work I’ve enjoyed recently includes making a very pretty alcove unit and conversion of an open-plan stairway into an understairs storage area in a small cottage, and I made a day bed based on a Chinese opium bed for a home in Larkhall. I regularly renovate and draughtproof windows in the Georgian houses of Bath, and I’ve made some lovely doors and gates for inside and outside houses. Decorating work tends to occupy me more in the colder months. I’ve worked so long in Bath that I know well the particular challenges and requirements of these lovely Georgian houses. There’s a tradition to Bath homes and buildings that needs to be honoured, and I feel fortunate that I am able to contribute my long experience to that heritage. n PORTRAIT: Neill Menneer at Spirit Photographic www.capturethespirit.co.uk Tel: 01225 483151.

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THE DINER’S

DIGEST

SIX OF THE BEST for impromptu picnics

For school holidays, days off, or even on a sunny lunchbreak, Bath’s a great place to grab and go some tasty food. Writer and blogger Melissa Blease picks half a dozen delectable delis Best of British

Da Vinci Italian Deli

Bespoke, made-to-order masterpieces generously filled with locally sourced ingredients and wedged between two slices of freshly baked Bath Bakery bread: a Best of British sandwich is about as opposite to the flaccid, vacuum packed, overchilled, under-filled supermarket version as possible. Gluten free options go large here; the quiches, cakes and traybakes are homemade daily; the chocolate brownies are legendary... and when the sausage rolls come out of the oven, they’re snapped up before they even make it to the counter. But if you fancy turning your picnic into a pre-planned affair, peruse the online menu, place your order and pop in to collect your bespoke hamper laden with those legendary butties, baked goods, salads, crisps and drinks – remember to return the basket the next day, or owner Sarah might force you to pay a hefty penalty in wine. Having a garden party? Sarah can sort that out for you too – there’s very little on the bespoke food front that this woman can’t do. Best of British, 12 Broad Street, Bath BA1 5JL. Tel: 01225 448055; web: www.bestofbritishdeli.co.uk

Charismatic Neapolitan proprietor Vincenzo is very proud of the fact that children who came into his lively Italian delicatessen with their parents when he first opened his doors 14 years ago are now customers in their own right, often bringing their own offspring with them to keep the tradition alive. But it’s likely that, since the start/finish of the Two Tunnels Greenway cycling route opened just up the road from Vince’s last year, a whole new generation of foodies will wheel in to discover the delights of this much-loved Bear Flat institution. But no matter what mode of transport is used to visit Vince, few can resist a ciabatta, baguette or panini described as Tricolore, Amore, Amalfi or even named after the owner himself, while those who prefer their butties with a more conventional bite find solace in classics such as egg mayo or cheese salad. Do make room in the rucksack for Italian larder essentials while you’re picking up a picnic; if it isn’t on Vince’s shelves, it won’t be in any authentic Italian kitchen. The coffee is widely considered to be amongst the best brew in Bath. Da Vinci Italian Deli, 33 Wellsway, BA2 4RR. Tel: 01225 471850; www.davincideliandpizza.co.uk

Picnic in the Park If you’re approaching the children’s playground in Victoria Park from the Lower Bristol Road side, decent impromptu refreshment pitstops are thin on the ground (apart from a couple of lovely pubs, but they tend to be more suitable for an end-of-efforts reward). Fortunately, this aptly-named café and takeaway on the Lark Place/Park Lane corner is most not a mirage but a very down-to-earth oasis of bustling calm – drop by, and you’ll see why such a statement is most certainly not a contradiction in terms. For in-house sustenance before you hit the skatepark big breakfasts are served all day, while the general menu rolls along from croissants to salads by way of baked potatoes, panini and doorstep sarnies, all of which can be boxed up ready to provide the perfect park life pitstop. Meanwhile, kids (and their parents) will love the children’s lunch box option: a sandwich, drink, crisps or a piece of fresh fruit and a mini chocolate treat for just £3. Picnic in the Park, 16 Lark Place, Bath BA1 3BA. Tel: 01225 461620; web: www.picnicintheparkbath.co.uk

Made by Ben Many Bath food establishments flaunt so many glowing accolades, responsible sourcing policies and mission statements that getting to the actual sustenance at the heart of the matter can feel exhausting. But while this chic little takeaway and thriving café has won several awards and really does use locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, that heart isn't hard to find. Proprietor Ben Sibbald describes his style as rustic artisan, says he can't live without balsamic glaze, smoked garlic and Parmesan cheese, and rates his Croque Monsieur – a seductive combination of Bertinet sourdough, Parmesan bechamel, extra mature Cheddar, smoked ham, horseradish and wholegrain mustard – as his all-time favourite sarnie: that's our choice conundrum sorted, then. But there's plenty more, from butties wrought from bang on-trend combinations to perfect pies, salacious salads, quiches that even the most macho Real Men go all flaky for and cakes that make the notion of the word 'diet' redundant. Everything is good to go, and Ben is happy to cater to your garden party too – Ben, you've made our day. Made by Ben, 100 Walcot Street, BA1 5BG. Tel: 01225 319999; www.madebyben.com

The Guildhall Delicatessen There’s been a delicatessen in the Guildhall Market for over 30 years – and, in 2013, sisters Miranda Sidwick and Sara Browning took it over and are carrying on the tradition admirably. Miranda and Sara are proud to still offer customers time-honoured, lesser-spotted (these days, anyway), quintessentially British staples such as haslet, brawn, chitterling, ham hocks and Bath Chaps, alongside all manner of contemporary essentials including Mediterranean antipasti, Greek pastries, treats inspired by the Indian sub-continent and good old British pork pies, sausage rolls and pasties. Well-stuffed baguettes are as fresh as you can get, and vegetarians, vegans and those who prefer their carbs gluten free are well catered for – you’ve pretty much reached picnic/garden party nirvana. Seduced by the sunshine? Stock up on tasty nibbles, leave by the market’s back door and head for a bench with the best weir view in the city – picnic perfection? We think so. Guildhall Delicatessen, 55-57 Guildhall Market, Bath BA2 4AW. Tel: 01225 427195; web: www.theguildhalldeli.co.uk

CHANDOS DELI This gorgeously seductive deli is the prandial equivalent of the beautiful boutiques that surround it: a veritable Aladdin’s Cave of tasteful lifestyle larder must-haves, from fresh bread, upper-crust tarts and real coffee to fine wines and Champagne by way of oils, vinegars, pasta, cheeses, charcuterie, posh chocs, fresh produce... oh, ditch the shopping list; just go and take a look for yourself, making time for a tipple from the space-age wine dispensing machine that offers free 10ml tastes of the day’s selection or full-on glasses in more generous proportions for those who have time to linger. While you're browsing, consider this: the freshly made sandwiches, panini, salads and savouries are guaranteed to turn any impromptu picnic into an elegant alfresco affair, and if you have a party in the pipeline, shop manager Ed is happy to to cater to your guests’ every whim. Just don't make so merry with that wine machine that you forget while you visited in the first place. Chandos Deli, 12 George Street, Bath BA1 2EH Tel: 01225 314418; www.chandosdeli.com

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THE THREE GABLES The Three Gables is the ideal venue for all kinds of celebrations, from private parties to corporate entertaining or a romantic dinner for two. When the weather allows there is an amazing terrace on the restaurant level that’s perfect for al fresco dining, on a long, lazy summer evenings

WEDNESDAY 6TH AUGUST RUINART CHAMPAGNE DINNER Ruinart is the oldest established Champagne house, exclusively producing champagne since 1729.

Special Summer Lunch offer £12.00 Two Courses • £16.00 Three Courses The Three Gables, St Margaret’s Street, Bradford on Avon BA15 1DA Telephone 01225 781666

www.thethreegables.com

info@thethreegables.com

FRESH FISH DAILY . . . AND COOKED JUST FOR YOU BOXED . . . FOR YOU TO ENJOY AT HOME Hot fish lunches or seafood suppers, proper fish & chips, from beer-battered Cod to Bouillabaise. Or in the summer months enjoy our giant Paella to take home. Don’t want to wait? Phone ahead and order Sundays are available for private dining, birthday lunches, or a relaxed get-together with friends. Outside Catering available

A Serial Award winning Restaurant with International reputation

Watch out for details of forthcoming wine dinners, and dine & demo days

BEST IN BRITAIN AWARDS (BIBA) 2014 November 2013 British Curry Awards November 2013 Asian Curry Awards

4 Argyle Steet, Bath BA2 4BA. Tel. 01225 466833 / 464758 www. Rajpoot.com Connoisseurs choice for 34 Years. Open Daily.

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OPENING TIMES Tuesday to Saturday 12 to 2.30- 4.30 – 7pm Fridays open until 8pm Major credit cards accepted

SEASONS FISH KITCHEN Farrington’s Farm Shop, Farrington Gurney, Bristol BS39 6UB

01761 452809 | www.seasonskitchen.co.uk email info@seasonskitchen.co.uk AUGUST 2014

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THE WINE COLUMN Angela Mount, wine and food critic picks the perfect pinks for summer drinking

ugust sunshine gives me a perfect excuse to celebrate rosé wine – in all its shapes, styles, colours and guises. I think pink wines are fabulous food wines all year round, but this is the time of year that they really come into their own, either to enjoy on a hot, sunny day, or to console ourselves from the British rain, with visions of white beaches, azure skies, and Mediterranean style. There are now so many of pink wines, with the market for rosé booming. Colours vary from the palest of peach to bright fuchsia. Flavours and styles can be equally polarising, with everything from bone dry to sugary-sweet on the taste spectrum. I’m leaving the sweeter styles out for this month, and simply picking my selection of summery pinks to enjoy alfresco and with relaxed entertaining. Domaine de Brize Saumur Brut Rosé NV (GWW £13.95) Summer evenings call for a glass of bubbles, and pink ones are even better. This vibrant, yet delicate sparkler from vineyards surrounding the sumptuous chateaux of the Loire Valley, is a great example; delicately rose-pink and with a gentle stream of tiny bubbles, it’s a soft, yet lively pink sparkling wine, with elegance and poise. Bright and breezy, it’s full of vibrant, crisp red berry fruit, with aromas of freshly crushed raspberries, an edge of cream, and the tang of a freshly peeled red apple, yet with a creamy finish. Charming, great value, and lots of character. Great with salmon blinis or retro prawn cocktail. Planeta Rose 2013, Sicily (GWW £10.50) If someone had shown me a glass of this delicate, soft peachcoloured wine, I would never have guessed it was from the hot, sun-baked hills of Sicily. From one of the island’s top producers, Planeta, this is a blend of Syrah and Nero D’Avola, which are both grapes which make deep, dark, rich red wines. Yet this is like a whisper of silk, a butterfly of a wine, entrancing with its wafts of deliciously light, delicate floral, lemon peel, and rosehip aromas. It’s an unashamedly feminine rosé, dry, clean, crisp, and a world away from the neon pink sweet Californian pinks that dominate supermarket shelves. It’s subtle, and enchanting, and tastes of crunchy red apples, wild strawberries and cranberries, with a real tang of fresh herbs. Bone dry, and savoury, it’s a top choice for picnics, flavoursome salads, and simply grilled fish. Le Pas du Moine 2013, Chateau Gassier, Cotes de Provence ( GWW £12.95) A new, and welcome addition to the Great Western Wine selection – with delicate, almost translucent pale-pink colour, and inviting aromas of peaches, raspberries, ripe pears, and wild thyme, it’s sophisticated and stylish and transports you immediately to an alfresco lunch on the Riviera. Smooth, silky, and elegant, it has layer upon layer of ripe wild strawberry, and freshly-crushed raspberry flavours, with a brush of rosemary and wild herbs. Mellow, creamy, and beckoning, it’s a perfect summer food wine – seared tuna niçoise, chargrilled prawns, seafood platters, pan-fried fish, or a simple plate of summer vegetables, olives, and charcuterie. Sunshine in a bottle. Mas Amor Rosado, Barcelona 2013 (GWW £9.95) The bright, strawberry pink colour, and the eye-catching, graffitistyle label provide more than a hint of the style of wine in the bottle – bright, edgy, vibrant, and full of character. The name means ‘more love’, and it’s easy to fall for this bold, vibrant, mouth-watering rosé, dry in style, but with masses of juicy, fruity, red berries dancing around the glass. Crisp and tangy, with ripe, red apple and pomegranate flavours. Big and bright, and bursting with succulent ripe raspberry fruit, with a creamy, smooth style, and a hint of spice. Enjoy, chilled with spiced-up salmon steaks, barbecued prawns, or with tandoori-spiced barbecue chicken, and Thai spice- infused seafood and fish. All of the above, plus a mixed case can be ordered through our website. Enjoy a 10% Great Western Wine discount by entering the code on Angela’s wine column. Visit: www.thebathmag.co.uk

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FOOD BITES The Great Bath Feast: Masterchef winners, along with Mary Berry and some of the leading lights of Bath’s food and drink scene are lined up to take part in the month long celebration of local produce this October. Ping Coombes, the most recent winner of the BBC Masterchef series, will be joining chef Chris Staines at the Allium to create a menu with a Malaysian Street market theme, while a traditional English bake sale is to be held on a grand scale in Bath Abbey as a fundraiser for the abbey’s Footprint improvements project, which aims to create a café and toilets underground. The city’s pubs and restaurants are rallying round to put on all sorts of culinary treats for tourists and for locals too. There’ll be the Tennerfeast, with dishes especially created for £10 a time, pop-up suppers and even a Great Bath Feast Pub Quiz. There’ll also be a feast for the eyes with the Pink Lady apples Food Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Octagon. Visit: FEAST FOR THE EYES: Lollipop www.greatbathfeast.co.uk for Lawn by Katie Woodhouse, from the the full programme, which Pink Lady photographic exhibition runs from 1 – 31 October.

