The Bristol Magazine November 2021

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Issue 204

THE

I

NOVeMBeR 2021

MAGAZINE

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

£3.95 where sold

FOOD SHOTS The world's leading awards for food photography and film exhibit at The Royal Photographic Society

LITERARY DELIGHTS

BBC journalist Kate Adie reflects on life on the frontline

THE COOLEST CONCERT

Ice music pioneer, Terje Isungset, celebrates 20 years of emerging art form

MYSTERY AND MAGIC

Author and art historian, Amy Jeffs, reimagines the myths of Britain

TURNING TWENTY

Founders of North Bristol Art Trail look back on two decades of talent

AND SO MUCH MORE IN THE CITY’S BIGGEST GUIDE TO LIVING IN BRISTOL

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30

xxx

74 Contents November 2021 Kris Hallenga

Amy Jeffs

REGULARS ZEITGEIST

GLITTERING HOPE

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8

Top activities for the month to come

CITYIST

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10

BARTLEBY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ...is getting back to reality

WHAT’S ON

66

TECH INNOVATION

Catch up on local news and meet illustrator and designer Jasmine Thompson

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Author and founder of breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel!

Kris Hallenga talks about her new book, Glittering a Turd

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64

Merle Hall – founder of the UK’s first female-led product initiative – highlights some ‘sheconemy’ greatest hits

FOOD & DRINK

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26

A cross-section of upcoming happenings

A WORLD OF FOOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

We take a look at some of the winners of the Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year awards

Andrew Swift delves into Silverthorne Lane’s development plans and discovers one of Bristol’s most evocative forgotten corners...

BRINGING IBERIA TO BRISTOL KITCHENS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 A sneak peek into Bar 44’s gorgeous new cookbook

ARTS & CULTURE

FOODIE FABULOSITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

LITERARY DELIGHTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 We sit down with renowned BBC journalist Kate Adie CBE ahead of her appearance at the Clifton Literary Festival

ICE ICE BABY

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Ice music pioneer Terje Isungset on making beautiful sounds from instruments carved from solid blocks of ice

THE STORIES OF OLD

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30

32

What’s showing at our local galleries

TURNING TWENTY

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Founders of the North Bristol Art Trail look back on two decades of celebrating local talent

REACHING FOR THE STARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 The managing director of Bristol Spaceplanes explains his ideas to produce affordable spaceflight for the masses

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HABITAT HOME & ANTIQUES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Chris Yeo on the evolution of fine dining niceties

West Country author, printmaker and art historian chats about her debut novel, Storyland, which is steeped in mystery and magic

ARTS & EXHIBITIONS

Melissa Blease speaks to the head chef of Michelin-starred restaurant, Casamia, which recently hit the headlines

WILD AT HOME

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74

Houseplant expert Nicola Taylor puts together a care package for a variety of species

GARDENING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Elly West helps us plan for a colourful and exuberant 2022

ON THE COVER The winner of the Marks & Spencer Food Portraiture Award at the Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year Awards. Image: Mulled Pears by Harriet Harcourt

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Overall winner of the Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year Credit: Li Huaifeng

THIS MONTH WE’VE BEEN...

Admiring...

from the

...local artist Violet Von Riot’s latest collage of ‘Cliftonwood’ made with recycled magazines – and a bit of biro. Full of hidden messages, check out more of Violet’s work at: violetvonriot.com

EDITOR

T

he common thread running through our November issue is perhaps one of firsts. This year, the Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year awards – the world’s leading awards recognising food photography and film – will be exhibiting outside London for the first time.

On 20 November, the winners of over 20 categories will be on display at The Royal Photographic Society for all to enjoy. On our cover this month is Harriet Harcourt’s Mulled Pears – the winner of the Marks & Spencer Food Portraiture Award.

It’s not just a photograph, it’s an M&S… you get it. Enjoy a selection of the winners’ work on p.40.

Staying in the world of sustenance, we take a closer look at the city’s food and drink scene, which is well and truly back and buzzing. From venues that we return to time and again to top quality restaurants, cafes and foodie emporiums, we’re sure p.42 will satisfy every appetite.

Keeping cool about his first appearance at St George’s Bristol this month is ice music pioneer Terje Isungset, who is marking 20 years of his innovative art form with a project that brings together artists with a long tradition of living in arctic conditions. Terje speaks to Jeremy Blackmore (p.22) about making beautiful, ethereal sounds from instruments carved out of solid blocks of ice.

Amy Jeffs’ debut novel, Storyland, continues this issue’s thread on p.30. We sat down with the author, printmaker and art historian to escape into the mists of time.

A definite highlight in the calendar this month is the Clifton Literary Festival. Launching the event on 12 November is internationally renowned BBC journalist Kate Adie CBE, who will be discussing journalism in these changing times. We spoke to the veteran war reporter about her fond memories working at BBC Radio Bristol and her incredible career filing from the field (p.20).

In space news, an innovative Bristol-based aerospace company is hoping to be the first to provide affordable spaceflight for the masses. We chat to the managing director of Bristol Spaceplanes about how we could all be enjoying a trip into space “for not much more than a first-class return ticket to New York” (p.56).

In food news, Melissa Blease speaks to the head chef of Casamia. After hitting the headlines for writing fake reviews of his own Michelin-starred restaurant, Zak Hitchman lets us in on the music, the menu and the mouthfuls of “foodie fabulosity” (p.50).

We also chat to author and founder of breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel!, Kris Hellenga, about her new book, Glittering a Turd, which shows us what it is to live life to the full (p.66).

Elsewhere, we have new children’s book recommendations from Bookhaus; top tips from houseplant expert Nicola Taylor; and a timeline of the evolution of fine dining niceties from antiques expert Chris Yeo. And finally, it’s a pleasure to be stepping into these big shoes for the first time as editor of The Bristol Magazine – what a city to be a part of…

MILLIE BRUCE-WATT EDITOR

@thebristolmag

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Loving...

... Neon87’s LED neon signs. This signage studio makes everything from simple signs to custom creations. LED neon signs are about 80% more energy efficient than traditional neon signs too.

Browse the collection at: neon87.com Image: This Must Be The Place Neon sign; £321

Excited...

... to see ice music pioneer Terje Isungset perform at St George’s Bristol on 18 November. Joining Terje onstage will be Sámi singer Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska, Inuit throat singers Akinisie Sivuarapik and Amaly Sallualuk, and many more.

See our interview with Terje on p.22.

Image: photo by Emile Holba

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ZEITGEIST

top things to do in November

Admire

Shop Made in Bristol Gift Fair is set to return to the Bristol Beacon’s foyer for three giftpacked shopping weekends, welcoming up to 200 makers and creators from the local community. On 27 – 28 November, 4 – 5 December, and 11 – 12 December, visitors will be able to browse an array of unique gifts and artisan products – the perfect opportunity to get ahead with your festive shopping. Hosting carpenters, potters, weavers, leather-workers, jewellers and printmakers, Made in Bristol Gift Fair is sure to offer something for everyone.

• madeinbristolgiftfair.co.uk Image: Earrings by Kay Morgan; photo by Jo Hounsome Photography

On 23 November, Grammy winner Zakir Hussain will be performing at St George’s Bristol. Presented by Asian Arts Agency, the evening will see Zakir Hussain’s spectacular tabla playing – one of the great sounds in contemporary music. A complete virtuoso at the height of his creative powers, Zakir’s career is a roll call of highlights. He played with Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan, then made his name from a series of extraordinary cross-genre collaborations with the likes of John McLaughlin in the great acoustic group Shakti and Mickey Hart from the Grateful Dead. Zakir’s accolades include a Grammy Award and a Ratna Sadasya, Sangeet Natak Akademi’s most prestigious honour. He was awarded SF Jazz’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his “unparalleled contribution to the world of music”.

• asianartsagency.co.uk

Image: Zakir Hussai; photo by Roger Thomas

Listen After the success of the first Clifton Literary Festival in 2019 and the disappointment of not being able to follow it up last year, the festival is thrilled to be up and running and looking forward to a stimulating weekend of talks and discussions.

The festival will begin on 12 November with an interview with award-winning BBC broadcast journalist Kate Adie, who will be reflecting on her life at the forefront of broadcast news reporting, and the state of that precious commodity in today’s turbulent times. See our interview with Kate Adie on p.20.

The Saturday programme will see a terrific line up of speakers including, traveller, Alastair Sawday, nature historian, Stephen Moss, political journalist, Jonathan Dimbleby and poet, Bob Walton. On Sunday, Phil Haughton, founder of Bristol’s own Better Food and author of Food for Thought will be in conversation with Xanthe Clay, while Jenny Chandler will be running a cooking workshop for children. A major highlight will see Sunday Times journalists Jonathan Calvert and George Arbuthnott talk about their seminal book that looks at the government’s response to Covid.

The weekend will round off with an evening of music.

• cliftonlitfest.com

Image: Jonathan Dimbleby

Laugh Comedian Harry Hill is set to appear at the Redgrave Theatre on 19 November, talking about his new autobiography, Fight!, and sharing photos and clips from his huge home movie collection. The evening will also feature an audience Q&A session and a Harry Hill Superfan Quiz, where audience members can prove that they’re Harry’s biggest fan and win one of his pieces of art.

Fight! will be available to purchase on the night. Tickets cost £18.50.

Get festive From 17 November to 18 December, immerse yourself in Christmas cheer and enjoy a festive day out with family, friends and colleagues as Highgrove Gardens in Tetbury hosts exclusive dining and seasonal shopping experiences. The splendid surroundings of the Orchard Room will be sure to put you in joyful spirits. The estate shop will also be open during your visit, offering Christmas favourites, gifts and food.

• redgravetheatre.com • highgrovegardens.com 8 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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ist

THE CITY

My

BRISTOL Meet illustrator and designer, Jasmine Thompson

I moved to Bristol in 2012 for university, and after graduation I just stuck around. I studied illustration, and as an artist looking to start working in the creative industry, Bristol offered a lot. There was a sense of community, support, opportunities for growth and place to explore my creative identity. I still feel that way today.

TALENT NEEDED

I love Bristol because there is literally something for everyone here. Regardless of your interests and hobbies it caters to a lot of people. And it’s small, so everyone is so connected! It definitely made it easier to settle in and find other people doing the things I like to do.

StoryTrails, a unique immersive storytelling experience, is coming to Bristol, as part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, a ground-breaking UK-wide celebration of creativity in 2022.

StoryTrails will bring untold stories to life through the magic of the 3D internet using augmented and virtual reality to reanimate public spaces in towns and cities. This free, entertaining and playful family-friendly experience will visit just 15 locations, including Bristol in August.

StoryTrails is currently recruiting a cohort of new creative talent to run this amazing project. Creative professionals interested in working with new technology such as 3D modelling software, games engines, augmented and virtual reality are encouraged to apply now to tell the stories of their local community. Applicants will receive funding to join a team of high profile creative partners. Full training in immersive technology will be provided alongside access to state of the art equipment, production support and production credits for the work.

StoryTrails is led by StoryFutures and delivered in partnership with the British Film Institute, broadcaster and filmmaker, David Olusoga, the BBC, Uplands Television, and leading immersive specialists ISO Design and Nexus Studios.

Professor David Olusoga, executive producer of StoryTrails, said: “I am thrilled to be working with StoryFutures to help bring about change in the diversity of our creative industries. By enabling 50 diverse creative voices to create compelling stories that combine past, present and future through the magic of immersive technologies, we’ll be mapping a new path for creativity in this country.

StoryTrails will set the public’s imagination alight with experiences that use the poetry of history to inspire a new vision of our future.”

My mural in Bristol Museum and Art Gallery was created in June in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the events of the past year. It’s a huge drawing on a wall in the foyer and touches upon the BLM movement as a whole, and the context behind what we saw last year with George Floyd, which sadly wasn’t an isolated incident. I wanted to draw attention to the underlying issues and use illustration as a platform to start a conversation in a part of the city where those conversations might not be had enough. Google Arts and Culture have also done a feature on it for Black History Month which can be found under “A Movement Not A Moment”, where the cultural references within the artwork are explained and explored. The mural will be on display at least until the end of this year, and hopefully beyond!

It’s been a busy summer of mural installs, so I’m trying to get back to smaller projects over the autumn months, which is nice. I’m currently working on some tour posters for a UK Comedian which are yet to be released, and some live illustration work with arts organisations across Bristol. I’m also hoping to do an exhibition this winter of my own work, as it’s been six years since I last exhibited.

I hope to continue being able to do projects that I love in 2022, and collaborate with more incredible artists and creatives in this city. After a long 18 months of being quite disconnected through the pandemic, reconnecting with people and working in collectives is something I want to be a focus next year. I also want to work with more brands.

There are so many people that deserve a shoutout this year! First of all fellow illustrators Lucy Turner and Parys Gardener, who have taken their work to a whole new level this last year, the trajectory has been incredible. Khali Ackford is a talented photographer who is using his work to

• story-trails.com

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not only showcase the black community in Bristol and our voices, but runs workshops and creates spaces for conversation and the community to come together. Sophia Harari is a producer and musician, and has been working on some incredible events within the creative scene here, giving so much back to the people of Bristol.

I’m reading a book called Braving The Wilderness by Brene Brown, which explores community and culture predominantly through the lens of ‘belonging’, and what that means. It’s shifting my outlook on all of these things, and forcing me to reevaluate how they play out in my own life in a really positive way. She does some great Ted Talks too.

Caribbean Croft will always get a shout-out!

They’re a rum bar too and big VIBES always.

Souk Kitchen is also an amazing place to dine, they don’t ever miss the mark. In terms of culture and entertainment, there’s some really cool spots here. Strange Brew is one to check out, they only came onto my radar recently and have hosted some great gigs and events for creatives here.

If I could have dinner with anyone it would be Anderson Paak! I love that guy and his whole energy. I’ve seen him live a few times and he always delivers, so having the chance to sit down with him and see what he’s all about would be amazing. Lewis Hamilton would also be up there, I’m a big F1 fan and what he’s doing within the sport this last year has been incredible.

He’s the goat, literally.

• Follow Jasmine on Instagram: @jasmineshaniceart

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BEST IN SHOW GARDEN GIFTED TO BRISTOL A garden that took home the coveted Best in Show prize at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show has been gifted to Bristol and will be rebuilt at the University of Bristol's Botanic Garden in the coming months. The Guangzhou Garden was gifted by the city Guangzhou in southern China, which has been twinned with Bristol since 2001, and will be unveiled in the early summer.

The Guangzhou Garden was designed by Peter Chmiel with Chin-Jung Chen, and was inspired by a philosophy of reconnecting people and nature, while also highlighting the benefits of responsible city planning.

Inspired by the holistic landscape stewardship programme of environmental planners in Guangzhou, the garden features a pool of water, trees, shrubs, shelters, green foliage, and white, blue and yellow perennials. The garden also highlights the benefits of responsible city planning and how planners must work in harmony with nature to better connect people with the natural world. With a focus on climate change, it's an eco-garden with an aim to make a difference.

Peter Chmiel, one of the garden's designers and Landscape Architect at Grant Associates, said: “It is great news to hear the garden will be returning to the West Country and continue to support the botanical links with Guangzhou.

“It was amazing that the garden was so well-received at the Chelsea Flower Show. I believe that the planting concepts were appreciated beyond just the visual beauty and serenity but, also for its sustainability credentials, wildlife value and other benefits to people and nature. I would like to think of our garden as a landscape or blueprint to inspire the green infrastructure for our much-needed future ‘landscape cities’.”

DESERT MILES

Continuing the success of The Physio & Pilates Centre based in Clevedon, Karen Pearce and Sarah Sessa have expanded their established business, opening a further studio located on Whiteladies Road in Clifton. The specialist equipment-based studio is fully equipped with reformers, towers, trapezes and combo chair machines and is offering classes, physio-led pilates and teacher training.

Karen, a former ballet dancer, trained with Alan Herdman – one of the world's foremost experts on pilates – and has been running a studio for over 20 years whilst developing teacher training programmes affiliated with Herdman.

Sarah initially qualified as a physiotherapist and then as a pilates instructor, later completing a Masters in Inter-Professional Development at the University of the West of England, where much of the focus was on neuroscience and the use of pilates in neurological conditions.

Sarah is now a senior neuro-rehabilitation lecturer at UWE on the Physiotherapy degree course.

After working together for many years, Karen and Sarah joined forces in 2015.

Both are fully qualified to teach mat and machine-based pilates and share an interest in the rehabilitation and individualising exercise for clients with differing needs.

Visuable, a female-owned and led creative agency based in Bristol, has embarked on a mission to raise awareness about the need to help more girls access education.

Its campaign, Desert Miles for Girls’ Dreams, which runs until December, was launched to fundraise money for CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education). The agency’s team has pledged to walk 3,000 miles (the length of the Sahara Desert) in 90 days and is asking anyone, anywhere in the world, to join in by sharing pictures of them walking, alongside a hashtag #visuabledesertwalk to help the campaign reach as many people as possible.

CAMFED expands educational opportunities for girls in sub-Saharan Africa and empowers young women to become change agents. According to Unicef, there are 129 million girls out of school due to barriers, including poverty, child marriage, and gender bias (Girls Education, 2021). A donation of just 10 Pounds, Dollars, or Euros can provide a girl with essential supplies so that she can go to school without having to worry.

Lidia, creative director of Visuable, says: “Our agency has a real ethos of collaborative learning, and a social mission to expand opportunities for those who need a chance in life. We love giving back by offering internships to inexperienced graduates, mentoring young entrepreneurs towards success, and now through our latest campaign, we’re striving to enable any and every girl to gain access to education so that they can fulfill their potential and reach for their dreams. We want to live in a world where every girl can follow, achieve and live her dream.” ■

• cliftonpilates.co.uk

• visuable.co

• botanic-garden.bristol.ac.uk

NEW PILATES STUDIO OPENS IN CLIFTON

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THE

B R I S TO L MAGAZINE

Contact us:

Back to life

T

he return of real life is not without its problems. For the best part of two years I was able (like everyone else) to project myself into various work situations via the internet, dressed properly from the waist up… comfortably below. Now I’m once again expected to turn up in person, which means booking trains and, more inconveniently, dressing properly from neck to toe. Shoes are once again an issue, and trousers.

With various meetings and so on coming up I recently delved into the dustier regions of my wardrobe in search of serviceable trouserings.

Shabby chic has always been my byword when it comes to matters of dress, but the various garments I pulled out had gone beyond shabby into that region I can only describe as sad. Shapeless, frayed, weary of life. Definitely not the kind of clothes to be putting on before returning to the cut and thrust of real life.

Keen to maintain my record of only shopping once a year (on Christmas Eve, obvs), I ordered some things online. But of the eight pairs I tried, not one was suitable. One was tight around the knees and voluminous above. Another was made of a curious shiny fabric that reminded me of a suit my stepfather wore one Christmas in the 1980s, and never again. Of two pairs that were supposed to be the same size, one was massive, while the other was too tight to fasten.

So they all went back (and on to a different home, I hope, rather than landfill), and I prepared to venture forth, for the first time in God knows how long, into town. The weather was pleasantly warm as I pedalled gently through Castle Park. It wasn’t crowded by any means, but there was a feeling of bustle about the place. People were out and about doing their normal Saturday thing – chatting over coffee, riding a unicycle in circles – but to my eye with more pleasure than in the past.

My first port of call was a department store I had always relied upon as the place to find clothes that were sufficiently worky but not completely lacking in character. But on making my way to Menswear I found none of my favourite brands on display; in fact the whole floor seemed to have been taken over by tiny teenage roadmen, who flicked through the racks and rails of youthful fashions as burly sales assistants/bouncers eyed them warily. I tried another store and another, until finally I headed for the shop I sort of knew in my heart of hearts was my destination. I’ll let you guess which one.

As I wheeled my bike through Broadmead it was clear that life was getting back to normal. I had wondered how many shops would survive the pandemic but everything seemed to be open as usual, and there were plenty of people out and about. Some were shopping, some snacking, some hanging out and enjoying the assorted entertainments on offer.

A singer was belting out a song that I think originally belonged to Bob Dylan, only this version railed against the Covid vaccination programme that had enabled us to enjoy this Saturday in the sun.

A few of his companions stood around with placards, not seeming to mind that everyone was ignoring them.

