Bath Life – issue 336

Dining/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property ISSUE 336 / 31 MARCH – 14 APRIL 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

ISSUE 336 / 31 MARCH – 14 APRIL 2017 / OUT AND ABOUT

SHAKING OFF THE PAST

IN THE LAND OF CLIENTS

AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE REGION’S PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

SHAKIN’ STEVENS REVEALS HIS FAMILY SECRETS

THE HARD SHELL

GLORIOUS GIFTS FOR EASTER

FLASH BEAUTY ENJOY THESE QUICK-FIX TREATMENTS

OUTSIDE CHANCE SUMMER SPACES TO INSPIRE

COLLECTORS’ EDITION

EDITOR’S LETTER / ISSUE 336 / 31 MARCH – 14 APRIL 2017

Good nature

32

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

The colourful exterior trends for spring

As April is officially Gardening Month, we’ve dedicated nine pages of this issue to outdoor spaces, and although this month is typically the time for heavy downpours, we’re looking on the bright side. Turn to page 32 to see what local experts have to say about spring’s surprising garden trends – from transforming the space into an additional room of the house and introducing statement homely details such as outdoor wallpaper and rugs, to adding full-size adult play areas for a spot of excitement.

Our columnist Flats weighs in on the garden commentary with his version of events that are currently unfolding between him and Mrs F. They’re moving home, you see, and they’re in the midst of a “marriage-threatening” argument about building an outdoor kitchen to neatly accommodate Flats’s five barbeques (page 25).

Of course, your idea of getting out might not actually involve the open air, in which case we would definitely recommend a trip to The Forum Bath where 80s music star Shakin’ Stevens will be bringing his new tour and darker sounds; see our interview with him on page 58.

Elsewhere, we have hunted down the best quick-fix beauty treatments – from non-invasive nose jobs to full body rejuvenation – in and around Bath which you can indulge in on your lunch break (page 96); we’ve taste-tested our way through Chris Cleghorn’s eightcourse menu at The Olive Tree (page 72); and met with the region’s professional services experts who help make our city such a success (page 114).

Enjoy…

Lisa Evans, Editor Follow us on Twitter: @BathLifeMag Follow us on Instagram:@bathlifemag

PHOTOGRAPH BY PLATON

FEATURES / ISSUE 336 / 31 MARCH – 14 APRIL 2017

89

SHOPPING

Fashion designer Anya Hindmarsh shares her love for the visionary Cutler and Gross sunglass style

154 Bath Lives

Sensory specialist Claire Sokell Thompson on never taking her senses for granted

REGULARS / ISSUE 336 / 31 MARCH – 14 APRIL 2017

92

EXTERIORS 44 Gardening Emma Bond gives her top tips to stress-free spring gardening

THE ARTS 47 Arts intro Iryna Yermolova’s vivid and bold work captivates

48 What’s on Arts, gigs, plays and shows – time to update the events diary

58 One to One

62 Music Being silly with musical comic duo Jonny & the Baptists Nic Bottomley on inspiring reads for the younger readers

Bath Life, MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash

69 Film Spring screenings with The Little’s Jennifer Jennings Wright

92 Editor’s choice

PROPERT Y

Sweet treats to enjoy this Easter

144 Property showcase

The Olive Tree is full of innovative surprises

LIFEST YLE

79 Wine

96 Hair and beauty

We’re sold on Woodwyck House, the Freshford home with its own spa complex and gym

A guide to the quickest and most effective beauty fixes around

DEPARTMENTS

Where wine meets chocolate

82 Food & drink news Candy Crush cakes and the Abbey has a new chef

SHOPPING

Managing editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Assistant editor Sarah Moolla sarah.moolla@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors: Jennifer Jennings Wright, Angela Mount, Emma Bond, Nic Bottomley, Philippa May and David Flatman Group advertising manager Pat White pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy advertising manager Justine Walker justine.walker@mediaclash.co.uk Sales executive Sophie Speakman sophie.speakman@mediaclash.co.uk

Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Commercial director Steve Hawkins steve.hawkins@mediaclash.co.uk

67 Books

72 Restaurant

Editor Lisa Evans lisa.evans@mediaclash.co.uk

Production and distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager Christina West christina.west@mediaclash.co.uk Production designer Charlie Pinder charlie.pinder@mediaclash.co.uk

Ahead of his Forum Bath show, Shakin’ Stevens reveals family secrets and new directions

FOOD

M E ET T H E T EAM

BUSINESS 105 Business insider News, views and interviews from the region’s professionals

89 Shopping intro

111 Pro Services

Anya Hindmarsh shares her love of the Cutler and Gross style

Our extensive guide to Bath’s professional community

9 16 25 27

Spotlight Society A man’s world Girl about town

© All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

About MediaClash We’re a Bath-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrates the best of local living: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter and Salisbury.

We also publish foodie mag Crumbs. (www.crumbsmag.com, @CrumbsMag) and wedding title Vow (@VowMag).

Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help.

Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk

On the cover Glorious garden inspiration from The Fig Store on Walcot Street. See all the expert exteriors advice on page 32. And yes, we do have two covers this issue

BONITI NATURAL STONE FLOORING | EVERHOT RANGE COOKERS TIMBER FLOORING | GARDEN FURNITURE

WWW.BONITI.COM | 01225 892 200 | SHOWROOM@BONITI.COM

BATH: ITS LIFE AND TIMES Sunil and James are helping spread love and positivity

INNOVATIVE PROJECT

THE POWER OF FLOWERS A Bath-based TV producer, who came up with the idea of planting a sunflower in remembrance of a lost loved one, has found his project has gathered momentum, not just locally but also internationally. James Whetherly explains, “Back in 1987 my sister took her life at Oldfield Park railway station.

For many years, it was a place of great sadness and I tried to avoid going near it if at all possible, even though I live nearby. I then noticed the station was looking lovely with flowers and children’s paintings – thanks to the amazing work of deputy mayor June Player

and her Onboard volunteers group.

“I started thinking about how much happiness people can get from plants and came up with the idea for #Sunflowerpower, where people grow a sunflower in memory of a loved one,” continues James, who went to Beechen Cliff school and has been Grammynominated for his music video work. “The celebrated artist and creative Sunil Pawar, who studied art at Bath College in the 90s, agreed to help with the design. And a director I met while working at Aardman Animations created for us a brilliant short film, narrated by TV

presenter Gareth Jones.”

James and Sunil are now sending their #Sunflowerpower packs, which they describe as “a suicide/bereavement awareness meets guerrilla gardening campaign” to schools and individuals all over Britain, as well as all over the world including Zambia, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bermuda, Iceland, Denmark, Israel, Italy, the United States and China. James says, “There’s no big plan, we just want to spread a bit of happiness to people struggling with loss and bring the issues into the open.”