The farm shop at Newton St Loe: If you’re out and about this month, check out the newly revamped shop and café at Newton St Loe. The old milking parlour has been made over to create a café which seats up to 50 people, who can enjoy breakfast, lunch and refreshments throughout the day. The new kitchen will make the most of the local produce, especially from the farm. The shop, with its expert butchery team, will continue to sell the finest selection of locally raised meat, along with seasonal vegetables and fruit, cheese and other goodies. Owners Hugh and Celia Gay are proud to stock only British meat.

Fine Cheese Co Festival: Some of the country’s best artisan cheesemakers will gather in Milsom Place on Saturday 25 October for the annual cheese-fest. This is a great chance to wander among the stalls, sample some delicious and unusual British cheeses and talk to the people who actually made them. Among the award winners heading our way are White Lake Cheese’s range of goats’ and cows’ milk cheeses, of which Rachel – named after the maker’s ex girlfriend ‘sweet, curvy and slighty nutty’ – has just been a finalist at the SOFI awards. Hampshire Cheese will be bringing its Tunworth cheese, described by French chef Raymond Blanc as ‘the best Camembert in the world’. From closer to home milk from Neston Park’s herd of Jersey cows has been made into Baronet, a Reblochon style cheese, and cheesemakers George and James Keen from Somerset will be tempting passers-by with their traditional cloth-bound Cheddar, aged like a fine wine for at least 12 months. For more information on the event, which is free to visit, go to: www.milsomplace.co.uk.

Chillin’ in the sun: We’re very taken with this new arrival in Rossiters of Broad Street, Bath. The Host Chill, £19.95, is a natty little gadget that you pop into the freezer and then, when you’re ready, you slip it into a wine bottle and as if by magic it lets you serve your wine chilled. This looks like a much better option for those of us in a hurry who are tempted to put the wine in the freezer, not always with satisfactory results.

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THE PIG HOTEL Hunstrete House, Pensford, BS39 4NS. Tel: 01761 490490

R E V I EW

Fresh from garden fork to plate Y

ou know those places you visit where you’re having such a good time, you look at each other and say: “The kids would love it here”? – well the Pig Hotel, formerly known as Hunstrete House, is exactly one of those. It opened in the spring following extensive restoration of the old country house hotel just south of Bath, but already it has the air of having been here a long time. The vegetable garden is bursting with beautiful fresh produce, from yellow courgettes to baby leeks, broad beans and a greenhouse full of pots of ripening chillis. Beyond the garden wall, just the other side of some prudently erected net fencing, a herd of fallow deer are grazing. Sensing our beady eyes on them they flick their ears but are more curious than fearful. The speckled fawn meets our gaze directly before scampering to his mother’s side. Safely in their own spacious yard a pair of friendly pug-nosed Kunekune pigs, originally bred by Maoris, run with their litter of three piglets, while across the drive is a big run that contains a couple of dozen pretty dark blue-black Burford Brown hens, so at ease with people that they run to greet us. It’s hard to resist the temptation to lean over the fence and talk back to them in gentle, comforting clucky chicken-talk. We stroll back to the mellow stone country mansion for lunch on the terrace, which is where it comes home that this really is a story about food from garden and land straight to plate – well, via those clever chefs in the kitchens led by Pole Kamil Oseka. He has brought his love of smoked food to Somerset and the kitchen gang are having a fine old time of smoking all sorts of ingredients, to great effect. The menu is beautiful and simple, as is the view across the lawns to the green, rolling hills and fields. The Pig – which is part of a small, boutique brand – prides itself on producing a very British menu with the majority of its ingredients coming from within a 25-mile radius. Many have come just a few yards from the hotel gardens. You could come and splurge out here – stay a weekend in one of the 29 rooms, enjoy some fine wine, the use of a private dining room, or eat in the stylish Victorian style conservatory, and even boil yourself a freshly laid hen’s egg from the hotel flock for breakfast while you contemplate borrowing a pair of Hunter wellies from the hall for a stomp in the countryside. Or you could just come, as we did, on a glorious English summer’s lunchtime and feel the stresses of the working week melt away. How about a delicious light lunch of ‘picked this morning’ heirloom tomato salad, with creamy Rosary goat’s cheese, cured coppa ham and a faintly ticklish intriguing nettle salsa WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

verde (£7 small plate, £13 main) and a non alcoholic apple mint cocktail – long, on ice and very refreshing – for £6? Not too bank account-busting. The whole place has the air of being artlessly relaxed and welcoming, the sort of hotel which wouldn’t turn a hair if a couple of small boys climbed astride the two pig statues outside the front door – as indeeed they did while we were there. Already this porcine pair is showing signs of attention, with a faint polished sheen along their backs where they’ve been stroked. But, like good theatre, the effortless air at The Pig is actually professionally polished, with attention to detail throughout. Dulcie’s starter, a new season tomato and garden lovage soup, was a deep, rich colour, with a swirl of green basil oil, while my very generous serving of home smoked salmon was sprinkled with yellow marigold petals and studded with slivers of fennel. The hunky bread tastes as fresh as everything else and is accompanied with a big pat of creamy butter, infused garden oil and inhouse smoked salt to intensify its flavour. We soon learn, reading the menu, that the gardeners and the chefs work very closely together to get the flavours of the garden onto our plates. You feel after eating one of their dishes that it’s not only tasted delicious but it’s done you good too. Mains are typically priced between £11 and £16, while sides, such as chunky triple cooked chips (very good but possibly not part of our five a day) are £3.75. It’s a very family-friendly place too. The children’s menu, styled For Piglets, is £7.50 for one course, £10.50 for two, with options such as The Pig’s take on fish fingers and chips, or sausage and mash, and there’s room on the lawn to let off steam without disturbing the adults’ experience. There’s usually a game of croquet about too, to keep them occupied. Be warned though, if you do take small but curious children, it won’t be long before they too pick up on the land to plate concept, as you brightly explain that the nice man over there with the spade grew those peas himself. They may then start asking questions about where the sausages come from, or the venison that Daddy has declared so delicious. Then you know that it might be time to have THAT conversation. So, as I say, a great place to take the children. Or you might just feel it’s too good for them and you’d rather keep it as an adult secret to enjoy between yourselves. There’s more good news. You won’t rock up on a Saturday to find a bridal party giving it some on the dance floor. The Pig only plans to host a small handful of weddings a year, and only if they take Georgette McCready over the whole place. n AUGUST 2014

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FOOD | HEROES

THE GOOD GUY IN THE KITCHEN Silvana Tann meets Sam Moody, the amiable head chef at The Bath Prory and finds out what inspires and motivates this big Michelin starred fish in Bath’s culinary pond

s a small Georgian city, Bath is not famous for its raciness tending to err just the right side of unbridled hedonism. Yet at the same time it hosts over 400 restaurants, which seems at odds with this image. At the pinnacle of this assemblage, the Bath Priory is the only establishment in the city with a Michelin star. It is managed under the keen eye and taste buds of the executive chef, Sam Moody. At the age of just 29, Sam has achieved a considerable amount in his career for someone so young; gaining that elusive Michelin star in 2012; being named Hotel Chef of the Year in 2013 and being awarded the Best Ambassador for Bath Food in local awards. In addition to managing his dynamic team in the kitchen, he works with catering students at the City of Bath College to nurture young talent. There is a certain bioluminescent quality to Sam, he glows with energy and is effusive, yet he seems measured and calm. As we chat he tells me that the kitchen has just had a delivery of supplies; a side of beef among the ingredients and his mind was whirring excitedly over dishes he planned to put on the menu, roasts, sirloin fillet, and the silverside, which was going to marinate in a red wine brine before being air dried to make bresaola. The dishes will be appear on the a la carte menu or be offered as part of the Menu Surprise; a ten-course menu with a range of the best of seasonal food. Sam’s modern European food is full of robust favours and built on classically based dishes. Throughout his career he has worked in restaurants that have all held Michelin stars, from working for Stephen Crane at Ockenden Manor, to moving to Gidleigh Park with Michael Caines at the helm of the kitchen. All of these experiences have undoubtedly had some influence on the food that Sam likes to cook. Dishes at The Priory Hotel are also determined to some extent by the diners’ expectations, but Sam enjoys throwing some twists in to the classic dishes on offer, by adding global flavours including wasabi or lesser-known ingredients such as kohlrabi. Alongside the main restaurant, Sam’s team provides a menu for the sixmonth-old Pantry at The Priory, a space offering more casual dining – think top quality burgers and brasserie type classics including wild mushrooms on toast or a crisp confit of local duck with pickled chilli and ginger depending on the time of year. The relaxed atmosphere in this restaurant is a contrast to the main dining room. Here you will find red leather diner-style sofas and chairs; no tablecloths, plus an eclectic range of original artwork collected by Andrew Brownsword, the owner of the hotel. The aim is to offer a more 54 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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relaxed atmosphere and simpler food made with good ingredients. Talking with Sam I get a strong sense that he has always been very driven and applies a huge amount of energy to any task that he sets his mind to. This is what has made him successful. He has always been ambitious. As a boy growing up in Surrey, entering the world of professional kitchens was not an idea he had entertained. The home kitchen had some gravitational pull with dishes served with all year round homegrown vegetables and hearty traditional dishes being cooked by his grandmother, but actually he only ever dreamt about becoming a professional fisherman. “I fished for carp and that’s all I ever wanted to do,” says Sam. “When I left school I worked at the weekends so that I could afford to fish for the rest of the week.” It seems that he has never been one to do anything by half measures. This ambition started to change when Sam signed up for catering college, partially due to the time that he had to commit to the course, but predominantly down to the fact that he became totally captivated by the alchemy of food. That said, he still concedes that even today he is somewhat of an aspirational fisherman spending time at the Shear Water Lake on the Longleat Estate and other fishing hot spots across the region in his spare time. With the onset of his drift away from his obsession of fishing, Sam’s main focus was to gain a position in a professional kitchen. His training started at the age of 16 when he knocked on the door of Ockenden Manor in Sussex to try and find work while he was still at Sussex catering college. “It was a dynamic and tough environment. The food in Stephen Crane’s kitchen was based on classical food with the focus on flavour. We only had four on the team and the expectation was always high.” Within a year of Sam working at Ockenden, Stephen Crane was awarded a Michelin star. This success sparked further ambition in Sam and after a few more years garnering experience in this kitchen he set his sights on taking himself out of his comfort zone. He headed to Gidleigh Park in Devon to work for Michael Caines in his two Michelin-starred restaurant, where he thrived despite the gruelling 80-hour week shifts. “Michael’s eye for detail is amazing,” said Sam. “I learnt an incredible amount within four years.” Michael Caines had spotted a talent in Sam too. In 2009, just as Sam was starting to investigate the possibilities of working for the notoriously hardcore Michel Bras in one of the world’s highly regarded three Michelin star restaurants in the south of France, Michael Caines offered the position of sous chef at Gidleigh Park’s sister hotel, The Priory. “It was a difficult time at The

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FOOD | HEROES

STAR TURN: main picture, Sam Moody at work Above, some of the beautifully prepared dishes dreamt up by Sam and his team at the Bath Priory Centre, Sam’s passion for fishing has only been surpassed by his love of cooking

Priory, there was a lot of upheaval,” says Sam. “ I flagged my concerns and highlighted things that were not working. I was told that I should try and fix them. So at the age of 25, I was made head chef. The restaurant lost its Michelin star in 2010, which was very difficult. We then worked tirelessly to turn this round and win it back.” Sam’s dishes at The Priory all have the hallmarks of fine dining; quails’ eggs served with shallot vinaigrette; hand dived scallop carpaccio; pressed terrines; sea bass with parsnip, ginger, chicken and vanilla jus; macerated fruits and interestingly flavoured sorbets. There are dishes such as Sam’s turbot poached in truffle with ox cheek, on the menu each autumn. Each dish is beautifully plated up, however, the main objective is that food should never be served with style over substance; flavours are always paramount. “I work closely with my team,” says Sam. “Ankush, my sous chef, is fantastic with spices and this influences some of the dishes we serve. As well as the team, seasonal ingredients are always key to our menu. The south west offers really good local produce, and we use produce that comes

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out of the garden; vegetables, borage and chive flowers, mulberries and quince.” Diners can spill out on to the terrace and look out over exquisite gardens, crammed full of edible and floral horticultural delights. The setting and luxury offered by this country house hotel goes someway towards making it a ‘must go to’ destination. It is ultimately Sam’s assured and accomplished culinary skills that make his highly refined food enticing from the first bite to the last. The Bath Priory may hold a Michelin star, but Sam and his team know that there is no room for complacency. He thrives on the pressure of a demanding high-end kitchen. It is hard to imagine any kitchen diatribes with Sam in charge; his Twitter handle is “@thegoodmoody” and he probably is just that for the majority of the time. Yet he is clearly demanding of those around him when it matters, and simultaneously inculcates his team as he leads by example. It will be interesting for us all to see where Sam’s talent and ambitions lead himself and The Priory’s restaurant next. n

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CITY | BUSINESS

News in brief ■ There were winners and losers as the Arts Council England announced its latest round of grants. Bath Festivals had its funding withdrawn entirely which came as enormous disappointment to all in the organisation, but the Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon was more fortunate. It was awarded £101,675 which represents 15% of the centre’s

The Pound Arts team celebrating its Arts Council grant income, the balance coming from fundraising, ticket sales and hiring out facilities. Its artistic director, James Slater, is about to unveil his first programme and the building is being upgraded, thanks to an Arts Council grant of more than £370,000 under its small capital programme. Also successful was the Pound Arts centre in Corsham. The investment will be spent on an agreed programme of cultural activity over three years. The funding plays a key role in covering the costs of The Pound, although the centre raises nearly three times the amount through other sources including fundraising, box office and from Wiltshire Council. ■ Robert Agg, a specialist Court of Protection and Mental Capacity solicitor at Mowbray Woodwards has become a panel member of the Law Society Mental Health Accreditation Scheme. The accreditation allows Robert to represent patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 at a Mental Health Review Tribunal and demonstrates that he has the skills and expertise to represent clients at the tribunal.