My fellow shoppers were much more interested in a young woman who was gamely singing show tunes, accompanying herself on a piano that was mounted on a bike. Presumably she had ridden there, which must have caused some consternation among the city’s motorists.

I bought a coffee and watched her for a bit, one eye on the passers-by.

All of us, and those like us around the world, just ordinary people doing nothing in particular, and enjoying every minute…

And now it’s back to the working week, and a meeting across town.

Time to take those new trousers for a spin. ■

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Publisher Email:

Steve Miklos steve@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Financial Director Email:

Jane Miklos jane@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Editor Tel: Email:

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Assistant Editor/Web Editor Daisy Game Email: daisy@thebristolmagazine.co.uk Production Manager Email:

Jeff Osborne production@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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For advertising enquiries please contact us on: 0117 974 2800

Email: sales@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED 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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Picks from our weekend newsletter

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Here’s some of the highlights that have been very popular over the last four weeks. Sign up on: thebristolmag.co.uk

RECIPE

A MOVIE PREMIERE

Aubergine, Tomato and Coconut Curry (vegan) This luxurious but satisfyingly simple curry is one of those dishes that, once made, you'll return to again and again... and again.

Aubergines (which are at the peak of their season right now) tend to soak up a lot of oil during any cooking process; this is, in part, what gives this dish its silky texture. But if you'd prefer to cut the oil content by half (to 3 tbsp), salt the sliced aubergines for 30 minutes, give them a good rinse and pat dry before cooking. On the spice front: the gentle heat in this dish comes largely comes from the ginger, but if you want to turn the heat up use a medium or hot curry powder, and/or add fresh red chillies with the garlic and ginger.

Leftovers? Unlikely! But if you happen to be left with a surplus, use as a filling for samosas or spicy vegetarian pasties.

We made a Bond film too!

Ahead of the hotly anticipated movie, No Time to Die, we interviewed Bristol’s very own authority on all things 007 – meet David Antonio Smith (aka Barber-on-Trym 007). As well as a fun intro featuring Daniel Craig lookalike @danielcraigdouble07, we asked David to share his favourite moments. We released it on our newsletter - but you can still watch it on our website.

NEW OPENINGS

Ingredients (serves 3–4 as a main course, with rice; 6 as a side dish) 2 large onions, peeled and chopped 2–3 medium aubergines, sliced 6 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tbsp finely-chopped (or grated) fresh ginger 2 level tbsp mild curry powder 700g ripe tomatoes, chopped 1 x 400ml can of coconut milk (reduced fat is fine) 1 tbsp garam masala To serve: fresh coriander; thick yogurt (or vegan alternative) Method 1. Heat the oil in a large wok or saucepan and gently sauté the onions and aubergines for around 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the aubergines are silky soft, adding the garlic and ginger for the last 3–5 minutes.

2. Add the curry powder and continue sautéing for a couple of minutes before adding the chopped tomatoes and all the lovely tomato juices. Allow the tomatoes to gently stew for 5 minutes before adding the coconut milk. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for around 25–30 minutes or until the curry has thickened (if it starts to look a bit too thick, add the odd splash of boiling water).

3. Season well with salt, pepper and 1 tbsp of garam masala and serve hot, topped with a dollop of yogurt and sprinkled with fresh coriander.

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On 4 October, multi-award-winning KIBOU Japanese Kitchen & Bar opened its third UK restaurant on King's Road, Clifton Village. Visit kibou.co.uk to book your table.

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• Recipe by Melissa Blease

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Newsletter picks – V2.qxp_Layout 2 22/10/2021 10:42 Page 2

HOT NEW PRODUCTS Chanel’s N°5 holiday calendar 2021 Launched on 15 October, this spectacular adventstyle treasure is packed with N°5 pleasures, containing some of Chanel’s most iconic products. Among its many surprises – a limited-edition Rouge Allure lipstick inspired by N°5 Le Vernis in a new shade of red, and a bottle of N°5 Eau de Parfum, as well as a bracelet bearing the number five, a one-of-a-kind snow globe, and a host of other accessories dedicated to the fragrance and designed just for the occasion.

Shaped like an enormous bottle of N°5, this holiday calendar was designed as a work of art and is available in limited quantities. Far from conventional, the calendar includes 27 boxes numbered from five to 31. Five for the perfume, 31 for the mythical address. Be quick this is a limited edition. £610.

Available at: chanel.com/gb

OBJECTS OF DESIRE

The Panerai Submersible 42mm Giovanni Panerai opened his first shop in Florence in 1860, serving not only as a watch shop and workshop, but also as the city's first watchmaking school and one of the finest outside of Switzerland.

With a specialty for diving watches, Panerai is well known for its timepieces used by the Italian Navy. One of the company’s most groundbreaking inventions is a luminous substance, called Radiomir, used for improved legibility under the water.

Only since 1993 has Panarai’s watches been on sale to the public but it has enjoyed a huge celebrity following and become more and more popular every year as a cool alternative to the better known luxury brands. The Panerai Submersible (shown here) is one of the most coveted recent editions to the range. Featuring a unidirectional rotating bezel it enables the dive times to be calculated with confidence, while legibility in the dark is ensured by SuperLumiNova® (a strontium aluminate–based non-radioactive) coating applied to the markers and the large skeleton hands. The case is a 42mm satin brushed steel with a black ceramic bezel on a black rubber strap, which is perfect for diving. The iconic crown guard is a unique feature to Panerai’s action watches. It has an automatic selfwinding movement and is water resistant to 300 metres. A lovely, all-action timepiece; £8,500.

Available ay: mallory-jewellers.com THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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Harvey Nichols Food BRISTOL (1).qxp_Layout 1 21/10/2021 11:41 Page 1

FESTIVE | ORDERS

Foodie

HN Snow Globe Orange & Gingerbread Gin Liqueur, £26.00

GIFTS & TREATS

Featuring a magical winter woodland and filled with the most exquisite gin liqueur – made with Seville oranges, cinnamon, cloves and warming gingerbread spices – and also a sprinkle of 23 carat edible gold leaf, which creates a shimmering snowfall when gently shaken. To really make those golden snowflakes shine, there’s a lamp at the base that will illuminate the bottle for around ten hours.

HN Chocolate & Amaretti Panettone 500g, £9.95 The naughtiest take on Italy’s delicious Christmas present to the world, with chocolate and soft amaretti biscuit.

Perfetto with a cheeky glass of Vin Santo, or by itself of course.

HN Nuts, Pretzels, Peas & Beans 180g, £5.95

Food, glorious food

Each mouthful of this nutty assortment is different. As you rummage you’ll find salted peanuts, cashews, macadamia and broad beans, mixed with smoked almonds, chilli and lime cashews, crunchy pretzel twists and fiery wasabi peas. It’s like a crunchy pick ‘n’ mix for adults.

Nothing quite says Merry Christmas like a veritable feast of fine flavours and Harvey Nichols Christmas classics and new in treats will certainly help to make it the most wonderful time of the year. Whether you’re a culinary connoisseur or drinks devotee, this hand-picked edit includes something for every taste.

All products featured are available from the food hall at Harvey Nichols Bristol and online at harveynichols.com

HN 12 Mini Traditional, Ginger & Amaretto Mince Pies Selection 210g, £9.95 HN’s decadently buttery, dozen Mini Mince Pies are jam-packed with rich fruit and Christmas spices – come in three festive flavours: Traditional (laced with rum and brandy), warming Ginger and the verging-on-sinful Amaretto.

HN Snowed in Hamper, £180.00 Consider the Snowed In Hamper your grown-up sleepover kit. With Premier Cru Champagne, plus bottles of blanc and rouge, all the wine bases are covered. Then there’s plenty of comfort food for cosy nights in, from hot chocolate to spiced tea, and from Chocolate & Amaretti Panettone to smokey Naughty Nibbles.

THE NAKED MARSHMALLOW CO, Advent Calendar, £17.95

HN Fruity Strawberry & Champagne Jam 325g, £4.50

The world’s first Gourmet Marshmallow Advent Calendar is packed with twelve innovative flavours. There’s vanilla bean, salted caramel, strawberry cream, candy floss, rhubarb and custard, bubblegum, fizzy watermelon, S’mores, cookies ‘n’ cream, mint choc chip, honeycomb and chocolate and cinnamon churros.

HN’s motto is “Champagne with everything”, so obviously that includes breakfast. Intense strawberry with a splash of our exclusive Harvey Nichols Premier Cru Brut Champagne NV.

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Why Kris Hallenga chooses EthicaCBD...

“I love what EthicaCBD stands for because it is a local Cornish brand that focuses on being as natural, ethical and sustainable as possible. The products are pure and have no heavy metals or ‘nasties’ and the brand is transparent in everything it does which offers peace of mind” Kris Hallenga - EthicaCBD ambassador & founder of Coppafeel



The Watersmeet Hotel in Woolacombe is a four star hotel on the water’s edge with an indoor and outdoor pool & spa. Our two restaurants include a bistro and a fine dining option both with stunningviews to the sea.

Christmas and New Year is fast approaching so why not let us take care of you this year so that you may relax and enjoy the festivities by the sea, you deserve it!

Check online for rates and availability.

Our ‘Ramblers Package’ offer during November is proving popular. sea view room • Deluxe course dinner, full breakfast • 3Devon cream tea •

Scan the QR code for discounts and information!

From £900 per couple inclusive See our website for other special offers

Want to know more?

www.ethicacbd.com

@E T H I C A C B D

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 19

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CLIFTON LITERARY FESTIVAL

Filing from the field

Image: InfoGibraltar, Kate Adie at Festival Internacional de Literatura Gibunco de Gibraltar; flickr.com/photos/infogibraltar

Kate Adie CBE is one of the most respected figures in broadcast journalism. After spending time at BBC Radio Bristol in her early career, she is returning to the city to speak at Clifton Literary Festival on 12 November.

We sat down with the veteran war reporter ahead of her appearance...

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CLIFTON LITERARY FESTIVAL

W

ell known for her role as the BBC’s Chief News Correspondent, Kate Adie is often described as one of the greatest reporters of our time, her name synonymous with the BBC’s war coverage between 1980 and 2003. As one of the first British women to report from the frontlines, Adie covered conflicts from China to Libya, Kuwait to Afghanistan and sent despatches from both Gulf Wars, the protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, the Rwandan genocide and the war in Sierra Leone. In 2018, she received a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list and was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship, the highest honour BAFTA can bestow, in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to television.

After graduating from the University of Newcastle, where she read Scandinavian studies, Adie started her career in media as a station assistant at BBC Radio Durham. A short while later, she moved to the West Country to work as a general producer at BBC Radio Bristol.

This month, Adie is set to return to the city to speak at the Clifton Literary Festival, discussing journalism in these changing times. Ahead of her appearance, we sat down with the veteran war reporter to talk about her fond memories of Bristol; her incredible career filing from the field; her advice for the next generation of journalists; and her love of literary festivals.

“I had a lovely time in Bristol, it was a very different city,” Adie recalls. “It was at a time of quite a lot of creativity – the Arnolfini was just getting going, the whole dockside and quayside area was just beginning to be developed and there were several art centres emerging.

There was just a great deal going on.”

Adie worked at BBC Radio Bristol during the 1970s alongside colleagues who also became prominent figures at the Corporation, including newsreader Michael Buerk. “Local radio was immensely absorbing because we all had to work so hard,” she remembers. “We were very ambitious, we tried all kinds of programmes on local radio.

We had a children’s programme, we actually did a drama which was written by one of our producers, who eventually became a scriptwriter on Coronation Street. We were sort of a mini Radio 4 when we started but locally based.”

A reporter gets, if you’re lucky, an extraordinary array of stories to do, and you see the world as it is. I think it’s an incredible privilege to do so

A move to regional television news in Plymouth and Southampton gave Adie a taste of life in front of the camera. From there she moved to the BBC’s London newsroom where she “ended up by luck” working as a duty reporter.

Fast forward to the 30 April 1980 when six armed men took over the Iranian Embassy, Adie was about to report on her biggest story to date. On day six of the siege, the gunmen killed a hostage, prompting the SAS to storm the building. On the scene and crouched behind a car door, Adie was live on air; clear and unwavering. Her commentary, which cut into the World Snooker Championships, was heard in millions of homes. “When the whole story broke, I happened to be in central London and I was first on the site a very short time after the initial attack on the embassy, but subsequent to that I was merely another one of the reporters on rota because we were having to cover 24 hours. When it came to the bank holiday, my shift was due to start at 8pm and I got a phone call from a news organiser who said could I come in a bit earlier because nothing much had seemed to happen that day. The slightly difficult senior correspondent who was there said it wasn’t worth staying and he was going off early to a dinner party. When I arrived a couple of hours early, he had already gone. The SAS went in a short time after that. It was luck that I was there, nothing more than that.”

Over the next two decades, Adie reported from war zones across the world. She acquired a reputation for great courage under fire and

reliable reporting but nevertheless still bears the scars of war. Grazed by a bullet in Beirut; hit by shrapnel in Bosnia; wounded in Tiananmen Square by a bullet that killed the man next to her; and shot at close range in Libya, her career has allowed her to experience the full gamut of human behaviour and witness both good and evil.

Her autobiography, The Kindness of Strangers, offers an astonishing insight into frontline reporting.

“A reporter gets, if you’re lucky, an extraordinary array of stories to do, and you see the world as it is. I think it’s an incredible privilege to do so and you make of it what you can but the important thing is that you’re given the chance to see things and tell other people about it – that’s it in straightforward terms. As the old cliché says, ‘Journalism is the first draft of history.’”

When it comes to the importance of truthful, straightforward, factual journalism, Adie sees it as “an absolute bedrock if you want a well-working democracy”. When asked about her advice for the next generation of aspiring journalists, she spoke passionately.

“One of the functions of journalism is to be truth-telling and to show the world as it is and to show the variety in the world – to broaden minds and to bring information, sometimes from places that people can’t access or don’t know about. All of that is a hugely important job. I think it should be a terrific business for anyone to aspire to and become a young journalist”.

“What I actually think is needed right now – and I find this when talking to students of journalism – is that they should be concentrating on the here and now in this country, the place they know to begin with and to start saying what is going on in my community, what is the right and wrong of things, what needs to be looked at, what needs to be reported and is significant. If you aspire to that, you are beginning to be doing something very important.”

Following the recent news that Facebook's products could pose a risk to children's mental health and stoke division in society, Adie was asked about her thoughts on tackling the issue of ‘fake news’, specifically the kind circulating on social media, and how best to protect its youngest users.

“The problem with social media is that it is not in any way committed to being factual,” she says. “It is merely a means of expression from anybody who can access it. What happens is that not all that goes on social media is either truthful or, at times, acceptable or pleasant, but that is a problem that governments have to deal with.

Most journalists think that the platforms ought to be treated as publishers and held to account – you can’t hold the general public to account but you can hold publishers to account and that is what’s needed.”

Since 1998, Adie has hosted the long-running Radio 4 programme, From Our Own Correspondent, in which a number of foreign correspondents deliver a sequence of short talks reflecting on current events in the countries in which they are based. “I think From Our Own Correspondent is a very special programme because most of the time correspondents, whoever they work for, are reporting on current news. We can go a bit further, we can take much more personal and idiosyncratic views of their postings, and we give them the time to do it. They are absolutely fascinating insights into certain quirks of a particular country that don’t hit the news but tell you much more about a place.”

Clifton Literary Festival is returning for the second time after its runaway success in 2019. Three days of literary events are in store for anyone and everyone interested in books, poetry and story-telling.

After living in Bristol for many years in her early career, Adie still visits the city regularly and considers herself to have “never left”. Looking forward to the festival, she speaks affectionately about such gatherings.

“I think literary festivals are very interesting. They are gatherings of people who not only want to discuss what’s in books but want to talk about what a lot of these books are on about, which is the state we’re in and the sort of world we live in. You get very literate audiences, who are interested in people writing about the world around us, and they are not political, they are not campaigning, they are gatherings of people who want to talk about things – I think that is wonderful.” ■ • Kate Adie will be appearing at Clifton Literary Festival on 12 November at Christ Church; cliftonlitfest.com THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 21

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MUSIC

Terje Isungset and Norwegian singer Maria Skranes Photo by Emile Holba

The ice man cometh

With instruments carved from solid blocks of ice, musician and inventor Terje Isungset is coming to St George’s Bristol this month to mark 20 years of ice music. His international project is bringing together artists with a long tradition of living in arctic conditions. Words by Jeremy Blackmore.

A

s a percussionist Terje Isungset has always looked for new sounds, but when he stepped inside a frozen waterfall and used the ice to make music, he fell in love.

Harnessing the unique properties of the Arctic landscape in his native Norway, Terje began a 20-year exploration of making beautiful, ethereal sounds from the precious ice. On 18 November, Terje is preparing to bring his unique form of music to an audience at St George's Bristol, featuring not only his ice instruments, but also musicians and vocalists from across the Arctic Circle.

The origins of Terje’s ice music date back to 1999 when he was commissioned by the Lillehammer Winter Festival to perform a concert in a frozen waterfall. Already renowned for his innovative approach to percussion in jazz and traditional Scandinavian music, he decided to make use of the natural elements. “I took the sound from underneath the waterfall, and then I hit the ice,” he explains with a smile. “I thought it was so beautiful. It was like falling in love.”

The experience opened up a whole new range of sonic possibilities for Terje, something that greatly excited him. “I've always been searching for sounds. As a percussionist you can, in fact, define your own instrument. If you play a trombone, you play a trombone, that's it. You play drums, it can be this [he picks up a mug and taps a gentle rhythm] it can be glass, it can be metal, it can be whatever, so I was 22 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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very eager to hear the sound of ice and if it could possibly open up something new because it had never been tried before.”

Indeed, while others have since followed Terje’s lead and experimented with frozen material, back in 1999 there was no one to ask for advice. He felt like an explorer. “There was no recording to check, there was nothing on the internet, no books, nothing. I started really from zero and I was very excited to discover the sounds.”

Nature is extremely important to Terje. Having lived among snow and ice all his life, he has witnessed first-hand the damaging affects of global warming. In 2019, he worked with Greenpeace to highlight the urgent need to protect Arctic oceans. With three other musicians, he staged the world’s most northerly concert titled Ocean Memories. The performance was recorded in -10 degrees Celsius under the midnight sun of Spitsbergen. In the closing moments of a three-minute video uploaded to YouTube, Terje plays a lament on an ice horn as sobering words appear on screen. “This year, the Arctic is suffering record breaking ice loss”, it reads.

“I think [the climate crisis] has to do with the lack of respect for nature,” Terje says. “Nature is really unique – it’s our best friend – without nature, no human beings. And if you have a good friend, you have to treat them nice and gently and with respect. It’s very simple.”

The audience at St George’s Bristol will see instruments carved

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MUSIC

If I go out in nature to harvest ice, if I go to Canada, or Japan, or Norway, the ice will sound different from place to place and year to year. There are good years and bad years, just like wine

from solid blocks of ice. Commercially available frozen ice does not have the properties needed to create music so Terje sources it from a range of locations, all of which offer different sonic possibilities.

“The ice has to be naturally frozen and it seems it has to be rather non polluted. If I go out in nature to harvest ice, if I go to Canada, or Japan, or Norway, or anywhere, the ice will sound different from place to place and year to year. There are good years and bad years, just like wine.”

The carved instruments, which can take up to several weeks to make, are either entirely made of ice – such as the horns and the percussion – or they are hybrids, like the harps – the main body is ice but the strings are metal.

Terje will use the same instruments for every concert on his UK tour, which will see him travel from Leeds to London over a four-day period. His instruments include crushed ice, ice chimes, ice trumpets, horns and an ice-ophone – a marimba style instrument, which Terje hits with gloved hands instead of mallets. A special regimen is required to keep the instruments in top condition, preventing the ice from melting. Terje has invented not only a new form of music but also a way to play it indoors. “I thought it would be impossible,” he admits.

Throughout the performance Terje’s assistant will bring instruments on and off stage at various times, paying close attention to how they need to be handled and the ideal temperatures in which they need to be stored.

“It's very much about logistics and timing,” he says. “If I start playing the ice-ophone, I can't play for one hour, I have to stop after five minutes or so. This affects the concert because if I notice that the instruments are starting to melt, the sound will change and gradually disappear. Nature is the boss.”

