The Bath Magazine December 2015pdf by MC Publishing Limited

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ISSUE 159 | DECEMBER 2015 www.thebathmag.co.uk

£3.95 where sold

T H E C I T Y ’ S F I N E S T M O N T H LY G U I D E T O L I F E A N D L I V I N G I N B A T H

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THE | CONTENTS

DECEMBER

2015

102 62

10 5 THINGS TO DO Bare essentials for December

46 WHAT’S ON

12 MY BATH

54 GOING FOR GOLD

14 GUEST COLUMNIST

62 ARCHIVE: GHOST SIGNS

A Bath head teacher’s view

Rosie Phillips of DHI Bath charity

18 FACE THE MUSIC Actor and panto star Nigel Havers

22 GIFT GUIDE

Royal treasure at the Holburne

Bath’s enduring advertisements

66 CHRISTMAS 1915 What Bath was like 100 years ago

68 BATH AT WORK

We’ve a cornucopia of ideas for you

38 ORIGINAL PRESENTS A round-up of unusual Bath treats

40 MEET THE TRADERS Behind the scenes at the Xmas market

42 BATH FILM FESTIVAL The 25th anniversary programme

44 CITY OF SONG

Neill Menneer’s portrait of the month

72 FOOD & DRINK Nine pages of fine produce

78 RESTAURANT REVIEW The Bath Priory

82 MOVERS & SHAKERS News and views in Bath

86 SEND A COW

A celebration of choirs: a new verse

A helping hand for Ethiopia

Even more great content online: thebathmag.co.uk 6 TheBATHMagazine

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Bath’s festive cultural calendar

FAMILY DIARY Entertain the children in December

HEALTH & BEAUTY A sense of wellbeing: inside and out

100 THE WALK Visit where Alfred beat the Vikings

102 FINE DINING Clair Strong sets the Christmas table

104 GARDENING Jane Moore on planning a potager

108 PROPERTY Beautiful homes to buy or rent

ON THE COVER

Detail from The Padshahnama, opening shamsa, Unknown artist c.1656-7 Gold leaf and gold paint on paper Royal Collection Trust | © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2015

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Editors Letter December.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2015 18:27 Page 1

from the

EDITOR

s I write, one of the great traditions of the run-up to Christmas in Bath, has just begun. Yes, the annual bun fight that is the Bath Christmas Market is in full swing, bringing packed trains and coachloads of happy shoppers to our city. Those jingling tills have to be good news for the city economy, whatever your stance on the chalets/sheds. Our December issue does its little bit to get you in the festive mood, what with our gift guides and bumper What’s On, ensuring you don’t miss out on all the festive events, carol concerts and Christmas shows. But we’re also here to bring a little metaphorical sunshine into the darkest days of the year. Historian Kirsten Elliott invites us to look up as we walk around the city, drawing attention to some of the famous so-called ghost signs on Bath buildings and explaining the stories behind them (Page 62). We also visit the sumptuous display of glittering treasures at the Holburne Museum, where items in its much acclaimed Gold exhibition have been loaned by the Royal Collection (Page 54). The bright lights of the cinema beckon this month too, as Bath Film Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary with a stellar line-up of movies from all over the world – some of them getting their first UK screening here in Bath (Page 42). There are more reasons to be cheerful as gardening writer Jane Moore retreats to the warmth of her potting shed to make plans for next year’s veg patch – and offers advice if you’re thinking along similar lines (Page 104). And our reliable walking guide, Andrew Swift, suggests a family outing to the spot in Wiltshire where King Alfred beat the Danes (Page 100) – a nice idea for blowing away the cobwebs after the festive feasting. Food writer Melissa Blease also offers some handy hints for weary Christmas shoppers looking for somewhere in central Bath to take the weight off their slingbacks and seek sustenance during the great gift hunt (Page 76). We’ve a recipe for a lovely raised vegetarian pie for those who’ve OD’ed on meat (Page 77) and our knowledgable wine columnist Angela Mount has some brilliant suggestions of what to choose for Christmas Day (Page 79). I’ve already enjoyed one of my big Christmas treats. I was lucky enough to dine at Bath’s only Michelin starred restaurant, at the Bath Priory Hotel recently. What an experience! If only I could cook up dishes at home as delicious as the creations of head chef Sam Moody, my family would be so happy, (mmm) and relieved! Enjoy our December issue and enjoy your Christmas. Be kind to people, look after yourself and we’ll look forward to seeing you all again in 2016.

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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EDITOR’S PICKS A WINDOW ON THE WORLD: some of the most beautiful Advent calendars can be found at Mayther stationery shop in Milsom Street. A collection featuring some of the world’s most beautiful buildings is made and designed in Bath’s German twin city, Braunschweigs. View the Kreuter collection at: KreuterFotoKalender.de. This is of the Basilica di San Marco (St Mark’s) in Venice, £9.99. Behind each window is a series of angels, as depicted in paintings and sculptures. Purists will be pleased to hear there are no chocolates.

PARTY TIME: I love the vintage vibe of this flattering lace dress by British label Nancy Mac. It’s part of a covetable collection of occasion wear downstairs at Noa Noa in Lower Borough Walls, Bath. Trish Stooke, who runs the shop, is the only stockist of Nancy Mac’s designs in Bath. Kirsten in rosewood, £165, is also available in other colours and there are also beautiful, softest silk velvet evening jackets in flattering hues of violet, olive and jade

A MATTER OF TASTE: the Christmas Style Police (you know who you are) are quick to pick up on any tacky ornaments hanging from the tree. But we should be OK with this handblown lovely bauble from Bath Aqua Glass

❝

My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?

BOB HOPE: US COMEDIAN

❞

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ZEITGEIST

5 December things to do in

Shop

Sing Dogs will most definitely be welcome at a charity candlelit carol concert in aid of Greyhound Rescue West of England at St Michael’s Without, Broad Street, on Wednesday 9 December at 7.30pm. Attending the concert will be animal lovers Timsbury based actor Anthony Head, an honorary friend of GRWE and BBC presenter and reporter Ali Vowles. The event will be followed by wine and mince pies. For tickets: £14 for adults, £8 for children, or to enquire about adopting a hound, visit: grwe.og.uk. The Radstock based charity which tries to re-home greyhounds, lurchers and whippets, will also have a chalet at Bath Christmas Market and a street collection on Saturday 5 December.

Connect We can’t be the only ones who complain about the lack of Wi-Fi when we’re out and about in Bath city centre. So we’re delighted to hear that visitors to this year’s Bath Christmas Market will be able to access free Wi-Fi, thanks to a pilot that’s been put in place by Bath & North East Somerset Council and Bath Tourism Plus. When you pop in to the market you’ll be able to log on to a pilot superfast public Wi-Fi network. The pilot is part of the Digital B&NES project. The council plans £2.3m investment to improve connectivity in the longterm. The free Wi-Fi zone will cover the areas where the Christmas Market stalls are, and will be available until 13 December. The network is called Christmas Market and a log-in page will direct the people to register once connected. You can, if you wish, sign in and share photographs on social media using the hashtag #BathXmasMarket. For more information on Bath Christmas Market and news of special offers for locals, turn to Page 40.

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If you’re going to send traditional Christmas cards this year – and opinion is divided as to whether an eco-friendly email has the same appeal as a cheery picture of a robin sitting on your mantelpiece – choose cards that help good causes. St Michael’s Without Church has its annual charity card sale, where you can choose cards that raise funds for all sorts of charities. The Cleveland Pools Trust, Bath, is selling its cards, designed by local artist Catherine Phelps, throughout December in the Bloomsbury Store, New Bond Street, with all proceeds to the open air Regency pools’ restoration fund.

Watch

Jane Fonda stars in Youth

Film can help us walk a mile in someone else’s shoes – a particularly poignant exercise at a time of global conflict. A documentary filmed in the back of a Iranian cab, Taxi Tehran, is one of the most pre-booked films of this month’s 25th anniversary Bath Film Festival, showing us an intimate portrait of modern life in Iran. For more details of very different films screening in the city, 3 – 13 December, turn to Page 42. Find out more about how to enter the prestigious IMDb film awards, visit: bathfilmfestival.org.uk.

Walk

It’s good to find outings that all three – or even four – generations can enjoy together and Enchanted Christmas at the National Arboretum at Westonbirt near Tetbury is ideal for this, as long as you wrap up warmly. This lit spectacular is staged after dark every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening from 5pm, until the weekend before Christmas. The Forestry Commission trail is pushchair friendly and features interactive displays to engage all ages. Entertainment includes carols, stilt walkers, a children’s carousel and Father Christmas and his festive elves. Saturday evenings are online booking only and no tickets will be available on the day. Visit: forestry.gov.uk/ westonbirt-christmas.

Enchanted Christmas

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ist

THE CITY THE BUZZ

My BATH

We asked Ed Harker headteacher at St Saviour’s CEVC Nursery and Infants School in Larkhall and Fairfield Park what he’ll be doing this month

Don’t just sit there The popularity of the BBC’s show The Great Pottery Throw Down is expected to see a flurry of Bathonians signing up for part-time ceramics courses at Bath College – one of more than 100 Love2learn courses on offer from the new year. There are many opportunities to learn new skills from a team of experts at the city centre college and make small – or large – changes to your own life. For example, Bath lecturer Lee Risdale, who gave singer songwriters Gabrielle Aplin and Laura Doggett voice coaching when they studied at Bath College, is leading a six week introduction to singing course. During that time the participants will be able to make a professional studio recording of their singing. There are courses in decorative finishes for the home and in landscape gardening, while an art trip to Venice in March, gives students the chance to visit galleries and historic sites in the company of specialist tutors. There’s even a lucky dip opportunity on Saturdays, if you’re unsure of which subject you’d like to study in depth. These offer taster days. Throughout December people signing up for Love2learn courses can enjoy discounts on the advent calendar of offers. Visit: bathcollege.ac.uk/advent2015 before you enrol. You can also call: 01225 318700.

Baroque magic

There’s a musical treat in store in the run-up to Christmas as the Theatre Royal Bath stages an atmospheric candlelit performance of Handel’s Messiah on Sunday 6 December from 7.30pm. The 18th Century Concert Orchestra makes a welcome return to Bath, performing in full period costume and giving concert goers the chance to experience what it would have been like to hear the oratorio at its debut in 1742. Tickets, tel: 01225 448844 or visit: theatreroyal.org.uk.

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What brought you to Bath? A train from London (I can’t drive). I arrived in 1997 to take up a job as nursery teacher at St Saviour’s Infants, and I’m now lucky to lead this lovely school. What are you reading? I love books about journeys and am enjoying The River at the Centre of the World by Simon Winchester, travelling up the Yangtze and deep into history, with lots to ponder about China’s move to the centre of the world stage. Favourite mid-winter books that I re-read often are A Midnight Clear by William Wharton (an unusual platoon of soldiers stuck in the snowy Ardennes in WW2, also a great film), and Moominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson. What is on your MP3 player? All sorts, with a general theme of ‘catchy’, I love a good pop song. I’m late to discover the joys of Belle and Sebastian, but am making up for lost time with a playlist of 20 gems from their career. And I’m putting together the set-list for our annual school council disco, with tracks mostly chosen by the children (hopefully Everything is Awesome will soon be forgotten… please?) Which café or restaurant takes your fancy? Yen Sushi is a regular family favourite; friendly, fast and delicious. The new Green Bird Café in Margaret’s Buildings is great for local and freshly made food and drinks. The Dorothy House upstairs café by Pulteney Bridge is excellent for space and views. And maybe Jimmy’s, just for the amazing chicken tikka and naan breads, blisteringly fresh from the tandoori oven. Which museum or gallery will you be visiting? For its size Bath has a wealth of museums and galleries. Two particular favourites are the Museum of Bath at Work in Julian Road (a treasure trove of oddness and variety, including an Edwardian iron-mongers, a small quarry, and a complete antique fizzy-drinks factory!) and the Museum of East Asian Art in Bennett Street (a wonderfully rich collection of art, sculpture and ceramics). Both provide good material for sketching… Your passions? What hobbies or interests will you be pursuing? I’ve been a keen sketcher of everyday life for the last four years, and Bath is full of interesting subjects to draw. Most weekends I’ll try sketching visitors and tourists by the Abbey, and sometimes join fellow sketchers for a ‘sketch-crawl’. Our most recent one was up the Abbey tower, giving great views across the chimneys and rooftops, and

down into the busy streets below (you can see the results on my sketching blog at mostlydrawing.com). If you’ve never done the Abbey tower tour I highly recommend it for a new perspective on our city. I also play in a local head-teachers band, so we really ought to be rehearsing for our next booking (probably the Larkhall festival?). What local outdoor activity or event will you be doing or visiting? Candlelit Carols in the Circus, led by the Salvation Army Brass Band, is a lovely way to start the run up to Christmas. It’s on Friday 18 December, from 7pm, so bring a lantern and a hip-flask, and join an enthusiastic crowd singing old favourites (We Three Kings is mine). And if there’s snow I’ll be sledging with my family on a steep slope somewhere near. Film or play? What will you be going to see this month? Working in an infant school puts you at the heart of Christmas, and I’ll be enjoying three Nativity shows. The nursery invites children to come as their favourite Nativity character so we can end up with one sheep and a flock of Josephs; Reception perform theirs on stage at the egg (Bath’s amazing children’s theatre, one of only three in the country); and Key Stage One will be performing ‘Hey Ewe!’ at St Saviour’s Church. And I’d better see the Star Wars movie so I know what the children are talking about next term… Looking ahead Our school has two main projects. First, we’re planning to install solar panels on the school roof as a lasting legacy from our 50th birthday celebrations, and to help us teach the children about clean energy. We’re excited to have been adopted by the nationwide Solar Schools scheme and are busily raising the £20K needed by July 2016. Please help us with a donation, or by letting any local businesses know about the project so they can sponsor us. Details at: solarschools.org.uk/stsaviours. And secondly we’re working with seven local schools as the East Bath Learning Partnership. Staff and governors are sharing good practise, and building a collaborative future for all local children. The education system is currently enjoying ‘interesting times’, and I greatly appreciate the good company and mutual support offered by all my head teacher colleagues. n

We’re following @ICIABath. It’s Bath’s largest arts venue, newly opened in 2015 at the University of Bath and positively welcoming to the wider community, oﬀering art exhibitions, workshops, concerts, dance, film and science themed events. Look out for its accessible Saturday Create workshops for families – something for parents and children to enjoy together.

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CITY | BUSINESS

THE | COLUMNIST

PEOPLE CAN CHANGE THEIR LIVES

ROSIE PHILLIPS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF BATH BASED CHARITY DEVELOPING HEALTH AND INDEPENDENCE SAYS DESPITE GOVERNMENT CUTS AND INCREASING DEMAND, SHE HAS REASON TO CELEBRATE

A CASE STUDY: JEREMY’S STORY Having spent what was almost a lifetime battling Class A drug addiction, alcohol problems, crime, prison sentences and homelessness, Jeremy decided enough was enough. In 2012 he was bailed on licence after a three-year prison sentence and he wanted to get clean. As part of his strict bail conditions he had to regularly engage with DHI’s Criminal Justice Team by attending group and 1:1 key working sessions and bi-weekly drug tests. Meeting DHI in this way marked the door opening to a whole new life. Through the Criminal Justice Team Jeremy found out about

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they are supported to have a better life. We face difficult times with government cuts, and the speed at which local authorities are expected to make financial savings is extremely challenging for us all. So why am I celebrating?

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Every day we see examples of people who have turned their lives around

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hrough the ages, the wealthy elite made Bath fashionable. But they also served to support less refined entertainment and activities away from the spa treatments, society balls and promenades. Bath citizens living on the margins were useful to society and provided a service to meet demand, be it prostitution, gambling and drinking dens or a black market economy for stolen goods. These days, when war threatens, we need an army. When the labour market is buoyant, we need labourers. But in times of hardship and recession, our tolerance for those living on the margins drops dramatically – in effect, we either patronise or punish according to our own circumstances, and history repeats itself. Bath’s history continues to challenge our contemporary perceptions of poverty and I know that there are many people in Bath today who live at the margins, who suffer social exclusion for reasons such as poverty, disability, homelessness, unemployment, illiteracy, mental ill health, drug or alcohol misuse and isolation. Bath residents see homeless people on the streets and assume that we have a disproportionately large problem with substance misuse. I don’t think we do, but that’s not to say that our growing homeless population is not a huge concern. In Bath we suffer from a massive lack of affordable housing. This means that poorer people can’t afford to live in the areas where the services they need to access are based. And the people who need support don’t fit neatly into one category. More often than not someone who is homeless may suffer from drug or alcohol addiction or poor mental health, or a sudden illness may mean a loss of job and then danger of debt and homelessness. Because people are complex, a one-size-fits-all approach does not work and vulnerable people fall between the cracks. DHI helps to ensure people don’t fall between the cracks, but more importantly, that

Firstly, DHI’s team of skilled employees, and passionate, committed peers and volunteers helped more people than ever (over 4,000) to enjoy a more independent fulfilling life this year. That sounds a bit like a quote from a brochure! What I mean is that, whether it be overcoming drug addiction, taking responsibility, finding employment, or exercising choice and gaining more control, we treat our clients as individuals, and help them to stand on their own two feet. Also, during this past year we have launched innovative and cost effective services in response to need. One example is Home Turf Lettings. A not-forprofit social enterprise, it specialises in residential lettings to the homeless and those at risk of

DHI’s abstinence-based supported house and detox in Bath. He moved in as soon as possible to commence a ten-day detox. Living in the house in Bath meant he was able to have regular contact with his children who were in foster care at the time, something that mattered enormously to Jeremy. In time he was ready for more independence and moved into Barton Buildings, another DHI supported house that provides drop-in visits from key workers but allows clients freedom to prepare themselves for an independent future. While living in Barton Buildings Jeremy took part in a variety of DHI activities including cooking and the Home Achievement

homelessness. It also finds vacant properties and helps owners convert them into affordable housing. So successful has it been, it won a Big Venture Capital award from Government earlier this year and housed its 100th tenants. The 100th tenants, by the way, were Sean and Magda. When their young son was diagnosed with cancer, Magda gave up her job to look after him and they were suddenly unable to afford the rent from a private lettings agency and were at risk of homelessness. Home Turf Lettings moved them into a newly converted flat in a building that had once been a gym but had lain empty for years. We are always looking for opportunities to grow so if you have an unused property or would like to become an ethical landlord, please get in touch. Another example is our dry house in Burlington Street. The cost of a detox there is 10% of the cost of a hospital or residential rehab detox. This, together with Alcohol Liaison service that we run together with AWP, saved the RUH £500k last year, not to mention its role in saving lives. We believe that everyone deserves a second chance –– and every day we see examples of people who have turned their lives around. As I look to the future for Bath, we have ever more challenges to face. Our local politicians must ensure balanced decisions are made which include prevention, early intervention and rehabilitation, and the protection of the most vulnerable. If we don’t act now, in the long term widening inequality will have a detrimental impact on us all. n

Programme to aid his recovery. Wanting to give something back, Jeremy went on to become a peer mentor in the drug and alcohol service that had supported him and he also went back to college. A life of desperation completely turned on its head: today Jeremy lives in his own house and with full custody of his children. He is employed as an apprentice in DHI’s Reach housing support service, is completing an NVQ in housing and has done two skydives for charity. Jeremy says: “Skydiving is a mix of excitement and adrenaline. It is one of the greatest things I’ve done apart from create two beautiful children.”

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Editor Tel: Email:

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

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

2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED Telephone: 01225 424499. Fax: 01225 426677 www.thebathmag.co.uk ÂŠ MC Publishing Ltd 2015 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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Face the Music December.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2015 18:17 Page 1

FACE | THE MUSIC

A REAL LIFE CHARMER

Mick Ringham meets actor Nigel Havers who talks about his long and varied career and the pieces of music that have formed the soundtrack to his life

hen you meet a celebrity, sometimes you’re disappointed that they are not as you imagined them to be. Happily, actor Nigel Havers, when I met him at the launch for this year’s pantomime at the Theatre Royal Bath, was as charming as you’d wish. He’s a quintessential English gentleman, with impeccable manners and a mischievous sense of humour. When we meet, Nigel is in the middle of a national tour of Oscar Wilde standard The Importance of Being Earnest, which will end just days before he takes to the stage in Bath for Jack and the Beanstalk, playing the dastardly Fleshcreep. One of the things that rapidly becomes obvious as we chat is that he is tremendously hard working. For over four decades he has never stopped. Nigel’s father was Lord Havers the former attorney general and I asked him if the drama of the courtroom had influenced him to choose acting as a career. There’s a flash of that trademark charming smile: “Not in the slightest. In all honesty my mind was set on the stage from the very first time I went to the theatre. “I was lucky in seeing and meeting, through my family, some of the greatest actors of the time, such as Peter O’Toole, Kenneth More and Olivier. As far as I was concerned I was determined from an early age to make it my future career.” His first professional role was at the tender age of 15 when he played the grandson of Mrs Dale, portrayed by the formidable Jessie Matthews in the long running BBC radio series Mrs Dale’s Diary. Since then his career has spanned radio, television, film and the stage, playing all kinds of drama from Shakespeare to the soaps. His film credits include A Passage to India and Empire of the Sun and a BAFTA awardwinning role in Chariots of Fire. He also played Ralph Ernest Gorse, suave seducer of women in the award winning television series The Charmer and love rat Lewis Archer in Coronation Street. Would he like to return to the Weatherfield cobbles, I ask? “It would be rather tricky. I suppose I would be lynched outside the Rovers and of course I would have to pay everyone back! Having said that, yes I would love to return, it’s just one of those great shows to be part of, I can’t tell you how much

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fun it is working with the cast.” Back in the real world he is no stranger to the Theatre Royal Bath having appeared here in a variety of productions over the years and talks with great affection about the theatre and the city. As always this year’s pantomime will be a healthy mix of tradition coupled with spectacle and a high degree of fun with Fleshcreep, unsurprisingly getting his fair share of boos. Off stage Nigel lives with his wife Georgiana Bronfman in West London. We then turned to talk about his favourite pieces of music. As a teenager Nigel and his brother formed a band and released a record for CBS. He remembers the first record he bought was by the Everly Brothers “I just loved those amazing harmonies and

the lyrics were terrific.” As for his current musical tastes, they are as varied and diverse as his acting career. In a life filled with drama, playing the lover, the villain or the charmer, there is no doubting Nigel Havers is truly a class act.

NIGEL’S CHOICES: Jimi Hendrix – Hey Joe It’s difficult to believe that this was recorded 49 years ago and still manages to sound fresh and totally original. I would have been in my teens at the time and the only real way to look cool was to play the guitar. I formed a band with my brother and played bass. We did gigs at birthday parties and such, in fact anywhere that would have us, we even worked in a nightclub in Portugal, it was a super time to be young and have fun.

STAR OF THE STAGE, SCREEN AND RADIO: Nigel Havers

FAVOURITES: Opposite page top left to right, Jimi Hendrix Hey Joe and The Rolling Stones Sympathy for the Devil Below, Nigel Havers as Fleshcreep Picture: Anna Barclay

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FACE | THE MUSIC

I could have picked any record by The Beatles. For the vast majority of kids at the time The Beatles changed the way we reacted to pop music. Later the knockon effect from the band changed lifestyles, in art, fashion and contemporary music. They quite literally turned the mono-chrome world of the mid-Sixties into Technicolor. My grandfather was a High Court judge at the time and invited the Fab Four for tea. He managed to get their autographs - I still have them. The lyrics on this particular song are just so beautiful and heartfelt.

The Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the Devil

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Jagger told me they were going to write a track called Havers’ Chambers – I’m still waiting Sir Mick

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The Beatles – In My Life

Mozart – Overture to The Marriage of Figaro Majestic and glorious. I never tire of the grandeur it manages to convey. The opera went on to become one of Mozart’s most successful works and legend has it he wrote it in a matter of hours just before its first performance. I wonder if anyone could do that today.

Edmundo Ros – Yellow Bird

My father defended Mick Jagger and Keith Richards on drugs charges. He managed to get a release from jail for both of them. It also helped when William Rees-Mogg the then editor of The Times wrote the headline ‘Who breaks a Butterfly on a Wheel.’ My brother Phil and I would drop by Dad’s chambers to catch a glance of them. They were so cool and so well dressed and I envied their long hair. At the time Jagger told me they were going to write a track called Havers’ Chambers – I’m still waiting Sir Mick!

He was a larger than life character and known as the Calypso Man. Quite why I will never understand because he always seemed to play Latin American music. He was born in Trinidad and after working with different bands, came to England and formed his own orchestra. He was big on the London nightclub scene during the 50s and early 60s and my parents and their friends would go dancing at the various clubs and restaurants where he would perform, including the Coconut Grove in Regent Street, where at the time London’s high society would let their hair down.

Frank Sinatra – Fly Me To the Moon

Astrud Gilberto – The Girl from Ipanema

Sinatra’s recording became associated with NASA’s space programme when it was played on Apollo 11 when Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the moon. Not only a great recording on earth but the first and probably the last played actually on the moon.

Brahms – Symphony No 1 The power and depth of this symphony is fabulous and also so graceful. The music just cascades down exquisitely. It took Brahms decades to perfect this first symphony; but it established him as one of the master composers. It really is such a joy to listen to. WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

warmth and feeling. It is incredibly romantic and actually does give one goosebumps.

Stevie Wonder – Isn’t She Lovely? He wrote this for his newly born daughter and went on to perform it at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert when he modified the lyrics on the night to suit Her Majesty. When I hear this I always think of my own daughter Kate and how lucky I am to have her. It’s upbeat, full of optimism and always puts a spring in my step. n Jack and The Beanstalk, starring Nigel Havers, Katy Ashworth, Jon Monie and Nick Wilton opens at the Theatre Royal Bath on Thursday 10 December and runs until 10 January. For tickets tel: 01225 448844.

Just one of those wonderful dancing bossa nova songs. It was a huge worldwide hit and wherever you went at the time it seemed to be playing. It conjured-up the good life; sunshine, clear blue waters and gorgeous girls. As a matter of fact, it still manages to convey those same visions on hearing it today.

Bryan Adams – Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman I’ve chosen this for my darling wife Georgiana and again it’s the lyrics on this number that stand out. They are so strong and the song is sung with genuine DECEMBER 2015

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FOR THE

LADY

Gifted

IDEAS

...Tis the season, but who needs a reason? The winter wishlist starts here

SABINA SAVAGE SCARF Sabina Savage is a British company producing luxury scarves with hand-drawn prints, The range comes in many beautiful, highly detailed designs. Shown here, the Maratha Monkey, £330. Carina Baverstock Couture, 11 Silver Street, Bradford on Avon, Nr Bath, BA15 1JZ . Tel: 01225 866610

NICE TITFER!

BEST OF BRITISH

Grey lynx, luxury, faux fur Cossack hat from Ruby & Ed, £39. See this and a selection of lovely accessories and fashions at Bijoux & Willow. 2 Abbey Street, Bath, BA1 1NN. Tel: 01225 482024. www.bijouxandwillow.com

A superbly stylish coat, beautifully cut to flatter the figure. This Harris Tweed coat is available in oatmeal (as shown) or charcoal with a gorgeous cerise lining and finished off with a stylish high neck and clever belted section that nips in at the waist, £297.