ING

A little business diversity brings colour With only 20 horse racing days a year Bath Racecourse has to diversify and has done so successfully that this year’s programme of non-raceday events has already surpassed 2013’s total sales figure. The Lansdown venue is available to hire for a variety of events including, conferences, parties, weddings and outdoor events. Recent bookings include training sessions for Waitrose, a festival for 5,000 students, and the Bath Pride Awards.

Jo Hall, executive director said: “One of the keys to our success has been establishing our own catering department in April 2013. We’re now able to work more closely with clients to offer packages which suit their individual needs and budget which has enabled us to win a lot of new business.” Upcoming highlights include the Bath Holi One colour festival on 23 August when partygoers dress in white and get covered in coloured powder.

Accolade for lawyers

Sharing skills for selling

A further five solicitors from Bath-based Withy King have been named Leaders in their Field, by leading legal guide Chambers and Partners UK, bringing the number at the firm with this accolade to 35. The five are: Anne Davies, for family and matrimonial work, Chris Kane for litigation, Helen Childs for personal injury expertise, Holly MievilleHawkins for her specialist Court of Protection work particularly in relation to property and financial affairs, and James McNeile for private client services. Leaders in their Field status is awarded to lawyers by Chambers, based on research carried out with clients, referrers and competitors. Further commentary and ranking positions will not be disclosed until October. Managing partner Graham Street said:“We are extremely proud of all our solicitors who have maintained their Leaders in their Field status and to the five new members of our team who have joined their ranks.”

The Guild, Bath’s coworking hub, in conjunction with Simon Hares The SerialTrainer7, will be launching a sales school aimed at local businesses to help them learn effective skills to increase business. Simon, pictured, formerly head of training at Future in Bath has set up training consultancy SerialTrainer7 after 16 years at the Bath publishing firm. He has created a series of two hour workshops. He says: “It is not my intention to turn businesses into the cliche wide-boy hard salesman, but to help them apply tried and tested techniques that can help them build trust with clients, adding value, and of course, providing them with their product or service.” The Sales School begins on Wednesday 3 September and will run for five weeks. The course will cover effective questioning techniques, commercial communications skills, selling using benefits and value, writing proposals, and presenting skills. Contact Simon at serialtrainer7.com, tel: 07979 537824.

Withy King is currently recruiting graduate trainees for training contracts starting in 2016. To find out more and to apply, visit: www.withyking.co.uk/careers or email: careers@withyking.co.uk

Producing Resolution Not Prolonging Conflict As the largest firm of solicitors in Bath devoted exclusively to family law, Sharp Family Law helps divorcing clients to protect children, preserve assets, and reach an efficient resolution.

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sharp F A M I LY L A W 5 Gay Street, Bath, BA1 2PH, UK email: info@sharpfamilylaw.com t: 01225 448955 / 07798606740 website: www.sharpfamilylaw.com

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CITY | PEOPLE

News in brief ■ Bath independent financial adviser, Combined Financial Strategies, won the accolade of highest scoring firm in Bath by a mystery shopper campaign in the Financial Times’ Financial Adviser supplement, scoring an unprecedented 35/35 in this national campaign. Jonothan McColgan Chartered Financial Planner and director, pictured, said: “I was so surprised that we were selected for a second mystery shopper campaign since the start of the year. However, I am very proud that we have achieved such high back to back scores from campaigns that have tested us on very different areas of specialism (inheritance tax and mortgage advice). We understand that it can be quite daunting speaking to someone about your finances for the first time. So we always try our best to offer as much help and support as we can to any potential customer. It is really nice to see our approach rewarded in these scores.”

Cool piece of kit takes cars out of sight We think this handy car parking device might just go down well in Bath, where space is at a premium and nobody wants their Georgian splendour spoiled by a piece of metal in the foregound. The Swiss firm Cardok UK Ltd, which uses a hydraulic lift system to tuck vehicles neatly underground, has appointed Bath businessman Nick Child as its UK managing director. Owners can put one or more cars below ground with vehicles parked on top. As well as doubling the amount of home parking space for car owners, the Cardok offers more security than a conventional garage. Nick has run several successful businesses in a number of sectors, including electric vehicles, communications and electrical goods, and has sales and marketing expertise. He is based in the firm’s new UK office in Queen Square Place, Bath. He will be responsible for developing UK sales of Cardok and the company’s other parking solutions which include the CarTurn turntable for manoeuvring vehicles in limited spaces. Nick said: “I’m delighted to be joining Cardok which offers the perfect solution to the problem of off-road parking. By installing a Cardok in the driveway homeowners can double their parking

INGENIOUS: Cardock hides cars away space. It’s also an ‘uber-cool’ piece of kit. “Once your vehicle is parked securely underground passers-by won’t even know it’s there. It also offers a number of benefits to architects who can use valuable extra space in their building designs that would otherwise be taken up by parked or turning cars. We already work closely with architects across Europe and are now looking to team-up with building designers here in the south west of England. One recent installation, in Antibes, in the South of France, saw the Cardok used to access a five-space garage under a new villa and incorporated a 5m turntable for easier access.

City salon is simply one of the best in the country

■ “Surround yourself with talented people,” says Bradford-on-Avon estate agent Jeremy Jenkins about his newest team member Natasha Drane or Tash as she is known. Twenty years in estate agency have taught Jeremy what to look for. “It’s all about the right attitude. I can teach people to be great estate agents, I can’t train or teach a fabulously positive attitude. I kept hearing great things about Natasha from lots of people, buyers, sellers and other property professionals. But she worked for a local competitor. In her first frantic three weeks Natasha tied up a couple of sales, won instructions to put three new houses on the market, coolly handled a couple of crisis and just got stuck in. This looks and feels like a winning formula to me.”

Widcombe based hair salon David Maxwell Hairdressing has reached the finals of the HJ’s 2014 British Hairdressing Business Awards. The team at the independent salon is delighted to be one of only half a dozen shortlisted for Salon of the Year in the national competition. The winners will be announced at a black tie ceremony on Monday 8 September at the Lancaster London Hotel. DMH executive director Jayne LewisOrr said: “To achieve finalist status in these awards is great recognition and a huge honour and David Maxwell NICE WORK: the DMH team at the Widcombe salon Hairdressing should be proud of the achievement. We received a record number of entries exceptional standards in customer care and front of this year and the standard has been truly impressive house service with the winning Salon of the Year and it is testament to David Maxwell Hairdressing’s demonstrating exceptional standards across all salon team commitment and passion for their clients and disciplines. team that they have a secured a place in the final.” Finalists from each of the 16 British Hairdressing HJ’s British Hairdressing Business Awards reward Business Awards categories, along with leading and recognise the disciplines required to run a industry names and guests, will celebrate the very best successful hairdressing business, from marketing and of British business acumen at the ceremony next salon design, right through to its website and its staff month. Let’s hope the DMH team bring the trophy training. Recognition is also given to those offering home to Bath.

■ Congratulations to Bath letting agency Intire which won the gold award for Best Small Agency South West (with two to five branches) at The Lettings Agency of the Year Awards 2014 in association with The Sunday Times and The Times and sponsored by Zoopla Property Group.

Monkton Prep School and Baskervilles have joined forces to develop new opportunities for children’s gymnastics in Bath. Baskervilles started over 30 years ago, and its professional gym coaches offer competitive and noncompetitive training at Englishcombe Court. Monkton Prep School in Combe Down has a superb sports hall. This will provide a new setting for Baskervilles to expand its coaching for Monkton pupils and children from the wider community.

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State-of-the-art gym new home for courses Starting in September Baskervilles will be based at the Prep School sports hall every Wednesday, running gym classes for children from age two through to children in Year 8. These classes will allow children to develop co-ordination, core strength and fitness, while gaining the necessary skills to earn the BAGA awards and compete in local and national competitions. For further details on classes contact Baskervilles Gym, tel: 01225 330001.

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CREATING LASTING VALUES – WHAT ABOUT JOHN & MARY? The history of the Somerset town where I had recently been asked to help John & Mary (as we will refer to them) is mentioned in a charter granted by King Ethelred dating back to 995. There is a flourishing, caring and supportive community. John (82) & Mary (79), are a delightful couple, have been married for 60 years and traded successfully as retail outfitters for over 50 years. We had one hour before their customary lunch at the Church Hall. “The problem” John explained “is the 0.79% interest on our private bank account and it really irks me”. I asked why, & to think of the ‘problem’ as if he still ran his business. “It irks me that we have free travel insurance, mobile phone cover, car recovery but we don’t use mobiles, no longer drive or go on holiday”. “We are paying for something we neither want or need”. Having explained this to their bank a visit from a financial adviser was arranged during which the return could apparently be increased to 7%! Sticking with John and Mary I wanted to know how they met, came to running their own business, what their early life was like, their family, health and what they felt about life now. John & Mary held hands, became thoughtful and measured and the atmosphere, emotions and responses changed completely. They were a little rocked back; “no one has ever asked that before”. John explained lucidly that two weeks ago he was diagnosed with lymphoma and Mary was in very good health. “I have a life expectancy of two to five years”. John told me. Having sold the shop they continued to live above and to the side in twelve rooms.Would they stay here? They answered no and had bought and renovated a small comfortable property next door, to accommodate the survivor on the premature death of one of them at which time, the existing house would then be sold. A room had also been reserved at a local nursing home. And what about your family? There were no children and their immediate family included

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nine brothers and sisters, all older, unmarried and no children. All were “financially secure”. Both talked about their early life and how one had to be sensible, even frugal with money. John reached for a post office red Silva book.Very neatly recorded in pencil, was a list of cash deposits amounting to £2.5M and property valued at a further £1.75m and a joint income of £65,000.00. They lived off their State pensions and some of the property income. Now why would they need a 7% return from “safe bond investments”? Naturally we turned to their wills and any power of attorney – “this is where we need most help.” Further discussion lead to various charities being named that played an important part in their lives from health to nature. This led me to ask if there was anyone else they cared for. Mary, being very sensitive, went on to tell me about the friends who had helped them in the business over many years, how difficult one particular close special and generous individual was finding life and ‘it would be nice to leave them a little something”. How much I asked? “Oh I thought £5,000.00:” And the special person? “Well I thought £50,000.00”. My response was to enquire whether they had thought of giving them the money now. Do you think that would help? Think of the joy it would bring you & your special friend now. In the comfortable room the TV set was noticeable because it looked as if it was black & white and was the size of a mini i pad; it was dominated by the Sky Box. It turned out that John loved his cricket & films but would like to experience the cricket more fully. Appointments were made to improve the return on their cash deposits (including their ISA’s). Local professionals including their solicitor and accountant were contacted and consultations began to explore their thoughts and wishes concerning their estate. Meanwhile, a modest but latest HD TV set let’s John enjoy his cricket and films; “it’s as if I was there”. x Author: Steven Coles MScIT ACIB CFP • Tel 0117 9706958

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A tax break for the goodwill in your business! There are considerable tax benefits to be gained from transferring your sole trade or partnership business into a limited company and we’ve covered the subject in previous months. One that hasn’t been mentioned before is getting your company to pay you for the value you’ve built up in your business over the years – the excess over the simple asset values that a buyer might pay you for acquiring your business - and this is known as Goodwill. The value of this goodwill is subject to Capital Gains Tax but at a special rate of 10% and everyone has an annual exemption from capital gains in each tax year – currently £11,000. So if the goodwill is valued at £50,000 then the company can pay you this amount and you will have a tax liability of only £3,900 – a very good rate! The goodwill value has to be realistic but if your business has been making profits you might be surprised at what can be achieved. In the above example, the £50,000 doesn’t have to be taken at once (very often the funds aren’t available) but can be credited to your director’s loan account for you to draw on, tax free, as and when the cash becomes available.