Next month’s performance brings together artists with a long tradition of living in Arctic conditions. Inuit, Sámi and Siberian singers, alongside Scandinavia’s best jazz musicians, will celebrate their ancient cultures’ longstanding respect for nature through traditional and contemporary music. Joining Terje onstage will be Sámi singer Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska, Inuit throat singers Akinisie Sivuarapik and Amaly Sallualuk, plus Tuvan throat singer and member of acclaimed band Huun Huur Tu, Radik Tyulyush. This unique line up will also include Norwegian singer Maria Skranes and trumpeter Lyder Øverås “The Arctic ice music ensemble is something very unique because it is based on these traditional musicians coming in from various places in the world,” Terje says. “But they have one thing in common. For generations, they have all very much been dealing with winter and snow and their way of living has been totally related to the elements.

They have had to let nature decide how life is going to be. That’s the main reason for asking these fantastic musicians to join the project.”

As well as ice, Terje also uses a range of other natural elements such as rocks, stones, wood, slate, and sheep bells. His drumsticks are made from mountain birch and his drumheads made of natural materials. “Most of my instruments have either been given to me or they have just shown up. I bought some second-hand that weren’t supposed to be used as musical instruments. I try to see the value in things – it doesn't have to be new or good-looking for me to use it.”

While he could never have dreamed of forging a career in ice music, Terje was drawn to percussion from a very early age. He soon started collecting jazz and rock records from local record shops and via mail order from the UK. Pioneering jazz-fusion drummer Billy Cobham was among his early heroes. “I wanted to play drums all my life,” he says. “When I was six, I started to hit things. When I was eight, I got my first drum kit and when I was 11 or 12, I put some concerts together with my father, who is an accordion player.”

Terje, now 57, has proved to be a pioneer in his own right, encouraging musicians around the world to push the creative boundaries. Ultimately, however, his message is subtle but clear; ice music is directed by nature. As quoted during the world’s most northerly concert, Terje insists, “You have to treat ice with respect, otherwise it breaks. We should do the same with nature.” ■

• Terje Isungset, along with an extraordinary line up, will be playing at St George’s Bristol on 18 November; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

Produced by Sound UK.

Terje Isungset playing one of his ice instruments Photo by Emile Holba

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 23

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Cycling across the Centuries and into Cribbs Causeway...

In conversation with Ribble Cycles CEO - Andy Smallwood, talking about award winning bikes, the brand and the all new Bristol Showroom

Q: Ribble Cycles is one of the world’s oldest bicycle brands, tell us more about the origins and how the company has evolved...

AS. Yes, we’ve been hand building British bicycles since 1897 and originally started off as a bike shop based on the banks of the Ribble Valley on Water Lane in Preston – so hence our brand name. We still design, test and hand build our bikes – from the ground up in the area and have since significantly grown into a global brand via our digital multi-channel business model supported with experiential brand showrooms such as our new exciting new brand showroom at Cribbs Causeway.

Q: Some big names in British cycling have ridden a Ribble and you as a boy raced on a Ribble?

AS: I was not quite as good as Boardman, Wiggins and Thomas but my first proper race bike was a Ribble when I was 16. I researched extensively and I saved for what seemed like forever to get the bike I had designed in my mind. The best riders in the UK all rode Ribble at the time and I wanted to emulate them. My bike was manufactured using Reynolds steel tubing, custom coloured in my club colours, and I built it myself with the best components I could afford. Now 30 years later, it’s amazing to be leading one of the oldest, yet forward thinking bicycle brands with a passionate and highly talented team. I’m immensely proud – it really is a childhood boy racer dream come true!

Q: Why did you choose Bristol for your new showroom?

AS: Bristol is a great cycling city with a very deep cycling heritage

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and the local promotion of cycling as a sustainable means of transport has increased cycling usage significantly. Hopefully our presence will also help to support this. Furthermore, the outstanding and varied local riding terrain is tremendous and aligns with every riding genre and product style in our diverse range. Whether it’s a hybrid or e-bike for commuting, a high-end race bike or an off road adventure or gravel bike - there is a bike to suit everyone! Bristol, the South West and beyond - is a fantastic brand fit.

Q: What does Ribble aim to provide that other cycle stores do not in Bristol?

AS: We have a diverse award-winning product range showcased in our immersive store and offer a high level of customisation through our BikeBuilder tool that allows the cyclist to spec the bike that is perfect for their cycling needs and then a unique opportunity to personalise their bike through our Custom Colour tool with one of over 400 million different combinations ensuring their bike not only performs but reflects their personality too. This can all be accessed via our website and the brand showroom at The Mall where expert product and sizing advice is on hand. Every bike is bespoke and hand built plus the customer can choose whether to have their new bike delivered to home or collect in the showroom. We will continue to innovate, invest in R&D and our customer journey to ensure that we continue to give cyclists a unique and better cycling experience.

We also want to inspire and encourage the wider local community to get into cycling, to enjoy the benefits that come with riding a bike and to inspire the next generation of cyclists.

Ribble Cycles Lower Mall, The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol. BS34 5DG. www.ribblecycles.co.uk

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LOCAL EVENTS

What’s on in November Raggs by Big Jeff

Hansel and Gretal at Arnos Vale Cemetery

LOST HORIZON HQ n Throughout November, St Jude’s By popular demand, Lost Horizon HQ, the creative arts centre, bar and live venue from Glastonbury's Shangri-La, is now officially a permanent year round fixture in the heart of Bristol. On 13 November the ShangrilART Market will return to the venue, and on 20 November, self-titled 'craftivist' Carrie Reichardt will be delivering Community Matters; a mosaic making workshop that will result in a piece of communal artwork being installed temporarily in Lost Horizon until it finds a permanent home within the community. losthorizonlive.com

BRISTOL BRIDGE CLUB: SUPERVISED SESSIONS n Every Saturday, 10am – 12pm, via Zoom Bristol Bridge Club has been running free online supervised sessions with some teaching throughout the pandemic on Zoom and will continue to do so, every Saturday morning from 10am to 12 noon. To take part, go to Bristol Bridge Club’s website, click ‘Learn and Play’ and follow the links. bristolbridgeclub.co.uk BRISTOL BRIDGE CLUB: BEGINNERS’ LESSONS n Throughout November, Oldfield Road Bristol Bridge is back welcoming members and guests in their premises on Oldfield Road. The club is running beginner lessons on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday evenings. Join Bristol Bridge Club for a taster session before signing up to 10 lessons, which costs £100 including the documents to cover the lessons. Contact teaching@bristolbridgeclub.co.uk

CAM VALLEY ARTS TRAIL n 6 & 7 November, across the Cam Valley This year’s Cam Valley Arts Trail will be taking place in village halls and studios across the Cam Valley. As always organisers are planning a fabulous event with over 30 artists exhibiting in seven venues. Visit the website to see the artists appearing over the weekend and download the brochure to plan your visit. camvalleyartstrail.co.uk

AUTUMN STARGAZING 3D n Throughout November, We The Curious Fly to worlds on the edge of our understanding and gaze up at alien skies in this spectacular journey through the astronomical discoveries we’ve made and the stories they inspire. This awe-inspiring show combines knowledgeable presenters with the first 3D planetarium system in the UK. It is suitable for beginners and experienced hobby stargazers. Recommended age 10 and up; wethecurious.org 26 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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AFRIKA EYE FILM FESTIVAL n 8 – 16 November, various locations Afrika Eye is back screening to live audiences once again, celebrating filmmakers who are bringing important issues to our attention. As well as its annual outing at Watershed, the festival will be screening at Easton Community Centre, The Curzon, Clevedon, The Cube and The Old Picture House, Totterdown, plus a pop-up event for families

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at Felix Road Adventure Playground with a movie and storytelling. As always there’ll be post screening discussions, Q&A’s and conversations. afrikaeye.org.uk CITY OF BRISTOL CHOIR n 12 November, Clifton Cathedral City of Bristol Choir, Bristol Youth Choir and UWE Singers Conducted by David Ogden will be putting on an upbeat and thought provoking concert to coincide with the COP26 Climate Change conference in Glasgow, featuring the world premiere of Toby Young’s Raise a Voice – a rebellious songbook for our times. Tickets £5; cityofbristolchoir.org.uk MOTHERING SUNDAY n 12 – 18 November, Watershed In this beautiful, sensual adaptation of Graham Swift’s novel. Jane (Odessa Young) works as a maid for the Nivens (Colin Firth and Olivia Colman), one of several local ‘grand’ families who have been devastated by the loss of sons in the war. Jane is having a secret affair with Paul (Josh O’Connor), son of the Nivens’ neighbours, for the last time before he leaves to marry the daughter of one of the local families of note. It’s the final moment, though she doesn’t realise it, before changes in her own life are set in motion forever; watershed.co.uk BRISTOL ENSEMBLE: BACH’S BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS n 13 November, Trinity-Henleaze URC This concert features some of the great

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LOCAL EVENTS

Ishmael Ensemble

composer’s best-loved music, the Brandenburg Concertos. The Second Concerto showcases a diverse group of solo instruments representing almost every section of the orchestra – trumpet, recorder, oboe and violin. The Fourth Concerto interweaves two sprightly recorders with solo violin against a backdrop of strings, whilst the innovative Fifth Brandenburg Concerto features virtuosic harpsichord playing, designed by the composer to show off his own tremendous skill at the keyboard. This joyous work is full of driving rhythmic passages and ingenious counterpoint. Tickets £16.50; bristolensemble.com TOM BRIGHT n 15 November, The Louisiana With the likes of Guy Garvey (BBC 6 Music) and John Kennedy (Radio X) championing him, Tom Bright is gearing up for his highly anticipated sophomore album Legacy (out 12 November) – produced by Ed Harcourt. Tom – who has performed at Glastonbury Festival, in Vivaldi's courtyard with Mick Jones of The Clash and featured as a Q Music Film of the Year nominee – now finds himself with an incredible collection of new songs and a world waiting to see him back on the stage.

Tickets £8; thelouisiana.net ISHMAEL ENSEMBLE n 16 November, Thekla Bristol’s Ishmael Ensemble is a pioneering force within contemporary UK jazz. With saxophonist and producer Pete Cunningham at the helm, the group fuses mesmerising jazz instrumentals with expansive electronics and

dub inflections. Ishmael Ensemble will be playing at Thekla on 16 November – book your tickets via Bristol Beacon’s website: bristolbeacon.org BIG JEFF’S SOLO EXHIBITION n 16 – 21 November, The Island The exhibition entitled ‘Welcome To My World’ will see the unveiling of 20 new paintings alongside the first 14 paintings from phase one of the collection from Big Jeff, well known as one of Bristol’s best known music aficionados. There will also be an opportunity to see the new and existing works online with Jeff talking about some of the paintings and what they mean to him. bigjeffjohnsart.com

two-year break - ideal for great Christmas crafting ideas, crafting supplies, learning a new crafting skill or finding Christmas gifts. You'll find thousands of crafting supplies, daily workshops, live demonstrations, crafting celebs and great craft ideas and inspiration. Leading local and national exhibitors will offer products for card-making, papercrafts, stamping, scrapbooking, sewing, cross stitch, embroidery, beading, painting, patchwork, quilting and knitting. Tickets from £9; craft4crafters.co.uk

LOOKING AHEAD HANSEL AND GRETAL n 3 December, Arnos Vale Cemetery As darkness falls, follow Hansel and Gretel through the magical illuminated woodland of Arnos Vale Cemetery, where not everything is as it seems.

Discover a strange cottage, and a mysterious figure with an unsavoury appetite, and revel in this celebration of the imagination… but will you trust a trail of breadcrumbs to find your way home? Bursting with poetry and song from acclaimed writer Saikat Ahamed (Three Kings, Strictly Balti) and composer Ellie Showering (Rumpelstiltskin, The Tempest), this magical production will linger in your imaginations for many years to come.

Tickets from £12; insaneroot.org.uk

BRISTOL ENSEMBLE: THE MUSIC OF ÁSTOR PIAZZOLLA n 17 November, St George’s Bristol To mark the 100th anniversary of celebrated Argentinian composer and bandoneon player, Ástor Piazzolla, Bristol Ensemble joins forces with celebrated bandoneonist Mirek Salmon and the Bristol Russian Ballet School to present an immersive programme of music and dance.

The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires forms the centre piece of this performance, alongside more intimate works by the master of tango.

Tickets £20; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk THE CRAFT4CRAFTERS SHOW n 25 – 27 November, Bath & West Showground The Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset The Craft4Crafters Show returns to the Bath & West Showground after a

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Grammy Winner Tabla Player Zakir Hussain live at St George’s Bristol

23 November 2021 Book tickets: www.asianartsagency.co.uk/event/zakir-hussain Event produced and presented by Asian Arts Agency

St Peter’s Hospice

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Don't miss this rare opportunity to see one of the most celebrated tabla players in the world perform live in Bristol

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BOOKS

The stories of old In her debut novel, Amy Jeffs reimagines the myths of Britain that once served a more profound purpose in ancient cultures.

Millie Bruce-Watt escapes through the mists of time to discover a world steeped in magic and mystery

A

my Jeffs’ debut novel, Storyland, has captivated the hearts of readers across the nation. Steeped in magic and mystery and grounded in meticulous research in manuscripts and our ancient landscape, Amy’s mythical world is movingly articulated.

Set between the Creation and Noah’s Flood and embellished with a series of linocut illustrations, Storyland reimagines the myths of Britain through a modern lens. Remembering legends including Bladud of Bath, Merlin in Stonehenge and Joseph of Arimathea in Glastonbury, Amy pays close attention to the weight these characters once carried in our societies; how they still speak to the modern world; and through themes of belonging and homeland, how compellingly consistent we are as human beings in our fundamental desires. As I sat down with the author, printmaker and art historian this month, it was a delight to slip away through the mists of time.

Having studied Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at Cambridge University, before completing an MA at the Courtauld Institute of Art and gaining a PhD in Art History from Corpus Christi College, Amy has a wealth of knowledge in medieval art and literature; one that she is effortlessly able to access when reciting lines at length.

“It was as I was studying Britain’s medieval origin myth, the Brut, and completing my thesis for my phD that I came across so many things that made my heart leap,” Amy tells me. “They weren’t necessarily of deep academic interest but I felt that not enough people appreciated the hilarity and drama and beauty of these origin myths of Britain.”

As we visit every corner of the nation from Orkney to Cornwall, from Snowdon to Stonehenge, Amy creatively peers through the eyes of characters who only ever played supporting roles, allowing us as

readers to appreciate the stories from a different perspective. In a commentary that follows each retelling, Amy expands on the historical references and hidden meanings buried within the original source materials – a fascinating and much-welcomed addition to the novel.

“Many of these stories were really dominant in Britain until the mid-16th century when we would see more modern techniques of historical inquiry take over and tales of goddesses and giants fall by the wayside slightly, but some of these stories were taken so seriously that they really did inform political decision making.

“I think when we forget the histories we once believed, we can’t appreciate the motivations that led to events and decisions that had a real material impact on the future. Just because we no longer believe in giants doesn’t mean we should dismiss them as whimsy.”

Where it began Storyland is adorned with intricate linocut artwork, created by Amy herself, who only took up the art form in recent years. Under the guidance of Chris Pig of The Black Pig Printmaking Studio in Frome – and inspired by the manuscripts that she was living and breathing at the time of her PhD – Amy started to create illustrations for each story. From there, Storyland grew into a novel.

“A desire to share the stories and get people excited about them was the beginning of it all. I was fascinated by how the illustrations in the Brut legend followed the narrative action but they were very concise illustrations and communicated so many elements of an episode so efficiently. I really enjoyed that challenge of persuading people through pictures that these were stories to pay attention to and to enjoy.”

A linocut illustration by Amy Jeffs depicting the ancient story that saw Merlin, the wizard of Arthurian legend, create Stonehenge. From the chapter titled Stonehenge 30 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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BOOKS

A new perspective

The power of music

In one particular chapter, Amy retells the ancient story of Bladud of Bath – a legendary king of the Britons. Supposedly, he ruled for twenty years several hundred centuries BC, and is credited as the architect of Bath, channelling the hot springs by the use of magic and building temples dedicated to the goddess Minerva. Practising necromancy and communicating with the dead, he was a genius, a magician and respected by all.

“One very interesting thing about Bladud is the resemblance between the story of Icarus and Daedalus. Bladud commits the same crime of desiring to fly – to achieve the ultimate,” Amy hints. “And just as Daedalus is in some ways punished to achieve human flight, there is a punishment in store for Bladud.”

What is most remarkable about Amy’s reimagining of this particular story is that it is depicted through the eyes of Bladud’s son, Prince Leir – Shakespeare’s King Lear – which adds another layer of complexity to the narrative as we think about what and who Leir became in later life.

“I suppose with choosing to tell it through the eyes of Prince Leir – I was interested in what parental pride looks like through the eyes of a child because, of course, children trust and believe their parents, and so maybe there is a disjunct between what Leir sees and what the reader sees. I was also interested in how you might extrapolate from that something of his behaviour – thinking how that childhood trauma might have impacted his actions as an adult and his own approach to parenting.”

Themes of parenthood, homeland, migration, defiance, love and loss are woven through the novel from the outset and it is not lost on the writer nor the reader that these issues are ones that we still grapple with today in modern society. Despite technology now pervading every moment of our waking lives, Storyland points out that the human quest for true belonging and meaning is an eternal journey; one that will always tether us to our past and our future.

• Storyland: A New Mythology of Britain by Amy Jeffs published by Quercus Publishing (£25); amyjeffshistoria.com

A life-long lover of music, Amy turned to the medium in an attempt to help her complete the final stages of illustrating the novel.

Through song-writing, she hoped to find the emotion in each story so that her illustrations would become a motif, comprehensively depicting the overall plot line in one piece. “Coming to the end of illustrating Storyland I was feeling myself getting complacent in producing the images. When I started off, there was this adrenaline to it and it was fading as I got 45 illustrations in and having to do a lot more of other things at the same time. And then one day I sat down at the piano and I thought, “well maybe I could think through some of the emotions in the scene that I’ve got to illustrate by coming up with songs about them” so I wrote several songs – five of which we have put as an EP on Spotify, they’re called Songs for Albion.”

With her musical creations as equally enchanting as her other work, there is no doubt that Amy is a multi-talented artist and author with plenty more to come.

Ultimately, Amy’s retellings open up a remarkable world brimming with wonderous tales of giants, legends and magical myths; one that is hard to put down and ever-enthralling to explore. ■

Author, print-maker and art historian Amy Jeffs

A linocut illustration, created by Amy Jeffs, from the chapter Bath and Bladud’s Fall

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EXHIBITIONS

STATE OF THE ART Birthright: Journeys of Reconnection, Rainmaker Gallery, until 6 November This exhibition brings together two artists from different backgrounds who share a common experience. It documents the ongoing journeys of cultural reconnection by Wiradjuri and British painter Jasmine Coe and Muscogee (Creek) and AustrianAmerican textile artist Melinda Schwakhofer. Both artists grew up geographically and culturally separated from their respective Indigenous families.

Reaching out to their estranged communities has profoundly affected their creative expression. Through textile, painting and printmaking, art has provided a vehicle for cultural exploration, self-determination, selfrealisation and a sense of belonging. In a post-colonial world, millions of people find themselves growing up at distance from their ancestral homelands. The show is dedicated to all people experiencing journeys of cultural disconnection or reconnection.

• rainmakerart.co.uk Image: Breathe, by Melinda Schwakhofer

Coming Up for Air: Stephen Gill – A Retrospective, Arnolfini, throughout November Arnolfini is currently celebrating over thirty years of extraordinary practice from Bristol-born photographer Stephen Gill, drawing together new previously un-exhibited work, alongside works from other iconic series including Hackney Flowers, Buried, Talking to Ants, Night Procession, Pigeons, Coexistence and Coming up for Air. Also featuring the first UK presentation of images from award winning photographic series and book The Pillar, the exhibition will explore Gill’s rich sense of place, leading us through the flea markets and towpaths of Hackney Wick in London, to his current rural surroundings amidst the Swedish countryside. Free entry. Exhibition slots bookable in advance. Walk-ins may be available on the day.