AUBADE AT THE DRESSING ROOM La Passagère range by luxury French design house Aubade features the ‘waist clincher ‘ with its 3 elasticated straps, the tanga, and half cup bra, is quite simply seductive and very glamorous. £249 for the set. The Dressing Room. 7 Quiet Street Bath, BA1 2JU. Tel: 01225 330563

Clandar, 15 Cheap Street, Bath, BA1 1NA. www.clandar.co.uk

THE BRACELET WATCH Classical and simply elegant this watch, with a beautiful polished steel mesh bracelet strap makes a stylish statement timepiece and a perfect gift. £81.99. Also available in a man’s version (£95.99). Visit the Sekkai online shop for this and lots of great watch designs. www.sekkai.co.uk A NEW RICHE BAG A soft and luxurious handbag in black and fuchsia leather Riche is a favourite at Chanii B. The hidden double handles and adjustable shoulder strap make this bag a smart choice. All limited editions and signed by the designer, £275. Chanii B, Milsom Place, Bath, BA1 1BZ. www.chaniibshoes.com

DENTS LADIES GLOVES Dents classical leather glove with side vent and three traditional hand sewn points, fully lined, available in a wide range of sizes for a perfect fit, Shown here in Berry, £39. Dents, Available at Jollys, 7-14 Milsom Street, Bath, BA1 1DD and from the dents online shop. www.dents.co.uk

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JEWELLE

Gifted

IDEAS

From fairytale designs in precious elements... we have the jewellers who bring the sparkle to Christmas VINTAGE TREASURES Charles Hart is one of England’s oldest family jewellers - established in 1820, and from its shop in Frome it offers a huge range of vintage, collectible and pre-loved high quality jewellery. There is also an online shop: VintageTom.co.uk , but a visit to Frome is always a treat. Shown here an 18ct gold antique brooch set with turquoise & seed pearls £300. Charles Hart, 4 Cheap Street, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BN. Tel: 01373 462089 www.vintagetom.co.uk

TRILLIANT & BRILLIANT Handmade by the Gold and Platinum Studio its Bath workshop, left; a superb platinum necklace set with a 1.15ct trilliant cut sapphire and a 0.20ct marquise cut diamond, £3,995. And above; a beautiful handmade 9ct yellow gold butterfly set with round brilliant cut diamonds. £610. Long established in Bath since 1970, goldsmith Michael Parsons and his workshop team create splendid, individual pieces and are well known for their special bespoke commissions. Gold & Platinum Studio, 19 Northumberland Place, Bath BA1 5AR. Tel: 01225 462300. www.goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk

NICHOLAS WYLDE

CHAOS THEORY

One of Bath’s most celebrated goldsmiths, Nicholas Wylde creates contemporary classics - and many can be made to order. From his Solo collection these Tanzanite solitaire earrings, each featuring a white gold oval design with a single tanzanite in a rubover setting are timeless and elegant. £2,015

Jody Cory has a super range of Silver wire designs called Chaos by local designers Prism. Simple but dazzling, the drop pendant necklace shown is £87, and the pendant necklace £53. Also available are matching earrings at £57. For 9ct gold versions visit Jody’s showroom. Jody is one of Bath’s most established goldsmiths so if you would like a a piece made to order then contact her for details. Jody Cory Goldsmiths. 9 Abbey Churchyard, Bath BA1 1LY. Tel: 01225 460072. www.jodycory.co.uk

12 Northumberland Place, Bath, BA1 5AR. Tel: 01225 462826 www.nicholaswylde.com

JEWELLERY BY TINA ENGELL

DROP INTO QUADRI

Something very special by Bath goldsmith Tina Engell, is this Ball ring in 18ct yellow solid gold set with cinnamon coloured diamonds and large smokey quartz, priced at £3,200, Tina can make them to order in many variations from £2,300. Goldsmith Tina Engell. 29 Belvedere, Bath. BA1 5HR Tel: 01225 443334. www.tinaengell.com MALLORY From Bath’s biggest and most prestigious jewellers, Mallory has created this magnificent 18ct rose gold pink sapphire ring with diamond set shoulders, £2,050. Visit their beautiful showroom for the city’s finest array of jewellery, watches, luxury gifts and accessories. EP Mallory & Son Ltd 1-5 Bridge Street, Bath BA24AP. Tel: 01225 788800. www.mallory-jewellers.com

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Quadri is a mine of precious things that never fails to delight, with a breathtaking range of incredible gifts and lovely everyday dress jewellery. We spotted these beautiful two tone drop earrings £78, they are a perfect gift or little treat. Milsom Place, 16 Milsom Street, Bath BA1 1BZ. Tel: 01225 329212 www.quadri.co.uk

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FOR THE

MAN

Gifted

ROLEX SUBMARINER Since GoldenEye in 1995 the Omega Seamaster has been James Bond's watch of choice. However 007 traditionalists will have noted that the first watch featured in Dr No in 1962 was the Rolex Submariner in stainless steel. For a sporty diving look, Sean Connery had changed the strap to a classy grey and black Nato one. Omega has used something very similar for its limited edition Seamaster 300 as seen in Spectre - If you didn’t manage to acquire one of the 7007 specially made Seamaster’s, then what better than to recreate the original look with the Rolex. £5,000

IDEAS

Inspired by the most recent 007 film Spectre, here are some gifts for the perfect gent...

...We’ve been inspecting them, Mr Bond. A SCENT FOR A GENT

EP Mallory & Son Ltd 1-5 Bridge Street, Bath BA2 4AP. Tel: 01225 788800. www.mallory-jewellers.com

Floris No.89 fragrance was a personal favourite of Ian Fleming and featured in many of the early Bond movies. No.89 takes its name from the number of the Floris shop on Jermyn Street. With orange and bergamot blended with lavender and neroli and undertones of vetiver this is the quintessential English gentleman's fragrance. Comes in two sizes, 100ml (£75), and, if you are a secret agent, then a handy travel size is perfect for those missions abroad. 50ml (£55). Available online at florislondon.com or at Rossiters in Bath

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY If you are planning on enjoying a white Christmas and taking to the mountains for a snow break, then these Tom Ford Henry Vintage Wayfarer sunglasses are as cool on the powder as they are hot in the sun. The round-frame style is truly classic and Daniel Craig wears a pair in Spectre and in the music video for Sam Smith's theme tune Writing's On The Wall. £235. Available from Vision Express, 53 Southgate, Bath BA1 1TG.

FROM DENTS WITH GLOVE Made by Dents in England, a pair of Fleming unlined hairsheep leather driving gloves are as worn by Daniel Craig in Spectre. They make the perfect winter accessory... No more coldfingers... (apologies). £99.00. Available from www.dents.co.uk or at find them at Jollys of Bath.

HE’S ONLY LIVED TWICE After surviving a traumatic explosion in his cameo role in Skyfall, and now sporting a few cracks to his face and some charring to the union flag draped over his back. Royal Doulton’s Jack the Bulldog has given up the desk job. Bequeathed to 007 by ‘M’, he makes a welcome return in Spectre, where he has taken early retirement on Bond’s coffee table. Good to see you back Jack. Available from www.royaldoulton.co.uk or at Jollys of Bath.

LICENSED TO CHILL Macallan was one of the first of Scotland’s distilleries to be issued a legal licence. Connoisseurs believe it to produce one of the best single malts too. In Skyfall, the villain Silva (Javier Bardem) claims to know Bond’s favourite whisky, and the Macallan1962 was served regularly... Sadly Severine (Bérénice Marlohe ) spilled her glass. Chill out like 007, and enjoy a Christmas tipple. Macallan Single Malt Whisky from £59 Harvey Nichols, 27 Philadelphia Street, Quakers Friars, Bristol. BS1 3BZ also find out more at www.themacallan.com

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LIVE & LET TIE When Suzie Kidd sat at her sewing machine one sunny day in January 2015 to make an 18th birthday gift for her son, she had no idea that she was about to create her own bow tie business and a few months later would be in conversation with leading national retailers. Based in Bristol, Suzie makes lovely bow ties, from the most beautiful silks. and personalises them to make a long lasting and special gift for the perfect debonaire date. £60 per bow tie (including VAT, postage & personalised monogram) Available direct from www.bowtiesetc.uk

PAY ATTENTION 007 In SkyFall, ‘Q’ (Ben Whishaw) uses a Wild & Wolf ‘Q’ mug. The mug refers to the board-game Scrabble. Other letters like ‘M ‘and ‘C’ for that matter, are also available. £7.95 Bloomsbury & Co, 15 New Bond Street, Bath BA1 1BA. Tel:01225 461049. ww.bloomsburystore.com

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R O O M 7 Quiet Street Bath BA1 2JU T: 01225 330563 E: info@dressingroombath.com www.dressingroombath.com

T H E

F I N E S T

I N

L I N G E R I E ,

B E A C H

N I G H T W E A R

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Bath’s best kept secret... Don’t tell everyone, but if you’re looking for truly exclusive leather footwear and bags this Christmas, head to Chanii B in Milsom Place.

www.chaniibshoes.com 9 Milsom Place, Bath, BA1 1BZ WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

For those in the know, it’s the home of exciting designs and beautiful leathers, and sometimes a chat with international designer, Chantal Pilon, who designs everything you’ll see in the shop. And each style is only made in small numbers in each size, so you’re guaranteed individuality. 01225 333693

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FOR THE

HOME ORIGINAL ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES

Gifted

Looking for something very individual, interesting, or quirky? Beau Nash is a super antique shop based in the heart of Bath. Its focus is on high quality antique silver pieces, and firmly advocate that such objets be used everyday and never put away. Here’s a large silver Grecian pattern basting spoon, dating back to 1800, that’s over 200 turkeys basted, and plenty of life in it for many, many more! £185.

IDEAS CARVING IN COLOUR

Beau Nash Antiques, 31 Brock Street, Bath, BA1 2LJ. Tel: 01225 334234 www.beaunashbath.com

BY YVES DELORME

The ProCook Colourpro 6 piece knife set is perhaps one of the new style icons of the kitchen. Offering form and functionality with strong colour coated steel blades the set features paring to bread and carving knives plus the large santoku which is perfect for chopping without rocking. A must for the kitchen professional. RRP £76, Procook outlet just £38. Clarkes Village, Farm Road, Street, Somerset. BA16 0BB.

Add a touch of retro to your home with the Tokaïdo cushion cover from Yves Delorme - the home of beautiful luxury French linen, and soft fabrics. From bed and bath linen, to table cloths, nightwear, and even scents and furniture, a visit to one of Yves Delorme’s stores makes a great shopping trip. You won’t have to go far... as Bath is blessed with one of Le Royaume Uni’s finest. Yves Delorme, 11 Milsom Place, Bath, BA1 1BZ. Tel: 01225 484 807 www.yvesdelormeparis.com

NEOM REED DIFFUSER From Neom Organics, the Feel Refreshed reed diffuser in Sicilian lemon and fresh basil is a stimulating and zesty citrus blend to energise the body and encourage clear thinking. Enjoy its therapeutic benefits throughout your home. £38

DINNERWARE BY RORSTRAND - MON AMIE Over the years the blue floral decoration has become something of an icon for Rörstrand. Mon Amie first made its debut in 1950. It’s a timeless classic made of fine Swedish porcelain. Shannon. 68 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BD. Tel: 01225 424222 www.shannon-uk.com

Grasse, 3 Argyle St, Bath, BA2 4BA. Tel: 01225 44260 www.grasse.me.uk

PERFECT TABLE DRESSING These beautiful Aztec gold (and silver) tablemats in hardwearing, easy to clean cork add a touch of style to your festive party table dressing or indeed to any glitzy occasion. From £16 each. Visit Avenida Home for these and many really lovely mats, trays and splendid home and gift ideas. Avenida Home 27 Walcot Street Bath BA1 5BN. Tel: 01225 571718 www.avenidahome.com

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HEIRLOOMS AND TREASURES Hand-stitched in rich, aged nutbrown Buffalo leather, this smart storage box is ideally sized to keep safe treasured heirlooms. £79. Just one of the many highly desired delights from OKA - soon to be opening in Milsom Street, but can be found on its website: www.okadirect.com

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LOGY

TECHNO

Gifted

IDEAS

As well as being state of the art, technology can be tangible. Here we appreciate how it looks and feels.

RUARK R4 IMS With crystal clear sound and impeccable design the new Ruark R4 IMS is the perfect 'all in one' music solution for 21st century living. £649. Arrange a demonstration at Paul Green Hi-Fi.

BEOPLAY H8 Let the tangled cord be a thing of the past with these premium bluetooth wireless, active noise cancellation on-ear headphones - the BeoPlay H8. Simple touch gestures let you control the sound with a fingertip. Very clever and perfect sound. £399 Bang & Olufsen of Bath, 3, Fountain Buildings, Lansdown Road, Bath BA1 5DU. Tel: 01225 445211 www.bang-olufsen.com/en

Paul Green Hi-Fi. Unit 8, Brassmill Enterprise Centre Brassmill Lane, Bath. BA1 3JN Tel: 01225 316197 www.paulgreenhifi.co.uk

VIFA HELSINKI Nordic design is a distinct characteristic of all Vifa audio products - the Helsinki is an awardwinning, petite, powerful bluetooth loudspeaker with incredible sound... It should be, Vifa components are used in many big name, high-end manufacturers. Great design and there’s a choice of colours. Visit the Woodhouse and Law designer showroom for a demonstration, £299. Woodhouse & Law, 4 Georges Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath BA2 4EN. Tel: 01225 428072. www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk or www.vifa.dk

THE OLYMPUS PEN - EPL7 No matter what the mobile phone companies claim, you cannot beat a proper camera with a good lens for outstanding image quality...It will take your photography to a higher, happier and more fulfilling artistic level. You can also be as cool as some of the great photographers like David Bailey who back in the 60s carried his Olympus Pen everywhere. Audrey Hepburn famously had one too. The only difference is that the EPL7 is a high performance digital version, that when paired with one of the Olympus interchangeable lenses produces incredible image quality. A joy of photography, £499. LCE Bath, 13 Cheap Street, Bath, BA1 1NB. Tel: 01225 462234. www.lcegroup.co.uk

ROBERTS REVIVAL DAB The iconic Roberts Revival DAB radio is a retro style radio with advanced DAB features. In a wide range of colours, it not only looks great, it sounds great too. Price from £170. Moss of Bath, 45 St James Parade, Bath, BA1 1UQ. Tel: 01225 331 441 www.mossofbath.co.uk

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bott

A wide range of blankets and throws

ter t wa

Little My jug

Mugs by Marimekko

da tio n

ia ab Ar

Green and cranberry Kastehelmi votives from iittala

pl n at e" ou F No us rth Cla ern a t n Lights from Sa

Niklas Tomtebod and Jakob Tomtebod

Marimekko cash and carry bag

Kaiser Ideal desk lamp in red

S annon F U R N I T U R E LT D

Toikka owls

Christmas at Shannon ! more than beautiful furniture...

•

Our Scandinavian gift range is perfect for christmas presents and includes the beautiful Taika tableware, Marimekko mugs, bags and gifts, stunning iittala glassware, and fabulous table and tree decorations ...and so much more... Oh, and everything ‘Moomin’! Inspired!

68 Walcot Street Bath BA1 5BD 01225 424222

www.shannon-uk.com

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GRASSE Elegance & Quality The Sekkai range of watches are classically distinctive and simply elegant. All are distinctive and exude character and style, prices from ÂŁ35 to ÂŁ95.

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

Full mens, ladies and unisex range available view online.

www.sekkai.co.uk A Bath Company

Gold & Platinum Studio

Handmade and Bespoke Jewellery 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

All pieces individually designed and hand made on site by Mike and his team

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

DECEMBER 2015

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THE

PERFECT C H R IS T M A S G IF T

RECEIVE THE BATH MAGAZINE BY POST NEVER MISS OUT We deliver to over 20,000 addresses every month, and there’s plenty of pick up points around town. But if you live outside our distribution area or would like us to send a copy to friends or family, we offer a magazine mailing service. Make sure you never miss an issue... all 12 issues from just £30*

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

* UK mainland - For international subscription prices, see our website

BATH’S BIGGEST MONTHLY MAGAZINE

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VTom

intage

Antique & Vintage Jewellery For a huge range of Antique Jewellery, Rings and pre-owned prestige watches

Visit our website www.vintagetom.co.uk Telephone: 01373 462090

Or vist our High Street store in Cheap Street, Frome

Charles Hart Telephone: 01373 462089 Website: www.charleshart.co.uk

This Christmas our chosen charity is Polar Bears International. Visit our Charles Hart website for more details

LOOKING FOR MORE SHOPPING INSPIRATION? See our popular guide to the Best Little Shops of Bath. Available online at our website

www.thebathmag.co.uk

WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

DECEMBER 2015

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CHRISTMAS | PRESENTS

2 11

AN ORIGINAL THOUGHT

Bath is a great place to find original, unusual and handmade gifts. We’ve sourced some ideas for all budgets

rom stocking filler gifts to grand gestures, we’ve been scouring the city to bring you ideas for Christmas giving that’ll give you as much pleasure as the recipient of your thoughtfulness. 1 Art. For a really original present, why not commission a portrait of your loved one that can be handed down through generations, perfectly capturing someone’s face and character as they are now and preserving it for posterity? Anthony Connolly is an accomplished portrait painter and a member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. He studied fine art at Goldsmiths College and has won several major awards. Anthony’s observation of his sitters has been described by critic John McEwen as tender and searching. Prices range from £1,200 drawings, paintings from £2,800. Visit: anthonyconnolly. co.uk. 2 Beautiful books. But rather than simply buy them this year’s bestseller (although there’s nothing wrong with that) why not pick a volume that’s steeped in happy memories? George Baytun in Manvers Street, has a vast collection of rare antiquarian books but you can also lay your hands on family favourites such as old Angela Brazil and Enid Blyton hardbacks. Fans of vintage and retro style will love the original Agatha Christies, or facsimile re-prints, hardback, £9. Original Oz books, £35, by L Frank Baum will stir fond memories. 3 Toys. My Small World in Little SouthGate is a great place to go for wooden toys and for those who despair of the gender stereotyping of little girls and boys. We love the wooden magnetic rocket by French brand Janod, easy for little hands to pull apart and re-build. For Bath households the wooden Honeybake espresso machine, £27.99, with moving parts and a choice of ‘coffees’ will be ideal for baby baristas making Mummy’s morning de-caff latte.

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4 4 Quirky and historic maps. Aimed at the armchair adventurer is a series of themed maps of Britain created in Walcot Street by Strumpshaw, Tincleton & Giggleswick. One such map is the Marvellous Map of Great British Place Names, which takes you on a fun, slightly cheeky and mildly educational tour of Britain, with more than 1,400 funny, slightly rude and just plain silly sounding place names, from Knob Hill to Pant-y-Drain. From £24 unframed at: stghq.com. ST&G has kindly donated two ranges from its collection to Bath charity Julian House. These are on sale in the charity shop in Walcot Street, with all proceeds to the charity. For those with a close interest in Bath a historic map from Jonathan Potter’s collection at Margarets Buildings would be a good choice. One such is The Ichnography, Or New Plan Of The City Of Bath, from 1755, a lovely hand coloured, detailed and scarce plan of midcentury Bath. It measures 5 x 8 inches and priced £260. 5 Pop-up Pets. The Bath design studio which created the Rosie Flo series of colouring projects for children is now populating the world with its Pop-Up Pets. For those who haven’t got houseroom for a cat, or don’t have the time to walk a dog, these jolly little three-

THINK OUT OF THE BOX: clockwise from top left; The Framing Workshop can make art from family memorabilia; artist Anthony Connolly paints portraits; textiles at the Selvedge fair at the American Museum, lambswool scarves by Bath designer Lola Swift at her pop-up shop and vintage books from George Bayntum. Left, rare historic maps from Jonathan Potter THE ART OF GIVING: Opposite page, top right, quirky maps by Bath based Strumpshaw Tincleton & Giggleswick. Below, vintage ceramic birds from the Mudslingers exhibition and hare sculpture by Melanie Deegan at Verve Livin

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dimensional card characters add a bit of fun to a desk or mantelpiece. The latest in the range is a pair of guinea pigs, perfectly house trained and easy to assemble. They are £7.99 each from: pop-up-pet.com or My Small World 6 Vouchers. A gift for anyone who believes that experiences are more important than possessions. To mark the 21st anniversary of the annual Bath Literature Festival, tickets for ten events are being released for sale on 1 December, ahead of the full line-up in January. Book now to see broadcaster Joan Bakewell, author Tracey Chevalier, and comedians Dom Joly and Ben Miller. Or, if you don’t know which event they’d like to go to you can buy Bath Festival gift vouchers, visit: bathboxoffice.org.uk. Iford Arts Festival, in the beautiful Italianate gardens of Iford Manor in the Wiltshire countryside also offers vouchers, which can be bought by emailing: music@ifordarts.org.uk or visit: ifordarts.org.uk. You can also see a preview of the 2016 summer season. 7 Special spirits. If your loved one knows a good malt when they see, smell or taste one, pay a visit to Independent Spirit on Bog Island. The shop has a range of whiskies from limited bottling runs. Chris Scullion, joint owner, enthuses about Kiln Embers, a limited edition whisky from distillers Wemyss Malts, which retails at £39.95 – only 12,000 bottles exist on the entire planet. 8 Tactile textiles. Followers of Selvedge magazine will be delighted to hear it’s staging an Artisan Christmas fair at The American Museum at Claverton, Bath on Saturday 12 December from noon to 5pm. More than 30 artisans and small businesses will sell vintage haberdashery, festive decorations, homeware, collections of antique and decorative textiles, with prices starting at £5.

9 Memories framed. Are you struggling to buy for Mum or Dad, who seem to have everything, for Christmas? Why not search out a sporting achievement – a rugby cap, a golf ball that scored a hole-in-one or a favourite football shirt and have it framed? The Framing Workshop in Walcot Street can frame all those hidden treasures from the attic. Recently a woman took in her and her three brothers’ first shoes, which their mother had kept in the attic for 30 years or so. The four tiny pairs of shoes were framed, with their names and dates of birth, resulting in what the delighted mum said was her favourite Christmas present ever. Do allow a couple of weeks for the expert framers to work their magic. 10 Calendar guys. You’ve seen naked firemen and WI women shielding their modesty with cup cakes, but this has to be the first calendar project showcasing seasonal British flowers, sported by a series of men. Bradfordon-Avon based Electric Daisy Flower Farm has added an overlay of tracing paper so people can see the botanical names of the plants. the 2016 head-turning calendar is £25 (including post and packaging) from: electricdaisyflowerfarm.co.uk. You might not be able to afford a Peter Brown original, but you could give one of his limited edition 2016 calendars. They feature paintings from his last Bath show, starting and ending the year in snow with some obligatory rain and a little bit of sun. The calendars are £10, from: Waterstones, The Roman Baths, Rossiters, Woods, Bath Tourist Office and: petethestreet.com. 11 Pop-up shop. Textile designer Lola Swift, who is based in Bath, held a successful pop-up Christmas shop in Milsom Street last year featuring a wide range of hand and locally made decorative pieces. This year the shop is in Walcot Street and includes Lola’s own range of supersoft designed socks, gloves, snoods and other knitted pieces in the most glorious colours. The shop is stocked with all kinds of things, from little stocking fillers to larger and unusual decorative pieces. 12 Special Christmas cards. Meticulous Ink in Walcot Street has made a limited edition range of greetings cards with old-fashioned tactile appeal. Mountains of Sprouts, pictured, is letterpress printed in teal green and copper foil onto 100% cotton board, with a teal green tissue lined envelope. There are also two turtle doves or three French WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

hens designs to choose from. The cards are £3.95. If you know someone with a good looking mantelpiece, you’re sure of a space if you send one of these cards. 13 Museum shops. You don’t have to be a tourist, or even always pay an entrance fee, to raid Bath’s wonderful museum shops for Christmas presents. Eight of the city’s museums have laid on extra goodies in their shops. The museums are: the American Museum, Fashion Museum, Herschel Museum, Holburne Museum, Museum of Bath Architecture, Museum of East Asian Art, No 1 Royal Crescent and Victoria Art Gallery. Pictured is a hand carved netsuke, one of a selection of animals from the Holburne shop. 14 One-off ceramics. Mudslingers ceramics group is holding an exhibition at Walcot Street Chapel, from Friday 11 until Sunday 13 December, 10am to 6pm, offering the chance to buy and browse beautiful ceramic gifts direct from ten local ceramicists hand-made in local studios. Prices start at £3 for a handmade snowflake.The ceramicists are at hand to talk about their work and discuss their processes. 15 Sculpture. Animal lovers will appreciate the tactile quality of artist Melanie Deegan’s layered wire and resin sculptures. They range in size from four inches tall to four feet. Prices start at £90 and commissions are happily accepted. You can see her work – and that of other local makers – at Verve Living on London Road, Bath. n DECEMBER 2015

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CHRISTMAS | MARKET

MEET THE TRADERS

We go behind the scenes at Bath Christmas Market – which runs until Sunday 13 December – to talk to some of the stallholders

ake a stroll round Bath Christmas Market and you’ll see some familiar Bath brands alongside the visiting traders manning their stalls. Up To Seven children’s wear, made in a workshop in Walcot and sold from a shop on Pulteney Bridge, is doing a brisk trade in sweet little knitted hats and brightly coloured dresses. Business owner Mary Dawson is running the stall, as she does every year. We ask her why she takes a chalet in addition to her shop. “It’s definitely worth doing,” she says, “as we see a different kind of customer at the Christmas Market. It attracts shoppers from all over the UK who might not otherwise have visited our shop.” There are more than 170 stalls to see in all, so no-one’s going to get round them all in one day. If you can, avoid peak times such as Saturdays and lunchtimes, to ease congestion and allow yourself time to browse. Emma Hughes of Bertie and Jack, the art stall she runs on Union Street with business partner Becky, explained why the pair take a chalet, despite having a permanent on-street presence: “It is our fourth year at the market. Some visitors to Bath like to just wander the Christmas Market and don’t always wander around the entire city - so we like to be accessible

from both locations. The market is a great place to promote the Bertie & Jack brand and our unique artwork range, as it brings so many new customers to us.” There are visiting traders too who’ve worked for months to prepare stock for the market. Syd of The Stencil Shed is the winner of the Shed of the Year competition no less than three times, as featured on Channel 4’s Amazing Spaces show. Passers-by have been admiring his tribute to Bath Abbey on the roof of his market chalet. Syd and his wife have been busy making pieces since July at their Malmesbury home, in readiness for the market. The Stencil Shed’s pieces, featuring animals and graffiti style art are spray-painted onto ethically and locally sourced English ash and oak. The charming lively map created to guide people round the Christmas Market has been designed by west country artist Kate Chidley. You can meet Kate at Stall 116, where she is selling original illustrations, prints, cards and little books. It’s not just the actual stallholders who benefit from the Bath Christmas Market. Giles Stanfield-Mathew, operations manager of Sally Lunn’s Eating House said: “Of course the Christmas Market is good news for Bath! The visitors fill hotel rooms and the B&Bs, and independent

