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THE
Issue 132
I
JuNe 2015
BRIST O L M A G A £3.95 Z Iwhere Nsold E
THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CITY OF BRISTOL
IN THE HOT HOUSE Botanical summer fashion
REALLY WILD SHOW Jamaica Street Artists’ open studio
BIG CAT DIARIES Meet the cheetahs at Wild Place
THE
E L G N U J N
URBA
ISSUE
SOUNDS OF THE CITY Suzanne Rolt picks her top tunes
NEW E WEBSaIT g.co.uk
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NOW LIVE
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 R I S T O L
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THE | CONTENTS
JUNE 2015
60 74 32 25
46
12 ZEITGEIST
50 ARTS & EXHIBITIONS
5 things to do this month in Bristol
14 THE CITYIST
June exhibitions in the city’s galleries
54 SUMMER HOLIDAY
My Bristol, the buzz & the book review
16 SOCIETY 18 BARTLEBY
25 TEMPERATURE’S RISING Our tropical SS15 fashion shoot
32 GARDEN ARMY Discover the Castle Park Physik Garden
34 FACE THE MUSIC Suzanne Rolt picks her top 10 tunes
38 WHAT’S ON
Bring the taste of Italy to your garden
64 BRISTOL UPDATES
92 PROPERTY
Local business news
Beautiful homes to buy or rent
WIN
Win tickets to Jesus Christ Superstar
70 FAMILY FUN Things to do for the whole family
74 WRITTEN IN THE STARS
Up-coming events in and around Bristol
46 SUMMER STUDIO Meet Jamaica Street Artists
See star-crossed lovers in the sky
78 FIT & FAB Get ready for summer!
Even more great content online: thebristolmag.co.uk
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JUNE 2015
A stroll through charming Corsham
90 GARDENING
Unwind with Bristol City Yoga
68 COMPETITION
86 WALK
The hunt for Hallen Lodge
62 BRISTOL AT WORK
Festival fashion from Harriet de Winton
BABS is bringing mums together
88 PROPERTY PROFILE
Get hands-on at Wild Place
22 STYLE FILE
4 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
WIN
Foodie news and a wine competition
60 JENNY DARES
Life’s a learning curve
A pregnancy highlight at Bonomini
84 FREELANCE MUM
Escape the world on the Scilly Isles
56 FOOD & DRINK
What’s new on the city’s social scene
82 BEAUTY REVIEW
Follow us on Twitter @thebristolmagazine
ON THE COVER
Wild colours and exotic flowers wrap up this month’s urban jungle themed issue. www.shutterstock.com
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BE SEEn In 370 offICES In 55 CountrIES to find out how we can help you please contact us
Knightfrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com
0117 295 0425
Guide Price: £1,395,000
KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk
Clifton A Grade II listed Georgian town house (4,893 sq ft). 2 reception rooms, kitchen, 7 double bedrooms, 6 bath/shower rooms, 2 studies. South facing garden, roof terrace and kitchenette, off-street parking.
Guide price £450,000 Clifton Immaculate first floor apartment (853 sq ft) with parking. Bay fronted drawing room, kitchen, master with ensuite, guest bedroom, guest bathroom, parking for one vehicle. EPC D.
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Guide price £895,000 Clifton Immaculate contemporary townhouse (2,366 sq ft) with open plan living room, bespoke kitchen/breakfast and utility area. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 ensuite), ensuite shower room, split level designer garden. EPC C.
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BE sEEn In 370 OFFICEs In 55 COunTrIEs To find out how we can help you please contact us
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Guide Price: £1,750,000
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Clifton Beautiful home with a 3 bed apartment (5,268 sq ft). 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room. 6 bedrooms, study/bed 7, 2 bathrooms. Gardens, double garage, off street gated parking. EPC E (Flat EPC C).
Guide price £1,150,000 Sneyd Park Immaculate 4 bedroom period family home overlooking The Downs. 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, cellar. 4 bedrooms, ensuite shower room, bathroom. Gardens, parking. EPC D.
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SSTC – In excess of guide Clifton Open plan kitchen/dining/living room (619 sq ft), bedroom, bathroom, mezzanine level above kitchen and private balcony, communal gardens, residents parking. Sold via multi bids.
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Guide Price: £5,000,000
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Compton Martin A beautifully situated woodland and amenity estate. 4 bed farmhouse, 5 bed lodge, 2 bed cottage, estate office and yard, modern portal frame buildings, in all about 600.9 acres of woodland and pasture. Lot 2: about 58.6 acres of woodland and pasture, Lot 3: about 8.6 acres of woodland and grassland, Lot 4: about 16.7 acres of pastureland with road access. In all approximately 685 acres
Guide price £895,000 Lower Failand A detached house (2,295 sq ft) with panoramic views of the countryside. 2 reception rooms, kitchen, cloakroom. 4 bedrooms, 3 ensuites, bathroom. 1 bed annexe, garden, garage. EPC D.
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Guide price £675,000 Northwick A charming detached cottage. 4 reception rooms, kitchen. 3 bedrooms, bathroom, shower room. Detached stone outbuildings, log store, double garage, gardens & paddocks. In all about 3.36 acres.
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Be Seen In 370 oFFICeS In 55 CountrIeS to find out how we can help you please contact us
Knightfrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com
0117 295 0425
Guide Price: £3,450,000
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Wookey Hole A stunning Grade II Listed Georgian country house sitting within its gardens with superb views to the south. 5 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, 2 cloakrooms with WC, master bedroom with en-suite, guest bedroom with ensuite, 7 further bedrooms, 3 further bathrooms. Former coach house & stables extending to about 1,760 sq ft, private garden, grounds, parkland and woodland. In all about 37.1 acres.
OIEO £725,000 Regil Charming Grade II listed farmhouse (2,062 sq ft). 2 reception rooms, kitchen, sun room, bathroom. 3 bedrooms, shower room. Stone outbuildings with PP to be converted into x2 holiday lets (1995 sq ft), garden, paddock, stables. In all about 1.12 acres.
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Guide price £835,000 East Harptree An immaculate Grade II listed cottage (2,111 sq ft). 2 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, utility, shower room. 4 bedrooms, bathroom, shower room. Garage/workshop, gardens, paddocks. In all about 1 acre.
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B
race yourself readers, things are about to get wild. And as temperatures rise in the city this month, it’s easy to start feeling a little hot under the collar. After all, life in the urban jungle is pretty stressful at times and it can feel like you’re always hunting for something just beyond your reach. It’s tempting to get your claws out in frustration, but there are better ways to harness your animal instincts and if you take a moment to flick through this month’s magazine, you’ll be able to read all about them. Perhaps you’re exhausted from being surrounded by people? Think some real animal antics might cheer you up? The turn to p. 60 to find out how I got on when I became an animal ranger for the day at Wild Place. You may, like me, find yourself very much at home surrounded by okapis, elands, wolves and cheetahs. But getting down and dirty isn’t for everyone. Maybe you’re more inclined to swing by a few shops on the lookout for some hot items to snap up for your summer wardrobe? If so, don’t head out without perusing our sizzling summer fashion shoot at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden on p. 25. Inspired by the exotic location and SS15’s tropical trend, you’ll find bright blooms and bold patterns galore among the array of items we hand-picked from the city’s top independent boutiques. Our models are two local aerial peformers, whose elegant acrobatics should lift your spirits as much as the colourful clothes and beautiful surroundings. Speaking of which, if you haven’t yet ventured over the Downs to visit the Botanic Garden, it is well worth doing so. Through the course of a morning you can walk through the flora of Europe, North Africa, Australia, Chile and California, step back in time to learn about the evolution of plants, and find out more about our rare native species. And if it rains – which, let’s face it, is highly likely – then you can dive into one of the huge glasshouses to shelter and warm up. If it’s a change of scene on an altogether bigger scale that’s required, I suggest you turn to p. 54 and read all about the gorgeous, temperate haven of the Scilly Isles that lie just off the coast of Cornwall. As I found out when I visited earlier in the month, sometimes you don’t need to travel as far as you think you do to feel as though you’re a million miles away from everyday life. Of course, not every budget can stretch to a weekend away at the drop of a hat, but an evening of great music can be equally transportive for the soul. Whether you favour folk, jazz, classical, blues or something else entirely, chances are the summer programme at St George’s will have something you’ll enjoy. Director and chief executive Suzanne Rolt tells us more about what’s coming up at the splendid venue, and picks her top ten tunes in Face the Music on p. 34. There’s also a whole new world to be discovered if you simply step outdoors after dark and look up into the night sky, as you’ll find out in Written in the Stars on p. 74. But be warned, as well as pointing out some wonderful objects to look out for, this month’s feature tells the heartrending tale of two star-crossed lovers that lies behind them. Hankies at the ready… And if, after all that, you’re still thirsty for adventure, then head to our shiny new website – www.thebristolmag.co.uk – where you’ll find even more news, events and features. So what are you waiting for? Get exploring Bristol!
JENNY HAYES ACTING 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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JUNE 2015
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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 11
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ZEITGEIST
The top
5
things to do in JUNE
Musical woodland
A Sunday is funday The city’s celebrated Make Sunday Special initiative is back and making its way to a neighbourhood near you! Bedminster is hosting the first confirmed event this month, during which lower North Street will be closed off, traffic-free and spilling with street games and art, crafts, picnic benches, theatre, frog racing, kids’ workshops and some big surprises! The headline event for will be the community’s very own Bedminster Green Prix, in which locals and traders are invited to design their own / team billy carts, ready for racing between 12pm – 4pm on the day. And it’s not all about the need for speed, as there are prizes up for grabs for best looking cart too. For more information visit: www.bristol.gov.uk/makesundayspecial
‘Ay up lad
trip to Westonbirt Arboretum is a real treat in itself at this time of year, but why not make it extra special by booking to see one of the brilliant acts performing at this year’s Forest Live series. The concerts open on Friday 19 June with Paloma Faith, and over the next few weeks Tom Odell, The Vamps, Robert Plant, Spandau Ballet and McBusted will also take to the stage. Forest Live is an independent programme organised by the Forestry Commission to encourage new audiences to experience the beauty of forests, in an entirely new way. All income from ticket sales is spent on protecting, improving and expanding England’s forests and woodlands. For details visit: www.forestry.gov.uk/music
Paloma Faith
Keep calm and... Dig for Victory, at this fabulous 1940s family festival. Over the weekend of Saturday 13 & Sunday 14 June, you can enjoy talks from high profile BBC presenters and historians James Holland and Sam Willis, as well as some swinging beats from live bands, food that’s a far cry from wartime rations, and plenty of activities for the little ones, including mini tank rides and traditional games. So pin up your victory rolls, don your finest vintage gladrags, and head on down to the North Somerset Showground. Tickets: £10 (adult), £22 (family). For further details about the Dig for Victory Show, visit: www.digforvictoryshow.com
If you’d like to show your support for Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Appeal, and enjoy an evening of great music at the same time, then the City of Bristol Gala Concert is for you. On Saturday 20 June, Colston Hall plays host to the City of Bristol Choir, Exultate Singers, Bristol Youth Choir, choristers from Westbury-on-Trym Parish Church and The Bristol Ensemble, who will together perform John Rutter’s moving Mass of the Children, conducted by the composer himself. Tickets: £10–£40 from City of Bristol Choir on tel: 01454 778 477 or visit: www.cityofbristolchoir.org.uk
© Jon Craig
Embrace the great outdoors
David Ogden & John Rutter © M. Simmons
12 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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JUNE 2015
The Festival of Nature takes centre stage at this year’s European Green Capital celebrations. It takes place over Saturday 13 & Sunday 14 June at the Harbourside, and you can expect a whole host of interactive exhibits and activities from the giants of the natural history world – such as the BBC Natural History Unit, National Trust, Avon Wildlife Trust and RSPB. Iconic broadcaster Bill Oddie is headling on Saturday, speaking about his wild experiences and sharing anecdotes and insight from his new book, Unplucked. For more information visit: www.festivalofnature.org.uk
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ist
THE CITY THE BUZZ
My BRISTOL We ask Darren Hall, founder of Big Green Week, what he’s doing this month...
Opera in the garden A balmy summers evening, a delicious picnic, watching a great opera performed in an exclusive outdoor setting as the sun sets over Bristol. Already sounding like a perfect evening? This will indeed be the scene on Sunday 14 June as the cast of Tessitoura, Bristol’s very own touring opera company perform Mozart’s beloved opera Cosi Fan Tutte in the private grounds of Colston’s School. It is a bittersweet comedy in which real people face real and painful predicaments. Love, lust and desire are played out in a world where boundaries between what is real and what is make-believe are blurred. Tickets: £20 adult, £10 child from tel: 0844 871 7615 or visit: www.atgtickets.com
Date for your diary... The High Sheriff’s concert is an annual highlight in the city’s calendar, raising money for Bristol Cathedral Trust and for Bristol Youth and Community Action (BYCA). With this focus on young people, this year’s concert will be a celebration of the talent of the city’s young and upcoming musicians. The first half will showcase the world premiere of The Storm – a work composed by music specialist students at Bristol Cathedral Choir School, under the mentorship of composer in residence Liam Taylor-West. The second half will showcase the senior ensembles’ depth of talent and creative joy. Thursday 11 June, 7pm. Tickets: £5 – £35, available from Bristol Cathedral on tel: 0117 946 8184.
What brought you to Bristol? I moved here in 2002 to work for the Home Office and now live in Southville. I love Bristol’s laid back attitude and its green credentials. What are you reading? Naomi Klein’s This Changes Everything, which is about the links between capitalism and climate change. It’s mostly made me angry, but luckily I can turn anger into action. What’s on your MP3 player? I have a huge mixture, from Enter Shikari through Temper Trap to David Guetta. Which café or restaurant takes your fancy? I really enjoy eating at La Ruca on Gloucester Road – great, authentic Mexican food. Favourite watering hole? Bordeaux Quay or (in)Famous Royal Naval Volunteer. Evening in or evening out? Mostly in at the moment. I have been out almost every night for 3 months in the run up to the election as the campaign trail is relentless. Film or play? What will you be going to see? I recently went to Malvern to see an amazing production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons by acclaimed Black-led theatre company Talawa,
who I’d love to see do more in Bristol. And I’m holding my breath for the new Star Wars movie! Which museum or gallery will you be visiting? M Shed – it has some great exhibitions. What hobbies or interests will you be pursuing? I’m a keen surfer, so any excuse to head off to North Devon in the campervan with the longboards in the back. I can’t wait for the Wave to be built – I’m a founding trustee of the Making Waves Foundation that they have set up. What local event will you be attending? Big Green Week of course, from 6 – 21 June. I’m hugely looking forward to the Bristol Grand Prix city centre pro-bike race that we have set up. Favourite local walk? Out along the cycle path on the side of the Avon Gorge, under the Suspension Bridge, up through Leigh Woods, then back through Ashton Court. It is amazing how far from Bristol it can feel. Any projects/work in progress? I’m currently working on a new digital democracy project that aims to encourage people to stay involved post election. Democracy is too important to only do once 5 five years and we have huge issues of climate change, global inequality and use of resources to tackle. www.biggreenweek.com
BOOK OF THE MONTH... Once Upon A Time In The West... Country by Tony Hawks £14.99, hardback (Hodder and Stoughton) Comedian and writer Tony Hawks first charmed us by setting off to hitchhike around Ireland with a fridge – a madcap scheme to raise money for charity. His latest book charts his move from London to Devon and the delights of swapping an urban lifestyle for a more leisurely way of living in a small village with a big sense of community. Organic gardening, bingo calling, a tractor rally and a coast to coast cycle ride with a micro pig called Titch are just some of the adventures he relates with his customary sense of the ridiculous. His writing about becoming a father for the first time is altogether gentler and more reflective, but for anyone looking for an entertaining and light-hearted look at country living, this is a must. Reviewed by Kathryn Atkins of the Durdham Down Bookshop, tel: 0117 973 9095 or visit: www.durdhamdownbooks.co.uk
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BRISTOL | SOCIETY
PEOPLE & PARTIES Snapshots from events, parties and launches in the city
It all adds up
T
he ICAEW Annual Dinner proved to be a great success, with president Arthur Bailey speaking about the ICAEW’s commitment to work with schools and communities in the south west to plug a major skills gap in the chartered accountancy sector. He went on to highlight a number of successful initiatives that the ICAEW was already involved in, including the BASE competition for schools across the region which is designed to help them understand the importance of business strategy and teamwork, as well as Access Accountancy which aims to open up the profession to people from a wider range of backgrounds. For more information abou the ICAEW, visit: www.icaew.com
Cllr Alastair Watson and Lady Mayoress Sarah Watson © Jon Craig
A splendid evening
O
rganisers of the Lord Mayor’s Charity Gala are celebrating after a fabulous evening that successfully raised thousands of pounds for disadvantaged children in the city. The highlight of the evening was the high-value auction, which saw lots such as two tickets for the Rugby World Cup Final and the chance to become editor of the Bristol Post for a day. For more information about the Lord Mayor’s of Bristol’s Childrens’ Appeal, visit: www.lordmayorofbristolappeal.co.uk L–R: Nick Jones, Katie Haynes, James Pitts, Jennifer Smith and Will Mallott
The lion roars again
M
ezze at the White Lion relaunched after a £125,000 investment to secure its position as one of the leading venues in Portishead. A new Carte D’Or ice cream parlour has been created, and the al fresco terrace has been refurbished just in time to soak up the sun over the summer months. Rebranded as The Lazy Lion bar and cocktail lounge, the ground floor has also been refitted in keeping with the high spec new look. For more information visit: www.mezzerestaurants.com
Janet Spratt, Mark Woodward, Mary Hoad and Michael Haynes of Bond Dickinson
Summer seminar dinner
T
he Bond Dickinson private wealth team hosted an enjoyable seminar dinner at Bristol Zoo. Guest speaker for the evening was Cranfield professor and renowned expert on macroeconomics and government economic policy, Joe Nellis, whose interesting speech was followed by a sumptuous meal that was enjoyed by all. For more information about Bond Dickinson LLP, tel: 0345 415 0000 or visit: www.bonddickinson.com Marius and Miltos from Mezze at the new look cocktail bar
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THE
B R I S TOL MAGAZINE Follow us on Twitter @thebristolmagazine
School’s out for summer
L
eaving school is a bittersweet moment. For years you’ve been stuck in a classroom, always either sweating or shivering but somehow never just the right temperature, waiting for the day when the doors will be flung open and you will be free, but as the day itself approaches the same classroom begins to feel familiar and safe. Your fellow classmates, whose irritating quirks have driven you crazy all that time, are suddenly your boon companions. You’ve been through all this together, this business of growing up; must you really part? Forever?! Many Bristol youngsters will go through this process not once but several times. A few leave Infants to go up to Juniors, though separate institutions for the age groups are less common than they were. But almost all leave Primary for Secondary, and the city’s educational geography being the bizarre thing it is, this entails more goodbyes than are strictly necessary. Children at our local Primary scatter to the four winds when they leave, since the local Secondary which ought to be theirs welcomes only the Faithful. But that’s a whole other story. The next transition comes at sixteen, after GCSEs, and these days this seems to be the one that really counts. Many leavers will be back in the classroom come September, but they think of sixth form as something different from school. Wasn’t it the case, in the dim and distant past, that sixth form was just a continuation of what went before? Same rules. Same uniforms. Same stuffy or freezing rooms. Not any more. The modern sixth former is more like a student, expected to work independently, and correspondingly free to wander or wear their favourite trousers.
❝
OUR KIDS BECOME CONSUMERS OF EDUCATION
❞
Again there are choices to make, not just what A-levels to take, but where to take them. Within Bristol the various sixth forms offer different paths towards adulthood, some more academic, others less so. They compete over past A-level results, clubs and societies, and the dark educational arts of university entry. Emerging from the classrooms of adolescence at sixteen, our kids become consumers of education, choosing the two-year deal that seems best suited to them. Inevitably they all end up applying to the most popular schools, which begin to resemble university campuses. A curious effect of all this movement is that children who have said goodbye at eleven now say hello again at sixteen – like characters in a Victorian saga, only separated not by the twists and turns of a convoluted plot but by catchment areas and religious beliefs. I suppose it makes life interesting, all this separation and reconnection, or perhaps it’s simply that we’re preparing today’s youngsters for a working life of shifting short term commitments; we’re getting them used to the idea that people disappear one day only to reappear years later, a la Poldark. There will be many other transitions in these children’s lives, but for now it’s school-leaving season, which means exams nearly over and Prom almost upon us. An American import like Halloween, Prom ought to be a gawky affair – teenagers standing around awkwardly in a gaudily decorated school hall – but in recent years the whole business has got way out of hand. The subject of Ms Bartleby’s frock has absorbed many more girl-hours this spring than chemistry or physics. Don’t bother trying to book a stretch limo over the next few weeks; they’re all busy ferrying shrieking teens to their big night out. Perhaps that’s how it should be, though. You really have to be sixteen to appreciate the over-the-top showbiz glamour of an absurdly long car and to squeal at passers-by out of the window. Caught on the hilarious, terrifying cusp of childhood and the adult world, Bristol’s sixteen year olds are lucky; they’ve a lot to look forward to in a city that seems, despite its great age, young at heart. n
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Acting Editor Tel: Email:
Jenny Hayes 0117 974 2800 jenny@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Deputy Editor Email:
Georgette McCready georgette@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Website Editor Email:
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Production Manager Email:
Jeff Osborne production@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
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Steve Miklos steve@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
Advertising Sales
Kathy Williams Sue Parker Liz Grey
For advertising enquiries please contact us on: 0117 974 2800 Email: sales@thebristolmagazine.co.uk Financial Director Email:
Jane Miklos jane@thebristolmagazine.co.uk
The Bristol Magazine is published by MC Publishing Ltd. An independent publisher. The Bristol Magazine is distributed free every month to more than 20,000 homes and businesses throughout the city. We also have special distribution units in the following stores and many coffee shops, hotels and convenient pick-up points.
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BRIST OL MAGAZINE Bristol and Exeter House, Lower Approach, Temple Meads, Bristol BS1 6QS Telephone: 0117 974 2800 www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk © MC Publishing Ltd 2015 Disclaimer: Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Bristol Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form either in part or whole without written permission from the publishers.
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We are a Clifton Village based boutique selling new and preloved high end ladies designerwear, and hard to source high end High Street. In store now: • Designer suits and workwear from D&G, Jaeger & Austin Reed. • Casual silks and linens from Oska, MaxMara & Marc Aurel. • Cocktail & Prom dresses from Cavalli, Ted Baker & Libelula. • Designer gowns from Dina Bar El & Jovani. • Wedding & MoB outfits from Paule Vasseur & Ispirato. • Bags & shoes from Jimmy Choo, Louboutin & Gucci. Full of one-off treasures with new items coming in daily, so pop in and see what we have for you.
SUMPTUOUS DESIGNERWEAR
37 Princess Victoria Street, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4BX Tel: 0117 329 2900 @SumptuousDesign Sumptuous Designerwear www.sumptuousdesignerwear.co.uk
LIGHTING SPECIALIST 8 BATH STREET, FROME. TEL: 01 373473555 WWW.FIATLUX.CO.UK
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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 19
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BRISTOL | FASHION
1
Garden Party Season As the weather warms up, the The Bristol Fashion Week Stylists at The Mall Cribbs Causeway offer advice to help you keep your cool
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une signals the start of picnic season, and what better way to enjoy an English country garden than in fabulous florals, perfect pastels and fruity colours? Is there anything better than sitting in the sunshine on a beautiful picnic rug with a glass of crisp white wine in hand? If there is, we haven’t found it yet. The great thing about picnics is that they don’t have to cost the earth; you can pick up some gorgeous al fresco dining kits on the high street at very reasonable prices. What you may want to splash out on though are some fabulous floral outfits to see you through the picnic season. Many of the big designers presented a take on floral prints for Spring/Summer 2015, including Dolce & Gabbana, House of Holland and Victoria Beckham. This season’s prints are bolder and the colours brighter than ever before, so it’s time to go big or go home if you want to work this trend. Floral co-ords are big news on the high street right now, and matchy matchy separates are a great investment as they look great together, but can also be worked into your summer wardrobe with other items. Many of the co-ord looks require a bare mid-section; we’re not talking a fully bellybutton baring display, but a subtle hint of flesh slightly higher up. This can be problematic if you’re self-conscious of your mid-section, but you don’t have to reveal too much to get the look. Oasis are the masters right now when it comes to feminine A-line skirts and co-ord tops in striking prints, while Warehouse and Topshop also offer some fantastic mix and match separates and floral print dresses that can be dressed up or down as the occasion requires. 5 For your picnic equipment, look to M&S for some beautiful hampers and sets, while Lakeland is a mustvisit for practical kit like cool bags, food storage and the all-important picnic wine glasses. Add a splash of colour with blankets and outdoor cushions from Next, and you’re ready to see in the summer in style. Cheers!