• arnolfini.org.uk

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EXHIBITIONS

Maybe Southwest Charity Fundraiser, Room 212, throughout November Gloucester Road gallery Room 212 will be hosting an art exhibition and prize draw to raise funds for Maybe Southwest, a mental health charity based in Bristol, working with children, young people and adults. Artists have submitted artworks to be displayed throughout November, leading up to the North Bristol Art Trail on the weekend of 26 to 28 November. This popular art trail will be celebrating its 20th year so it’s apt to use the occasion to highlight the enormous benefit of art therapy, especially for younger people. All the artwork will be offered as prizes in a draw, with tickets available at Room 212 and online throughout the month. The draw will take place at the end of the North Bristol Art Trail.

• room212.co.uk Image: artwork by Huw Richards Evans

The RWA Collection - Our Heritage, Our Future, until 27 November Joining two recent acquisitions by Albert Irvin, the exhibition includes historic works by many of the RWA’s well-known members, such as Mary Fedden, Julian Trevelyan, Anne Redpath, David Inshaw and Dame Elisabeth Frink, as well as contemporary works by recent members such as Adelaide Damoah, Paul Thirkell and Leslie Glenn Damhus. Many of the historic works, still as fresh and interesting as when they were first produced, will receive their first showing in many years, in the largest exhibition of the collection in recent times. The exhibition aims to celebrate the diversity of styles, genres and media which has created a collection of significance in the South West; a legacy of beauty and creativity for everyone to enjoy for years to come.

• rwa.org.uk Image: Agnes Augusta Talboys ARWA, Three Of Us, oil on canvas, 51cm diameter. RWA Collection.

Photo copyright RWA (Royal West of England Academy).

Mellow, Lime Tree Gallery, until 16 November An exciting exhibition of beautifully subtle and tonal paintings by Scottish artist Michael Clark is appearing at Lime Tree Gallery this month.

Speaking about the exhibition, Clark says: “The paintings are autobiographical, a response to my surroundings and if in my daydreams I find our garden in spring, I also find France in summer and autumn. Out of the chaos of recent times this collection of calm new work has emerged.”

• limetreegallery.com Image: The Salon, Rue Royale, by Michael G Clark PAI RSW

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ART

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ART

Turning twenty

As the North Bristol Art Trail prepares to enjoy another successful weekend celebrating local talent on 27 November, its founding members look back at how it all began 20 years ago...

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his month marks the 20th anniversary of the North Bristol Art Trail. Brimming with creative talent year after year, this hugely popular free community event has been credited with launching the career of many local painters, printmakers, ceramicists and sculptors.

Stretching across Cotham, Redland, St Andrews, Bishopston, Horfield and Henleaze, visitors travel from far and wide to peruse the streets of North Bristol every November. To celebrate the milestone, a few of the founding members met up to reminisce about how it all began…

In 1999, artists Cath Read and Sarah Cowper realised that they were independently holding exhibitions of their work in neighbouring houses in St Andrews over the same weekend. The following year, they decided to exhibit their work together, and invited six other artists to join them. Over the coming months, news of the local exhibition spread, and many of the trail’s first exhibitors began to meet through word of mouth, often while picking up their children in local school playgrounds.

Fast forward to 2001, the small group of artists placed an advertisement in a local magazine, Points North, inviting others to consider exhibiting their works together. Here, the first North Bristol Art Trail was born, driven by a sheer sense of community.

At the first trail, 28 artists took part, showcasing their work in seven homes, plus a group show at Café Unlimited (previously next to Bishopston Hardware). In following years, venues enjoyed large crowds and snaking queues and people were offered horse and cart rides on the streets around St Andrews Park. By the third year, there was a huge surge in the number of local artists wishing to take part. Nowadays, the trail welcomes more than 100 artists in over 50 venues, attracting thousands of visitors every year.

of creation: paintings, prints, jewellery, photography and ceramics.

“It’s wonderful that so many artists in our area can make a living through their art. The local community, businesses and magazines have made this possible over all these years,” says Room 212 owner, Sarah Thorp.

It’s wonderful that so many artists in our area

North Bristol Art Trail 2021

can make a living through their art. The local

Lockdown last year meant that artists were only able to display work outside. This year, artists plan to open their homes and studios once again and welcome visitors to a safe and enjoyable trail. Many venues will hold a preview night on 26 November.

Visitors will be able to pick up trail maps at a number of venues throughout Bristol.

The trail has always been the last weekend of November and trail supporters come whatever the weather – including blizzards and downpours. It’s a fantastic way to pick up unusual Christmas gifts or something original for your home, while chatting to artists or bumping into friends and neighbours. ■

community, businesses and magazines have made this possible over all these years Always eager to expand, a successful application to the Bristol City Council Arts Festival Fund helped develop the trail to reach a wider demographic. Artists collaborated to offer the community educational experiences. Art projects were run in Sefton Park and Bishop Road schools, and a fashion show saw children make outfits from recycled materials. The North Bristol Artists went on to hold an annual art exhibition with schools in St Andrews Park; exhibited artwork from Horfield Prison, and founded Lighting Up – now an independent charity run by artists working with people with dementia and their carers. To this day, the North Bristol Artists continue to run ongoing art exhibitions at Southmead Hospital and Westbury-on-Trym GP surgery.

Sarah Cowper now runs Coldharbour Gallery in Westbury Park and, along with galleries Fig and Room 212, exhibits an array of work created by North Bristol Artists. A section of Gloucester Road is seen as a permanent destination for local art and the North Bristol Artists’ website showcases all the artists and their wide range

• North Bristol Art Trail is taking place on 27 and 28 November.

See the North Bristol Artists’ website for details of the map and artist listings. Up to date information will also be offered via Facebook and Instagram; northbristolartists.org.uk.

Above (pictured left to right): North Bristol Artists’ founding members Huw Richards Evans, Cath Read, Sarah Cowper, Debby Bird, Isobel Golt Morris Opposite page, top: Blackberries in the Gorge by Jenny Urquhart Middle left: artwork by Cath Read Middle right: visitors admiring the work of Laurel Smart Bottom left: jewellery made by Katie Johnston Bottom right: artwork by Jane Boot THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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COLUMN | CHRIS YEO ON ANTIQUES

Expert opinion From Chris Yeo, Valuer at Clevedon Salerooms and regular expert on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow

Well served

T

hat domestic goddess of the Victorian era, Mrs Beeton, claimed all creatures eat, but “man only dines”. If she were still with us, Mrs B. would surely be aghast to learn that the dining room is fast going the way of the dodo. With today’s taste for informality in all things, the room that was once the very definition of middle class respectability has been brought to the brink of obsolescence by kitchen suppers and take-aways in front of the telly.

Before you drown in grief, let’s not forget that what, how and where we consume our food has always been subject to the vagaries of fashion.

Around 10,000 B.C. the happy Homo Sapiens of Cheddar caves washed down their meals – usually animal, occasionally human - with the Stone Age equivalent of Chateauneuf du Pape from a human skull passed from person to person (archaeologists have yet to discover whether “pinkies” were raised). Take your time-machine forward to the Georgian period and dinner was a very different affair to that which we would recognise today. Fashionable meals consisted of three courses, each made up of lots of different dishes, a mixture of sweet and savoury, hot and cold. All the food was put on the table at once, with diners taking a little of what they fancied, rather like a sit-down buffet. People were not told where to sit and it must have been a bit of a free for all as people jostled to be near a particular person or within reach of their favourite dish. The timid would have had a hard time as it was considered bad form to ask a fellow diner to pass a dish and the servants would have been busy serving wine.

There might also be a musical accompaniment, with – for reasons on which we can only speculate – French horn ensembles being thought particularly appropriate.

The niceties of fine dining probably mattered little to the person who “souvenired” a pair of plates which recently appeared at Clevedon Salerooms. Made in Bristol in around 1820, a clue to their provenance was provided by an ‘M H’ monogram painted on the back, indicating they had been made for the Mansion House. The Lord Mayor’s residence on Queen Square had been the scene of many grand banquets until it was trashed, looted and burnt in the Bristol Riots of 1831. Having missed their target of the Mayor – who only narrowly missed being lynched - the invaders seized the opportunity to help themselves to anything portable, including these plates, which sold for a tasty £250. ■ • clevedonsalerooms.com; @chrisyeo_antiques (Instagram)

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PHOTOGRAPHY

A world of food

Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year, in its tenth anniversary year, will be premiering for the very first time outside of London this month at The Royal Photographic Society. We took a closer look at some of the winners...

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he world’s leading awards for food photography and film has over 20 categories, ranging from the politics of food to food portraiture, and captures a great sweep of stories and cultures. An exhibition, drawn from thousands of entries from almost 80 countries, will be on display at The Royal Photographic Society from 20 November to 12 December; free for all to enjoy.

This year’s global judging panel, chaired by legendary food photographer, David Loftus, included Fiona Shields, head of photography at Guardian News Media; Simone Zanoni, chef at Restaurant Le George at the Four Seasons Paris; Vitalie Taittinger, president of Champagne Taittinger; and Rein Skullerud, head of the photo unit at the World Food Programme. The World Food Programme recently received the Nobel Peace Prize and is a longstanding partner of the awards.

As always, the winners are truly deserving of their accolades.

Escape into the mesmerizing world of food and browse some of the winners’ work here.

Above: Fujifilm Award for Innovation Credit: Abdul Momin Country: Bangladesh Title: Making Rice Noodles “A worker is inspecting rice noodles to see if they have dried properly.”

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OVERALL WINNER Credit: Li Huaifeng Country: China Title: Taste “The photograph was taken in Licheng, Shanxi, on a warm and sunny day, and shows a young family sharing in the joy of preparing food.”

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Category: Politics of Food Credit: Sandro Maddalena Country: Italy Title: Old Friends “Tskaltubo – refugees from the Abkhazian – Georgian conflict gather in the basement of an abandoned sanatorium to share their food.

Almost thirty years after the conflict, Abkhazian refugees are still living in abandoned buildings in conditions of poverty.”

Category: Food For Celebration Credit: Li Hauifeng Country: China Title: Happy Birthday “A birthday celebration.”

Category: Bring Home the Harvest Credit: F.Dilek Uyar Country: Turkey Title: Drying Okra “Drying okra flowers in Tokat, Turkey. Women pick okra flowers from the field and arrange them on a rope, then the dried flowers fall and the okra becomes ready to be used in winter.”

Category: Champagne Taittinger Wedding Food Photographer Credit: John Armstrong-Millar Country: France Title: Many a Slip “Normally weddings run to plan but it’s really fun to capture the moments where things go a little off script.”

Category: Food at the Table Credit: Thong Nguyen Country: Vietnam Title: Breakfast at Weekly Market “People enjoy their pho (beef or chicken noodle) for breakfast at a local market.”

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THE DELICIOUS GUIDE | 2021

THE DELICIOUS GUIDE Bristol 2021

the best places in Bristol to eat, drink and enjoy Thankfully Bristol’s ‘Delicious’ offering (those special food venues and providers that you need to have on your radar) has spread its wings in the last few months – no longer limited to a homecooked meal or a take-out treat, we’re back to going out more freely and sharing our food with friends and loved ones, safely, but without worrying quite so much about bubbles.

We begin with some Bristol classics, the venues we return to time and again with affection as they reliably deliver great dishes every time. Alternatively for a quick, tasty bite, make your selection from our menu of cafés, delis and foodie emporia, or relax in one of the local pubs that manage to combine an informal setting with some top-quality dining. You might opt for a hotel with an elegant restaurant, or perhaps join colleagues after work in a bar or brasserie, where you can quaff a craft ale or have a glass of fizz and enjoy a plate of seasonal, local produce. Whatever your foodie craving, we think you’ll find all the right choices here.

BAR 44 18-20 Regent St, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4HG Tel: 0333 344 4049 Web: bar44.co.uk Looking for something different this Christmas? Bar 44 in Clifton Village take a Spanish twist on traditional fare with their stunning tapas feast this festive season. You can enjoy the tapas feast at £28.00 per person (minimum of 4 people) from 1st December until 23rd December. You can enjoy this in the restaurant or for that truly memorable experience why not book one of the beautiful private dining rooms located in the underground bank vaults.

Alternatively for those who are hosting friends and loved ones at home over the festive period, why not add some of the very best food and drink from Spain to your offering? A wide selection of artisan products are available to order via our online shop: mercado44.grupo44.co.uk

PARTISAN PRODUCE The Gatehouse, East Harptree, Bristol, BS40 6AH Tel: 0117 290 1235 Web: partisanproduce.co.uk Partisan Produce deliver fabulous local produce to homes across Bristol and surrounding areas. Order exceptional produce sourced from the South West for home delivery including; Chew Valley reared meats from the Partisan farm shop, day-boat caught fish from Cornwall, sourdough breads and delicious pastries, seasonal veg boxes, award winning cheeses and much more.

Shopping with Partisan Produce means directly supporting local farmers, producers and small businesses in the South West. Skip the supermarket queues this week and shop locally instead.

Partisan deliver across the majority of Bristol postcodes using their own refrigerated vans Weds-Fri with additional delivery days over the Christmas period.

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THE DELICIOUS GUIDE | 2021

FLIGHT CLUB 41 Corn Street, Bristol, BS1 1HT Tel: 0117 472 9150 Web: Flightclubdarts.com Join Flight Club on Corn Street for the ultimate festive socials! Whether it’s your work Christmas party, toasting the season or for brunch with a difference, there’s plenty to choose from. With seven Social Darts playing areas and a spectacular bar to soak up the atmosphere in it’s the perfect setting this Christmas. For a work social with a difference why not combine delicious food and drinks packages with some friendly competition for groups from 6-200? If you’re planning a Christmas catch up with friends, join their Festive Brunch Social, featuring a festive cocktail, a bottle of Prosecco each, bottomless pizza and a Social Darts sampler; it’ll add some sparkle to your socials!

BURGER THEORY 37-38 St Stephen's Street, Bristol, BS1 1JX Tel: 0117 929 7818 Web: Burgertheory.co.uk

WRIGGLE HAMPERS Tel: 0117 325 8535 Web: getawriggleon.com Offering food & drink hampers for a new generation, Wriggle Hampers make consciously crafted hampers, featuring contemporary food and drink from exceptional producers. Packed with care in 100% recyclable packaging and wrapped in bespoke sleeves, this unique range of hampers make for unforgettable gifts.

Whether for staff, clients, family or friends - Wriggle have a hamper for you.

Wiggle see gifts as a positive force that not only make us feel good, but can also inspire change. This is the perfect time to show those around you how much you appreciate them.

Welcome to Burger Theory, the burger company run by chefs.

This Christmas the team invite you and your friends or colleagues to come and share a meal in their cosy restaurant where they will endeavour to bring a little Christmas cheer to the table through the medium of burgers.

All food is made on site with locally sourced high welfare animals, British cheese, locally baked bread and a lot of love!

Burger Theory offer their Christmas package to groups with a minimum of eight people in their flagship restaurant on St Stephen's Street. One course: £15.00, Two courses: £21.00, Three courses: £26.00.

KLOSTERHAUS The Friary Building, Quakers Friars, Bristol, BS1 3DF Tel: 0117 452 3111 Web: klosterhaus.co.uk Celebrate the festive season in the heart of Bristol at Klosterhaus.

Located in the iconic Grade 1 listed Quakers Friars building, Klosterhaus is a glamourous restaurant, featuring a bar, multiple event spaces and outdoor terraces.

Dine on the festive menu and enjoy classic Mittel-European dishes alongside German favourites. Step into the winter terrace and immerse yourself in traditional German fare amongst furs, blankets and heaters whilst sipping on hot cocktails.

As well as the main restaurant, you can also host a private event in one of the venue's diverse entertainment spaces this festive season.

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THE DELICIOUS GUIDE | 2021

BETTER FOOD 278 Gloucester Road, Bristol, BS7 8PD Tel: 0117 370 0271 Web: betterfood.co.uk From humble beginnings packing veg boxes in a kitchen in St. Werburghs, Better Food have been serving the Bristol community for nearly 30 years. They believe that the way we produce, buy and eat food is more important than ever and are on a mission to change grocery shopping for the better.

Wherever possible they buy locally, and prioritise organic, which is better for wildlife and biodiversity, soil and farm animals.

Better Food stock some of the best organic, local and ethical brands around, as well as organic fruit and vegetables, organic food refills, bodycare and household refills, chilled food, locally sourced meat, fresh bread, gifts and more. The café and food hall sells Organic Served Here certified hot drinks, self-serve soups and porridge, freshly baked cakes and pastries, salads, juices and smoothies, cooked lunches and deli specialities to take away.

THE BLAISE INN 260 Henbury Road, Bristol, BS10 7QR Tel: 0117 907 1115 Web: theblaiseinn.co.uk A warm welcome awaits at the newly refurbished Blaise Inn. Relax with a pint of real ale, glass of wine or to enjoy delicious dishes from the new menu.

Award winning Chef, Louise McCrimmon, combines her classic French training and commitment to seasonality to deliver a regularly changing menu of simple, quality classics together with a traditional Sunday roast.

Situated a stone’s throw from the gates of the Blaise Castle Estate, the Blaise Inn is the perfect starting or finishing point for a visit to the beautiful parklands.

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THORNBURY CASTLE Castle Street, Thornbury, BS35 1HH Tel: 01454 281182 Web: Thornburycastle.co.uk Why not spend time this festive season at Thornbury Castle and celebrate in majestic style, in this newly refurbished Tudor castle hotel.

From quintessential festive lunches in the atmospheric restaurant, to a champagne afternoon tea in one of the elegant and historic lounges, the castle offers the perfect setting to gather friends and family together for the finest of occasions.

Executive Chef Carl Cleghorn and his team have created a series of mouth-watering menus using the finest seasonal and local ingredients from the castle’s kitchen and herb gardens and local suppliers, and look forward to delivering a memorable dining experience for all their guests this festive season.

KIBOU JAPANESE KITCHEN & BAR

SPECIAL EVENT

16 Kings Road, Bristol, BS8 4AB Tel: 0117 450 2930 Web: kibou.co.uk

HARVEY NICHOLS SUDANESE SUPPER CLUB Second Floor Restaurant, 27 Philadelphia Street, Quakers Friars, Bristol BS1 3BZ Tel: 0117 916 8898 Web: harveynichols.com/store/bristol Join Harvey Nichols for an evening celebrating African cuisine and the incredible work of Houria CIC, a Bristol-based antislavery and anti-racism organisation. Houria train and hire female survivors in a Pan-African catering company. Bringing native flavours, recipes and skills to the table, your host Salha, will join the Second Floor Restaurant team to curate and cook authentic Sudanese dishes.

Salha is Houria’s first trainee refugee female chef and takes great pride and flair in delivering Sudanese cuisine. She inherited her natural talents in the kitchen from her mother as a child learning traditional cooking techniques and the stories that go with them.

Thursday 11 November, 6.30pm. Enjoy canapés, welcome drink and three courses, £35 per person.

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KIBOU is bursting with colour and Japanese-inspired attention to detail. From its iconic décor and vibrant murals, to the equally colourful dishes and drinks they serve.

Their menu centres on some real ‘look at me’ showpieces. The generous 20-piece Jo Moriawase offers a great introduction to a broad range of sushi and sashimi. Featuring the chef’s top picks of the day, it’s perfect for sharing if you’re looking for an overview of what’s on the menu. Or why not opt for one of their signature sushi rolls. Their famous tempura-battered and deepfried volcano roll, made with salmon, avocado and tobiko is always a winner. You’ll also find a wide selection of hot Japanese dishes too, from pillowy bao buns with a range of fillings, crisp tempura, rich ramen – all made with their own stock of course, and handmade pork or prawn gyozas, to name just a few.

This new kid on the block, two-storey neighbourhood bar and restaurant has a great drinks offering as well, with a cocktail menu that’s just as eye-catching as the food, alongside an extensive range of Japanese whiskies, sake, beers and wine.

Dine in the restaurant in one of their intimate booths, or head to the open sushi kitchen to watch these sushi maestros at work.

Or you can just head to the bar to enjoy a few drinks and nibbles – there’s something for all tastes and occasions at KIBOU. To book your table, head to www.kibou.co.uk

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BOXLOCAL Tel: 07540 633864

Web: boxlocal.co.uk

Get Christmas wrapped up early and support local this year with Boxlocal’s award-winning Christmas hampers. Boxlocal, a family-run hamper company, exclusively source premium products that are independent, sustainable and most importantly local to Bristol and the surrounding areas.

Choose from 22 set Christmas hampers or create your own bespoke Christmas hamper with over 150 locally-sourced treats made by the finest small-scale artisans. From luxury iced biscuits from Anna Cake Couture, to foraged fruit jams from Heavenly Hedgerows - you will be spoilt for choice.