DRAWING THE CROWDS clockwise from top right, Emma and Becky of Bertie and Jack, Emma Leith, who makes all her kits at home, The Stencil Shed’s Bath Abbey adornment, Up To Seven children’s wear and the window of Sally Lunn’s Eating House Below, illustrations by west country artist Kate Chidley for Bath Christmas Market

businesses such as ours in the city centre serving food and drink do very well from the shoppers. Our staff enjoy having the market here, it brings a fresh buzz to the streets around us and the customers who come in are out to have a nice time, which helps. I bet there are many other towns the same size as the city of Bath who would be grateful to have such a successful event on their own doorstep every year.” Annette Dolan, who runs a shop selling Bath products and antiques on Orange Grove, has set up a pop-up shop front that looks like a chalet. It draws visitors to browse among jewellery and scarves displayed al fresco in the impromptu stall. “If we don’t do this people just walk past the shop and don’t really see it, “ she says, “This has been a good way of catching their attention – after all we’re only a few yards from the market.” We’re told that there’s not a hotel room to be had in Bath at weekends while the market is on, and that’s not hard to believe when you look at the crowded streets. Residents of Bath and North East Somerset who hold a Discovery Card will be entitled to discounts at some of the stalls, visit: bathchristmasmarket .co.uk to find out more. n

WHO’S AT CHARITY STALL NO 127 Each day of the Bath Christmas Market a diﬀerent charity will run the charity stall, No 127, beside Bath Abbey overlooking Orange Grove. Make a note of when your favourite charity’s there so you can go along and support them. Tuesday 1 December: Kerala Crafts Wednesday 2 December: Avon Wildlife Trust

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Thursday 3 December: The Forever Friends Appeal Friday 4 December: Three Ways School Saturday 5 December: Greyhound Rescue West England Sunday 6 December: MND Association Monday 7 December: Wiltshire Scrapstore Tuesday 8 December: Bath FoodCycle

Wednesday 9 December: The Nest Project Thursday 10 December: Dorothy House Hospice Care Friday 11 December: Brandon Trust Saturday 12 December: Oﬀ The Record Sunday 13 December: National Osteoporosis Society

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Osborne’s Christmas Trees Fresh from the Forest • Traditional tree • Potted • Large trees • Nordman Fir • Fraser Fir • Wreaths • Mistletoe and holly • Logs in bags • FREE REINDEER DUST

www.o-christmas.co.uk Colerne - Opens the 4th December 9am until dark On the Fosse Way near Colerne SN14 8AH

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Off the A361 between Frome and Trowbridge, BA11 6PE

Or call John direct on: 07870 466179 WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

DECEMBER 2015

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COMING TO A SCREEN NEAR YOU The 25th Bath Film Festival runs from 3 – 13 December, offering the city’s cinema goers some exclusive opportunities to see films of all kinds from all over the world

s the year descends into its darkest, shortest days, what better time to escape into film – a medium that can take us out of our lives and transport us somewhere different, somewhere special. The organisers of this month’s 25th Bath Film Festival have searched the globe to bring a real pic‘n’mix of screenings for Bath audiences. Creative director Philip Raby says: “We have an astounding mix of previews, documentaries, children’s films, and titles from around the world that you will either see before anyone else, or would never have the chance to see on the big screen in Bath until now.” Using the hashtag #FindYourFilm, the festival is aware that, unlike many Hollywood blockbusters, there is not a one-size fits all in film. And popcorn is not essential. Let’s look at some of the treats in store at the film festival, which runs from Thursday 3 to Sunday 13 December. YOUR FAVOURITE STAR Michael Caine can now fairly be described as a veteran actor, a man who can convey emotion with barely a movement of an eyelid. He stars with Harvey Keitel in this preview showing of Youth, directed by Paolo Sorrentino and exploring the theme of ageing, lost youth and old friendships. It’s on at the Little Theatre cinema at 6.30pm on Friday 4 December. ENJOY BEING SPOOKED Ten year-old twins Elias and Lukas welcome their mother home from hospital, her head heavily bandaged after facial surgery. She doesn’t behave as she usually does. They begin to wonder if she really is their mother. Goodnight Mummy is set in an isolated house and accompanied by nerve-scratching music. An award-winning Austrian horror, it’s F-rated and can be seen at 9pm on Friday 4 December at the Odeon, Bath. NOT YOUR USUAL PLOT John and Karen live in a hole in some French woods. He forages and hunts, but she stays in the hole, clearly terrified. 42 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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We, the audience, see that there’s a small town not far away and wonder why they’re living like this. Couple in a Hole was a big hit at the Toronto film festival earlier this year. It’s on at 6.30pm on Saturday 5 December. SOMETHING A BIT WEIRD Director Alexander Jodorowsky has made an autobiographical film – his first film in 23 years years – combining his love of the bizarre with tales of his childhood in Chile. It’s a bit unconventional to say the least. To start with, his dad is a Marxist and his mother is an opera singer. Be fascinated by The Dance of Reality on Sunday 6 December at 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre. LOW TECH HIGH IMPACT The makers of Tangerine demonstrate that you don’t need a multi-million pound budget to make a film which engages with the viewer. This fast-paced, energetic film about a transgender sex worker seeking vengeance in Hollywood, was shot, remarkably on an iPhone5. See for yourself on Thursday 10 December, 9pm, at Chapel Arts Centre. ICONIC FIGURES There’s a documentary about Janis

BIG SCREEN TREATS: main picture, Tangerine, inset left, a scene from The Dance of Reality, and right a mother and daughter flee to protect the child from an arranged marriage in The Daughter

Joplin, Janis: Little Girl Blue on Friday 4 December and on Wednesday 9 December (6.30pm, The Odeon) Twilight star Robert Pattinson plays a photographer in Life, based on James Dean. The actor who died tragically at 24 in a car crash was the epitome of cool and the first to play the role of troubled teenager. Dane deHaan plays Jimmy Dean in this very entertaining film, which makes its debut in Bath. FREEDOM OF SPEECH In light of current events in Syria, Rosewater, based on a true story, has huge resonance. Iranian journalist Maziar Bahari returns to his home country and is caught up in the uprising that almost swept the Islamic regime from power. He was imprisoned and tortured and this film captures the contrast between the excitement of Tehran during the 2009 Green Revolution and the prisoner’s solitary cell. The screening, on Thursday 10 December, 6pm, at the Odeon, will be followed by a Skype Q&A with Maziar Bahari in which he’ll talk about his work with the Journalism is Not a Crime campaign.

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FILM | FESTIVAL

VARIETY: left to right, Ralph Fiennes and Tilda Swinton in A Bigger Splash, Orson Welles as Harry Lime in The Third Man, and Lamb, an Ethiopian feature film

A NAIL-BITING THRILLER In Daughter, Pakistan mother Allah Rakhi, herself married off at 15 to a much older man, rebels when her husband tells her their ten-year-old daughter is to be married to a man in his 60s. She decides to take her daughter and escape. Will the pair’s desperate flight lead them to freedom? This Bath debut will be shown on Tuesday 8 December at 8pm at the Chapel Arts Centre. A BUDDY ROAD MOVIE Mississippi Grind has 90% positive feedback on Rotten Tomatoes film review site and this is its Bath debut. It follows the adventures of a pair of 1970s gamblers. It’s on at the Little Theatre on Thursday 10 December at 9pm.

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A GLAMOROUS DARK COMEDY This is Ralph Fiennes as you’ve never seen him – being laugh-out-loud funny. In A Bigger Splash he plays the ex-lover of an ageing rock star, played by Tilda Swinton. It’s been described as ‘a watery, spiteful, hugely entertaining comedy.’ Catch this preview on Saturday 12 December at 8.45pm at the Little Theatre. EXPLORE A DIFFERENT CULTURE Lamb was the first Ethiopian feature film to be screened at the Cannes film festival. It’s been described as like an Ethiopian Kes, telling the story of a boy called Ephraim whose mother dies, leaving him with relatives while his father goes in search of work. Ephraim makes friends with a young sheep. But

his relatives are planning a feast and want to serve lamb as the main course. An engaging movie, this offers us the chance to look beyond the news headlines at Ethiopian life. The screening is in association with Bath based charity Ethiopiaid. It’s on Friday 11 December at 6.30pm, at the Little Theatre. CATCH UP WITH HARRY LIME The Third Man, starring Orson Welles and directed by Carol Reed, was the first film screened by Bath Film Festival 25 years ago. This classic will be seen in a 4k digital restoration, at the Little Theatre on Saturday 12 December at 6.15pm. n For more screenings at the Bath Film Festival. Pick up a programme or visit: bathfilmfestival.org.uk

DECEMBER 2015

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CITY | OF | SONG

VOICES RAISED IN SONG Three more choirs join our celebration of Bath’s rich choral community, as we look at the achievements of the Silver Ring Choir, the Paragon singers and Vox8

hen we ran our celebration of Bath’s magnificent choral community in November’s issue, we realised that, despite covering 21 different adults choirs, there were probably some out there who we’d missed out. Three choirs subsequently contacted us and we are happy to sing their praises here. THE SILVER RING CHOIR OF BATH Formed in 1951 by the charismatic Welsh tenor Kelvin Jones MBE, the Silver Ring Choir of Bath has entertained audiences here and abroad for over 60 years. It is a highly successful and enthusiastic mixed voice choir of 40 plus singers who meet every Monday evening in the hall at Manvers Street Baptist Church. The choir has an excellent reputation and has toured worldwide. In 2016 the international tour will be to the Ardennes in Belgium where it will be doing the return leg of a highly successful exchange. The conductor is the equally charismatic Phil Draisey who has won all hearts since he joined the ensemble in January. An outstanding musician of choral and orchestral music, Phil at 22 years old has brought great musicianship with his first class honours degree in music as well as youthful enthusiasm and talent. Kelvin, at 94, is still in wonderful voice and gave an unaccompanied solo at a recent concert which received standing ovations. With a varied repertoire, the Silver Ring likes to support local charities and its next concert is on Wednesday 9 December, 6.30pm at St John’s Church, St John’s Road, Bathwick. This is in aid of Bridgecare, the residential home which is beginning an appeal to build a dementia care unit, so desperately needed in the city. It is a free concert with a silent collection. The home is very proud that Luke Williams, one of the nursing staff and a trained opera singer will be singing some solos. This concert is followed by the annual carol concert at St Michael’s Church, Bath on Friday 18 December, 7pm. We will also be singing carols in the atrium at the RUH for its cancer appeal. The Silver Ring is a very friendly choir and welcomes all ages. A recent initiative has been to award student bursaries for Bath Spa University students and some of these beautiful young voices have enhanced the choir. This is a scheme the choir intends to develop and is always interested in hearing from young singers. The first rehearsal after Christmas is on

LANTERN OF THE WEST: one of many carol services taking place in the historic setting of Bath Abbey Below, the Paragon Singers Monday 4 January at 7.45pm at Manvers Street – singers are welcome to come and meet Phil and join the singing. What better way to start the new year? Visit: silverringchoir.org.uk or tel. 0117 9422205. PARAGON SINGERS Paragon Singers is about to turn 40. Founded in a house in the Paragon in 1976 the choir has grown steadily in size and has established itself as a paragon of choral excellence in the decades since. (The chairperson on the committee has been with the choir for all of those 40 years). Concerts typically feature a polyphonic mass interspersed with contemporary pieces by composers such as James Macmillan, Howard Skempton, Knut Nystedt and Arvo Pärt. Next year will be a big year of celebration and change, for as well as gathering together a large number of past members to mark the

anniversary the choir will also be appointing a new director. Keith Bennett, who has given 30 years of brilliant programming, choral training and conducting to Paragon Singers, is stepping down.The final concert under his direction will be the magnificent Bach B Minor Mass in Wiltshire Music Centre in December next year. Before that there is a concert on 5 March in Christchurch, Julian Road featuring Palestrina, Scarlatti and Arvo Pärt. Even sooner is the big Christmas concert in Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon, on Saturday 12 December this year, which will be a feast of sparkling Baroque music from South America, including some mesmerising percussion, cornetts and sackbuts. The choir has enjoyed many very successful collaborations with choirs from the European mainland including Holland, France and Germany, and the high points have been the trips abroad, with all the camaraderie, sharing of music and of course many a restaurant, bar, market, beach, cathedral and art gallery along the way. And if you ask any choral singer to name an ambition, might it not be to sing in St Mark’s, Venice? Paragon choir members will realise that dream when they sing mass there at the beginning of May with German friends from the Thomasselle Vokalensemble in Berlin. The choir is always interested in welcoming new members. It is currently looking for experienced singers who blend well and who are competent sight-readers. Rehearsals are on Monday evenings in Walcot. Contact the choir via the website: paragonsingers.co.uk. VOX8 Bath’s new vocal octet consists of eight experienced soloists who sing together to produce a thrilling sound. Established in 2013, Vox8 aims to provide the south west region with top-quality concerts in some of the best venues it has to offer. Eight regular members form the core of the group, and there is a pool of experienced guest singers to call upon when needed. The choral repertoire ranges from Renaissance polyphony through to 21st century music as well as Swingle Singers’ doo-wap style fun but very tricky numbers. A recent engagement saw Vox8 back the vocal group Blake in Frome. Its next concert will be early in the new year. Visit the website for more information: vox8.uk. n

More than 1,000 children from schools in Bath and North East Somerset are taking part in two carol services at Bath Abbey on Monday December 7, at 10.30am and 2pm. Both services are open to all. Services will include carols with musical interludes from children and new carols. There will also be a memorial service on Sunday December 13, at 3pm in the Top Chapel at Haycombe Cemetery. This is a chance for people to make public tributes to their loved ones; attendees will be able put a message on a tag and place on the Christmas tree or light a candle.

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DeCeMBeR 2015

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WHAT’S ON in December EVENTS ARE LISTED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER A SEASON OF FRENCH FARCE: THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY Until Saturday 19 December, times vary n Ustinov Studio theatre, Bath Feydeau’s farce of the belle eqpoque era is set in Paris. Expect lovers hiding in cupboards, dropped trousers, confusion and much laughter. Director Laurence Boswell has won national acclaim. Tickets: all seats £19.50/£14.50 discounts. Tel: 01225 448844. HANDBAGGED Monday 30 November – Saturday 5 December, times vary n Theatre Royal, Sawclose, Bath Susie Blake stars in another West End transfer, and another production featuring the Royal Family. The Queen and Margaret Thatcher come face to face in this imaginary behind-the-scenes encounter. For ticket prices and details tel: 01225 448844. Susie Blake as Q in Handbagged at the Theatre Royal

EDITOR’S PICK BILL SMARME & THE BIZNESS Sunday 13 December, 1pm n The Bell, Walcot Street, Bath Just in is this missive from Mr Smarme: “Alright all you lucky FABS? Exactly what's going to be going on hasn't been decided yet but there's talk of a pudding-eating contest and even a new Christmas song. I will be wearing a fully restored pair of trousers as part of a Christmas outfit to die for, and our heady mix of reconstructed songs and what we like to call humour will be the key to a festive gig that will knock all the others dead. In years to come you will remember where you were on 13 December 2015.” See our Family Diary for details of Jack and the Beanstalk at the Theatre Royal Bath and other shows suitable for children Also at the Theatre Royal this month HANDEL’S MESSIAH BY CANDLELIGHT Sunday 6 December, 7.30pm This is a real treat for lovers of period music as the orchestra and choir will be in full period costume and performing by candlelight. The audience will be transported back to 1742, the date of its premiere. Tickets: £24/£26.

The Argyle Players: The Ghost Train

THE GHOST TRAIN Wednesday 2 – Saturday 5 December, 7.30pm n Tovey Hall, Central United Reformed Church, Grove Street, Bath The Argyle Players present The Ghost Train by Arnold Ridley (Godfrey of Dad’s Army fame) A group of travellers become stranded on a remote railway station, where they learn of the legend of the Ghost Train, which brings death to anyone who sees it. Then station master drops dead and a seemingly terrified woman bursts in, asking for protection. Tickets: £9, visit: bathboxoffice.org.uk or tel: 01225 463362. Rusty Shackle

Bill Smarme

TALK: FASHION IN THE 1930S, PETER RUSSELL, MAYFAIR COUTURIER Thursday 3 December, 6pm n The Fashion Museum, Bennett Street, Bath Museum curator Joanna Hashagen, of The Bowes Museum in County Durham, will speak about London couturier Peter Russell, whose mist grey net evening dress embroidered in pink, dated 1934, is part of the Fashion Museum collection. Tickets £10, includes a glass of wine, from the Bath Box Office website: bathboxoffice.org.uk.

Clyve’s party at Chapel Arts

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The Roving Crows at Chapel Arts

DeCeMBeR 2015

JAZZ CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY Thursday 3 December, 8pm n St James’ Wine Vaults, St James’ Square, Bath Anglo-American saxophonist Craig Crofton with the Jazz House Trio, serves up a party set of groove based jazz and funk. Plus more party fun with DJ Tony Clark. Tickets £6/£5 concessions, tel: 01225 310335.

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RUSTY SHACKLE Friday 4 December, 8pm n The Pound arts centre, Pound Pill, Corsham, Wiltshire South Wales indie folk roots band Rusty Shackle captivate audiences with their incredible live performances. Their shows blend catchy tunes with high energy level performances, drawing influences from Folk, Roots, Rock, Celtic and old time Blues. Tickets: £12 (£11 concessions) Tel: 01249 701628 or visit: poundarts.org.uk. Also at Pound arts centre this month GIGSPANNER Saturday 5 December, 7.30pm Fiddle player Peter Knight and his trio Gigspanner have a carefully curated and skillfully narrated programme of material that goes way beyond the folk’s usual boundaries. Tickets: £12 (£11 concessions). CANDELIT CHRISTMAS Monday 21 December, 7pm With the evocative and wintry sound of early music from Christian, pagan and folk traditions as well as distinctive Richard Durrant originals, this is a show of surprises and midwinter charm. Durrant is joined onstage by singer Amy Kakoura. Tickets: £12 (£11 concessions)

Flaming Feathers

ROVING CROWS Friday, December 4, 7.30pm Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls, Bath Roving Crows are an original act, with roots in folk and Celtic music. Renowned for their high-energy live performance, their shows pull together funked up traditional tunes and catchy original songs. Tickets: £12 Visit: chapelarts.org, tel 01225 461700 Also at Chapel Arts Centre, THE FLAMING FEATHERS CHRISTMAS CABARET Saturday, December 5, 7.30pm Dancing, variety and cabaret with The Flaming Feathers Showgirl Dance Troupe, compere and comedian Abigail Collins and magicians Griffin and Jones. Dress code: dress to impress. Tickets: £20. CLYVE’S FUNKY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Sunday, December 13, 7.30pm Clyve is a soul/funk recording artist, who divides his time between his native Bath and New York. He returns to the south west for his annual funky Christmas gig. This event is a standing gig with seating down both sides of the auditorium. Tickets: £10/ £12 on the door. A SWINGING CHRISTMAS EVENING WITH PETER GILL AND HIS BAND Thursday, December 17, 7.30pm Boogie woogie and swing pianist/vocalist Peter Gill and his swing band return for an eclectic mix of swing standards, boogie woogie classics and Christmas gems such as White Christmas, Santa Claus Is Comin To Town and Mr Bojangles. Tickets: £15/£17 on the door. OH WHISTLE . . . TWO GHOST STORIES Friday 4 December, 8pm n The Rondo Theatre, St Saviour’s Road, Larkhall, Bath Nunky Theatre Company brings an annual treat to Bath – the ghost stories of MR James. Two tales, Oh Whistle and I’ll Come to you My Lad and The Ash Tree, will give audiences a frisson of dread. Tickets: £14, tel: 0333 666 3366. Also at the Rondo this month AN EVENING WITH CINDY STRATTON AND MARIUS FRANK Saturday 5 December, 8pm Cindy and Marius will be singing some new material as well as some seasonal specials and they’ll be joined by musical guests. Tickets: £14. SCIENCE SHOWOFF ANTIDOTE TO CHRISTMAS Friday 4 December, 7.30pm Weston Studio, The Edge, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath Need a bit more geek in your life but want to get a proper evening’s entertainment at the same time? Geek comedian Steve Cross hosts some of Bath’s top science, comedy and performance talent in a night of clever chaotic cabaret. Tickets: £10/ £8 concessions. Tel: 01225 386777 or visit: icia.org.uk. Continued Page 48 WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

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WHAT’S | ON

Also at the Edge at the University of Bath this month FILM: AROUND THE WORLD IN 50 CONCERTS Monday 7 December, 7.30pm This film follows the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam on a world tour. The strength of the film lies in its ability to tell individual stories alongside the bigger picture of the orchestra’s power in performance. This attention to detail, as well as the music, is what makes Heddy Honigmann’s film so special.Tickets: £9/ £7 concessions. BATH CHORAL SOCIETY Friday 4 – Saturday 5 December, 7.30pm ■ Bath Abbey, Bath Bath Choral Society present its annual celebration of the great masterpiece Handel’s Messiah, under the baton of conductor Will Dawes, with the Bristol Ensemble. Tickets from £4 – £29, visit: bathboxoffice.org.uk.

EDITOR’S PICK WIDCOMBE MUMMERS New Year’s Day ■ Various locations, Widcombe, Bath 'The Widcombe Mummers are peforming their now-traditional New Year's Day play in Widcombe at various locations starting at noon. This year's play is The Widcombe Mummers and the Courtesy Street after the local traffic rearrangements in Widcombe, and ultimately provides the cure to save Turkey Snipe from death. A good time will be had by all. Free. For performance times and locations see www.widcombemummers.org.uk.'

Around the World in 50 Concerts at The Edge

CORDELIA WILLIAMS Saturday 5 December, 7.30pm ■ Wiltshire Music Centre, Ashley Road, Bradford-on-Avon Pianist Cordelia Williams is joined by narrator and poet Michael Symmons and artist Sophie Hacker for this cross-art event. It includes work by Messiaen, written in occupied Paris in 1944. The music will be set alongside images and poems exploring universal themes of love, passion and faith. Tickets: £17. Tel: 01225 860100 or visit: wiltshiremusic.org.uk Also at the Wiltshire Music Centre this month BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST Friday 11 December, 7.30pm Accordion player Paul Hutchinson of Bellowhead joins Paul Sartin, singer and violinist, for an evening of wit and eclectic festive musical fare. Tickets: £14 (children £1). PARAGON SINGERS: CHRISTMAS IN THE NEW WORLD Saturday 12 December, 7.30pm A sparkling musical tour of 17th century Mexico, Bolivia and Peru, with conductor Keith Bennett and The Six, cornett and sackbut ensemble. Tickets: £17. GBH BIG BAND/CANTAMUS CHAMBER CHOIR Saturday 19 December, 7.30pm Jazz does Christmas, as choir and band romp through a mixture of carols and classics such as Winter Wonderland. A good one to thaw the stoniest hearted Scrooge. Tickets: £16, under18s, £5.

Making things and meeting people at The Workshop Cabin

Pianist Cordelia Williams at the Wiltshire Music Centre

Christmas at Claverton

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CHRISTMAS QUILLING WORKSHOP Saturday 5 December, 10am – 1pm ■ The American Museum, Claverton. Bath Make delicate paper boxes embellished with quilling decoration, perfect for presenting Christmas gifts. To book tel: 01225 820868 or email: workshops@americanmuseum.org. Also at The American Museum this month CHRISTMAS CONCERT: SPECTRA MUSICA Saturday 5 December, 7 – 9pm The chamber choir Spectra Musica performs a programme of American music, including early colonial settings, folk songs, sprituals, jazz, modern choral music, and carols. Tickets: £12 (£10 museum members) Visit: americanmuseum.org. CHRISTMAS AT CLAVERTON Until Sunday 20 December Admission to see the house decked in all its Christmas glory, with beautifully decorated Christmas trees in many of the rooms. Adults £10, concessions £9, children £5.50, Family £27.50. Gift Aid rates available.

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Arts Society event lecturer Jane Gardiner will focus on the development of the wine glass. She will consider the drinking habits of different countries and the types of glass associated with those countries. Tickets: £7, students free. Tel: 01225 742819. Visit: bedfas.co.uk.

CHASE THE PUD Saturday 5 December, 10am register, 11am start n The University of Bath, Claverton, Bath Dress up as Santa and chase the Christmas pudding around the university campus in aid of the British Heart Foundation. The Students’ Union V Team Student Volunteering group is organising this event for all ages. Walk or run the 2k route. Tickets: £15, which includes a Santa suit, £5 for under 14s. Children can dress as their favourite Christmas character. Visit: www.bhf.org.uk/chasethepud. A HANDFUL OF SINGERS: THE VERY BEST TIME OF YEAR Saturday 5 December, 7.30pm n St Luke’s Church, Wellsway, Bath, BA2 2BD Few people have done more for Christmas choral music than Sir David Willcocks, who died recently, and John Rutter, who celebrates his 70th birthday this year. A Handful of Singers’ Christmas concert pays tribute to the work of these remarkable men in a festive programme, with award-winning conductor Christopher Finch. Tickets £12, £5 students, u16s free, tel: 01225 463362 www.bathboxoffice.org.uk, www.ahandfulofsingers.org and 01225 311773. KATE RUSBY AT CHRISTMAS Saturday 5 December, 7.30pm n The Forum, SouthGate, Bath Kate Rusby’s annual Christmas concerts share a local South Yorkshire tradition of which she’s been a part ever since she was a child. Tickets: £15 plus booking fee, tel: 0844 888 9991.