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Please note that the garments shown are taken from current stock and are subject to availability.
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1. Main image: Block stripe skirt £55, and top £35 from Oasis 2. Painted meadow jacquard top £38 from Oasis 3. Painted meadow jacquard midi skirt £50 from Oasis 4. Rose floral prom dress £́80 from Warehouse 5. Cecille shoe £65 from Dune 6. Dual-Opening wicker picnic hamper £55 from Marks and Spencer 7. Festival drink me hip flask £12 from Accessorize 8. Stripe picnic blanket £15 from Next 9. Finsbury Park handbag £149 from Radley 10. Dress £169 from Damsel in a Dress at John Lewis 11. Butterfly clips £6 from Accessorize
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BRISTOL | FASHION
I think the summer boho trends are wonderful, but best suited to situations where I have running water and a roof over my head.
Shari Knowles, makeup: “To match the casual festival look, I kept makeup easy and long-wearing. I primed the skin with Smashbox photo finish primer and layered the Smashbox 15 hour hydrating foundation on top. I chose to do soft smokey eyes which takes the look from day to night. I used MAC Trax all over the lid and gently underneath the lower lash line. Trax is a purple toned shadow with soft gold sparkle and really compliments the jewellery. With an angled brush, I lined the top lashes with MAC Smut eyeshadow. Finish with two coats of black mascara and a pop of nude lipgloss.” Harriet wears: Silk top, £59 and necklace, £38 from Portabella, 5 Princess Victoria Street, Clifton. Jacket, £139 from Comptoir des Cotonniers, www.comptoirdescotonniers.co.uk Main image © Amanda Thomas, www.amandthomasphotographer.co.uk, taken at St Vincent’s in Clifton, www.stvincentsrestaurant.com
5 MINUTE FASHION FIX Festival feather and leather earrings You will need: 10 x 20cm coloured leather Fabric paints in bright colours Metallic gold spray paint Drop earring loops Pliers Broken jewellery for decoration Hole punch Dressmaking scissors Paper Pen Pencil
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How to do it: 1. Draw a feather template roughly 10 x 4cm on a piece of paper, cut it out and use it to draw two shapes on your leather. Then cut these out. 2. Get creative! Paint a bright splash of colour down the centre of your feathers, then leave to dry. For a floral flourish, spray the rounded top end of the feather gold. Leave to dry. 4. Punch a hole in the top of the feather for your earring loop to go through and snip the sides in a herringbone style. Maker sure when you reach the lowest point you don’t snip too close to the centre. Then attach your earring loop, and incorporate a few bits of broken jewellery and chains.
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BRISTOL | FASHION
STYLE FILE Bristol stylist Harriet de Winton talks wellies and waterproofs as she shows you how to stay warm, dry and stylish at this summer’s festivals
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e’ve all been bombarded with movie stars and models at Coachella, dressed in impossibly beautiful and glamorous looks, largely following the festival fashion uniform of boho braids and wavy hair, fringing, leather and eye wateringly short shorts. I just wonder how many of them woke up that morning in their half collapsed two-man tent, scrabbled around for dry shampoo and wet wipes, and honestly stepped out looking like that. I’m still trying to work out where they plug in the hair straighteners. ‘Festival Fashion’ is a contradiction in terms. Even with the help of Liesel Corp’s brilliant invention of a full length travel mirror, the Magic Mirror (1), I can’t help but feel that following ‘festival fashion’ is wildly misleading to those of us packing for Glastonbury right now. Looking back at photos of myself from last year’s festivals, I am frizzy haired, wearing a hoody (plus waterproof) and slightly sunburnt. Not that pretty, but I don't remember caring, and I certainly don't remember any of my friends spending hours in the morning getting ready. So, instead of flower garlands and face paint, I recommend sturdy footwear (most probably wellies), an inexpensive satchel, a rain mac, a warm jumper and some sun screen. These offer you a festival experience where you can roll in the mud and still have great memories. And, fortunately, these practical items can be brilliant and bold in the style stakes too. Wellies are synonymous with British festival going and, in my opinion, no one does it better than Hunter. I’m not a huge fan of messing with the wellie design – the classics are timeless – but Hunter have come up with something completely original. Inspired by camouflage designs of Battle ships, the tall dazzle wellington boots (2) can translate back to the hard working footwear it was originally designed to be once festival season is over. Yumi has brought out the ultimate rain mac for AW 2015: the ‘space mac’ (3) in metallic blue or astronaut grey, absolutely gorgeous and guaranteed to shine in a field of bedraggled festival goers. Fortunately for Bristolians, beautiful boutique Sweet Pea stocks the Yumi label amongst other fantastic brands. They also team this with a Herschel bumbag – incredibly practical, and surprisingly cool (4). For the record, I think the summer boho trends are wonderful, but I choose to wear them in situations where I have access to hot running water and a roof
over my head. This month’s look is from local Clifton boutique Portabella, which has whole-heartedly embraced the summer of love with gorgeous silks and dreamy colour palettes. The top is Italian printed silk with a jersey lining. The necklace is by French label Pinkiss and the beads are crystal cut glass. For me, a true ‘festival’ look is one that evokes free spirit and individuality whether you are in a field or enjoying the trend back in town. The best way to achieve this is in shopping in boutiques: the word ‘boutique’ has been overused of late, but in the true sense of the word, a boutique owner gets to know their customer’s needs and hand picks each garment or accessory with their local customer base in mind. They are a vital part of any community and enhance the shopping experience beyond traipsing through chain stores in town. These boutiques are all nestled in areas we’d all like to wander round on our lunch break, Sweet Pea, based in Westbury-on-Trym not only offers incredibly beautiful ladies’ fashion, but it also boasts a range of gorgeous children’s wear, which is just as well with the increasing number of young families moving to the area transforming it into yet another desirable Bristol borough. Clifton Village continues to host a fantastic range of shops and boutiques: as well as Portabella, new arrival Village Green is offering Bristol the option to enjoy some beautiful pre-loved items that, in their own words, ‘don’t cost the earth’. If you really are keen on using the summer’s festivals as your catwalk, this would be a great place to start. With one off pieces from designer wardrobes at far more affordable prices, your festival fashion wardrobe can – just about – run the risk of being rained on! Down the road on Cotham Hill, Hemali Moda of Amulet boutique continues to curate a fabulous collection from international designers. Winner of Entrepreneur of the Year at the Venus Awards last year, Hemali began her retail business from a stall in a shopping centre and enjoyed a successful rise in spite of the credit crunch. Her artistic background is reflected in the choice of boutique brands stocked in Amulet Boutique and Hemali and her staff are always on hand to offer help and advice. I particularly love their Komodo yellow aggia dress (5) layered up with the most stylish take on a gilet I’ve seen in a while by Yaya (6). My advice to the festival goers this summer? There is beautiful design to be had in the practical festival staples. Go wild with the face paints and glitter but maybe check the weather forecast before donning those denim cut-offs. n
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Herschel bumbag, £30, www.asos.co.uk
Yaya sleeveless hoodie gilet, £79.95, Amulet
1 Magic Mirror, £35, www.magicmirroruk.com
2 Hunter wellies, £165, www.hunterboots.com
5 Komodo yellow aggia dress, £65, Amulet, Cotham Hill
3 Yumi blue space mac, £85, Sweet Pea, Westbury-on-Trym
Do you have a wardrobe worry that Harriet could help with?
Email her at harriet@harrietdewinton.com, and we might publish her answer WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
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Royal School of Needlework Hand Embroidery Classes in Bristol • Join us for fun Day Classes: beginners and all levels welcome • Learn traditional embroidery techniques to a high technical standard on the Royal School of Needlework Certificate and Diploma • Study on our two week Summer Intensive Course in July 2015 Venue: 38 Old School House, Kingswood Estate, Britannia Road, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 8DB
Join us at Bath in Fashion 2015 on 25 March and pre-book for: ‘Beautiful Buttons’ Workshops at 10.30am & 2pm Anthropologie, New Bond Street ‘Embellishing Fashion’ Lecture, at 2pm Assembly Rooms For more information visit www.royal-needlework.org.uk Contact Anne Butcher - T: 020 3166 6937 anne.butcher@royal-needlework.org.uk RCN 312774
Village Green is a boutique where ladies can buy beautiful pre-loved designer labels at affordable prices. From Prada, Gucci and Joseph to Reiss, Hobbs and Ted Baker. 5 The Mall, Clifton, BS8 4DP 0117 9706776
www.villagegreenboutique.co.uk villagegreen5
villagegreenboutique
Engagement Rings Wedding Rings Wedding Gifts
Stunning Engagement rings, Wedding bands and tailor-made rings Beautiful Gift Ideas for the bridesmaids, mother of the bride and for the groom A 10% discount on any pair of rings purchased & off any further gifts for your wedding when you mention The Bristol Magazine We also offer Bespoke Jewellery • Silver Jewellery • Watches Jewellery & Watch Repairs • Gold purchased (old jewellery & coins)
History, Tradition & Quality the only Kemps Jewellers since 1881 9 Calton Court, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, BS9 3DF
www.kempsjewellers.com
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Tropical
STORM
Two of Bristol’s top aerial performers show how you can give your wardrobe a lift with this season’s boldest trend
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Grace & Mabel 17 Regent St, Clifton www.graceandmabel.co.uk Vivid colours are key for the SS15 tropical trend. This dress by Samantha Sung, £395, is a glorious riot of bright, bold summer florals that can take you from day to evening with ease, especially when set off with these stylish wedges by Chie Mihara, £160. If flowers aren’t your thing, then try the juicy orange swing dress by Tara Jarmon, £130 on the previous page instead. All available from Grace & Mabel, the go-to boutique in Clifton for handpicked, individual pieces. Other items: previous page, necklace £380 from Bees & Graves; this page, bracelet £54 and satchel £89.99, both from Amulet. 26 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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Maze 26 The Mall, Clifton www.mazeclothing.co.uk When it’s hot outside, you can keep your cool in this gorgeous vest top by Hartford, £45, and pretty Marrakech kimono by Great Plains, £55. Combining shades of pink, purple and gold, these pieces are perfect worn with jeans to create a low-key, effortless summer look. Both items are available from Maze, who this year celebrated 30 years as one of Bristol’s favourite independent boutiques. WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
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Amulet 39A Cotham Hill www.amuletboutique.co.uk Embrace your wild side in this stunning jungle-print jumpsuit by Komodo, £70. The lush green tones and lightweight cotton make this a fashion forward alternative to the maxi dress this summer. Cinch in the drawstring waist and accessorize with golden bangles, £54 and £37.80, to complete the look. The above items are all available from Amulet, who stock such a wonderful array of clothes and jewellery you may well leave with more than you’d planned to! Other items: orange clutch £18 from Sweet Pea, shoes £205 by Chie Mihara from Grace & Mabel.
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Bees and Graves Clifton Arcade, Boyce’s Ave 0117 973 8448 A statement necklace is as vital to a woman’s wardrobe as a slinky black dress. This eyecatching 1930s Perspex necklace from Bees & Graves, £300, is a great investment. It is satisfyingly chunky and tactile, yet its transparency makes it versatile enough to team with vibrant prints, as we’ve done here, or a simpler palette for a more elegant, understated look. Other items: dress £125 by Tara Jarmon from Grace & Mabel
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Village Green 5 The Mall, Clifton www.villagegreenboutique.co.uk As summer gets underway, so does the city’s social scene, which means you’ll need a new party dress – or two. And you can snap up a designer piece at a fraction of the price at Village Green, who sell gorgeous pre-loved clothes and accessories such as the Diane von Furstenberg dress, £150, and Eley Kishimoto shoes, £70, worn here by Emily, and the Pyrius dress, £50, and Charmain shoes, £30, worn by Safia. Other items: yellow spider broach (worn as a ring) £32.99, gold bracelet £54 and clutch £81, all from Amulet; handmade headresses, POA, from www.boneartbyalana.com
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Ros wears: Michael Kors crystal embellished feather trimmed dress, £330; Buscemi high top metallic trainers, £810, both from Harvey Nichols. Leggings and necklace Ros’ own
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Sweet Pea 14 High Street, WOT www.sweetpeafashion.co.uk Team this stunning coral pleated maxi skirt by Yumi, £49, with a contrasting cropped top like this one by Influence, £22, for a more demure take on the tropical trend. Both items are available from Sweet Pea, who source the best pieces from both well-known and up-and-coming labels to sell in their lovely boutique in the heart of Westbury-on-Trym. Other items: shoes £205 by Chie Mihara from Grace & Mabel.
Location: University of Bristol Botanic Garden, www.bristol.ac.uk/botanic-garden Aerial performers: Safia Almaghrabi, t: 07817 793 406 or e: safiaalmaghrabi@gmail.com Emily Redsell, t: 07788 807 234, e: thecookandhersuitcase@hotmail.co.uk Photographer: Charlotte Stone, www.charlottestonephoto.com Hair sytlists: Hayley Scott and Paige Roberts from seanhanna, www.seanhanna.com Makeup artist: Shari Knowles, t: 07872 953 355 Styling and direction: Jenny Hayes With thanks to everyone involved in the shoot, and the Bristol independent boutiques who took part
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COMMUNITY | GARDEN
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COMMUNITY | GARDEN
GREEN FINGERS Over the last few months, Jo Malone London has been working with St Mungo’s Broadway to create a gorgeous new garden in the heart of the city, so Lauren Morris went along to find out more
St Mungo’s clients working in the garden with Emma Coleman and other volunteers
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ver the past few months for me, gardening has truly begun. From happy trips to the garden centre, digging around for seed packets from last year’s crops, to plunging my green fingers into sweet-smelling soil; the gardening season has definitely burst into full bloom. As a fair-weather gardener, I have truly been enjoying owning my first patch of earth, honing it under my somewhat naive and amateur hands and adoring every moment of the experience. Flicking through my gardening diary, it seems June is an important month to look to your garden. Taking care of any carrot fly and removing any dead foliage from spring flowering bulbs, as well as sowing my purple sprouting and beautiful candytuft and Canterbury bell seeds means I have lots to take care of. But it isn’t just the garden that is looked after through these actions. I always like to remember that nurturing your garden can in fact enrich and improve your own wellbeing. The importance of gardening to your own welfare has long been scientifically verified and this has been echoed in a recent rise in gardening over the past few years, in part due to the economic downturn. We are spending more money than ever on our perennials and we are reaping the benefits of being in the great outdoors. Whether you have access to a back garden, allotment, window box or container; gardening is aiding many people up and down the country. For the good people at the Creative Studio at Jo Malone London, however, gardening isn’t just about the digging and the pruning. They have taken inspiration from the common garden and created an initiative in partnership with St Mungo’s Broadway, a charity that helps people to recover from the issues that may create homelessness. Together, they have created The Castle Park Physic Garden, right at the heart of Bristol, with the aim of teaching people from vulnerable backgrounds how to build and maintain beautiful, scented gardens. Closing my eyes and imagining all that Jo Malone London has to offer, a heavenly scent envelops my senses giving me a sense of tranquility and hope, and this is exactly what the Physic Garden hopes to do for vulnerable communities. Rachel Baker, general manager vice president of Jo Malone London explains the reason behind this beautiful initiative: “As a team we searched long and
hard for a cause that reflected our sensibilities, reinforced our British heritage and generally made sense for us. Gardens seemed the perfect fit.” As a constant source of inspiration for their fragrances, gardens have been proven to be good for the soul and these divinely scented havens are changing the lives of those involved. With gardens already prominent in London, Edinburgh, Liverpool and New York, Bristol will be the latest city to roll up its sleeves and get digging to make a happy and beautiful sanctuary. To show us the way is Emma Coleman, a successful local garden designer who found her calling after spending a summer in her family garden and allotment. In a relatively short period of time Emma has undertaken a large variety of projects including the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and a redesign of an 18th century farmhouse garden. She believes that gardening is incredibly good for the mind and body, and is for absolutely everyone: “Gardening is totally indiscriminative, enabling people with physical or mental disabilities and those with little or no experience to learn and get involved.” Those working on the garden will gain horticultural qualifications, to help them find long-term employment in the future. Through this project, life-affirming realisations have happened and many trainees leave the program with a restored outlook on life. Mark, from St Mungo’s Broadway, explained: “Working in the garden has given me new confidence and changed my outlook. It’s helped me to imagine the future.” Gardening is renowned for its therapeutic benefits and this project not only works on building the trainees’ qualifications to bring them back into employment, but it also provides a solid standing for their new lives to begin. As each flower blooms under the watchful eye of each participant, so does the opportunity of gaining new skills and new confidence. The aim of these gardens is to spread joy and allow for hope to flower even in the darkest of moments, while also beautifying public green spaces. The Castle Park Physic Garden opens this month, so next time you are passing through make sure you take a look at this oasis of life next to the old ruin. You can also support the initiative by purchasing a Jo Malone London Limited Edition Charity Candle (£42) from John Lewis, or online at www.jomalone.co.uk. n
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NURTURING YOUR GARDEN CAN ENRICH AND IMPROVE YOUR OWN WELLBEING
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FACE | THE MUSIC
STRIKE A CHORD Director of St George’s Bristol, Suzanne Rolt, talks to Jenny Hayes about life at the helm of one of the city’s most celebrated musical venues
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ext time you walk up Park Street, take a moment to turn off down Great George Street. Here you’ll find St George’s Bristol, a splendid example of Greek Revival architecture and one of the city’s finest music venues, renowned for its exciting and diverse programme of performances. And overseeing it all is one woman – director and chief executive Suzanne Rolt. I’m keen to find out what inspires her in her work, and where she developed her love of music. “My parents didn’t play instruments, but they had a real respect for music and a belief that it was a worthwhile thing to do,” says Suzanne. “My grandmother had a piano in her front room that I practised on when I started taking lessons aged seven or eight. And my father had a lovely singing voice. He’d been brought up in South Wales so was a great fan of male voice choirs and opera. He had a very immediate and emotional response to music that he passed on to me. 34 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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“I went on to pursue a career in music, and became director of St George’s in 2006, then chief executive earlier this year,” she continues. “To say it’s a wide-ranging job is an understatement, as no day is ever like another, and the challenge for me it to provide leadership and direction for the organization while promoting a year round programme of world class music. “This morning was pretty typical: I finally caught up with a violinist I’d engaged to perform this autumn who’ll be playing as part of our Classical Café series; I had a meeting with our marketing team to agree the pricing for our autumn events and discuss how we could find ways to reach new audiences; and I then had to sign off on plans for a new projector and screen for the hall and figure out how we would pay for it. Oh, and on the distinctly unglamorous side, I also had to read through proposals for a drainage survey,” she laughs. “No matter how busy it gets, though, I love my job. It gives me the feeling that I’m doing something of real value, and every day I get to meet musicians
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FACE | THE MUSIC who are at the very top of their game and making a living sharing their passion with audiences. I also really appreciate working with staff who are giving their all to make sure events are enjoyable, and the fantastic people who run venues and arts organisations around Bristol who are always willing to spare the time to concoct ideas for new artistic ventures.” Speaking of which, St George’s is renowned for bringing a wide variety of music to the city. So why does Suzanne feel it is so important to ensure that a diverse range of tastes are reflected in the programme she creates? “I think music is a key part of enjoying life. We all have different tastes, but I don’t think that matters. That’s why our events range from classical through to jazz, folk, Americana, world music, and everything in between – if the music is performed with passion, soul and integrity it has a place here at St George’s. “There is also an extraordinary acoustic in the building that makes everything sound wonderful. Aligned with the intimate scale, it means that audiences feel really close to the artists and the artists themselves feed off this intensity. This makes for an extraordinary tension and, ultimately, brilliant, stand out performances.” It must be hard to choose, but does she have a favourite from among the many great shows? “I’ll have to narrow it down to the past year and choose Bach’s St Matthew Passion, performed by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Mark Padmore. It was so utterly beautiful and affecting that people could barely move from their seats at the end. Mind you, the staff here would kill me if I didn’t also give a mention to Gregory Porter who raised the roof here last year. Wow! “And there are some great concerts coming up over the summer,” Suzanne adds, “including a concert with the three finalists from last year’s BBC Young Musician competition (27 June), a Meditteranean Journey with the French cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras and the Chemirani Brothers from Iran (2 July). And not to be missed is the cracking new Bristol Americana Festival (10–12 July), where we team up with Colston Hall for events across both our venues.” Beyond that, there are even more exciting times ahead for the venue, with the launch of the Building a Sound Future appeal that aims to raise funds for the much needed refurbishment of the 200 year old building. “It is the biggest renovation project to happen in St George’s history,” she explains. “We’re going to be adding a stunning, modern two-storey extension that will link to the existing building and transform the experience for everyone who comes here. It will practically double the footprint of the current building and allow us to add a new café/bar, and two upstairs performance rooms that will work as well for music and spoken word events as for school visits and meetings. “We’ll also be vastly improving access into and around the building, and there’ll generally be more room for people to circulate when they’re here. It’s going to be wonderful!” To find out more about the Building a Sound Future project, visit: buildingasoundfuture.co.uk. For information about forthcoming events at St George’s, and to book tickets, visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
Suzanne’s top 10: ❶ Fantasie in F Minor by Schubert I’ve listened to a great deal of classical music at St George’s over the years and if I was forced to choose just one composer I couldn’t live without, it would have to be Schubert. It’s so hard to single out a piece but I think this Fantasie, for two people playing side by side at one piano, would have to be it. Schubert composed it a few months before he died, at the age of just 31, and it’s a farewell to everyone and everything he loved. Utterly heartbreaking and haunting.
Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin © Heinrich Klaffs
❹ Nocturne in B flat minor Op 9 No 1 by Chopin Looking back I think I might have been a little overly intense as a child as the first record I bought, at the tender age of eight, was of piano music by Chopin. This was one of my favourites then and it remains so today. Some people can be a little snooty about ‘popular’ pieces but they’re popular for a reason: in this case because it’s an exquisite, perfectly shaped piece of music that never fails to raise my spirits when I listen. ❺ Ombra mai fu by Handel I return to this piece time and time again as simply one of the most beautiful, relaxing pieces of music I know. I have a recording with the countertenor Andreas Scholl. It comes from the opening of Handel’s opera Xerxes and the gorgeous, plaintive melody is a love song – not to a person but, bizarrely, to the tributes of a plane tree. ❻ Concerto for Cello and Strings by Dobrinka Tabakova I’ve recently become hooked on the music of this young British-Bulgarian composer and I’m determined to do my bit to spread the word by planning a concert of her music next year to celebrate International Women’s Day. The 2nd movement of this piece, Longing, is deeply, deeply moving and timeless in its appeal. Order a copy of String Paths and you will not regret it I promise. ❼ River by Joni Mitchell This is from a treasured album, Blue, that I listened to over and over again while at college. It’s hard to believe it dates back to 1971 but it just goes to show that, in affairs of the heart, nothing ever changes. The track River is achingly beautiful and its forlorn lines, particularly ‘I wish I had a river I could skate away on’, conjure up a powerful image of escape that I find comforting when life gets tough. ❽ Eroica Symphony by Beethoven Like so much of Beethoven’s music this is about the universal themes of existence and the strength of the human spirit. The music builds and builds, expanding into great walls of shattering dissonance signifying struggle and despair before you finally emerge and reach that huge, victorious and life affirming moment. Perfect for air-conducting!
❷ 48 Preludes and Fugues by Bach It would be unthinkable not to include this keyboard work, even though it’s a bit of a cheat as it’s made up of 96 pieces in total. It’s impossible to find the words to explain its magic and why, almost 300 years on, it remains one of the most influential pieces of music ever written. All I know is that I will never tire of listening to it and I’ve invited Angela Hewitt back to St George’s to perform it next year, so if you’re curious…
❾ Kashmir by Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin have to be the ultimate rock gods and it’s a source of enormous vexation that I’ll never have a chance to hear them play live. They’ve soaked up numerous influences, from the blues of Muddy Waters through to folk and Eastern music, and then they distil it into an off-the-beaten-track epic like Kashmir. I had the surreal experience of bumping into Robert Plant at St George’s one morning last year when he came to record a track. I live in hope that he might one day return to perform.