For more: www.sunflowerpower.co.uk

SPOTLIGHT

PHOTO BY PAOLO FERLA

Consultant geriatrician and project lead Dr Chris Dyer, Alzheimer’s Society’s Marco Van-Tintelen and Brogan Knight, Sir Tony Robinson, and volunteer owner Martin Fricker with the therapy dog Fudge

Lighting the way

TONY TAKES TIME TO HELP

tunnel, which is currently for sale.

The group’s development manager Rob Moore says, “There are not many buildings, particularly of this age, which are built spanning across a canal in the way this one does. We wanted to celebrate it, so we’ve installed this remarkable tunnel lighting and feel this really draws attention to the tunnel as a key architectural feature of the building.”

Sir Tony Robinson recently helped launched the plan to help transform the Royal United Hospital’s dementia care services. He joined the hospital’s Forever Friends Appeal on 9 March to celebrate the pioneering new Volunteer Dementia Project, which is an innovative £200k project that will take a more holistic and progressive approach in dementia services through a volunteer driven programme.

The Blackadder actor and Time Team presenter explains, “I hope this project will take the lead and encourage other district general hospitals to provide similar services for patients suffering from dementia. It is such a debilitating disease and this new service should make a real difference to patients and their loved ones when they come into hospital.”

For more: www.enlightenedlighting.co.uk

For more: www.foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk

ARCHITECTURE

PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT There really is light at the end of the tunnel and if you want to find it, it’s along the towpath by Sydney Gardens.

The lights, which are a shimmering rainbow of changing shades, have been installed by the Bristol-based company Enlightened, who recently stage lit the Bath Life Awards.

The work was done on behalf of The Osborne Group, who own the Cleveland House, situated above the

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Adventures in party-going

Christina Slade

SCENE AC ROS S B AT H , O N E S H I N D I G AT A T I M E

ALL OVER THE LACE

Patrick Anketell-Jones

Karina Virahsawmy and Linda Ward

Jessica Hope and Naomi Miller

The Fashion Museum recently launched their new Lace in Fashion exhibition, which explores the history of the fine fabric in clothing. Speakers included Professor Christina Slade, the vice-chancellor of Bath Spa University, councillor Patrick Anketell-Jones and fashion designer Jacques Azagury, who has created clothes for Princess Diana and Helen Mirren.

Photos by Anna Barclay www.annaweddingphotos.com

Emma Askew-Miller, Louise Pickles and Kate Clark

Jacques Azagury Justin Stathers and Shona Jemphrey

16 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Elly Summers, Rachel Faulkner and Adam Summers

SOCIETY

LIVING IN THE PASTA

Jean-Luc Bouchereau, Charlotte Land, Caroline Browing and Mike Bailey

Colleagues and friends from Bath’s hospitality sector gathered on 28 March at Jamie’s Italian to sample the culinary delights of Milsom Place. Cocktails, Honey’s Midford Cider and the famous Jamie’s Italian antipasti planks were served to the 95 guests, along with a live demonstration of how the pasta is made fresh on site every day.

Pictures by Philip Shone www.philipshone.wixsite.com/food Hollie McClean, James McClean, Harriet Furness and Tom Baxendale

Becky Williams and Jon Williams Olly Lewis and Kellie Rorison

Antonietta Sgherzi and Tony Merkin

Leo Lago, Peter CooperMarsh and Margaurita Cooper-Marsh

Nik Kosy and Paola Guillen Ricardo Silva and Sara Lopes

18 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SOCIETY

THE SHERIFF IS IN TOWN

Julia Adamson and David Stoyles

Edward Bayntun Coward, the high sheriff of Somerset, recently hosted a dinner at The Holburne in support of The Genesis Trust, who are one of his designated charities during his tenure of office. The guest speaker was former Monkton School pupil Ed Vickers, who founded the sock company Jollie Socks, which helps raise money for the homeless.

Ed Vickers and Nick Mayo

Photos by Adam Carter www.adamcarterphoto.com

Katherine Goddard, Brenda Cumberlidge, Audrey Pearson, Sheila Dolby and Fran Saunders

George Bevan, Rosalind Meryon and Richard Meryon

GETTING AHEAD IN ADVERTISING To mark their first year in business, the ad agency Team Eleven held a glamorous party at The Bunch of Grapes in Bradford on Avon. A fire-performer greeted the 70 guests on arrival, who went on to enjoy an evening of champagne cocktails and canapés, which included goats’ cheese and Iberian ham pintxos and beef bourguignon on potato purée. There was also live music, a photo booth, candy store and a casino.

Nik Margolis, Sophie Gibson and Nick Gill Penny Levitt and Rob Latham

Emma and Oliver Bundock

Photos by Phil Hobgen

Jess and Hayden Scott-Dye 20 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SOCIETY Marc Cuddihy, Alistair Williamson and Martin Roberts

SOUND OF THE CIT Y

Clyve Waite

The mayor of Bath, Paul Crossley, invited organisers, artists and sponsors to a civic reception to launch the charity concert Sounds of the City, which takes place at the Bath Pavilion on 7 April. The night will be compered by star of the I’m A Celebrity jungle Martin Roberts and performers include the soul recording artist Clyve Wait.

Photos by Jeni Meade www.jeni-meade-photography.com

Victor Da Cunha and Sarah Maylor

Rebecca Molloy and Jasmine Barker

A CUT ABOVE BA1 Hair, previously known as Artizan Bartlett St. recently held a party to mark the opening of their renamed and refurbished salon where 70 guests enjoyed live music, plenty of fizz and a dance-off.

Photos by Mervyn Clingan www.takingpictures.com

Minette Haywood, Amelia Rolfe and Anna Barton

Giuseppe Garzia, Eddie Ilic, Zac Fennell and Oliver Sacco

22 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

It’s a team effort at BA1 Hair

Jane Gilbert, Diane Cartledge, Jane Spragg, Fiona Govier, Philip Thompson and Jane Thompson

A MAN’S WORLD

DAVID FLATMAN

CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES Ahead of moving house, Flats defends the marriage-threatening arguments and negotiation processes currently unfolding between him and Mrs F

W

e’re looking to move house soon and I’ve begun planning in earnest. I haven’t bothered looking at bathrooms or rugs or colour schemes, as I know that my views on such matters are not only an irrelevance, but an annoyance.

So I stick to the areas in which I might assert some influence. It’s about picking your battles, really, which sounds sad during a time that ought to be communal and exciting, but that’s real life and we all know it.