Sue Perkins Also at the Forum LONDON GALA ORCHESTRA Friday 1 January, 2pm This is the 25th anniversary for this New Year’s Day concert. Expect romantic waltzes, passionate songs, feel-good tunes and special effects to evoke all the excitement and romance of New Year’s Day in Vienna. Tenor, Andrew Rees, will be joined by award-winning soprano Natasha Day and conductor Stephen Ellery. Packed full of classics by the Strauss family. Tickets: from £10, tel: 0844 888 9991. TALK: DRINK THY WINE WITH A MERRY HEART Monday 7 December 7.00pm n Top Gallery, Holburne Museum, Bath For the latest Bath Evening Decorative and Fine

PETER BROWN Thursday 10 December, 7.30pm n Topping & Co, the Paragon, Bath Pete the Street, as he’s affectionately known, is a familiar sight around Bath, wearing a peaked cap and paint spattered jacket, painting at his easel in down-to-earth plein air style. Tickets: £7 redeemable against his new book. Tel: 01225 428111. Also hosted by Topping & Co this month AN EVENING WITH SUE PERKINS Wednesday 9 December, 7.30pm Fiercely bright and quick-witted comedian and TV presenter Sue Perkins has written her memoir Spectacles. She’ll be talking about her work and life in an evening at St Swithin’s Church, Walcot. Tickets from £20 (to include a copy of the book). THE LEGACY OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT Friday 11 December, doors open 6.30pm n Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16 Queen Square, Bath The Victor Suchar Christmas Lecture to be given by Dr. Richard Wendorf, Director, The American Museum, is the last in the year-long series on the Enlightenment. Tickets on the door £2 for BRLSI members/students, £4 visitors. Continued Page 50

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WHAT’S | ON PARAGON SINGERS Saturday 12 December, 7.30pm n Wiltshire Music Centre, Ashley Road, Bradford-on-Avon A sparkling programme of Baroque music from the world of 17th century Mexico, Bolivia and Peru, with vibrant rhythms, gorgeous tunes and striking instrumental colours. With newly discovered music and powerful and distinctive favourites, this music will set pulses racing. Featuring Folia Baroque string ensemble and The Six, cornett and sackbut ensemble. Tickets: £17/£16/£5, tel: 01225 860100. CHRISTMAS CONCERT: BATH SPA BAND AND MENDIP MALE VOICE CHOIR Saturday 12 December, 7.30pm n Holy Trinity Church, The Avenue, Combe Down, Bath A festive family concert featuring local brass band Bath Spa Band and the Mendip Male Voice Choir. Sing all your favourite carols. Proceeds to Combe Down Surgery Tickets: £10 including refreshments. Child concession available. Tel: 01761 479101 secretary@bathspaband.co.uk or tel: 01761 414070 tickets@mendipmen.co.uk Visit: bathspaband.co.uk or mendipmen.co.uk THE WORKSHOP CABIN: CREATE CHRISTMAS PAPER WREATHS Sunday 13 December, 6.30pm The Workshop Cabin runs hand-picked, fun, local workshops at different venues around Bath for everyone to enjoy. If you live in or near

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Clare Teal at Komedia Bath and you’re looking to try out a new hobby, learn something new, or simply be social, then enjoy some of these meet ups. Many are arts and crafts workshops, but there are also general workshops (such as fun language evenings or tarot etc). They are fun, relaxed and informal. Book through: The WorkshopCabin.com or email hello@theworkshopcabin.com Also with The Workshop Cabin this month PYROGRAPHY Wednesday 16 December, 3pm At St James’ Wine Vaults Burn your design into a Christmas Tree decoration. CAROLS AND CRAFTS Sunday 13 December, from noon n Newton Farm shop, Newton St Loe, Bath

A selection of local crafts will be available in the corner yard, Chuffy the train will be giving rides round the village. At 2pm there will be a traditional candlelit carol service led by Daile Wilshire, vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Newton St Loe, with a small brass band. All are welcome. Also at Newton Farm this month CHRISTMAS WREATH WORKSHOP Wednesday 16 December, 10am – lunchtime A Christmas Wreath workshop under the guidance of Grace or Laura of Young Blooms of Winsley to create an individual wreath to take home. Tickets £39.50 include: refreshments on arrival, light lunch, greenery, festive decorative items, equipment and tuition. Pre-booking is essential. Tel: 01225 873707 and ask for Celia or Roz, email celia@newtonfarmfoods.co.uk or roz.golding@newtonfarmfoods.co.uk. MARKETS AT GREEN PARK STATION Friday 11 – Sunday 13 December and Friday 18 – Sunday 20 December n Green Park Station, Bath Both Fridays will see a general market running from 9am to 4pm. Both Saturdays the Bath Farmers’ Market, is from 9am to 1.30pm and the Saturday Market runs from 9am to 4pm. Sunday 13 December is Bath Artisan Market, from 10am until 4pm. Sunday 20 December will be BathVA Vintage & Antiques Market from 8.30am to 4pm. All markets will be Christmas themed and the old station will be full of decorations. On some days there will be carol singers and all markets are free entry and undercover.

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Hand embroidery classes from beginners to advanced Join us for exciting day classes where all levels are welcome Learn from expert practitioners Learn traditional hand embroidery techniques on our flexible Certificate and Diploma courses Offer RSN Vouchers to a stitch enthusiast this Christmas!

Venue: 38 Old School House, Kingswood Estate, Britannia Road, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 8DB www.royal-needlework.org.uk T: 020 3166 6937 RCN 312774

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WHATS | ON Friday 18 December, 7.30pm n St Alphege’s Church, Oldfield Park, Bath Cappella Nova presents music and readings to inspire, illuminate and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Tickets: £10 from, tel: 01225 463362 , visit: cappellanova.org.u

CHRISTIAN AID’S BIG SING Tuesday 15 December, 7.30pm n Manvers Street Baptist Church, Bath Join Bath Community Gospel Choir for a night of carols and Christmas songs to raise money for Christian Aid’s Christmas appeal. No need to book, just turn up and bring your best singing voice. Everyone is very welcome. THE MINISTRY OF BURLESQUE’S TWISTED CABARET:CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Wednesday 16 December, doors open 6.30pm n Komedia, Westgate Street, Bath Dig out your festive frock & finery and get ready for high camp comedy, risqué song and Victorian villainy. Fun for a Christmas treat with friends or work colleagues, a Meal and Show ticket includes a three-course meal, a night of burlesque, and after-show disco. Tickets from £38 tel: 0845 293 8480, or visit: komedia.co.uk/bath. Also at Komedia this month KRATER CHRISTMAS PARTIES Thursday 17 – Saturday 19 December, doors open 6.30pm Comedy, wining, dining and late night dancing. THE BLOCKHEADS Sunday 20 December, doors open 7.30pm This is the band that brought you Hit Me with your Rhythm Stick, What A Waste, Reasons to be Cheerful (Part 3), and Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, among many others. Tickets: £20 CLARE TEAL AND TRIO FESTIVE FIESTA Monday 21 December, 7.30pm

Take an uplifting, retro journey into the intriguing and sensational world of Clare Teal’s annual Festive Fiesta – a unique blend of seasonal swing, cheeky retro grooves and a smattering of cozy fireside ballads to add a little romance. Tickets: £25. CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT Wednesday 16 – Friday 18 December, 7.30pm n The Pump Room, Abbey Church Yard, Bath Bath Bach Choir presents its annual magical evening of Christmas carols by candlight. There will be the chance for some audience participation, singing along to some old favourites. For tickets visit: bathboxoffice.org.uk. A CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS WITH BATH CAMERATA Saturday 19 December 7.30pm n Christ Church, Julian Road, Bath Join award-winning chamber choir Bath Camerata and its musical director Benjamin Goodson at the beautiful Christ Church for an evening of sumptuous harmonies and spirited good cheer. Highlights include Poulenc’s divinely joyful Four Christmas Motets, sublime settings of A Spotless Rose (Herbert Howells), Jesus Christ the Apple Tree (Elizabeth Poston), Lullay Mine Liking (Richard Rodney Bennett), and John Gardner’s spirited Tomorrow shall be my Dancing Day, along with wonderful vocal arrangements of favourite carols and songs. Tickets: £15; £7.50 u25s (mulled wine and home-made mince pies included) Visit: bathcamerata.co.uk or tel: 01225 463362, also available on the door. ST JOHN’S FESTIVAL CHOIR Sunday 20 December, 7.45pm n St John the Evangelist, South Parade, Bath A candlelit festival of carols and readings, followed by mulled wine and mince pies. Free entry. All welcome. Tel 01225 333527. n

Looking to have your event listed? You can now submit your What’s On events on our website. Visit: thebathmag.co.uk

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An exhibition of treasures at the Holburne Museum, lent from the Royal Collection, invites the viewer to consider the timeless appeal of gold. Georgette McCready is seduced by its glow and the stories behind the pieces

t’s the most precious of metals. Saved for special occasions, to adorn kings and emperors, decorate sacred books and for grand gestures of both power and love. Gold has had a mesmerising effect on men and women the world over and for all history. If you want a clear demonstration of gold’s glittering pull – on yourself as much as the rest of humankind – pay a visit to the fabulous Gold exhibition at the Holburne Museum in Bath. This is the sort of display of treasures that we’d normally have to go to London to see, so it’s a rare treat to have these historic pieces right on our doorstep, on loan from the Royal Collection. The first thing in the gallery that grab’s your attention is the gimlet gaze of a large gold tiger’s head, with wide staring eyes, a gaping mouth and 54 TheBATHMagazine

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sharpened teeth. Carefully lit, the gold gleams and glows. Gazing on it reminds me of a childhood visit to see the mask of king Tutankhamun, and of shuffling slowly past the case wide-eyed at the gold face just inches away. And like that young Pharoah’s mask, this tiger’s head comes with a tale. The piece once formed part of an imposing throne used by The Tiger of Mysore, the late 18th century Tipu Sultan, a ferocious leader who fought the colonial British. Such was his hatred of the European invader that Tipu commissioned a French maker of mechanical toys to create an almostlifesize automata of a tiger savaging its prostrate victim, a bloodstained man in European costume. You can see Tipu’s wooden tiger at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The Sultan was beaten in battle in

1799, famously declaring: “better live a single day as a tiger than 1,000 years as a sheep.” He was killed at that battle and his throne dismantled – but this tiger, a beautiful relic, lives on. The exhibition, on the top floor of the Holburne, is divided into three sections; royal gold, sacred gold and the art of gold. Each has stories a plenty. The oldest item, which has lost none of its lustre despite its age, is an exquisite gold decorative cup – the Rillaton Cup. It was dug up in 1837 on Bodmin Moor by some workmen who caught a glimpse of something shining inside a ceramic vessel. Made from a single ingot of gold in around 1700 – 1500 BC this early Bronze Age beauty allows the light to play on its surface as bright as the day it was made. A visitor standing next to me, rapt in awe, tells his companion that this is the

GILT COMPLEX: main picture, Tipu’s tiger from his throne and as seen on our front cover, the Padshahnama, or the Chronicle of the King of the World

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CITY | EXHIBITIONS

GLOWING TRIBUTES: clockwise from top left, Edward BurneJones’ head of a young woman, The Misers, the Ceremonial book made for the Coronation of King George IV in 1823 and the Rillaton Cup All images: Royal Collection Trust © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2015

exhibit he’s most wanted to see. “It was being used as George V’s toothbrush mug you know, when a visiting archaeologist noticed it,” he tells us authoratively. It is recorded that George V did keep the cup in his private collection, but quite what an archaelogist was doing in the King’s private bathroom is not documented, so we may have to leave that in the popular myth folder. There are helpful, factual panels beside each picture and item in this carefully curated show, but don’t let those detract you from the simple ‘wow!’ factor. A solid gold tray, weighing 19lbs and made in 1821 for George IV has the bling factor, as does a heavily gilded 17th century pier table – both items on the

gaudy side of showy for my tastes, but the craftsmanship is impressive. Some of the items shed light on paintings owned by generations of British monarchs. There is a painting of the 1838 coronation of the young Queen Victoria, her pearly skin and the pale silver dresses of her ladies in waiting a marked contrast to the dark robes worn by the male officials and to the heavy looking gold cloak weighing on the slender queen’s shoulders like a symbol of her new responsibilities. The artist lays on the symbolism further with a ray of celestial golden sunlight beaming its approval through the gloom of Westminster Abbey. There are further reminders of rulers and monarchs’ use of gold to enhance

their power and position. A young Louis XIV cavorts in an elaborate costume in a picture of him as the god Apollo, and the sumptuous 16th century Padshahnama, or Chronicle of the King of the World, written on paper flushed with gold, for the Shah Jahan of the Moghul Empire, shows his belief in this case in the divine light of kings. Serving your ruler can come at a high cost. As we admire a giant-sized book, a ceremonial volume printed in 1822 for George IV’s coronation – one of only six made – we’re told the story of its maker, London bookbinder John Whittaker, bankrupted by the commission. One of my favourite pieces is a tiny gold and bronze portrait of the head of a young woman, with a delicate garland of flowers and leaves, painted by PreRaphaelite Edward Burne-Jones in 1897. It’s the kind of picture you could happily look at daily and never grow tired. Royal enthusiasts will love the opportunity to gaze on personal belongings from past kings, queens and courtiers. There’s a Chinese inspired fan, in perfect condition, dating back to 1830, that belonged to William IV’s consort Queen Adelaide and a diamond ring that was a favourite of Queen Charlotte, given by her husband George III. As we leave the gallery there’s a final down-to-earth reminder of the dangers of avarice. An oil painting of a pair of grotesque characters, The Misers counting their coins, is a moral lesson that rings as true today as it did when it was painted in the mid-16th century. At Christmas tide a timely message that money and material goods aren’t everything. n Gold is at the Roper Gallery at the Holburne, Great Pulteney Street, Bath until Sunday 24 January. Admission to the museum is free, tickets for Gold are £10/ £9 concessions. On Tuesdays there’s a two-for-one offer.

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS Tired of looking at the same old walls? Bath’s galleries are bursting with beautiful, inspired original art. Ideal for giving to someone you love for Christmas, or for treating yourself

BEAUX ARTS York Street, Bath BA1 1NG Tel: 01225 464850. Visit: beauxartsbath.co.uk WITH CHRISTMAS IN MIND Throughout December Winner of the 2013 National Open Art Competition, Joy Wolfenden Brown returns for her fourth solo exhibition at Beaux Arts. Her distinctive and touching paintings are a meditation on the concept of home. Sarah Gillespie will be displaying new mezzotint and dry-point etchings at Beaux Arts. Also on display will be the tools used in the ancient craft of producing some wonderful prints.

The Golden Chariot by Angela Lizon at Beaux Arts

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

Pot by Duncan Ross, from a collection at Gallery Nine GALLERY NINE 8 – 9 Margarets Buildings, Bath Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5.30pm CHRISTMAS EXHIBITION Until 31 December The Christmas exhibition offers a variety of media. There are Angie Lewin’s linocuts, inspired by the cliff tops and salt marshes of the Norfolk coast and the Scottish Highlands. Jack Doherty and Lara Scobie are the featured potters. Jack works with porcelain, which is thrown on a potter’s wheel and then carved and shaped before soda firing. Lara has been making ceramics for over 20 years, her work is hand built, layered, enhanced and finally polished with wax polish. Jeweller Helen Noakes works in resin and silver with miniature figures incorporated into the designs. Surprise and humour are integral to her work and subjects include everything from penguins to nuns to circus performers and many more. The gallery is also privileged to be exhibiting a small collection of work by Duncan Ross. Duncan’s work is thrown and burnished using many layers of a fine terra-sigillata slip with resist and inlay decoration. His vessel forms are represented in the collections of the Victoria and Albert and Fitzwilliam museums, also the Walker Art Gallery.

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Detail from Honey Bee by Nahoko Kojima

NAHOKO KOJIMA: HONEY BEE Until Sunday 24 January Japanese paper cut artist Nahoko Kojima creates spectacular sculptures from single sheets of paper cut by hand. Nahoko Kojima has created Honey Bee for the Holburne which is on show in the Wirth Gallery. The intricate gold three dimensional piece hangs – like a perfect spiral of an apple peel – in the centre of the room. Visitors can walk all round it and admire its delicacy and detail, with those golden bees hard at work, their shadows thrown on to the surrounding walls. The Holburne’s collection includes a number of historical paper cut works including a bear cut by Mary West c1709. Look out too for Bath papercutting artist Jessica Palmer’s dramatic new window installation at the museum. Free admission.

QUERCUS 1 Queen Street, Bath BA1 1HE Tel: 01225 428211. Visit: quercusgallery.co.uk Tues – Sat, 10.30am – 5.30pm (Sunday 4, open 11am – 4pm ADVENT EXHIBITION Until 24 December In the lead up to Christmas Quercus Gallery presents a group show of affordable contemporary artworks by talented British artists and designers. This includes paintings, original prints, ceramics, jewellery by 18 independent designers, with textiles and handmade cards and decorations. The show features work by lots of familiar Quercus artists and new artists Debbie George and Alex McIntyre. Open until 4pm on Christmas Eve and every Thursday evening until 7 pm for late night shopping. There’s a free gift wrapping service on all purchases.

Robin Jug by Debbie George

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ART | EXHIBITIONS EMMA ROSE Upstairs at 78 Walcot Street, Bath Mon – Sat, 10am – 5pm Tel: 07885235915 / 01225 424 424 Visit: emmaroseartworks.com CHRISTMAS SHOW Throughout December Beautiful original art and signed limited edition prints (framed and unframed) by the winner of Best Artist/Illustrator at Bath’s own Independent Awards recently. Emma uses breathtaking colour combinations and textures for her views of Bath and landscapes, figurative and semi-abstract pieces available. Original Christmas presents that will last a lifetime.

Ablaze by Kathryn Stevens LANE HOUSE ARTS 5 Nelson Place East, Bath Tel: 07767 498403 Visit: lanehousearts.co.uk WINTER TREASURE Friday 11 December – to end January A mixed exhibition featuring gallery regulars and introducing work from new artists. Paintings and ceramics to evoke strong emotional responses and invite the viewer to contemplate their beauty. Deep, richly layered oil paintings from Gina Brown, Kathryn Stevens, Beryl Robinson and Allan Martin sit alongside seductively glazed bowls from Janice Tchalenko, Sara Moorhouse and Louisa Taylor. THE MUSEUM OF EAST ASIAN ART 12 Bennett Street Bath www.meaa.org.uk Open: Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 5pm, Sunday noon – 5pm

Christmas is Coming by Emma Rose

NICK CUDWORTH GALLERY London St, top of Walcot Street, Bath. Closed on Mondays Tel: 01225 445221, visit: nickcudworth.com HORIZONS Tuesday 1 – 24 December Original painting and signed edition prints featuring interesting beautiful images of the horizons around Bath, some natural and some which the human hand has helped to create. A eclectic mix of Bath landscapes on show throughout the Christmas season.

Caterpillar Dawn by Nick Cudworth

REFLECTIONS: CONTEMPORARY INK PAINTINGS BY WU LAN-CHIANN Until 15 May

Reading in Bed by Frans Wesselman BATH CONTEMPORARY 35 Gay Street, Bath BA1 2NT Email: gallery@bathcontemporary.com Visit: bathcontemporary.com Tel: 01225 461230 Opening times: 10am – 5pm, Mon – Sat Reflections is the first UK solo exhibition of Wu Lan-Chiann, Chinese ink painting artist. At the core of Wu Lan-Chiann’s work, is a deep personal contemplation of universal themes and values that connect people across time and place. While continuing a tradition that is centuries old, her paintings are distinctly contemporary both in concept and execution. This show consists of a selection of Wu Lan-Chiann’s work from the past 20 years. Displayed in reverse chronological order, the exhibition has three themes; early work, dusk to dawn, and current directions. Wu Lan-Chiann in California.

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The Scent of Lapsang Souchong by Mick Lindberg WINTER SHOW Friday 4 December – 23 January A mixed show of rich, colourful work exploring a compelling sense of storytelling. The gallery is introducing George Tute, whose highly distinctive work invites us into imaginary and deeply symbolic worlds, dense with layers of narrative and metaphor. Also presenting seven established artists including gallery favourites Malcolm Ashman, Endré Röder, Nicholas Turner, Ken White and Iryna Yermolova. There will also be work from federation printmaker Frans Wesselman and new ceramics by Peter Wills.

ANTHONY HEPWORTH FINE ART 16 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath Open 11am – 5.30pm (closed Sunday and Monday MICK LINDBERG: STITCHED STORIES Until Saturday 12 December This is the second time Anthony Hepworth has staged an exhibition by the Swedish model turned textile artist, and this show is bound to be as popular as that first one. Mick Lindberg has the uncanny knack of creating characters in pictures made from pieces of all kinds of found, treasured and unexpected fabrics.

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nick cudworth gallery Thursday 10th - Saturday 12th December 10am-5pm

Private View . Thursday 10th December . 6pm-8pm

Emma Rose Art Works . Upstairs @ 78 Walcot Street . Bath BA1 5BD

Kelston Round Hill. Oil on canvas and Signed Edition Prints

HORIZONS 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 24 December An exhibition featuring images on the horizons around Bath together with an eclectic mix of Bath landscapes which will be on show throughout the Christmas season.

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

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ART | EXHIBITIONS VICTORIA ART GALLERY By Pulteney Bridge, Bath The council owned gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 5pm Sunday 1.30pm – 5pm KURT JACKSON: PLACE Until 3 January Kurt Jackson collaborated with 32 writers who wrote about their favourite places. He then visited each location, from the Isle of Lewis to Worthy Farm, to create pieces for the show. The exhibition and accompanying book reveal the diversity of Britain, while providing an insight into the concept of ‘place’ – that collective sense of identity, meaning, longing and nostalgia. Admission: £3.50, free to under 21s and Discovery Card holders.

Sister by Bronte Carter

Spring Wytham Oak, great tits calling, orange tips and brimstones fly by by Kurt Jackson

DAVID SIMON CONTEMPORARY 3 – 4 Bartlett Street, Bath BA1 2QZ Tel: 01225 460189 Visit: davidsimoncontemporary.com Mon – Sat 10am – 6pm, Sunday afternoons MIXED WINTER EXHIBITION 14 December – 16 January An eclectic exhibition of paintings, sculpture and ceramics featuring new work by artists including Julian Bailey, Diana Matthews, Mike Service, Julian Paltenghi, Tony Scrivener and Mary Kaun-English. This show also introduces two established painters to the gallery – Peter Lloyd-Jones and Jackie Philip. The exhibition continues through to the gallery shop Article with limited edition wood and lino cut prints with gold-leaf by Olivia Clifton-Bligh.

Matisse Jug by Jackie Philip

ART AT THE HEART OF THE RUH Main corridor gallery, Royal United Hospital, Combe Park, Bath Open: Monday to Sunday, 8am – 8pm daily NEW HORIZONS Until 15 January The latest exhibition in the RUH Artsparks Corridor features the talents of King Edward’s Senior School pupils.The pupils were asked to respond to the New Horizons theme, pupils were encouraged to explore and experiment with new creative processes and techniques, or consider fresh and exciting ways to express their ideas. All the work is available to buy as prints, with £5 commission going to the charity Art at the Heart of the RUH; Artsparks programme which helps children and their families on the Children’s Ward.

ONE TWO FIVE GALLERY 4 Abbey Green, Bath Open Wednesday – Sunday, 11am – 5pm, or by appointment Email: carole@carolewaller.co.uk, Tel: 07803 033 629 FIRE AND ICE Until 24 December Artists Carole Waller and Gary Wood have opened a city centre gallery. Carole’s painted fabrics have formed the basis of her label I’m No Walking Canvas – timeless, easy-to-wear clothes and scarves previously seen in Liberty, Harvey Nichols and Bergdorf Goodman. She also creates free-hanging paintings on unstretched fabrics and glass panels which incorporate her fabric paintings. Ceramic artist Gary Wood makes pots for food and drink, wall pieces and sculpture in subtle, painted stoneware. Fire and Ice includes pieces from jewellery artists Annie Beardsley, Jenny Turtill, Michelle Keeling and Emmeline Hastings, as well as new works from Carole and Gary.

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Nativity (ceramic) by Hilke MacIntyre

ROSTRA GALLERY George Street, Bath Open 10 am – 5.30pm, Sundays, 11am – 4.30pm AN ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS Until 4 January Displaying a wide selection of work from local artists an exhibition designed to inspire gift giving and originality. Gift wrapping is available free of charge and throughout December the gallery extends its opening hours to accommodate the exhausted Christmas shopper with mulled wine and mince pies after a long day’s shopping.

UNIVERSITY OF BATH Gallery 1, The Edge, University of Bath, Claverton Down BA2 7AY Free admission, all welcome RAVI DEEPRES: THE GAIN LINE Until 19 December, Monday to Saturday 10am – 5pm A moving-image installation by Ravi Deepres, which was commissioned to coincide with the Rugby World Cup. Beneath the high-impact challenges that take place along this notional frontline, there is another ‘gain line’ players and coaches aspire to reach – one that parallels the rush of competing players with a swarm of chaotic, sometimes conflicting data, captured by a new generation of sensors that players wear in training, and in matches.

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The Art Gallery

Andrew McNeile Jones ‘Rice Bowl & Spring Blossom’ £1500 (framed)

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er Galle

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

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We wish you all a very Happy Christmas

DECEMBER 2015

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THE GHOST SIGNS OF BATH 62 TheBATHMagazine

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Historian Kirsten Elliott delves into the evolution of advertising and invites us to read the historic writing on the walls of Bath

f you were to be asked what Bath is famous for, you might reply its hot springs, with the Roman Baths and the spa, or its architecture. To others, it might be the connection with famous authors such as Jane Austen. But for a growing band of dedicated aficionados, there is another attraction. It is home to a veritable treasure trove of ghost signs. Ghost signs are those fading remains of advertisements which were once painted on many a well-placed wall to promote trade. On some, the words are clear – on others, a muddle of letters can be seen where one version was painted on top of another, only for the earlier one to begin to show through. Ghost sign collectors call these palimpsests. It becomes almost a compulsion, each time you pass one, to have another go at deciphering the mysterious layers. Ghost signs exert a peculiar fascination. They bring back to life an earlier age, when bread was baked in the local bakery, dairies sold milk and eggs in the heart of town, and butchers advertised such delicacies as ‘Dill’s famous polonies’, as Mr Whatley of Cheap Street did in the late 19th century. What makes Bath so special is that it has some very old ghost signs indeed.