❸ Uprising by Muse I’m a big fan of guitar driven rock bands and, for me, Muse is the best around. Their music and lyrics pack a punch and brim over with passion and integrity. I believe in standing up against injustice and Uprising is about the power of protest. It sends a message to those who abuse the trust placed in them by society that the people won’t be kept down.
❿ Tristan und Isolde by Wagner I studied music and had to write my final dissertation on Wagner. I can remember very little of what I wrote because it was dry as bones, but I’ll never forget this because it’s monumental. This is music that comes crashing over you and then it lifts you up and up and up. n
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WHAT’S | ON Tom Service at St George’s Bristol
CULTURE BOOK Our guide to this month’s top events in and around Bristol The Will Gregory Moog Ensemble at Colston Hall
Timbuktu at Watershed
Bristol Botanic Garden
DON’T MISS
Conversations About Cinema, Watershed, Friday 29 May – Thursday 4 June
Dance for Dementia, Redgrave Theatre, Sunday 7 June, 4pm & 7.30pm
Hailed as one of the most important cinematic experiences of the year, Timbuktu tells the urgent story of the early days of the Islamic Jihadist takeover of Northern Timbuktu in 2012. The once bustling city is now near silent – under the new regime, music, soccer, laughter and smoking are banned outright, and women have to wear socks and gloves in the sweltering heat. After watching Timbuktu, join other cinema goers in a discussion about the film. Tickets: £4 – £8, for more information visit: www.watershed.co.uk
Over 100 Bristol-based dancers perform a spectacular show in aid of Alzheimer’s Society. Featuring performances in over fifteen dance styles from around the world, presented by past favourites as well as exciting new acts, it’s guaranteed to be enjoyed by all. Tickets: £10/£5.50 concs from Bristol Ticket Shop on tel: 0117 929 9008 or visit: www.bristolticketshop.co.uk
Festival Players, Royal York Crescent, Clifton, Friday 5 June, 7.30pm
Bristol Bad Film Club, Grain Barge, Wednesday 10 June, 8pm
Picnic on the beautiful lawns of the historic York Gardens and be entertained by the Festival Players’ spirited adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV Parts 1 & 2. This colourful two-hour production focuses on the lovable, larger than life rogue Sir John Falstaff and his adventures with Prince Hal (the future King Henry V), It’s a historical drama which brings to life the humanity, politics, battles, and humour of medieval Britain. Bring your own food, drinks, rugs etc. Tickets: £15 (adult), £9 (child). Tel: 01726 879 500 or visit: www.crbo.co.uk
Flea Market, Bristol Folk House, Saturday 6 June, 10am – 4pm
FROM JUNE 10
You know a film is special when it was released in 1990, filmed in 1987, yet looks like it was made in the late 1970s. Perhaps that is why Robot Jox has developed such a cult following over the years – because everything about it is so wrong, yet oh-so-right. The film has had a massive effect on pop culture – from midnight screenings at the Alamo Drafthouse to clear influences of Pacific Rim, it is a film that you’ll never forget. Tickets: £5, visit: www.bristolbadfilmclub.co.uk
Blue Sky Festival, Pound Arts, Corsham, Thursday 11 – Sunday 14 June
There’s nothing better than a treasure hunt, so head over to the Folk House to have a rummage and see what gems you can find. Stall holders will be selling a variety of items, including vintage clothing and accessories, bric-abrac, homewares, lighting, cards, prints and pottery. And the café is open all day for when you need to refuel. Free entrance. For more information tel: 0117 926 2987 or visit: www.bristolfolkhouse.co.uk
Step outside the city to enjoy this warm, quirky festival of the arts. Opening the festival is popular comedian Mark Watson, and over the course of the four days folk singer Cara Dillon and Third Angel theatre will be performing, as well as many more great acts. Family workshops include Blue Sky Bunting, a Family Art Trail, a Family Photo Challenge and a Tap Dancing Taster. And, best of all, lots of the events are completely free. For more information visit: www.blueskyfestival.org.uk
It’s All About Me, Alma Tavern Theatre, Saturday 6 June, 7.45pm
Bristol Slapstick Festival Fundraiser, Colston Hall, Thursday 11 June, 7.30pm
A comedy about the science of self-love that takes you on a fast-paced journey from self-conscious to self-confident. Starring Dr David Hamilton, who fuses science, the mind and spiritual wisdom in a series of amusing insights, and intuition expert Becky Walsh. Tickets: £10 adv. or £15 on the door, from tel: 0117 973 5171 or visit: www.almataverntheatre.co.uk
Al Murray hosts an all-star night of stand-up comedy, featuring Harry Hill, Omid Djalili and Holly Walsh plus others yet to be announced, to raise funds to keep Slapstick, Bristol’s much loved annual festival of silent and vintage screen comedy – going and growing. Tickets: £32 from the box office on tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit: www.colstonhall.org
Open Day, University of Bristol Botanic Garden, Sunday 7 June, 10am – 5pm
The Will Gregory Moog Ensemble, The Lantern, Colston Hall, Friday 12 June, 8pm
Wander along winding paths that lead you through beautiful and incredible collections of Mediterranean flora, rare natives, useful plants (including Western and Chinese herbs) and those that illustrate plant evolution. The great glasshouses are home to the Giant Amazon Waterlily, tropical fruit, medicinal plants, orchids and cacti, as well as the unique Sacred Lotus collection. Tours are available throughout the day, and at this time of year the Garden will be ablaze with summer colour. Tickets: £4.50 (including Friends of the Garden). For more information tel: 0117 331 4906 or visit: www.bris.ac.uk/botanic-garden 38 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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As one half of Goldfrapp, Will Gregory knows about creating new sounds and reinventing old ones. Through The Will Gregory Moog Ensemble, he realises the full potential of the Moog synthesiser via newly composed music, transcriptions of classical works, and the ensemble’s own versions of music from popular culture. Featuring Portishead’s Adrian Utley and composer Graham Fitkin, a stellar line-up of 10 musicians perform works by J S Bach, John Carpenter, Burt Bacharach, Oliver Messiaen, plus a new commission by Will Gregory, on an array of vintage instruments. Tickets: £14.50 from the box office on tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit: www.colstonhall.org
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EDITOR’S PICK...
Bristol Choral Society, Bristol Cathedral, Saturday 13 June, 7.30pm Bristol Choral Society presents The Bristol Connection, an evening of works by composers associated with the city. The programme includes, O praise God by David Bednall, God be in my head by Janet Martin, O how glorious by Basil Harwood and The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams. Adrian Partington is conducting, with David Bednall on organ and piano, and Julia Hwang on violin. Tickets: £5–£22, from tel: 0845 652 1823 or visit: www.bristolchoral.co.uk
FROM JUNE 15
Love Me Tender, Bristol Hippodrome, Monday 15 – Saturday 20 June, 7.30pm with matinees on Wednesday & Saturday at 2.30pm
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bristol Zoo Gardens, Thursday 25 June, 7.30pm “The course of true love never did run smooth” is all too true in William Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. This month, Chapterhouse Theatre Company presents the bard’s best-loved romantic comedy in Bristol Zoo Gardens, so prepare to be transported on a thrilling journey with star-crossed lovers, playful fairies and travelling players. The play comes to life through beautifully designed Elizabethan costumes, a magical musical score and enchanting woodland puppet creatures. Watch with family and friends in the picturesque surroundings of Bristol Zoo Gardens for the perfect evening of theatre under the stars. Tickets: £14 (adult), £12 (concs), £7 (child), visit: www.bristolzoo.org.uk
From the producers of Hairspray, Jersey Boys and West Side Story, Love Me Tender is a hilarious feel-good musical featuring Elvis Presley’s greatest hits. In a small town in 1950s America, a guitar-playing, hip-swivelling stranger rides his motorbike into town. Is he The Devil in Disguise or a Hound Dog in his Blue Suede Shoes? The townsfolk are about to be All Shook Up and could be headed for Heartbreak Hotel, but for Natalie, the love-struck, tomboy mechanic, it really is Now or Never. Packed with 25 of the best loved songs by The King himself, this a funny and moving tale of hope, second chances and the healing qualities of Rock 'n' Roll. Tickets: £14.90 – £50.90 from the box office on tel: 0844 871 3012 or visit: www.atgtickets.com
Museum of Water, Bristol 2015 Lab, Harbourside, Monday 15 – Sunday 21 June As part of Big Green Week, the Museum of Water comes to Bristol for the first time to showcase a collection of publicly donated water and its accompanying stories. Accumulating over two years in different sites worldwide, Museum of Water now houses over 600 unique samples gathered from across the globe, including 129,000 year old water from the Antarctic, the Flew family snowball, tears of joy and 30-year-old paintbrush drippings that have travelled the world. The aim of the exhibition is to allow people to think about this precious liquid, and how we use it. For more information visit: www.bristol2015.co.uk
Extreme Adventures: An Evening with Andy Torbet, Stanfords, Wednesday 17 June, 6.30pm – 8pm Soldier, explorer, adventurer and TV presenter, Andy Torbet is used to pushing himself to the limit. Join him as he shares his experiences scuba diving in Welsh slate mines, climbing the crumbling chalk cliffs of The Needles, pot-holing through Scotland’s deepest caves, and more of the most extreme adventures Britain, and the world, have to offer. Tickets: £3 (redeemable against the price of Extreme Adventures). For more information tel: 0117 929 9966 or visit: www.stanfords.co.uk
The Importance of Being Ernest, The Island, Wednesday 17 – Friday 19 June, 8pm Ernest is actually Jack when he's in the country, unless that’s when he’s Ernest, in which case he’s Algernon in town. Gwendoline and Cecily both intend to marry Ernest, but can he be in two places at once? It rather depends on whether he’s actually Jack or Algernon. But then if he was either Jack or Algernon then Gwendoline and Cecily probably wouldn’t love him anymore. Confused? That's half the fun. St Paul’s Players bring a new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s much loved comedy masterpiece to The Island’s intimate basement, for an evening of steampunk-styled mistaken identity. Tickets: £9.50/£7.50 (concs). Tel: 0117 977 2882 or visit: www.ticketsource.co.uk
FROM JUNE 19
Feast with a Chef, Long Ashton Village Hall, Friday 19 June, 6.15pm As part of Big Green Week, Feast with a Chef are holding a Forever Fish Feast cooked by Silla Bjerrum, founder and executive chef of London’s Feng Sushi chain. Diners can dive into a fishy feast with a Japanese twist, created from a selection of planet-friendly fish caught off British shores. Silla will guide you through each of the fish on offer, and explain what makes them sustainable so you’ll know what to look out for in future. Tickets: £36 for six courses, visit: www.feastwithachef.co.uk
Bristol Metropolitan Orchestra, St George’s Bristol, Saturday 20 June, 7.30pm Expect an unrivalled evening of classical music, as Bristol Metropolitan Orchestra perform L’Arlésienne Suite No. 1 by Bizet, Piano Concerto in G by Ravel, and Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz. Soloist: Pavel Timofejevsky (piano), conductor: William Goodchild. Tickets: £8 – £15/£6 – £14 concs, £5 under 16s, available from the box office on tel: 0845 402 4001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
Scandi Feast, Harptree Court, Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 June Scandi Feast at Harptree Court
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Enjoy a Scandinavian midsummer feast in the beautiful surroundings of Harptree Court, Somerset. Featuring celebrity chefs and top food writers, starlit outdoor feasting, bonfires and JUNE 2015
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live music, culminating in an unforgettable feast after which guests can dance the night away to the music of a live band.Visit: www.scandifeast.co.uk
Face Reading, The Friends’ Meeting House, Redland, Sunday 21 June, 3pm – 5pm Behind the mask you wear, lies a wealth of information. This knowledge can be used to enhance every relationship you will ever have – starting with how you appreciate and understand yourself. Face reading began in ancient China, where they found it a useful way of ‘reading’ the character, health and potential of an individual. Anna-Louise has developed face-reading beyond the traditional Oriental origins and now teaches her methods internationally. This introduction to face reading will help you to understand other people on many levels. Tickets: £5. For more information visit: www.anna-louise.com
FROM JUNE 22
Chalke Valley History Festival, Manor Farm, Wiltshire, Monday 22 – Sunday 28 June, events at various times BBC Young Musicians at St George’s
Now in it’s fifth year, this is one of the UK’s biggest history festivals and attracts thousands of people, all of who are able to listen to top historians and authors, as well as enjoying air displays, family activities and, new this year, a 1940s victory party on the Saturday night. Speakers include David Starkey, Dan Snow, Sebastian Faulks, Ian Hislop, Antony Beevor, Amanda Foreman, Tom Holland and Charles Spencer. Ticket prices vary, for more information visit: www.cvhf.org.uk
The Ted Bundy Project, Bristol Old Vic Studio, Tuesday 23 – Saturday 27 June, 7.30pm In November 2012, Greg Wohead stumbled upon the confession tapes of notorious American serial killer Ted Bundy. From that, The Ted Bundy Project was born, questioning the nature of charm, the label of ‘monster’ and the tension between attraction and repulsion. The result is a powerful show that is deeply ambiguous and disturbing as it shines a light on our own morbid fascinations. Ages 16+. Tickets: £12/£8 (concs) from the box office on tel: 0117 987 7877 or visit: www.bristololdvic.org.uk
Tribes & Tribulations, The Wardrobe Theatre, Friday 26 June, 8pm Out There Music
Substance and Shadow Theatre return to the Wardrobe Theatre for one night only with a fast moving original play written by Midge and Rosie Mullin. Tribes & Tribulations is set against the bleak political landscape of Thatcher’s Britain and tells the story of four diverse characters, who momentarily escape the tribulations of their everyday lives and descend upon the anarchic, vibrant, multicultural madness of a free festival. Tickets: £5, on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: thewardrobetheatre.com
SATURDAY JUNE 27
Drawing and Painting Day, Leigh Woods, Saturday 27 June, 10am – 3pm Come along to picturesque Leigh Woods for a facilitated art day, Bring with you whatever materials you would like to use. Beginners and more experienced welcome, professional artist Moira Gillbrook will be on hand with tips and advice. Tickets: £12, booking essential tel: 0844 249 1895
BBC Young Musician Finalists Concert, St George’s Bristol, Saturday 27 June, 4pm Drawing in Leigh Woods, © Steinsky
The three finalists from last year’s BBC Young Musician competition reunite for a very special afternoon concert, with winning pianist Martin James Bartlett performing a complete second half recital. Expect magical musical performances from their competition repertoire; they truly are the classical stars of the future. Be there from the beginning! Tickets: £10 (adult), £6 (child), available from the box office on tel: 0845 402 4001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
Out There Music, St Alban’s Church, Saturday 27 June A summer celebration for all the family to enjoy. Come and experience both OTMB community choirs, chamber choir, children’s choir and orchestra sing and play a fantastic range of music including Sam Smith, Dancing Queen, Pomp and Circumstance, Clean Bandit and music from Lord of the Rings. They’ll also be a BBQ by Ruby & White and bar by Alter Ego. In aid of Changing Tunes. Tickets: £7 (adult), £5 (under 18, and under 5s go free), from tel: 07866 587 424 or email: admin@outtheremusicbristol.co.uk
Bristol Bach Choir, St James’ Priory, Saturday 27 June, 7.30pm The Ted Bundy Project at Bristol Old Vic
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Venture Bach to the Future during this evening of sublime choral music. Two of Bach’s incomparable motets – Lobet den Herrn and Furchte dich nicht – from the core of this imaginative programme, which also includes contemporary works from British and Baltic
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GAME, SET, MATCH Wimbledon, Cabot Circus, Friday 3 & Saturday 4 July
composers. The music of Scotland’s James MacMillan is profound and reflective. Lithuanian Vytautas Miškinis’ O Sacrum convivium showcases the sublime sound colours and textures for which he is renowned, and the music of Latvian Ēriks Ešenvalds has a timeless and atmospheric quality. Hymn to the Creator of Light, written in memory of the celebrated English composer Herbert Howells, provides a new and unusual perspective on the work of John Rutter and the concert is rounded off with two pieces by William Harris. Tickets: £15, £5 concs, from tel: 0117 214 0721 or visit: bristolback.org.uk
BOOK NOW FOR
Bristol Concert Orchestra, St Mary Redcliffe Church, Saturday 4 July, 7.30pm This year’s summer concert features the magnificent Organ Symphony by Saint-Saëns, plus Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by Vaughan Williams, Borodin's Polovstian Dances, Four Last Songs by Richard Strauss and music by Dukas. With Laura Curry (soprano), Andrew Kirk (organ), the Choirs of St Mary Redcliffe and conductor Stefan Hofkes. Tickets: £10–£15, visit: www.bristolconcertorchestra.org.uk, or by at the door on the night.
Gert Lush Choir, Colston Hall, Saturday 4 July, 7.30pm This summer, Cabot Circus is bringing Wimbledon to Bristol and screening the tennis championships for shoppers. Two screens will take centre court – under the main roof and outside in QuakersFriars – where you can catch all the sporting action. Whether you're shopping at the centre or stopping for some lunch at one of the centre's restaurants, cafes or bars, it's the perfect way to enjoy the sport synonymous with the great British summertime. And on the 3 & 4 July, Cabot Circus are installing a fresh strawberry patch, where you’ll be able to pick your own strawberries, with participating restaurants providing takeaway food for shoppers to enjoy from the comfort of their deckchair during the tennis matches. Here's hoping for an ace summer! For more information visit: www.cabotcircus.com
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Come and hear the Best of the West, as Bristol’s mighty Gert Lush Choir meets the Gordano Gorgeous Chorus in order to raise the roof of the Colston Hall. It will be an evening of a capella delights, featuring songs you’ll recognise and new treats for you to discover. The question on everyone’s lips is, however, who can sing the loudest? Tickets: £10/£2 under 18s from the box office on tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit: www.colstonhall.org
Bristol Cabot Choir, Christchurch Clifton, Saturday 4 July, 7.30pm This summer concert promises an evening of Folk inspired music of the British Isles and beyond, conducted by musical director Rebecca Holdeman, and accompanied by Hans Hess (guitar) and Joachim Schwander (piano). Tickets: £10, £5 concs, from Opus 13, St Michael’s Hill, BS2 8DT. Tel: 0117 923 0154, or order online at: www.bristolcabotchoir.org
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RNAS International Air Day
Bristol Phoenix Choir, Nailsea Methodist Church, Saturday 4 July, 7.30pm Bristol Phoenix Choir with Paul Walton (conductor) Matt Davies (accompanist) and Ben Davison (treble) celebrate Anglo-American Acclamations, including Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Whitacre’s Sleep, Barber’s Agnus Dei, and works by Lauridsen, Rutter and Randall Thompson. Tickets £10 (16 and under free), from Opus 13, St Michael’s Hill, Bristol, 0117 9230164 or Nailsea Music Shop, 79 High Street, Nailsea, tel: 01275 855021,. Alternatively, you call call the choir direct on tel: 07775 915 155 or email: tickets@bristolphoenixchoir.org.uk
Redland Green Choir, St Alban’s Church, Saturday 4 July, 7.30pm Anton Bruckner’s powerful Mass in F minor is the centrepiece of this summer concert, and will be complemented by a varied programme of other works, ranging from the seventeenth century madrigal Adieu Sweet Amaryllis by John Wilbye, through the jaunty spiritual Down in the River to Pray (as featured in the film Oh Brother Where Art Thou) and the nineteen fifties chart topper Elizabethan Serenade, to Don’t cry for me Argentina and Abba medley Mamma Mia. Tickets: £10/£8 (concs), under 16s free. Buy on the door or book in advance on email: membership@redlandgreenchoir.org.uk
International Air Day, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, Saturday 11 July, 9am – 5pm The intensity, drama and spectacle on offer at the RNAS Yeovilton International Air Day in Somerset is an experience not to be missed. The award winning airshow returns with an action-packed day out for all the family, featuring over five hours of thrilling flying displays will include favourites such as the Black Cats, Red Arrows and Vulcan Bomber as well as other military fast jets, warbirds, helicopters and aerobatic display teams. There’ll be plenty of ground attractions including trade stalls, fairground, simulators, military bands and much more. Tickets: £18–£25 (adult), £5–£12 (child), from tel: 0330 100 3656 or visit: www.royalnavy.mod.uk/yeoviltonairday
Backwell Festival, Backwell Junior School, Saturday 11 July, from 12.30pm Fun Lovin’ Criminal Huey Morgan headlines a day packed full of talented artists, including hip-hop artist Dizraeli, world beatbox champion Bellatrix, and those purveyors of musical mayhem Sheelanagig. There are also lots of family friendly workshops, such as Bollywood Dance, The Rock Project, Crash Bang percussion, Tipi Art and Invisible Circus. Michelin star chefs Martin Blunos and Josh Eggleton will also be giving food demos. Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets: £17.50, visit: www.backwellfestival.co.uk
Murder at the Mansion, Mansion House, Clifton, Saturday 18 July, 7pm Don your gladdest of rags, buff up your best jewels and join us at the Lord Mayor of Bristol’s official residence, the beautiful Mansion House in Clifton, for a luxurious evening of murder mystery with a variety twist... featuring ballroom, belly dancing, sword dancing and burlesque performances. Cocktails and canapés will be served in the conservatory, and the evening ends with a charity raffle in aid of Bristol Children’s Hospital. Tickets: £26, over 18s only. For more information visit: www.beestingevents.com n
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Birthday Girls It’s What the Frock! Comedy’s third birthday this month, so why not join in the celebrations?
WTF!’s resident compere Jayde Adams © Emily Coles
B
ristol’s home-grown all-female comedy event What The Frock! celebrates its third birthday on June 12 with an extra special event for everyone who fancies a good laugh. June 12 also marks the launch of the brand’s debut book – The What The Frock! Book of Funny Women – written by Jane Duffus, who founded the comedy event back in 2012. The book is a celebration of more than 100 years of fantastically funny women and includes guest contributions from comedians, scriptwriters, journalists and lots of other great writers. The night is hosted by What The Frock!’s resident compere Jayde Adams, who was born and bred in the heart of Bedminster and cut her teeth on the Asda fish counter. Joining Jayde on stage will be Viv Groskop, Miranda Dawe and the monstrously funny cabaret creation Ada Campe – who has had the dubious honour of having performed at both of the previous What The Frock! birthday shows. All four of the comedians performing at the June 12 show have also contributed to the book, writing about the women who have inspired them on their own journeys to comedy greatness. Before launching What The Frock!, Jane worked as a journalist and magazine editor so it makes perfect sense for her to tap into that side of her career by writing the first book published in the UK to celebrate such a diverse collection of funny women. The book includes everyone from witty writers such as Jane Austen and Dodie Smith, to music hall and silent cinema stars including Mabel Normand and Marie Lloyd, to contemporary comedians including Sarah Millican and Miranda Hart. The overall idea of the book is to show that the notion of women being funny is nothing new and that there is a huge history to draw upon. Early chapters in the book celebrate just this with a light-hearted stroll through the past century showing the important roles women have had in the comedy industry to date. The birthday and book launch comedy show will be at the Bristol Improv Theatre, 50 St Paul’s Road, Clifton. Jane says she is excited to be using this relatively undiscovered space because the unique atmosphere, classic décor and spirit of the improv team are perfectly in keeping with the expect-theunexpected nature of What The Frock! itself. There will be books available to buy on the night at a discount, and Jane and the comedians will be happy to sign your copy if you’d like. And as it’s a birthday party, there will be lots of give-aways throughout the evening – with plenty of tickets to What The Frock!’s Bristol season of Edinburgh Festival previews in July up for grabs. There are a limited number of tickets for the June 12 event still available, and you have the option to buy an advance ticketand-book combo giving you a reduced price book, or you can also just buy a ticket on its own. For more information, visit: www.whatthefrockcomedy.co.uk
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Studio
TIME
This month Jamaica Street Artists are opening their studios to the public, so Jenny Hayes went along to catch a glimpse of what’s in store
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he former carriage-works building on Jamaica Street has been one of Stokes Croft’s most impressive architectural landmarks since 1905. Once occupied by workers fitting out carriages for the use on the Great Western Railway, it is now home to a very different kind of industry. For the last 20 years Jamaica Street Artists, a collective of around 40 members, have been working together to develop and maintain a strong community of artists in this inner city area. I’ve often walked past and admired the imposing building, wondering what it must be like inside those historic walls. So when studio manager Lucy Ward offered me a tour of the artists’ studios prior to their open weekend on Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 June, I jumped at the chance of getting a sneak preview of what visitors can see if they go along. When I stepped inside, it was everything I’d hoped for and more. Occupying the top three floors of the carriage-works, the Jamaica Street Artists’ studios are flooded with light from the vast windows and jam-packed with intriguing paraphernalia, ranging from half-used tubes of oil paints in every colour of the rainbow, to cute textile owls blinking out from shelving units, to murals made entirely from old wooden rulers. I even glimpsed a 3D printer in action, creating parts for the shadow puppets made by one of the collective’s members.