For starters, I’ll be picking the TVs. “Let’s just take the ones we’ve got,” Mrs F suggests. If there’s a more ridiculous idea than that this year I’d like to hear it. The ones we’ve got are three years old, and therefore about 27 years out of date. No, I’ll be sorting that. I’ll be sorting all of the nerdy audio visual stuff, actually, so expect soon to read columns about the marriage-threatening arguments caused by the extremely practical voice activated ground floor lights, and the four-screen set up in the office that Mrs F has decided we don’t need.

Most exciting, though, is the outdoor kitchen. Now, I’m no fair weather barbequer. I’m out there all year round, in the wind and rain, smoking and grilling up lots of amazing hunks of meat for my wife and daughters to hate and discard. All too often, I come back in with a slow roasted lamb shoulder and they’ve got bored of waiting for its internal temperature to get to the right level and have boiled up some pasta instead and moved on with their lives.

I will not allow this to dampen my enthusiasm for outdoor cooking, and my plans here are reasonably punchy. The first issue is how to neatly house my five different barbeques. Now I know what you’re thinking but yes, they’re all coming as they all do different jobs. And anyway, it’s not about ‘need,’ it’s about ‘want’. I’ll also need extensive

lighting, running hot and cold water, plenty of weatherproof plug sockets, a fridge, a freezer, ideally a dish washer, and definitely a roof.

I’ve whacked a large flat screen TV with full digital connectivity into my initial proposal (yes, I have to do proposals), but even I acknowledge that this would be silly. But my agreeing to drop it from said proposal – after a protracted period of resistance, of course – should give me sufficient credit that the rest of my vital additions will sail through the negotiation process.

My approach to in-house discussions is all totally centred around my goal of achieving an outdoor kitchen setup with which both Gordon Ramsey and Ray Mears would be happy.

I’ll absorb Mrs F’s ideas about layouts and kitchens and I’ll politely disagree, suggesting alternatives.

Then, just seconds before her exasperation manifests, I’ll buckle, because her being happy is the most important thing. “Do you know what?” I’ll ask her, “You’re right. And even if you’re not, I can see that you really want this and it makes me happy to see you so excited by it all.” Then – and call me cynical if you want – bam! Out come the plans for Flats’ Garden Kitchen. Turning me down flat after my incredible, selfless show of generosity and marital flexibility would make Mrs F a monster, and we’ll both know it.

You might read this and think I’m being manipulative, and you might be right. But let me assure you that, come Boxing Day this December when I’m outside with a glass of wine, slow roasting a ham in nothing but my pants and some wellies, I’ll know the ends justified the means.

YOU MIGHT READ THIS AND THINK I’M BEING MANIPULATIVE, AND YOU MIGHT BE RIGHT

David Flatman is an ex-Bath and England rugby star turned TV pundit and rento-mic. Follow him on Twitter @davidflatman

GIRL ABOUT TOWN

PHILIPPA MAY

OUTSIDE IN From floral chandeliers to 70s-inspired floor-to-ceiling shrubbery, bringing nature into the home is a key interiors trend for the season

S

pring is about to roll around and nothing excites me more than this sort of change. A new season usually propels us into shaking up our wardrobes as we prepare for the sun, but for me the real fun is when you mix up your interiors ready for the most social months.

As the buds of my favourite blossoms start to peep through, I know it’s time to pop the cuddly throws away and embrace a brighter, lighter interior scheme as that glorious sunshine starts beaming in through the windows.

Taking a vested interest in how you switch up your interior schemes for different months has become nothing extraordinary in the past few years. With the emergence of ‘the new modern’ we’ve been seeing domestic interiors become much bolder, with statement pieces becoming less about a painted contrast wall and more about pushing the limits of the traditional.

The theme of this issue of Bath Life is all about carefully curated gardens and outdoor spaces, and so it got me thinking about how the popular fauna interiors trends of last season will develop and take on a whole new meaning. With Pantone declaring this year’s Colour of the Year as ‘Greenery’ it’s clear how much of an impact the notion of nature and the environment has inspired us.

An idea I’ve been excited to try recently is that of bringing some of the life and colour of outside into your home. This trend isn’t anything new; stemming from the 70s, plants have been a popular choice for interiors, except now we’re becoming much more gallant with them. Since we moved into our renovated garage, we haven’t had a proper garden, and it’s been sorely missed.

But one way I’ve found to make up for this is by

making an indoor green area. From living walls – floor-to-ceiling shrubbery – in the kitchen, to ivy trailing and dipping from modern ceiling lights, there’s no doubt a statement floral centrepiece in the home can be a wonderful rejuvenation of a very traditional trend.

Plants lend a vibrancy and vitality that can’t really be gleaned from anything else, and with a low price tag they’re also a great way of updating your interiors regularly without costing you an arm and a leg.

Despite my keen ambition to create masterpieces with flowers and shrubbery, I’m no florist, and my efforts are quite often Pinterest fails. But, there’s something due out in May that has made me giddy – a book created by Londonbased floral genius Florence Kennedy showcasing how to create stylish flower arrangements at home that aren’t stiff, boring or formal, but fun, trendy and achievable. Florence grew up in Bath but followed her passion with Petalon in London and her book, Flowers Every Day, is jam-packed with stylish arrangements for the modern home including handtied bouquets to give as gifts, wedding decorations, festive garlands and, the one I will definitely be trying, floral chandeliers.

This book will have you running down to the flower market whether it’s for your dining table or your sun-soaked veranda. This whole concept can only be successful if you remember to have fun with it, keep the character of the flowers and forget about the old-school forced floral shapes; it’s all about challenging conventions to achieve something unique and amazing that will stun any house guest.