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PALIMPSESTS: main photo, an early 20th century example of over-writing on Cleveland Terrace which includes an advertisement for Devonshire Dairy and another for Bovril Above, clockwise from top left: Dill’s polonies advertised in Cheap Street, late 19th century; the brush factory in Milsom Street; Spratt’s dog – in the 1930s this building was Pointing’s Corn Merchants, which also sold dog food; around 1909 Arthur Vaughan opened a greengrocery business at 16 George Street and had the words fruit and flowers painted on the chimney stack

Advertisements on walls are not new. On the contrary, they have a very long history. Some have been found at Pompeii, for example, and at other ancient archaeological sites. But the heyday began in the early 19th century. The first sign-writers were known as chalkers – they chalked advertisements on convenient walls. Soon, however, signwriting became a skill in itself, although many craftsmen combined it with other trades such as plumbers, glaziers, decorators. Even gasfitters and general engineers, like the Bowler family of Bath, took on signwriting as a sideline. Others, however, specialised in signs, and showed off their skills on the façades of their premises. Such a demonstration of the signwriter’s art can be seen at 27A & B, Belvedere, Lansdown Road, where R Boseley demonstrated his talents in a plethora of what today we call fonts. This would be frowned on by modern designers but acted as a trade sample for potential clients. The earliest ghost signs tend to be local, carried out by local craftsmen for small businesses. They can be seen right across the Bath area, from Batheaston and Bathford in the east, to Twerton in the west. As you head for Bristol, you may notice the remains of Avon

Buildings. Now looking very dilapidated – there have been applications to be demolish them– they still proudly advertise the wares of E Dillon and Son, purveyors of prime English Meat. Dillon took over the shop about 1905 and the firm was there until the early 1960s. Eventually, big business saw the advantages of large painted signs. However, companies such as Players or Nestlés demanded a consistency of design, achieved through the use of painters’ guides. These were issued centrally, by the marketing department or advertising agency, and then scaled to the appropriate size before preparing paper or fabric to set the design onto the wall. Possibly such companies hired a travelling team to produce signs, giving consistency, but it lessened the artistic input from the signwriter. On the corner of Hot Bath Street, a Nestlé’s corporate poster has been painted over an earlier, but still visible, sign. This advertised the grocery run by the Misses Large, and advertised Milkmaid Milk. This was produced by the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company, established in the UK at Chippenham in 1873. In 1905 it merged with its rival, Nestlé’s, to form the Nestlé & Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company. The new company adopted a DECEMBER 2015

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trademark of a white oval, containing a red flag with a white cross, on which appeared the word SWISS – all of which can be made out in this surviving version. Ghost signs don’t just appear on walls – they can also be seen on chimney stacks and bressumers. Many appear above shops, like that on McColls’ shop in Argyle Street, where the words Nuremburg House can be seen, as well as some other, fainter letters. Around 1858 and 1864 this building was known as the German House, the brainchild of Simeon C Silverstone, who was of Prussian origin. Everything German was fashionable at the time, largely thanks to Prince Albert, who died in 1861. Silverstone capitalised on this by offering a range of goods imported from Germany. The craze only lasted a few years, and on 27 February 1866, Silverstone’s household furniture and remaining stock in trade was sold at auction. But why, when Silverstone always described his business as the German House, does the sign say Nuremburg House? We do not know. Other signs are equally perplexing. On the Bladud’s Head pub at Larkhall, a mysterious chequerboard design has been revealed, along with a curious symbol. Is this, perhaps, to do with Freemasonry? Younger ghost-sign hunters may be puzzled by the Scottie dog visible in Monmouth Place, but older readers will doubtless recall the series of Spratt’s adverts in which the word Spratt’s was converted into silhouettes of various animals. Some tell a sad story like that on

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SIGNS OF THE TIMES: right, Dillon’s in Twerton, purveyors of prime English meat, left, the best known ghost signs in Bath can be read in Milsom Street Below, there is a sad tale behind The Asylum for the Maintenance and Instruction of Young Females in Household Work

Gay’s Hill. The Asylum for the Maintenance and Instruction of Young Females in Household Work was founded in 1819. It was ‘intended for the reception of such destitute female children who are of an age to leave school but not yet old enough for household service.’ Since children went into service at the age of 12, this is a chilling indictment of the times. Although attracting titled patrons, and being the subject of charity balls and concerts, by 1827 it was in trouble financially. There had been typhus, and paid nurses had been required. After just 12 years, in 1832, there was a desperate appeal for funds. By then, 61 girls had been placed in service, eight discharged for ill-health, three expelled, five had died, and 17 were left in the asylum. £377 was raised, but the asylum seems to have closed shortly afterwards. The children are long gone – but the sign reminds us of the not so good old days. In Rivers Street there is a relic of an old established Bath business which some readers may still recall – the Old Red House Bakery. The main shop was in New Bond Street, and the business was owned by one of Bath’s most high profile families, the Taylors. The façade of the new Bond Street building has long been restored to its natural stone but the familiar deep red it was once painted survives here. Unlike the Old Red House, many companies came and went in just a few years. The Marvel Cycle Company, with a spectacular sign in New King Street, was only there for about four years. Another short-lived business was that of Mr Strawbridge of Milsom Street, who had a brush manufactory at No 35. Mr Strawbridge was only there for six years before leaving for Australia, but his sign remains. Which is Bath’s oldest sign? For a

long time it was believed to be the famous Circulating Library sign, also in Milsom Street. This dates from 1823, when Francis Joseph, who had taken over the shop the year before, opened a state lottery office there. By 1826, he had gone, yet another fleeting business which has left a permanent memorial. The signwriter may have been R Boseley, who was active at this time. However, there is an earlier sign in Burton Street, which dates from 1819. But both are eclipsed by some writing which appeared in 2012, when work was carried out on the Porter pub in George Street. The items advertised include: Stomach Pills, Cakes, Plaister, Snuff and Tobacco, Ointment, Essence, Magnesia, Perfume and Elixir. The lettering has two notable features. Firstly there is the use of the long S – the S that looks a bit like an f – and the fact that all the nouns have capital letters. Both these usages had virtually died out by 1800. The sort of people who sold this curious assortment of goods were hairdressers and perfumers. There are two likely candidates – Richard Warren, established in or near Miles’ Court in 1778, and William Woollard, established in Miles’ Court in 1780. Since he sold snuff and medicines, he seems to be the most likely candidate. This is extremely early for a ghost sign. It may even be the earliest surviving sign in the country. It marks the transition between chalking and true sign-writing. This is just a glimpse of the wealth of ghost signs across the area. Andrew Swift and I have been ‘collecting’ them for many years, and we hope to soon publish a book including all that we can find. We think we have tracked down most of them, but every so often we discover another one or a new one is revealed from under layers of grime or paint. Do you know of one which has just appeared? If so, let us know. n Contact Kirsten Elliott at: kirsten@akemanpress.com or by post via The Bath Magazine, 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED.

Winner of National Window Dressing Award 2015

WINNING WINDOWS

80 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5DB • Tel: 01225 482748 • email: framing@theframingworkshop.com

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GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST Historian Catherine Pitt looks back at how Christmas in Bath was celebrated 100 years ago, in 1915

he run up to Christmas is in full swing in Bath. It’s interesting to compare it to the Christmas festivities celebrated 100 years ago. In 1915, Britain was fighting the First World War. The hope that war would “be over by Christmas” was long faded, and now the population were beginning to endure the start of rationing (fuel, sugar and eggs), and a severe cut in public house licencing hours. London had experienced its first ever air raid (by a Zeppelin), war hospitals were being set up around the country, and troops were still firmly entrenched abroad. Many men in Bath had volunteered to join the armed forces; swept along by the tide of patriotism and recruitment drives. Conscription did not start until 1916. In their places came Belgian refugees, regiments of Australian and Canadian soldiers, as well as the warwounded. Just as today, there were appeals to help those in need. The churches made appeals through the local paper for people to fill the red envelopes being delivered to every home with money to assist the locally-housed Belgian refugees. Money pledges were also sought through schools and societies to enable fighting soldiers abroad celebrate. Students at Bath Technical College made and despatched 150lbs of plum pudding for soldiers on the Front in 1915. Local businesses and philanthropists also made gifts of food, drink and toys to the hospitals of Bath. 66 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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At The Royal Mineral Water Hospital, 120 soldiers, along with 12 male civilians, spent Christmas in wards festooned with evergreens, miniature flags and mottos. Father Christmas was impersonated by the Matron, Miss Terry, and on Christmas Day itself the men tucked into a feast of turkey, ham, sausages, plum pudding and desserts. Over at the Red Cross Hospital at Lansdown Place the wards were decorated with paper chains and holly, while at the Royal United Hospital (still a civilian hospital until 1916), the men’s ward had been turned into a snow-scape using fleece. Decorations at Newton Park Hospital, the Somerset home of the Earl and Countess Temple, were more luxurious and consisted of hot house flowers and fruits, dummy shrapnel cases filled with chocolates, and a Christmas tree. In Bath homes festive decorations would be similar. Evergreens and holly picked from local parks and gardens could brighten up the home of even the poorest person, and paper-chains were easy and cheap to make. Candles were often placed on trees and crackers were a popular gift, filled with fruit and nuts. Stockings were hung at the end of beds or on mantelpieces in anticipation of Father Christmas. Just as today, local shops would try to entice customers with their window displays. Evans and Owen’s Department Store on Bartlett and Alfred Streets chose their 1915 theme to be The Dardanelles in Bath. This was most likely a recreation of the naval battles

that took place in that Turkish area. Window shoppers to the store were also invited, according to the newspaper advertisement, to enjoy a ‘Giant Goose laying golden eggs’ and ‘mechanical pelicans delivering presents.’ The First World War had interrupted the production of toys especially since the world’s largest toy producer happened to have been in Germany. Children’s gifts in 1915 tended to be patriotic in nature and consist of toy soldiers, cannons, airplanes and board games of battles. Other popular gifts included mittens, dolls, rocking horses, skates, books, toy trains, oranges and sweets. Gifts for soldiers tended to be of the practical sort, and even those who were wounded received penknives, blankets and coats; as well as the “fuel of the British Army” - cigarettes and tobacco. At the RUH, Cadbury’s of Keynsham sent over 60 boxes of chocolates to be distributed around the wards. Handwritten letters, cards and parcels were the only form of communication between loved ones. Bath Post Office reported that in the week leading up to Christmas Day 1915, the depot in Newark Street received approximately 33,260 letters, packets and newspapers to send out. Not everyone could afford a Christmas. There is little evidence regarding the destitute of the city, but we do know that in 1915, the Stead Hostel for Women in Abbey Gate Street, an organisation created to

PAST AND PRESENT: main picture, troops on parade in Great Pulteney Street, 1915 the Holburne behind them a familiar sight in 2015 Picture from the archives of Bath in Time. If you’d like to buy someone a historic photo of Bath visit: BathinTime.co.uk Opposite page, Christmas cards sent during the First World War by the author's great-grandfather from The Front. (author’s own)

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prevent women and girls falling into a life of crime and debauchery, fed 22 guests on Christmas Day including three elderly ladies who had been invited to dinner on the recommendation of the Salvation Army. In contrast, the hotels of Bath in 1915 were reported to have been “full and overflowing” that Christmas. Guests at many of the hotels, such as The Empire, The Pump Room and Lansdown Grove, enjoyed dancing, singers, orchestras, conjurers and a ventriloquist. At the Spa Hotel guests could choose from whist drives and picture or music competitions. On Boxing Day there was a gymkhana, which included crab and potato races, button sewing and placing the donkey’s tale. Shopping for

Christmas was not as easy as it is today. Everything was bought from the local butcher, baker, greengrocer or fishmonger. The only sign of anything remotely like a supermarket was Cater, Stoffell and Fortt on the High Street and Margaret’s Buildings, where you could purchase a number of goods under one roof. Christmas dinner hasn’t varied much since those days, although turkey was less popular than it is today. It was more common in 1915 to enjoy goose, chicken or beef. Christmas fare on the Front for some was no different than at home, if they were lucky; however an unidentified Bathonian Sapper in the Wessex Regiment wrote to his parents in 1915 bemoaning: “we had a Christmas dinner of bully beef and biscuits which did not go down very nice. Boxing Day was a little better because we had some stew, also Christmas pudding.” In the absence of radio, television and the internet, afternoon entertainment was a big feature of Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Entertainment would have included songs, gramophone records, dances and games. If one did venture out, then the pantomime

of 1915 at the Theatre Royal, was Aladdin, starring Mable Hind in the title role, Fred Hutchings as Abanazer and the music hall comics, The Valdo Brothers as The Policemen. At the Vaudeville Electric Theatre in Westgate Street during Christmas week the silent movie choices were Nan in Fairyland and Cinderella starring Mary Pickford. On Tuesday 28 December the Corporation of Bath arranged a children’s party at the Pump Room, where tea was served, dances, games and a Punch and Judy show enjoyed, plus an appearance by Father Christmas. For those who wanted to arrange their own children’s party, an article written by Marie Harrison in the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette of 18 December 1915 shares some sage advice and inadvertently demonstrates to us today how children of 100 years ago were little different: “I do not believe modern children are naturally more precocious and blasé than children of former years, but there is a tendency to spoil little ones. We accustom them to seek their happiness merely in material things and so surfeit them with presents and amusements so that (they) become supercritical and easily bored.” Regardless of the lack of technology and the circumstances of war, Christmas in Bath 100 years ago was little different to how it is celebrated today. Children were no less excited, parents no less exhausted, and families no less hoping for peace and a happy new year. As a Bath newspaper of 1915 reminds us, “Keep Christmas – but don’t keep it all to yourself.” n

This Christmas, give a loved one the World

Choose from a wonderful selection of fine, decorative and rare maps, plans and charts of all parts of Britain and the World. This attractive map was published in 1782 from the “New and Universal System of Geography: - a Georgian compendium of reports and accounts from all round the world and costs £300. Visit our lovely gallery in Margarets Buildings, Bath, contact us directly or via the website to discover a unique and lasting gift.

5 Margarets Buildings, Bath BA1 2LP +44 (0) 1225 300573 • www.jpmaps.co.uk • info@jpmaps.co.uk

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

Alice Milner Fitness instructor

came to Bath in 2003 from London although I’m originally from North Devon. My boyfriend Bob lived here and it was halfway between London and my family so it was the obvious choice. I was involved in the fitness business in London but had to start pretty much from scratch once I arrived in Bath. I was a postie for three months but pretty soon got teaching jobs at the sports centre and Combe Grove Manor Hotel. Then, in 2008, I discovered pole dancing and the course I subsequently did in Exeter changed my life and gave me the skills to teach it myself. I invested in some poles and approached Fitness First and was very quickly doing three classes a week in pole, Pilates and yoga. I started Funky Monkey nearly three years ago now and have a beautiful space just off the Lower Bristol Road. We have developed the business running a variety of fitness classes but also now include aerial silks and hoops, trapeze and other circus related skills. It’s developed into a far more theatrical arts based business and we do a number of showcases for events and parties. We have performed all over Bath including at Komedia, Chapel Arts, Birdall’s Yard, The Huntsmen, in Alice Park and at the Keynsham Music Festival. The showcasing is essentially for the students to demonstrate their skills and build up their confidence and can range from a troupe of 60 to just three or four individuals. The public events have creatively developed our performances and we now integrate the show with music and costume which the students make themselves. We currently have about 120 students from the two universities, which both have unipole societies. These societies actually compete against each other nationally and we were delighted (and a little surprised!) when one of our students, Shana Wright won the Inter University competition in Bristol this year. It is really exciting to evolve in this way and we have big plans for the future. Presently we’re looking for a massage therapist to offer as another service. The therapy room is just waiting for the right person. I love working in Bath and feel privileged to live here. The walk from London Road through Queen Square with its awesome architecture early in the morning is one of the special delights. Sometimes Bob and I will cycle to Bradford-on-Avon or even Devizes when we’re feeling energetic and not lured into the Lock Inn café for a Boatman’s Breakfast. If you can’t resist the odd treat that’s OK you could always burn it off in one of our classes in ashtanga yoga, handstand or pole dancing. If that’s too energetic you can just watch us as we’re performing with glow hoops at various venues in the new year. And we’ve got our Funky Monkey Christmas Showcase on Saturday 12 December, with entertainment from a few of our monkey tribe. n

PORTRAIT: Neill Menneer at Spirit Photographic. Visit: capturethespirit.co.uk, tel: 01225 483151.

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DECEMBER 2015

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BOOKS FOR ALL TASTES What do Nigel Slater’s recipes, Haigh the acid bath murderer and Jeremy Corbyn have in common? They all make great Christmas book presents

arely a week goes by without a freshly published book by a Bath author landing on the editor’s desk. Ours is a city rich in creative talent, home to many authors of both fact and fiction. With Christmas gifting in mind, we thought we’d have a look at the latest local offerings Illustrator James Nunn, the man who drew the panda for the cover of best-selling Eats, Shoots and Leaves, has created a colouring book which is an affectionate and gently humourous tribute to the current Labour Party leader. The Corbyn Colouring Book (red pencil not included) is bound to find its way under a lot of Guardian readers’ Christmas trees this year. there are witty pictures of Jeremy in various guises – and, yes, you can actually colour them in. Not so amusing is Bath writer and lawyer Gordon Lowe’s latest true-crime story The Acid Bath Murders: the Trials and Liquidations of John George Haigh, published by The History Press. The

COOKS’ FAVOURITE: Nigel Slater meticulously researched story charts the life and crimes of John Haigh, described as a charmer, but who was a serial killer. It was the disappearance of a wealthy woman, Mrs Durand-Deacon, in 1949 that led the police to Haigh. Their gruesome finds make fascinating reading for anyone interested in forensic science – and culminated in Haigh’s trial and subsequent execution for the deaths of six people. Bath based Akeman Press has two books for those interested in west country history, both with the theme of pubs.

The Historic Inns of Frome by Mick Davies and Valerie Pitt and Devon Pubs: A Pictorial Retrospective by historians Andrew Swift and Kirsten Elliott offer insight into the area and the past of its buildings and people. We haven’t yet managed to get our hands on a copy of the debut novel by Mike Bullen, the Bath writer and creator of hit TV series Cold Feet, recently published. But we’ve read online reviews and have put this on the must read over Christmas wish-list. Trust, published by Sphere, explores the lives of middle aged couple in contemporary London. A fast-paced pageturner written in similar vein to Cold Feet, it’s had positive comments from readers so far and we trust, on Bullen’s previous form, that it’ll be a cracker. n

CHRISTMAS PRESENT SUGGESTIONS FROM TOPPING & CO BOOKSHOP A YEAR OF GOOD EATING by Nigel Slater This is the glorious third instalment in his classic Kitchen Diaries series. His joyous food writing, gentle garden musings and kitchen confessionals have earned him the reputation as one of our most important cookery writers. He explores the balance and pleasure in eating well throughout the year. There are lovely leisurely recipes and kitchen stories interspersed with quick, week night suppers. A pot roast guinea fowl with pears and walnuts for when you have time to cook; rice, carrots and cashews when the fridge is almost empty. Nigel will sign copies and chat to people at Topping & Co on Thursday 3 December at 5pm.

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DICTATOR by Robert Harris From his very first novels, Fatherland, Enigma, and more recently An Officer and A Spy, Robert Harris proved himself the modern master of historical fiction. We all know the broad strokes of history – the Second World War, Enigma, the Dreyfus affair – but Harris’ particular strength is in dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. If the devil is in the details, then Harris certainly doesn’t belong in heaven. Dictator is the concluding volume of Robert Harris’ Cicero trilogy, detailing the epic events which led to the collapse of the triumvirate and ended with Cicero’s bloody death. Politics and ancient history have never felt so vividly alive.

DECEMBER 2015

LADYBIRD SPOOFS Inspired by the bestselling Dung Beetle book, We Go to the Gallery, and written by the creators of the hit sitcom, Miranda, these superbly hilarious Ladybird spoofs range from The Hipster or The Wife to The Hangover. Ironic, witty, and utterly hilarious, these small hardbacks are set to become the number one stocking filler of Christmas. The original, and ohso familiar illustrations are accompanied by a modern, slightly subversive but funny text. The books are already flying out of Topping & Co bookshop at an incredible rate. They’re great stocking fillers with just the right blend of nostalgia and modern irony.

THE WHITE ROAD by Edmund De Waal The Hare with the Amber Eyes was the publishing sensation of 2010, an almost unclassifiable work of memoir, meditation and history. Now Edmund de Waal turns his attention to the subject he knows best. The White Road is a journey through 1,000 years of stories about porcelain, from those who first made it in China and its collectors in Europe, to those who were destroyed by it in the darkest moments of 20th century history. Sometimes reading a book is like going on a pilgrimage for the soul, and nothing shows this more than The White Road – this year’s must-read book, engrossing, enlightening and spellbinding.

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AND ALL THAT BRAZZ ...

Melissa Blease talks to Andrew Peters, owner of the Green Park Brasserie, a favourite Bath haunt of jazz foodies

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business a protected species. I have to earn the right to survive by being better than the chains and making my guests happier. Also, we’re located in a little pocket away from the well defined tourist and retail spine with very few people living and working close by, so we’ve always had to work harder and deliver more to attract and maintain our customer base”. And the GPB most definitely delivers, from a multi-faceted platform that fairly recently introduced Bathonians to the splendid, elegantly spacious Bath Function Rooms upstairs from the buzzing brasserie, which is in itself as suitable for parties as it is for a smoochy supper for two – and all manner of moods in between, throughout the day. It’s helped too that the Green Park Station markets have become increasingly popular as the years have rolled by, and the Green Park Road area in general is becoming less isolated as the nearby student accommodation, the Apex Hotel and the Riverside development plans start to take shape.

❝

I have to earn the right to survive by being better than the chains and making my guests happier

❝

or some, it’s all about the live jazz. For others, it’s the legendary Saturday morning Farmers’ Market Breakfast that makes setting the alarm clock on the first play day of the weekend a joy. For most, it’s probably purely and simply about the things that keep us returning to a restaurant/bar again and again: reliable quality, good value and a lovely vibe. But whatever your reason for visiting the Green Park Brasserie, there are several additional factors going on behind the scenes that add further oomph to that motive. Having opened in 1992, the Green Park Brazz has earned a place on the much-respected Bath Institution list, heartily accepted as one of the youngest members of the longstanding clan that includes Woods (established 1979), the Rajpoot (1980) and Tilleys Bistro (1983). The GPB has skilfully managed to retain all its original charms while still cleverly moving with the times. So is a youthful outlook the secret of its success – or are dedication, adaptation and diversification the key factors in play here? As in all the best recipes, it’s clear that all these ingredients go into the pot. “Over the past decades, I’ve seen food trends come and go at an ever increasing rate,” says the Green Park Brasserie's Bath-born owner Andrew Peters, who started considering buying his business in the autumn of 1991 after four years as a wine buyer followed by seven years of restaurant management and consultancy in London. “The Bath food scene was a lot quieter when we first opened – the universities were much smaller, as was the tourist footfall. chain restaurants didn’t really exist, and there were far fewer cafés. “We started out as Anglo-French and later took in elements of Asian fusion, but today we simply call ourselves Modern British. Alistair Little [whose eponymous restaurant, opened in London in the 1980s, and is widely credited as a major catalyst in the evolution of modern British cuisine] has always been one of my personal food heroes, and I still really rate his keep it simple, ‘relaxed excellence’ approach. But eating out these days is a more casual, everyday experience than it was when we first opened, and independent ventures have to accept that the chains are successful for a reason: good marketing, good value and – in the main, these days – good standards. “Being independent doesn’t make my

But whatever changes go on around the GPB, two solid foundations will remain unshakeable: a staunch adherence to locally sourced, seasonal food.... and, of course, all that jazz. Bath is lucky to have so many fine musicians on the live music scene and most of the best jazz outfits regularly play at the GPB, where Andrew hosts four evenings of live music a week, always pitched at a melodic, approachable volume so we can choose to chat over a meal, specifically tune in to the music... or do both. He says: “My personal taste is pretty eclectic, from blues to classical, but I do love 1960s Miles Davies and 1990s Chris Botti. But in local terms, I am

IN TUNE WITH HIS DINERS: Andrew Peters at the Green Park Brasserie Photography: Laura Mallet Instagram and Twitter: thelauralamb Website: laurarosemallet.wix. com/lauralambphotog raphy

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particularly indebted to Guy Harrup, French Connection, James Lambeth, Gavin Lazarus, Mike Collins, Jon Green and many, many other superb artistes who have regularly played here, for many years.” So as we face the music – what’s on our plate? “Using local suppliers is of paramount importance to me; I need to do business with people I like and respect. The quality of the raw ingredients is the basis of any successful, good dish, and personally knowing who produced something we’re using in our kitchen while being fully aware of their commitment to the welfare of their land or their animals is crucial. I believe that the economics, ethics and emotion behind the buying choices our kitchen makes all point to making the maximum use of local producers and suppliers.” Over the Christmas season, partygoers who

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make the most of the GPB will be tucking into turkeys from Bradford-on-Avon and Radstock, vegetables courtesy of local market gardener Chris Rich, produce from Newton and Tunley Farms and all kinds of goodies from traders at the Bath Farmers’ Market. As you read this, the festive fun will be underway, bringing a vast menu of flexible options, from three-course dinner and disco party nights to sedate lunchtimes by way of all manner of merry menus, finishing with a fabulous six-course Tasting Menu on New Year’s Eve accompanied by live jazz funk courtesy of the Guy Harrup All Stars – little wonder, then, that this is one of Bath’s best-loved party season hotspots. But as we’ve established, the GPB is for life, not just for Christmas. “The Green Park Brasserie has had my undivided attention for nearly 24 years,” says Andrew. “But I’ll never tire of it –

I’m hoping that I’ll still be coming in here to contribute to this very special place in another 24 years’ time.” So does Bath, Andrew – so does Bath. ANDREW PETERS’ WINTER MENU “I love British autumn/winter food. Game season is my favourite time of the year. I can’t get enough of the West Taunton venison steaks from the Farmers’ Market, or pheasant, or partridge. I’ve a real soft spot for classic comfort food too: Gloucester Old Spot Sausages with mash, buttered cabbage and onion gravy – perfect! For dessert, it has to be spiced poached pears with a dark chocolate sauce, or autumn berry strudel with cream, preferably served with a glass of Pedro Ximenez – wonderful!” The Green Park Brasserie, Green Park Station, Bath BA1 1JUB Tel: 01225 338565; web: greenparkbrasserie.com. n

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FOOD | NEWS

FOOD&DRINK Titbits ■ That little corner of sunny Italy in Walcot Yammo! is now oﬀering a lovely intimate cosy setting for cocktails and wine until midnight during the week and 1am Fridays and Saturdays. So not only can you go for authentic Italian pizza, pasta and other delicious dishes, but you can also meet friends for cocktails, made by expert Salvatore – or Bombolino as his friends call him. A new heated pagoda in the rear courtyard oﬀers a cosy, warm, winter cavern of fairy lights. The team at Yammo! is celebrating being named as one of the Sunday Times top 20 restaurants under £20. Yammo! has been shortlisted for the Bath Good Food awards in the Best Italian category. More than 15,000 votes have been cast in this, the fifth year of these independent awards. Head judge is Angela Mount. Judging is taking place and the award ceremony will be held at the Pavilion on 17 January. To see the shortlist of contestants visit: bathgoodfood.co.uk. ■ Christmas is a time when we can forget the diet for a few days and enjoy sweet and savoury treats. Hotel Chocolat, which has a shop in SouthGate, Bath, has a range of elegantly presented boxes. This mouthwatering selection, Christmas Luxe, is £30.

CRATES OF FLAVOUR

Bath terrine and pate maker Helen Rich, of Rich Pickings, has gathered together some of the best food and drink producers in the Bath area to offer a new next-day delivery hamper service. Taste of Bath is an online business with a beautifully clear website for customers to browse from. Producers include Bath Soft Cheese, Beth’s Bakes macarons, chutneys by Heavenly Hedgerows and cider maker Honey’s Midford Cider. The bottles, jars and packets are carefully wrapped and despatched in sturdy wooden apple crates, making them ideal as corporate or personal gifts, or to welcome visitors to rented accommodation in the area. Hampers start from £75 from: taste-of.co.uk. The crates can be mailed across mainland UK and personal messages can be added.

NEW RURAL VENUE

There’s a new dining experience in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside, where The Greenhouse at Wadswick Green offers a wide range of dishes from pasta and steak to pan-fried sea bass against a funky background of mismatched furniture and art. The Greenhouse is part of a development being created just outside Corsham on the site of the old HMS Royal Arthur. The finished community will include retirement apartments, a spa and hair salon. Visitors are welcome throughout the day and evening at The Greenhouse, presided over by head chef Darren Sharp. In the run-up to Christmas there’s a festive menu including such treats as venison and roast guinea fowl.

TONY AT THE HELM

Chef Tony Casey has taken over as head chef at The Chequers in Bath. Since his first job as a commis chef to Michael Caines at The Royal Marriott, Tony has worked at two-Michelin star The Square, Lucknam Park, The Pump House in Bristol and The Garrick’s Head. Tony says: “I want my food to make people happy. I like to believe that you can get the same level of comfort and enjoyment from a well thoughtout, elevated dish as you can from your mum’s roast dinner - that’s the feeling I’m aiming for.” He says he has huge respect for local producers, such as fruit and veg heroes Mike and Tony Eades.