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This myriad of equipment reflects the diversity of the artists at work here, including fine art painters, illustrators, animators, sculptors, textile designers and photographers. It is a mix that Lucy says is a key factor in the success of Jamaica Street Artists. “We try to keep a good balance of established and new artists, and the areas they work in. This keeps morale high and encourages a cohesive community in which the artists can talk about their ideas and learn from one another, with the more experienced artists happy to support those just starting out. “It also creates a process of osmosis that is beneficial for everyone, because when a collector or gallery come to visit one of our artists, they may also encounter work by another that interests them. This gives the artists here a platform to the wider art world that they might not otherwise get working in a studio on their own. And it also makes for a supportive and collaborative atmosphere within the studios, because everyone appreciates that the success of one member contributes to that of the collective as a whole.” Even as a visitor to Jamaica Street Artists this relaxed, community-spirited ethos is palpable. The first floor is open plan, with artists moving in and out of each other’s workspaces chatting about projects or dropping off an always-appreciated cup of tea. The second and third floors house separate studios occupied by those who prefer a quieter space, but even then I find that most are shared by likeminded artists. Even when I venture behind a closed door to find someone hard at work on a piece, they are more than happy to down tools for 10 minutes to chat to me about what they are doing. And it is this that is the whole point of Jamaica Street Artists’ open weekend – it gives people the chance to gain a
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Main image overleaf: Andrew Hood’s studio; this page: Abigail Reed talks about her work © Will Dodd
new perspective on art in the city. While we can wander through the streets and enjoy the graffiti that Bristol is now famed for on a daily basis, it is rare to have the opportunity to step into the studios of artists who push boundaries across other genres, and in doing so maintain the city’s reputation as one of the most creative places in Europe. “The open studio event is a great opportunity for people to see inside a place that they wouldn’t usually be able to,” says Lucy. “They can have a look around this amazing building, and talk to our artists about what they do. For the artists themselves, it’s a great way to find out what people think about their work, so it’s really valuable for everyone involved. “It’s also our main fundraising event of the year,” she explains. “On the Sunday afternoon we hold an auction, where buyers can purchase one-off small canvases produced by our artists. Each of our artists produces a small, one-off canvas that is then put up for auction on the Sunday afternoon. Every year things get really exciting, as people bid to buy an affordable work by their favourite artist. And even if you don’t go into it with an artist in mind, if you’ve looked round the studios beforehand and seen someone’s work that you like, it’s the ideal chance to buy something from them. And all the money raised during the auction is invested back into Jamaica Street Artists, so we can sustain the creative community that we’ve built here.” And the relationship works both ways, with many of the artists using their talent to invest something back into the community. Abigail Reed, a fine art painter, runs fine art classes for the elderly in some of the city’s residential care homes and is also involved with the charity Kids Company. “It is brilliant to be able to do this kind of work, because I am passing on real skills to people who wouldn’t usually be exposed to them. I have the best of both worlds, being able to go out into the city and share what I know with others who want to learn, and then come back to my studio here at Jamaica Street Artists and create my own pieces.” Abby’s work comprises vast, black and white paintings of animals that are both magnificent and reassuring. “I used to paint people too,” she says, “but found I wanted to escape from the human and instead express what’s 48 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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going on inside us from a different perspective. So it was a huge relief to start painting animals instead, and through them create both a sense of escapism and a reminder to people that we are not the only show in town, and that we sometimes need to step back and take an objective look at other things to see how beautiful and powerful they are. “A lot of my childhood was spent in nature, where I frequently encountered animals and admired them from that perspective. This childlike viewpoint is something I’ve tried to bring to my work nowadays through painting on such a large scale. It makes the viewer feel small, so they can look up in wonder and see something everday – such as the shape of a dog – and elevate it into something new and extraordinary. That is the way nature affects children, when they are gazing up at these big, strange, wonderful creatures, and I want to reignite that feeling in adults.” But I’d associate a child’s view of the world with a kaleidoscope of colours, so why is it that she paints in monochrome? “It’s because I’ve always done a lot of drawing,” Abby explains. “I want to retain that element, to avoid the paintings being too lifelike.” It certainly works, and seems to further strengthen her ability to elevate animals from the mundane to the sublime. In one painting, this limited palette picks out the muscle definition and fine sinews of a group of sleeping dogs, lending a distinguished nobility to their familiar poses. At the opposite end of the colour wheel, Owl by Helen Williams but with a similar interest in the natural world, is the work of Martyna Zoltaszek. She’s only been a member of Jamaica Street Artists for a couple of months, but already the creative atmosphere within the collective is starting to rub off on her. “I’m usually really precise in the way I work,” she says, “but here I’m suddenly hungry to paint on a large scale, just smashing paint across the canvas with real freedom.” This energy is palpable in her work, which depicts huge, colourful jungle scenes where blue leopards and pink tigers slink through lush, vividly green foliage and bright tropical blooms. But it’s hard to imagine how the urban landscape of Bristol inspires these exotic pieces… “I was born in Poland, surrounded by grey concrete buildings and
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ART | CULTURE
growing up wearing gloomy school uniforms, watching black and white TV, and enduring long, bleak winters,” she says. “So I devoured books to feed my imagination and help me create a colourful world for myself. My very first drawings were of monkeys, flamingos and other animals that I’d read about. But because I’d never actually seen any of these animals, most of the time the flamingos have their legs bending the wrong way, and there are elephants with trunks coming out of their heads. It’s hilarious to look back at them now! “As I got older, I moved on to different subject matter, but now I’ve returned to the jungle theme because it just feels right to me. Animals offer a great way to express so many ideas without putting them out there in a literal way. When you look at my tigers, they are all inspired by people and situations that I’ve experienced, and it’s a way of representing the emotions they’ve brought up in a way that can be understood on a different level.” With this ability to express the human condition through animals, it’s no wonder Martyna won a place as one of the select group of artists painting a sculpture for this year’s Shaun in the City trail. She couldn’t divulge which one was hers, as it’s all top secret until later in the summer, but I’m going to keep my eyes peeled for a sheep with a wild side. After chatting to one of Jamaica Street Artist’s newest members, I then met up with one of its longest standing. Andrew Hood is an established painter who exhibits all over the world, yet has remained part of the collective here for 15 years. So what is it that keeps him here? “There’s a huge difference between working at home and working in these studios,” Andy says. “When I was just starting out, it helped me take a huge step forward in my career because I became part of a selfperpetuating cycle of support, both mentally and professionally. Working alongside other people who were producing art for a living meant they understood what I was trying to do, and because they were already active and known in the art scene it opened up opportunities for me that I wouldn’t otherwise have had.” There’s an echo of Lucy’s earlier words in this explanation, and it’s interesting to find in Andy a member who has moved full circle within the collective. Having once relied on the work of other artists to draw people to the studios, he is now one of the established Anthony Garratt’s studio © Will Dodd
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Blue Leopard by Martyna Zoltaszek
members who generate that interest, and with it opportunities for newer artists’ work to be seen by galleries and buyers. Like everyone else I’ve met, Andy is looking forward to opening the doors on Jamaica Street Artists later in the month. “The open studio weekend is a great way for people to come in and meet some of the famous artists we have working here, and also discover some new blood on the art scene. There’s a real buzz around Bristol generally at the moment, with galleries across Europe showing a huge appetite for the work that’s produced here, and this is a chance to see some of the talent that we have in the city. “But this success is only sustainable if it is supported by the local community too. We are all starting to appreciate the importance of buying local and reinvesting into our city’s economy, and that extends to art too.” I’d never thought about it that way before, but Andy makes a good point. Just like our independent shops and grassroots initiatives, the success of our artists depends on them being valued and supported by the people of Bristol. And rest assured, these artists give back what we put in and then some. Not only have they put the city on the map as a centre for the creative arts, drawing in thousands of visitors a year in the process, they’ve also transformed rundown streets into thriving areas once again. It is a tangible transformation, as Andy points out: “The establishment of Jamaica Street Studios in the 1990s has been a catalyst for the changes that have taken place in the area. Just as the Tobacco Factory breathed new creative spirit into Southville, so too have the studios here. Wherever an artistic community grows and flourishes other businesses, like cafés and shops, spring up around it, attracting more people to the area and creating positive growth.” Well, ain’t that the truth? Nowadays Stokes Croft and Cheltenham Road are lined with quirky cafés, intimate restaurants and laid back bars. Ideal for treating yourself after a busy day chatting with a few of the artists who’ve propelled Bristol to the forefront of the global arts scene, meeting those who’ll keep it there in the future, and snapping up a canvas to take home at the open studio event. n Jamaica Street Artists’ Open Studio 2015 takes place on Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 June, 11am – 5pm, with an opening party on Friday 19 June, 6pm – 9pm. For more details about the event, or the work of Jamaica Street Artists, tel: 0117 944 5667 or visit: www.jamaicastreetartists.co.uk
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CITYgardens
ARTS | & EXHIBITIONS
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JUNE GALLERY
Under Arrest by Harry Bunce
Harry Bunce Exhibition, Clifton Fine Art, Saturday 6 – Tuesday 30 June Harry Bunce’s anthropomorphic animals appear cuddly at first, but look a little closer and you’ll see they have an edge. His new work focuses on the animals in Alice in Wonderland, via Jefferson Airplane’s ‘White Rabbit’ and their psychedelic take on the subject matter. The subject of Alice and her animals is also reflective of Bunce’s love of an ambiguous message – there’s always a meaning in his work, but more times than not you just can’t quite put your finger on it. This uncertainty is deliberate, but Harry admits that underlying all of his work is the desire to say something about how we are ruining the planet, albeit on a subliminal level. And don’t forget, if you’d like to enter for Clifton Fine Art’s first open submission exhibition, Green Piece, you need to send your entry over by Wednesday 3 June. You can use whatever media you like, and choose any subject matter – the only rule is the work must be predominantly green. So hop to it. Clifton Fine Art, 8 Perry Road, BS1 5BQ. Tel: 0117 925 6952 or visit: cliftonfineart.com
Dan Crisp, Sky Blue Gallery, throughout June This month, Sky Blue Framing & Gallery offers a selection of works by artist and illustrator Dan Crisp. Dan has illustrated over 70 books, and written many more. He developed his unique style of digital painting as aAllen response to the vast and Indian Summer by Katie varied influences of the British landscape. Each composition is built up in layers of remarkable detail, creating an unique interpretation of the natural world that is at once intensely colourful, boldly graphic, and wonderfully invigorating. Sky Blue Framing & Gallery, 27 North View, BS6 7PT. Tel: 0117 973 3995 or visit: www.skybluegallery.co.uk
Perfect Calm by Dan Crisp
Summer Exhibition, Lime Tree Gallery, until Tuesday 28 July A wide-ranging, strong and vibrant exhibition for the summer months, with new works from Judith Bridgland, Parastoo Ganjei, Alison McWhirter, David Smith, Graham Webber, Peter Wileman, Vivienne Williams and more. Also introducing Bristol based artist, Jane Kite. Lime Tree Gallery, 84 Hotwell Road, BS8 4UB. Tel: 0117 929 2527 or visit: www.limetreegallery.com Estuary by Peter Wileman
▲
Retouching the Masts
Restoration Revealed, Bush & Berry, 13 – 20 June At Bush & Berry this month is an exhibition by Rachel Hemming Bray, exploring the world of picture conservation and restoration. As well as offering an insight into the process, it is a rare chance to look inside this internationally renouned conservation studio. Bush & Berry Restoration Studio, Farleigh Church, Flax Bourton, BS48 1UL. Tel: 01275 464 800 or visit: www.bush-berry.co.uk
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Cally Spooner: Post Production, Spike Island, until Friday 19 June Cally Spooner presents an exhibition in the form of a post-production studio. Treating the galleries as an active testing site, she makes the final edits of an ongoing project to explore the terrain of editorial cover up, asking what can and should be removed. Spike Island, 133 Cumberland Road, BS1 6UX. Tel: 0117 929 2266 or visit: www.spikeisland.org.uk
Bee Connected, Room 212, throughout June This month Room 212 is buzzing, with artist Sophie Wellan creating a window installation dedicated to the humble bumble bee, and gallery favourites Hives and Herbals setting up a live bee hive outside on Saturday 13 June. Room 212, Gloucester Road, BS7 8NU. Tel: 0117 330 2789 or visit: www.room212.co.uk
Knitted Pea Bee
Wild Bristol, Folk House Café, Friday 29 May – Friday 26 June This month the Folk House Café is hosting an exhibition by Bristol wildlife photographer Sam Hobson. Since he was a child, Sam has felt a strong connection to the natural world, and this is reflected in his sensitive photography that captures the essence of each subject, whether it be an urban fox or a peregrine falcon. Having won awards in prestigious competitions such as Wildlife Photographer of the Year and British Wildlife Photography Awards, it is a real treat to be able to see Sam’s work in such an informal setting. Bristol Folk House, 40A Park Street, BS1 5JG. Tel: 0117 926 2987 or visit: www.bristolfolkhouse.co.uk
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Richard Long: Boyhood Line, The Downs, Wednesday 20 June – Tuesday 15 September As part of Bristol artist Richard Long’s major new solo exhibition at Arnolfini, he will make a new work on the Downs. Having lived locally since 1945, this place is highly significant to the artist with many of his key early works made here or with materials from the area. Arnolfini, 16 Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA. Tel: 0117 917 2300 or visit: www.arnolfini.org.uk
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The Other Art Fair, Arnolfini, Friday 5 – Sunday 7 June Bristol’s first Other Art Fair promises to connect buyers directly with the best undiscovered artists in the city, and beyond. Guest artists are the city’s own Sickboy, and Tracey Emin, both of who are selling affordable prints of their work, priced from £50. There’s also plenty to keep the kiddies occupied while you browse.. Arnolfini, 16 Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA. Tel: 0117 917 2300 or visit: www.arnolfini.org.uk
Autumn Pond by Rosalind Wise
▲ Wetlands and Wild Places, Slimbridge, until Monday 13 July Rosalind Wise has dedicated her life to painting wild and untouched places, and found inspiration for her most recent series of landscapes at Slimbridge. The large canvases she has created capture the seasonal beauty of the trees, the water and the splendour of the habitat. Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, GL2 7BT. Tel: 01453 891 900 or visit: www.wwt.org.uk
Peter Randall-Page & Kate MccGwire, RWA, Saturday 20 June – Thursday 10 September
Hasp (detail) by Kate MccGwire
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Two internationally renowned British artists are brought together for this striking exhibition, exploring an environmental theme for Bristol’s year as European Green Capital. Through 2D and 3D work, both artists explore natural phenomena, patterns and repetition, utilising natural or found materials within which to reflect the rhythms of nature. MccGwire’s work hints at the hidden, while Randall-Page’s work is both organic and geological. RWA, Queen’s Road, BS8 1PX. Tel: 0117 973 5129 or visit: www.rwa.org.uk
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ARTS | & EXHIBITIONS
Mark Childs
Malobi’s cat caves Diana Figueiridos
Easton Arts Trail, various locations Saturday 13 & Sunday 14 June For years intrepid Eastonites have been expressing their creativity in a wonderful variety of ways, not least among them the recycling, upcycling, and even downcycling of what many would see as trash into artefacts of beauty and value, so where better to celebrate the greenness of our city? Over the weekend of the Easton Arts Trail, you can wander from open house to open house, having the opportunity to discover local artists, buy some affordable art, enjoy a cup of tea or slice of cake, and maybe even make a new friend. There’ll also be a number of creative surprises in unexpected places – think knitting on fences, colourful street decoration and live graffiti painting in the alleyways off St Mark’s Road. For more information, visit: www.eastonartstrail.co.uk
CatMacKGlass
Quarterly Specialist Sale of Antiques, Fine Art & Collectors’ Items Thursday 4TH June At 10.30am On view: Tues 2nd June 2pm – 5.30pm Wed 3rd June 10am – 7.30pm Beryl Cook - oil on panel ‘On the sun Deck’
Sale day from 9am
Beryl Cook - oil on panel ‘Tenerife Nights’
£12,000 - £18,000
Live on-line bidding
£12,000 - £18,000
Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers The Auction Centre, Kenn Road, Kenn, Clevedon, BS21 6TT Tel: 01934 830111
Fully illustrated catalogue at www.clevedon-salerooms.com 52 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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Calendula and Honesty by Judith I Bridgland
Summer Exhibition May 30 - July 25 Lime Tree Gallery, 84 Hotwell Road, Bristol BS8 4UB
Tel 0117 929 2527
www.limetreegallery.com
nick cudworth gallery
John Lee Hooker – Original oil on linen – 40 x 40 cms. Also prints
FROM BLUES TO ROCK AND ROLL 2 - 30 JUNE
An exhibition of 9 heads of Blues singers which, when hung together make up a square, filling one complete wall of the gallery. Also on exhibit are several paintings from the Still Life in Rock and Roll series.
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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SUMMER | HOLIDAY
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REVIEW
SEA BREEZE Jenny Hayes is transported a million miles from the everyday on a trip to the Scilly Isles
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ituated 20 miles off the furthermost tip of Cornwall, surrounded by the tempestuous swirl of the Atlantic Ocean, a trip to the Scilly Isles was always going to be quite an adventure. But the feeling that I had left life in the busy city far behind began long before I reached the islands themselves. In fact, it started from the moment my husband and I stepped into Land’s End Airport. Even to call it an airport feels wrong, as it is a far cry from the vast, soulless spaces that most of us are used to. If you replace the queues of fraught-looking passengers with six people quietly lining up to check-in, swap the fast-food chains for a cool little coffee shop serving gourmet sarnies and super-fruit smoothies, and bin the gaudy airline posters and think striking contemporary art instead, you’ll be getting close. Oh, and you’ll also need to shrink the plane from a 600-seater Boeing 747 to an 8-seater Skybus. Yes, the service here at Land’s End Airport is so personal you very nearly get your own private plane. This truly is travelling in style. It was a perfect day for flying, bright and sunny with just a few clouds dotted hither and thither in the azure sky. As the plane flew off the end of England and out over the Atlantic a magical world opened up beneath me, and within the shimmering swell of the sea below I spotted a school of dolphins cresting the waves. For almost the entire duration of the flight, all I could see as I looked out was mile upon mile of ocean, making it feel like we were journeying to a whole other world. Then I spotted a boat on the horizon, and rugged rocks began to break the surface of the water below as we descended to land on St Mary’s, the largest of the Scilly Isles with a population of 1800. At the airport we were met by a transfer bus and whisked off to St Mary’s Hall Hotel, just five minutes away, where we’d be staying. And what a great first impression it made. The lovely outdoor seating area was full of families and couples enjoying both the weather and some pretty tasty looking food, and inside hotel manager Roger met us with a friendly smile and an eager arm to carry my bag as he escorted us to our suite. Yes, readers, suite. Since we were only staying on the Scillies for a couple of nights, we thought we’d treat ourselves. Ooh, were we glad we had – the accommodation was fresh and modern, with a slight nautical twist that was enough to remind you that you were indeed beside-the-seaside, without feeling you’d fallen overboard. The airy sitting area, complete with sturdy wicker chairs and soft striped rug, also featured a galley kitchen where you could whip up a culinary storm should you wish, but we settled on snacking on the box of yummy homemade biscuits we found beside the kettle. Next door was a bathroom containing a bath big enough to swim lengths in, and beyond that a spacious bedroom with a very comfy king size bed. But there was no time for napping – the sun was shining outside and the island was ours for exploring. And what better way to traverse the terrain than by every Bristolian’s favoured method of transport, the bicycle. So we hotfooted it down the road to St Mary’s Bike Hire, where owner Mike equipped us with two sturdy hybrids that would take us round the roads and up the (very small) hills with ease. It proved to be a great way to get around the island. That first afternoon we managed to take in sights like the Garrison and Star Castle where brave Scillians defended their land in the days of Francis Drake and the Spanish
Armada right up until the end of the Second World War, the ancient burial chamber on Porth Hellick Down, and the lighthouse atop the dramatic rocks at Peninnis Head. The real splendour of the Scillies lies beyond these manmade attractions, though, as the islands in their entirety are classed as an area of outstanding natural beauty. And it’s no wonder, as the archipelago boasts an incredible variety of landscapes – from craggy granite cliffs into which smugglers’ caves are etched, across daily changing dunes, to pristine white sand beaches that are lapped by tranquil turquoise water. As we encountered each on St Mary’s, we also came across some of the flora and fauna that the islands are famed for – spotting seals and sea birds, breathing in the sweet coconut scent from the profusion of bright yellow gorse, marvelling at the bumble bees hard at work collecting pollen from blue-flowered buddleia, and spotting wild black rabbits as they hopped across our path. All within our 4 mile round trip. Despite the lack of distance covered, all that fresh air had given us an appetite so we headed back to St Mary’s Hall Hotel for our evening meal. Since I was ravenous, I decided to go for three courses, starting with gooey baked cambembert encased in a crisp breadcrumb crust and served with sweet and sticky grape chutney, followed by a chunk of baked monkfish tail atop a delicious garlic squid, mussel and prawn medley, rounded off by a decadently indulgent peanut butter sundae. I washed it all down with a white wine from neighbouring St Martin’s – a 2014 Siegerrebe that had a light, youthful floral flavour brightened by green fruits and laced with a minerality that spoke of the salty air the grapes had grown in. The next morning, we awoke to the sound of church bells ringing in Sunday. Although the previous day’s sunshine had given way to clouds, a chilly breeze and a hint of drizzle, we didn’t let it dampen our spirits. After a hearty cooked breakfast we walked down to the main harbour, caught one of the regular boats that traverse the islands and headed for Tresco, where we found more stunning scenery, the famed botanic gardens, and a lovely pub to warm up in when the weather got too much for us. By the time the wind had abated and the sun returned the next day, our time on the Scillies was all but over. We spent our last morning once again exploring our base of St Mary’s, but this time on foot so we could wander the cliff top routes that we couldn’t reach on our bikes that first afternoon. And wow, was it spectacular. As we climbed higher the views got better and better. We watched the waves dash against the rocks and surf spray metres into the air, while all around us British bluebells and white wild garlic flowers bloomed and songbirds birds serenaded us. When it comes to wildlife, I’ve rarely been in a place in the UK where it is more abundant, and I didn’t even know half of what I was seeing. I could’ve kept on walking round that beautiful island all day long, and my heart wrenched when we had to return to the hotel to pack. I guess there’s only one thing for it – I’ll have to come back again next year. n Return flights from Lands End to St Mary’s are £80 pp, and the transfer service to and from your accommodation on the island is £7.50 return, for more information visit: www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk A suite at St Mary’s Hall Hotel is £128 pppn, and dinner can be booked at the special rate of £15 pp (excl. wine) for guests, for further details visit: www.stmaryshallhotel. Bike hire from St Mary’s Bike Hire is £12 pp for 24 hours, tel: 07796 638 506.