FROM LIVING WALLS, TO IVY TRAILING FROM MODERN CEILING LIGHTS, THERE’S NO DOUBT A STATEMENT FLORAL CENTREPIECE IN THE HOME CAN BE A WONDERFUL REJUVENATION OF A VERY TRADITIONAL TREND

Philippa May is an interiors enthusiast and the designer and brand creative manager for accessories label Abbott Lyon. Follow her on Instagram @_philippamay_

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EXTERIORS

THINKING

OUTSIDE THE BOX As the evenings get lighter, we love nothing more than relaxing in our gardens, so we’ve asked local experts how to get the most out of our green spaces for summer. From outdoor wallpaper and weatherproof rugs to vertical gardening and adult play areas, their answers may surprise you…

By L I SA E VA NS

Make a statement with a colour-pop space like this one designed by Woodhouse & Law, Bath 32 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN YOUR OWN OUTDOOR OVEN TO PROVIDE A SOCIAL DIMENSION AND FOCAL POINT TO YOUR SPACE – THINK HANDMADE BREADS OR A SLOWBAKED SUNDAY ROAST

A

s April is officially Garden Month, what better time to get your hands dirty and switch up the look of your outdoor space ready for summer? According to Simon Harrison, the manager of home and garden furniture specialists The Fig Store on Walcot Street, spring is the very best time of year to see your garden in its skeletal form, giving you the opportunity to assess how exactly you’d like to spruce it up. But, obvious tidying and sprucing aside, we’ve spoken with eight exteriors experts in and around Bath to discover how to make our gardens seriously impressive. w

Bath’s Kindle Stoves specialise in indoor and outdoor fires of all kinds, including this Morso Grill Forno which can be used as a BBQ, heat source or pizza oven

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 33

EXTERIORS

BRING THE HEAT

Pizza ovens and outdoor wood fires are hot this season according to Clare Collins, director of Kindle Stoves in Saltford. “We all want to enjoy being outside for as long as we can so having a source of heat is a huge asset,” she says. “And for the fire to also be a BBQ or pizza oven means we can entertain, too. The Morso Living Range of outdoor fires are taking centre stage this year, along with the Forno wood pizza oven, which is also an impressive outdoor heater, to the Danishdesigned Ignis fire bowl.”

And Martina Dytor Butler, business development manager at Haven Timber in Norton St Philip, agrees that the Morso range is a real talking point. “The grill and pizza oven on a large outdoor table on wheels is rather attentiongrabbing,” she says. “You can use it to grill, roast and smoke, as well as make delicious desserts.”

Simon Harrison of The Fig Store is also quick to point out the benefits of cooking al fresco.

“This year, we’re seeing the move to use the garden as an additional living space,” he says.

“What could be better than your own outdoor oven to provide a social dimension and focal point to your space – think handmade breads or even a slow-baked Sunday roast.

The look of the appliances is just as important as the function as far as John Law, the director of Woodhouse & Law – an interior and garden design partnership, based on Bathwick Hill – is concerned. “Barbecues can often be cumbersome, unattractive additions to the garden that look out of place in a freshly designed garden,” he says.

“So we tend to look for items that are practical in the long term but also are beautiful in their own right. One of our favourite finds is the Corten rusted steel fire bowl and island from Dutch designers OFYR. We’re particularly keen on the combination of warm metal tones with clean lines and functionality.”

Outdoor wallpapers, such as this one from Wall & Deco, available at Woodhouse & Law in Bath, are helping to bring the inside out

ACCESSORISE ALL AREAS

THE DIVERSE RANGE OF OUTDOOR WALLPAPERS ARE PERFECT AS AN IMPACTFUL BACKDROP,

ADDING

COLOUR AND INSTANT VERTICAL

INTEREST Miniature plants and herbs, such as these from Walcot Street’s The Fig Store, will subtly break up large outdoor spaces

34 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

There are certain garden accessories, such as pots filled with seasonal plants, that will never go out of fashion due to the way they add instant visual interest to the garden. “Pots or planters add a focal point to an outdoor environment of any size,” says Melanie Simpson, owner of Chippenham-based The Lacock Planter which sells ready-to-paint, hand-crafted wooden planters and decorative finds. “Move them, group them, replant them and make statements with them.

Like cherished family members, our pots and planters come with us whenever we move house; they appeal to our desire to nurture and to create something beautiful or arresting to enjoy. They demand minimal time and effort of us, but they offer respite from our digital lives and they reward us.”

Tom Eaglestone of Bath-based Eaglestone Landscape Design likes to think of his work as being the artistic canvas which the client can add to in their own way. “Accessories and furniture make a huge difference to the look of an outdoor space,” he says. “Hanging swing-like seating can look amazing in the right gardens, and I’m a big fan of sculpture and pots such as Bronzino. Scour Gumtree, eBay and antique or reclamation yards like Gardenalia on London Road, Bath, for old and unusual pots and planters, and get some artwork and height through obelisks and features from places such as Moore Designs or Ironart of Bath.”

As for the plants to fill your pots with for the warmer seasons, Simon Harrison at The Fig Store w

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EXTERIORS

recommends clipped evergreen trees, to add height and formal structure, underplanted with simple drought-tolerant scented Mediterranean herbs; or maybe miniature box hedging or trailing plants such as dichondra silver falls. And Tom Eaglestone adds that people are reverting back to naturalistic, wilder and slightly more unkempt gardens this season, which is the style he champions.

“Wispy, naturalistic-style planting and hot pinks seem to be in favour,” he says. “Hard landscaping is being interspersed with topiary, and looser perennial planting looks gorgeous.”

This year is all about ‘vertical gardening’ – an alternative for gardeners who don’t have a lot of horizontal space, want to cover an unattractive wall, or just desire something a bit different.

“Vertical planting not only provides additional surface in a small garden but it also adds curiosity and colour to any wall or fence,” says Martina Dytor Butler of Haven Timber. We recommend the award-winning WonderWall which is wonderfully versatile and can be used indoors, too. It’s weather and frost-resistant and, most

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDY MAYBURY

ON THE UP

Tom Eaglestone of Bath-based Eaglestone Landscape Design says wild, unkempt planting is the craze for spring

impressively, its self-watering design maintains plants for up to two weeks.”

Simon Harrison at The Fig Store has a spacesaving suggestion, too: “A recent addition to our ever-changing stock includes sleek, rectangular planters raised on metal frames – ideal as part of a tiered planting scheme, saving valuable floor area if space is at a premium, say on a balcony.”

INSIDE OUT

Mirrors help to bounce light around and give the illusion of more space, thinks Bath’s Rosie Nottage

36 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

The garden is increasingly being viewed as an extension of the home, and there are now some inventive ways to bring the inside out.

“Clients who might have previously looked to move as their family grew, are now asking us to look at ways of making their existing garden a space that offers more,” says John Law of Woodhouse & Law. “One of our favourite finds from a recent sourcing trip was the diverse and hugely exciting range of outdoor wallpapers from Italian company Wall & Deco – perfect as an impactful backdrop to a room within a garden, adding colour and instant vertical interest. We’re also finding that traditional dining tables and chairs that rarely get used due to the uncertainty of the British weather are being eschewed in favour of more relaxed, comfortable seating. Time being limited for us all, this furniture tends less and less to be attention-loving teak, and more powder-coated steel in every colour imaginable.”