At OCL we have been looking after SMEs (start ups to turnovers of £3 million) for more than twenty years; we would be pleased to meet you to discuss any tax, financial and accounting matters that would help you, including how we can help you save money. See our website for more – and download our FREE guides

“For us, in our 30 years experience, OCL Accountancy is the best fit we have found.” Call Marie Maggs or Mike Wilcox on 01225 445507 to arrange a no-obligation meeting 141 Englishcombe Lane, Bath BA2 2EL

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ADULT | LEARNING

Education needn’t end when you leave school An exciting new series of short courses for adults, from the creative and practical to the academic and career based, is launched in Bath next month – apply now with 10% discount

ity of Bath College has a programme of one-day and short courses for those with the desire to learn new skills and acquire knowledge throughout their adult lives. The wide range of Love2learn courses can help, whether you want to improve your current career, help you change jobs, or allow you to learn things or fun and personal satisfaction. The new programme, which starts in September, has been designed to fit around people’s busy lifestyles with courses running in the evening or on Saturdays. This is third year the college has offered its adult learning Love2Learn courses. Choose from courses in creative areas such as art, craft, photography and cooking, practical areas such as plumbing, woodwork or stitch and mend, or useful courses such as languages and selling on eBay. Brush up your computer skills, including learning how to make presentations which could give you an edge at your next job interview. You could also learn the art of self-publicity, write a sitcom, do a music workshop or sing like a soul diva. New courses offered this year include The Great Bath Bake Off, cycle maintenance, simple science for gardeners and a guide to Britain’s Woodland Heritage. The college also offers professional qualifications, such as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants diploma, Professional Certificate in marketing and ILM Diplomas in leadership and management. College principal Matt Atkinson said: “The college is highly committed to learning, training and development. We are firm believers that learning and education are open to people throughout their lives and have a wide range of courses on offer. ” Claire Thomas was among those who enrolled on a recent ten-week Love2learn course in upholstery to restore an old chair. Under the watchful eye of an industry professional, the class was encouraged to work on their own items of furniture as part of the growing recycling culture of re-using rather than wasting. Claire, who recently moved to Bradford-on-Avon from Sweden, wanted to restore the chair to its former glory after discovering it was made by Swedish designer Carl Malmsten and is worth around £1,000. She said: “I just saw this abandoned chair poking out of the snow in Sweden. It looked absolutely disgusting; the legs had fallen off, the arms were wobbly, the springs were poking out and it was covered in mould. I brought the chair to England when I moved house and it’s been a labour of love ever since. I’ve taken something old and given it a whole new life; it’s now a lovely chair which will take pride of place at home.” The college will also continue to run its popular mystery courses from September for those with a sense of adventure. Sign up for one-day courses without knowing exactly what it is you will be learning. The first mystery course was The Italian Supper Club, in which participants made fresh pasta dish to take home, and designed and printed menu cards. The Love2learn prospectus is now available to pick up at the Student Advice Centre in the Roper Building on James Street West. For further information email: courses@citybathcoll.ac.uk, telephone the Student Advice Centre on: 01225 328720 or visit: www.citybathcoll.ac.uk. If you book online, you can enjoy a 10% discount. Follow City of Bath College, on Twitter @BathCollege or on Facebook at facebook.com/BathCollege. n WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

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BOOKS | REVIEW

Be inspired this summer Ahead of September’s children’s literature festival of Bath Waterstone’s picks some good reads for the school holidays

1 Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse by Chris Ridell Macmillan £9.99 None of us here at Waterstones can praise Chris Riddell enough and reading Goth Girl will show you why. It is a perfect package of gorgeous illustrations and a wonderfully witty story. It is a tale of lonely Ada Goth whose father believes in children being heard but not seen. But when she finally finds some friends in the form of a ghostly mouse called Ishmael and the children of the castl’'s servants the adventures really begin. Interspersed by the footnotes of a severed foot from a famous writer lost in the Battle of Baden-Baden-WurttembergBaden this is full of fun, word play and extras bringing Ada’s tale to a whole new level for adults to enjoy as well. We love it! Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse is this summer’s Kids Big Bath Read. Enjoy the book then go to one of three workshops in August. Find out more at: http://bathfestivals.org.uk/childrens-literature/kids-big-bath-read.

2 You Choose by Nick Sharatt Corgi children’s, £6.99 While there may not be a story to it, You Choose is a brilliantly interactive picture book that gets adults and children alike completely engrossed. Budding story-writers of all ages will never be lost for ideas and inspiration. The hundreds of pictures spanning all areas of the world both real and imaginary bring endless fun and plenty of things to talk about. Questions include: if you could have any pet what would you choose (the elephant) or where would you choose to live? (the windmill) Nick Sharratt’s distinctive illustrations are perfect for bringing this book to life.

David Almond, guest artistic director of the Telegraph Children’s Bath Literature Festival on why children’s books are far from being endangered: “We’re fortunate. We live at a time when the children’s literature is thriving. Authors and illustrators are creative, experimental, industrious. They produce books in a wild and wonderful range of forms. Children’s books, like children themselves, can be playful and serious, hilarious and profound. They can explore the most troubling aspects of human life, and can generate gales of laughter. The children’s book world is populated by people – writers, artists, publishers, agents, teachers, librarians, critics, academics – who really do believe that literature matters, that it can change people’s lives and enhance our society. Best of all, we live at a time when children themselves are active in many art forms. They act, paint, draw, sing, dance, make music, dream and wonder, as they always have. And they read, and they read perceptively and creatively. Some folk don’t believe such things. They prefer a more pessimistic version of the world. They need to come along to the this festival – one of the world’s most important and highly-respected celebrations of children’s literature – to be entertained, inspired and illuminated.”

5 Blood Red Road by Moira Young Lloyd Books, £7.99 Within the desolate and dried shores of Silverlake, Saba lives a meagre existence. Though she is content, her life is thrown into turmoil when her beloved twin Lugh is kidnapped. Saba sets off to find him but in doing so she has to leave everything she knows behind. Blood Red Road is fast paced and impossible to put down. Through the action packed adventure Young expresses the importance of friends and family, even when you can’t see it yourself. Loved by many of us here at Waterstones, Blood Red Road has made its way straight into our recommendations and it is definitely here to stay.

3 Gigantosaurus by Jonny Duddle Templar Publishing, £10.99 We love all Jonny Duddle's books but this is his best work to date. A highly amusing retelling of the boy who cried wolf story, with dinosaurs. Bonehead and his friends go out to play, with warnings of the Gigantosaurus ringing in their ears. Bonehead decides to try and trick the others and learns the hard way that lying can get you eaten in the end, literally! Does he learn his lesson? The charming rhyme and easy rhythms make it a perfect story for reading out loud. The book jacket also folds out into a double-sided poster as a fun addition to the story. A perfect gift for younger readers.

4 Gone by Michael Grant Electric Monkey, £7.99 One of the biggest young adult series to appear after The Hunger Games, Gone gets straight into the action with the event that changes everything. All the adults, everyone over the age of 15 disappears, instantly. The children that are left are trapped in a dome and chaos rules. Just in case that wasn’t enough, some of the survivors have power – a mutant power like no-one has ever seen. A sort of dystopic Lord of the Flies, Gone has captured the minds of teenagers everywhere and, with six books in the series, it’s the perfect book for reluctant and voracious readers alike. 62 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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6 Inkeart by Cornelia Funke Chicken House, £7.99 A real booklover’s book that is sure to become a children’s classic and loved for generations more. Inkheart follows Meggie, the daughter of a book repairer in her seemingly normal life. But, when a stranger knocks on their door, her father, Mo, is forced to reveal an extraordinary secret. He can read the characters out of their books and into his world. At first, this seems a magical turn of events however, when dangerous people step out of the pages, Meggie’s life is changed forever. A fantastic adventure story, perfectly written, with a host of colourful characters.

The Telegraph Children’s Bath Literature Festival, Friday 26 September to Sunday 5 October, in association with Waterstones. From Peppa Pig to Henry Winkler, aka The Fonz, now champion to the dyslexic reader, the 2014 festival has book events for every taste. There’ll be appearances by Simon Mayo, Benjamin Zephaniah and Michael Morpurgo, as well as Miffy, Horrid Henry and many many more. Hundreds of local schoolchildren will also be involved. Pick up a programme from your local library or the Tourist Information Centre in Abbey Church Yard, or visit www.bathfestivals.org.uk. To book tickets call: 01225 463362.

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FAMILY | WHAT’S ON

Tempt the kids from their screens The school holidays lie ahead and the challenge is to get the children out of the house and never to hear them say “i’m bored!” - we hope our packed guide of things to do in august will inspire you and them

FREE: Unwelcome Visitors The signs at the Holburne Museum warn you to beware of the fairies – but these little creatures are like no fairies you’ve seen before. Tiny little skeletons wielding swords ride on the backs of bees or on chariots made from animal skulls. Tessa Farmer’s macabre miniatures have already fascinated visiting children. This exhibition on the first floor of the museum is free. FREE: live music at the market Head down to Green Park Station between 11am and 3pm through the week of Monday 11 – Friday 15 August, where Bath Artisan Market and Bath Folk Festival have combined forces to provide live music, stalls selling all kinds of things and food, along with free workshops for children.Visit: www.bathartisanmarket.com. A world of colour Back by popular demand on the lawns of the Holburne Museum is Colourscape, which will be in place from Saturday 16 to Monday 25 August, 11am till 4pm. Immerse yourself in the sensory experience of walking through tunnels soaked in colour. Suitable for all ages, Colourscape has been especially effective for young people with autism. Tickets: £6 adults, £3 children. AT HOME: Fun in the kitchen You can start cooking with your children from

when they’re toddlers, happy to enthusiastically (and messily) decorate cup cakes or help add pizza toppings. They can then progress to kneading dough, buttering a slice of bread, stirring until – as long as supervised around sharp knives and hot pans – a responsible nine or ten-year-old can make sandwiches and a decent cup of tea for his mum or dad.

Wildlife gardening workshop Saturday 23 August 1pm-3pm Visit the Bath City Farm and learn how to attract birds, bees, butterflies and invertebrates into your garden and make a wildflower seed bomb to take home. This workshop is practical and will be taught outside. Booking required. £2/£1 concessions.

Fun on the farm Bath City Farm at Kelston View, Bath has a programme of events this summer for you and your children to get involved in. There’s bread making on Friday 1 August 10am-3pm: Join Gem for a workshop on bread and croissant making. Booking required. £20/£10 concessions. Farm After Dark Wednesday 6 August 7.309.30pm: explore the farm after hours and spot some night time wildlife. Booking required. £2/£1 concessions. Meet and Greet the Chickens Saturday 9 August 10am-1pm: Learn more about different breeds of chicken, hold them, look for eggs and make chicken portraits. Booking required. £2/£1 concessions. Tel: 01225 481269.

Book launch of Stan Stinky vs the Sewer Pirates Thursday 7 August, 10.30am – noon My Small World, Little Southgate, Bath Hannah Shaw will be launching her new book for readers aged six to 11 years. Tickets , £5 per child and £1.50 for extra siblings. This includes a coffee for the adult and a drink for the child. Hannah will read a section of the book and do some illustrations and worksheets.

FREE Bath Folk Festival Family Fun Day Saturday 16 August 10am-3pm Bath Folk Festival present a top line up at the Bath City Farm including Rory McLeod, Inu and Calico Jack as well as free workshops, bouncy castle, stalls and a treasure hunt. No need to book.

FREE Community Playdays run by Bath Area Play Project Monday 11 August 1pm - 4pm Fun for the whole family, in Alice Park, including active play and sports. Part of a summer of play days. Visit: www.http://bapp.org.uk to find one near you. The magic of the big top Giffords Circus, the family-run vintage circus is to return to Alice Park in Bath from Thursday 21 – Tuesday 26 August, following its triumphant

PLAY AND LEARN AT YOUR LOCAL MUSEUM The Roman Baths, supported by the Heritage Lottery, is staging family drop-in activities every Monday in August, 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm (except Bank Holiday Monday) there’ll be hands-on sessions about different aspects of Roman life, with the chance to get close to coins from thousands of years ago. Free to Discovery Card holders. On Tuesdays throughout August the Fashion Museum is holding its own activities, between 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm. There’ll be creative workshops centred around textiles and colour, including weaving using plastic bags. Free to Discovery Card holders. For 10 to 16-year-olds the Fashion Museum has make-it sessions on Wednesdays, 10am to noon, with a £5 fee. You’ll need to book, tel: 01225 477789. Workshops include making a rag rug, or upcycling old t-shirts. The council owned Victoria Art Gallery runs a popular series of art based sessions with a different theme each time, mostly inspired by pictures in the gallery. You’ll need to book, tel: 01225 477233 and there is a £4 charge to cover materials. Children must be accompanied. On Wednesdays throughout the school holidays, between 10.30am to 11.30am, three to five year olds are encouraged to make things, while on Fridays, between 10.30am and noon, six to 11-year-olds will take part in

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arty activities more suited to their age group. The Holburne Museum has summer art camps for five to 11-year-olds and separately for 11 to 16-year-olds. Go for one day or book in for several. These will be led by professionals and take inspiration from exhibitions at the museum. A day, which runs from 10am to 4pm is £35 to include materials. Tel: 01225 388568. No 1 Royal Crescent museum has a series of themed events on Fridays, between 11am and 1pm weekly, called Curiosity Workshops throughout August. They are all inspired by the curiosity and exploration of the 18th century. Friday 8 August: discover more about tribes around the world while you create your own tribal jewellery; Friday 15 August, make a decorative native mask and Friday 22 August , inspired by a table map and Captain Cook’s adventures, create a boat or treasure map. Use a table map to sail the seven seas just like Captain Cook. Free with normal admission to the museum, or free for Discovery Card holders on Family Fridays. By the light of flickering torches you can walk on 2,000 year old pavements as the Roman Baths are open in the evenings throughout August. Soak up the atmosphere of the time before electricity was invented.