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I SPOTTED A SCHOOL OF DOLPHINS CRESTING THE WAVES
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FOOD | AND DRINK
WINING & DINING news and reviews Foodies Festival
Shakespeare revamped Neil and Olivia Greenwood, the duo behind The Royal Oak on Gloucester Rd, have reopened The Shakespeare in Redland. The pub has been given a much-needed facelift and the kitchen has been extended and can now serve a menu with freshly cooked pub classics, like beer battered haddock and chips, chicken, tarragon and smoked bacon pie and a great selection of burgers. The emphasis is on great quality fresh honest food – just the sort of the grub you want from your local pub. For more information tel: 0117 973 9850 or visit: www.theshakespearebristol.co.uk
■ After nine years at the Harbourside, Foodies Festival ups anchor and finds a new home on the Downs. To celebrate its 10th birthday, this year’s event is set to be more exciting than ever, with celebrity chefs, new food and drink theatres, artisan producers and more street food than you can shake a satay stick at. The Aga Rangemaster Chefs Theatre welcomes Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite, who will share his favourite summer recipes and top baking tips, and Michelin-star chefs Jonray & Peter Sanchez Iglesias of Casamia who will cook signature dishes from their summer menu. 2014 MasterChef champion Ping Coombes also joins the Chefs Theatre, cooking her favourite dishes from the series for visitors to take away and recreate at home for friends and family. Tickets: £10 – £38. For more information tel: 0844 995 1111 or visit: www.foodiesfestival.com
Bristol Healthy School Awards 2015 The winners of this year’s Bristol Healthy School Awards have been announced. Best young bakers were Bibi Smith from Southville Primary and Anja Babic from Redland High, best young chefs were Oliver Guilfoyle from Southville Primary and Tenaya Williams–Carsill from Orchard School, and best young gardeners were Amy Gladding from Redmaids Junior School and Michael Britton from Bristol Metropolitan Academy. Run in partnership with Bristol Food Connections, and now in their second year, the awards are designed to encourage children to engage with what they eat. For more information visit: www.bristolhealthyschools.org.uk
WI
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Feeling fruity?
Then why not try a glass of Black Tower, the UK’s favourite German wine? From the crisp and refreshing Black Tower Pinot Grigio to the soft fruits and sparkling Black Tower Pink Bubbly, there’s the perfect bottle for any occasion. The wines are lovely drunk on their own, or as compliments to a meal. Even if you’re calorie counting to get beach ready for summer, there’s something you’ll enjoy from the B by Black Tower range, which offers a range of white, red and rosé wines with a fabulous taste, but only 5.5% ABV and 55 calories per glass. And if you have reason to celebrate, then there’s a pink or white bubbly (or both!) to suit the party mood. We’re offering one lucky reader the chance to win a case of Black Tower. Just tell us: In what country is Black Tower wine made? Send your answer by email to competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk, with ‘Black Tower Competition’ in the subject line, and including your full name, address and phone number. Black Tower is available in most supermarkets. www.blacktower.de
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A quality local independent Italian that's family run and well established. WWW.PIAZZADIROMA.CO.UK 178 WHITELADIES ROAD, CLIFTON, BRISTOL, BS8 2XU OPEN 6PM TO 11PM TUESDAY TO SUNDAY (AND BANK HOLIDAY MONDAYS)
T: 0117 973 4183
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THE
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THE WINE COLUMN Angela Mount, wine and food critic returns from a trip to South Africa to share some of the gems she discovered
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ack in the spring I was lucky enough to escape the cold and damp of Britain to spend a week in glorious 30 degree sunshine in the Cape vineyards. The panoramic vistas, the landscape, the luminosity, and the unique delineation of the mountain ranges that loom above many of the vineyards, make this one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world. Even more mesmerising is the passion, and the constant evolution of the South African wine industry. Sales of South African wine are riding high in the UK, with new respect for their quality and image, from established grape varieties to new trends. Every time I visit I discover something new. I spent time with the undisputed King of Chenin, the charismatic Ken Forrester, at his estate in Stellenbosch. The last grapes were coming in, and Ken is hugely excited about the 2015 vintage, which is potentially one of the best for decades, so watch out for the new wines later this year. If you haven’t tried South African wines for a while, or if you’re stuck with views from a few years ago, it’s a different picture today. Ken Forrester FMC Chenin Blanc 2012 (GWW £24.50) Ken’s flagship white is on top form now, opening up beautifully. It’s a gloriously rich, yet elegant and textured white, full of heady, exotic, pink grapefruit, marmalade and honeysuckle scents and flavours, yet with a thoroughbred restraint, and delightfully precise freshness on the finish. I loved Ken’s quote about what he strives to do in his winemaking: ‘any clown can make a big wine; I’m trying to make wines that can both play rugby and ballet dance.’ Well this one certainly can. Great with roast pork with apricot stuffing, chicken with rich, creamy sauces, and spicy tagines. Strandveld First Sighting Sauvignon Blanc 2013 (GWW £11.95) Miles away from the heat of Stellenbosch, is one of the country’s most exciting, new discoveries for wine, Elim. This cool and windswept region is close to Cape Agulhas, the southern tip of Africa, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans divide. The colderclimate loving Pinot Noir and Sauvignon blanc thrive here, and the wines are tauter, more European in character. Strandveld is the most southerly winery. This wine is as crisp as newly-fallen snow, with the flavour of gooseberries, freshly squeezed lime, and the scents of fresh herbs. If you prefer French styles of Sauvignon to the New World ones, you might enjoy this. Try this with seafood, goats cheese salad, or this season’s fresh asparagus. Meinert Painters Ink Pinotage 2012 (GWW £11.95) Just outside Stellenbosch, nestles one of the most magical, exquisitely beautiful valleys of them all, Devon Valley. Visit in the autumn, and filigree mists hang over the hills. It’s a tranquil, peaceful place, and one where Martin Meinert, chose to buy land and create his own magic. This wine is named in homage to Martin’s family business of master printers, and is a Pinotage unlike many others. Do try this beauty – made with love and care, which this one is, Pinotage can produce some gloriously scented reds. Rich, opulent, and velvety smooth, it opens up with sweetly-perfumed, ripe raspberry, black cherry and strawberry fruit, with hints of dark chocolate and a sumptuous finish. Perfect for summer barbecues and Sunday roast. Ken Forrester The Renegade Shiraz Grenache 2011 ( GWW £11.95) Another Forrester favourite of mine. When I asked Ken about the name, he said ‘ it doesn’t play by the rules – everyone makes cabernet and merlot. This climate is similar to the Rhone, why not make a Rhonestyle wine?’ So we have a blend of classic Rhone grapes mingled to produce a rich, slightly wild, voluptuous red, packed with ripe plums, black cherries, licorice, spice, a hint of toast and mocha and a dusting of black pepper and spice. Fabulous for barbecues, herbspiced lamb, spicy Indian dishes, or a platter of charcuterie and cheese. All of Angela’s recommended wines can be ordered from Great Western Wines. Visit their website for information. www.greatwesternwine.co.uk
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LONE RANGER In her quest to uncover exciting things to do in the city, Jenny Hayes gets hands on with some seriously scary carnivores at Wild Place
All images © Will Dodd
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hen it comes to animals, my feelings are simple. I adore them. Yes, I’m that person who crosses the road just to pat your dog, and tries to adopt your cat when it inadvertently wanders into my garden. Heck, I even talk to my goldfish! So when I found out I could work alongside the keepers at Wild Place as an animal ranger for the day, I got straight on the blower and booked myself in. The morning of my adventure arrived, and I bounced out of bed fuelled with excitement. But what was that niggling in the pit of my stomach? Fear? No, that was too strong. Apprehension? Not even that. And then I recognised it as a tiny buzz of adrenalin which, when I stopped to think about it, was quite understandable. After all, I wasn’t heading out to tickle the tummies of domestic tabbies. Oh no. I’d be tangling with their much bigger brothers. When I arrived at Wild Place, located not far from The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, animal manager Will and ranger Anna were quick to reassure me that they weren’t going to throw me straight into the big cat enclosure. Instead, I’d be starting the day mucking out the zebra and elands. Not, you’d think, the best of jobs, but I can tell you now the moment I stepped through the door market ‘Keepers Only’ and into the – admittedly rather ripe smelling – animal house, I realised that I had an exceptional day ahead of me. This was a close encounter of an altogether unexpected kind. All that separated me from the iconic zebra and the pair of magnificent elands was a shoulder height fence. I was so close I could see every eyelash that fringed the elands’ big brown eyes, and only just managed to resist reaching out to stroke their velveteen coats. Fortunately, Anna was on hand to bring me back down to earth. She handed me a pitchfork and we got stuck into clearing the indoor area of old hay and other, less pleasant detritus, before serving them up some browse (tree branches, to you and me) to pull and nibble on when they fancied a snack. Impressed as I was by the elegant elands, I have to admit that my heart was truly taken with another of Wild Place’s herbivores – the okapi. Keeper Toby once again led me away from the public route and into the inner sanctum, where I was able to feed lettuce to one of these beautiful animals through a wide-meshed fence. Initially, she assessed me carefully with intelligent dark eyes, before extending her finely boned face towards my hand to take the leaves. As she ate, I was able to really look at her extraordinary proportions and markings, and marvel at the myriad of colours her coat shone in the sunlight – gleaming mahogany one moment, deepest onyx the next. She was strange and beautiful enough to have been a creature of myth. Round the corner, however, the red river hogs were very different beasts. The size of an average pig, these guys had gruff, bearded faces that made them look like grouchy old men. And Toby’s warning to mind my fingers as I threw them root vegetables to snuffle out seemed to attest to the fact that these animals had a temper. So too did some of the birds in Wild Place’s aviary. Currently closed to the public, it was a real treat to follow keeper Joe behind the scenes as he explained the rare and beautiful species I saw. Some jeered down at us from high branches, while others merely cocked inquisitive heads before returning to grooming their kaleidoscope plumages. It was at once wonderful and sad to see these creatures, some of which are now extinct in the
wild, and an apt reminder of the fact that Wild Place is not just a visitor attraction, but also an important space for the breeding and conservation of some of the world’s most incredible animals. Speaking of which, my day was about to pick up pace. Rapidly. It was time to feed the cheetahs, and that gentle fizz of adrenalin I’d felt in the morning now exploded into full on, knee-knocking intensity. So I was initially relieved to see two friendly faces in the form of Will and Anna. That was until Will informed me we’d be collecting the big cats’ lunch from the meat locker – a concept that, as a rather squeamish pescatarian, sounded distinctly unappetising to me. But nothing was going to stand in the way of me and the cheetahs, so I boldly stepped inside, filled a large red bucket with chickens in varying states of rigamortis, and headed over to the paddock. At first glance it looked empty, but when I shook the bucket the heads of the three brothers pricked up out of the grass and six pairs of eyes locked onto me. My heart leapt, then started pounding in earnest as all three rose onto their long legs and loped towards me, gaining speed with every step. Will enticed them into the small holding pen beside the main enclosure, and it was then that I could admire them at close range. I’ve honestly never seen anything so beautiful. One crouched down into a ball, making himself so small as he gazed up at me with huge golden eyes that, just for a moment, he looked like a harmless domestic cat. But when he suddenly sprang up and lunged at the fence, spraying gravel over me with a contemptuous snarl, I was sharply reminded that these were wild animals, full of awesome power and aggression. You’ll understand then, readers, why I entered the main enclosure with no small amount of trepidation. As Anna and I walked round throwing chickens into the long grass for the cheetahs to sniff out later, I couldn’t help stealing glances back at the pen to make sure they were still firmly inside. So how do you follow that? With everyone’s favourite, of course – the ringtailed lemurs. Who doesn’t love these little critters, with their bright yellow eyes and bandit-striped tails? After the thrill of meeting the cheetahs, these guys were exactly what I needed to calm down. As I discovered, there is almost nothing more pleasurable than sitting among them with a basket full of raw veggies and watching as they take the pieces from your hand, with endearing care and politeness, in their own furry fingers. The Animal Ranger for the Day experience is the ultimate way for animal lovers to gain a more in-depth knowledge of some of the amazing animals that are at Wild Place. But even if you don’t fancy getting quite so hands on, there’s plenty for families to do on a day out. As well as seeing all the animals, relaxed and happy in their large and leafy enclosures, there is a picnic meadow complete with folly, woodland to wander through, and numerous activities for children of all ages. Fancy an adventure? Then head on over. n
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MY HEART LEAPT, THEN STARTED POUNDING IN EARNEST
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The Animal Ranger for the Day experience costs £150 for one person, £200 for two. Or you can meet the okapi and red river hogs as part of the Congo experience, priced £35/£50. General admission: £7.50 adult, £6 child. For more information tel: 0117 980 7173 or visit: www.wildplace.org.uk JUNE 2015
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BRISTOL AT WORK Our series of photographic portraits by Charlotte Stone shows Bristol people at work
Bristol City Yoga Bringing harmony to mind and body
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s you walk past the bars, cafés and colourful graffiti that Stokes Croft is known for, you might not know that a whole world of yoga, meditation, dance and more lies just a stone’s throw away. Bristol City Yoga is the perfect place to go if you’re looking to find a slice of calm in your day, or take a moment to boost your energy levels. The studio has been a constant in this rapidly changing area for the last 10 years. It offers high quality classes across an array of yoga styles, from upbeat dynamic workouts to those that are profoundly restorative. And it doesn’t just offer yoga classes – there’s a whole range of activities including yoga retreats, nourishing brunches and suppers, pilates, massage, alternative therapies, and health and nutrition workshops. Private classes and therapies are also available to those needing sessions at home or in the office. “At Bristol City Yoga, we want yoga to be available for everyone,” says studio director Laura Gilmore. “Whether you’re aged 15 or 75, if you’re 6 months pregnant, or stiff from sport – we want to share the amazing practice of yoga with you. “Time and time again students tell us how much better they feel and how coming to the studio has transformed their lives. The yoga community in Bristol is friendly and inspiring, and we have so many dedicated students.” Laura also leads one of the UK’s most respected yoga teacher training programmes, passing on her 25 years of yoga experience to those eager to take yoga out into the world. With a background in Ashtanga, Iyengar, Hatha yoga and meditation, it’s no wonder her students hold her in high esteem! The studio space itself is an incredibly relaxing environment – bright and well lit with wooden floors and a beautiful oak beamed ceiling. It is also well equipped to serve the variety of people who enter through its doors every day. A particular specialism of the studio is supporting women through the pre- and post-natal time, from pregnancy yoga classes, to birth preparation workshops and family yoga sessions. With highly qualified teachers and a welcoming atmosphere, the studio creates a safe and nurturing environment for women at this special, yet demanding, time of their lives. Over the next year, look out for an even greater variety of classes and events on offer at Bristol City Yoga, and a new schedule of classes in Bishopston from September. Whether you’re a complete beginner or more adept with your practice, you’ll find something that suits you. n Pictured is studio director Laura Gilmore. For more information visit: www.bristolcityyoga.co.uk www.charlottestonephoto.com WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
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WHAT’S | NEW
Pedalling to Paris A 70 strong team of cyclists set off from the foot of the Suspension Bridge on Friday 1 May, determined to bike all the way to Paris to raise money for Above & Beyond’s appeal to raise £6m to fund projects that the NHS is unable to provide in our hospitals. After a phenomenal send off from their home city, they arrived in Paris three days later, where chief executive of Above & Beyond Sarah Talbot-Williams was waiting to greet them. “It was an honour to welcome our incredible team after their epic journey from Bristol to Paris,” she said. “Each and every one of them has done something amazing for our hospitals.” Cyclists taking part in this year’s event included the ‘Medi-Peddlers’ – a team from Bristol’s hospitals – and teams from many other businesses around the city. If you’re feeling inspired by their efforts, why not sign up for next year’s event at: www.aboveandbeyond.org.uk/cycle ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Change of address
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Jamaica Street Studios has had a makeover. The historic Grade II former carriage-works building has just been repainted, ready for summer. Jamaica Street Partners, comprising Chris Chalkley, Garth O’Donnell, Jan Parry and Danielle Provost purchased the building 23 years ago, originally looking to convert it into artists’ studios on the top floor and a TransAtlantic Slave Trade Museum on the lower two floors. But the plan was considered too contentious, so instead all three floors were converted into one of the largest artist collectives outside London. This year, the partners are also looking for a tenant for a new 130 cover bar/restaurant on the ground floor. For further details, visit: www.jamaicastreetartists.co.uk
■ Award winning Bristol Jeweller Nicholas Wylde has been given a rare opportunity to showcase his work at one of London’s most exclusive department stores. The Wylde Flower Diamond pop-up shop opens on the 5 May until 1 June at Fenwick in Bond Street. Nicholas celebrated 25 years in the jewellery business by creating the Wylde Flower Diamond and has been voted as one of the Hot 100 Jewellers in the country. Nicholas Wylde lived up to his name by beating off rising gold prices and the recession by opening his Bristol shop five years ago in the city’s sophisticated Clifton Village. His achievements are admired, not just by his growing client list but also industry professionals, and now he’s achieved another dream by taking his fine jewellery to London. “I’m so proud to have been asked to showcase my Wylde Flower Diamond at such a highly respected store,” he said. For more information visit: www.nicholaswylde.com
Having outgrown its current space, The Wardrobe Theatre is launching a £70,000 fundraising campaign to raise funds for its move to a new venue in Old Market by December 2015. The Wardrobe Theatre opened in May 2011 as a volunteer-run theatre in a tiny room above The White Bear in Cotham, and has been providing fantastic alternative theatre and comedy ever since. Over the last 4 years it has established a loyal audience and introduced many newcomers to a more accessible form of theatre, while all the time keeping ticket prices affordable at £5 or under. And now it need your help to build a bigger, brighter and bolder future in Old Market. To get involved, visit: www.helpbuildthenewwardrobetheatre.com
A colourful way to spend the day
Global clubs in local schools
■ The Chew Valley 10K on Sunday 21 June at 9.30am is now open for entries. Sponsored by Debbie Fortune Estate Agents, the run follows a scenic route near Chew Valley Lake, so you’re guaranteed to have something beautiful to look at as you navigate the course. Now in its third year, the event continues to attract runners of all ages and abilities. And this year, for the first time, children aged 4–14 can also take part, in a specially devised 1K off-road Rainbow Run taking place after the main race, at 11:30am. Both events are in aid of two great Bristol charities Bloodbikes Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Support (www.nicusupport.co.uk) and Above and Beyond (www.aboveandbeyond.org.uk). There are 700 places for the main race, 250 for children’s race, and both are filling up fast. To enter visit: www.chewvalley10k.co.uk
■ Bristol charity African Initiatives is launching a brand new initiative for summer 2015. Global Club is a dynamic after school programme for Bristol primary schools, which aims to help them learn about and understand some of our key global issues. The creative, fun and engaging sessions will be run by volunteers selected and trained by the charity, and each week will focus on a different global issue. For example, one week children may learn about where our food comes from and what Fairtrade means, and another will be all about valuing the environment, with children planting seeds in origami newspaper pots. Through these varied activities, pupils will learn more about the wider world, while also gaining teamwork and decision-making skills. If you think your school would be interested in taking part, or you’d like to volunteer, email: holly@africaninitiatives.org.uk, or for more details visit: www.africaninitiatives.org.uk
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A DV E RTO R I A L F E AT U R E
The right advice at the right time offers peace of mind after divorce By Clare Webb, Sharp Family Law - Bristol and Bath Family and Divorce Solicitors. Producing Resolution not Prolonging Conflict
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he emotional and financial upheaval of divorce is enormously stressful. Concluding that chapter in life should mean just that, not having to revisit it years later. However, in order to move on with peace of mind it is important to ensure that you have taken all the necessary legal precautions. Two cases that have recently been widely reported in the media are good illustrations of couples who tried to move on from a broken relationship with varying degrees of success! Dale Vince and his wife Kathleen Wyatt divorced in their early 30’s in 1992 and Dale thought he had concluded that chapter in his life and moved on. In many ways he had, from living in an old ambulance after the divorce and the
William and Caroline Hopkins had a “clandestine” affair when they were in their 20s and both married to other people, resulting in the birth of their son. They parted ways in the early 1980s but always kept in touch and eventually moved in together in 2001, marrying in 2009; but two years later separated. They agreed not to divorce straight away but entered into a PostNuptial Agreement. This limited and defined what the financial provisions would be in the event they did divorce. Caroline Hopkins later sought not to rely on its terms claiming that she had been pressurised by William to enter into the Agreement in order for him to secure an unfair financial advantage. In deciding Caroline had to live with the consequences of the Post-Nuptial, the Court
At Sharp Family Law we help separating and divorcing clients to address all aspects of their situation including children, finances and their emotional well-being, and to consider the long term perspective so they can move forward successfully after divorce.
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there is the desire to move on with life and with a comfortable amount of certainty and peace of mind
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smallest of beginnings, he is now internationally known as founder of the multi-million pound green energy firm, Ecotricity; a company reportedly worth at least £57 million. But almost 30 years later, in 2011, Kathleen asked the Family Court to determine what her financial claim on Dale might still be on the basis that those claims had never been formally dealt with and were still open to her to pursue. Her application was unsurprisingly challenged by Dale who made repeated attempts to persuade the court to have it struck out on the basis that she was too late to make a claim. After a number of hearings, the Supreme Court has ruled that Kathleen does have the right to proceed with her application. All avoidable if a court order had been obtained in 1992. 66 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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relied heavily on the fact that she had signed the Agreement of her own free will having received “copious volumes of legal advice”, knowing her own mind and keenly aware of her own objectives. If only Caroline had taken that advice the outcome for her could have been so different. Whilst these cases differ in their facts, what they both illustrate is by seeking appropriate legal advice at the earliest opportunity you give yourself the best chance to be as informed as possible before making those all-important and binding decisions. Whether you are advised to sign or not to sign the legal documents that purport to deal with your financial affairs it is important to proceed diligently and with as much expert support as is available.
Clare Webb
sharp F A M I LY L A W Sharp Family Law: Broad Quay House, Prince St, Bristol, BS1 4DJ email: info@sharpfamilylaw.com m: 07766 107527 t: 01225 448955 website: www.sharpfamilylaw.com
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TWO RECENT DIVORCE CASES
WIN Tickets to Jesus Christ Superstar
Anne Thistlethwaite a solicitor and mediator at AMD Solicitors considers two recent cases on financial provision after divorce When should a mother be expected to return to work? Over the course of, say, a ten-year marriage a wife may have given up her job and have three young children in primary school. Why do I mention this? Mrs Wright was in the news recently as a judge told her that she is expected to go back to work now that her children are 16 and 10 years old. When the original maintenance order had been made, in 2008, the youngest child had been only 3 years old. The judge at that time said that within a couple of years the wife should be contributing financially, whilst fitting in with her child care responsibilities. Before the marriage she had worked as a legal secretary and an administrator. The judge said that there was “a general expectation that once a child is in Year 2, most mothers can consider part-time work consistent with their obligations to their children.” By 2012, the husband’s financial circumstances had worsened so he applied to the court for the maintenance to be reduced. It seems that in the intervening years, the wife had not made any effort to find employment. It is also reported that the wife was rather evasive on questions about her own earning capacity. Her spousal maintenance was reduced. This case is fact specific as are all cases you hear about, each case depending on the circumstances. There are a number of factors, not just the length of the marriage and ages of the children that are relevant to the financial outcome in each case.
We’ve got four pairs of tickets up for grabs to enjoy this musical masterpiece at Bristol Hippodrome
How long after a divorce can a spouse make a financial claim? The facts of the case of Wyatt v Vince have been widely reported in the press. The parties divorced in 1992 and 19 years later Ms Wyatt applied, in particular, for a lump sum order against her former husband. During the marriage the parties had had one son but Ms Wyatt already had a daughter of her own who was treated by Mr Vince as a child of the family. They separated in 1984 and Mr Vince lived as a new-age traveller while Ms Wyatt brought up the children without any substantial financial contribution and in difficult financial circumstances. Subsequently, Mr Vince set up a green energy business and became a multimillionaire prompting Ms Wyatt’s application in 2011. Mr Vince applied to strike out his former wife’s application on the basis of the delay in bringing the claim. His application was initially unsuccessful but he appealed to the Court of Appeal where the judges agreed with him and Ms Wyatt’s claim was struck out. She recently appealed successfully to the Supreme Court which has reinstated her claim and the case will go back to a lower court for a judge there to decide on the value of her claim. What this case illustrates is the importance of obtaining a financial order at the time of any divorce proceedings. In appropriate cases a court can make what is known as a “clean break” order that will ensure that parties do not have to face unwelcome applications many years after they have divorced. If you are in the process of separating or divorcing or want to review an existing spousal maintenance order AMD Solicitors can advise on all the financial implications. AMD Solicitors have offices in Henleaze, Clifton and Shirehampton and Anne or one of her colleagues can be contacted on 0117 962 1460 or by email to annethistlethwaite@amdsolcitors.com
© AMD Solicitors
A local award winning law firm
T
he sensational musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, exploded onto the scene in 1971 – stunning audiences and changing the face of musical theatre forever. Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock opera tells the story of the last seven days in the life of Jesus through an extraordinary, groundbreaking score. As compelling today as it was at its inception over 40 years ago, Jesus Christ Superstar has some of musical theatre’s most legendary songs from I Don't Know How to Love Him, Everything’s Alright, and Gethsemane through to, of course, Superstar. Produced by Bill Kenwright and the creative team behind numerous blockbuster musicals, Jesus Christ Superstar tells the world’s oldest story with the superb theatricality they have brought to Evita, Joseph, Cabaret, Blood Brothers and Whistle Down the Wind to mention only a few. Leading performer Glenn Carter is set to return as Jesus, a role he has played in the West End, on Broadway and on film. Welsh baritone Rhydian Roberts joins the cast as Pontius Pilot, and starring as Mary Magdalene is Rachel Adedaji. For your chance to win a pair of tickets, all you need to do is tell us: Who co-wrote Jesus Christ Superstar?