Rosie Nottage, director of Rosie Nottage Garden Design in Bath, adds that other indoor accessories making their way outdoors are mirrors and rugs. “There are a wealth of outdoor rugs on the market – Wayfair have a good selection, but go to Leak in Larkhall to buy local. Pop one under a set of garden dining furniture to lift the space and add a focal point.” w

SCOUR ANTIQUE OR RECLAMATION YARDS

LIKE GARDENALIA ON LONDON ROAD, BATH, FOR OLD AND UNUSUAL POTS AND PLANTERS

Vary the size and height of your pots – and what’s in them – to add curiosity to your outdoor space, suggests Bath’s Rosie Nottage

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 37

EXTERIORS

Moore Design archways, built by Tom Eaglestone of Bath-based Eaglestone Landscape Design

While relaxing vibes are a must for outdoor spaces, there’s also a time and a place for fun within the garden, which Rosie Nottage knows first hand. “A client recently commissioned a full-size boules court to help them get into shape for Bath Boules this summer,” she says.

“A great idea as it works as a dining space when not in play.”

She adds that playful outdoor designs can work well in the warmer months when we typically entertain guests. “Funky macramé pot hangers and interesting blooms are a great way to inject a bit of life into the space,” she says.

“The 70s and mid-century looks are very much on trend for the garden right now, too.

“Also, to make the most of the space, a ha-ha is a brilliant way to make the distinction between the end of a garden and a rural field full of sheep – all of the view and none of the fence.”

38 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

BOULES COURT TO HELP THEM GET INTO SHAPE FOR BATH BOULES THIS SUMMER

POOL RULES

If budget and space allows, a natural swimming pool is always worth considering, according to Rosie Nottage.

“They are still very popular,” she says. “They are a great way to make use of the natural springs that occur in a lot of the gardens around the city.”

In addition, Martin Pelling, director of Rock Pools and Spas in Westbury has seen increasing desire for contemporary one-piece pools in Bath recently.

“We offer both traditional spas as well as modern, feature-packed designs such as Niveko swimming pools, crafted bespoke to the clients’ requirements,” he says. “With features such as overflow edges or shallow beaches built in, they are amazing to see and very functional.

Additionally, we can make a small pool seem endless with our counter current system which offers the ability to swim continually against without the need to turn around.” w

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLE DRAKE

GARDEN GAMES

A CLIENT COMMISSIONED A FULL-SIZE

FONTHILL garden centre A family run business that’s been growing since 1967.

BATH ROAD, BITTON, BRISTOL 0117 932 3110 OPEN MON-SAT 8.30-5.30 SUN 10.30-4.30

www.fonthill-lakeside.com

EXTERIORS

DIRECTORY Local businesses primed to help with all your garden needs

Landscape gardeners and designers The Classic Gardener 01249 783880 www.classicgardener.co.uk

Turn to Bath-based Eaglestone Landscape Design for fresh and colourful inspiration

Eaglestone Landscape Design 07834 855788; www. eaglestonelandscapedesign.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDY MAYBURY

Rosie Nottage Garden Design 07967 316259 www.rosienottage.com Woodhouse & Law 4 George’s Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath; 01225 428072 www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk

Garden centres

Fonthill Garden Centre Bath Road, Bitton, Bristol; 0117 932 3110 www.fonthill-lakeside.com Whitehall Garden Centre Lacock, Wiltshire; 01249 730204; www. whitehallgardencentre.co.uk

Fencing, sheds and garden buildings Haven Timber Lower Haven Farm, Farleigh Road, Norton St Philip, Bath 01225 720140 www.haventimber.co.uk

Timbertack 16 Shurnhold, Melksham 01225 707627 www.timbertack.co.uk

Planters and window boxes

Moss Design 0117 379 0505 www.mosspods.com

Ponds and aquatics

Outdoor fires

Kindle Stoves Glenavon Farm, 331 Bath Road, Saltford 0117 924 3898 www.kindlestoves.co.uk

Outdoor stone paving

Boniti Dunsdon Barn, West Littleton, off the A46 01225 892200 www.boniti.com

Accessorise your garden with sleek adornments such as this bird feeder from The Fig Store on Walcot Street

Miety Stone The Barn, Lower Littleton Farm, Windford Road, Chew Magna, 01275 333589 www.mietystone.co.uk

The Lacock Planter 01249 652139 www.thelacockplanter.co.uk Richard Brook Pond and Aquatic 07834 973945; www. pondandaquaticsystems.co.uk

Shops

The Fig Store 76 Walcot Street, Bath; 01225 428031; www.thefigstore.com Graham and Green Bath 92 Walcot Street, Bath 01225 418300 www.grahamandgreen.co.uk OKA 26-27 Milsom Street, Bath; 01225 443074 www.okadirect.com

Swimming pools and spas

Rock Pools and Spas 0333 600 9001 www.rockpoolsandspas.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 41

Specialists in Natural Stone Paving and More

Flagstones, Cobbles, Copings and Setts

THE LACOCK PLANTER FINE CARPENTRY & STYLISH DESIGN www.thelacockplanter.co.uk T 01249 652139 M 07984 167 360

Sandstone, Limestone, Granite Slate And Travertine ß Internal of External ß Civil or Domestic ß Free Delivery ß Open 6 Days a Week ß Helpful Advice ß Large Selection of Stock

Now at new locatio n, see below!

Tel: 01275 333589 or 07872 665602 Or Email sales@mietystone.co.uk Website: www.mietystone.co.uk

Miety Stone Limited Hillmans Transport Depot, Chelwood Bridge, Chelwood, Bristol, BS39 4NJ

QUALITY SHEDS MADE & INSTALLED

BY A MELKSHAM COMPANY Decking • Pergolas • Planters

A TRULY LOCAL SHED! LOCALLY PRODUCED USING LOCAL SUPPLIERS Made and installed by the same people Custom made to any size and spec with free site inspection All materials are tongue and groove timber EST. 24 YEARS Over 2 decades of expertise and satisfaction Family

run bu sine establi ss, shed 1996

TIMBERTACK OF MELKSHAM (01225) 707627 | www.timbertack.co.uk

Unit 16, Intercity Trading Estate, Shurnhold, Melksham, Wiltshire SN12 8DE

DIRECTIONS: At the Asda roundabout in Melksham, take the Bath turning, and then the left hand lane (to Corsham, Atworth, Bath), immediately after the railway bridge, turn sharp left.

advertisi n g feat u re g a r d e n e x t e r i o r s

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Slopes, banks, gradients and inclines pose no problem for garden buildings thanks to the innovative, simple and affordable Shedbed system designed and manufactured by haven timber

T

here's no denying the beautiful sweeping slopes of Bath. Whether that means you have an upwards staggering view from your garden or perhaps a picture perfect view down into the valley, Bath's grand gradients provide a difficult challenge for our gardeners when it comes to garden buildings.