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FAMILY | WHAT’S ON – Tuesday 26 August, following its triumphant visit last year. This year’s tour The Thunders includes dancing horses, dashing Dalmatians, music, flying people, jugglers, Tweedy the clown and show stealer Brian the goose. Tickets: £22 adults, £14 children. Under 3s are free if they’re sitting on a lap. Visit: www.giffordscircus.com or tel: 0845 459 7469. Grow something On Sunday 17 August, Bath Area Growers (BAGs) is holding an Alternative Produce Show in Alice Park from 1 – 5pm. The judging, such as it is, rates tastiness and creativity rather than awarding points for the six most perfect, symmetrical potatoes, for example. There are classes for fruit, veg, art, craft, cooking, preserving, dressing-up (children only) Entries are accepted in the morning. all the show details from: www.bathareagrowers.org/alternativeproduce-show-2014. Meet Peppa Pig Pre-school favourite Peppa Pig is also making a welcome return to Bath. The plumply pink one will be at Bath Racecourse on Thursday 21 August at a school holiday raceday. Under 18s go free with a paying adult. As well as the horse racing there’ll be a bouncy castle and face painting, with Peppa Pig making guest appearances throughout the day, to see her fans. Tickets from £15. Tel: 01225 424 609 or visit www.bath-racecourse.co.uk. Beat your dad Parents can pitch their golfing skills against their children at the Victoria Falls Adventure Golf course in Royal Victoria Park. It’s Bath’s own take on crazy golf, with a tastefully landscaped 18 hole course with not a tacky windmill in sight, but enough twists and turns to provide plenty of challenges. It’s open daily from 10am until dusk. £4.50 for adults to play, £3.50 for under 16s. Find the course in Royal Avenue, between Charlotte Street car park and the Royal Crescent. Help rescued animals Bath’s animal lovers will want to support the Claverton based animal rescue home on Bank Holiday Monday, 25 August, 11am to 4pm, when it holds its annual fun day. The Cats and Dogs Home’s annual running costs are around £1.4m, so this event is vital to keep the home’s work going. Take the family dog along to take part in the novelty dog show, or watch the dog agility show. Find out about animals looking for new homes or enjoy the Tractor Ted bouncy castle, a magic show, and refreshments. Tickets: £4 adult, £3.50 senior citizens, £2, 5-16 years, under fives go free. Visit: www.bcdh.org.uk Act up Join one of the theatre summer schools at the egg theatre, with different sessions for children aged from two to 12. There’s a morning session on Saturday 9 August for two to four-year-olds, based on Twinkle, Twinkle, Squiglet Pig, or a Wild West themed week of drama and music from Monday 4 August for seven to nine-yearolds (£85 for five four-hour sessions). Ten to 12-year-olds can create a play in a week, inspired by the stories of Michael Morpurgo. That’s from Monday 11 August. Tel: 01225 823 409 WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

Outdoor theatre The annual Storm on the Lawn sees young actors put on a play in the glorious alfresco setting of the 18th century Ball Court at Prior Park College. This year’s production is Robin Hood – deep in the Forest of Sherwood, a band of lionhearted bandits are gathering, ready to do battle in the name of vengeance and love… Wednesday 27 – Sunday 31 August, wear warm clothing and bring a cushion. Performance times vary. Suitable for over tens. Tickets, £13 adults, £9 children and students. Tel: 01225 448844. The big screen Every Tuesday and Thursday, throughout the Summer hols, the Little Theatre cinema will be screening children’s films at Komedia in Westgate Street. Tuesday: activities from 12.30, film at 1.15, Thursday: activities at 10.15, film at 11.00. Tickets from £1.50. Films include Spirited Away, Muppets Most Wanted and, from the British Museum, Viking Adventures. Tickets from www.picturehouses.co.uk or tel: 0871 902 5735 History and rolling down banks You can explore what life was like in a big country mansion, or roll down the grassy banks at the National Trust house Dyrham Park, just north of Bath, which will be open seven days a week during August. This is a great day out with grandparents and little ones as there are things of interest for all ages, including a trail of things to spot around the house. Take a picnic or have lunch in the tea-room. There’s a free bus between the main car park and the house.

of the panoramic views over Bath. Alice Park is also good for children of mixed ages as there’s a playground, a cafe and tennis courts. Diggers and tractors Bowood House and estate near Calne is holding a Big Machines weekend on 16 and 17 August, with working displays by JCB diggers and forestry equipment plus trailer and tractor rides. Bowood sees around 45,000 young visitors every year – drawn by the fabulous adventure playground, Tractor Ted’s Little Farm with live animals. There’s plenty of room for picnics too. A family ticket for the day is £32.50. Medieval Bath Bath’s history tends to focus on the Romans and the Georgians but at Ora et Labora, a shop inspired the city’s monastic past, there’s a display about medieval life. Through the school holidays call in to the Abbey Green premises and for £5 take part in children’s craft activities such as brass rubbing or candlemaking. You might meet Bath’s Pudding Wife too, and enjoy the chance to take a selfie with her. FREE: On your bike Have you cycled through Bath’s Two Tunnels yet? For a family big day out (but not for tinies or wobbly cyclists) why not tackle the 13-mile round route, which takes you from the Two Tunnels at Combe Down out to Midford and then back into Bath along the Kennet and Avon Canal path? Take plenty of water and snacks to keep weary pedallers motivated.

Mice on skates Corsham’s Pound Arts Centre has a series of events for families this month, kicking off on Saturday 2 August at 1pm and 3pm, with the puppet production of Mice on Skates by Fly in the Pie Puppet Theatre, about two intrepid rodents who go travelling.Tickets: £6.50 (£5.50 concessions), £20 family. Recommended age 2-7 years. tel: 01249 701628. FREE: Play in the park In a week you could visit a different one of Bath’s parks each day. With a Discovery card you can get into Parade Gardens free and loll about in stripy deckchairs, or burn off some energy in the well equipped playground at Royal Victoria Park. Little ones will enjoy the swings at Hedgemead Park, good on very hot days as there’s plenty of shade. Henrietta Park is also good for shady picnics. Nearby Sydney Gardens has wide paths for tinies on trikes, dry for pushchairs too. The energetic could tackle the climb up Jacob’s Ladder from Lyncombe to the top of Alexandra Park – or you could drive up there and take some binoculars to make the most

Hands-on afternoons The American Museum at Claverton is holding drop-in making sessions for families every Thursday throughout August from 1pm to 4pm. On 7 August: be inspired by the colour and pattern in the Kaffe Fassett exhibition and create a paper quilt, on 14 August it’s banner and flag printing, while on 21 August an artist will be on the lawn to bring a mini community to life. Arrive early to find out how to make your own willow structures. All families are invited to decorate the little homes with drawings, stories, and messages. Dressing up optional. Finally, on 28 August, create your own clay pot. All sessions suitable for age three plus, but they must bring an adult. Climb the wall The National Trust house and gardens, Tyntesfield (near Wraxall in North Somerset), is hosting Vertical Extreme, with its climbing wall as part of the 50 Things To Do Before You’re 11¾, on Saturday 23 August, between 11am – 4pm. It’s £5 per person to have a go at rock climbing (although the wall isn’t made of rock).n AUGUST 2014

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HOLIDAY | SUN

Sparkling jewel in the Med Travel writer Naomi Price visits the island of Sardinia to discover beautiful and secluded beaches, exclusive hotels and a gracious people who don’t pander to mass tourism

ive silky ribbons of silver-grey, a handful of blond grains, an embossed cork, a purloined shower cap of dark seed husks and a recipe for little fried pasta parcels stuffed with ricotta, cream and cardamom honey. I puzzled for a moment or two over the shakenout contents. But the essence of Sardinia lay in the bottom of my beach bag. I’d lain on a deserted bay I had ‘discovered’ for a day on one vast pillow of dried kelp, where the cleansing Mistral wind meets the hot Scirocco, soughing through the brake of rosemary and myrtle. I’d dipped into the dreamy layers of the Costa Smeralda – as bright green and kingfisher turquoise as the imagination suggests. I’d kept a memento of a delicious honey-scented Vermentino wine from a supper of sea bass at the water’s edge, the granite rocks merging into pink with the dusk at the Valle dell’Erica. I’d tried to take in every word of expertise from Chicca, the lady of the inimitable pasta parcels, who spoke shyly in one of Sardinia’s many dialects and languages, numbering Catalan among its dazzling array. And for Bath soil I had a stalk of rock-rose seeds, a stem of oleander and some helichrysum that is the scent of the hinterland. Sardinia lies right in the middle of the Med, closer to Africa than to Sicily and 11 nautical miles off the closest point of Corsica. On the approach to Olbia, the island’s northern airport, the cloud lifts suddenly to reveal an impossible beauty: a pattern of limpid bays and archipelagos fringed with the tracery of creamy-yellow beaches as delicate as the filigree work of the silver jewellery of the island, reaching out like the tendrils of a piece of seaweed. The coast of Sardinia is one vast wild maritime garden. In spring the island is yellow and fragrant with sweet-pea scented wild broom. In summer the sea could be mistaken for the waters of the Caribbean. A never-never holiday destination with an unvarying climate of wall-to-wall sunshine? Not Sardinia. Summer enjoys sporadic rain, when the scent of sage and musky helichyrsum rises from the loamy earth. A large chunk of north-east Sardinia is home to the Valle dell’Erica hotelresort. Set so close to the Tyrrhenian Sea as to be almost in it, the resort is built sympathetically around all the features of this area of heart-stopping 66 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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natural beauty. Huge boulders of pink granite and basalt stand like sentinels in the middle of the many sea-water swimming pools. Wooded slopes of olive trees sway silver in the breeze; gardens of oleander and shrub-high rosemary lead to sheltered bays of seventy acres of private coastline. Stylishly informal, the resort embodies quintessential Italian understatement: low-level villas and suites with panoramic views in the vernacular of unpointed stone and soft-orange and lemon-painted exteriors, with rooms of cloud-and-sky interiors. It’s all about not getting to the beach before the Germans do: endearingly, the resort operates a sort of reverse catchment-area policy, limiting the number of Italian guests so as to give other nationalities a look-in. Further down the coast and opposite the Maddalena Archipelago, the informal elegance of the Capo d’Orso resort-hotel is tantalisingly visible only to guests of the hotel’s separate suites and villas whose private gardens and terraces (one with its own beach) reach down to secluded teak swimming platforms and invariably deserted bays and coves. The grounds are a series of rooms linked by secret meandering paths, the ancient olive trees casting dappled light on mosaic-tiled swimming pools. Turn one corner and you might reasonably expect to bump into the Leopard, Prince of Salina: a giant from the texts of Italian fiction, in search of his naughty Great Dane, digging up one of the rose borders... Sardinia is different. Its gracious people – Sardinian first and Italian second – don’t pander to mass tourism. Some barely speak English – and why should they? The pianist at a slick establishment sat down at the baby grand and rattled out a Chopin polonaise, then settled to the main business of accompanying his singer. Her sublime voice was larger than the songs she covered: “Lady Bee, Lady Bee, Lady Bee, Lady Bee” she sang, “Spikkin worms of Wisden, Lady Bee.” When I passed by later on, she had finished being the big-voiced Amy Winehouse, only saying goodbye with worms and going back to back. `and was now tackling John Denver. “Country rose,” she sang “Take me ho, to the play, I below, west vagina, mountain mountain.” Rather an improvement on the original, I thought. n

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HOLIDAY | SUN

INTO THE BLUE: main picture, opposite, a panoramic view at Valle dell’Eric. Inset and above, inside and out at Capo d’Orso

Sailing, riding and luxury accommodation: island has much to offer The Delphina group is a prolific and eclectic family of eight hotel-resorts, each with their own distinct personality. The newest addition, La Licciola (2005), is characterised by a blend of clean modern lines and classic accents (pink granite columns and cloistered courtyards). Contact the Capo d’Orso and the Valle dell’Erica (both five-star with Thalasso Spa treatment centres and respective 9 and 18-hole golf courses). Book direct with Delphina at www.delphina.it, or email: info@delphina.it. Phone (+39) (0) 789 790018. Inclusive holidays may also be arranged with Sardatur Holidays, the Sardinia specialists. Offering competitive rates, they operate a unique private charter service with BA with dedicated check-in desk, free luggage allowance and upgrades to Club Class and flights out of Heathrow T5 to Olbia, journey time around two hours. Contact ask@sardatur-holidays.co.uk or tel: 0208 940 8399. Prices for a week at the Valle d’Erica start from £1,154 pp based on half board including flights and transfers. Family suites at La Licciola around

WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

£5,904 are based on two adults and two children. The Capo d’Orso ranges from £1,128 pp. Restaurants serve exquisite sea-fresh cuisine. The pizzeria at the Capo d’Orso has been producing its dough from the same piece of yeast culture for 30 years. The Valle dell’Erica offers a complimentary programme of activities for children aged 10 upwards featuring snorkelling, canoeing and Robinson Crusoe-style trips to deserted Spargi island. Sardinia makes for exhilarating sailing. The north is the venue for the Rolex Cup and Americas Cups (2017). The archipelago island of Caprera is famous for its sailing school and there are snorkelling excursions into the stupendous Maddalena archipelago. Sardinia is a horse-minded society in which the special Sardinian Anglo-Arab plays a prominent role, especially in festivals throughout the year. Hacking is available at another nearby Delphina resort, the Cala di Lepre. Contact + 347 7823354. Bliss for horsey Bathonians.