Use exclusive 10% discount code Bristol10 for Christmas orders placed before 14th November. Select your delivery date in advance and include a personalised handwritten note free of charge!

THE CLOCKWORK ROSE 16 St Stephen’s Street, Bristol, BS1 1JR Tel: 0117 927 6869 Web: Theclockworkrose.com Take a step back in time to a traditional, Victorian-style Christmas at The Clockwork Rose.

Explore the alternative history of steampunk and try the new christmas menu: The Great Victorian Bake Off – A selection of cocktails based on traditional cakes such as, dundee cake, figgy pudding and the chocolate yule log.

This year sees the return of the Christmas Silent Film Society (date TBD) and The Whisky Fight Club (13th Dec) where there will be a blind tasting of whiskies from Scotland and Japan to see who will take home this year’s title.

The Clockwork Rose is also available to organise private Christmas parties that will go down in history, including Champagne receptions, live music and best of all a complimentary bespoke cocktail designed exclusively for your event.

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FOOD & DRINK | RECIPES

Bringing Iberia to Bristol kitchens One of the city’s most respected Spanish restaurants is publishing a gorgeous new cookbook, painting a beautiful image of the country it puts front and centre in its cuisine

T

om Parker Bowles suggested last December that Bar 44’s sister restaurant in Cardiff could be his restaurant of the year, and the Cowbridge-born brothers behind both establishments have won high-profile praise from many others, including Saturday Kitchen’s Matt Tebbutt and The Sunday Telegraph’s Susy Atkins – who believes Owen Morgan to be one of the UK’s most inventive sherry connoisseurs.

The Spanish-inspired Clifton Village eatery is certainly one of our favourites; we visit seeking out lip-smacking sangrias, sherry cocktails and ice cream laced with the fortified stuff, and the Iberianinfluenced roast dinner. Oh boy, is it good.

Owen and his brother Tom founded the first Bar 44 restaurant in 2002, having fallen in love with Spanish food, drink and culture throughout their formative years, and now import their own olives and sherry and run educational food and drink tours as well as online cookalongs. This month they are bringing out a beautiful new book, Bar 44 Tapas y Copas: This Is Our Spain, elevating traditional

Spanish cuisine to exciting new heights.

We’re talking chorizo in cider, beetroot gazpacho, dates in bacon, roast cauliflower and romesco, strawberry and cava sorbet, pear and olive oil cake and blood orange salad. Peppered with vignettes illustrating how the brothers became restauranteurs, and the lengths they go to source ingredients – the Spanish mountains, coasts, plains, sherry ferias and cheese caves their larder – it commits to paper over 100 recipes that Bar 44 fans can make in their own kitchens.

We can see it being a big autumn hit.

• Bar 44 Tapas y Copas: This Is Our Spain is published by Seren Books on 8 November (£25)

Paella pan Ibérico pork, Pembrokeshire cockles, caramelised onion and amontillado (serves 6) Sometimes when you get hold of stunningly good produce, you want to do as little as possible to it, allowing the quality to shine through and letting people enjoy it simply but to the max. Bellota grade Ibérico pork, and the presa cut in particular, is up there with the finest truffles and caviar as one of the world’s premier ingredients. It is a shoulder cut, which in some countries would be slow-cooked, but the breeding and ultra free-range rearing of Ibérico pigs means that presa

Ingredients

leave until it is at the right temperature for direct cooking. (If cooking indoors, see end note.)

• Meanwhile, make the caramelised onions.

Place the oil, garlic and onions in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring regularly.

You should end up with sweet, caramelcoloured onions. Season to taste and set aside until needed.

• Rub the pork all over with the olive oil and lots of salt and pepper. Place it on the grill over the barbecue or fire and cook, turning every 3-4 minutes, until it develops a deep caramelisation and crust on the outside.

Move it only when you must, such as if the dripping fat creates too many flames. It is a large cut, so watch that it doesn’t burn. We cook our Ibérico pork rare (until a probe thermometer registers 49°C) or medium rare (55°C). When done to your liking, set the pork aside to rest in the pan for at least 15 minutes.

1kg presa Ibérica de Bellota puro, whole and untrimmed (available online) 25ml light olive oil 800g cockles 75ml amontillado sherry For the caramelised onions 75ml extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1½ large onions, thinly sliced Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper To garnish Extra virgin olive oil Sea salt Dill

Method

• Unwrap the pork and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before cooking.

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can be treated like prime fillet steak, needing little more than searing and serving medium rare. For this dish we combine it with fresh local cockles, which are steamed open in a mixture of caramelised onions and nutty amontillado sherry, a flavour combination that marries well with both pork and seafood. While this dish can be made in the kitchen (see end note below), it works best on a barbecue or in a wood-fired oven because that lick of smoke gives added flavour.

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• Place a paella pan on the barbecue, add the caramelised onions and heat through. Once hot, add the cockles and sherry. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the cockles have opened. Remove the lid and heat for another 1-2 minutes to reduce the sherry.

• Take the pan off the heat, then carve the pork across the grain into thin slices. Drape and nestle them in and among the cockles.

Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with some sea salt and chopped dill to garnish.

Note • If cooking the meat indoors rather than out, heat a frying pan until hot, then sear the presa in it for 8-10 minutes, until caramelised on all sides. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Transfer the pork to a roasting tray and place in the oven for 10 minutes, or until a probe thermometer registers 49°C (rare) or 55°C (medium rare). All the other steps in the recipe can be done on the hob. n

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FOOD & DRINK | RECIPES

Get a load of this rich and colourful twist on the classic paella

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FOOD

Foodie fabulosity

After Zak Hitchman hit the headlines for writing fake reviews of his own Michelin-starred restaurant, Casamia, Melissa Blease sat down with the head chef to learn more about the high-end fine dining establishment that offers dinner and a show

Head chef Zak Hitchman

B

lack walls, loud music and a candlelit kitchen; smoke in the air, projections flickering hither and thither... and a young head chef who cooks on an open fire – in an open kitchen – cooks like a cross between Marco Pierre White and David Foster Wallace in their 'glory days', and recently took to TripAdvisor to leave fake reviews of the restaurant he cooks at. “Only three stars because it was very cloudy that day”, comments included, and “It was a spiritual journey that brought me near to tears”. Zak Hitchman: what on earth is going on at Bristol's long-standing temple of foodie fabulosity, Casamia?

“Casamia went through a massive change when I took over just after lockdown,” says Zak. “We were forced to close in March 2020, as was everybody else, and re-opened at the start of August. I was offered the position of head chef, my first time in this role, during that lockdown, and I had probably a bit less than weeks to develop the entire menu as a completely different concept. We've still got the same name, and a lot of the old team who have been around for a long time are still on board, but what we refer to by the little pet name of Casamia 2.0 is a completely different concept to the original Casamia that everybody was so familiar with.”

And that very familiarity was one of the reasons behind the changes. “Peter Sanchez-Iglesias [who, alongside his brother Jonray – who sadly died in 2015 at the age of 32 – took over his family’s traditional Italian trattoria in 2006 and turned into one of the UK’s 50 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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most revered, Michelin-starred restaurants] took a very bold step in deciding it was the right time for us to reinvent Casamia,” Zak explains. “It was still a very good restaurant, and people absolutely loved it. But maybe those people had got a bit used to it and were somehow less excited about it because it wasn't really at any kind of forefront anymore. We decided that we wanted to make Casamia into a place that we wanted to eat at – and for me, old school fine dining in a quiet restaurant just didn't hit the spot. We were talking about changing things around a bit before lockdown, but not making any drastic, massive changes in one go, just perhaps making the menu longer, painting the restaurant a different colour – smaller changes over a longer period of time. But lockdown changed everybody's outlook, in so many ways. We ended up painting the restaurant black and Peter had a massive sound system installed, and then I came in and basically started cooking pretty much everything on fire. We loosely say that the set menu changes with the seasons, but it tends to be more often than that; some dishes have been on the menu since we opened, but we're refining, adding, simplifying all the time, so it's difficult to say what a typical dish might be and we ask diners to allow around 3½ hours to work their way through all the courses, so the restaurant is different to other restaurants in that way too. I understand that the 'new look' Casamia probably isn't right for some people, but the people who get it really, really get it.”

Given all the changes to Casamia, how come a new name wasn't thrown into the mix? “We did discuss changing the name but we all decided that we wanted to keep it,” says Zak. “There are no rules around what Casamia can be, and the meaning of the word itself is great! It confuses one or two people who think it's still a traditional Italian restaurant, but it's a good name. Also, Casamia has been around for 25 years, maybe longer, and that history is still very much part of what we do. Peter and Jonray's mum and dad Paco and Sue started it, and they're still around; Paco is basically retired now but he comes in and says hello to everyone, and Sue is still involved behind the scenes, in administration. I worked really closely with Peter throughout the changes we've made and he's still very much involved, but he's taken a huge back step and completely trusts us with everything while he gets on with Pi Shop and Paco Tapas and his restaurants in London; I think he's happy to just have a team of people who are happy to run with everything and make Casamia even more exciting. He's involved in big decisions but not the day-today stuff, and he drops by once a week or so to catch up on what we're up to.”

But with any changes made to any restaurant (most of all, those with long-standing status on the foodie scene) public forum reviews will, inevitably, offer a mixed bag of opinions on the Big Reveal.

Zak: bring us up to speed on the recent TripAdvisor 'debacle' that ended up making national headlines.

“First off, let's just agree that TripAdvisor is a load of nonsense, really,” he says. “Bad reviews – okay, they are what they are. But some of the reviews we attracted were so off the wall they were hilarious, or ridiculous, or didn't make any sense at all. People who referred to us Casanova rather than Casamia – how does that happen? And others describing the menu as a Bushtucker Trial, or going on and on about the music not being their taste in music – it was all just silliness, really, that we all found pretty funny. So we drew attention to it on our Instagram feed and I posted a couple of crazy 'reviews' myself and it blew up from there; first off, the local newspaper wanted to talk to us about it, and then we ended up in

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FOOD

“We've had bespoke installations made for us by some pretty cool people who are usually involved in backdrops for DJs and that kind of thing – groundbreaking work by amazing visual arts people.”

Triple-cooked Mayan Gold chip with black garlic

Casamia has become much more like a show; you come here rather than go to the theatre, or a gig. We're an all-in-one, immersive experience with a light show and projections that are integral to what we do

the Daily Mail, of all places!” As for TripAdvisor's response: “After our investigation, these reviews (and additional content found to be authored by the chef) were removed and the business in question will receive a fraud penalty related to the misuse of our platform.” Gosh! TripAdvisor actually responding to a news story about TripAdvisor – that in itself is quite an achievement. Surely the furore made Zak a tad angry, though? “Not really,” he says, with a shrug. “It was all just too silly for that. We know what we're doing and we focus on what we're doing, and we're not going to change anything just because someone on TripAdvisor has written something daft. The thing is, though, we proved that anyone can write anything on TripAdvisor because we started writing silly reviews of our own, and they didn't get removed until the day the newspaper features came out.” So the storm in a teacup has, it seems, subsided – for the time being at least. But something tells me that Casamia 2.0 won't stay out of the headlines for long.

It has to be said at this point that those of us who are keen to experience the changes at Casamia aren't likely to make a booking on a whim; the set menu (comprising around 20+ courses) costs £180pp without drinks. But it could be said that, given the unique experience that comes as standard, you easily get what you pay for.

“We've created a concept that we're going to go further and further into,” says Zak. “Casamia has become much more like a show; you come here rather than go to the theatre, or a gig. We're an all-in-one, immersive experience with a light show and projections that are integral to what we do. We've had bespoke installations made for us by some pretty cool people who are usually involved in backdrops for DJs and that kind of thing – groundbreaking work by amazing visual arts people. Casamia is a creative place to be, and that obviously suits Bristol because Bristol is a very creative city, and we're appealing to an audience who want to come out and experience something different. Some of our regular people have come back after the changes and absolutely loved it but others have come back and not enjoyed it at all, and that comes with the territory: the concept definitely isn't for everyone. But I believe we've turned the restaurant into something much more exciting, and importantly much more Bristol; I hope everyone picks up on that.”

• casamiarestaurant.co.uk THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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BOOKS

Winter reads

Books for the small people in your life, as recommended by the lovely team at Wapping Wharf’s brilliant Bookhaus

Once Upon a Tune, James Mayhew

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iming to represent the best of contemporary literature with a focus on diversity and global outlook, as well as children’s and modern fiction, history, science and current affairs – via books that address the burning questions of the world – Rope Walk store Bookhaus opened over the summer to reflect Bristol’s tradition as a centre of radicalism. Here, Nayya Raza – Bookhaus’ children’s manager – delves into the latest releases in children’s literature.

Funny and fabulous, discover the perfect winter read...

Published by Otter-Barry Books Once Upon a Tune is an adventurous endeavour that establishes the classic tales that were the inspiration behind the classical tunes. From Goethe to Paul Dukas,

fossils and bones and meander through water, lava and snow to see birth, death and rebirth unfold. This engaging and beautifully illustrated book will satiate the most curious of minds, providing answers to the big questions. The expansive landscape layout allows you to jump right into the pages, immersing you in the terrains that dominated this land long before we existed.

A perfect page-turner for those who are fact-hungry, dinosaur-obsessed and interested in science and history.

What We See in the Stars, Kelsey Oseid

Kay’s Marvellous Medicine, Adam Kay

Published by Pan Macmillan Strap in – get your space suit on – and prepare to be shot up into space, for this book is a fantastical voyage into the deep, dark and dizzying night sky. A perfect crossover of scientific facts and poetic storytelling, this book is an engaging read for children and adults alike. Adorned with wondrous illustrations, What We See in the Stars is an insightful and well-researched introduction to the cosmos and the rich tapestry of mythology, history and science that is woven into it. A wonderful gift for the young stargazers, space explorers and science enthusiasts in your life.

Lunch at 10 Pomegranate Street, Felicita Sala Published by Scribe UK From the windows of 10 Pomegranate Street drifts a most scrumptious smell, and this book is an invitation to pull up a chair and share the feasts of the residents who live there. As you traverse the building you meet its inhabitants who will introduce you to delicacies from around the world, in a joyous celebration of cultures and communities. This book is a perfect Christmas present for young chefs, with it’s simple and easy-to-follow recipes and enticing watercolour illustrations. It will convince reluctant readers to get stuck in a book, and fussy eaters in the kitchen too!

How Life on Earth Began, Aina Bestard Published by Thames & Hudson Venture through the history of Earth from the conception of the universe, through giant fungal forests to the arrival of early humans. Peel through this palimpsest of evolutionary journeys; lift the flaps to discover the life that existed before the 52 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Alexander Pushkin to Rimsky-Korsakov, Mayhew's unity of music and story makes for an enriched experience of both. Laden with uniquely collaged illustrations and a lyricism which, if read at bedtime, will lull all into marvellously magical and musical dreams. This book will make a lasting Christmas gift for the creative and the musical and will enrapture all those who love to get lost in a story.

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Published by Puffin Kay’s Marvellous Medicine is a brand new release from Adam Kay, author of beloved and brilliant Kay’s Anatomy, a book that has quickly become fodder for school corridor gossip and playground discussions. In this book, history meets science and humour, providing a “gross and gruesome” timeline of the body and medical science throughout the ages. An excellent choice of gift for fans of Horrible Histories and those who like to learn with a healthy dose of laughter!

• bookhausbristol.com

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THE

KI TC HEN PAR TNER S DESIGN STUDIO

www.thekitchenpartners.co.uk 102 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2QY 01179 466433

Founders and Lead Designers - Fiona & Clinton

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BRISTOL UPDATES NEWS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS

RAINBOW ANNOUNCES EXPANSION Rainbow, a network and VOIP specialist company based in Keynsham, is delighted to finally announce the acquisition of Protel Communications. The company was originally purchased by Rainbow in June 2020 when negotiations began during the peak of the global coronavirus pandemic. However, Rainbow was unable to advertise or merge the company due to the extensive monitoring of the work load coming out of the pandemic. The move was considered risky as at the time as neither company had any work on the books but Rainbow saw it in the best interest of both companies to push through with the sale. Now, one year on, Rainbow is finally able to announce this exciting purchase and merge Protel into their ever-expanding organisation.

• rainbownetworks.co.uk

NEW OPENING FOR BETTER FOOD The award-winning organic shop and café group, Better Food, is set to open its fourth shop on Gloucester Road at the beginning of November. The recent winner of the prestigious BOOM award for Best Independent Retailer (The Best of Organic Market Awards) will stock some of the best organic, local and ethical brands available, as well as organic fruit and vegetables, a huge range of organic food refills, locally sourced meat and household refills. Better Food is well known for catering for those with specific diets in mind including vegan, dairy free, gluten free and coeliac. The new space will also include a café and food hall, selling hot drinks, self-serve soups and porridge, freshly baked cakes and pastries and a wide range of deli specialities to take away.

To welcome customers to the new shop, Better Food will give a free goody bag to its first 50 customers on opening day; a free organic tote bag for the next 300 who walk through the door; and a free organic barista coffee (or tea) to customers that download or show Better Food’s Bee Better refill rewards app in the shop in the first month.

RIBBLE RIDE IN Ribble Cycles, the award-winning British bicycle brand ridden by many cycling legends through their careers, has opened up a new showroom at The Mall in Cribbs Causeway. The new showroom has been designed to allow customers to fully experience the range and interact with the brand.

Visitors to the store will be able to benefit from Ribble's knowledgeable team, who are on hand to offer expert advice and assist customers with their bike buying journey. The team will also be able to help those looking to fully customise and personalise their bikes to suit their individual cycling needs.

Ribble will be hosting events, seminars, product evenings, ride-outs and much more in the coming months. Visit the website for more updates.

• ribblecycles.co.uk

• betterfood.co.uk; 278 Gloucester Road, BS7 8PD

VICTORY FOR THE VINCENT Later living specialist, Pegasus, part of Lifestory, has secured a coveted prize in the 2021 Housing Design Awards for its independent, later living community, The Vincent, in Bristol’s Redland neighbourhood.

The judges, drawn from a broad mix of professions, government departments and agencies, praised key elements of the design by awardwinning architect Alford Hall Monaghan Morris.

Launched in 1948 the awards were established to reward better municipal post-war rebuilding and were subsequently opened up to market sale homes in 1960 by Harold Macmillan. The awards take into consideration new developments' relationships to the neighbourhood, the appearance and design, sustainability in construction, finishes, detailing and workmanship.

• lifestory.group/pegasus/ourdevelopments/the-vincent-bristol

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GET YOUR SKATES ON Planet Ice Bristol, the indoor rink at The Venue Leisure Park at Cribbs Causeway, has officially opened its doors to the public.

Hannah Thomas, General Manager at Planet Ice Bristol says: "We are so pleased that we're able to open our doors for public skating for half term. We know there are so many people looking forward to enjoying a skating session with us, and we're really excited to be ready for the school holidays."

Bookings for public ice skating can be made now by visiting Planet Ice Bristol’s website. n • planet-ice.co.uk/locations/bristol

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Thinking of advertising your business

Our 2021 media pa ck can be viewed online

FOR A COPY OF OUR 2021 MEDIA PACK EITHER VISIT THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE WEBSITE THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK OR CONTACT US ON 0117 974 2800 EMAIL: SALES@THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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AEROSPACE CITY

Reaching for the stars

As a new age space race continues to gather momentum, an innovative Bristol-based aerospace company believes it holds the answers for affordable space tourism for the masses.

We speak to the managing director to discover more...

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AEROSPACE CITY

T

he new age space race is well and truly underway.

This year alone we’ve seen billionaires Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson and Elon Musk – all present leaders of vehicle development in space tourism – launch themselves and their ever-evolving technologies into space. In July, Branson’s VSS Bristol Spaceplanes MD, David Ashford Unity spaceplane – which carried him, two pilots, and three mission specialists – beat Bezos’ Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket ship to the fringes of space by just nine days. Branson’s spaceflight company, Virgin Galactic, is aiming to operate multiple space tourism flights a year, and already has more than 600 customers interested in its £189,000 seats when they become available – including Justin Bieber and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Bezos’ rocket ship, which fittingly launched on the 52nd anniversary of the 1969 moon landing, carried himself, his brother and the youngest and oldest people to ever go to space. For three minutes, all on board were able to feel near-weightlessness and admire the curvature of the earth before returning home safely – an experience that Bezos is promising future tourists. And even as recently as September the world watched on as Musk’s SpaceX capsule, carrying the first all-civilian mission, splashed down successfully in the Atlantic Ocean after three days in orbit. There is no doubt that a vast expansion of space science and exploration is happening as we speak, which many, including Musk, consider to be essential for the future flourishing of humankind. “I want to die on Mars – just not on impact,” Musk once quipped.