How is it possible to install that shed for extra storage, that workshop for your hobby or a stunning summerhouse to really enjoy those views without costly groundworks? Local company, Haven Timber, have created an innovative solution to solve this very problem.

Shedbed is a secure, adjustable foundation system for sheds or decking that can be installed on virtually any ground surface with absolutely no need for groundworks.

The shed rests on a loadbearing framework which is attached to the ground, it is height adjustable and has pivoting steel corners.

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The Shedbed foundation system also doubles up as a decking application.

Deckbed allows beautiful decking to be installed when previously it may have been dismissed due to groundworks and costs.

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Corten Steel firepits are just one of many products on offer at Haven Timber

Shedbeds are the perfect solution for challenging gradients and can be installed on virtually any ground surface

Open to both the trade and public, Haven Timber are renowned for their herculean stock of timber together with their large display of sheds, garden furniture and garden buildings. Haven Timber stock high end garden accessories such as the Morso outdoor cooking range and Corten Steel firepits alongside the regular favourites such as hosepipes and attachments, garden tools and outdoor paint, to name a few.

Haven Timber aren't just limited to timber products, they also have an engineering branch which specialises in the manufacture and design of bespoke products and offer support to local inventors and businesses to develop their ideas and projects.

Conveniently located just outside of Bath, between The George Inn (one of the oldest pubs in England) and Farleigh Road Farm Shop (which sells fabulous sweet treats amongst other things), Haven Timber can be found at the site previously occupied

by Whites Shed and Fencing. Visitors are welcome to browse the store and outdoor display, enjoy a free hot drink and use the toilet facilities. Ample customer parking and a load-and-go vehicle loop route ensure customers get the best possible shopping experience.

Haven Timber Farleigh Road, Norton St Philip, Bath BA2 7NG 01225 720140 www.haventimber.co.uk.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 43

Guilt-free gardening Top tips for easy clearing, cleaning and preparing your outdoor space ready for the spring

By E M M A BON D

Be in charge of your garden rather than your garden being in charge of you

GARDENING

available. Consider more permanent planting, which won’t mind too much if it is left for a week or two without being watered. Except in extremely hot weather, bamboos, Pittosporum, Box and Acers all work well in containers and give a good display.

2

KEEP IT CLEAN: Start your gardening

year with a really good clean up; get jetwashing, clean pots, and scrub paving, decking and all surfaces which have become green over the winter. I often recommend using an anti-algae product to remove the green layers first, then follow up with a blast from the pressure hose.

Sweep paths and even gravel and top up areas that look a bit sparse. Get any lawn mowers or strimmers serviced or fixed and spend a day doing these chores knowing that you probably don’t have to do them again for another year.

Above: yellow Kerria against a spring sky; below: the crocus is one of the earliest spring flowers; bottom: There is surely nothing more cheery than a nodding daffodil on a grey spring day

W

e have reached that time of the year when it is a blessed relief not to be constantly braced against the cold, when looking out of the window brings pleasure not misery, and when everything is really beginning to look full of life. Bath is full of colour from daffodils and early flowering plants and it seems that spring and summer are really on their way.

Unfortunately, this also applies to the seemingly endless tasks that suddenly loom ahead in the garden and can lead to stress-induced garden anxiety, because not only is the blossom out and flowers starting to bloom, but the weeds are too.

There are those of us who simply don’t have limitless time to spend pottering in our gardens, and I for one sincerely hope that a time might come when I do, but in the meantime, there is a business to run, other people’s gardens to attend to, as well as countless wifely and motherly duties all vying for my attention.

Then, of course, there is my own garden.

This wet winter seems to have hit it really hard, resulting in everything being covered in algae, many plants and shrubs being outright killed by the cold wind, and everything looks generally very sad. Every time I looked out of the window, I would think, “I really must get out there soon and get busy”. Gardening is one of those tasks, rather like the ironing, which can become a real chore –that is a shame but it happens to us all.

So here are some of my suggestions for taking the guilt out of gardening and making it an enjoyable pastime rather than something else on your to-do-list...

1

KEEP IT SIMPLE: This year, I have decided not to have hundreds of pots full of thirsty annuals demanding my attention every evening and resulting in hours spent watering.

Keep to a few larger pots, and plant up using a water-retentive medium, there are plenty

3

KEEP IT COVERED: Have a look at your

borders and areas which are planted, and fill in any gaps with more vegetation, particularly ground cover plants which will keep the soil covered and suppress weeds. Consider planting grasses and herbs such as rosemary, which look fantastic and are not too much effort. Also add a thick layer of mulch in the form of rotted bark chippings – these need to go on really thick (three or four inches) to have any effect, and also minimise watering during the summer as they can help to retain moisture.

4

KEEP IT ORGANISED: At the risk

of sounding too uptight, it might be worth considering keeping a note in your diary to remember to keep on top of any pruning which needs doing. Particularly paying attention to any shrubs that will need cutting back after they have flowered this summer. Also think about a shopping list when visiting the garden centre, this way you won’t be throwing whatever looks nice on the day into your trolley and you will save money and be organised too. Planning ahead will help you to keep a great looking garden but also save your sanity if you are particularly busy.

5

KEEP IT RELAXED: Remember that most of us spend more time looking at our gardens out of the window than we do in them; as long as you can look out and feel pleased with yourself and enjoy your garden, that is the most important thing. If you are really struggling, then find someone to help you out in the garden a few hours a week, that way you can enjoy it more.

If your garden is giving you stress, then following these easy tips might help you have a great summer in your garden. Be in charge of your garden rather than your garden being in charge of you.

Emma Bond, Bath Garden Design and Landscaping, Orchard Studio, Old Orchard, 88a Walcot Street, Bath; 07968 727415; bathgardendesign.com Photos © Emma Bond

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 45

Music/theatre/film/more

PAINTED LADY

Combining her Ukrainian upbringing with a creative drive inspired by the English countryside, Iryna Yermolova presents bold yet sensitive figurative studies with a confident style and striking use of light and colour. Her work often displays dreamlike compositions of youthful figures merging with the inner-self and ideas surrounding identity. “With What If II, I was trying to create more abstract work,” says Iryna. “As always, I was concentrating on composition and colours. The small hint of folds of the silk dress and the beauty of the female’s body blends the abstraction with the portrait.”