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HEALTH | & BEAUTY

The quiet mind We have between 12,00 and 60,000 thoughts a day, and many of them can be destructive. Alison Sutton, a hypnotherapist and life coach, has been working with clients on developing mindfulness to deal with stress and anxiety. She says: “As well as helping people to overcome the consequences of their thinking, I have begun bringing mindfulness into my hypnosis and coaching practice as a preventative treatment, to help clients to bring their attention more into the present moment and help them to avoid jumping onto the trains of thought that carry them towards destructive thinking.” Mindfulness is based on Buddhist meditation integrated with western science, but while its roots are in spirituality, the practice is free of religious teachings. It brings our attention back into our bodies and back to our breath which allows us to start to notice any obsessive thoughts and brings about an understanding of how much of our experience of life is created by our thinking. It is a practical tool that, when used on a daily basis, begins a process of change that creates incredible results in health, wellbeing and in relationships. No wonder the Government is talking about teaching it to young people in schools, raising a new generation more capable of facing life equably. Contact Alison, tel: 07713626673 or email: alison@alisonheathersutton.co.uk.

FIT & FAB It’s never too late to adopt new, good habits or enjoy a touch of glamour

Golden Girls

Age is no barrier: summer makeup should be quick and easy to apply and the Surf and Sand Collection from Bobbi Brown allows women of all ages to achieve a radiant glow effortlessly – limited edition Sheer Lip Colors, £19.50, and eye palette, £48, modelled by Kate Upton. Equally, Twiggy proves there’s no age limit to carrying off a bit of bling in the jacket line. This is the new gold leather biker jacket (£249) from the M&S Collection, which will ease you in to the chillier days of autumn, while looking pretty damn good in the process.

Exercise for over 70s cuts prescription uptake by up to half Keeping active, by regularly walking, cycling or swimming in your 70s and 80s, really pays off in health terms, according to a new study carried out by the University of Bath in partnership with UWE Bristol and the University of Bristol. Older people who undertake at least 25 minutes of moderate or vigorous exercise every day need fewer prescriptions and are less likely to be admitted to hospital in an emergency. The findings, published in the journal PLoS ONE, reinforce the need for older people to stay active. It could also reduce reliance on NHS services and potentially lead to cost savings. In the first study of its kind looking at this age group, researchers looked at data from 213 people whose average age was 78. Of people studied, those who carried out more than 25 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day – such as walking quickly, cycling or swimming – received 50 per cent fewer prescriptions than those who were more active over a four to five year period. Such physical activity leads to a higher metabolism and better circulation, reducing the risk of conditions and diseases common in older age such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and strokes. By contrast those who carried out just three minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity were twice as likely to face hospital admissions when compared to those who averaged 39 minutes. These results remained significant even

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when other factors affecting health were taken into account, such as socio-economic status, education, weight, existing disease and level of physical function. Researchers measured physical activity using accelerometers – small gadgets that monitor all movement throughout the day – alongside elements of physical function including balance, leg strength and walking gait. Medical records were then examined to investigate health service

usage over the next four years. This captured visits to GPs and walk-in appointments, hospital visits, unplanned admissions to hospital and the number of prescriptions needed. Professor Ken Fox, from Bristol University’s Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Studies who led the study said: “Until now, very little has been known about the value of physical activity in later life, particularly when people are in their 70s and 80s. This research underlines that keeping older people active brings a whole range of health benefits, as well as reducing reliance on the NHS and potentially leading to major cost savings.” The results support recent recommendations from NICE that all GPs should encourage physical activity in their older patients. A simple exercise regime could start by stepping out briskly to buy a paper each morning, then extending the walking time further from home. Bath Ramblers organise led walks every Sunday morning. These usually begin at the café in Royal Victoria Park and participants can choose to follow a three, five to six or eight to ten mile walk, always with a leader. This is also a sociable way to keep fit. Visit: www.bathra.org.uk for the latest programme of walks. Fitness instructor Jane Braham also leads walks, with the option of using Nordic poles. Her walks are usually around an hour. Visit: wwwwalkingfitclub.com. Jane charges £10 to join, £4 per walk or £20 for a month, to take part in as many walks as you wish.

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A SENSE OF FADED GLORY A de-commissioned nuclear power station is one of the talking points along the way in this walk through the Gloucestershire countryside, but, says Andrew Swift there is also a pretty pastoral landscape to admire

lthough Berkeley Castle is one of Gloucestershire’s top visitor attractions, the town and the area around it is little known. This walk, along overgrown paths and beside weed-clogged waterways, is not only an introduction to its delights, but also ends at a pub voted one of the best in the south west. Berkeley is steeped in history. A mint was established here in the tenth century and by 1086 it had received a market charter. Its Saxon minster was one of the wealthiest in Gloucestershire, and it was a port, with a safe haven on a pill or tidal creek leading off the Little Avon. Yet it is also a place that history seems to have passed by. In 1520, when John Leland visited, he found the cloth trade – basis of its medieval prosperity – in terminal decline and wrote that ‘the town of Berkeley is no great thing’. A sense of faded glory permeates this walk, from the empty shops and defunct inns of Berkeley’s High Street, to the reedy ditch which represents its once navigable river. Even Berkeley’s nuclear power station – Britain’s first – has closed and awaits final decommissioning. To get to the starting point, head north along the M5. Leave at Junction 14, head west and then north along the A38 for three and a half miles before turning left for Berkeley. At a T junction turn left, carry straight on at a roundabout to the town centre and at the Market Place turn left into the narrow High Street, at the end of which you should find parking on the left. At the end of the High Street, turn right along Jumpers Lane (ST683989). The joinery yard on the left was once a wharf on Berkeley Pill, where ships unloaded cargoes bound for the castle. There are records of wine from the continent being received here as early as 1400. The large building beyond it is Salt House, which suggests there were saltings nearby. Carry on past bollards along Stock Lane. This was named after one of Berkeley’s principal industries, brickmaking. Hand-made stock bricks were used for most buildings until machine-made bricks took over in the 19th century. After 125 metres the lane swings right towards a group of buildings. This was the site of the town’s principal wharf and the brick building ahead was the Ship Inn. The houses on your right, as you carry on alongside Berkeley Pill, stand on the site of a large brick field. Over to your left is Berkeley Castle Mill. Originally known as Sea Mills, it was built around 1753 to grind animal feed for the Berkeley Estate, and stood alongside a wharf. It was later used as a flour mill but closed in 2004. When the path forks, bear left to continue alongside the pill. After another 72 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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200 metres, when a rough track bears right, carry on along an overgrown and narrow path squeezed between a fence and the pill (ST678992). After 175 metres look to your left to see where Berkeley Pill joins the Little Avon. This confluence dates from the 1970s when a new channel was dug for the Little Avon, which previously joined the pill further downstream. Carry on across a footbridge over a tributary stream and carry on through a succession of kissing gates (KGs). Although pastoral today, the fields on your right were once covered by more brickworks. After 400 metres the path bears right as the river makes a sharp turn to the north. After another 100 metres, cross a stile, carry on through a KG and cross a lane to continue alongside the river. A stile leads into a field, past two trees loaded with mistletoe. Over to your left are the decommissioned reactors of Berkeley Power Station. This was Britain’s first commercial nuclear power station, work on which started in 1957. It closed in 1989, and, although most of the buildings have been demolished, final decommissioning has to wait until 2074. To the right of the power station, you will see a small hexagonal building with a hipped roof. This was a summerhouse built by the Earls of Berkeley in the 18th century, which somehow survived the development of the site. After passing a floodgate, built in the 1970s, the river’s character changes dramatically as it meanders towards the Severn. On the far side, you can see the entrance to Lydney harbour with red cliffs to its right. Carry on along the path as it curves north to follow a levee alongside the Severn, with Sharpness and the entrance to the Gloucester canal ahead. After crossing a stile, carry on for 450 metres before bearing right across a bridge over a rhine (or ditch) (S0666010). Carry straight on and, when you come to a lane, turn right. After passing several houses, carry straight on as the lane grows ever rougher. At the end, go through a six-bar gate, bear right through another one and bear left alongside a hedge. After 125m, go to the left of a gate to follow a wide strip between hedges (S0668005). This is an old drove road, along which livestock were driven, and still retains much of its width and character. After 250 metres, when you come to two gates, go through the one on the left and follow an overgrown and muddy green lane. After 800 metres, when you reach some houses, follow the lane as it bears left, and turn right when it forks (ST675997). At the main road, turn left to head back into Berkeley. As you pass the top of Stock Lane, you will see the Mariners Arms, said to date from 1490 and another reminder of the town’s seafaring past.

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THE | WALK

HISTORIC SIGHTS: main picture, an overgrown stile Above, Berkeley Castle Mill and, inset Berkeley Power Station, with the 18th century Earl’s hexagonal summerhouse on the right

Carry on along Salter Street – another indication that salt was once an important commodity here – and turn right along the High Street. A left turn up Church Street leads to the Chantry, once home to Edward Jenner, who pioneered vaccination, and now a museum. The church tower beyond it – some distance from the church – was rebuilt in Gothic style on the site of its predecessor around 1750. Continue past the church to the starting point, and, to find that award-wining pub, drive south along the High Street out of town. After 400 metres, in the hamlet of Ham, you will see the Salutation Inn on your left. Level of challenge: flat throughout, although with several stiles. Muddy and overgrown stretches mean that shorts and sandals are not recommended. Sticks for tackling nettles and brambles may be useful and, at this time of year, insect repellent may come in handy. A good walk for dogs, although part of it is through sheep fields, so you will need to put them on a lead then. n

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FURTHER INFORMATION ■ ■ ■

■

Length of walk: 4½ miles Map: OS Explorer 167 Approximate time: two and a half hours Refreshment stops: the Salutation Inn, Ham GL13 9QH (ST681984) Open weekdays noon to 2.30pm (except Mondays) and 5pm – 11pm. Weekends open all day from noon. Food served lunchtimes and early evenings. Tel: 01453 810284, visit: www.the-sally-at-ham.com

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Catriona Archer Lorna.qxp_Layout 2 25/07/2014 12:39 Page 1

CITY | INTERIORS

THE ART OF HANGING: inset, this study was a recent project for Catriona. She brought warmth to the walls, main picture, with a thoughtful green, making a feature of the fireplace with a group of clocks, and bringing in a modern workstation

Creating order out of chaos Bath-based home stylist Catriona Archer has all kinds of ideas and tricks to help people bring a sense of calm and aesthetic bliss to their homes. She shares seven key points to consider when transforming a room

o matter the size of our home, be it a one bedroom flat or a five floor Georgian mansion, most of us manage to fill the space with stuff. It’s the human condition. Sometimes that stuff – clothes, books, furniture, collections – can be a mixed blessing. It can encroach, spilling out of cupboards or looking at us reproachfully every time we open the door to a room. We may tell ourselves we’re going to do something about it. Re-arrange. Organise. Modernise. De-clutter. But there isn’t always the time or the motivation to tackle the problem. And so we close the door on the problem. While it might be nice to dream of hiring an interior designer to remodel our interior space, that means having a budget for such a project. Bath based Catriona Archer is fast building a reputation as a home stylist who can help people achieve what they want to make a comfortable, welcoming living space. Catriona has helped busy mums who have felt overwhelmed by the detritus of daily family life. She’s offered her expert eye to help create calm orderly space for clients who’ve decided they want to work from home and need a home office without distractions, and she’s been there for people facing major changes in their lives, from post divorce to downsizing. It helps that Catriona, who trained as a textile designer, has many years experience creating order out of chaos. Her past career as a window dresser with Selfridges and Jigsaw, along with a life long interest in home interiors serves her well when it comes to being faced with a room that looks tired or tatty. She begins with a free half hour chat, listening to the client’s challenges and what they would like to achieve. Projects are then tailored to the client’s needs, this may be half day at £95 to help get the ball rolling, or longer projects at £180 per day, during which she can work her magic.