Telephone us on (0117) 9621205 or visit our website www.amdsolicitors.com 68 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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Email your answer with your name, address and contact number to: competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk, making sure to write ‘Jesus Christ Superstar competition’ in the subject line. Deadline for entries: Thursday 25 June. Terms and conditions: Prize is valid 21 July only. Subject to availability. Prize is as stated and cannot be transferred or exchanged, no cash alternative will be offered. All prizes are subject to availability. Jesus Christ Superstar is playing at Bristol Hippodrome from Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 July. Tickets are available from the box office on tel: 0844 871 3012 or visit: www.atgtickets.com
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FAMILY | WHAT’S ON
ACTIVITY PLANNER Entertaining events and news for all the family
Bristol Youth Choir © Chris Cooper
Meet the Expert: Sea Ice, Shackleton & Science, At-Bristol, Monday 1 June, 10am – 5pm Meet scientists who work in the coldest place on earth, embark on a hands-on adventure to investigate the climate of the poles, find out how Antarctica has changed since the days of explorer Shackleton and discover the clothing and equipment used by polar explorers. You’ll forget it’s summer outside! Free with standard admission (£12.60 adult, £8.10 child). For more information tel: 0845 345 1235 or visit: www.at-bristol.org.uk
Ballast Seed Garden Family Day, Castle Park, Saturday 6 June, 11am – 2pm Meet volunteers from Arnolfini and Bristol Botanic Garden at Castle Park for a bird’s eye view of planting on the Floating Ballast Seed Garden. Families are invited to visit the Arnolfini’s activity tent and take part in fun plant themed activities. Talk to friendly, knowledgeable volunteers about the amazing garden and its special guest plants, and hear about the ideas behind the Floating Ballast Seed Garden project. Free, but donations are welcome. For more information tel: 0117 917 2300 or visit: www.arnolfini.org.uk
It’s Wrong Trousers Day!
Summer Kitchen, At-Bristol, from 11 June, drop-in sessions throughout the day
Rainbow Run, The Downs, Saturday 20 June, 1pm
Whip up some scrumptious spring surprises, get hands-on, make and taste in At-Bristol’s scientific seasonal kitchen. There’s goodies galore as you cook your way through the glut of produce from the summer season. Free with standard admission (£12.60 adult, £8.10 child). For more information tel: 0845 345 1235 or visit: www.atbristol.org.uk
The Rainbow Run is back this year in Bristol – and it's bigger, better and more colourful than ever. Organised by Children's Hospice South West, the event is a 5K route round the Downs. But it’s not at at all about speed or fitness, rather it's about celebration, having fun with friends, family and colleagues – and of course raising vital funds for your local children's hospice. You will be showered in a different colour at each of the five paint stations along the way, so expect any immaculate whites to end up as a vibrant, shimmering rainbow of colours. Tickets for 11 – 15 year olds are £8.50, 16+ £13.50. Don't miss out on this fantastic, fun and worthwhile event. For more information about the event and to register, visit: www.chsw.org.uk
Summer Family Nature Day, Dyrham Park, Saturday 20 June, 11am – 3pm & Sunday 21 June, 10am – 3pm Venture a little further afield with the family and enjoy a day out with the National Trust and the Bath Natural History Society in Whitefield flower meadow at Dyrham Park. Resident ornithologists are on hand to talk to you about the summer birds you’ll see, and other experts will help you identify flowers and grasses. There’s also butterful and bee walks through the beautiful grounds. And, if you’re not exhausted after all that, you can look inside the magnificent house too. Tickets: £10 adult, £7 child. Booking essential, tel: 0844 249 1895 or visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk
SUMMER IN THE CITY... Summer Fair, St Werburghs City Farm, Saturday 13 June, 12pm – 8pm Signs of summer are in the air, and round St Werburghs way that can only mean one thing – the Farm Summer Fair is on its way! An annual community festival, the Fair celebrates the very best of Bristol’s music, food and art in the unique surroundings of St Werburghs City Farm – a green oasis in the heart of the city. Alongside three stages showcasing brilliant bands and up-and-coming musicians, expect loads of great market stalls, plenty of local food and ale, a colourful carnival parade and heaps of family-friendly activities for everyone to enjoy! As well as being a fantastic day out, 100% of the Fair’s profits go towards keeping the Farm up and running. Tickets: £4–£6, visit: www.swcityfarm.co.uk
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At-Bristol Fun © Lee Pullen
Gala Concert, Colston Hall, Saturday 20 June, 7.30pm City of Bristol Choir is staging a spectacular gala concert in aid of Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital charity. World-famous conductor and composer John Rutter CBE accepted the choir’s invitation to conduct a choir of over 250 adult and youth singers from around the city in a performance of his Mass of the Children. Many of the performers have had first hand experience of the care provided by Bristol Children’s Hospital, which makes the event all the more heartwarming. Tickets: £20 – £40 adult, £10 child from the box office on tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit: www.colstonhall.org
Wallace & Gromit’s Wrong Trousers Day, Friday 26 June It’s that time of the year again, so rummage round in your wardrobe and dig out the silliest trousers you can find for Wrong Trousers Day, in aid of Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Charity. Just donate £1 to the charity, and then walk round all day with pride knowing you are doing your bit for Bristol’s sick children. It’s a great event for people of all ages to take part in, so get your school, college or workplace invovled, and be prepared for a good giggle. For more information, or to get your free fundraising pack, visit: www.wrongtrousersday.org
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FAMILY | WHAT’S ON
FIND YOUR VOICE
Family film screenings at Arnolfini
Family Film Screening, Arnolfini, Saturday 27 June, 11am – 1pm Part of the Arnolfini’s family programme of events, this is a special film screening just for families. Head down and relax in the Dark Studio, as Arnolfini takes you on an adventure through film to explore a theme or idea from its current exhibition or events programme. Films are rated U and are suitable for all ages unless otherwise stated. Doors open at 10:45am to collect tickets and choose your seat. Free, but donations are welcome. For more information tel: 0117 917 2300 or visit: www.arnolfini.org.uk
The Snot Rocket, Kelvin Players Studio Theatre, Gloucester Road, Sunday 28 June & Sunday 5 July, 10.30am, 1pm & 3.30pm After their sell out opening show, Monkey Trousers Theatre returns to Bishopston this summer with another sensational children’s show. Want something? Need it from outer space? Well, you’re in luck – Mr Gotalot’s Gotalot Shop is going interstellar as it launches The Snot Rocket. Inside the magical Gotalot Shop, you can buy everything and anything from Mr Gotalot and his eager shop boy Sidney. But the conniving landlady Ms Barnet is determined to shut them down. So when Captain Andromeda, professional space explorer crash lands her shuttle in the shop, the race is on. Will they be able to help the space adventurer back on her way? Will they save the shop from the clutches of Ms Barnet? Tickets: £7 each or £25 for a family of four, available from Tobacco Factory Theatres box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com
Mars Lab, until 8 July, At-Bristol, 10am – 4pm term time weekdays,
Enjoy a family day in Leigh Woods © National Trust
10am – 5pm weekends and holidays Discover more about the planet Mars using remote-control rovers and real lab equipment; design your very own ‘Mars Rover’, test it out on our Martian landscape and gather rock samples to take to the lab for analysis. What will you discover about the Red Planet? Free with standard admission (£12.60 adult, £8.10 child). For more information tel: 0845 345 1235 or visit: www.at-bristol.org.uk
Around the World in 80 Days, Tobacco Factory Theatres, Wednesday 1 – Saturday 18 July, 1.30pm, 2.30pm & 7.30pm Based on Jules Verne’s famous novel and combining clowning, live music and storytelling, Around the World in 80 Days takes you on a high speed mad-cap, transcontinental, race against the clock. An ensemble of six swap roles and instruments as a piano becomes an elephant and suitcases make a steam ship in Phileas Fogg’s extraordinary international adventure.Tickets: £13/9 available from the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com
Family Survival Day, Leigh Woods, Thursday 23 July, 10.30am – 3pm If you go down to the woods today... you’re sure to be in for an adventure! Over the course of the day, you’ll learn various survival skills including fire lighting, cooking on an open fire and den building. But remember to bring some waterproofs and a woolly, it can get cold in the heart of the woodland. Suitable for 5–16 year olds, all adults must be accompanied by a child. Tickets: £14 adult, £12 child. Booking is essential, tel: 0844 249 1895 or visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Around the World in 80 Days at Tobacco Factory Theatres
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Last month, the first session of Young Theate Makers, Tobacco Factory Theatre’s new youth theatre, took place. A bustling, smiley, excitable group of 14–19 year olds gathered in the Factory Theatre Studio and had a fantastic hour and a half long session getting to know each other and finding out more about what’s in store as the programme’s first members. Commenting on the new intitiative, Bryony Roberts, Children and Young People Director at Tobacco Factory Theatres, said: “This is a significant moment for us at the theatre; the launch of Young Theatre Makers, Tobacco Factory Theatres’s first ever youth theatre. Through our new programme of work, we are dedicated to offering high quality opportunities to children and young people, and investing in them as the theatre makers of the future. Young Theatre Makers is the beginning of this venture and I am so thrilled that it is up and very much running.” Young people involved in the group will not only have drama tuition and gain fantastic experience from exceptional facilitators, they will learn how to use their voice, grow in confidence and discover the inner working of the theatre industry and what makes it tick. Weekly sessions take place every Thursday from 6pm – 7.30pm for 10 weeks, excluding half term. The cost is £50 per term but some subsidised places are available. For info email: bryony@tobaccofactorytheatres.com, tel: 0117 963 0934 or sign up to Young Theatre Makers at: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com
Meet Mr Gotalot and his Snot Rocket © Joanna Beard
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SCIENCE | ASTRONOMY
WRITTEN IN THE STARS Jenny Hayes visits At-Bristol Science Centre, and discovers a tragic love story in the summer night sky
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SCIENCE | ASTRONOMY
Main image: Artist’s impression of the Vega asteroid collision © NASA This page: A star cluster in Cygnus © Ken Crawford
I
t would seem churlish to complain about the prospect of the long, hot summer days ahead, but for us amateur astronomers they do mean having to stay up late to see what’s happening in the night sky. But this month it’s well worth it, as you’ll be rewarded with a view of the three central characters in a tale of star-crossed lovers that rivals that of Shakespeare himself. So pour yourself a glass of wine, settle back in your deckchair and wait for darkness to descend so you can see for yourself the story that’s written above you in the trio of stars that make up the summer triangle. If you look directly up at the Milky Way around midnight, you’ll be able to spot the bright star of Altair in the constellation of Aquila. Meaning ‘eagle’ in Latin, Aquila is the stellar representation of the bird who faithfully served Jupiter in Roman mythology by carrying his thunderbolts and also capturing Ganymede to serve as a cupbearer to the god. It is one of the earliest constellations ever recorded, and was described by Ptolemy in his Almagest back in the 2nd century. The star of Altair has also featured prominently in the mythology of other cultures around the world, and in China is known as niulang xing, ‘the cowherd star’. It represents one of the characters in the old tale of The Weaver and the Cowherd, which tells of two lovers banished to opposite sides of the silver river (the Milky Way) and only allowed to meet once a year on the 7th day of the 7th month. Altair’s beloved, the weaver girl, sits across from him in the sky as Vega in the constellation of Lyra. As befitting the beauty of the girl it immortalises, Vega shines out of the brightest stars in the northern hemisphere. The star is also notable for the strange dust ring that surrounds it, most likely caused by a relatively recent collision with an asteroid that smashed on impact. The resultant rocky detritus was then simultaneously pushed outward by radiation pressure from Altair, while being held in place by its gravitational field, resulting in the presence of this halo of particles. Like Aquila, Lyra itself is often said to resemble an eagle, but this time the story of the constellation comes from Greek mythology. Meaning ‘swooping eagle’, it denotes a bird carrying a lyre in memory of the brave eagle that dove into the river to recover Orpheus’ harp after he’d been murdered by Bacchantes. Completing the Greek myth is the constellation of Cygnus, which represents Orpheus who was transformed into a swan after his death to sit in the sky next to his harp, Lyra. Due to its position in the Milky Way, Cygnus is home to an abundance of deep sky objects, including nebulae, supernova remnants and open clusters. One of the latter, numbered M39 in Messier’s catalogue, is visible from Earth to the naked eye but in an area with no light pollution at all, so unfortunately you’ll have to travel a long way from Bristol to spot it. Within Cygnus we find Deneb, like Altair and Vega before it the brightest star in the constellation. Although currently a blue-white supergiant, scientists believe this massive star has exhausted the supply of hydrogen in its core and will soon begin the process of cooling and expansion that will turn it into one of the sky’s distinguished old red giants, joining the ranks of veterans like WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (c. AD 90–168), was a Greek writer from Alexandria, renowned as a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer and poet. His Almagest is the only surviving comprehensive ancient treatise on astronomy, which contains a star catalogue of 48 constellations. These constellations are the ancestors of our modern system of 88 constellations, and are fewer in number because Ptolemy only covered the section of the sky that he could see. Among these early documented constellations was Aquila, alongside Lyra and Cygnus.
Betelgeuse on the shoulder of Orion, and Aldebaran the glowing red eye of Taurus. But perhaps most importantly, for this article anyway, we find in Deneb the conclusion to the Chinese love story of the cowherd and his weaver girl. The star represents the Magpie Bridge across the silver river of the Milky Way, by which Altair and Vega are able to reunite on one summer night each year. n With thanks to Lee Pullen at the Planetarium for sharing both his time and expertise. There’s no better way to find out more about our sky than with a trip to At-Bristol, where you’ll learn all about the stars in the UK’s first 3D Planetarium. Please note, under 6s are not allowed into 3D shows, but can attend a special 2D show designed just for them. Tel: 0117 909 2000 or visit: www.at-bristol.org.uk
Look out for... The month of June provides two great opportunities for planet spotting: ● On Saturday 6 June Venus is at its greatest eastern elongation, making it more visible in the sky. The best time to see it is just after sunset, when it will be at its highest point in the western sky. ● As in May, Mercury is also easy to spot in the sky this month, although you’ll have to get up early. On Wednesday 24 June the planet reaches its greatest western elongation, so will be visible low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
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CITY | BEAUTY
Beauty
SHOW BEAUTY THERMAL PROTECT £35.00
NOTES
SHOW Beauty's luxurious Thermal Protect defends your hair from intense heat, giving un-rivaled protection while providing exceptional style and hold
CRÈME DE LA MER GRADUAL TAN FACE & BODY £65.00
SISLEY SUPER SOIN SOLAIRE FACIAL SUN CARE SPF50 £109.00 Sisley’s Super Soin Solaire Facial Sun Care SPF50 protects the skin from the effects of photo-ageing – wrinkles, dark spots, dehydration and loss of elasticity – thanks to a cutting edge combination of UVA and UVB filters
Crème de la Mer's Gradual Tan Face & Body absorbs quickly for an even, perfectly natural looking glow with no streaks – perfect for year-round radiance
DESTINATION BEAUTY MOROCCANOIL’S SHIMMERING BODY OIL £37.00 Moroccanoil’s Shimmering Body Oil instantly infuses skin with a deeply nourishing blend of antioxidant-rich argan and sesame oils
Whether it’s a quick sunshine stopover or a fullyfledged getaway, Rachelle Howells, Beauty Manager at Harvey Nichols Bristol introduces the hottest holiday essentials to ensure you’re glowing from top to toe throughout your travels. Now all you have to do is decide on a destination… All products are available in Beyond Beauty at Harvey Nichols Bristol, or can be ordered online at harveynichols.com
LAURA MERCIER BAKED BLUSH BRONZE £30.00
EVE LOM RADIANCE PERFECTED TINTED MOISTURISER – LINEN 5 SPF15 £48.00 The Radiance Perfected Tinted Moisturiser provides a soft, 'no makeup' finish, blending easily into the skin as brightening actives help to even out tone
ACQUA DI PARMA BLU MEDITERRANEO GINEPRO DI SARDEGNA EAU DE TOILETTE £82.00 Dynamic and energising, Ginepro di Sardegna by Acqua di Parma opens with fresh accents and spicy notes of pepper and nutmeg. The fragrance closes with elegant notes of Virginia cedarwood
Laura Mercier's Baked Blush Bronze powder comprises five complimentary shades that work together to provide the perfect, natural colour for cheeks and face
BUTTER LONDON NAIL LACQUERS £12.00 Butter LONDON's Nail Lacquers provide the perfect coverage and strong pops of colour which compliment a tan
NARS DUO EYESHADOW ST-PAUL-DE-VENCE £25.00
BENEFIT SUNBEAM £19.50
Benefit's golden bronze highlighter gives you a natural, sunkissed radiance
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Worn alone or together, all Duo Eyeshadow shades feature micro-fine powders that are highly pigmented, longwearing and crease resistant
JUNE 2015
SHU UEMURA GELATO MATTE LIP TINT £18.50 Shu Uemura's Matte Lip Tint is a fresh and creamy gelato-like formula that gives a matte finish to dewy-stained lips
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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
BRIGHTEN YOUR SMILE
Mr Cornelius Krause
A
healthy smile can be a great asset, not only does it provide physical benefits but a great smile can transform your visual appearance, lift your mood, give you confidence and make you appear more attractive. Despite this, nearly half of us are unhappy with our grin and research shows one in four* people in the UK suffer from anxiety before visiting the dentist with many avoiding the chair all together for fear of what may happen. Mr Cornelius Krause is the founder and lead Dentist at CK Dental based at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, The Chesterfield, in Clifton Village. He has over 10 years’ experience and has worked with internationally renowned dentists to develop his passion and skills for minimally invasive and cosmetic dentistry. Cornelius said: “There are many reasons why people feel anxiety about visiting the dentist; many have previously had bad experiences, either as a child or where they have experienced pain with another dentist. “It seems more and more people are feeling uncomfortable in the chair. This has encouraged us to find solutions and new ways of working to make WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
sure our patient experience is as positive as possible. Our conscious sedation service is a really good option for putting nervous minds at ease and is also ideal for those needing to undergo lengthier treatment as it doesn’t mean an overnight hospital stay. Instead, patients can go home immediately after treatment, providing they have a friend or family member who can stay with them. For those who are suffering from extreme anxiety, we also offer a general anesthetic service.” The sedation service is available for a range of treatments from traditional procedures such as extractions, root canal treatments and implants to cosmetic work including full smile makeovers. Unlike sedation-free visits where patients are treated by just the dentist and a hygienist or nurse, users of CK Dental’s new service will benefit from constant monitoring by a Consultant Anaesthetist to ensure the whole procedure is pain-free and they are at ease throughout. Cornelius added: “Our approach is to ensure every patient is treated individually, tailor-making our treatment plan to take into account their age, lifestyle & budget. As a first step, we will carry out a thorough examination and assess the needs of our patients to determine what treatment options will suit them best. We have a team of expert dentists which enables us to provide the best possible specialist care for our patients. “Not being happy with your smile can make you feel very self-conscious and have a surprisingly detrimental impact on your life. From simple things like not wanting to appear in photographs to more deep-rooted issues around being comfortable in public, a person’s smile can’t be underestimated.” For more information about the new sedation service at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, The Chesterfield, contact www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol or call 0117 987 2727. *British Dental Association.
Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital The Chesterfield, 3 Clifton Hill, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1BN Tel: 0117 987 2727 • www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol JUNE 2015
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HEALTH | & BEAUTY
HEALTH NEWS AND OFFERS ■ On p. 84, you’ll be able to read Emma Oakley’s glowing review of stylish Bristol hair salon Bonomini. Recognised as one of the top four Davines Eco Salons in the country, the ethos of sustainable beauty is engrained in everything at Bonomini, from the way the salon is managed to the gorgeous products used, so you’ll not only leave with beautiful hair but also a clean environmental conscience. If you fancy a bit of pampering under the expert hands of the team there, you’ll be pleased to know that they are offering all readers of The Bristol Magazine 50% off a cut and colour, or 20% off a cut, until Tuesday 30 June. And the good news doesn’t stop there, as Bonomini are also launching a new loyalty card, that rewards returning customers with a free blow dry, hair conditioning treatment or handy travel product third, sixth and ninth visit. For more details, or to book an appointment, tel:0117 923 9169 or visit: www.bonominihair.co.uk
■ This month, we asked the experts at the College of Naturopathic Medicine what we should be eating to stay healthy. “It's very much easier to eat healthily in the summer when warmer temperatures make us inclined to choose fresh, nutrient-dense foods that will have a positive impact on our health and wellbeing.” They said. “At this time of year there’s lots of wonderful local veg and fruit in season. In June specifically, peas, beans, courgettes, asparagus and strawberries are plentiful. They’re full of important vitamins and minerals, and as well as being gorgeous on their own, can be used in a wide variety of dishes. Blend broad beans (a rich source of protein), with peas, mint, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic for a refreshing, tasty dip. Asparagus may help to ease inflammatory conditions like acne or gout. Try using steamed asparagus stalks instead of toasted soldiers, with your boiled egg.” For more information about CNM, visit: www.naturopathy-uk.com
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FIT & FAB
June brings the sunshine, so here’s everything you need to stay looking cool
Head to toe beauty... Five products to get the perfect look for summer
• To achieve that barely there, natural look this summer, look no further than the Bobbi Brown sunkissed nude collection. Sweep this Face & Body Bronzing Duo, £34 over cheeks for a subtle glow, and spritz your skin throughout the day with this light Face Mist, £21.50 to keep your complexion fresh and enviable dewy. Available from House of Fraser in Cabot Circus, John Lewis at The Mall Cribbs Causeway, or online at: www.bobbibrown.co.uk • You’ve achieved subtle yet flawless skin, so what’s next? A slash of sunshine across your lips of course! Space NK Lipstick Queen’s Endless Summer range, £18 comes in four vivid colours guaranteed to brighten up your day, and everyone else’s. And to keep the rest of your body looking as luscious as your face, smother yourself in Space NK Prismologie Rich Body Cream, £50. Available from Space NK, 81 Queens Road, BS8 1QP, at Harvey Nichols in Cabot Circus, or online at: uk.spacenk.com • Finally, add a dash of complementary colour in your hair with these pretty Flower Bud Clips, £6 from Accessorize. Go on, it’s summer, have some fun with your look! Available from Accessorize in Cabot Circus, at The Mall Cribbs Causeway, or online at: uk.accessorize.com
MUA Shari Knowles shares her tips to make your makeup last in the heat Creating long lasting makeup during the summer months is no easy feat. You're dealing with beauty saboteurs like sweat and humidity which can completely ruin your makeup. Here are my favourite summer-proof beauty tips: Primer: The most important step. A primer acts as a barrier between skin and foundation, keeping it fresh and intact. Eyelid primer: These prevent eyeshadows creasing and help the colours appear more vibrant. Layering: This increases the staying power of makeup. When applying blush, blend one layer onto the skin and then reapply. Waterproof mascara: Hayfever, heat, squinting in the sunshine, these will all break down mascara that isn't waterproof. If your favourite mascara isn't waterproof, just apply as normal with a coat of waterproof to seal the lashes. Setting: Swap pressed powders for setting spray to keep your makeup practically budge-proof. Look for one with hydrating ingredients like cucumber or green tea to give skin a healthy glow. Shari Knowles, MUA, tel: 07872 953 355
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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
CNM Open Day Saturday 20th June 2015 10am-5pm
Join our Open Day at CNM Bristol’s brand new location, and be inspired by the power of natural therapies to promote health and vitality! The event will be packed with exciting tips on how to look after your health naturally. Plus, if you’re thinking of changing your career, you’ll get the chance to find out more about training with CNM to become a natural health practitioner.