What If II by Iryna Yermolova can be seen as part of the multi-artist exhibition Painted Colour at Bath Contemporary, 35 Gay Street; www.bathcontemporary.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 47

1 April – 29 April

Laura Pitt-Pulford stars in Nell Gwynn, the bawdy and heartwarming tale of the surprising lover of Charles II at Theatre Royal Bath; Stand up Russell Kane shares his take on fatherhood and growing up, at Komedia on 27 April; Magical recipes and haunted kitchen utensils collide at the egg’s Eloise and the Curse of the Golden Whisk

Exhibitions U N TI L 2 APRI L

PAINTINGS FROM THE OCEAN TO THE CITY Kit Glaisyer’s evocative work includes cinematic landscapes, ocean paintings, plus new atmospheric Bath scenes. Garden Flat Gallery, 48 Great Pulteney Street; www.kitglaisyer.com U N TI L 7 APRI L

COLIN KENT The art works of this East Anglian painter, which display a fine use of ink, gouache, acrylic and watercolour, are often stark and haunting, depicting locations where solitude predominates. Adam Gallery; www.adamgallery.com

U N TI L 1 5 A PRIL

THE FUTURE CAN’T WAIT An exciting showcase of exhibits from 30 MA postgraduate Bath Spa Uni students across four disciplines – ceramics, fashion and textiles, fine art and visual communication. Black Swan Arts; www.blackswan.org.uk U N TI L 2 4 A PRIL

MAKING MARKS An exhibition of paintings of Julia Cooper alongside ceramics by Jane Wheeler. Julia’s work often creates flattened and multiple perspectives, and is inspired by the Cornish landscape. For ceramist Jane, the vessel is a space-containing hollow form that offers the richest language for working in clay. David

48 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Simon Contemporary; www. davidsimoncontemporary.com

Emma Rose Art Works; www.emmaroseartworks.com

UNTIL 28 AP R IL

UNTIL 10 M AY

IMAGINED WORLDS This exhibition features the work of 20 contemporary artists inspired by Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s visionary poem Kubla Khan, and coincides with the bicentenary of the poem’s first publication. Art at the Heart of the RUH; www.artatruh.org UNTIL 30 AP R IL

PALATE OF COLOUR A solo show of a pulsating palate of colour: dynamic brushwork and vibrant hues. These are the trademarks of Bath-based artist Emma Rose’s work, which is inspired by an emotional response to the natural world.

HISTORY THROUGH A LENS: ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE INCITE PROJECT This show focuses on single iconic images and their power, profiling over 75 photographs that have changed public perception of world events, including the assassination of John F Kennedy and Nelson Mandela in his cell on Robben Island. Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk UNTIL 10 M AY

TOM HICKMAN: FOLLOWING THE THREAD Using reclaimed Harris Tweed wools, self-taught artist Tom Hickman stitches complex high

W H AT ’ S O N

ARTS

relief stump-work embroidery, as well as jovial images of local crofters’ sheep to create incredible embroidered paintings Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk UNTI L 1 7 M AY

TRANSFORMATION A major solo exhibition of sculpture by the late Elisabeth Frink that comprises a selection of her distinctive and powerful bronzes, alongside a series of drawings that highlight her skill as a draughtswoman.

Hauser & Wirth Somerset; www.hauserwirthsomerset.com UNTI L 3 0 M AY

#IGERSBATH Celebrate some of the best photography of Bath, by the talented people of Bath, with this Instagrammers exhibition supported by The Bath Pizza Co. Green Park Brasserie; www. bathpizzaco.com/exhibition UNTI L 4 J UNE

BRUEGEL: DEFINING A DYNASTY This exciting exhibition not only shines a light on the quality of the museum’s Flemish paintings, but also on the great wealth of paintings by the Bruegel (also known as Brueghel) dynasty in the UK. The Holburne Museum; www.holburne.org UNTI L 2 J ULY

HONG LING: SELECTED Hong Ling is a contemporary Chinese artist whose work unites the distinct yet delicate essence of traditional Chinese landscape painting with technical precision, ambitious breadth of scale and subject. Museum of East Asian Art; www.meaa.org.uk

David Simon Contemporary’s latest exhibition includes the inspiring still life and landscape paintings of Julia Cooper U N TI L 2 9 OCTO BER

JOYCE PETSCHEK: BREAKING THE PATTERN Bargello needlework is a beautiful flame-stitch pattern and Joyce Petschek has created a body of work, brought together here for the first time in Britain, that is colourful, inspiring and innovative. American Museum; www.americanmuseum.org

UNTIL 1 J ANUAR Y 2018

LACE IN FASHION From rare, fine luxury garments worn by royals and the aristocracy to machine-made items for everyday use, this exhibition showcases over 50 lace pieces, some dating from the time of Shakespeare. Fashion Museum; www.fashionmuseum.co.uk UNTIL 1 J ANUAR Y 2019

U N TI L 2 9 OCTO BER

1920s JAZZ AGE: FASHION & PHOTOGRAPHS With over 150 garments, this stunning selection of sportswear, printed day dresses, fringed flapper dresses, beaded evening wear, velvet capes, and silk pyjamas reveals the glamour, excess, frivolity and modernity of the decade. American Museum; www.americanmuseum.org

A HISTORY OF FASHION IN 100 OBJECTS The Fashion Museum presents 100 ‘star’ objects that illustrate a fascinating history of fashion from the 1600s through to the present day. Fashion Museum; www.fashionmuseum.co.uk

prints and handcrafted gifts including silver jewellery, all under one marquee roof, with many of the 50 artists in attendance. £5. Farleigh Road Farm Shop, Norton St Philip; www.bathartfair.co.uk 7 AP R IL – 1 M AY

PAINTED COLOUR Celebrating the structural diversity of colour and its varying potential for visual composition, this exhibition celebrates three contrasting artists whose work indulges our sense of form, structure, materiality and movement – Alfred Stockham, Paul Wadsworth and Iryna Yermolova. Bath Contemporary; www.bathcontemporary.com 13 AP R I L – 1 4 M AY

7 – 9 AP R IL

BATH ART FAIR Music, refreshments, and beautiful and original paintings, sculpture,

PASSION An exhibition of new painted clothes, shawls and scarves full of hot colour

by Carole Waller and new cool w

ARTS

W H AT ’ S O N

ceramics by Gary Wood, inspired

by Bath. One Two Five Gallery; www.onetwofivegallery.co.uk

25 – 29 AP RI L

NELL GWYNN The winner of the 2016 Olivier Award for Best New Comedy embarks on its first ever UK tour.

Jessica Swale’s warm hearted, bawdy comedy tells the story of an unlikely heroine, played by Laura Pitt-Pulford, who went from lowly orange seller to win the heart of King Charles II. £19.50- £35.50. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

14 – 1 6 APRI L

PAINTINGS IN THE BARN The exhibition will feature over 20 works by Jonathan Mulvaney, including a new range of still lifes and his latest images from his home town of Bradford on Avon.