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We look at some classic ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos of past projects. There’s the everyday sofa in the middle of a sitting room, transformed by a pair of elegant lamps at either end, a burst of colour and texture in the form of cushions and a rug re-positioned to create harmony. Or a hallway changed by re-hanging pictures for a cohesive look, with a splash of paint on a shelf and fresh lighting, to create a warmer looking homecoming for the owners. We asked Catriona to share some of the key factors that she brings to bringing about her Cinderella transformations without costing homeowners a fortune. She pointed to seven key areas. ❶ Listen to the style of the house. Yes, you can add mid-century modern to a Georgian house, but you need to bear in mind its original features and its room proportions. But, says Catriona, you can mix it up provided you respect the building’s features. ➋ Lighting and windows. One central bulb hanging in the middle of the room does not make for a peaceful, comfortable space. Use secondary lighting to set the mood. It’s crucial to light well, and that includes how you use curtains or blinds at windows. Tricks with different window treatments can enhance a view, enlarge the perceived size of the window, or even disguise an unfortunate aspect outside. ❸ Look at how you live. Catriona listens to her clients to find out how they spend their time in their homes. “If you find you’re always having breakfast on the hoof, standing to have a coffee and cereal in the kitchen, why not get yourself a tall stool and create somewhere you can perch and look out of the window and enjoy the view?” she suggests. Or have you thought about why you want your washing machine in a room off the kitchen, when there might be space for it upstairs, which is where after all, the clothes, bedding and towels are kept and used? There is much to be said for open plan living space, where you

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SIMPLIFY E YOUR HOUSE, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE!

ver felt that your house is taking control of you rather than the other way around? You don’t know where to start because everywhere you look you see furniture, bric-a-brac or antiques? With the consumerism of modern life combined with the desire to keep what we have from the past, so many houses now have too much everywhere you look, and when time comes to change or move, it becomes impossible. Where do you start? Now a new business has been launched in Bath to help you by German Diaz Pocquet and Clare Willcox. The House Doctoring Agency provides exclusive, personal decluttering advice and solutions to anyone who needs to move, wants to free up some space in the house, is overwhelmed by clutter and possessions, or wants to downsize and realise some value. The business is already helping solve all of these problems in a kind, objective, professional way, working side by side with clients in their homes with discretion and confidence to help decide what items you don’t need in your home. The firm can help identify items for disposal, which charities to donate to, how to remove things safely, advise on redecoration and suggest ways of improving a house for sale. German says “I am really excited about launching the House Doctoring Agency in Bath. Since coming here, I am amazed by the extent of beautiful old buildings but also by their legacy inside. Since childhood, I have loved to help others, and now I can simplify someone’s life through decluttering and restyling”. Bath local Clare, who has spent her working life caring for others and in business administration, knows that through decluttering, hard though it can be to say goodbye to sometimes precious things, each person can make their life easier. Both German and Clare are looking forward to helping Bath residents make a difference to their lives and their houses!

Please contact German and Clare on 01225 422235 or at www.housedoctoringagency.co.uk

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AUGUST 2014

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WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE Jane Moore is cooling off in the tranquil water gardens of historic Forde Abbey and recommends keen gardeners pay this country estate near Chard a visit – there are also attractions for non-gardening partners

hat wouldn’t I give for a shining expanse of water, reflecting the summer sky and dotted with elegant swans and quacking ducks. Or a babbling brook, weaving its way through lush banks over-run with water plants. Or, perhaps more than anything, a gushing, tumbling waterfall that you can hear long before you see it. Forde Abbey, near Chard, has it all, and more, so much more. Water and gardens go together like scones and strawberry jam and the owners and gardeners at Forde Abbey have made their water go a long way in the garden, both literally and figuratively. The main body of water is the Great Pond at the top of the garden, which dates from the time when Forde actually was an abbey and the monks used the water from the pond to power a mill. The garden proper was was begun in the 18th century by Sir Francis Gwyn when he used the Great Pond to feed the three lower ponds and cascades that you see today. He was also reponsible for planting the huge yews and the big lime trees that add such framework and maturity to the garden as a whole. Clever chap. After that the 30 acres of gardens fell into a state of disrepair until the Evans family developed a rather typically Victorian garden with a highly productive kitchen garden within the old walled garden at the back of the house. Dense, dark shrubberies of yew, bamboo and rhododendron at the front and some jolly bedding brighten up the whole affair. In the past 100 years the Roper family have added and expanded on this mixed legacy, retaining the history and character of the origins of the garden while adding a modern, fresh outlook. The house has had some interesting residents over its long history. The third abbot, Abbot Baldwin became Archbishop of Canterbury and died in the Crusades, while Edmund Prideaux was MP for Lyme Regis and Oliver 78 THEBATHMAGAZINE

AUGUST 2014

Cromwell’s Attorney General. Later the social reformer and philosopher Jeremy Bentham was a tenant at Forde. The current occupants are the fourth generation of Ropers to live at Forde. While most of the lawns close to the house are neatly mown and manicured, you can see this modern sensibility straight away in the areas of grass left to grow long not too far away. In high summer these uncut areas are studded with buttercups, plantains, ox-eye daisies and all sorts of other meadow plants. Ducks and children have beaten paths through the long grass to get to a particular tree or to cut a corner, but that just adds to the charm. Broad paths are mown through – should you choose to follow them – and the edges near the drive are cut short in a broad band to give the whole area definition. It’s these contrasts which make this garden so wonderful. The juxtaposition of the formal Long Pond, clipped yews and dainty classical temple with exuberant meadows, huge trees and ducks everywhere. And that’s even before you get to the arboretum and the bog garden. It’s the bog garden that really floated my boat, if you’ll excuse the pun. This labyrinthine garden is a miniature jungle of exuberant foliage, dripping ferns and exotic flowers, all twisting and turning about, sometimes crossing and sometimes following a fast flowing stream. Here you’ll find all the moisture lovers that I, with my south facing garden, can only dream of growing. There are the coppery leaves of Rodgersia aesculifolia, huge stands of gunnera manicata, the lush green leaves of skunk cabbage and immaculate hostas. Flowering rushes, primulas, irises and meconopsis provide the detail while willows and banks of azaleas and rhododendrons frame it all. For a gardener it’s sheer delight, but even the non gardener in the form of my partner Paul, could appreciate the horticultural nous involved. He pronounced it all marvellous, although I think he was swayed by the perfect weather on the day

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OPEN | GARDENS

Visiting Forde Abbey ■

INSPIRED PLANTING: main picture, the bog garden at Forde Abbey, inset, water loving iris and above, a long border in summer

we visited, and the fact that there was a classic car event going on too. That’s another reason to visit Forde Abbey, there’s a lot going on event-wise, if the garden isn’t quite enough for your other half. In fact, it really is the definition of a good day out, even down to the loos. These lurk through tiny pointed doors set into the ancient wall of the walled garden. You just know you’re going to share the space with woodlice and spiders, but instead all is modern and fresh – so typical of Forde that I shouldn’t have been surprised. If you haven’t been to Forde Abbey yet, do make the trip. And if you have, then go again, as I intend to. n Jane Moore is the award-winning gardener at the Bath Priory Hotel, Weston, Bath. Follow her on Twitter @janethegardener.

WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

■

Forde Abbey, near Chard but in Dorset, TA20 4LU. Visit: www.fordeabbey.co.uk. Open times: the garden is open every day from 10am, last admission, 4.30pm. The house is open in the summer from noon to 4pm, but closed Mondays and Saturdays. Admission prices: garden only, £9 adults, children under 15 free. House, £11 adults, children under 15 free. Well behaved dogs on short leads are welcome in the garden but not in the house. The tearoom and gift shop are open daily. There is also a nursery selling plants and the Eeles Pottery exhibition.

AUGUST 2014

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the directory

to advertise in this section call 01225 424 499

Electricians

Health, Beauty & Wellbeing ALISON HEATHER SUTTON Life Coaching, Hypnosis and NLP Would you like help to feel relaxed, happier and in control? Visit my website to find out how people like you have made lasting changes in their life or call me for a chat and take the first step towards peace of mind

www.alisonheathersutton.co.uk

07713 626673 Beautiful Bath City centre location Daytime and Evening Appointments

Entertainment

Viv Kenchington Solution Focused Hypnotherapist & Reflexologist

A MAGIC CIRCLE MAGICIAN JACK STEPHENS Entertains Children 45 mins or the whole party!

HPD, DHP, MNCH (Reg), AfSFH, DipReflex, MIFR

Entertains Adults

Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Phobias, Anger, Weight or Performance issues?

Superb Close-up magic!

Sing-alongs with a guitar!

Private functions!

Puppets, games and balloons

Corporate events!

Marvellous magic

Walkabouts!

To advertise in the directory call us on

FREE BROCHURE t: 01380 850453 e: enquiries@by-invitation-only.co.uk

01225 424 499

www.jackstephens.co.uk

Help change happen fast with effective professional treatments in Bath and Wiltshire Free initial consultation & parking available

Gardening

Contact: 07974 153487 email: info@hypnotherapyandhealth.co.uk website: www.hypnotherapyandhealth.co.uk

RHS Silver Medal winner 2012 • Award winning Garden Design • • Expert planting • • All aspects of Garden Construction • • Attention to detail • Reliability of service • • Highly experienced •

Mob: 07967 078 058 Tel: 01225 789990 www.bretthardylandscape.co.uk

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the directory

to advertise in this section call 01225 424 499 House & Home

the directory ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE AND REACH MORE OF BATH

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ROBERT TURRELL: VIOLIN & VIOLA TEACHER Teacher at Guildhall School of Music & Drama London, Oxford University and private students of all ages & standards. A very enthusiastic and encouraging teacher with 34 years’ experience achieving outstanding results. Call: 01225 316041 Mob: 07971048459 www.robertturrell.co.uk

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AUGUST 2014

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PROPERTY | THINKING

Grill the agent... Peter Greatorex, MD of The Apartment Company gives his top 7 questions that will help you select the right agent to sell your home.

Selling your property?

hoosing the right estate agent to act on your behalf is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Making the wrong decision could be costly so make sure you do your homework and research your market to determine which agents are most active in your market. Once you’ve established a short list of three agents, invite them to view your apartment so they can provide you with an appraisal on price plus give you an insight as to how they will market your home. Here are my seven top questions that sellers should be asking.

Choose an agency with a great service

Question 1: How did you arrive at your valuation? The value of a property is not an exact science. However, agents have excellent research tools and they should be able give you plenty comparable evidence that supports their recommendations. Pitching your price correctly is very important so make sure your agent has a pricing strategy. Question 2: How will you advertise my home? Presentation can and probably will make a significant difference to the final sale price. Ask to see a sample brochure and a recent advertisement in either local paper or glossy magazine. Question 3: Where and how will my property appear online? Discuss online and social media strategy. There are a number of ways an agent can enhance your online presence give you a marketing edge. Question 4: Who do you think is most likely to buy my property? Discuss who they feel your buyer is likely to be and what they do to attract that particular audience. Ask about their database of potential buyers and make sure they are not just relying on online and newspaper enquiries. Question 5: Who will be showing my home and negotiating my sale? Showing a property is relatively straight forward but picking up on buying signs and negotiating the best deal is most definitely an art. A good negotiator will get you an offer but an excellent negotiator will get you the best price.

Every month The Bath Magazine brings you a selection of properties from Bath's most commercially active estate agents. These agents advertise with us as part of their broad selection of print and online marketing to ensure your property is presented to the highest standard and to reach the greatest audience. If you are currently thinking of selling your property, then consider using one of The Bath Magazine’s featured estate agencies to give you the best possible service.

Question 6: Who handles your sales progression? Chasing solicitors, verifying chains, confirming funds with financial advisors and satisfying surveyor’s queries is very time consuming and important role so ask who will be handling it. If an agent has insufficient staff resource, your sale could and probably will drag on. Question 7: How much do you charge and how long is your contract for? Agency fees are usually a percentage of the sale price and make sure you check to see if there are any upfront or withdrawal costs. Ask how long the agency contract is for and try and avoid being tied in for longer than eight weeks. If you are selling apartment in Bath, we’d be delighted to come out and answer these questions and more should you have them. Telephone: 01225 471144 or visit www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk Follow us on twitter: @apartmentco

Bath’s biggest monthly magazine Also online at www.thebathmag.co.uk

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PRESENTING | PROPERTY

reen Pastures is an impressive 1920’s detached house in a lovely 4 acre plot of outstanding landscaped gardens with wonderful far reaching views. The valley is registered as an area of outstanding natural beauty. As usual with properties of this period, the accommodation is spacious and well designed for family living. On the ground floor there is a large kitchen/breakfast room as well as a formal dining room, cloakroom, shower room and a dual aspect sitting room enhanced by a beautiful Amdega conservatory. On the first floor are five bedrooms, the first of which having a dressing room attached, and two bathrooms. The sixth bedroom is on the top floor where there is also a good sized attic space. The gravel driveway leads to a parking area for several vehicles and there is a double garage and further single garage/workshop. The rear gardens of the house are a particular feature and offer a large paved dining/sun terrace, heated swimming pool and pool house, small orchard and a garden store room. Green Pastures is superbly placed for Monkton Combe School as well as the many walks, cycleways and leisure facilities on this side of Bath and is certain to appeal to many families looking to put down roots.

GREEN PASTURES MONKTON COMBE • Six Bedrooms • Three bathrooms • Heated outdoor pool • Amdega conservatory • Ideally placed for local schools & amenities

Price: £1,850,000 Pritchards, 11 Quiet Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 466225 WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

AUGUST 2014

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pritchards-bath.co.uk

Midford Lane A most impressive 4 bedroom 2 reception room, 2 bathroom, detached period property occupying a plot of approximately 1 acre which enjoys breathtaking views over the Avon Valley. Useful outbuildings • Double garage, carport & driveway parking • Large gardens comprising of various sections and levels • Excellent access into the City Centre • Int area 2253 sq ft/209 sq m.

Guide Price: £875,000

Dixon Gardens, Upper Lansdown Mews A fine 4 bed detached modern house in a small, peaceful and particularly sought after residential “no through road” to the rear of Lansdown Crescent and less than a mile from the centre of Bath. First class residential area close to a wide selection of desirable schools • Spacious and versatile accommodation with extended & impressive kitchen/breakfast room • Attractive gardens to all sides and enjoy a great deal of privacy principally facing south • Double garage and driveway parking • Int area: 2325 sq ft/216 sq m.