10.30am
Gut Flora and Probiotics Natalie Lamb Learn the importance of maintaining optimal gut flora
• CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine) trains students for successful careers in natural therapies. • We are one of the largest and most experienced training providers in natural therapies worldwide. • CNM has colleges across the UK, Ireland, South Africa and the USA.
12pm
Combating Obesity & Diabetes Simon Bradley How nutritional therapy can help combat obesity & diabetes
• At CNM Bristol, students can study for a Diploma in Naturopathic Nutrition, or Naturopathic Acupuncture. Additional subjects are available at other locations. • If you’d like to know more about studying with CNM, visit www.naturopathy-uk.com or call 01342 410 505.
2pm
The CNM Training Concept Gemma Hurditch Hear about CNM courses available in natural therapies
3.30pm
Acupuncture to Increase Digestion Amanda Hair How Acupuncture can improve digestion, plus live Acupuncture demonstration
Tickets to this event cost £10 per person.
Please book online at
www.naturopathy-uk.com/events WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
CNM Bristol has relocated to a great new venue at Woodlands Court in Almondsbury, to cater for our growing number of Nutrition and Acupuncture students who study part time. CNM Bristol, 1B Woodlands Court, Ash Ridge Road, Almondsbury, Bristol, BS32 4LB.
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Tel: 0117 968 2663 • www.carlohairandbeauty.co.uk 6 Rockleaze Rd, Sneyd Park, Bristol BS9 1NF JUNE 2015
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SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS Bonomini, 22 Alma Vale Road, BS8 2HY. Tel: 0117 923 9169 or visit: www.bonominihair.co.uk
BEAUTY
Emma Oakley finds a safe way to colour her hair during pregnancy at this lovely Clifton salon
C
onfession time: I’m not a natural blonde. I managed to get away with it through my twenties, bleach-highlighting every few months to avoid the dreaded meh-coloured roots (and, hmm, the occasional grey), but when I discovered I was pregnant I was faced with a question I’m sure many other expectant mums have asked: is it safe to colour hair during pregnancy, and, if so, how can we do it? It’s one of those risks you’re never sure if you should take. Like having that one slice of Brie, or not quite cooking your eggs through. Your head (roots creeping by the second towards the ears) says: ‘Come on, what difference is it really going to make?’ Then a small, niggly voice, counters: ‘But it’s only nine months. What if, what if, what if…?’ Enter Bonomini hair salon, the passionate, award-winning beauty institute in the heart of Clifton, and the answer to my pregnancy prayers. I’d heard that the products they favour are second to none. Sourced from Davines, a family-owned, international hair care brand with headquarters in Parma, Italy, the emphasis is on respect for the environment. Davines employ high-grade, natural ingredients, and, in their own words, apply ‘scientific rigor to every product to guarantee our customers’ safety.’ Bonomini was the first salon in Bristol to use this gorgeous range, and today they remain the only concept salon in the city, meaning that all their products, from shampoos to conditioners to colours to scrubs, are exclusively Davines. With this philosophy they can embrace the spirit, style and ethos of their Italian partners – and it really comes across. Finally, this was exactly what I was looking for: safe, well-regarded, super-quality colours that guaranteed excellent results. Open the door to Bonomini and it’s like stepping into your very own Italian villa. A huge bouquet of lilies bursts a riot of white and purple from the front desk. There’s a welcoming, busy bustle of stylists and clients, and the spring sunshine streams through lofty shuttered windows. A sage-green spiral staircase winds to an upper floor, and through the studio I spot the dimly lit, promising calm of the backwash basins, whose chairs are complete with footrests and a massage function. Wooden floors, stylish hanging lamps, high, corniced ceilings, chunky wooden mirrors above Italianate mock-marble shelves (on which I will later be served a beautiful hobnail teapot of peppermint tea) all contribute to the impression of being on holiday. And if we can’t feel that way when having a treatment, when can we? Lori greets me and I explain what I’m looking for. She’s a stylist who listens; she’s informed, friendly, confident, and I’m instantly jealous of her hair: a
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white-blonde choppy bob that I’m pretty sure, with my natural colour, I’ll never achieve without peroxide. But Lori has other ideas. She’s going to use a Davines high lift to give me the lightness I’m seeking but with none of the chemicals. Bleach and peroxide are a no in pregnancy, she tells me. They’re too strong, and can have negative effects on the scalp and blood flow. What about highlights versus full-head colour? Highlights are a better bet. A full dye soaks more readily in the scalp, whereas highlights can be kept a fraction short of the root. Lori reveals that women with full-head colour often come into Bonomini during their pregnancy for a highlight packet on their roots, a blending solution that avoids complete coverage. And the effects of pregnancy on hair don’t stop there: Lori has found, when colouring for expectant mothers, that the result can sometimes be a shade lighter or darker than anticipated. This is down, as is so much else, to those pesky pregnancy hormones. Women can also have thicker hair during pregnancy, and then lose it after the baby arrives. So it’s always worth mentioning your pregnancy to your stylist, whether cutting or colouring or both. While Lori puts my foils in, I ask her more about the highlights she’s using. Davines takes its colour vision from nature, she tells me. The reflective shell of a beetle, for instance, the way it catches the light and subtly shimmers as it moves, is the latest inspiration in their range. As soon as my hair is washed, I see what she’s talking about. The results are three-dimensional, golden at one angle, honey at another, white-bright when the sun catches the blonde. I love it immediately. It looks natural – which, I suppose, is the point; and which, after years of bleaching, my hair is probably happy about, never mind my pregnancy. When Egidia, the salon’s owner, comes over for a chat, I understand exactly what she means when she says that Bonomini is all about a personalised, bespoke experience. There’s a stylist and a result here for everyone, a spread of characters and services that are completely tailored to the client. By the time I’m spritzed and blow-dried, and looking and feeling a million times better than I did three hours ago, I’m inclined to agree. Something else Egidia says, before I leave Italy behind and return to Alma Vale Road: it must be nice to come and have a pampering session before the baby arrives. She’s right. Who knows when I’ll next have the luxury of a purely selfish, all-about-me beauty treatment? I’m just glad that my last colour experience in who knows how long was with Bonomini – and that while I’m run off my feet, making mistakes, getting no sleep, I can at least be blonde while I’m doing it. n Half head highlights from £70, cut and finish from £55.
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The initial consultation package of £150 in Clifton, Bristol includes
Trying for a
baby?
All infertility treatments offered including IUI, IVF and ICSI in Bristol and Cardiff locations
- AMH hormones test to assess ‘ovarian reserve’ (the number and quality of eggs that you have) - A pelvic ultrasound to assess the ovaries and fallopian tubes - A 1 hour fertility consultation with a female Consultant Gynaecologist Ask questions via our website or meet the team and learn more about infertility diagnois and treatment at our free monthly open evenings
- A semen analysis
EmbryoScope
nancy in clinical preg 23% increase riage ar e in early misc 35% decreas st co in 0% increase est & in the South W The only clinic e us ely siv Wales to exclu time-lapse EmbryoScope
yos
br u want your em Why would yo re? grown elsewhe
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All patients’ embryos transferred in EmbryoGlue at no additional cost CRGW is an independent, bespoke centre which offers the latest scientific technology and state of the art facilities needed for al modern fertility treatments. We are located at 2 Clifton Park, Clifton and also off junction 34 of the M4, only 15 minutes from Cardiff City centre. We pride ourselves in placing patients before profit to enable affordable, cost effective treatment options while maintaining the best pregnancy rates. Options include: IUI IVF ICIS EmbryoScope time lapse monitoring Embryo freezing Egg freezing Donor egg and donor sperm treatments Female fertility assessments Sperm tests Sperm freezing Surgical sperm retrieval
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MBChB, MRCOG, MD At CRGW, we care about the way we care
Centre for Reproduction and Gynaecology Wales
www.crgw.co.uk - 01443 443999 www.facebook.com/CRGW.Ltd twitter.com/crgwfertility
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Self-Pay Health Have you considered self-pay private healthcare treatment? Kate Hoffmann, matron at Spire Bristol Hospital, explains your options Mum, voiceover artist and BBC Radio Bristol presenter, Faye Dicker, meets the Bristol businesses that make family life easier...
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here was a video doing the rounds on social media a few weeks ago, which summed up the sometimes sharp elbowed world of parenting. It showed groups of parents arguing over different styles of parenting while ignoring the fact their babies were left in their pushchairs, which by then were rolling down a hill. The end shot is them all coming together, babies safe in arms, with the underlying message being that the most important thing is our babies are loved and safe – no matter what our approach is to parenting. It might sound extreme, it might sound cheesy, but it can feel like that when you’re parenting ‘out there’ sometimes. Especially in the early days, when there is this little tiny bundle totally dependent on you. The feeding is relentless and it’s hard to know if you’re getting anything right. Speaking from the heart, I can honestly say, the first year of two children was one the hardest of my life. Both were so little and needy, and both of them needed me! Suddenly your support network is invaluable and takes on a whole different meaning. Which is why when I heard about BABS it immediately caught my attention. BABS is a clever little acronym for Breast and Bottle Support. It offers a nonjudgmental space and support for mums, whether they are breastfeeding, bottle-feeding or combination feeding. Lets face it, each way has it’s own challenges. While this might just sound like another lovely group, it really is quite maverick. Where else in Bristol is there is a group which unites and supports both breast and bottle feeding mums? Rather than creating two separate groups and inadvertently forming divides, why not bring people together? Speaking as a mum who breastfed both babies, I found it easy to feel segregated depending on where I was. Yet equally I know mums who bottle fed their children and had similar experiences. You can feel judged at an already challenging time. BABS is different. Set in KudaCan, a community hub off the Gloucester Road, they meet every Friday from 10am – 12pm and provide a breastfeeding peer support worker and a breastfeeding consultant at every meeting. Both KudaCan and BABS are the brainchild of Pegah Esmaili, who struggled to find support after having her first son. She is passionate in what she does and incredibly warm hearted. As you walk into the space, she’s striking up conversations with mums and toddlers alike, complimenting them on their plaits and telling them what a clever mummy they must have for doing them. Not many people have a knack of making people feel comfortable in their own skin in one comment, but Pegah can. Perhaps, most telling, as a mum who has bottle fed one child and breast fed the other, she knows both sides of the coin. Which is why she set about forming BABS. I joined them this week and got chatting to a group of women who were all grateful to be united. It might sound simple and it might sound obvious, yet those first few months are so challenging, you just need to know you’re not alone out there and that someone else gets it. My two girls are 3 and 1 years old, which in real terms is still young – but it’s the first few months which are the most challenging. If I had to do it all again, I’d gladly rock up at BABS with my babies and start to feel slightly human again. n For more info about BABS, visit: www.kudacan.co.uk www.freelancemum.co.uk 84 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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pire The Glen Bristol Hospital is witnessing an increasing number of patients investing in their healthcare by paying for their treatment to give them faster access to medical care. With the ever increasing demands on the NHS, people are looking for other options to speed up getting treatment for procedures that aren’t necessarily life threatening but do cause discomfort and have a negative impact on their lives. Kate Hoffmann, matron at Spire Bristol Hospital, explains: “The self-pay option can help to put patients who are waiting for treatment at ease by providing a simple, hassle-free alternative that allows them to be seen within a few days of enquiry. “Patients come to the hospital for an initial consultation with their chosen consultant and a treatment plan is agreed. They are then given an all-inclusive fixed price which covers all aspects of their care. The fixed price provides peace of mind and reassurance as patients’ know there will be no hidden or unexpected costs to contend with. The surgeon’s fee, anaesthetist’s fee, and hospital fees which cover nursing care, accommodation and food throughout your stay are all included.” “The fixed fee also covers a follow-up appointment with the consultant if needed and all standard post-operative care including 2 weeks supply of takehome drugs, removal of stitches, dressing changes and any physiotherapy the consultant advises. There will also be no additional cost in the unlikely event that you need to be readmitted in relation to the procedure that has taken place.” To help spread the cost of treatment patients may be eligible for an interest free loan arranged through First Medical Loans. Call tel: 0845 6341199 for details. For more information on how to self-fund your treatment at the hospital, call Spire’s Private Treatment Advisors on tel: 0117 980 4000 between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday, and they will be happy to guide you through the process. You can also read what some of Spire’s self-funded patients have said about their experiences of the hospital on the website, visit: www.spirehealthcare.com/bristol/
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OUT | AND ABOUT
THE SECRET’S OUT This month, Andrew Swift guides us on a stroll through beautiful Corsham
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orsham is one of Wiltshire’s best-kept secrets. That doyen of architectural historians, Nikolaus Pevsner, declared it had ‘no match in Wiltshire for its wealth of good houses’, John Betjeman thought its High Street ‘one of the best left in England’, and in the recent production of Poldark, it stood in – very convincingly – for eighteenth-century Truro. Yet it remains largely unknown. This month, though, there is an ideal opportunity to find out what Corsham has to offer, as it hosts an annual walking festival, with over twenty events. And, to whet your appetite, this month’s walk takes a leisurely stroll around this fascinating historic town. To get there, head east of Bristol along the A420 for 16 miles. After passing the village of Ford and the Crown Inn, take a turning on the right signposted to Biddestone. Biddestone is another of Wiltshire’s best-kept secrets, a picturepostcard village with duck pond, two pubs, and houses ranged round a village green. Having driven through it, carry on for a mile and a half until you come to traffic lights. Carry straight on, cross two mini-roundabouts, and, when you come to a T junction with another mini-roundabout, turn left along the B3353. Carry straight on across a final mini-roundabout along Lacock Road and, after half a mile, turn right into a free car park for Corsham Park (ST880702). ● Cross the road, go through two gates into Corsham Park and bear right along a path. Just before a stile, bear left to follow a fence as it curves round to the lake. As you head west along the lakeshore, Corsham Court comes into view ahead. When the lake ends, carry on in the same direction, heading to the left of the church spire, and, after passing the churchyard wall, cross a stile and turn right into Church Square, with Corsham Court ahead. The Court and its gardens are open to the public, and well worth visiting, but, to continue the walk, turn left along Church Street past Corsham’s most bizarre building. You would be forgiven for thinking that the ruined wall in front of you is part of some ancient monastery pulled down to build the Court – which is probably what you are meant to think. It is actually an eighteenth-century folly, built so that the Court’s residents did not have to look at the back of the imposing three-storey building on the right. 86 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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● The other buildings in Church Street are more modest and typical of the many weavers’ cottages still to be found in the town. At the end of Church Street, you come to the heart of the town, where much of the filming for Poldark was done. The town hall was built as a market hall, with open arches, in 1784. After they were filled in, the upper storey was added in 1882. The ancient pub beside it, which may originally have been the church house, was until recently called the Packhorse, but is now known as the Flemish Weaver. ● Looking to your left, you can understand why John Betjeman was so impressed by the High Street. For now, though, we are heading right, past a row known as the Flemish Cottages after the weavers from the Low Countries who settled here in the seventeenth century. If you look to the left up Priory Street, you will see, opposite eighteenthcentury Ivy House, an older building once used as a fire station, and still with its bell for summoning the firemen. ● After passing what is reputed to be Corsham’s oldest building, resplendent in yellow render, on the left, the street curves past the sculpted hedges of Corsham Court. Cross to the lefthand pavement and, at the main road, cross and carry on along Bence’s Lane. Just after crossing the end of Ivy Field, turn left along a footpath. At the end, cross the
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OUT | AND ABOUT road and turn right past the old Duke of Cumberland Inn and the Baptist Church of 1828. Towards the end of the road, with a former police station on your right, look for ornamental 1930s datestones on the semi-detacheds on your left. ● At the end, turn left along the A4 through Pickwick, once a separate hamlet, but now absorbed into Corsham. Pickwick Cottage, on the right, is particularly redolent of its rural past. After more old cottages comes a windowless building, its high arches filled with grey stone. This was Pickwick Brewery, closed in 1896. Carry on past the Two Pigs, once the Spread Eagle, which doubled as the local mortuary. At the end, with Pickwick Manor, dating from the fourteenth century, ahead, turn left by the Hare & Hounds along Pickwick Road. ● Modern houses, along with impressive nineteenth-century villas, predominate for a time before older buildings start to reappear. Look for another old police station on the right and the former White Lion, still with its sign bracket, on the corner of Paul Road. Alexander Terrace, on the left, holds a surprise in the form of a first-floor bay, with wellproportioned columns, partway along a row of late Victorian cottages. ● Carry on along Pickwick Road and, at the mini roundabout, cross at the lights and carry on in the same direction. At the Methuen Arms, with the eighteenth-century Grove on your right, turn left along the High Street. A diversion along the road to the left of the Methuen Arms leads to an eighteenth-century gazebo in the far corner of the car park. It lies in the garden of a house called Parkside, once owned by the composer Michael Tippett. ● Return and carry on along the High Street, past the front of Parkside and a glorious array of buildings spanning several centuries, to return to the Town Hall. One final delight awaits, for which you need to retrace your steps partway along the High Street before turning left along a footpath opposite the HSBC bank. This leads to the tree-lined South Avenue, aligned on the Court, along which you turn right. Go through a kissing gate at the end to see, opposite, a row of almshouses, together with a school and master’s house, founded in 1668 to accommodate six elderly people and educate ten scholars. Little changed in three and a half centuries, they are open to the public and provide a unique glimpse into seventeenth-century life. From here, head back along the avenue to where you joined it, and turn right through a gate to follow a path back to the car park. n
WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
TOWN AND COUNTRY: other page, main image: the almshouses; inset: the old fire station; above: Corsham Park
FURTHER INFORMATION... ■
Distance: 3.5 miles
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Time: 2 hours, plus optional visits
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Level of challenge: Fairly easy, along paths within town
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Map: OS Explorer 156
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Pit stop: There are several good pubs dotted throughout the walk
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Corsham Walking Festival runs from 12 – 14 June
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HOMES | ON SHOW
THE SEARCH IS OVER Marianne Swinkels scours leafy north Bristol to uncover this glorious lodge in Hallen
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t is with great reluctance that I write this, and much hesitation. Had I been ‘set up’ on the equivalent of some property blind date joke? Or was it a challenge to test my mobile’s tricky sat-nav? The mission itself was straightforward enough: to hot-foot it to Hallen to view a lodge so new to market the sale details were not yet released. A last minute, let’s wing-it, house view adventure. Which in the rush to leave, turned into a phone left at home disaster. Need I say more? So there I was, dashing around the desirably leafy north of Bristol environs in my not so speedy jalopy on the lookout for anything meriting such an easy-tospot definition. The quest for a lodge was seriously on: some smallish home at the entranceway of a wealthy estate; a quaint renovated gatehouse dwelling once occupied by a gardener/housekeeper in the grounds of a large house; perhaps something along the lines of a hi-de-hi wooden chalet or eco holiday home, or maybe even Masonic? But I found nothing that matched my mindset. It was only after eventually venturing up some discreet driveway flanked by well-groomed lawns, that I’d a hunch the search had ended. And as an impressively large and generously proportioned beauty of a building swung into view, ended rather grandly. Here then was incongruously named Hallen 88 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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Lodge, belying all expectations; a magnificent misnomer of a mini-manse in its own right, with not a humble lodge in sight. And this was just the start of beginning to expect the unexpected. There can be few houses where you step inside an entrance hall to encounter a bull. Yep. A life size bull named Chintz – albeit thankfully not alive. Think more along the lines of Aardmans’ decorous Shaun the Sheep sculptures. But then this is no ordinary home as that first glimpse of the ample hallway, itself the size of many a typical Clifton apartment reception room, soon revealed. Once a 17th century manor house, sensitively divided into two separate and handsome houses in the 1930s, you’ll know in an instant whether this period home is what you’re after. It’s that sort of place. A splendid mix in style: a 300 year old stone and red brick building where Georgian architecture meets Victorian posh and rubs along famously with its modern additions. I fell for it the second I grumped into its generous 1.2 acre gardens and marvelled at the splendid stone mullioned windowed frontage against a backdrop of bluebell woods, lawns and sizeable walled vegetable plot. And then there’s the unexpected price. All this for an out of centre property hot spot guide price of £795,000! Why live central when this semi-
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HOMES | ON SHOW
PROPERTY PROFILE Where: Hallen Lodge, Hallen, Bristol, BS10 7RH What: Substantial period home with original features in 1.2 acre grounds. Further 10 acres of additional land and woodland available by separate negotiation. Specifications: Five receptions, 6/7 double bedrooms in circa 4,600 sq ft of accommodation. Detached outbuilding. Lodge originates pre1800s, with feature stone mullioned leaded windows, fireplaces, original oak staircase, cupola. Guide price: £795,000 Agent: Goodman & Lilley (Henleaze Office), www.goodmanlilley.co.uk Contact: Email: sales@goodmanlilley.co.uk, tel: 0117 213 0777
rural property in Hallen, close to the verdant Blaise Castle Estate, a handful of minutes from The Mall at Cribbs, a mere half a dozen miles from Bristol centre and close to M5 motorway links offers such an advantageous country life, city culture and easy commuting combo? It’s a best-of-both-worlds, have-your-cakeand-eat-it location for this individual family home in its out-of-town oasis of grounds. Rare indeed. Back to the unexpected as you enter that impressive hallway. There’s a hint of the spacious accommodation to come as you glance along the long oak floored corridor downstairs and up at the large original wooden staircase rising to a galleried landing and flooded in daylight from the distinctive domed cupola. But, boasting as it does some 4,600 sq ft of living space, it is not until you enter Hallen Lodge that you’ll have any idea of the real scale of this also very homely place. Allow yourself time to view. You’ll need it as you wander round five, yes five, receptions rooms – not to mention the kitchen, utility, cloak and boot
rooms. I imagined wearing a Great Expectations costume frock as I took the leisurely tour through library and ornate living room with its high ceilings, open fireplace and stone mullion leaded light bay windows. The equally grand, and family friendly, dining, drawing rooms and snug beckoned beyond. And then pause for breath in anticipation of the flow of bedroom space above. All six of them. All large. Each individual room offering either feature windows or fireplaces, sunken bath or en-suite concealed behind a sliding wall, roof terrace and views over the mature and private gardens. Surely no more I hear you ask? Of course there is: a further ten acres of additional land and woodland can also be had, available by separate negotiation. Back then, to my reluctance to share this awesome BS10 postcode find. I would move in tomorrow but, confound it, simply cannot. I ask only this... Will whoever takes up residence do the decent thing – and invite me over for tea? n
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YOU’LL KNOW IN AN INSTANT WHETHER THIS PERIOD HOME IS FOR YOU – IT’S THAT SORT OF PLACE
❞
WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
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GARDENING GARDENING
BUON APPETITO Mamma mia! Our garden expert, Margaux Speirs, shows you how to bring the taste of Italy to your garden
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ave you ever thought of having a pizza oven in the garden? I hadn’t… until someone I was doing a garden design for recently asked me to include one. Suddenly I kept seeing and hearing about them and I have to conclude that it is a ‘must have’ for a trendy garden, and that a lot of people might consider having one if they thought about it! So I will share with you the research I have done into why you might like one, how to choose one, how to use it and start up and running costs. I also had a look at the Clean Air Act as Bristol is a Smoke Control Area and the legislation says it is an offence to burn solid fuels (including wood) in the city without the use of an exempt appliance. I was reassured to discover that the smoke control laws do not apply to pizza ovens (or to bonfires, barbeques, chimineas and fire pits) which are burning wood outside in a garden. You should however take steps to ensure that such activities do not become a ‘statutory nuisance’, as irritated neighbours can also apply to city enforcement officers to intervene if you emit smoke and fumes to such an extent that it is prejudicial to health or a nuisance. The occasional barbeque is OK but regular smoke emissions could result in an abatement order. You can buy ‘smokeless fuels’ i.e. fuels which have been stringently tested to demonstrate that they are capable of burning without producing smoke, but part of the purpose of a pizza oven is to have the sound, smell and taste from wood burning so these fuels would rather defeat the object. If your neighbours are very close to where you want to have your pizza oven the safest course is to buy an ‘exempt appliance’ as defined in the Clean Air legislation. This means that the oven has a smoke chamber which burns off the smoke before it reaches the chimney, allowing you to burn traditional 90 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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coal and wood that would otherwise be banned under normal circumstances in a Smoke Control area. So why would you want a pizza oven? The reasons seem to range from “we all love pizza”, to “it makes a family meal into an occasion” and “after dark it gives warmth and focus to the dining area in the garden”. I was surprised to learn that you can use it to cook quite a lot of things other than pizza, including roast meat, casseroles, meringues and bread. I thought it might take long time to heat up. Haven’t we all misjudged how long a barbeque can take until it is hot enough to cook on, and we’ve stood about hungrily watching the nominated chef? Apparently it only takes 20 to 30 minutes (depending on its size) from applying the match until your pizza oven is hot enough to cook pizza (and then it only takes about 90 seconds to cook so the combined time is not much more than cooking pizza in a conventional oven). So how do you choose the right one for you? They come in various sizes so decide how much space you have and whether you are happy to cook one pizza at a time. The smallest ovens have a 60cm diameter cooking floor, 80cm external width and the next size up, with room for 2 pizzas, has 76cm internal diameter, 1040cm external width. For most of them you need to buy or build a base, table top high, then the oven including its flue stands a metre higher than the top of the table. There are portable versions available but I am assuming if you are going to build one you will do it properly and have a Mediterranean looking domed oven rather than a metal box on wheels. The self-assembly ones can be dismantled and go with you if you move house but are not portable in any other sense. Those constructed with brick seem to be about half the price of the steel ones (but are slower to heat up).