Featured in Sunday Times best places to eat for under £20

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The Diner’s Digest SIX OF THE BEST

For a break from shopping

Need somewhere to put down your shopping bags and rest your feet? Melissa Blease knows the best tables to bag for a spot of people-watching

VINO VINO

When it comes to keeping an eye on who’s outand-about, this glamorous watering hole on Saw Close acts as a kind of life-as-it-happens Bath gossip column HQ. Big picture windows guarantee that you won’t miss a trick. Outside patio heaters pretty much make the need for thermals redundant (if one can fit thermals under that bodycon frock). At the bar, cocktails are a speciality and fizz is abundant (of course, dahling!), while chic charcuterie, stylish sharing platters and fashionable hot plates presented in picture-perfect close up – ideal for Instagram – make refuelling a pleasure. That is, if you’re not worried about smudging your perfect lipstick. As for leaving smudges of that lipstick on the collar of somebody you shouldn’t be getting upclose-and-personal with – just remember, you’re being watched... Vino Vino, 5-6 Seven Dials, Saw Close, Bath BA1 1EN Tel: 01225 312341; web: www.vinovinowinebar.co.uk.

JACOB’S COFFEE HOUSE

Bath Abbey to the left of me, Primark to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with... a steaming Pieminister pie, preferably served up at a prime people-watching table upstairs at (or on the terrace of) Jacob’s Coffee House, slap-bang in the middle of the shopper/tourist throng. But Jacob's doesn't feel like a city centre coffee house: the staff are ultra-friendly, the menus go large on local sourcing and the whole vibe is far more small town café on market day than bustling city centre pitstop. Last time I visited I shared a table with an American couple who were having a very vocal debate about whether the Pump Rooms were built in the 1960s or the 1970s, a woman who’d just been proposed to by text and an artist who often spends days at a window table making sketches of Abbey Church Yard. Think, Friends’ Central Perk meets Emmerdale’s Café Main Street, and turn yourself into an extra on the set next time you’re in town. Jacob’s Coffee House, 6 Abbey Church Yard, Bath. Tel: 01225 758132; web: www.jacobscoffeehouse.com

CAFÉ LUCCA

Richard Fenton knows a thing or two about creating a welcoming atmosphere, as fans of his other ventures the Hudson Steakhouse and the Firehouse Rotisserie already know – and as soon as the doors to his elegant Italian-themed vision of Bath café society life opened in 2011, it immediately felt like a long-established social institution that we don’t know how we coped without. Bang in the middle of the shopping emporium The Loft and offering relaxing lounging opportunities a-plenty indoors and on the pavement outside, there’s plenty of animated social intercourse to earwig on to negate the necessity for flicking through a glossy magazine to be found about the place (although it has to be said, such an activity makes a great decoy if you’re keen to listen in

MOKOKO

Love it or hate it (and opinion is divided in Bath), we can't really ignore SouthGate, especially if you're a commuter... and even more so at this time of the year, when Christmas stockings need to be filled – fast. But there’s more to Bath’s Shrine to Mammon experience than merely the big name chains and franchises – Mokoko being a perfect case in point. This lovely little independent coffee shop is conveniently situated for access to the shops and the bus and railway stations, and offers a covered, spacious alfresco seating area that acts as a vantage point for all manner of comings and goings along the main drag. If you're in need of an uplifting special brew, Mokoko's unique house blend coffee does a skilful job of recharging batteries while still providing a mellow glow, best enjoyed accompanied by a sneaky slice of homemade cake from the counter. It's worth mentioning too that if you're searching for a special gift for a domestic barista, the café's shelves are lined with coffee-making equipment for all tastes, levels of expertise and budgets. Mokoko a go-go! Mokoko, 7 Dorchester Street, Bath BA1 1SS Tel: 01225 333444; web: www.mokoko.biz

SAME, SAME BUT DIFFERENT Is Bartlett Street merely a genteel, shop-lined thoroughfare linking George Street to the upper echelons of Bath... or does it offer a richlywoven living tapestry of moods, dudes and grand dames to watch while you take a break from your own life? Take a seat at Same, Same but Different while you ponder this conundrum. An authentic version of the ‘third space’ (neither home nor office) concept that the high-street coffee chains so desperately try to construct, this café/bistro offers a home-from-home ambience – although I doubt very few people’s

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homes offer such a lively moving landscape of life in Bath to ponder while you put all thoughts of Christmas shopping on hold. Sit and watch the world go by from a table in the huge bay windows or outside on the pretty, traffic-free street itself and enjoy a menu specialising in British/Euro-themed treats (including terrific tapas) while the bustle of the great Bath public all around keep your imagination entertained. Same, Same but Different, Bartlett Street, Bath BA1 2ED Tel: 01225 466856; web: www.same-same.co.uk.

BOSTON TEA PARTY

Since long before the gentrification of an area that was, until fairly recently, a woefully overlooked area began, Kingsmead Square was always at the top of Bath's café society/people-watching charts. Kingsmead is home to thriving cafés, restaurants, bars and businesses. Boasting the biggest alfresco terrace of all, the BTP was one of this small, independently-owned chain’s very first establishments, opening over a dozen years ago. Take a look around you as you tuck in to one of the BTP's legendary, locally-sourced breakfasts (award winners for sustainability)

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on the details of the meeting going on at the next table), while the super-fresh paninis, salads and a tantalising display of cakes and pastries means that you too can easily work right through your break without going hungry. Look around you, and you may even spot members of The Bath Magazine team discussing the finer points of editorial detail over coffee here. But you haven't noticed them, right? Café Lucca, 1 Bartlett Street, Bath BA1 2QZ Tel: 01225 335394; web: www.cafelucca.co.uk

and you'll start to wonder if some of the regulars actually own the table they're sitting at – this is a proper Bath institution, loved by locals. It also oﬀers a perfect perspective from which to consider a cross-section of busy city action as it passes you by; to misquote Anthony Burgess on Kingsmead Square, all human life is here. By the way, a second Bath BTP is opening on Alfred Street this month. Boston Tea Party, 19 Kingsmead Sq, Bath BA1 2AE Tel: 01225 314826; web: www.bostonteaparty.co.uk

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XMAS| RECIPE

CHRISTMAS RAISED PIE

e’re always in search of inspiration when it comes to offering guests a celebratory meat-free festive dinner. Demuths, the renowned Bath vegetarian cookery school, shares this raised pie recipe, which has a pretty, multi-layered filling. CHRISTMAS RAISED PIE PASTRY Serves 4-6 people Ingredients 300g plain white flour 120ml white wine 100g butter, cubed ½ tsp salt Place the wine and butter in a large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer to melt the butter. Pour the flour into the liquid and mix quickly with a wooden spoon until smooth. Chill the dough for about 30mins until firm enough to work with but without being so cold that it becomes too firm. Split the dough into two equal pieces. Roll out one half into a large circle, 3mm thick to form the base and sides of the pie. Place circular layers of the filling (see suggested ingredients for your layers below) in the middle of the rolled out dough, then raise the sides of the pie up around the filling, pinching the dough together at intervals as it folds around the filling. Roll out the other half of the dough to 3mm. Cut a circle slightly larger than the top of the pie. Crimp the edges all the way around to seal up the pie. Roll the remaining dough even thinner, then cut leaf shapes out and create a pattern for the top of the pie. Brush the top with an egg glaze. Bake at 175C for an hour until the pie is deep golden in colour. FILLINGS FOR THE CHRISTMAS RAISED PIE You can use anything you like to fill your pie as long as it isn’t too wet. Our favourite fillings use seasonal vegetables and classic flavours to create a brightly coloured, delicious pie. Any extra filling can be reinvented as a great leftover dish or impromptu dip or side dish. You can add any herbs or a little chilli, or more spice if you like. PINK LAYER 1 small beetroot ✦ 40g chopped cashews ✦ 40g breadcrumbs ✦ 2 tsp pomegranate syrup ✦ Pinch of salt ✦ 50g blue cheese or feta (optional)✦ 2 red peppers, grilled to remove the skin Wrap the unpeeled beetroot in foil and roast for 1 hour or until soft. Peel and blend to a puree. Mix with the breadcrumbs, ground walnuts, salt and pomegranate syrup. Crumble in the cheese if using. RED LAYER When building up the pie, sandwich the beetroot layer with roasted red peppers to prevent the beetroot colour bleeding into the other layers GREEN LAYER 1/2 small leek, sliced ✦ 2 tbsp butter or olive oil ✦ 1 tbsp thyme leaves ✦ 50ml white wine or sherry ✦ 1 tin of butterbeans, drained ✦ 125g spinach ✦ Salt, pepper and lemon to taste Fry the leek until soft in the olive oil along with the thyme, add the butterbeans and wine and cook until the mixture is dry. Wilt the spinach and squeeze the excess liquid out. Chop the spinach and mix in with the leek mixture. Taste and add salt and pepper and lemon to taste. ORANGE LAYER 125g squash ✦ 125g parsnip (core removed) ✦ Pinch of smoked paprika ✦ 10 sage leaves ✦ 30g toasted pinenuts Peel and dice the squash and parsnip. Roast with the smoked paprika and sage leaves in a splash of olive oil for about 30mins until soft. Remove the sage leaves and roughly mash the squash and parsnip and season well. Mix in the pinenuts. n 77 TheBATHMagazine

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RESTAURANT | REVIEW

THE BATH PRIORY Weston Road, Bath BA1 2XT. Tel: 01225 331922

R E V I EW

A STAR FOR ALL SEASONS

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into moreish slithers, in a ceviche of cider vinegar. It was simply sublime. While each dish is picture and taste perfect, it’s not pretentious food. Take the croque madame, for instance. You or I at home could knock up something a bit tasty with toast and cheese, but this little beauty, topped with a Woolley Park fried quail’s egg and a shaving of truffle is a real treasure of a dish. You might say the Priory’s croque madame is peasant food as

❝

Devon red beef, served rare, plump and tender as you like

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often read those celeb interviews where they’re invited – indulged even – to describe what would make their perfect weekend. This usually involves driving down to their country pile from Town, walking their adorable children and their even more adorable hounds, and dining with some dear dear chums at some marvellous little place where they know they’ll always get great food and a friendly welcome. This is the nearest I’ll get to that fantasy and I’d like to put it on record that my perfect weekend would begin with nestling into a big comfy sofa, cocktail in hand (a Cosmopolitan with a twist of orange peel preferably) and enjoying a gossip with my best friend by the open fire. Then, rather than have to make decisions about what to eat, I’d simply glance at what the tasting menu had to offer, snap my leather bound menu shut, in excited anticipation that Bath’s only Michelin starred chef will not disappoint. On the fifth anniversary of my arrival at The Bath Magazine, our visit to dine at The Bath Priory Hotel was a lovely way to celebrate. It’s like visiting a beautiful country house in the city and I love the intimate feel of the drawing rooms, like a rather grand home from home with some fine paintings. You might feel some trepidation at the prospect of tackling a seven course dinner. But chef Sam Moody and his kitchen team – at the time of writing creating a seasonal culinary eulogy to the Wiltshire truffle – will keep the enjoyment levels high from starter right through to pudding. There are too many elements to describe each one in this space but here are some of the highlights to whet your appetite. A simple hand dived scallop is sliced as if by a surgeon’s hand

served with an aristocratic flourish. I wouldn’t have thought of putting turbot with mushrooms, but a portion of creamy white fish is perfectly paired with a white onion confit and some intensely mushroomy velouté. I’m not sure that there’s a main course with a tasting menu such as this, where each component is a little piece of theatre, drawing virtual applause for each entrance. But the Devon red beef, served rare, plump and tender as you like, was a stand-out solo of a performance. It was a deceptively simple dish, served with cheesy leeks, truffle mashed potato and a red wine jus, but beautifully done. It’s the sort of dish you’d happily tuck into as the highlight of your ideal Christmas Day. Each course was paired with a different wine, the eloquent and entertaining sommelier Piero, briefly explaining why he had chosen each one to match the food. Of course, he was spot on each time, from the Lebanese dry-as-a-bone

white balancing the truffle chantilly and celeriac velouté at the start of dinner, through to the deep velvety Tuscan red with the beef and then finally to a dessert wine at the end. By the time we get to the sweet dishes – a gorgeous truffle honey and vanilla parfait with caramelised white chocolate and toasted macadamia nuts, this reporter is reduced to an inarticulate ‘Wow!’ in her notebook. It’s hard to find any faults with the Priory dining experience. The staff manage that fine tightrope between attentive service and making their guests feel absolutely at our ease. We are all treated like the VIPs we’d like to be. It’s no wonder that one of English theatre’s leading ladies (the hotel staff are too discreet to confirm her name) is a regular here and can be seen on sunny days wandering through the awardwinning gardens learning her lines. If you’ve got a manqué Dowager Duchess of Grantham in your family, this is the place to bring her to play out her dreams. As we reluctantly prepare to leave I notice the hotel is offering a traditional country house hotel Christmas package for its guests. This includes a trip round Royal Victoria Park in a horse drawn carriage on Boxing Day, while supping on warm mulled wine, no doubt a cosy rug wrapped round your knees. This sounds an awful lot more fun than playing fridge-Tetris with the leftover turkey and pots of opened cream on Boxing Day. The Bath Priory is offering a festive three course lunch menu from 1 – 22 December, for £30 on weekdays, £35 at weekends. Sam’s seven course tasting menu is £95 (the wine flight is additional), or a three course a al carte dinner (£80). For reservations visit: thebathpriory.co.uk or call 01225 331922. n GMc

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THE WINE COLUMN Angela Mount, wine and food critic suggests some wine to help you celebrate in style

hoosing wine for the festive feast is very different from selecting wine for Christmas parties. Christmas Day wines need to be selected for those closest to you; however wines aren’t the main feature, but the fabulous supporting cast chosen to enhance Christmas dinner. Here is my selection of clever buys to see you through the festive feast. I refuse to dilute good Champagne with orange juice for a Christmas morning Bucks Fizz; I’d rather pick a top quality Prosecco or Cava to mix for my Christmas breakfast tipple, then enjoy my chosen Champagne in its pure state. There is a myriad of Champagne offers out on the high street, from supermarket own brands, to the well known grande marques, many of them exceptionally good, but many, equally dull. In Champagne, there are big companies, who buy from wine producers, and blend to their chosen style; and then there are producers who set out their own stall and go it alone. It’s like supporting our very own independent businesses against the might of the big chains. I’ve chosen Gobillard Brut Grande Reserve Premier Cru NV (GWW £29.60, down to £22), as my star Champagne for this year. With 50% Chardonnay in the blend, it’s a creamy, elegant delight, and recent winner of a silver medal at the International Wine Challenge. Ethereal, lively and beguiling, there are gorgeous scents of toasted hazelnuts, freshly baked brioche, and delightfully smooth, baked apple flavours, with a lively citrus edge. It knocks spots off many of the big brands. Chablis is often a favourite white for Christmas, but ring the changes and opt for a similarly classic, but lesser known white from Burgundy. Macon Fuisse is a white wine produced in the southern region of Burgundy, and continues to be one of the best value white Burgundies. Macon Fuisse 2014, Domaine Paquet (GWW £14.96 down to £13.50 until end December) has

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typically Burgundian characteristics of baked apples, toasted hazelnuts and cream. Rich, ripe, and with lovely orchard fruit flavours, it’s enhanced by a streak of lemony verve, but also a dominant creamy, complex texture, with welcoming warmth – this is what good white Burgundy, at decent prices, is all about. Moving on to reds, the rule here is to look for voluptuous, rich, yet welcoming styles, that aren’t too full of tannin, don’t need three hours to sit in a decanter, and are rich, yet soft. Turkey will partner up happily with many wines – it’s the cornucopia of flavours in the stuffings and trimmings that set the challenges. Bold, vibrant southern French reds are often a good match, with their natural ripeness, and sweetly-spiced character. Faugeres, Domaine des Pres lasses 2011 (GWW £13.95 down to £12.95) is one such gem – a scented, enticing, charmer, velvety soft in style. Full-bodied, yet suavely smooth, full of ripe, silky, raspberry and blackberryperfumed fruit, stirred up with hints of the wild herbs of southern France, and finished off with sweet spice, and a lingering, soft finish. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser. No Christmas feast is complete without a glass of dessert wine or port to accompany the pudding or the Stilton. This year I’m opting for a deliciously fragrant, luscious dessert wine from Australia; a golden-hued nectar, to be sipped slowly and relished, it’s called D’Arenberg the Noble Wrinkled Riesling 2011 (GWW £11.50 down to £9.95 for a half bottle). The Riesling grape produces some of the finest sweet wines in the world, wines full of unctuous sweetness, but also imbued with freshness and citrus acidity, which means that these wines stay fresh and last for years. It glints golden in the glass, and has heady and seductive scents of acacia honey, candied lemon peel, star anise, and dried apricots. A glorious finish and a triumph with mince pies, Christmas pud, or chocolate roulade – it’s spot on with blue cheese too. n 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: thebathmag.co.uk

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CITY | PEOPLE

CITYNEWS News in brief ■ Actor and TV presenter Tony Robinson attended the 30th anniversary celebrations of Bathbased charity RICE (the Research Institute for the Care of Older People) and has agreed to be honorary vice president of the charity. RICE, which is based at the Royal United Hospital, has been at the forefront of research into dementia for many years and is about to trial a major new form of treatment. It has also launched an appeal to raise £1m to expand its research programme. ■ Businesses in Bath have voted a second fiveyear term for the Bath Business Improvement District (BID), which will commence on 1 April In the voting process 48% of eligible business voted and of those 76% voted in favour of renewal. Jonathan O’Shea, interim chief executive for the Bath BID said: “We consider it a stamp of approval for the great work that has been done in the first five years since the BID was first established in 2011, and a vote of confidence in the excellent business plan that lays out the vision for the next five year period that will last until 2021.” ■ Bathwick-based Brett Hardy Landscapes Ltd has been accredited by the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) – the only landscape gardening company in Bath to achieve this standard, which is linked with the government-backed TrustMark scheme. Professional landscaper Brett started the company in 2007 and now employs a skilled and friendly team of expert landscapers. He holds an RHS Silver Medal for garden design and oﬀers a one-stop-shop service from initial design to construction and planting. Contact Brett, tel: 01225 789990 or visit: bretthardylandscapes.co.uk

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INDEPENDENT CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

Visitors to Bath 30 years ago would have been able to browse among about 50 antiques shops in the city centre – but now there are only a handful remaining. One of these, Quiet Street Antiques, owned by Kerry Hastings-Spital, is celebrating its 30th anniversary with the publication of a coffee table book on the Zimbabwean artist Michael Allard. The shop has sold Allard’s paintings for many years and now Kerry has written A Lighter Side of Africa in celebration of the artist’s life and work.

TRIBUTE: A Lighter Side of Africa is on sale at Quiet Street Antiques for £25

CITY PREPARES FOR FASHION FESTIVAL A dress designed by Nicholas Oakwell for super model Erin O’Connor, adorned with hundreds of rubies and thousands of ostrich feathers, promises to be one of the highlights of the 2016 Bath in Fashion event. Next year’s celebration of style runs from 18 to 24 April and big names already booked to descend on the city include Julien Macdonald, Hilary

Alexander, , Sir Roy Strong and Livia Firth. There’ll be talks on Cecil Beaton, British Vogue – with a giant Vogue colouring wall – Gianni Versace and a behind-thescenes guide to the world famous Fashion Museum by expert curator Rosemary Harden. There will also be hands-on workshops and careers advice for those interested in fashion.

Professionally staged catwalk shows will inspire our spring/summer wardrobe. These shows will be produced by John Walford from London Fashion Week with stylist Rebekah Roy. If your business would like to be involved in Bath in Fashion 2016, register at: bathinfashion.co.uk. Tickets for events and talks will go on sale from early in February.

B&B MAKES TOP 100 FOR CUSTOMER CARE A family-run guest house in Bath city centre is only one of 100 establishments in the UK to win one of the inaugural 2015 VisitEngland Rose awards. Three Abbey Green, run by Sue Wright and Derek Merkl, with daughetr Nici and son-inlaw Alan, was assessed by undercover judges and comments from customers were taken into account. The award was presented in London presided over by James Berresford, VisitEngland’s Chief

Executive. Three Abbey Green has ten rooms and a selfcatering apartment. The family prides itself on going the extra mile to make people feel at home. At breakfast there is marmalade made by Derek’s sister Cherry Ionides, jam made by Bath based Simi’s Kitchen, free range farm eggs from Paxcroft Farm in Hilperton, Wiltshire and bacon and sausages produced and delivered by a farm in WINNERS: Three Abbey Green B&B Warminster.

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Boost your profits - Reduce your tax Maximise your wealth

Why will writing needs to be regulated By David Whitworth, Partner and Head of Wills, Trusts and Probate

rawing up a will is an important way to make sure your savings and assets are distributed according to your final wishes. However, many people try to save time and money by purchasing wills from unregulated will writers. The danger with this approach is that you could leave your family in financial and emotional turmoil if errors are made. This could result in your legacy being eroded by legal bills, unnecessary taxes, not to mention a great deal of upset and stress for your loved ones. NOT ALL WILL WRITERS ARE THE SAME Many people incorrectly believe that all will writers are regulated and bound by particular rules. This is not the case. The independent wills market is not regulated and sadly, stories of incompetence and grave mistakes being made are not uncommon. Miss-selling and a lack of transparency on costs can also be an issue with unregulated firms. Some will writers advertise their services at very low rates, but there are often far higher costs that are not disclosed, so the process turns out to be much more expensive than the client anticipated. The Law Society has long been concerned by the absence of regulation for will writing and the damage this lack of protection has on the general public. The very real worry is that unqualified, unregulated individuals and firms may be giving inappropriate or legally incorrect advice - with little or no means of redress for families if things go badly wrong. The Law Society argues that all will writers should be subject to regulatory requirements to safeguard people against bad practice. WHY CHOOSE A SOLICITOR TO DRAW UP YOUR WILL? It has often been said that ‘you get what you pay for’. The problem with unregulated will writers is that in many cases, they have no legal qualification or background, no training and no insurance. Solicitors, on the other hand, are highly qualified, up to speed with the latest legislative requirements and are bound by the strict code imposed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Your will is one of the most important documents you will ever write. It can also be a complex process – particularly if you have children from previous marriages or relationships, property and assets overseas or want to consider issues such as tax planning, asset protection and the setting up of trusts. It is therefore vital that your will is drawn up correctly by a solicitor who understands all the legal complexities and tax implications. Having a will prepared by a solicitor will save time and money in the longer-term and give you and your family peace of mind that it has been done accurately and properly. WHAT NOW FOR REGULATION? There is now a groundswell of support for the regulation of the will writing market. According to a recent article in the Law Society Gazette, over half of the public think will writing should be regulated. A YouGov survey of 1,554 adults found that 55% want all will writers to be regulated while over 95% praised the services provided by solicitors. Almost 90% of respondents who had a will drafted by a solicitor were satisfied with the process and 81% said they were happy with the quality of legal advice. It remains to be seen when regulation will happen. But until it is regulated, it is vital that people understand the dangers of drawing up a will with an unregulated firm and take steps to safeguard their finances and assets by working with a solicitor who can guarantee their final wishes will be fulfilled. For more information on wills, please contact David Whitworth, Partner and Head of Wills, Trusts and Probate at Mowbray Woodwards on: 01225 369002 or email: dlw@mowbraywoodwards.co.uk.

Call Marie Maggs, Mike Wilcox or Hannah Bratten on 01225 445507 to arrange a no-obligation meeting WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Alan & Nici Jones with Derek Swift (centre) Sue Wright & Derek Merkl

KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY Succession planning can be one of the biggest challenges that family businesses face. So when the owners of an award-winning guest house in Bath decided to hand over to the next generation, they turned to Richardson Swift for expert advice.

ath accountants and business advisers Richardson Swift have considerable experience helping family firms like Three Abbey Green plan for a successful succession. The four-star guest house in central Bath, which was opened in 2005 by Sue Wright and Derek Merkl, has just earned a prestigious VisitEngland ROSE award in recognition of the excellent service it provides. The family-run establishment is one of just 100 hospitality businesses in England - and the only guest house in Bath - to have received the coveted accolade. Their achievement is all the more remarkable given that it happened while Richardson Swift were helping Derek and Sue transfer the business to their daughter, Nici, and son-in-law Alan. Richardson Swift helped the family plan for a successful succession and ensured they had the right business structure in place to pass on the guest house in the most tax efficient way. “Previously Sue and I were the sole owners of the guest house but we wanted our daughter and her husband to take over the business when we retired,” said Derek. “None of us has a financial background or knowledge but we needed to ensure that we could hand over the business in an efficient and legal manner to Nici. Richardson Swift helped us do this by changing the structure of the business so that Nici and Alan could become equal partners in the guest house and have the same rights as us. It meant they were able to have a share in the business from us and eventually it will become entirely theirs.”