However, as tickets for the billionaires’ inventions are set to cost eye-watering amounts of money, the real jackpot will be won by the first to build a transportation system able to provide routine and

affordable spaceflight for the masses. Enter Bristol Spaceplanes Limited, an innovative company hoping to do just that. According to Bristol Spaceplanes, within the next 15 years, tourists could be enjoying a trip to space “for not much more than a return first class ticket to New York”.

Intrigued by such ambitious plans, we spoke to Managing Director David Ashford, whose CV spans some of the world’s mostwell regarded aerospace companies and whose portfolio even includes work on the supersonic airliner, Concorde. This month, we found out more about the possibilities of affordable space tourism and how the city could become the beating heart of a revolutionary new industry.

The designs The key to Bristol Spaceplanes’ plan is an original design philosophy that aims for airliner standards of safety. Since airliners are the safest flying machines yet invented, Bristol Spaceplanes’ designs are as much like airliners as is practicable – they are piloted, they have wings for taking off and landing, they use conventional runways, and they have jet engines.

Since Bristol Spaceplanes was founded in 1991, it has received grants from four government agencies and developed a strategy to build a series of progressively more advanced spaceplanes. Its designs have been well scrutinised as a result of feedback from studies and peer-reviewed papers in professional journals and Ashford himself has spent his career gaining valuable insight into the technologies needed for suborbital and orbital spaceplanes. After graduating from Imperial College in aeronautical engineering, he spent one year at Princeton doing post-graduate research on rocket motors. In 1961, he began working in Hawker Siddeley Aviation’s spaceplane design team before joining BAE Systems.

He wrote his first paper on spaceplanes for the Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1965. “What would have been a difficult and expensive development in the 1960s should now be straightforward, thanks to developments since then. Spaceplanes looked like a good idea then, and still do today,” says Ashford.

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AEROSPACE CITY

It is likely that the propellants will be liquid hydrogen and oxygen and the exhaust product will therefore be water vapour, which is non-toxic

The Ascender The first vehicle in the series is the Ascender suborbital spaceplane, which is designed to be the first aeroplane capable of routine flights to space. Bristol Spaceplanes proposes that after initial proving, it will be able to make several flights per day with just a quick check and refuelling between most flights.

The key to this capability is that it is designed to use jet engines up to supersonic speed on the atmospheric part of the climb. Using jets to such a high speed saves fuel compared with using rockets and enables a single vehicle to climb briefly to space height. None of the thirty or so other suborbital spaceplane designs proposed over the years have had this feature. The three that have actually flown (the X-15 in 1961, SpaceShipOne, 2004, and VSS Unity 2018) were launched from carrier aeroplanes, which add cost and complexity.

Ascender is like a quarter-scale Concorde with two seats, a simplified wing shape, and fitted with two jet engines and a rocket motor. It takes off from a conventional runway and then accelerates using its jet engines only. The rocket engine is then started and the pilot pulls it up into a steep climb. It then climbs unpowered to space height and after a few minutes in space, gravity pulls it back down into a steep dive towards Earth. The pilot then pulls it out of the dive, re-starts the jet engines, and flies Ascender back to the airport that it took off from. This is a suborbital trajectory that provides just a few minutes in space – an orbital trajectory involves accelerating to a higher speed so that the launcher can stay up like a satellite.

The Ascender

The Spacecab Ascender is a stepping-stone to the Spacecab Lower Stage, which has a similar shape and configuration but is enlarged to Concorde size and able to carry 20 passengers on space experience flights in an attached module. Its trajectory would be suborbital, similar to that of Ascender.

When the design reaches full maturity, it could be operated like an airliner and the cost per seat would then come down to about £5,000.

In place of the 20-passenger module, an enlarged Ascender can carry a reusable upper stage able to launch a medium satellite or carry a crew of six, or supplies to a space station in orbit. This combination is the Spacecab two-stage orbital spaceplane.

As the only orbital launcher with the key features essential for bringing in the new space age (piloted, winged, two stages) currently being proposed, Spacecab would transform transport to orbit from a missile-like system using largely throwaway launchers to an aviationlike one, resulting in greatly reduced costs and improved safety.

The Spacebus The fourth and final vehicle on the sequence is Spacebus, which is like a Spacecab enlarged to carry 50 people to orbit. “When fully mature, the cost of a few days in a space hotel would be a few tens of thousands of pounds, which is about one thousand times less than the cost today of sending an astronaut to space. This would clearly revolutionise spaceflight,” adds David.

According to Bristol Spaceplanes, Spacebus would also be capable of carrying passengers from Europe to Australia in some 75 minutes flying time.

The experience In David’s book Space Exploration: All That Matters, he details the experience of what a space tourist can expect. For those of us finding 58 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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The Spacecab

The Spacebus

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it hard to imagine just what a trip to space might look, feel and sound like, Ashford writes: “Your seat in the spaceplane will be quite similar to an airliner seat. You will, however, be wearing the emergency pressure suit. Take-off and initial climb will again be just like an airliner. You will notice the difference when the Orbiter stage of the spaceplane, in which you are seated, separates from the carrier aeroplane. You will see the latter disappearing beneath you. Then, when the rocket engines are set to full throttle, you will hear a louder noise, feel considerable vibration, and feel a strong push on your back as the acceleration increasers.”

He continues: “As you leave the effective atmosphere, you will see the sky turning dark. When your eyes have adapted you will see bright stars even in daytime. At this point you will able to see the ground a for a distance of several hundred kilometres and the curvature of the earth.

“After about six minutes of acceleration in the Orbiter, the rocket engines will stop and the noise and vibration will all but vanish. You will feel weightless for the first time. Soon afterwards, the hotel will come into view and if you are sitting at an appropriate window, you will be able to watch the docking manoeuvre. This will be a bit like a ship berthing at a pier except that it will be in three dimensions rather than two and the dock-hands attaching lines will be replaced by robot arms. A few minutes later, you will float weightlessly down the aisle, using banisters to guide you, through the cabin door and the air-lock passage and into the hotel.”

The environment It is important to mention the environmental effects of Bristol Spaceplanes’ proposed designs. With Bristol being the UK's first ever European Green Capital; home to dozens of ethical B Corporations; as well as the proud owner of the largest concentration of wildlife production companies in the world – it’s important not to discredit Bristol’s tremendous progress in tackling the environmental crisis.

According to Bristol Spaceplanes, the main disadvantage of low-cost access to space will be increased atmospheric pollution. Spaceplanes climbing to space will cause injections of pollutant into the high atmosphere, which may be persistent and the effects will need to be studied carefully. However, it is likely that the propellants will be liquid hydrogen and oxygen and the exhaust product will therefore be water vapour, which is non-toxic. Bristol Spaceplanes is confident that the vast environmental benefits of the spaceplanes will greatly outweigh this disadvantage for a number of reasons.

Firstly, Bristol Spaceplanes argues that its models will greatly reduce the cost of environmental science from space, which is key to understanding human impact on the environment. There will be a rapid gain in environmental knowledge, which will help us to restrict our polluting activities in a more effective manner. The large Envisat satellite, for example, was launched in 2002. It worked for ten years before being declared no longer operational. It led to much groundbreaking research in the fields of atmospheric chemistry, ozone depletion, biological oceanography, natural hazards, monitoring of maritime traffic, and study of snow and ice, to name just a few.

However, it cost about $2 billion to develop and launch, and very few such satellites can be afforded. But, with low-cost access by spaceplane, several satellites of this kind could be built. They could be optionally man-tended and could be larger and more capable than Envisat.

The second benefit is a boost to the hydrogen economy. Spaceplanes are likely to be among the early large-scale commercial users of liquid hydrogen fuel, which in turn will make it easier for it to be adopted for aeroplanes and ground transport systems.

The third benefit, which is longer-term, is that using resources from space will reduce the pressure on our own planet. Two likely candidates for first place are solar power satellites and mining asteroids. Large satellites for collecting solar power and transmitting it to Earth have been the subject of much study. According to Bristol Spaceplanes, the energy from the sun reaching the earth in just three days is equal to that in the fossil fuels needed to keep the human race supplied with energy for 100 years at the present rate of consumption.

A satellite of just 250km diameter could supply all of our present

energy needs, assuming 10 per cent overall efficiency, with a very low carbon footprint. On the other hand, the solar power satellites have to be launched into orbit and the power has to be transmitted back to Earth. Many engineering problems remain unsolved and it remains unclear how commercially competitive space solar power will be. The high cost of transport to space has so far prevented even small pilot schemes. Not one light bulb on Earth has yet been lit using power from space. Spaceplanes will enable the construction of satellites large enough to explore the feasibility of solar power collection in space for use on Earth. It is clearly prudent to do research on such future energy options as soon as the cost permits.

Beyond the environmental benefits, Bristol Spaceplanes also wonders what the effects of large-scale space tourism, space art, space sport, and expanded space science and exploration will have on human thinking. “Some indication is available from the experience of astronauts,” says David. “Most have said that going to space was a transforming experience, and that they would like to go again. They tend to return to Earth with a more global perspective than when they left. They are more conscious of the fragility of ‘Spaceship Earth’.When a million and more people visit space each year, we can expect these views to spread, which should make it easier to generate global action to counter the various perils that face our home planet.”

“Even today, the big space agencies are all promoting expendable launchers. This mindset remains the biggest obstacle to building an orbital spaceplane.”

Why Bristol?

Bristol is the hub of a world-class aerospace cluster and has access to all the required technologies for Bristol Spaceplanes. The Bristol and Colonial Aeroplane Company in 1910 became arguably the world's largest aircraft factory and built some of the best aeroplanes during World War I. Shortly after the war, it bought the aero engine company Cosmos Engineering and through years of succession, takeovers and mergers, eventually became part of BAE Systems – a co-manufacturer of Concorde. Today, the region’s companies are still at the forefront of the world’s aerospace industry, housing Airbus UK, GKN, and Rolls-Royce.

Breaking the mould Ashford believes the main obstacle for Bristol Spaceplanes is the power of traditional thinking and remembers a great opportunity that was missed in the 1970s to build a fully reusable orbital spaceplane. “If this had happened, space transportation to orbit would now be routine and affordable,” he says. “The Space Shuttle was sold originally as a reusable project but, being in the event largely expendable, could never live up to its promise. This history has created institutions and habits of thought that have repeatedly reinforced the expendable habit. Even today, the big space agencies are all promoting expendable launchers. This mindset remains the biggest obstacle to building an orbital spaceplane.”

Eager to put Bristol at the forefront of the industry, Bristol Spaceplanes is looking for investors to help it build a model that will not only further improve its designs but attract industrial partners.

Together with these partners, steps towards an affordable space tourism can finally take place. ■ • Visit bristolspaceplanes.com for more information about Bristol Spaceplanes.

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EDUCATION NEWS UPDATES FROM THE CITY’S SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

PRESTIGIOUS NOMINATION FOR FHS

DOUBLE POINTES Evelyn and Isla, aged 10 and pupils at Redmaid’s High Junior School in Bristol, have both recently been invited to join The Royal Ballet School’s Junior Associates programme.

Created in 1948, this prestigious Associates programme nurtures young, talented students between the ages of 8 and 17, and will give them the opportunity to dance alongside other gifted children who share their passion for dance.

The girls have been dancing since the age of three and are delighted they have both been selected, so they can continue to practise together. Their mother, Fiona Hoyle said, “The girls are constantly dancing.

They don’t walk down the street, they pirouette.”

The sisters have now started to attend Saturday classes with The Royal Ballet School at a centre in Bristol, alongside their regular ballet lessons.

Speaking of their success, Headteacher at Redmaids’ High Junior School, Mrs Lisa Brown said, “It is quite a significant achievement for two sisters to be selected onto the Royal Ballet’s Associates programme. Both Evelyn and Isla clearly love performing, and we will also give them plenty of opportunity to do so at school over the coming years.”

• redmaidshigh.co.uk

Fairfield High School (FHS) is honoured to be nominated as a Music Mark School; it was awarded this status in celebration of its commitment to excellent and highquality music education for the school's young people.

Unlike other awards, this status recognises the work already being carried out by Fairfield on a day-to-day basis, rather than the school conducting specific work in order to achieve the mark.

Fairfield has built a long-standing relationship with Bristol Plays Music over the past six years, including being involved with the development of a ‘Bristol Music Curriculum’ which has been rolled out in partnership with the organisation. This has led to a more representative and diverse Bristolfocused curriculum being offered to students across the city and is one of the accolades identified by the Music Mark.

Furthermore, for those students wishing to pursue individual instruments, the choice of lesson provision in the school is vast, with options ranging from singing, piano, guitar, drums, woodwind, violin and brass. In addition, students are now having the opportunity to study music production, songwriting and beat-making alongside more traditional instruments and singing, giving further support to the Post-16 opportunities and pathways they may wish to choose. This year Fairfield also intends to add beatboxing, rapping and DJing to that list. This too has been recognised by Music Mark for being exceptional practice.

FHS looks forward to continuing to build upon this important educational and creative journey, and supporting its students with these and other opportunities to engage with music-making both within, and outside of school in the wider community.

• fairfield.excalibur.org.uk

TEAMING UP FOR BRISTOL’S YOUNG Two local businesses catering to young people in the Bristol area have opened a shop on Gloucester Road to take walk-in enquires.

Tutor Doctor is a one-to-one and small group tutoring service, delivering in-person or online lessons for all subjects and levels (primary, secondary, post-16).

Soccer Shooters combine top quality coaching with a relaxed and inclusive environment, supporting children of all backgrounds and abilities from age 4 to 16.

The business owners got to know each other as part of the same cohort of entrepreneurs accepted into the Bristol Natwest Accelerator back in 2018. Having known each other for some time, they found that their values and services aligned well with each other, and they serve the same demographic of local families, hence having decided to take up a commercial premise on a vibrant stretch of Bristol's high street.

With support for children's education and physical exercise of high importance and in strong demand post lockdown, the two businesses look forward to bringing something fresh and exciting to Gloucester Road.

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• tutordoctor.co.uk; soccershooters.com; 84 Gloucester Road, BS7 8BN Pictured (left to right): James Wilson (owner, Soccer Shooters), Rachael Tan (Tutor Doctor), Chin Tan (Tutor Doctor)

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Rowing on the River Wye is among the many sporting opportunities at Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools.

TOP-CLASS APPOINTMENTS DRIVE SPORTING EXCELLENCE Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools have a long-standing reputation for excellence in sport and a drive to create and develop talent from an early age.

With a clear philosophy and strong links with professional clubs and bodies in cricket, rugby, football, rowing, netball, tennis and lacrosse, it is an exciting time for sports-minded pupils within the family of schools.

The foundation for sport has been laid at the new co-educational Monmouth Prep School, where a dynamic and fun-packed programme is being delivered.

And the opportunities for boys and girls to grow and boost their skills further, with support from specialist teachers and outstanding facilities in the senior schools, have never been greater.

“As a keen sportsman, I am determined to continue to build on our schools’ long-standing tradition for sport and develop our sport even further,” said Principal, Mr James Murphy-O’Connor.

Two former sportsmen who gained recognition internationally, have joined the coaching team alongside existing staff, who have succeeded at the highest level.

Duncan Woods, a former England and Great Britain player, has joined Monmouth School for Girls as the new Head of Hockey, for which a new all-weather training pitch has been built.

Mr Woods gained 90 international caps, played at the World Cup and won a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games.

At Monmouth School for Boys, former Wales international, Ceri Jones, has strengthened the rugby section. Mr Jones made more than 200 appearances for English Premiership giants, Harlequins.

He is a former interim Head Coach at Dragons in Wales and will be overseeing the skill development of players across the age groups at Monmouth.

Excitingly, cricket will become a summer sport for the girls with former England Test batter and Old Monmothian, Steve James, coaching and building relationships with Glamorgan Academy. n To arrange a bespoke tour of our schools and facilities, please contact the Head of Admissions, Miss Ellie Townsend, by e-mailing: admissions@ habsmonmouth.org or by telephoning: 01600 710433. *The schools have an established bus route covering the Thornbury area and are always happy to consider additional stops on their routes.

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GARDENING DESIGN

A front garden Elly MerleinisRedland CEO of user-centred designed product development consultancy Kinneir Dufort on Host Street

XX = innovation

Merle Hall – founder of Bristol’s XXEquals, the UK’s first female-led product design initiative – highlights some ‘sheconomy’ greatest hits, closing the gap between perception and reality in womens’ design

M

any women do not realise that the products they rely on, day in, day out, are not designed with their needs in mind. Product designers are responsible for developing apps, gadgets, furniture, appliances and more for billions of people worldwide, but did you know only a fraction of these professionals are women?

In the UK alone, only 5% of the product design industry is made up of women. Of course, there are many fantastic male product designers, but only women can bring an innate understanding of the needs of other women in the product innovation process. The imbalance has led to a male-by-default design approach, which is not inclusive of other consumers. Don’t women and people who identify as women deserve better than this? Merle Hall, CEO of Bristol-based, world-leading product design consultancy, Kinneir Dufort (KD), thinks so. To illustrate this point, she has created a list of some products which clearly demonstrate why we need more women in product design, followed by a few female-centred successes.

Products used by women but designed by men: 1) Bioform bra – Seymour Powell

Seymour Powell developed Bioform bra for Charnos, which was featured on Channel 4’s Better By Design back in 2000. It was designed to give support to women with large breasts, but women reported it painfully pinching into their skin and lifting the breasts too high, causing another kind of discomfort.

2) G-Force vacuum – James Dyson

James Dyson’s G-Force vacuum cleaner came out in 1986 in Japan. It was heavy, awkward and bulky and, therefore, difficult for women to use. But, hey, it was pink! Since then, thankfully, the design has much improved, but there is always room for further development.

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3) Kenwood Chef mixer – Sir Kenneth Grange In the ’60s, Sir Kenneth Grange redesigned the Kenwood Chef mixer.

Deliberately made to be heavy, Grange believed consumers thought its weight reflected high quality. As you can imagine, this was not ideal for women expected to cook at home for their families every day.

4) iPhone – Jony Ive

The first iPhone, designed by Jony Ive, may be iconic but I think it still lacks inclusive design. If you have ever struggled to handle a smartphone, it is probably because female consumers are not a big enough part of the development. Women’s hands are, on average, around an inch smaller than men’s, which can make ever-increasing screen sizes problematic. Texting one-handed on a 4.7-inch (12cm) or bigger smartphone can be difficult – or even impossible – for many women (and small-handed men).

5) Pinky Gloves – Eugen Raimkulow, Andre Ritterswürden

Eugen Raimkulow and Andre Ritterswürden, who created Pinky Gloves, received 30,000 Euros in investment after pitching on the German equivalent of Dragons’ Den – Die Höhle der Löwen (The Lions’ Cave) – in early 2021. The pink plastic gloves were designed for women to wear when removing tampons, to prevent menstrual blood getting onto their hands. Following a huge backlash from women on social media and from the world’s press, Pinky Gloves products were removed from the market.

6) Playgirl – Douglas Lambert

Douglas Lambert decided to create a competitor ‘feminist’ title to the very successful Playboy and Penthouse magazines. His new publication, Playgirl, launched in 1973, however, instead of flocks of women swiping copies from the shelves, the readership quickly became predominantly gay men.

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DESIGN

Products used by women and designed by women: 1) Bellabeat – Urska Srsen

Adopting a fitness tracker into your daily wardrobe no longer means sacrificing style. Designed by artist Urska Srsen, lightweight, waterresistant, women-focused Bellabeat devices collect physiological data 24/7, used solely for providing women with the most accurate and granular understanding of their bodies.

2) Beautyblender – Rea Ann Silva

It’s been more than a decade since Rea Ann Silva launched her hot pink Beautyblender and essentially rewrote everything we thought we knew about makeup application in the process. Since then, she has also created a line that includes primer, foundation and a setting spray, constructing a one-stop shop for all things related to that little eggshaped applicator we know and love. Why has the Beautyblender experienced so much success? Because Silva’s initial insights were grounded in conversations she had with women (via 20 years as a professional makeup artist), and the design of her product directly reflects that.