Price: £835,000 11 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2LB

Tel: 01225 466 225

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pritchards-bath.co.uk

Midford, Bath An exquisite period stone built cottage in a sought after location with many period features, far reaching views and a pretty landscaped garden. 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom • Planning permission to extend to the rear • Double garage • Only 3 miles from Bath approx • Int area approx. 817 sq ft (75.9 sq m).

Guide Price: £500,000

Limpley Stoke, nr Bath A modern detached house occupying an elevated plot that enjoys stunning over the Avon Valley. 2/3 bedrooms, bathroom, en suite • Mature gardens • Driveway parking and a dilapidated garage • Scope to extend (planning permission lapsed) • Int area approx. 1124 sq ft (104.5 sq m)

Price: £425,000 11 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2LB

Tel: 01225 466 225

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Sion Hill Place, Lansdown Sion Hill Place is a stunning south facing Georgian terrace built by Bath architect John Pinch in around 1820. This three bedroom maisonette occupies the upper three floors of a former townhouse and has retained all its period charm and features, whilst also offering contemporary comforts. The terrace stands at the top of Sion Hill, providing convenient access to Bath city centre, Bath Spa railway station and the M4 motorway.

*An administration fee of ÂŁ350.00 + VAT applies.

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Priory Farm Barn,

£3500 pcm

Extraordinary four bedroom barn conversion situated in Stanton Prior A39. Stunning country views, fifteen minutes drive from the city centre. EPC C.

The Coach House

£1750 pcm

Detached three bedroom Coach House. Located on the Barrow Castle, south of the city. EPC E.

Bath Office

Lettings 01225 458546 | Sales. 01225 459817

Old Orchard Yard, Walcot

£2650 pcm

A brand new, contemporary three bedroom Riverside house within the heart of the city centre. EPC C.

Hunter French fp August.qxp_Layout 2 21/07/2014 16:54 Page 1

hunter french

town and country specialists

Neston

£925,000

Foxstone House is an individually designed four bedroom home, built in the 1990's of local stone under a double roman tile roof. The house is situated at the end of a shared gravel driveway, within it's own plot, and has been built in a period style. Entrance porch | Four reception rooms | Kitchen/dining room | Cloakroom | Utility Room | Spacious galleried landing | Master bedroom with stylish en suite bath and shower | Three further bedrooms with bedroom two with en suite | Family bathroom | Double garage | Attractive landscaped gardens |

Whitley

£550,000

Corsham Office: 01249 715775 www.hunterfrench.co.uk

e: info@hunterfrench.co.uk

Fidelis

Residential Sales & Lettings

01225 421000 www.fidelisinbath.co.uk

Bellotts St JamesRoad Parade

£415,000 £319,950

Fidelis Estate Agents 134 Wells Road, Bear Flat, Bath BA2 3AH

Email: info@fidelisinbath.co.uk

Fidelis

Residential Sales & Lettings

Winchester Devonshire Road Mews

01225 421000 www.fidelisinbath.co.uk

ÂŁ320,000 ÂŁ495,000

Fidelis Estate Agents 134 Wells Road, Bear Flat, Bath BA2 3AH

Email: info@fidelisinbath.co.uk

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Mark Naylor - August.qxp_Layout 7 21/07/2014 14:59 Page 1

SHELLEY ROAD - ÂŁ575,000 This Shelley Road property is one of a pair of detached houses built in 1950, immediately below Alexandra Park. The house offers a wonderful feeling of space and has light, gracious rooms. Hall, sitting room, dining room, breakfast room, kitchen, downstairs shower room, 3 double bedrooms and bathroom. Gardens and garage. Approximate gross internal floor area: 1,460 square feet / 136 square metres.

k Mar r o l y a N

01225 422 224 www.mark-naylor.com

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SHOSCOMBE - ÂŁ425,000 This large, modern house is highly individual with its split-level accommodation and fantastic southerly views over rolling countryside. Entrance hall, master bedroom suite with en-suite shower room and access to cellar. First floor: sitting room, dining room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms and family bathroom. Second floor: potential 5th bedroom/study area. Gardens and off-street parking. Approximate gross internal floor area: 1,850 square feet / 172 square metres.

k Mar r o l y a N

01225 422 224 www.mark-naylor.com

Fine & Country August.qxp_Layout 12 23/07/2014 12:40 Page 1

Bath Orchard View is a stunning contemporary seven bedroom house, built from green oak sourced from the Duke of Somerset, Frome. Situated on the edge of Bath it has all of the benefits of living in the World Heritage city while overlooking beautiful countryside. “The house was designed to meet the needs of a growing family.” Denise explains, “As well as the five bedrooms upstairs, we have created a two bedroom self contained annexe; perfect for family, visitors, a home office, gym or cinema room.” Denise says:“The south facing aspect ensures that the main living space of the house is always light and bright. The large French doors off the kitchen overlooking the garden has been an added bonus with children.” Set in about one and a third acres,

Orchard View has a beautiful garden which is perfect in summer. “It is a fantastic retreat,” Denise says, “There is an apple and pear orchard at the bottom of the garden and we have enjoyed watching a variety of wildlife through the seasons.” Situated on the edge of the National Trust skyline walk, Orchard View is perfect for those who enjoy a country lifestyle but want to remain close to city amenities..

“Substantial modern home with flexible accommodation located on the southern fringes of Bath at the top of Widcombe Hill presented to a high standard throughout.”

ORCHARD VIEW MODERN SPACIOUS HOME • SEVEN BEDROOMS • THREE RECEPTION ROOMS • HANDMADE KITCHEN • SELF-CONTAINED ANNEXE POTENTIAL • PARKING FOR SEVERAL CARS • LARGE GARDENS • EPC RATING: B

Contact: 01225 320032

£1,350,000

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Bath The property is located on the very popular Upper Camden Place, on Camden Road and benefits from panoramic views of the city and of the Avon Valley, while being situated within an easy walk of under one mile from the heart of the city. The views are truly breath-taking and can be enjoyed from all of the traditional wooden sash windows. The grand front door opens into a hall and double width stair case leading into an elegant drawing room, with a wonderful fireplace and original floorboards, and a with drawing room currently used as a library and TV room. Upper Camden Place is a home of finery and grandeur. As with many Georgian style properties the ceilings of Camden Place are extremely tall with huge windows. The next floor features a grand

master bedroom with ensuite and a beautiful second double bedroom which overlooks the terraced garden to the rear. There are 2 further double bedrooms on the next floor. The lower ground floor has a large dining room in the front, which joins the kitchen to the rear. Outside there is a perfect little terrace at the front. Furthermore, the front garden is beautifully landscaped and has been thoughtfully designed in several terraces and has been planted with delightful country flowers and plenty of flower beds, box hedging and trees. UPPER CAMDEN PLACE

“This four storey Georgian Grade II* listed property is a house of special architectural interest..”

GEORGIAN GRADE II LISTED • FOUR BEDROOMS • TWO BATHROOMS • THREE RECEPTION ROOMS • GARDENS FRONT AND REAR • WONDERFUL ELEVATED VIEWS • CLOSE CITY CENTRE • EPC: EXEMPT

Contact: 01225 320032

£795,000

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

NEW INSTRUCTION

Vineyards, Bath

Guide Price £750,000

This Georgian townhouse is arranged over five floors in the Vineyards. The Grade II Listed property provides many retained features including the old copper boiler in the kitchen. Offering highly versatile accommodation of 5 receptions rooms, 5 bedrooms; there is a bath and shower room on the upper floors and the benefit of a walled garden all set within easy reach of the Bath city centre amenities, schools and railway station.

• • • • • •

Bath Office

Sales. 01225 459817 | Lettings 01225 458546

4/5 Bedrooms Grade II Listed Rear Garden Georgian Townhouse Retained Features City Centre Location

NEW INSTRUCTION

Cavendish Lodge, Bath

Guide Price £635,000

A well presented two bedroom top floor apartment within one of Bath’s most prestigious and luxurious residences. Situated on the lower slopes of Bath, Cavendish Lodge is within easy reach of Bath City Centre and offers approximately four acres of private grounds as well as a gated entrance, a lift and private storage cupboard. There are two en-suite bedrooms and a triple aspect reception room along with integrated kitchen. The property also boasts a dedicated parking space and visitor parking. EPC:C.

• • • • • •

2 Bedrooms 2 En-suite Bathrooms Well Presented Manicured Communal Gardens Lift Private Parking

Catharine Place

Offers in Excess of ÂŁ525,000

Grade II listed | Georgian | Top floor apartment | Three bedrooms | Period features | Newly refurbished | Communal garden | Highly recommended The Apartment Company are delighted to market this stunning three bedroom Georgian apartment in the highly sought after location which is Catherine Place. The property benefits from a wealth of period features, a communal garden and spacious accommodation. The entrance hall offers a beautiful ornate archway leading to the large sitting room and one of the double bedrooms. The kitchen which has been newly refurbished with dual aspect windows affording views onto Margaretâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Buildings. A short stole to award winning restaurants, stunning parks and world famous landmarks, this property is one not to miss!

The Paragon

Offers in Excess of ÂŁ425,000

Grade I listed | Georgian | Garden maisonette | Two double bedrooms with en-suites | Original period features | Garden with decking and hot tub | City Centre This superb maisonette located on The Paragon moments away from the City Centre, combines original features, with a contemporary style which compliments perfectly. On the lower ground floor there are two double bedrooms both with en-suites, and a vault for storage, stairs then lead down to the basement where there is a large sitting room with space for dining, a fully fitted kitchen, utility room and a cloakroom. With its original features including, Bath stone flooring and fireplaces, with the rare advantage of a large garden with decking and space for alfresco dining, along with a hot tub.

Kensington Place

Offers in Excess of ÂŁ195,000

Grade II listed | Georgian | Five apartments | One bedroom | Period features | Stunning views | Spacious accommodation | Highly recommended Five one bedroom apartments in a beautiful Georgian house located to the East of the City, boasting stunning original features including: cornicing, and feature fireplaces. All apartments comprise of: sitting room, kitchen, one bedroom and bathroom, with the penthouse apartment offering a decked balcony to the rear overlooking Kensington Meadows. The lower ground apartment boasts the most stunning and large south facing garden. The apartments are a short, flat walk into the City Centre with all the local amenities. We expect these apartments to generate a considerable amount of interest, therefore early viewing is highly recommended!

The Royal Crescent

£1395 pcm Brock Street

£1275 pcm Marlborough Buildings

£995 pcm

One bedroom | Views | Superb central location | No pets | Part

Central location | Two bedrooms | Arranged over two floors | Close to Royal

Two Bedrooms | Highly desirable location | Newly redecorated | Council Tax

furnished | Agency fees £350+vat | Available Now

Crescent | Furnished | Agency fees £350+vat | Available 1st October 2014

Band D | Views | Unfurnished | Agency Fee £350+vat | Available 23rd Aug 2014

Grade I listed Georgian one bedroom First floor apartment in much Spectacular two bedroom apartment in much sought after central Situated on the fringe of the popular Royal Crescent this first floor apartment sought after location and offering spacious accommodation throughout. location close to all amenities.

37 Park Street

£900 pcm Russel Street

offers spacious accommodation with easy access to the City Centre.

£875 pcm Walcot Parade

£825 pcm

Close to City Centre | Two bedrooms | Night storage heaters | Council Tax Band C

| Unfurnished with white goods | Agency fees £350+vat | Available Mid Oct 2014

A superb beautifully presented Georgian furnished garden apartment, An opportunity to acquire a fabulous centrally located Top floor apartment in Period two bedroomed apartment close to all amenities. in a highly sought after location.

Henrietta Street

the much favoured Russel Street close to the Assembly Rooms and The Circus.

£1,100 pcm Rivers Street

£725 pcm Northampton Street

£695 pcm

One bedroom | No pets | Sought after location | Central close to

One Bedroom | Ideal central location | Council Tax Band A | Central

Georgian Crescent | One bedroom | Fabulous views | Close to City Centre | Highly

shops | Unfurnished | Agency fees £350+vat | Available immediately

zone parking | Unfurnished | Agency Fees £350+vat | Available Now

recommended | Unfurnished | Available Early August 2014 | Agency fees £350+vat

Ground and First Floor One bedroom unfurnished Maisonette in A nicely presented Georgian one bedroom ground floor apartment Top Floor Georgian apartment in much sought after location. much favoured location.

conveniently situated for City Centre shops and amenities.

www.crispcowley.co.uk

www.crispcowley.co.uk

Crisp Cowley Ralph Allenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Town House York Street Bath BA1 1NQ 01225 789333

www.crispcowley.co.uk

Your perfect tenant may well be in the market to buy, so it pays to use an Agent who knows Bath tenants and Bath buyers. Widcombe Hill An imposing and substantial major portion of a Grade II listed period townhouse on the lower slopes of Widcombe Hill and therefore a convenient walk from the City Centre with all its facilities and amenities | entrance porch | entrance hall | sitting room | dining room | well appointed breakfast room/kitchen | utility room | 4 generous sized bedrooms | 2 family bathrooms and an en suite | delightful level gardens | period features | gas central heating | basement apartment 2 beds and courtyard | ÂŁ3,700 pcm Crisp Cowley Ralph Allenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Town House York Street Bath BA1 1NQ 01225 789333

www.crispcowley.co.uk

Chelsea House London Road Bath BA1 6DB Tel 01225 447971

88 Whiteladies Road Clifton Bristol BS8 2QN Tel 0117 973 1144