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Now that they have the right business structure in place, Derek and Sue have been able to take a step back. This has allowed their daughter and her husband to take on more responsibility, although Sue still does relief work to help out from time-to-time. Whether it’s setting up a limited liability partnership or a limited company, Richardson Swift has great experience of how tax works for different business structures. “As well as specialist tax and succession advice, Richardson Swift also provides us with all our bookkeeping and monthly management accounts which are critical for us,” added Derek. “They show us where we are with regard to profitability on a monthly basis and are key to our ability to develop the business. It allows us to respond to any market issues and do whatever we need to do to ensure our bookings remain strong.” Derek continued: “Since Sue and I started the business we have used several different accountancy firms, but Richardson Swift have been by far the most efficient and proactive. The financial advice that we received from them has been crucial to the success of our business and we consider it to have been an essential investment.” Sue added: “Richardson Swift really do go the extra mile and we have always been really well looked after by them. We certainly don’t feel like a small fish in a big pond, which had been a major concern for me before we joined the firm. We can phone them anytime for advice and they will come and see us at our business or home, which is really important to us. We feel really

confident that the advice we receive from Richardson Swift is the very best available.” Derek Swift, founding director of Richardson Swift, said: “We are delighted that Three Abbey Green have obtained this prestigious award. It’s a remarkable achievement when you consider that this happened while we were helping Sue and Derek transfer the management of the business to their daughter.” He added: “We are not just about the numbers here at Richardson Swift; we can also advise family firms on their growth strategies and help them plan for a successful succession. We believe in offering tailored business solutions that meet the individual needs of our clients rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach.” For more information about the accountancy and business growth services provided by Richardson Swift please phone 01225 325580 or visit www.richardsonswift.co.uk To find out more about Three Abbey Green visit www.threeabbeygreen.com or phone 01225 428558.

www.richardsonswift.co.uk 11 Laura Place, Bath BA2 4BL T: 01225 325 580

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A HELPING HAND

A Bath couple made a life-changing trip to Ethiopia to see firsthand how Bath-based charity Send a Cow is transforming lives

elevision director, Marion Milne and her husband, Richard Turner, decided to take part in the trip after Richard joined Send A Cow’s advisory board earlier this year and wanted to see some of the charity’s work in action. Joined by other charity supporters and employees, Marion and Richard travelled over 5,000 miles to the central region of Oromia. The group travelled by Land Cruisers to remote villages and, with the help of local SAC community workers, met families who are lifting themselves out of poverty with the charity’s training and support. Ethiopia is currently experiencing a drought in the north of the country, affecting up to eight million people but this trip was to SAC projects in the south which are expecting to suffer hardship as a result of a poor rainy season. But the couple say they were amazed at the attitude of people they met: ‘‘Both of us were really impressed by the dignity and self-reliance of the Ethiopian people. Even those classified as the ‘poorest of the poor’ displayed a sense of integrity and purpose, which was humbling,’’ says Richard, a venture capitalist, whose first career was as a development economist in Botswana and who retains a life-long love of Africa. Marion said: ‘‘We were surprised by the impressive way in which Send a Cow techniques literally took root so quickly once groups were formed and communities educated. To see flourishing back yard smallholdings providing food for the family and produce for market in such a short time was phenomenal.’’ Above is Marion’s favourite photograph of those she took on the trip: “This photo, taken close to the DEFAR Project in the mountainous villages near the Boreda township in the southern part of the country, sums up to me the spirit of Send a Cow in Ethiopia. These little boys, no more than five or six years old – some who will grow up to be farmers like their parents, others who will leave the village and seek a new life elsewhere – are united by friendship.” Send a Cow was started by west country farmers almost 30 years ago and has since helped more than one million people to change their lives. The charity does not believe in hand-outs, but instead provides families with the hope and the means to change their own lives. Much bigger than its name suggests, Send a Cow provides poor farmers and their families with training, tools, seeds and livestock, enabling families to grow their way out of poverty. Marion, who has directed and produced TV shows and documentaries including the recent BBC documentary on Audrey Hepburn said: ‘‘Ethiopia was a wonderful country to see through a lens. I would love to go back there with a film crew. The people carry themselves so well and wear their traditional (and not so traditional outfits) with verve and style. There were so many gorgeous faces – from the very young to the very old.’’ The couple’s visit coincided with Send a Cow’s largest fundraising appeal, Planting Hope which is raising money to support the charity’s work in Ethiopia. The UK government is matching all donations £1 for £1 until 31 December, ensuring people’s money goes twice as far. To find out more about Send a Cow and its Planting Hope appeal visit www.sendacow.org, or you can phone the charity: 01225 874222, or write to Send A Cow, The Old Estate Yard, Newton St Loe, Bath BA2 9BR. In lieu of gifts to people you know who already seem to have everything they need, you could instead give money for a chicken (£7), a beehive (£35) or a dairy cow (£650) and make a real difference to a family 5,000 miles away. n 86 TheBATHMagazine

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TENNIS • SQUASH • CROQUET

Non play er welcome s friendly family club with great so a cial scene

FOUR NEW ARTIFICIAL CLAY COURTS • Tennis, Squash, Racketball & Croquet • Friendly family members Club • Social & competitive play

• Coaching for all ages & abilities

• Clubhouse serving food & drinks • TV & Internet lounge • Social events

The Lansdown Club, Northfields, Bath, BA1 5TN. Tel: 01225 425763 • Email: reception@lansdownclub.co.uk

www.lansdownclub.co.uk

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FAMILY | EVENTS

FAMILYDIARY FESTIVE FUN THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR CHILDREN LITTLE SURE SHOT Thursday 10 December – 10 January, times vary n The egg theatre, Sawclose, Bath An action-packed adventure filled with comedy, romance and country music. It’s loosely based on the real-life rags to riches tale of Annie Oakley, Queen of the Wild West. For tickets and show times, tel: 01225 823409. Also at the egg this month SNOW MOUSE Thursday 10 December – 3 January, times vary n The egg theatre, Travelling Light’s production is a Christmas show for little ones (up to age four). Deep in the woods, disturbed from a winter sleep, Snow Mouse wakes Zarafa the giraﬀe and friends: part of Bath Film Festival up to a world of white . . . BATH ON ICE couple who fashioned themselves a muchUntil Sunday 3 January wanted child made from snow. For tickets and n Royal Victoria Park, Bath times tel: 0333 666 3366. The annual Christmas ice rink provides open air skating for people of all ages. This year it JACK AND THE BEANSTALK also features Glow in the Dark adventure golf Thursday 10 December – Sunday 10 January and the chance to buy wood fired pizzas and n Theatre Royal Bath drinks from the rinkside bar. Off-peak prices, It’s Bathonians’ traditional family treat – a trip £8.75 adults, £7.25 children, peak prices, £10 to the panto in the beautiful Theatre Royal. adults, £9 children. For more information, There’ll be audience participation, goodies and visit: bathonice.com. baddies and, as always a star turn by the young dancers from the Bath Dorothy Coleborn WHERE HAS RUDOLPH’S RED NOSE School of Dance. Tickets from £14.50. Tel: GONE? 01225 448844. Sunday 13 December, 3pm n Wiltshire Music Centre, Ashley Road, WORKSHOP: DECEMBER DESIGNS Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December, 2 – Take your little ones along for 2pm and join in 3.30pm the make and sing workshop, so they can really n Victoria Art Gallery, Bath get stuck in to the inter-active show afterwards, Start the festive season with some Christmas wearing their own handmade antlers. The crafts, using techniques and styles that can be accomplished Galliard Ensemble will make this found in the gallery’s collections. Create snow a fun session for children aged three to eight, as cards to take home. Suitable age three and well as their grown-ups. Tickets: £8 adults, £4 over. There will also be a family Christmas trail under 18s. tel: 01225 860100. around the gallery. Admission free. PETER PAN Monday 7 – Saturday 12 December, times vary n The Mission Theatre, Corn Street, Bath Join Next Stage Youth Theatre Company for a magical flight to Neverland with Wendy, John, Michael and Peter Pan. Meet the Lost Boys and Captain Hook – and be ready to clap along to show you do believe in fairies. Tickets: £12, £10 concessions. Tel: 01225 428600. THE SNOW CHILD Wednesday 9 – Saturday 19 December, times vary n The Rondo Theatre, St Saviour’s Road, Larkhall Last year’s The Blue Bird by the Butterfly Psyche Theatre was so well received that there’s already a good buzz going for this year’s show, which is based on the old Russian tale of the

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FESTIVE FASHIONS Sunday December 13, 2pm-3.30pm n The Fashion Museum, Bennett Street, Bath Create fashionable Christmas decorations based on the Fashion Museum’s collections. Delve into the treasure box and create a seasonal garland or a kinetic snow picture. Suitable age three and over. Included in admission price: adult £8.25, seniors/student £7.25, child £6.25, family £24. FREE ART SESSIONS Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 December, 2pm – 3.30pm n Victoria Art Gallery, by Pulteney Bridge, Bath December Designs: start the festive season with some arty crafts. All welcome but do bring an

adult. Free art materials, trails and quizzes are always available from the public gallery’s mobile Art Cart. ZARAFA Saturday 12 December, 3pm n The Little Theatre cinema, St Michael’s Place, Bath Screened as part of Bath Film Festival is this delightful animated family adventure story featuring a little boy who escapes from slavery and befriends a giraffe. They’re joined by others on a hot air balloon ride over France. This French made film has been carefully dubbed into English so all the family can enjoy it. Tickets: £9/ £7 concessions. Visit: bathfilmfestival.org.uk. CREATE: ART Saturday 12 December, 10.30am12.30pm all ages n Fine Art Studio, The Edge, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath Led by Dorcas Casey, this class is suitable for children and adults of any age, Create Art is a fun and exciting hands-on creative workshop in the new Fine Art Studio. Activities vary from making, sticking, collage and drawing, as well as exploring other ways of art making such as digital drawing or sound. £5 per child, £3 per adult, to book tel: 01225 386777 or visit: icia.org.uk. Also at The Edge this month CREATE: MUSIC Saturday 12 December, 10.30am-11.30am for seven – 12 years and 11.45am-12.45pm for under sevens An exciting introduction to playing music and a fun and inspiring activity for the whole family. Using drums and percussion instruments, explore rhythm and international drum patterns. Create Music also adventures into drum language, storytelling and culture. Booking required. CREATE: DANCE Saturday 12 December, 10.30am-11.30am seven to 12 years, 11.45am – 12.45pm, under sevens Create Dance is led by Laura Street who specialises in mentoring primary school teachers in dance. She has performed with many companies but most notably with Travelling Light Theatre and Oily Cart Theatre Company. She is artistic director of aboutNOWish which creates interactive experiences using music and movement for young people. Booking required. LITTLE RED AND THE WOLVES Friday 18 December, 4pm and 7.30pm n The Pound arts centre, Pound Pill, Corsham Once there was a girl... and a wolf. Scarlett heads for the bright lights of the big city. James longs to be in the forest and when the moon is

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FAMILY | EVENTS

LOOKING FORWARD TO CHRISTMAS FAMILY TREATS full he feels different... When Scarlett and James meet, the wheels of fate are set in motion. Funny, scary and action packed. Suitable age five and over. Tickets: £10 (£9 concessions), £7 family. Box office: 01249 701628 or visit: poundarts.org.uk Also at the Pound this month HANSEL AND GRETEL Saturday 19 December, 7pm Audiences will be encouraged to join in, providing sound effects and practical help as Hansel and Gretel make their way through the forest in this family-friendly production from Forest Forge in association with Bumblefly Theatre Company. Suitable age four and over. Tickets: £10, £9 concessions, £7 children. Visit: poundarts.org.uk. FAMILY CAROL SERVICES Sunday 20 December, 3pm and 4.15pm n Bath Abbey The one with the donkey . . . Children are invited to come dressed as a shepherd, angel, wise man or citizen of Bethlehem to create a festive Christmas tableau. The services feature Mr Frosty the donkey. All welcome, no reserved seating so please arrive early to avoid disappointment. NUTTY NOAH’S CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Monday 21 December, doors open 12.30pm n Komedia, Westgate Street, Bath

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generations at the start of the holidays. The orchestra will also perform a collection of Christmas favourites including the classic family Christmas story The Night Before Christmas narrated by candlelight. Children are invited to wear their favourite festive costumes for a fancy dress parade. There may be an appearance by Father Christmas. Tickets: £18 adults, £12 under 18s, tel: 0844 888 9991.

Nutty Noah at Komedia Join the king of fun for a very silly Christmas extravaganza for all the family. Nutty Noah, one of the region’s top children’s entertainers, will delight children and adults alike, with his festive mix of comedy, music and unbridled fun. As seen on CBBC, suitable age three and over. Tickets from £6 THE SNOWMAN: BATH PHILHARMONIA Tuesday 22 December, 1.45pm n The Forum, SouthGate, Bath Bath Philharmonia play Howard Blake’s music live to Raymond Briggs’ magical animated film The Snowman; the perfect entertainment for all

CHRISTMAS ORIGAMI Monday 21 December, 2pm – 3.30pm n The Museum of East Asian Art, Bennett Street, Bath Drop in for an afternoon of origami and Christmas magic, make some Christmas decorations, create stars, Father Christmas, reindeers, angels and present boxes. Suitable for all ages. Materials included. Admission £3.50 per child, who need to bring an adult with them. LEAP INTO 2016 Monday 28 December, 11am-3pm The Roman Baths, Bath Make a Roman oil lamp to celebrate the new year. Suitable age three and over. Included in admission price, adult £14, senior citizen/student £12.25, child £9. The three Bath and North East Somerset Council-run venues offer local residents with a Discovery Card free admission, with up to two children. n

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FOR THE

JUNIORS

Gifted

THE CHRISTMAS PUDDING HAT

IDEAS

Looking for some inspiration on how to fill the gaps under the tree... Here are some little gift ideas for the little ones

We think the Christmas pudding hat (£15) makes a perfect festive and fun gift. It’s handmade in Bath too. Pick one up at one of the best little shops of Bath, Up to Seven, 6 Pulteney Bridge, Bath, BA2 4AX. Tel: 01225 422333.

DOLLS HOUSES FESTIVE SOCKS

Bath’s museum shops have increased their gift ranges and now have an inspired range for all the family. This pop-up dolls house is not only a fascinating insight into Victorian life but it will also bring hours of fun and imaginative play.

Kid socks from the dare to wear Christmas sock range..Lots of fun and festive designs. Featured here, I’m Hungry! and Christmas Time. Socks in varying sizes and colours from just £1.00. Buy online at: www.sockshop.co.uk

Visit one of Bath’s great museums for more ideas. Pop-up Dolls House, £25 No. 1 Royal Crescent Bath, BA1 2LR. Tel: 01225 428126.

CHILDREN, PLEASE TAKE NOTE Origami notepaper kit by Lollipop. A set of 10 sheets of notepaper with envelopes - send friends and family little notes that are then folded into a Noodoll Ricemon monster. £9.50. See these any many more cool and inspired ideas for Christmas at Spotty Herberts, 5 Queen Street, Bath, BA1 1HE. Tel: 01225 331834 SUPERGA FOR EVERY STEP Made just like the classic adult Superga’s with extra strong, fully breathable cotton uppers and the vulcanised gum soles. Kids can start wearing Superga shoes from baby size 2. Available in single velcro strap and 3 hole laced for baby sizes (sizes 2 -5), double velcro strap and 3 hole laced for infants (sizes 5.5-9.5) and double velcro strap and 4 hole laced for Juniors (sizes 10 1.5). Available in so many colours too - a great gift for cool and very stylish kids. from £25 - £30. Superga. 11 New Bond Street, Bath, BA1 1BE. Tel 01225 421275. www.superga.co.uk

STOCKING FILLERS FROM BLOOMSBURY

①

②

④ ③

⑤

❶ Inky Star Hair Clip. Lovingly hand crafted hair clips. Available in a variety of colours. (Inky & Mole) £3.50 ❷ Panda Soft Toy. While she might be small for a giant panda, she more than makes up for it in cuddliness. (Jellycat) £12.00 ❸ Tintin Explorers on the Moon Puzzle. From the Tintin adventure, Explorers on the Moon, this puzzle provides hours of entertainment. (Moulinsart) £11.95 ❹ This set of woodland animal themed pencils will be the best stocking filler around this Christmas. (Kikkerland) £5.00 ❺ Start the Springy at the top of the stairs and let it go! Ridley's have a brilliant range of traditional games, toys and jokes, all in 1960's inspired, vintage style packaging. Ridleys Kaleidoscope Springy (Wild & Wolf) £6.95. Bloomsbury. 15 New Bond Street, Bath BA1 1BA. Tel 01225 461049. www.bloomsburystore.com

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“

Independent Tutorial College A Levels • GCSEs January to June Resits

Tutors are very supportive in helping students to prepare for examinations... and attain the higher grades. OFSTED

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Ancient Wisdom Modern Beauty

Experienced facial acupuncturist Stacey Beckitt BSc (Hons) LicAc provides her clients with an elegant bespoke treatment combining facial acupuncture with holistic collagen induction therapy. Together these complimentary techniques work to promote a glowing complexion and enhance wellbeing.

Gentle - Safe – Natural – Holistic Gift Vouchers Available

BUY A HAT OR SCARF TO SUPPORT JULIAN HOUSE

To contact Stacey please call 07929 956984 staceybeckitt@gmail.com www.staceybeckitt.co.uk

Bath based Julian House has been specially chosen to work with London designers Masato on a national campaign to raise awareness of homelessness. As part of the Masato Homeless Beanie and Scarf Campaign, Bath based Julian House is one of 6 charities and projects around the UK to benefit every time someone purchases a specially designed beanie from the Masato Homeless Collection. The campaign will run through till 31st January 2016. To raise awareness in the issues associated with homelessness, bespoke design house; Masato London will donate either a beanie or scarf to the campaign, or £5 (the net profit on the sale) whenever someone buys one of the specially created beanies, bobble hats or scarves.

HELP KEEP SOMEONE WARM THIS CHRISTMAS visit:

www.masatolondon.mysupadupa.com or see more information on www.thebathmag.co.uk

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AUTY

PURE BE

Gifted

GOLD STYLING WITH GHD A take on the Classic Styler, this ghd V Arctic Gold Styler has been designed with smoother plates that glide through hair quicker and easier. Ideal for all hair types and lengths, its ceramic heaters and sleek, contoured plates deliver salon style results, allowing you to achieve a high-shine, frizzfree finish with every use. £129.

IDEAS

Give the gift of beauty this Christmas, with great ideas from Bath’s best little salons

Frontline Style, 4-5 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2AJ. Tel: 01225 478478. www.frontlinestyle.co.uk

READY STEADY GO KIT This is the best selling kit by Activbod - a specialist range of skincare products developed to help aid recovery, improve comfort during exercise and banish those workout worries for all sports and exercise enthusiasts. All of the activbod must-haves are included in the kit - so you are ready to go at a moments notice. comes in a free washbag, £39. Buy online at www.activbod.com

COCKTAIL LIP BALM The perfect combination of hydrating lip balm and a cocktail in one... need we say any more, £5.50. Bloomsbury. 15 New Bond Street, Bath BA1 1BA. Tel 01225 461049. www.bloomsburystore.com THE GIFT VOUCHER Make her Christmas wish come true with a pampering treatment from The Orangery, whose gift vouchers are always popular and all pricing options are available. The Orangery Laser and Beauty Clinic, No.2 Kingsmead Street Bath BA1 2AA. Tel 01225 461049. www.theorangerylaserandbeautybath.co.uk

PERFECT LIPS BY CLARINS This collection of miniature lip products will keep your lips moisturised and plump, while adding a touch of colour. Collection contains: Mini Rouge Eclat 13 Woodrose 1.4g, Mini Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector 06 Rosewood Shimmer 5ml, Mini Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector 01 Rose Shimmer 5ml and a Mini Gloss Prodige 04 Candy 2.5ml. All in a beautiful make-up bag. Special price of just £19.50 for Frontlinestyle customers - saving £12.75 Frontline Style, 4-5 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2AJ. Tel: 01225 478478. www.frontlinestyle.co.uk

CHRISTMAS IN A TIN Bronnley's apple & cinnamon soap is a lovely scented stocking filler. Enriched with sweet almond oil and shea butter to help moisturise and soften the skin, it's the perfect pampering treat, £6. Available in Bath at the Lifestyle Pharmacy, New Bond Street, Bath BA1 1BE or online at www.bronnley.co.uk where you can see many more great products.

FOREVER FRANGIPANI Explore the world of silky smooth and supple skin, enriched with an unforgettable and exotic fragrance. The Elemis Forever Frangipani Christmas gift set inlcudes: Frangipani Monoi Body Oil 100ml, Frangipani Monoi Body Cream 100ml, Frangipani Monoi Shower Cream 100ml, Frangipani Monoi Mist 15ml. £39.90. Green Street House, 14 Green Street, Bath BA1 2JZ. Tel: 01225 426000. www.greenstreethouse.co.uk

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Winner of Bathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Independent Hair & Beauty Award 2015

Perfect Christmas gift ideas, with an array to choose from for men and women, buy your gift vouchers in store or online www.frontlinestyle.co.uk Book your Christmas Hair and Beauty treatments with us today! Frontlinestyle Bath 4/5 Monmouth Street Bath BA12AJ 01225 478478 bath@frontlinestyle.co.uk

Frontlinestyle Wells 11 Broad Street Wells BA5 2DJ 01749 672225 wells@frontlinestyle.co.uk

www.frontlinestyle.co.uk

health and beauty December.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2015 18:07 Page 1

HEALTH | BEAUTY

HEALTH&

BEAUTY

FOR THAT PRECIOUS FACE . . .

t would be lovely to get that facial after glow, when your skin feels as its softest and refreshed, every day, but sadly, time and money make that an impossibility. The next best thing might be to try a regime of a really good face oil, such as Sisley’s Black Rose Precious Face Oil, which, if you can get over the fact that it’s a hefty £136 for 25ml, is a winter lifesaver in a bottle. Using the dropper one simply applies a few drops to the palm of the hand, then using a fingertip smooth it into the skin. It smells good, which is always a plus, and goes on like a dream. You can almost hear your skin drinking it in gratefully, leaving no trace of oiliness. Used during the dark, cold weeks twice a day, it really makes a difference. For people who spend a lot of time outside – whether at boot camp in the park, walking the dog, or standing on windswept station platforms – Black Rose Precious Face Oil provides a soothing, smoothing protection from the elements. Sisley products are available at Jollys.

MAKE YOUR OWN SKIN CARE PRODUCTS Danish natural care beauty expert Anna Christensen is continuing her running programme of one-off hands-on workshops in Bath. On Sunday 6 December, learn how to make natural, chemical free soap in a half-day workshop, while on Sunday 13 December Anna is leading a full-day introduction to creative natural skin care. On Monday 14 December there’s a half-day session on men’s organic grooming products. Anna offers vouchers for the workshops, which would make an ideal Christmas gift for anyone passionate about natural skin care. She has more workshops planned for January and throughout 2016. Each half day workshop is £75 (10am 1:30pm) and one-day workshopa are £145 (10am - 4:30pm) including all material and all products you will take home. There is a 20% discount for students. Lunch with a glass of wine, coffee and tea is included in the price. Courses take place at the Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution in Queen Square. For more information call Anna on 01225

334 647 or mobile 07811 956685, visit Facebook page Anna Christensen Safe Skin Care or email: gannanna@aol.com. She also has a website: annachristensen.eu, from which one can order her range of organic skin care products, including night cream and soothing, cooling cucumber cream.

HANDS ON: Mayor of Bath Will Sandry tries some craftwork at the launch of The Bubble

FUN FOR THE OVER 55s A new community programme of concerts and workshops has been launched for people aged over 55 in Bath and North East Somerset, offering them the chance to learn new skills and meet people. The Bubble project of free and atcost activities was launched at St John’s in central Bath, which will host many of the sessions. Older people are now able to sign up to try tai chi, gentle ballet sessions, yoga, pottery, painting and other activities. The open day also encouraged visitors to think about joining groups such as The Ramblers and helping out at places such as the Bath City Farm, the Royal United Hospital or Macmillan Cancer Care. The Bubble is a meeting place in St John’s, one of Bath’s oldest institutions. It can be found off the courtyard almost opposite Halfords. To find out about the activities visit: stjohnsbath.org.uk. If you – or your older person – does not have access to the internet St John’s co-ordinator Anna Ferguson can be contacted by phone, tel: 01225 486403, and is happy to chat about the sort of activities and workshops that might be enjoyable or stimulating to sign up for. MEETING AND GREETING: The party season’s arrived and none of us want to be caught out breathing last night’s curry, or this afternoon’s cheese and onion crisps over our fellow guests as we cosy in for a gossip. Pop one of these in your handbag or rucksack and be confident. Hello, is a new oral care spray, 99% natural, cruelty free and available in Spearmint, Pink Grapefruit Mint, and Mojito Mint. Free from alcohol, dyes, artificial sweeteners and propellant, it’s easy to use with one hand and it’s eﬀective too. Hello Breath Sprays, £3.99 are on sale at Boots

PLAY RACQUET SPORTS ALL YEAR ROUND Get ahead of the New Year fitness regime by signing yourself – and the rest of the family – up for membership of a club where you can all get match-fit. The Lansdown Club, which is just off Lansdown Road not far from the Royal High School in Bath, has ample parking, excellent club facilities, including catering and private venue hire and newly resurfaced artificial clay tennis courts. The club is particularly proud of its newlook artificial clay courts which are suitable for top level playing and are lit so all yearround tennis can be played even on the darkest days. Members can play unlimited tennis and squash from just over £1 a day and children can also enjoy the facilities, as well as UP YOUR GAME: tennis coaching is available at The Lansdown Club coaching sessions.

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The Lansdown Club is owned and run by its members and there’s an active social scene – so much so that there’s membership for non-players. Professional one-to-one coaching is available to members and non-members. It’s £23 a session for non-members. To book a space on one of the newly refurbished courts or find out which membership package suits you, visit: lansdownclub.co.uk. If you would like to have a game on the new courts, with no obligation, give general manager Philip Torjussen a ring and he will book a court for you to use at a convenient time. He can be contacted on 01225 425763 or email: philip@lansdownclub.co.uk.