3) Gen M – Sam Simister, Heather Jackson

This online menopause platform is focused on solutions, rather than problems. In a survey by the British Menopause Society, over half of the women asked said the menopause had a negative impact on their life. There are also the partners, friends and work colleagues who want to show their support but simply do not know how. And it is not just women affected by menopause either – both trans men and non-binary Instagram: @meetdaye

people with female reproductive systems can go through it too. This resources hub is designed to help everyone, directly or indirectly affected, with managing symptoms and time effectively.

4) Eli Health – Marina Pavlovic Rivas

Eli empowers women to understand their bodies and the transitions they go through every day. The device uses saliva to capture hormone fluctuations at home, and an app that gives women the information they want – to own their health decisions and optimise fertility opportunities.

5) Daye – Valentina Milanova

With products rooted in science, inspired by women’s intuition, Valentina Milanova’s brand produces CBD tampons to help reduce period cramps as well as ‘naked’ tampons made with dye and pesticide-free, lab-tested, highly absorbent fibres. The applicator is made of sugar cane, and the wrapper is home-compostable. These tampons are produced by women who used to be part of the criminal and care systems, in a CO2-neutral South London facility.

6) CRAVE – Ti Chang

Industrial designer and social activist Ti Chang co-founded a brand which specialises in aesthetic adult toys that double up as jewellery. Ti’s work began life as the outcome of the world’s first crowdfunding campaign for a sex toy. Some of most well-known designs include the Vesper collection which is also a beautiful necklace available in rose gold, 24k gold-plated and silver varieties.

7) Hanx – Farah Kabir and Dr Sarah Walsh

Specialising in condoms, lubricant, sexual wellness and intimate health treatments, Hanx began in 2017 following a conversation between best mates Farah Kabir and Dr Sarah Walsh (an investment banker and a gynaecologist, respectively). They felt women, and their buying experience, were not being considered when it came to the products available in shops’ intimate health aisles – especially in terms of their generally “garish, stereotypically ‘masculine’” messaging.

8) The DivaCup – Francine Chambers and Carinne Chambers-Saini

If you have ever stopped to consider how bad disposable period products are for the environment and your body, this one is for you.

Founded by mother-daughter power duo Francine Chambers and Carinne Chambers-Saini, DivaCup was created out of the pair’s frustration with tampons and pads, and the lacklustre experience that they gave women, who, instead of embracing their cycles, just dealt with them. Made from silicone, free of toxins and BPA, and offering up to 12 hours of protection, the DivaCup checks all of the ecofriendly period-care boxes.

• kinneirdufort.com; xxequals.com

Through the lens of data Through the revealing lens of data, our eyes have been opened to the hidden places where inequality may still reside. In 2019, genderblindness in tech culture and the unseen bias at work in our everyday lives was dubbed the “one-size-fits-men approach” by British author and campaigner Caroline Criado Perez in her book Invisible Women. Criado Perez explored case studies, government policies, medical research, urban planning and the media to highlight the areas where there is a lack of gender-specific data.

According to Criado Perez, there is an abundance of examples of where women’s lives are put at risk. She looked in to a study that found one in three women in the world lack access to safe toilets; as well as a report that showed that problems with ill-fitting PPE was worst in the emergency services. Only 5% of women said that their PPE never hampered their work, with body armour, stab vests, hi-vis vests and jackets all highlighted as unsuitable.

When it comes to tech, one study found that fitness monitors underestimated steps during housework by up to 74%, and users complained that they don’t count steps taken while pushing a pram.

Criado Perez also looked into the way cars are designed around the body of “Reference Man”, so although men are more likely to crash, women involved in collisions are more likely to be seriously hurt because they are sitting “out of position”. Research from 2004 also suggests that pregnant women should use the standard seatbelt; but 62% of third-trimester pregnant women don’t fit that design.

In a world built largely by men and for men, Criado Perez also discussed how the intersections of race, gender identity, disability and other minority identities are made invisible to society.

Ultimately, she argues, by putting the data in a spotlight, it will force society to see the world in a new way.

• Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez, published by Chatto & Windus

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CHARITY

Glittering hope

Author and charity founder Kris Hallenga has attracted the attention of many famous faces during her 12-year battle with incurable breast cancer. With an unmatched drive to survive, her new book shows the world what it is to live life to the full

TBM: Tell us about the new book in your own words; was it a cathartic experience to write it? Difficult? Or a mix?

KH: In Glittering a Turd, I look back at everything I’ve learned and what survival really means to me. It was really hard to write and in fact I put it off for about six years. I never truly knew if I could dissect and write about my life in any kind of decent way. So, when I eventually did, I surprised myself a lot. It was super hard, very cathartic but ultimately a wonderful experience and one I am glad I stuck with and committed to.

Who should read this, and why?

I would say (and I hope the people who have already read it would agree) that my book is for absolutely everyone. It’s certainly not just for people with breast cancer. Turds happen to us all, and they are not always cancer-shaped, so I think there are lessons that span all possible variants of life. I hope they can be of use to anyone who reads it. Of course my main aim is to educate people about the importance of being your own health boss but, more than that, I want it to be a source of light and encouragement for anyone glittering their own turds.

It seems to have acquired some famous fans! Whose words have you been most touched by?

Anyone and everyone who reads my book is my best friend, truly. I am lucky to have met some incredible people since my diagnosis, who have helped spread my story way further than I ever thought possible. I feel very lucky to have Annie Mac, Fearne Cotton and Dawn O'Porter’s names and words on my book.

Kris Hallenga, founder of Coppafeel is also an ambassador for EthicaCBD, a Cornwall based CBD well-being company

A

t the tender age of 22, Kris Hallenga was living a normal life, travelling the world and making plans for her future, but when she found a lump in her breast and was told that it was not only cancer but also incurable, life took on a whole new meaning; one with purpose and passion. The remarkable resilience and extraordinary strength that she mustered in a moment of great uncertainty has gone on to inspire a generation to be their own best advocates and “health bosses”.

Kris founded breast cancer awareness charity, Coppafeel!, while undergoing radiotherapy and embarking on chemo in 2009. She was struck by the sheer lack of information available to young people about educating themselves about their bodies. The charity has three missions: to get all young people to check their boobs and pecs regularly, to familiarise them with the symptoms of breast cancer, and to empower them when they’re seeking medical help.

As of this year, Coppafeel! is the third most recognised cancer charity in the UK. Now, at the age of 35, Kris has survived far longer than anyone could have expected in 2009. She credits her longevity to her powerful thirst for life. This year, Kris published her memoir, Glittering a Turd, which covers her journey through surviving the unsurvivable. After her appearance at the Penny Brohn UK Hub on Queens Road this summer, we caught up with Kris to talk about her latest campaign, her famous fans, her unshakeable hope and the “pure bliss” of Bristol’s Penny Brohn hub.

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How was the signing and what did you think of Bristol’s Penny Brohn hub on Queens Road?

I love Bristol so jumped at the chance to come to an event. Penny Brohn has been a huge help for me over the years and their residential centre is a place of pure bliss and tranquillity. The hub is a great place for cancer patients to find out more about what Penny Brohn can offer AND it’s a shop selling all kinds of wonderful things – I LOVE a good charity shop. Penny Brohn exists to support people with cancer with super holistic and nourishing treatments and workshops. You can now go get free treatments, like massages, in their hub and I am pretty sad not to live in Bristol and be able to take advantage of that.

Tell us about how you founded CoppaFeel! and what’s coming up?

I started CoppaFeel! in 2009 out of a need to fill a huge knowledge gap for young people. No one was ensuring that young people were getting to know their boobs/chests or empowering them to speak up if they ever discovered something not normal for them. It’s because of this lack of education that I didn’t know I should check myself, or feel like I could speak to someone – or even that breast cancer could affect young people. Truth is, breast cancer can affect anybody and now the charity ensures this is a message that reaches everyone.

We are always developing new and innovative ways of instilling our message and most recently we created the #KnowYourself campaign.

We are working hard to ensure we start closing the gap in health education inequalities and reaching groups previously overlooked by any kinds of cancer awareness.

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CHARITY

Of course, the very sad news about Sarah Harding is fresh in people's minds; what would you take this opportunity to say to those worrying about the risks?

It's important for anyone who is worried about any kinds of signs and symptoms to speak to a GP. It’s vital that we learn from Sarah’s experience and speak up when something is wrong and to be our own best advocates. I also want to ensure people understand that breast cancer is a very treatable illness when it’s found at an early stage, and that life can be lived long and happily and healthily long after a diagnosis.

What advice do you have for those newly diagnosed? How might they channel their emotions?

My simplest advice is to not give advice. This disease impacts everyone differently and all I can say is how they are feeling is absolutely how they should be feeling, and what they are doing is absolutely what they should be doing.

In your view, what is the best thing that families and friends of those diagnosed can do to support?

Take care of the chores, make them laugh, spend time doing normal things because believe it or not, they are still the same people just with some very rogue cancer cells. “Being there” can never be underestimated. Don’t feel a need to fix every negative emotion or feeling, just listen. It’s enough!

What has been your experience of complementary therapies and products?

I have been very careful about what I take, and where I get it. My most recent discovery is a CBD oil by EthicaCBD that helps me with any mild anxieties that life and cancer throws up and also helps me sleep better.

Not only that, but they have a super nice night cream that ensures my tired out skin (from cancer meds and clinically induced menopause) stays moisturised and glowing. Ultimately it’s important that everyone does their own research and finds their own route to wellness.

What’s been the highlight of your career/journey post-diagnosis so far?

Seeing the impact of my work and CoppaFeel!’s work on people’s lives and cancer outcomes. When someone gets in touch to say they were diagnosed early because they got to know their boobs and got help when they needed it because of something they read or saw from CoppaFeel!, well, that’s a pretty epic feeling.

It’s hard to believe you have any spare time, but what do you do when you get it?! We hear you’re a baker?

I bake for my little coffee and cake truck, Kern, with my twin Maren. Throughout summer we have parked our vintage Citroen H van in Newquay harbour serving coffees, ice creams and home baked treats. It’s a far cry from my cancer life so I love it! I also love to dip my body in the cold water and make the most of living in Cornwall.

What would you say, now, to the Kris from 2009?

That life will be more than OK. That you will find happiness like you’ve never felt before.

• Glittering a Turd: How Surviving the Unsurvivable Taught Me to Live published by Unbound (£12.99). Penny Brohn UK Hub; shop.pennybrohn.org.uk

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“The College of Naturopathic Medicine changed my life and health dramatically!”

Natasha Draycott, CNM Nutritional Therapy Graduate

Juggling study with full-time work was a challenge but it taught me how much I can achieve if I put my mind to something. CNM is a wonderful place to study. The lecturers are truly amazing and fountains of knowledge!

specialist who diagnosed me with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and prescribed me Metformin (a type 2 diabetes drug) and birth control pills. I was also offered surgery to remove the cysts and a series of laser hair removal sessions. Living on medication and birth control wasn’t the long-term solution I wanted. So, after lots of research and with the help of my mum (who is a nurse), I looked into alternative remedies. However, as I was very young, nothing changed until after I came back to the UK from living abroad.

My health struggles led me to studying at CNM. Before studying nutrition, I always felt like there was something missing and that my job lacked passion. I wanted to help people but didn't know how. I quit my job and went travelling in India for six months to find my feet and discover what I truly desired in life.

Upon my return, I had a eureka moment and the answer came to me.

My own health struggles led me on a journey. After healing myself naturally, I became fascinated by the impact that food has on the body and the science behind nutrition.

Changing my diet and lifestyle transformed my health. Whilst living abroad I developed an unhealthy lifestyle of binge drinking and poor eating habits; both of which made me put on weight. This led to me developing more painful cysts. Medical professionals were hesitant to do further surgery so I had to figure out a way of coping with PCOS without needing constant medical assistance.

After returning to the UK at 23, I decided to enrol at CNM. During my studies I gradually began to sort out my diet, supplement with specific nutrients and exercise regularly.

Within a few years, my periods came back which was amazing.

I wanted to manage my PCOS naturally, not rely on medication. From aged sixteen onwards, I suffered from painful stomach cramps and amenorrhoea. I was referred to a

My cycle is now regular and I have clear skin!

I loved learning about biomedicine in the first year before getting stuck into nutrition as it helped me understand what is happening in the body and why. The emphasis on science and evidence-based nutrition was fascinating.

My whole outlook on food and illness has changed completely, and without CNM, I wouldn’t have had the knowledge and experience I do now to support my own health condition. Implementing what I’ve learnt at CNM has transformed my health.

After suffering with irregular periods for 10 years, I now have a regular cycle and my skin has completely cleared up.

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Studying at CNM has been a life-changing journey. Since graduating, I’ve set up my own clinical practice from a private medical centre; however, I also offer virtual consultation from home so I can help clients around the world.

What I enjoy most is getting to the root cause of a client’s health issue. The moment my clients start to see a change is so rewarding, especially if their health issues have been ongoing for years.

Studying at CNM has been such an incredible life-changing journey, and it’s not only impacted my health, but others too. I truly believe the more nutritionists there are with the knowledge taught by CNM, the more it could change the way our world sees health, food and medicine. I’m now in peak health and feel amazing. The most incredible thing is that I’m at my ideal weight and I have a healthy menstrual cycle.

Free CNM Lecture Scan the QR code No 1 training provider for Natural Therapies

Visit www.cnmcourses.com or call 01342 777 747

Geoff Don

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YOUR HEALTH MATTERS November is Men’s Health Awareness Month, so here, Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital breaks down the five key health issues and their symptoms which you simply can’t afford to ignore.

M

en have a poor reputation when it comes to looking after their own health. On average, they see a GP half as often as women do, but British men are paying the price for neglecting their health, as more than 100,000 die prematurely every year.

It’s important to be aware of changes to your health, and see your GP immediately if you notice something that’s not right.

Here are the top 5 things men need to look out for:

A lump on your testicle Testicular cancer is unusual in the fact that it most commonly affects younger people, aged 15 to 44. Over 2,000 cases of testicular cancer are diagnosed each year in the UK, and regular self-examination is recommended. If you notice a lump or swelling in your testicles, or feel a heaviness or dull ache in your scrotum, see your GP. Most testicular lumps are not cancer, but it is essential to have any abnormalities checked. Early detection gives you a much higher chance of a positive outcome.

Moles Check your moles regularly and be aware of any change in colour or shape, or if they start bleeding. Most changes are harmless and are due to a non-cancerous increase in pigment cells in the skin. See your GP if a mole looks unusual or becomes itchy. It can then be checked and removed if necessary. To minimise your risk of skin cancer, during the summer

months, avoid exposure to the sun between 11am and 3pm. Cover up, and when you're in the sun, use sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 15.

Feeling depressed If you’re depressed, you may lose interest in things you used to enjoy. Depression is a real illness with real effects on your work, social and family life. Treatment usually involves a combination of self-help, talking therapies and drugs. Depression is more common in women, but men are far more likely to commit suicide.

This may be because they are more reluctant to seek help. Financial stress, job insecurity and debt – not to mention the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last 18 months – can all affect your mental wellbeing, but the simple act of talking to someone face-to-face about how you feel can be an enormous help.

Trouble urinating

Impotence Most men encounter problems getting or keeping an erection (impotence) at some point, but you should see your GP if your erection problems last for several weeks. It’s not just your sexual health that could be at risk. Impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction, can be a sign of more serious conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure. Generally, lifestyle changes, such as losing weight and exercise, can correct the problem, although some men may need medication such as Sidenafil (more commonly known as Viagra).

If you’ve been experiencing any of these symptoms, the Consultant team at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital includes Urologists, Dermatologists and Clinical Psychologists, who can help. If you would like to book an appointment, call 0117 911 5339, or visit our website: www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol.

When the prostate is enlarged, it can press on the tube that carries urine from the bladder.

This can make it hard to pass urine, which can be a sign of prostate disease, including cancer.

In the UK, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, with more than 30,000 diagnosed with it every year. Other symptoms include pain or burning when you pass urine and frequently waking up in the night to visit the bathroom. If you have any of these symptoms, see your GP. The prostate gland is crucial to your sex life, so get to know your prostate and what can go wrong with it.

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital 3 Clifton Hill, Bristol BS8 1BN nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol

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Imaginatal November.qxp_Layout 1 20/10/2021 11:59 Page 1

1 in 4 people are carriers of a genetic disease, and 5-10% of cancers are inheriтd genetic mutations - Imaginatal is available to sofтn your concerns.

Imaginatal are a private centre for ultrasound scanning with clinics in Bristol and Gloucester. In addition to their popular pregnancy scanning services, they now can offer a wide range of health screening services,

Cancer Screening Cancer occurs when cells divide uncontrollably, destroying healthy tissue and often entire organs. Responsible for the death of one in six people globally, it is a huge issue that affects families everywhere.

Cancers can be sporadic and hereditary.

Sporadic includes mutations that accumulate due to environmental factors, and are not inherited. This could include tobacco intake and certain viruses.

Hereditary cancer is inherited, running in families. This means it can be passed down through generations.

Luckily, new technologies allow us to explore the chances of hereditary cancer, and whether an individual has inherited any genetic changes. Named ‘preSentia’ the screening discovers how cancer may develop in the future.

Knowing a person carries certain genetic mutations can help the individual and their healthcare provider in taking preventative measures and manage a plan for the future. This increases the chances of successful treatment and even prevention.

Infertility Screening Another test similar to this is the Radinia, which tests for genetic changes associated with infertility. This also means your healthcare provider can provide an informed map of decisions that help your chances of conceiving based on the genetic cause of infertility you have.

Radinia screening is available for both male and females, where there are many options for increasing the chances of conceiving. These include changes to lifestyle, medication, any necessary surgical procedures, cryopreservation and assisted reproductive technologies.

Bristol Clinic 151 Wick Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 4HH

Phone: 0800 640 4299

Email: info@imaginatal.co.uk www.imaginatal.co.uk

Genetic Disease Screening The last screening available, which should be considered, is checking for any genetic diseases, is Adventia.

This allows any individual involved in conceiving a child to check for any genetic diseases they may be carrying.

This minimises the risk of transmitting the disease to children, giving you insight into available reproductive choices.

Being told what is being carried with the chance and severity of the condition allows parents to make informed decisions and next steps.

SPECIAL OFFER:

20% off all cancer screenings in November using code BrisMag20

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HISTORY

A forgotten corner

As plans to develop Silverthorne Lane continue to evolve, Andrew Swift explores one of Bristol’s most evocative forgotten corners. Rich with history and heritage, could a Little Venice on the fringe of the city lay in wait?

Inside St Vincent’s Works...

W

ith so much of Bristol’s industrial heritage having been bulldozed or converted to other uses, the survival of an enclave of genuine industrial dereliction less than 500m from Temple Meads is little short of remarkable.

Silverthorne Lane is an area many people will be unfamiliar with, for the very good reason that they will have had little reason to go there. But, if you head north out of Temple Meads, head east across Meads Reach Footbridge and turn right, you’ll find yourself confronted by a long, low, gloomy tunnel under the railway. Go through it, and on the other side you’ll soon find yourself wandering the sort of streets you’d expect to find in a dream or a surrealist painting. On either side, from high, grey rubble walls, thorny strands of bramble festoon down, swinging menacingly in the breeze. And, when you round a corner to be confronted by Disneylike turrets, and glimpse, through a crenellated gateway, the gaunt ruined shell of a high, roofless building, you may begin to feel you have wandered into some dysfunctional theme park.

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Looked at on a map, this part of Bristol is no less striking.

Hemmed in on the north by railway lines and on the south by the Feeder Canal, this area, despite covering only one-twentieth of a square mile, was one of the powerhouses of Victorian Bristol. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, though, there was nothing here but fields and market gardens.

It was the building of the Feeder Canal in 1809 that was the agent of change. Soon, gas and iron works were established on its banks. In 1840 Brunel built a viaduct to the north, so that the only way in or out – except by crossing the Feeder – was through long, dark tunnels. In just over 30 years a semi-rural area had not only been turned into an industrial one but effectively cut off from the rest of Bristol.