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GARDENING
Do you want to build it yourself? This may be cheaper and it gives you the ability to achieve a customised finish (e.g. clay and brick ovens can be painted), but it can also increase the heat retention of your oven which is better for slow roasting and overnight cooking. You can buy lovely kits for DIY ovens from The Stone Bake Oven Company – starting at £950 plus delivery – or look up some of the online plans such as those at www.howtospecialist.co.uk. Vitcas sells whole kits and also suitable bricks, doors and other accessories if you are building your oven from scratch. I favour buying something that is as near as possible to ready to use when it arrives and I’d recommend choosing a DEFRA ‘exempt appliance’ for the reasons given above. The main UK suppliers seem to be The Stone Bake Pizza Oven Company (starting price £949), Vitcas (prices starting from £499) and Mediterrani (from £650) but a specialist shop in Yorkshire, Creative Outdoor Living, imports quite a few different brands and sizes direct from manufacturers in Spain and Italy. Jamie Oliver has put his name on the lovely Dome 60 (prices from £1300). So once you have your pizza oven, then what? You will need to buy kiln dried hardwood cut to approximately 3 x 10in pieces. This kindling will cost about £3 a net and the largest local supplier is Firewood Supplies Bristol (tel: 07847 711 744). You will need to empty out the ash when it is cold. (It’s a good fertiliser so put it on your compost heap or spread it straight onto the garden.) Otherwise the only cleaning required is washing the paddle you use to put the pizza in and out of the oven. You can leave the oven outside all year but it will last longer if you cover it in the winter. Some of them come with optional covers. I would love to hear from you if you already have a garden pizza oven as I am still wondering if this is a flash-in-the-pan trend (if that is the right simile?) or really a good idea for an English garden! n Margaux Speirs is a pre-registered member of the Society of Garden Designers and runs her business, Margaux Speirs Garden Design, from her home in Bristol. Tel: 07903 779910 or visit: www.margauxspeirsgardendesign.co.uk
PLANT OF THE MONTH: Who can resist the appearance and fragrance of summer perennial peonies, Paeonia lactiflora? Their blooms don’t last long but they epitomise the romance of an English garden in summer. There are so many to choose, mostly in shades of pink, some with heavy, frilly blooms, some with simpler, single rows of petals but aim to buy one which has the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) as this tends to indicate it has good shape, robustness and length of flowering period. Grow in deep, fertile, humus-rich reasonable garden soil in full sun or partialshade. A new generation of hybrid peonies has recently been bred which has the longevity of flowering of a tree peony (May through July) while still being only the size of a perennial peony but it’s really expensive at the moment as it still has novelty value (about £50 per plant).
Pampered Paws Home Boarding Holidays For Dogs Home from Home Care for your dog while you are away. So you can relax and enjoy your holiday while your dog is having a holiday too. Set in lovely surroundings in a family home in 3 acres, surrounded by countryside in Winford, 20 mins from Bristol, 25 mins Bath. Conveniently located near Bristol airport so you can drop your dog off and pick them up on your way to and from the airport if you wish.
Tel: 01275 472697 www.pamperedpawsbristol.co.uk
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BRISTOL PROPERTY | IN FOCUS
N
umber 5 Richmond Hill is a superb example of a Grade II listed Georgian townhouse. In keeping with the period, the house is beautifully proportioned and many period features have been retained including fireplaces in the hall floor reception rooms, working shutters and sash windows. The high ceilings are decorated with period cornice work and several rooms have lovely preserved wooden floors. At present the house is occupied as a single dwelling with the lower ground floor having been converted into the master bedroom suite, although this could be reversed to provide self contained accommodation (subject to consents). The upper floors offer four storeys of family living accommodation comprising in brief: Kitchen, family/sitting room, dining room, cloak room, balcony, six double bedrooms, four bath/shower rooms with one en suite, 3rd floor kitchenette, lower ground floor with master bedroom with en suite shower room, two studies/further bedrooms, utility room. In addition to the abundance of living space there is plenty of storage and a cellar. Outside there is a rear garden with pretty raise terrace as well as a roof terrace with far reaching views. Off street parking is available. The enormous flexibility of this property is well suited to extended families or those with live in staff and viewing is highly recommended. Agents are Knight Frank Clifton.
RICHMOND HILL CLIFTON, BRISTOL • Master bedroom suite plus 6 further double bedrooms • 2 study/smaller bedrooms • Kitchenette with roof terrace • Good sized rear garden • Possibility of self contained lower ground floor
Guide Price £1,395,000
Knight Frank, Regent House, 27A Regent Street, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 317 1999 WWW.THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
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Bristol & Clifton’s premier Commercial Property Agents Keep up-to-date with our latest news and market comments at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk
(0117) 934 9977
INVESTMENT FOR SALE 13/15 KING STREET, BRISTOL. BS1
FOR SALE THE OLD CHURCH A spectacular property in a lovely location in Flax Bourton – Currently studio/offices. C.3,000 sq ft. Price on application
QUEEN SQUARE, BRISTOL Modern open plan offices in prime Queen Square location.
Substantial property of c. 13,000 SQ FT fully let to Craft Beer Emporium, Tivoli Inns and Humphreys Solicitors. Rental income £119.000 PAX
2,506 SQ FT. Only £12 per sq ft – TO LET
PRICE £1,200,000
FOR SALE / TO LET
FREEHOLD FOR SALE – STOKE BISHOP
Modern warehouse / industrial unit –
Suit occupiers and investors. Large fully fitted shop + high spec 3 bed maisonette and rear coach house.
Mead Court, Thornbury 6,677 sq ft – Only £475,000 or to rent £30,000 pax
Freehold - ONLY £395,000 EDEN OFFICE PARK, HAM GREEN
R DE R N E U F OF
69 OLD MARKET STREET FOR SALE
Easy access to Clifton & the m-way (J 19) –
Attractive Period Office building c.1407 sq ft + 2/3 car spaces.
A high quality modern office unit of c 1,804 sq ft + 9 car spaces –
Freehold - £250,000
New Lease 48 CORN STREET BS1
ST GEORGES COURT – BS1
Open plan office suites in a landmark Corn Street office building – 476 sq ft – 1,200 sq ft –
Very well located modern offices just off College Green with 9 car spaces –
Only £10 per sq ft
785 sq ft to 3,855 sq ft – New lease - £12.50 psf
(0117) 934 9977
Julian Cook FRICS
Burston Cook June.yindd 1
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BRISTOL’S COMMERCIAL PROPERTY EXPERTS Recent transactions.... D
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If you own or occupy commercial property in Bristol
We can help you..... Check our website for the latest news www.burstoncook.co.uk
Burston Cook June.yindd 2
(0117) 934 9977
21/05/2015 11:21
BRISTOL’S COMMERCIAL PROPERTY EXPERTS A selection of recent transactions.... D
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RETAIL INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO – SOLD £1,600,000
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BS1 - PURCHASED FOR DEVELOPMENT C. £500,000
INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO SALE – C. £1,600,000
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BS1 - INVESTMENT PURCHASED C. £900,000
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NAILSEA – SALE AGREED – C. £2,300,000
If you own or occupy commercial property in Bristol
We can help you..... Check our website for the latest news www.burstoncook.co.uk Burston Cook June.yindd 4
(0117) 934 9977
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Almondsbury £1,395,000
Easter Compton £595,000
Five bedroom period property believed to date from the early 20th century, substantially extended and renovated throughout by the current owners. EPC - D
Formerly part of the village forge this five bedroom property has been lovingly restored, renovated and extended by its current owners. EPC - E
City Centre £350,000
Westbury Park £330,000
Two bedroom penthouse in the City Centre, providing spacious living accommodation, with balcony providing panoramic views. EPC – B
Fantastic location close to the downs and offering three doubles bedrooms and a generous living space. Ideal for sharers or investors. EPC - D
Clifton Office 0117 946 6007
Over Lane – Five bedroom house
Forge Cottage – Five bedroom house
Horizon – Three bedroom flat
Blenheim Road – Three bedroom flat
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Westbury-on-Trym £695,000
Westbury-on-Trym £504,950
Nestled in a privileged and elevated position on the crest of Westbury Road giving far reaching views of Bristol, with contemporary twists and stylish finishes throughout. EPC - B
This fantastic four bedroom spacious semi-detached property is within prime crescent of Westbury-on-Trym. It offers off street parking, garage and sizeable garden. EPC - TBC
Five Bedroom – End Terrace House
Four Bedroom – Semi-Detached
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Nestled in a prime Westbury-on-Trym Cul-de-Sac this three bedroom semi-detached home has been lovingly restored by the current owners. EPC - TBC
A four bedroom home in a perfect family location being approximately two hundred meters from Westbury-on-Trym academy School. EPC - D
Three Bedroom – Semi Detached
Four Bedroom – Semi Detached House
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Westbury-on-Trym £435,000
oceanhome.co.uk
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Clifton £425,000
Redland Prices from £395,000
Clifton £355,000
Elegant two bedroom hall floor flat with grand proportions, an off-street parking space and retaining many original features. EPC - E
Available to view! In a quiet backwater, a development of three individual two bed mews houses built to a unique design by award-winning developers Touchstone Homes. EPC - TBC
Offering a level approach to Clifton Village, direct access to a private garden and no onward chain, this property will suit a variety of buyers. EPC - D
Waterfront £329,950
Redland £315,000
Clifton £300,000
Generous proportions and in a fantastic location with the added benefit of off street parking for 2 cars and a private courtyard. EPC - C
Two bedroom, two bathroom purpose built apartment in Redland with allocated parking, a walk out balcony and communal gardens. EPC - F
Requiring some updating and offering a 52ft x 23ft private garden, sizeable front garden, allocated off street parking space and level approach to Whiteladies Road. EPC - D
Coombe Dingle £475,000
Westbury-on-Trym £465,000
Westbury-on-Trym £465,000
A wonderful opportunity to purchase this sizeable detached family home on the popular Westbury lane in Coombe Dingle. EPC - D
Following a decorative and expansive refurbishment completed with impeccable care, pride and attention to even the smallest of details. EPC - E
This extended three/four bedroom family home is ideally placed in close proximity to both highly rated ‘Westbury on Trym C of E’ and ‘The Bristol Free’ Schools. EPC - D
Private Road £425,000
Westbury-on-Trym £399,950
Westbury-on-Trym £289,950
Originally built circa.1850 this period cottage is located off a private lane and has stunning views. Three of the four bedrooms have useful fitted wardrobes. EPC - D
The raised position 12 Chock Lane gives an over whelming sense of light and space throughout. And within the Westburyon-Trym C of E Academy schools catchment area. EPC - C
In the centre of a historic village, within prestigious school catchments and short stroll to two family friendly pubs. EPC - E
Miles Road – Two bedroom flat
Fitzroy Mews – Two bedroom house
Northcote House – Two bedroom flat
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Harbour Walk – Two bedroom maisonette
The Praedium – Two bedroom flat
Alma Road – Two bedroom flat
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Four Bedroom – Detached House
Four Bedroom – Link Detached House
Three Bedroom – Semi Detached House
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Two Bedroom – Detached Cottage
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Two Bedroom – Detached Cottage
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Property Concept June.qxp_Layout 5 18/05/2015 12:47 Page 1
MANAGEMENT • SALES • LETTING • CONSULTANCY
City Centre £339,950
Redland £345,000
This stylish first floor duplex apartment at 10 Unity Street forms part of a grand, Grade II listed building situated in Bristol's historic centre, just off Park St, with a wealth of shops, cafes and restaurants on your door step. Bristol University and the teaching hospitals are a short walk away and Clifton Village, the Harbourside and all major transport links are easily accessible. Accessed via a grand communal staircase this spacious and modern apartment, built to a contemporary style, is flooded with natural light and incorporates a double height kitchen /sitting room with stairs leading up to two double bedrooms and a shower room. There is a second shower room on the lower floor. The property is being sold with no onward chain and a rental history is available. Viewing is strongly recommended.
This property forms part of a semi-detached villa just off Whiteladies Road and very close to Clifton Down Shopping Centre with its mix of restaurants, cafes and boutiques. Buses are extremely plentiful to all parts of the Bristol area, along with good transport links to Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol International Airport. The accommodation comprises kitchen/sitting /dining room with an abundance of period features and plenty of light from the good-size bay window to front, with two double bedrooms and bathroom to the rear. This is a lovely property in a good location with the added benefit of being within the local residents' parking scheme. This apartment is being sold with no onward chain, and viewing is recommended. EPC rating E.
Clifton OIEO £220,000
Harbourside £289,950
A rare opportunity to purchase a property in a central Clifton Village location across the road from Christchurch Primary school. VIEWINGS WILL COMMENCE TUESDAY 26th MAY and will cease 11th JUNE when we will invite BEST & FINAL OFFERS. VIEWING STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT. This garden flat is sold as a refurbishment project and is need of considerable work. The property has a private entrance and a rear garden which could possibly have dual use as an off street parking space, subject to the necessary consents. It is highly unlikely that this property is suitable for anyone requiring a mortgage. EPC rated E. In conjunction with the sale of this flat we will be selling a three car garage to the rear. This will only be sold either with the flat or only after a sale has been agreed on the flat. Garage OIEO £35,000
An attractive first floor flat in the Great Western House development, which sits in an enviable location adjacent to the site of the SS Great Britain on Bristol's historic waterfront, a perfect location to access the City Centre, Clifton Village and all major transport links. The well planned accommodation incorporates a spacious kitchen/sitting room, two double bedrooms, one with en-suite shower room and separate bathroom. There are doors out from the sitting room to a balcony. The apartment, which is being sold with no onward chain, is finished to a high specification throughout and further benefits from an allocated secure parking space and there are bike storage facilities on site. A full rental history is available. EPC rating B.
21 Princess Victoria Street
Tel 0117 970 6119
enquiries@propertyconcept.co.uk
Clifton, Bristol BS8 4BX
Fax 0117 970 6109
www.propertyconcept.co.uk
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Stoke Bishop
Coombe Dingle
Stoke Bishop
Unique family dwelling, extensive kitchen/ diner with granite worktops, two receptions with oak French doors to family garden, four bedrooms and a quality contemporary bathroom. Landscaped garden measuring approximately 18m and integral garage. EPC E.
A substantial detached bungalow, living room with dual aspect views and access to garden, kitchen/diner with double doors to garden, three/four bedrooms, family bathroom, ample parking and garage, solar panels. EPC D.
A well-presented four bedroom semidetached family home, three receptions and kitchen/breakfast room; parking for four/ five cars and a delightful family garden with extensive patio area and lawn. EPC D.
Price Guide £725,000
£550,000
Price Guide £475,000
Westbury Park
Henleaze
Henleaze
Immaculately presented, Edwardian six bedroom family home, four bathrooms, two original receptions, an extended kitchen dining area, granite worktops, triple access to a landscaped garden and balcony. EPC D.
Edwardian, three storey, semi-detached six bedroom family home; three/four reception rooms including open plan kitchen/dining area overlooking garden. Further benefits include many original features throughout, balcony and off street parking. EPC F.
Detached, well-presented, four bedroom family home, in good decorative order, modern kitchen/breakfast room, living room, dining/play room with French doors to a family garden, private driveway and garage. EPC C.
Price Guide £800,000
CJ Hole June.indd 1
Price Guide £750,000
Price Guide £550,000
18/05/2015 12:42
Clifton t: 0117 923 8238 (sales) t: 0117 946 6588 (lettings) clifton@cjhole.co.uk
www.cjhole.com At time of writing (which is generally weeks before time of reading) we have just seen a majority Conservative government take the helm and whispers in the wider property market that a bounce is sure to follow. There’s no doubt that North Bristol prices have climbed in the last few weeks. The dearth of stock and long list of buyers and tenants have contributed to property inflation. The rights and wrongs of the UK housing market are not my remit here, merely trying to do the right thing for all our clients. Sadly there are pitfalls at times like this: panic buys, gazumping and agents overvaluing. Be aware, be savvy, take advice and use experts you trust and that come personally
recommended in every part of your property transaction. Beyond that, carry on as normal, because sitting on your hands and waiting for the market to rise or fall helps no one; at the end of the day for most of us it’s about having a roof over our heads. And perhaps the nicest roof possible we can whatever government, property market, or economic climate we find ourselves in? Howard Davis MD Clifton Howard Davis M.N.A.E.A Managing Director - CJ Hole Clifton
Easton-In-Gordano A generously proportioned and light detached home located in the picturesque village of Easton-In-Gordano. This lovely property is just 5 miles to Clifton Village via Brunel’s historic Suspension Bridge and just 1.6 miles to the M5 motorway. There is a local Parish Church just up the road plus a lovely village watering hole (The Kings Arms) a short walk away. EPC D.
£539,950
Redland A beautifully presented four bedroom family home set over three floors complete with a southerly facing rear garden. This stunning property has undergone a full refurbishment and offers contemporary living in a popular residential area of Redland. The property falls within the Westbury Park and Redland Green school catchment areas. EPC E.
Guide Price £635,000
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ON
Welsh Back, Bristol Guide Price £275,000
Set in the heart of the Welsh Back in the centre of Bristol, this fabulous vessel epitomizes city living at its best. House boat, kitchen/diner, 3 beds, family bathroom, utility, snug and drawing room. EPC Rating: Exempt
SOLD
Clifton, Bristol Guide Price £485,000
This 3 bed garden apartment offers kitchen/breakfast room, drawing room/diner, family bathroom and handy utility space plus a beautiful private garden. EPC Rating: D
SOLD
Abbots Leigh, Bristol Guide Price £2,995,000
Leigh Woods, Bristol Guide Price £1,325,000
Cleeve Hill, Bristol Guide Price £595,000
Cadbury Camp Lane, Bristol Guide Price £1,395,000
One of the county’s finest Grade II listed estates, offering a 7 bedroom main A substantial & beautifully presented detached house overlooking the house with independent 2 bedroom coach house spanning over 8,000 sq ft Ashton Court Estate. 6 bedrooms, 4 reception rooms, 5 bathrooms, 4743 in 7 acres. EPC Rating: F approx. Sq Ft. EPC Rating: D
A unique architectural masterpiece set within a former Georgian Riding A beautifully appointed delightful family home offering 5 beds, 3 baths, School. 3 beds, 3 bath, magnificent open plan living space, enclosed courtyard leisure complex, home office, double garage, gardens and woodland. In all and lawned gardens, private gated parking and garage. EPC Rating: Exempt about 4.4 acres. EPC Rating: F
Hamptons Bristol
Sales. 0117 322 6362 | bristol@hamptons-int.com
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CLIFTON | BRISTOL
GUIDE PRICE ÂŁ950,000
An elegant Grade II Listed Georgian townhouse (circa 2960 sq. ft) situated on the edge of Clifton village with self-contained accommodation and a pretty courtyard garden. Stylish kitchen, dining room, first floor drawing room (with balcony) and sitting room to the rear. Three double bedrooms. Bed 4/nursery. Two bath/shower rooms. Self-contained one bedroom apartment which can be easily re-incorporated to the main. Utility room & garden room. EPC: Exempt.
Fine & Country Bristol 147 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2QT Tel: 0117 946 1946 Email: bristol@fineandcountry.com bristol.fineandcountry.co.uk
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CLIFTON | BRISTOL
OIEO £400,000
A stunning first floor apartment in a desirable location, presented in superb condition with the addition of allocated off-street parking and well maintained communal gardens. Dual aspect reception room. Contemporary fitted kitchen. Two well-proportioned double bedrooms. “Core & Ore” fitted bathroom. Circa 769 sq. ft. Good storage. Gated off-street parking. Generous communal gardens. EPC rating: C
fineandcountry.com
Clifton - Guide Price £545,000
A charming end of terrace 4 bedroom Victorian Villa with landscaped garden. Stylish accommodation is arranged over 3 floors with numerous period features. Viewing is highly recommended. EPC - E
Redland - Guide Price £335,000
A superb 2 bedroom hall floor flat in a handsome period conversion with first come first served parking on a popular residential road just off Whiteladies Road, Clifton. Light and airy accommodation boasts high ceilings and period character. EPC - D
Henleaze - Guide Price £475,000
City Centre - £185,000
An attractive well proportioned 1930’s 3 bedroom semi detached house with decorative arched porch. Good sized lawned rear garden, off street parking and garage. Situated on a popular residential road in Henleaze with open aspect to the front down Oakwood Road. EPC - E
A one and a half bedroom first floor apartment with secure parking space. Built in 2005 it is ideally located in the heart of the City of Bristol offering easy access to Bristol and the M32/M4/M5 motorway network. An ideal apartment for both single professionals/couple or investment buyer. Offered with no onward chain. EPC - TBC
Clifton - Guide Price £325,000-£350,000
A 2 bed modern Mews cottage, with garage and courtyard garden has been built in the site of the former Clifton quarry. The property is located in Clifton, just off Whiteladies road close to the Downs. The property has the added bonus of an integral garage. EPC - D
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Westbury Park - £185,000
This beautiful one bedroom top floor flat is ideally situated close to Waitrose and the Downs. With accommodation comprising of lounge, separate fitted kitchen with window, double bedroom and bathroom with window. Situated on this quiet tree lined road on the borders of Redland and Westbury Park. Offered with no onward chain. EPC - E
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Stoke Bishop - Guide Price £1,200,000
A substantial ‘Stride’ built family home with garage, set in a third of an acre plot on one of North West Bristol’s most attractive and desirable side roads. The house provides 4 reception rooms, 6 double bedrooms with 3 en suites, a family bathroom and a 1 bedroom annexe. EPC - D
Stoke Bishop - Guide Price £675,000
A 1930’s detached 4 bedroom house set in a wonderful position being towards the end of a cul-de-sac in one of Stoke Bishop’s premier roads. There is enormous scope for extending this house (subject to obtaining necessary consents). EPC - F
Stoke Bishop - Guide Price £600,000
Westbury-on-Trym - £605,000
An attractive, extended 4 bedroom detached family house with garage & off street parking. Set in wonderful mature gardens and situated in a popular side road just off Stoke Hill in central Stoke Bishop within Stoke Bishop & Bristol Free School APR areas. EPC - E
A traditional 1930’s 4 bedroom semi-detached family house. The house has the major advantage of a really good size garden, extensive off street parking and a garage. Situated close to Stoke Lane shops and amenities. EPC - E
Sneyd Park - Guide Price £450,000
A superb, larger than average first floor apartment offering 3 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms and 2 bathrooms. Set in an immensely popular block with beautifully maintained communal gardens, two parking spaces and a private balcony with stunning views. No Onward Chain. EPC - C
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Sneyd Park - Guide Price £295,000
This is a stunning very spacious 3 bedroom purpose built apartment being in Bristol’s most exclusive suburb and fabulously presented throughout. There is a good size balcony that enjoys spectacular evening sunsets, residents parking & a garage. EPC - D
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