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THE | WALK

A FESTIVE FAMILY WALK

Andrew Swift suggests a family walk on the boundaries of the Stourhead country estate

t some point over the festive period someone will suggest a family walk. They will make the dog happy by getting his lead out and bundle the children into their coats, perhaps pocketing a bar or two of chocolate to coax the more reluctant members of the family. This walk, while it requires a bit of a drive, takes a short but varied woodland walk along the escarpment at the western edge of the Stourhead estate. You’ll need stout footwear or wellies as it will be muddy in parts, there is some climbing, but you’ll be rewarded with splendid views, with magnificent veteran beech trees en route, and the walk ends at the foot of one of Somerset’s most iconic buildings. If you are National Trust members you could combine the walk with a visit to the Stourhead estate. The house will have rooms decorated for Christmas from 26 November until 21 December. To get to the starting point of our walk however, head towards Stourhead along the A36, A361 and B3092. Three miles after Maiden Bradley, turn right, following a sign for Alfred’s Tower. After three-quarters of a mile turn left, and after another mile and a half pull into a large car park on the right (ST748353). Having parked the car, don’t cross the road, but head north along a woodland track, opposite the entrance to the car park, which may be muddy in parts. After 350m, when you come to some veteran beech trees, don’t follow the green arrow pointing left but carry on, following the track as it curves left downhill (ST748356). As the track levels out and curves left along the contour line, you can glimpse far-reaching views over Somerset through breaks in the conifers. The track continues to curve southwards between tall pines – not planted closely together in gloomy impenetrability as in some conifer plantations, but open and airy, making for an exhilarating walk. When you come to a road (ST743350), cross and head straight on up a path into Stourhead Western Estate, where a sign warns of forestry operations. You will see plenty of evidence of these later, and, if work is going on, dogs will need to be kept under strict control. Conifers now give way to mixed woodland. After 100m, when you come to a fork, bear right, and follow the track as it starts heading steeply downhill. Stay on the main track, and, when a broad track curves in from the right to join it, bear left along it. 100 TheBATHMagazine

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A little further on, when another track branches right, follow a yellow waymark straight ahead. The track now curves left up into the woods. Carry on along it, ignoring a turning up to the left, and after 450m, when you come to a crosspath, carry straight on (ST748342). To your right, you will see a broad meadow, with woods on the far side of it, while on your left you will see where forestry operations have left their mark. After 900m, when you come to a T junction, don’t follow the waymark pointing right, but turn left uphill (ST756342). After 50m, bear left again, up a steep and narrow path. When this forks, bear left and carry on as the path curves slowly right uphill. As it continues curving to the right, it leads past old beeches. At a T junction, where it meets a

broad track curving round in a horseshoe bend, bear right along it (ST751343). Almost immediately, you will see another track branching right into the woods – don’t take it but carry on along the main track, and eventually you will come to Alfred’s Tower. Built in 1766 by Henry Hoare of Stourhead near the spot where King Alfred was reputed to have mustered his forces before defeating the Danes at Edington, the 49-metre high tower used up a million bricks and cost nearly £6,000. If you have family members who have been watching the historic drama series The Last Kingdom set against the backdrop of the Viking invasion of Britain, they may perk up at the thought that this may be the place where, in the ninth century, the might of the Danes

AMONG THE TREES: main picture, conifers frame the view from the top Opposite page Alfred’s Tower and Isla exploring the woods

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THE | WALK

was finally halted by the Anglo Saxons under Alfred’s leadership. Wessex was the last kingdom left unconquered by the Vikings. In 1944, when a plane crashed into it, the five American airmen on board were killed, but the tower survived. Restoration was eventually completed in 1986, when a Wessex helicopter lowered a 300kg carved stone into place on the top. And, while most of the

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Stourhead estate lies in Wiltshire, the tower lies just over the Somerset border, in the parish of Brewham. From here, cross the road to return to the car park. Level of challenge: Straightforward, although with muddy stretches. No road walking or livestock en route, although you may encounter forestry operations. n

FACT FILE ■ Length of walk: 2½ miles ■ Time: 1½ – 2 hours ■ Map: OS Explorer 142 ■ The Last Kingdom: by Bernard Cornwell

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INTERIOR | TRENDS

SET THE TABLE FOR THE FEAST Bath interior designer Clair Strong has four themes to inspire your dining table this Christmas

he dining table is the centrepiece of Christmas celebrations; it’s where friends and family gather for delicious food and good conversation over the festive period. Make these events even more special with beautiful tablescapes that are sure to wow your guests. If we can’t indulge in sheer opulence at Christmas, when can we? This tablescape is positively theatrical; the perfect way to celebrate the festive season. Inspiration for this look comes from Bath’s newest import OKA (newly arrived in Milsom Street). I’m thrilled to see another fantastic interiors retailer setup shop in Bath and can’t wait to explore the store. But let’s move onto the really good stuff; creating a decadent table for your Christmas events. A colour scheme of red and black with

LUXE LUXEDRAMA DRAMA

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hints of gold is always effective, but other rich hues like emerald green and inky blue have an air of opulence too. Decorate the table top with candles, handmade Christmas crackers and vases of festive blooms. I love metallic accents and coloured glassware as it reflects the light in the most glorious way. Ultimately, luxury is subjective but one thing we can all agree on is that it’s all in the details. It’s using the finest materials, carefully selecting the most evocative colours and spending time on the finishing touches that make it truly special. A TOUCH OF COLOUR: below left, table accessories, glasses, cutlery, all from OKA. Available instore or visit: okadirect.com and below left, the opulent red theme, green is a popular alternative.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT: Main image: Broste Ceramic Ornaments from The Scandinavian Shop. Below, use your usual plates but add accessories such as snowflake decorations, sprigs of fir and pine cones to bring a stylish wintery feel to the Christmas table. thescandanavianshop. co.uk

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INTERIOR | TRENDS

WOODLAND WONDERLAND This is a celebration of Britain’s beautiful winter wildlife and is a very family friendly option; kids will love the sweet animal motifs while adults will appreciate the cool colour scheme and chic design elements. Who better to turn to for the essentials to create this look than British designer Sophie Allport? Her Winter Wonderland collection includes home textiles, fine bone china and more, all embellished with a falling snow print featuring Christmas trees and woodland animals. Pair Sophie Allport’s tablecloths and napkins with crisp white china and a centrepiece made from woodland treasures. Take the children out to collect pine cones, holly and fir tree clippings and arrange around a large white pillar candle. This is a simple but timeless tablescape you will want to recreate year after year. NATURAL BEAUTY: Winter Wonderland range by Sophie Allport. Napkins, £13 for four, mugs £10

A TWIST ON THE CLASSIC This look takes a festive tradition and gives it a fresh new vibe. The pictured set-up by high street retailer H&M (products available online) is my inspiration for this tablescape. It combines all the usual Christmas motifs but gives them a modern, slightly rough-and-ready twist. Think oversize star print tablecloths and sheepskin chair cushions combined with a mix of plants and metallic decorations as centrepieces. I love the setting too; a Scandi-meets-industrial space with a subtle grey colour scheme. This theme can be as minimalist or maximalist as you desire; simply layer on the details until you are happy with the finished look. I prefer a more minimalist take – not just for aesthetic reasons but practical reasons too; it is much easier to set up and tidy away just a few items.

NORDIC WINTER A white Christmas may be unlikely in many parts of the UK but we can still channel the soft ambience and romantic beauty of fresh snow with our decorations. This scheme takes inspiration from some of the most festive places on earth; Norway, Sweden and Denmark. But this is a modern, design-led alternative to more traditionalist table settings with geometric details and a colour palette of off-white and pale grey. Keep it simple and uncluttered with exquisite table linens in soft hues, crisp white tableware, and white dinner candles in rustic metallic holders. A touch of greenery scattered over the table elevates the whole look and gives it that much-needed festive touch. If you love to use Christmas as an excuse to go all out, this theme can be made all the more impressive with the addition of a hanging ‘centrepiece’. Geometric shaped ornaments hanging from a branch over the table will really wow your guests. For more Scandanavian style visit Shannon in Walcot Street, or online. The snowflake decorations, right, are £10.50 from idyllhome.co.uk Clair Strong Interior Design is a small, friendly, creative business based in Bath and London, providing services for residential and commercial clients. Visit: clairstrong.co.uk or contact: clair@clairstrong.co.uk.

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PLANNING YOUR POTAGER Tis the season to get set for growing your own veg in 2016, says Jane Moore

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some carrots in your slippers, rather than having to wade through muddy beds of brassicas before you even get to your carrot row. If you can, try to avoid too much shade from trees, shrubs and hedges when planning your beds. Beyond that, don’t worry too much about their location as most vegetables are very tolerant. SIZE MATTERS Small is quite beautiful when it comes to a kitchen garden. A small space, well planned can keep a couple or a small family going very well. If you think about the abundance of a single courgette plant when it’s fruiting full bore, you’ll know that one is plenty to feed an entire street! When it comes to bed size, raised or not, you don’t want your bed wider than you can reach into the middle. At the Priory that means our beds are a little over four feet, or 120cm, wide which is actually a little too wide as they were built by my predecessor James who was 6ft 3 with correspondingly long arms. Do bear this in mind if your burly bloke is doing the measuring. Of course, if you’re not keen on raised beds you can go down the boxedged potager route which is very attractive although those hedges do take up valuable growing space and they are a blooming nuisance to step or reach over all the time – and, yes, that is the voice of experience. If you want something prettier than wood I would go for woven willow edging for a rustic appeal. It’s

sustainable, relatively cheap and great fun to have a go at yourself. Well, I did promise you a project. WHAT TO GROW NOW You’re a bit limited what you can get growing right away but it’s probably worth throwing in some garlic and broad beans and hoping for the best. It’s only slightly too late in the season for these and, with our milder winters, they will probably do fine. Go for the overwintering broad bean variety Aquadulce Claudia and any of the Wight varieties are good doers.

❝

CATALOGUE TIME: fallow days of Christmas can be spent happily planning next year’s crops

By February you want to be getting those potatoes chitting away merrily

❝

don’t know about you but in the depths and doldrums of the winter it’s good to focus on a project in the garden. Actually, who am I kidding? It’s essential for me to get my teeth into a project by new year or I’ll slide downhill faster than Eddie the Eagle. Whether it’s a new pergola, a rose arbour or a kitchen garden, I need something to keep me busy during those drear months of January and February – and something that is all about construction rather than planting in case the weather is too cold and horrible to risk plants. Making a few raised beds or an entire kitchen garden from scratch is the perfect job for this season and only dependant on your enthusiasm and wood supplies. But it does mean getting your planning done now to make sure you’re ready and motivated to get building. LOCATION, LOCATION In an ideal world, we’d all have a nice level south facing garden that’s just crying out for a proper potager tucked away in a hedged ‘garden room’. Sadly the reality is that most of us can only manage a mini kitchen garden – that is, a couple of raised beds – tucked away in one of those odd corners in the garden that you just don’t know what to do with. In a small garden you have make the most of every little spot and a raised bed is undeniably a great use of space. There are those that pooh-pooh the raised bed but I love them. Not only are they neat and manageable but also it’s so easy to nip down the garden and grab

WHAT TO GROW SOON But really you’re planning ahead for the season and can spend a lovely few hours poring over the catalogues with a cup of tea, which is what I tend to do with that odd couple of days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. And it’s surprising how quickly things get going in the kitchen garden. By February you want to be getting those potatoes chitting away merrily, not to mention planting out garlic and broad beans if you didn’t get them in before Christmas. February is also time to get onions and shallots underway, although these do take a bit of space.

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GARDEN | NOTES

If you’re going the whole hog with your kitchen garden and investing in a little greenhouse – do it if you can - then late February is also the time to sow those tomato seeds. Only a few, mind you, as they germinate like weeds and there are only so many of your friends who will want tomato plants. WHAT NOT TO GROW February is also time to plant Jerusalem artichokes, but here I must add a warning: Jerusalem artichokes are not for the faint of heart or the short of space. They are massive growing Triffids

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DOWN TO BARE BONES winter is a good time to make decorative willow edging for your vegetable plot, or to create easy-to-manage raised beds for planting

which are nigh on impossible to eradicate completely. Here at The Priory we have a bed that is entirely devoted to them, as the chefs adore them. Each year we simply top up the tubers in said bed and then, come the winter, we try to dig up every single tuber in there and fail every single time. If you’re short on space you want to make sure you’re growing the things you can’t buy easily or that are expensive. Herbs are the obvious choice but also some of the more unusual salad stuffs: oak leaf lettuce, rocket and so on. Grow

shallots rather than onions, for example, lovely salad spuds like Cherie and Anya that you can harvest when small rather than King Edwards. Above all, grow what you like to eat. Oh, and a courgette of course – you have to be able to join in the glut conversation come August or you’re not a proper kitchen gardener. n Jane Moore is the award-winning head gardener at the Bath Priory Hotel. She writes regularly for the Telegraph and can be followed on Twitter @janethegardener.

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the directory

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Health, Beauty & Wellbeing

House & Home

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PROPERTY | HOMEPAGE

roperties rarely come to market in Hunstrete, which has excellent commuter access to both Bath and Bristol and is an attractive clutch of period properties within easy reach of neighbouring villages and amenities. This beautifully presented barn conversion with a total approximate floor area of 1535 square foot has been refurbished in recent years and the layout is designed to make the maximum use of the space and light. The contemporary designed living room and kitchen/diner are on the first floor and feature pale wood tones and an open flow from one end of the building to the other. On the ground floor there are three good sized bedrooms and an office/bedroom four. These are served by a full bathroom plus an en suite wet room and separate cloakroom. There is also a utility room which connects to the integral garage. Outside there is a level landscaped garden with trees, shrubs and flowers as well as a good sized lawn and patio area. The Barn is a calm and contemporary rural retreat ideal for commuters who like the option of working from home. Viewing and full details are available from agents Pritchards.

Pritchards, 11 Quiet Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 466225

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THE BARN, HUNSTRETE, PENSFORD. NR BATH & BRISTOL • Contemporary barn conversion in sought after location • Good commuter access and local amenities • 3 bedrooms with office/bedroom 4 • Bathroom and wet room

Price: £685,000

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Caroline Buildings, Widcombe A rare opportunity to purchase a Grade II Listed Georgian Townhouse, well located & within easy walking distance of the railway station & City Centre. • 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 3/4 reception rooms • Good sized lawned garden • Lovely open outlook to the rear over the Canal & allotments • Easy walking distance of bus/train station, Widcombe Parade, the canal & City Centre amenities • Internal area 2351 sq ft/218.4 sq m.

Price: £799,000

College Road, Lansdown A semi detached house quietly positioned in a first class residential road on the sought after Northern fringes of the city. The property benefits from having planning consent for a 2 storey extension. • Current accommodation: 3 bedrooms, bathroom, 2 receptions, kitchen & cloakroom • Quiet location in sought after Lansdown • Planning consent for extension • Attractive south facing mature gardens • Garage & driveway parking • No onward chain • EPC rating D

Guide Price: £750,000 11 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2LB

Tel: 01225 466 225

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pritchards-bath.co.uk

Penn Lea Road A well presented detached modern house in a quiet and extremely sought after residential area within a few minutes walk from the Royal United Hospital on the popular western fringes of the city. • 4 double bedrooms, bathroom and en suite shower room • Sitting room, kitchen/dining room, utility room and cloakroom • Well proportioned attractive gardens • Integral garage and driveway parking for 3 cars • EPC Rating C

Guide Price: £650,000

Freshford An impressive 3 bed link detached family home situated in this thriving village within easy walking distance of the well regarded primary school, superb village stores/cafe. Railway station & pub also within easy reach. • 3 bedrooms, cloakroom, bathroom & shower room • Sitting room, dining room & kitchen • Front & rear gardens, parking & garaging • Floor area approx incl garage. 1411 sq ft (131 sq m) • No onward chain • View to rear as illustrated

Guide Price: £645,000 11 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2LB

Tel: 01225 466 225

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What Mog teaches us about estate agent service? Peter Greatorex, managing director of The apartment Company

e all know first impressions count, and at this time of year the Christmas adverts are trying to win our hearts as well as our loyalty. The competition for the best Christmas advert is always an interesting one; the big brands pull out their creative and emotive specialists to produce a memorable experience that will instill customer loyalty all year round. I’m sure like us, the Sainsbury’s Christmas advert with the lovable Mog, whose little nightmare led to a series of disastrous events, has grabbed your attention. It shows us how kindness and understanding needs can turn a bad situation into a wonderful one. With many estate agents in the area, how do you choose the right one for you and your property? We all sell a property and offer the same service but what sets one agent apart from the other? Firstly - Do your research; you need to ensure that the agent you choose is the right agent for your home. We would not be the right agent for every home on the market because we are specialists. What are the advantages of using a specialist agent, such as The Apartment Company? • All the clients on their mailing list are seeking a property in their niche.

Crafting beautiful homes In and around Bath

• Being a specialist means there is nothing they don’t know about their market. • They know the type of people buying what and where. • Their service is personally crafted to the specific needs of their specialism. • Their advice is honest and realistic and specific to you. Secondly – Interview. Requesting an appraisal on your property is an opportunity for you to interview the agents and challenge them on why they are the best agent to sell your home. The appraisal is another opportunity to share our knowledge and experience. In effect, the appraisal is our Christmas advert, our opportunity to make a memorable impression.

01225 79115 5

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At the Apartment Company, we want to understand your needs to be able to find you, or sell your apartment. Moving can be stressful therefore we believe that a touch of kindness can make all the difference. If, like Mog, your property journey has been troubled, maybe you should try a specialist agent for a pleasurable and memorable experience. n

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Northanger Court, City Centre A modern and spacious three bedroom penthouse apartment, benefitting from allocated off-street parking, tranquil communal gardens and stunning views over the city and the River Avon. Located right in the heart of Bath, the apartment enjoys extremely convenient access to the city centre and Bath Spa Train Station.

*An administration fee of ÂŁ420.00 inc. VAT applies.

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Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Upper Lansdown Mews Bath ÂŁ3,750 pcm Upper Lansdown Mews is tucked away behind Lansdown Crescent approximately 1.2 miles from Bath city centre and Bath Spa Railway station. A spectacular Georgian mews house. You will enjoy the contemporary feel and appreciate the quality stylish design throughout. Located on a quiet and picturesque street behind one of Bathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best-known Crescents. The property is best approached via the entrance hall which leads into the bespoke Artichoke designer kitchen which includes integrated quality appliances. Off the kitchen you will find a unique reception room which has been thoughtfully designed and boasts a real wow factor with floor to ceiling moveable panels which literally transform the room from a great office space into a stunning curved reception dining area. The drawing room offers space, luxury design with high quality finish which nicely leads to the Orangery which overlooks the private walled garden located towards the rear of the property. The Orangery is ideal space for entertaining friends and family. On the first floor you will find three double bedrooms with ample storage one luxury bathroom and en suite. Available January 2016

Bath Office

Lettings 01225 458546 | Sales. 01225 459817

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NASH & CO

Lansdown

£1,500,000 Newbridge

● Passive house technology ● Siberian Larch cladding ● Garage with further off street parking ● Under floor heating downstairs ● Bi-folding glass doors in Lounge ● Lansdown

A unique and stunningly refurbished detached, five bedroom property, which has been sympathetically renovated throughout to provide light and airy accommodation over three floors in a premier location in Bath. Virtually secluded in a mature natural landscape and within short walks of excellent schools, countryside of outstanding natural beauty and the City. Providing over 3350 square foot of internal living space including garaging, this inspiring interior design layout includes a double height ceiling, with a galleried walkway over at first floor level.

Fairfield Park

£450,000

● Newbridge Location ● Period Home ● Access to Newbridge Primary School ● West facing garden ● 3 bedrooms ● Character ● Potential for loft conversion ● Excellent condition

A characterful and spacious, Edwardian end of terrace, family home in Newbridge. This charming property has probably the best situation in the street; with a west facing back garden and church yard to the side, this house is light and not overlooked. The property benefits from: 3 bedrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen (with scope to extend at the side), rear and front gardens, downstairs WC and garage (without vehicular access.) The location, as well as being close to local facilities also allows a mainly level walk into the city via the Royal Victoria Park.

£369,950 Batheaston

£550,000

● Charming period property with an elevated position and stunning views ● 3 double bedrooms ● Extended kitchen/breakfast room ● South West facing garden ● Close to local schools ● Located close to the city centre and local amenities

● Under-floor heating with oak flooring downstairs ● Lounge with patio doors to rear courtyard garden ● 10 Year CRL structural warranty and insurance cover ● Two bedrooms with en-suites ● 1675 Square Foot

A well-presented Victorian mid terraced property with fantastic far reaching views eastward to Solsbury Hill. Offers both an abundance of period features and sympathetic modernisation. This light and charming house benefits from the following accommodation: 3 double bedrooms, a good sized living room with on open fireplace, a dining room with insulated wooden flooring and feature gas log burner set in the original stone surround period fireplace and a sunny and extended modern kitchen/breakfast room. Double glazed French doors lead into a South West facing sunny and quiet garden with rear access.

Two new-build, five bedroom, semi-detached family homes finished to a high specification. Accommodation includes; entrance hallway; kitchen/breakfast room with integrated Neff units; cloakroom; living room with patio doors to the courtyard garden; and dining room. There is also under-floor heating beneath the oak flooring on this level whilst the upstairs is carpeted throughout barring the bathrooms. First floor incs; three double bedrooms (2 with en-suites) along with a family bathroom. On the top floor, there are two further bedrooms with Velux windows. Outside there is off-street parking to the front.

enquiries@nashandcobath.co.uk 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath, BA1 2ED

www.nashandcobath.co.uk Tel: 01225 444 800

.co.uk

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fidelisinbath.co.uk GUILDPROPERTY.CO.UK

Circa £900,000

Proud sponsors of Beechen Cliff School Fidelis December.indd 1

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01225 421000

Fidelis

ÂŁ485,000

Thinking of Selling in 2015? Fidelis December.indd 2

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MARLBOROUGH BUILDINGS, Bath

ÂŁ1,400,000

Grade II listed Georgian garden maisonette located in Bath city centre. This beautifully presented property comprises four bedrooms, three bathrooms, kitchen/dining room, drawing room, private garden and vaults storage. 3000 sq.f.t.. EPC Rating: Exempt Grade II listed

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UPTON CHEYNEY, Bath

ÂŁ1,125,000

Four bedroom detached house in Upton Cheyney dating back to the 1700's and offering 3022 sq.ft. Completely renovated throughout and presented to a high standard, the property features an impressive vaulted reception space measuring 37'8 x 17'9. EPC Rating: E

Selling & Letting Bath’s finest apartments

Marlborough Buildings

OIEO £500,000

Grade II listed Georgian Top floor apartment Large sitting room • Two double bedrooms • Stunning views • Prestigious address • Approx. 1005 Sq Ft • No chain •

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A rare opportunity to purchase a spacious apartment situated in one of the most sought after addresses, adjacent to The Royal Crescent. Located on the top floor of this Georgian Townhouse, is a spacious entrance hall, with the sitting room to the right offering picturesque views to the rear, fitted kitchen with dining area, two double bedrooms, one with walk in wardrobe, both boasting views over The Crescent and finally a family bathroom. Offering dual aspect windows, generous room sizes and a superb location, this apartment is one not to miss!

Park Street

OIEO £500,000

Grade II listed • Two Bedrooms • Spacious living • Delightful garden kitchen • Luxury bathroom • Highly recommended • No chain

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Modern

A fabulous two bedroom garden apartment located in a prime position - just off St. James’s Square. The apartment has spacious accommodation that comprises: large reception hall, cloakroom, sitting room with feature fireplace and twin sash windows overlooking the garden, modern fitted kitchen, two large double bedrooms, utility room and a luxury bathroom. The apartment is presented in excellent decorative order and also has the advantage of its own front door. A rare opportunity - early viewing is highly recommended.

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Claverton Lodge

£575,000 Royal Crescent

OIEO

£700,000 Park Street

£500,000

Grade II listed Georgian apartment Allocated parking space • Private terrace • Seperate entrance • Approx. 1173 Sq Ft

Grade I listed Georgian apartment Lower ground floor • Courtyard • Two bedrooms • Prestigious address • Approx. 1066 Sq Ft

Grade II listed • Georgian • Lower ground floor • Two bedrooms • Beautiful extensions • Rear garden • Approx. 1260 Sq Ft

A stunning ground floor apartment located on Bathwick Hill. Embracing quiet luxury living with picturesque views to the rear and a wrap around terrace perfect for alfresco dining.

This fabulous Georgian apartment is entered at lower ground level and boasts stunning accommodation throughout and a rear East facing courtyard.

Situated on the lower ground floor of a Georgian townhouse is an extensive, bespoke apartment that has been refurbished to a very high standard throughout.

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Great Pulteney Street

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£500,000 Brompton House

£440,000 Victoria Bridge Court

£400,000

Grade I listed • Georgian • Ground floor apartment • Double bedroom • Stylish presentation • Views • Highly recommended

Grade II listed • First floor • Two bedrooms • Communal garden • Views • Private parking spaces • Approx. 756 Sq Ft

A stunning ground floor apartment, located on one of Bath’s most famous Streets. Offering a wealth of period features and spacious well presented accommodation.

Brompton House is an attractive Grade II listed property This beautifully presented apartment offers located in the heart of Bath, whilst incorporating quiet contemporary and spacious accommodation with the and secluded surroundings. advantage of private parking in a secure development.

Bathwick Street

Riverside Development • Modern • Two bedrooms • Second floor flat • Covered parking space • Communal gardens

£335,000 Newbridge Road

£255,000 New King Street

£210,000

Grade II listed • Georgian • First floor • Open plan living • Two double bedrooms • Stylish finish • Luxury shower room

Period garden apartment • Beautifully decorated • One bedroom • Conservatory • Large southerly facing garden

Grade II Listed • Georgian • One bedroom • Sitting room • Period features • City centre location • Approx. 533 Sq Ft.

This stunning first floor apartment located in the heart of the City is definitely one to please. With its ornate period features, open plan luxury living this apartment comes highly recommended.

The accommodation comprises: sitting room with French doors onto the South facing garden, well appointed kitchen, conservatory, double bedroom and shower room.

With it’s easy access to the City Centre, with all Bath has to offer, this apartment would be perfect first time buy, investment of City pad. Early viewing is highly recommended.

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Selling & Letting Bath’s finest apartments

Vane Street Grade II Listed Two bedrooms

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OIEO £380,000

Georgian apartment Lower ground floor Cottage style kitchen • Front and rear courtyard • Private front door • Approx. 1055 Sq Ft •

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Accessed via its own private entrance through the front courtyard on the lower ground floor, we are offering a unique two bedroom apartment. The entrance hall leads to a vaulted bedroom to the right with an occasional bedroom/study area linked. Turning left in the hallway leads you to a spacious sitting room with large sash windows to the front elevation with window seats beneath. Amongst the period features there is a small original oven. To the rear of the property is a cottage style kitchen with a stunning integrated range cooker, a second bedroom and stylish bathroom. Leading from the kitchen is a pretty rear courtyard

Victoria Bridge Court Modern gardens

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OIEO £350,000

Ground floor • Two bedrooms • Covered parking space Bright and spacious • Approx 840 Sq ft • No Chain

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Communal

Victoria Bridge Court was constructed in 2002 as a secure gated development close to the City centre. This spacious apartment, situated on the ground floor, comprises: entrance hall, sitting room, fitted kitchen/dining area, two bedrooms, en-suite and bathroom. Accessed via a communal entrance with an allocated covered parking space; this property boasts natural light, fantastic space and access to a delightful rear courtyard. An ideal home, investment or pied-a- terre, with Royal Victoria Park just minutes away and all shopping and amenities on the doorstep.

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New King Street

£1,595 pcm Old Walcot School

City Centre location Grade II listed Georgian • No students • Two bedrooms • Study • Private Garden • Two vaults • Furnished • Agency fees £350+vat • Available Now •

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Period Apartment Contemporary style Central location • Open plan living • Modern kitchen • Furnished • Agency fees £350+vat • Available Now •

Three bedrooms En suite shower room Family Bathroom • No pets • Views • Sought after location • Unfurnished • Agency fees £350+vat • Available Now

Spacious three bedroom apartment newly decorated and being part of a substantial five storey Georgian corner house.

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A well presented two bedroom second floor apartment located in a prime residential area on the Northern slopes of the city - opposite the Royal High School.

Double bedroom Spectacular views Good sized apartment with period features • On street parking • Unfurnished • Agency Fees: £350+vat • Available January 5th 2016

A delightful apartment with spectacular views towards the canal and hills beyond, and a short walk from the City Centre.

The Apartment Company December.indd 4

£900 pcm

One double bedroom Period features • No children • No pets • Suit professional person or couple • Furnished • Agency fees £350+vat • Available Now •

Generously proportioned Grade II listed Georgian terrace of 12 town houses located in a fine central position.

£800 pcm George Street •

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Stunning four bedroom apartment with the benefit of its own front door and a balcony offering picturesque views.

£925 pcm Queens Parade

Stylish apartment Stunning views Off road parking • No pets • Desirable location • Council Tax D • Unfurnished • Agency fees £350+vat • Available Nov 23rd 2015 •

Grosvenor Place

Modern kitchen Four double bedrooms • Private entrance • Beautifully presented • Balcony - with view • Light and airy • Holiday lets permitted • Approx. 1,563 Sq Ft

£1,250 pcm Beaumont House •

£995 pcm

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£1,050 pcm Berkeley Court

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Spacious apartment over two floors, with a delightful Luxury furnished apartment conveniently situated for rear garden, well presented accommodation throughout city centre shops and amenities, offering open plan and two double bedrooms with a study. living area and two bedrooms.

St James Square

£800 pcm Grosvenor Place

£795 pcm

Two double bedrooms Central location No pets Suit professional couple or 3 sharers • Second floor • Views • Furnished • Agency fees £350+vat • Available now

Period features Second floor Modern Bathroom • Luxury kitchen-breakfast room • On street parking • Unfurnished • Agency fees £350+vat • Available December 17th 2015

A spacious second floor apartment offering well laid out accommodation with lovely City views.

Beautifully presented and well maintained spacious Georgian One bedroom apartment in sought after location.

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Lansdown A beautifully presented detached house, situated in this highly desirable and secluded part of Lansdown

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

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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South Stoke A substantial detached 5 bedroom family house enjoying a tucked away position with far reaching rural views

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

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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West Ashton A beautifully presented detached family home in an idyllic setting

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

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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Combe Down An immaculate 2 bedroom eco house in the heart of Combe Down village

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

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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