And all the time the gas works and the iron works grew. High walls were built around them. Over all hung a pall of smoke. In 1884, the Bristol Mercury sent a reporter along to record his impressions. They made sobering reading: “From giant chimneys, dimly seen through the soot-mist, pour volumes of smoke, completing the murky eclipse of the “lamp of day”, and enveloping the whole place in an almost impenetrable stench-cloud.”

Yet out of this unpropitious ground sprang something extraordinary. In 1891, John Lysaght, owner of the ironworks – now portentously styled St Vincent’s Works – commissioned a new office block. Its style has been described as Ruritanian Romanesque, although that seems too pedestrian for one of Victorian Bristol’s most exuberant buildings. Magnificent enough from the outside, inside it was like a treasure chest, with offices ranged around a high octagon framed by a frieze of golden ships and lit by a lantern lined with Royal Doulton tiles, mosaics and elaborate ironwork. One building material that didn’t feature in this architectural melange was Lysaght’s signature product – corrugated iron, for which the demand in Australia was insatiable.

By the second half of the twentieth century, though, as traditional industries declined or relocated, light or service industries moved in to fill the gaps, the difference being that, whereas the early industrialists had built to last, the newcomers housed their businesses in hastily-erected sheds. Today, as the area braces itself for an even greater transformation, it is the original buildings that will be incorporated into its design, while the later ones will disappear.

Many of those original buildings have already found new and sometimes surprising uses. One of the gas retort houses is home to Motion, one of Bristol’s most iconic nightclubs. The offices at St Vincent’s Works are home to Screenology, a film production and training company. Aardman Animations leased the factory building adjoining it as a warehouse, until a devastating fire in 2005 destroyed the film sets, props and models stored there, and today the building is a roofless shell, ripe for conversion.

These iconic buildings, however, are surrounded by swathes of industrial desolation, and much of the area is the archetypal brownfield site. In 2018, a 10.66 acre site alongside the Feeder, including St Vincent’s Works, was acquired by Square Bay, the company responsible for the recent conversion of the former gas works on Anchor Road. Ambitious redevelopment plans – including hundreds of new homes, shops and offices, as well as a secondary school and a 17-storey block of student digs – have since been approved.

Most of the objections to the scheme came from those concerned about the future of Motion, which lies outside the redevelopment

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HISTORY

Given its location beside the Feeder Canal, and the extraordinary buildings in its midst, sensitive redevelopment could act as a catalyst for the regeneration of a far wider area – a Little Venice on the fringe of East Bristol

area. Assurances that the venue will be protected – which the council intends to uphold – have, however, since been given.

Concerns regarding the scheme’s impact on the historical fabric of Silverthorne Lane, meanwhile, have been addressed by designating it a conservation area.

Given its location beside the Feeder Canal, and the extraordinary buildings in its midst, sensitive redevelopment, with community involvement, could act as a catalyst for the regeneration of a far wider area – a Little Venice on the fringe of East Bristol.

Whatever happens, though, its character will be irrevocably altered. For the moment, time stands as if suspended. Dereliction holds sway. Soon, though, the cranes and the pile drivers will move in. If you want to see one of Bristol’s most evocative forgotten corners in all its tarnished glory, don’t put it off too long. And while you’re there, take the opportunity to visit something else that may soon be lost for ever.

At the east end of Silverthorne Lane are three bridges – two

railway and one road. Once through them, the first building you come to is a boarded-up pub, which, despite all appearances to the contrary, is one of the oldest buildings in Bristol. Its facade dates from 1886, but inside is a fireplace with a date of 1672. This was long thought to have come from elsewhere, but Professor Roger Leech of English Heritage has recently established that the building was part of a 17th-century garden house owned by Thomas Day, Mayor of Bristol, whose initials also feature on the fireplace. When it became a pub, it was called the Rhubarb Tavern, after one of the crops which the market gardens hereabout were famous for.

It closed in 2020 and now there are plans to turn it into flats.

But, if ever there was a case for saving a pub, this is it. There are already enough people living nearby to make it viable and the nearest pub is half a mile away. When redevelopment gets under way, it could be a gold mine.

Already a cider bar has sprung up in the arches on Silverthorne Lane. When new residents begin to move in, more bars and bistros will undoubtedly follow. None of them, however, will have roots in the area’s past. The Rhubarb’s roots, on the other hand, run deep.

So many of Bristol’s historic pubs have gone, generally with the excuse that they are no longer viable. With the Rhubarb, such an excuse is demonstrably unsustainable. With all its history and all its potential, it would be terrible if it were to become flats. The only hope is that someone with the vision to see that potential steps in to save one of the most tangible links with the area’s heritage. ■ Right from top to bottom: detail of an oars ship on the upper frieze, the gate to St Vincent’s Works; one of the mosaics that adorns the walls inside St Vincent’s Works; the front of The Rhubarb Tavern, which closed its doors in 2020.

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INTERIORS

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INTERIORS

Wild at home

Our homes are becoming greener than ever and houseplants have become style accessories as much as exuberant celebrations of the natural world. We asked plant expert Nicola Taylor to recommend a selection of houseplants that would suit different rooms in the house...

KALANCHOE THYRSIFLORA (PADDLE PLANT)

ALOCASIA (RED SECRET)

Eye-catching succulent with a fantastic form and large paddle-like leaves growing vertically.

The Red Secret has extraordinary foliage, large leathery leaves of rust and metallic colours with almost translucent stems.

Care: needs little water, bright light and some direct sunlight.

What room: bedroom, conservatory

Care: indirect light and regular watering, very light misting. Dry out between watering. What room: living room

CALATHEA MEDALLION (ROSE PAINTED PRAYER PLANT)

CALATHEA NETWORK (PRAYER PLANT)

NEPHROLEPIS EXALTATA (BOSTON FERN)

Arguably one of the most beautiful low-light plants with medallion-like leaves with a brilliant green pattern on top and deep burgundy underneath.

The Prayer Plant has a distinctive cross-hatch pattern on its bright green leaves, resembling a mosaic or stained glass.

This fern has broad green flowing fronds and grows up to 4ft long and 6in wide.

Care: water once a week, allowing the top two inches of soil to dry out partially.

What room: bedroom

Care: maintain evenly moist soil, allowing the top quarter to dry out in between watering.

Avoid overwatering. What room: any southfacing or north-facing window, away from direct light or deep shade.

Care: very simple to look after, water once a week and will tolerate low light.

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FICUS LYRATA (FIDDLE LEAF FIG)

This hanging plant is known as the lipstick plant because of the tubular scarlet flowers which sprout out from the ends of the bright green fleshy twisted leaves.

This fiddle leaf fig has huge glossy leaves with prominent veins.

It packs a punch with its amazing flamboyant foliage and has serious air-cleansing benefits.

Care: water regularly with tepid kettle water, reducing in the winter.

Mist regularly and dislikes temperatures below 13 degrees Celcius.

What room: steamy kitchen

Care: bright filtered light, keep soil evenly moist but do not overwater, essential to mist.

What room: brightly lit sitting room

ANTHURIUM (BLACK LOVE)

ALOCASIA ZEBRINA (ELEPHANT’S EAR)

Images by TBM. Special thanks to Chapter 22 Roots and Records

AESCHYNANTHUS (LIPSTICK PLANT)

An unusual variety with glossy, dark, waxy leaves and long-lasting striking flowers, which can stay on the plant for many months.

Care: they do best when the soil has a chance to dry out between watering. Water with just six ice cubes a week!

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Stunning plant with dark green arrow-shaped leaves and unique black and white striped stem.

Care: keep lightly moist and mist frequently.

What room: bright sunny bathroom or warm conservatory

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New Build Extensions Renovation

Say hello.

0117 259 1591

Visit our design studio at: 23 Chandos Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 6PG www.halbuild.co.uk info@halgroup.co.uk

Building excellence by design

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GARDENING

Alliums do best in a sunny spot. Dot this onion relative through the border and wait for its round, starry globes to appear on strong stems

A bulb for every location

It’s time to hunker down with the mail-order bulb catalogues and plan for a colourful and exuberant 2022, says Elly West

I

t’s a quiet time right now, when the majority of the garden is going to sleep for the winter, dying back and needing little attention apart from some clearing and sweeping up of dead leaves. Days are shorter, not to mention colder and wetter, so it’s a great time to hunker down with the mail-order bulb catalogues and plan for next year. Autumn is prime time for bulb planting and it’s one of the easiest and most reliable ways to guarantee a spring that’s full of exuberant colour.

One of the best things about bulbs is their versatility. Whatever the size, aspect, style or soil type of your garden, there are bulbs to suit.

And there’s very little effort involved. I love the fact that you just pop them in the ground in autumn, forget about them, and then there they are in in a few short months, pushing up through the soil, full of promise. Choose carefully and these harbingers of spring will brighten every corner of your plot, whether it’s a shady area under a tree, or a container by a sunny front door. There are bulbs that suit shade, sun, meadow, woodland, sandy or damp and heavy soils. They can provide scent, colour, attract wildlife and make a statement. And if you plant them now, a pack of dry bulbs is a fraction of the cost of the same plants potted up and growing in spring. Plus there is a lot more choice when you buy them in autumn.

Dry shade is one of the trickiest spots in a garden – areas at the base of a wall, or under trees. However, there are many bulbs that originally hail from woodland zones and can cope well with these conditions.

Aconites, snowdrops, anemones, cyclamen and erythroniums are all well-adapted to gloomier spots where they are protected from summer sun. Grow them in groups and let them naturalise under trees and shrubs. Don’t be stingy with your planting – the more the better – then sit back and wait for them to go forth and multiply, creating a carpet of colour.

At the other end of the spectrum are hot, sunny borders where the options are wide. By its very nature, a bulb is well-adapted to deal with 78 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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summer drought, storing all the starches, proteins and energy safely inside in a dormant state until conditions are right for growing. Most daffodil, tulip, crocus and hyacinth species are native to areas with a Mediterranean climate where they have wet winters and hot, dry summers. Alliums are among my favourite for late-spring blooms, and these onion relatives do best in a sunny spot. Dot them through the border and wait for their round, starry globes to appear on strong stems, pushing up through the new, fresh growth of perennials such as geraniums and Alchemilla mollis.

You just pop them in the ground in autumn, forget about them, and then there they are in a few short months, pushing up through the soil, full of promise

Some bulbs will rot over winter in damp soils. I never have high expectations for my tulips, and plant new ones each year as they don’t seem to come back reliably on my clay soil. Any extras surviving from previous years are then a bonus. However, there are others to choose from that grow naturally on the edges of rivers and streams, or in damp meadowland, so look to these if you have poor drainage.

Bluebells, camassias, martagon lilies and snake’s-head fritillaries will thrive on moist soil. Narcissus ‘Tete-a-tete’ is a cheery yellow miniature daffodil that will grow just about anywhere and doesn’t mind some damp, or shade for that matter.

If you’re planting up containers of spring bulbs, then it’s much easier to create the conditions that they like. These moveable feasts can be

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GARDENING

tucked away until they start to flower, then placed in a prominent spot where you can see and enjoy them, such as next to a front door or a flight of steps. Miniature irises (Iris reticulata), en masse in shallow bowls, are always a winner for me with their jewel-bright purple-blue flowers, but again I treat them like annuals as they don’t seem to come back reliably year on year. I also like growing tulips in containers, particularly if I’m trying new, interesting varieties, and there are certainly plenty to choose from, with frilled, parrot, goblet and double peony-flowered cultivars in nearly every colour imaginable. (Except for blue – not sure why!) I want them where I can see them and where they’ll have the most impact.

If you plant them now, a pack of dry bulbs is a fraction of the cost of the same plants potted up and growing in spring Bulbs are also a great way to experiment with colour. While we might favour a calmer and more refined palette later in the year, somehow the first splash of cheery yellow with a swathe of daffodils is more than welcome after a dull winter. Red is another colour that’s not for everyone, but a pot full of red tulips makes an elegant statement and provides warmth and brightness that is guaranteed to lift the spirits.

So, if you haven’t bought any bulbs yet, there’s still time to treat yourself and get some in the ground before winter. There’s always room for these parcels of promise in any garden and when they start to flower next spring, and hopefully for many springs to come, you’ll be pleased you made the time and (minimal!) effort. n

Plant of the month: Colchicums Also known as autumn crocus, or naked ladies, these beautiful autumn-flowering corms offer sturdy goblet-shaped blooms in shades of white, pink and purple, from September onwards and into November. The flowers appear on bare stems with no leaves, hence the common name, giving them an unusual yet elegant appearance that’s a foretaste of spring (which is when the leaves appear). Colchicums naturally occur in damp meadows, and suit fertile, moisture-retaining soil and a sheltered spot that gets sun for at least half the day. As with other bulbs and corms, avoid cutting the leaves off – as the foliage dies back it will feed up the corm for the following year. ‘Waterlily’ is a stunning variety with double purple-pink flowers that look similar to water lilies. Colchicum autumnale is native to the UK and has pale lavender-pink flowers.

All look good under deciduous trees or naturalised through a lawn.

Note, they are highly toxic if ingested.

• ellyswellies.co.uk

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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NOVEMBER 2021

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 79

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Manor House at Redland Court is almost ready for release

The two-year restoration of a landmark Manor House described as ‘a fine example of the architecture of its time’, is nearing completion.

The West Wing - this 2-bedroom triplex apartment has the main accommodation at ground and first-floor level, with a separate utility and storage room at lower ground level. This apartment has the privilege of featuring the only crescent staircase in the building, now stunningly restored, linking the ground and first floors.

The East Wing – also a 2-bedroom apartment, the East Wing is a duplex layout with ground and first floor accommodation. Both offer private outdoor space.

The Main House - has two large spacious apartments; the 3-bed ground-floor apartment, which is reserved, and the largest of all the apartments, a 4-bedroom duplex apartment occupying both the first and second floors, enjoying arguably the best views in the Manor House, looking out across the private park and City.

Each apartment is uniquely individual with its own historic features that showcase the meticulous restoration that has taken place. From fireplaces, cornicing and windows to the square-shaped panelling preserved from the original Elizabethan House that has been restored and used in some rooms, this panelling still lines the walls of the West Wing master bedroom.

Attention to detail within each apartment is evident. Individual specifications carefully reflect the period of the property and enhance its style and beauty. Living spaces are designed with flair and imagination, whilst often neglected storage has been woven into the fabric of the homes.

A specification like no other Throughout these four prime homes, the specification exceeds expectation. The kitchens are exceptional both in design and quality blending the grandeur of a bygone era with the practicality of top of the range appliances. The hand-crafted kitchen and hand painted kitchens are enhanced with Armac Martin BEL burnished brass knobs, handles and hinges. Stylish touches include Quartz work tops and matching upstands Belfast sink, Quooker Flex boiling tap with cold water filter in patinated brass. A full range of Siemens branded appliances will satisfy even the most accomplished cook. The main house kitchens also have a Lacanche 1000mm Classic Cluny Range Cooker inset to kitchen island with a Siemens Downdraft extractor.

Bathrooms exude the elegance of a luxury spa, with top quality sanitaryware including features like large Jet shower enclosures, bespoke hand painted 1600mm boat baths, bespoke vanity units to Master en-suite and main bathroom and porcelain tiles throughout.

Private viewings of the Manor House, Redland Court are by appointment only.

Please call Savills on 0117 910 0360 or Ocean on 0117 946 9838 Price: 2, 3 and 4-bed apartments in the Manor House from £1,000,000 - £1.5m.

80 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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NOVEMBER 2021

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NO¯ 204

Elly’s Wellies

Garden Designs

Turning your ideas into beautiful spaces Elly’s Wellies Garden Designs will help you maximise the potential of your outdoor space and tailor it to your individual needs. Whether you are looking for a complete garden redesign, or just need advice on what to plant in a border, Elly’s Wellies will be happy to help.

For a free initial consultation, contact Elly West

www.ellyswellies.co.uk ellyswellies@gmail.com 07788 640934

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

(0117) 934 9977

69/71 OAKFIELD ROAD

(‘AIRPORT ROAD’), BRISTOL

• Contemporary studio office

• Retail/showroom • 1st floor office separately available if required • Close to Bristol Airport yet 15 minutes from BS1 • New leases – low rent

• 3,200 sq ft • Prominent position • New lease • Excellent car parking CLIFTON RUGBY CLUB

35 QUEENS RD, BS8

• Suites from 226 – 1,378 sq ft • Economical and affordable inclusive rent • Ample on site car parking • Excellent road links to city centre

• Immediately opposite Bristol University • Very busy pitch • Rare opportunity • 650 Sq Ft • New lease

105 WHITELADIES ROAD

61 OLD MARKET STREET

• Good size unit

• Rare freehold opportunity

• Suit shop and other uses

• 3,256 sq ft

• New lease

• Vibrant location

• Rent only £20 k per annum

• Suitable for a range of uses STP

BARNACK TRADING ESTATE, BEDMINSTER

54/56 PARK STREET, BS1

• Industrial unit

• Excellent offices

• 802 sq ft

• Suit many commercial uses

• Established estate

• From c 1,245 sq ft to 2,454 sq ft

• Only £12,000 pax

• Flexible leases

Julian Cook FRICS

Jayne Rixon MRICS

Charlie Kershaw MRICS

34 WHITELADIES ROAD

THE MALT HOUSE

• Stylish offices to let

• High quality, unique office

• 1,949 sq ft

• 710 sq ft

• On-site car parking

• 5 minutes from the M5

• Due to be refurbished

• On-site gym and showers

Finola Ingham MRICS

Tom Coyte MRICS

Holly Boulton BSc(Hons)

• • • • •

Sales / Lettings Acquisitions Valuations Landlord & tenant Auction Sales

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Rent reviews Property Management Investment Sales / Purchase Development & Planning Dilapidations Advice

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CLIFTON BS8

GUIDE PRICE

£725,000

A charming 4-bedroom house in the heart of Clifton Wood. Living room and separate kitchen/dining room. Delightful rear garden with lawn and decking area. Front courtyard and parking space. Two bathrooms, cloakroom and home office area. Excellent central location. No onward chain.

STOKE BISHOP

GUIDE PRICE

£950,000

An exquisite family home offered with a beautiful garden. Four bedrooms, two reception rooms, kitchen, and separate utility. Driveway and detached garage. Excellent location. We strongly recommend an appointment to view.

0117 923 8238

www.howard-homes.co.uk

hello@howard-homes.co.uk

CLIFTON BS8 SSTC

GUIDE PRICE

£1,375,000

An exquisite Victorian family home with self-contained lower ground floor flat. A versatile and wellpresented five bedroomed interior. Exceptional kitchen/breakfast room. Beautifully presented lawned garden offers a great deal of privacy. An open outlook enjoyed over the surrounding area.

Superb Clifton location situated between Whiteladies Road and the Village.

REDLAND BS6 SSTC

GUIDE PRICE

£475,000

An outstanding property with scope to extend, with a spacious and well-presented interior.

Garage and garden, an excellent Redland location and offered with no onward chain.

203 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2XT

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Under Offer

Clifton, Bristol | OIEO £2,250,000 An exceptional Grade II Listed Clifton townhouse situated in an enviable location; with generous off-street parking, a private enclosed rear garden, double garage and a self-contained studio flat.

Stunning Grade II Listed townhouse of circa 3370 sq. ft | Beautiful 25’ full width reception room with an open plan kitchen | Separate sitting/family room | Master bedroom suite and three further bedrooms | Useful cellar storage and utility room | Off-street parking for several cars to the front | Fully enclosed rear garden | Double garage with a studio flat above

In all circa 4000 sq. ft (368 sq. m)

Rupert Oliver FP November.qxp_Layout 1 21/10/2021 16:06 Page 2

Under Offer

Clifton, Bristol | Guide Price £2,500,000 A rare opportunity to acquire a Grade II Listed Freehold townhouse in the heart of Clifton village, with versatile and flexible accommodation, a walled private south facing rear garden and private off-street parking.

Exquisite Grade II Listed family home | Versatile accommodation over 5 floors | Perfect “multi-generational” opportunity | Currently configured as two separate maisonettes (under a single Title) | Exquisite full-depth reception rooms over the hall and first floors | Two fitted kitchens (one per maisonette) | A total of 7 bedrooms (one 4-bed and one 3-bed maisonette) | Superb period details throughou | Charming south-facing walled garden accessed via the hall floor maisonette | Private off-street parking on the mews behind

In all circa 4400 sq. ft (410 sq. m)

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