The West Barn Bradford on Avon; www.mulvaneypix.co.uk

Plays/Shows

27 AP R IL

RUSSELL KANE Russell is married and has just entered fatherhood, and in his latest tour Right Age, Wrong Man, he takes us through his early years up to adulthood in his espresso stand-up style. 8pm, £17.

Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk

U N TI L 1 7 AP RI L

BATH COMEDY FESTIVAL The ninth annual Bath Comedy Festival promises to be the biggest to date with household names including Viv Groskop, Bob Mills and Arthur Smith, plus the stars of tomorrow in a fantastic mix of stand-up, sketch and cabaret. For the full line-up and details visit www.bathcomedy.com

Music 2 AP R IL

THE WILLIAM CROSS FOUNDATION LAUNCH GIG A charity gig in memory of Bath musician Will Cross who died unexpectedly last year at just 17. Those lining up to play musical tributes include the legendary saxonophist Pee Wee Ellis, Will’s former bandmates – Trenchardpaid and 5 Second Rule – and the jazz pianist Jason Rebello. 6.30pm, £10. Chapel Arts Centre; www. williamcrossfoundation.org

4 – 8 AP RI L

PYGMALION Professor of Phonetics Henry Higgins and flower girl Eliza Doolittle meet again in this innovative reimagining of the classic play by George Bernard Shaw, first performed in 1913. £18.50-£34.50. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk 4 – 8 AP RI L

MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE Next Stage Theatre Company presents My Brilliant Divorce by Geraldine Aron as part of the Bath Comedy Festival. Angela’s husband has a mid-life crisis and a mid-European fling while she is left with the dog and a resolve to try and rebuild her life. £12.

The Mission Theatre; www.missiontheatre.co.uk 6 AP RI L – 6 M AY

THE MENTOR Homelands star F. Murray Abraham takes to the stage in this German play by Daniel Kehlmann. He is a cantankerous old writer, Benjamin Rubin, basking in the reflected glory of long-ago success, when his life collides with a rising young literary star. £19.50-£12.

Ustinov; www.theatreroyal.org.uk 8 AP RI L

ABI ROBERTS:ANGLICHANKA In 201, Abi Roberts became the first UK comedian to perform in

5 AP R IL

Top to bottom: Jodie Prenger takes on the role of Shirley Valentine; The Bellefleurs perform on 7 April at Bath Pavilion as part of the Sounds of the City concert

Russia – speaking Russian. She shares her thoughts on blinis and near-death military coups.

4.30pm, £5. Bath Brew House; www.thebathbrewhouse.com

and a Greek lover help her see the world in a different light. £19.50- £35.50. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk 18 – 22 AP R IL

1 0 – 1 5 A PRI L

SHIRLEY VALENTINE Jodie Prenger, the 2008 winner of BBC1’s I’d Do Anything talent show, takes on the legendary role of the dissatisfied Mrs Joe Bradshaw, who wants to rediscover her former life as the optimistic and positive Shirley Valentine. A trip to Greece, the Mediterranean sun

50 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

THE MIKADO Gilbert and Sullivan take us to the far away land of Titipu, and with inherent humour and timeless tunefulness, make for one of the most popular light operas ever written performed by Sasha Regan’s All Male Cast. £18.50£34.50. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

YORKSTON/THORNE/KHAN A unique musical collaboration who produce a fusion of jazz, folk and Indian music, promote the release of their critically acclaimed new album Neuk Wight Delhi All-Stars. 7.30pm, £13.

Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk 6 AP R IL

DEREK NASH Sax player Derek has long been a member of the Jules Holland band, has led Sax Appeal for 30 years and fronts the funk/fusion band Protect the Beat. 8.30pm, £8. St James Wine Vaults; www.stjameswinevaults.co.uk 7 AP R IL

RUBY TURNER With a star career with hits including I’d Rather Go Blind, Ruby is also one of the main singers on BBC2’s Later... with Jools Holland w

ARTS

W H AT ’ S O N

and has been described as being ‘blessed with a voice that can breathe life and meaning into any song.’ 7pm, £21. Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk 7 AP RI L

MISBEHAVIN’ Drawing upon the band members’ eclectic and diverse journeys across musical frontiers including jazz, music theatre, traditional and contemporary music, Misbehavin’ have created an exciting body of work. Bar proceeds go to Dorothy House Hospice Care. 7.30pm, £10. Freshford Memorial Hall; www.misbehavinjazz.com 7 AP RI L

SOUNDS OF THE CITY A night of live music in aid of The Mayor’s Relief Fund, GLL and Martin Roberts Foundation, hosted by Martin ‘jungle’ Roberts himself with soul-artist Clyve and The Bellefleurs performing.

For more info turn to page 22.

7.30pm, £12.50. Bath Pavilion; www.bathboxoffice.org.uk

An innovative reimagining of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion comes to the Theatre Royal Bath 2 1 A PRI L

THE MUSIC OF JAMES TAYLOR AND CAROLE KING From the creators of The Simon & Garfunkel Story comes a brand new theatre experience celebrating the friendship of songwriters James Taylor and Carole King and featuring classics including You’ve Got A Friend and How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You). 8pm, £18.50. Chapel Arts Centre, www.chapelarts.org 2 3 A PRI L

7 AP RI L

CLARE TEAL From swing to sublime ballads and big band sounds, the performances from the leading lady of jazz, are renowned for their fabulous arrangements interspersed with warm and witty storytelling. 7.30pm, £23. Wiltshire Music Centre; www.wiltshiremusic.org.uk 12 AP RI L

ST JOHN PASSION The Easter narrative is vividly portrayed through Bach’s exciting choruses and strikingly beautiful arias and chorales, conducted by David Gostick. 7pm, £8- £27.

Bath Abbey; www.bathabbey.org 21 AP RI L

NICOLA BENEDETTI WITH BATH PHILHARMONIA Nicola Benedetti is one of the most sought after violinists of her generation. She will bring Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto to life with a performance that promises energy, torment and breathtaking passion. 7.30pm, £35-£5.

The Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

SHAKIN’ STEVENS The UK’s biggest selling singles artist of a decade who stole our hearts with hits such as Green Door and his 80s double-denim ensemble, comes to Bath. Turn to page 58 for our exclusive interview with the Welsh legend.

8pm, £22.50. Bath Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

Family fun 9 A PRI L

EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA An afternoon of creative activities inspired by the tulips, butterflies, peasants, proverbs, and beetles from the exhibition Bruegel: Defining a Dynasty. 12pm-4pm, free. The Holburne Museum; www.holburne.org 1 4 – 1 7 A PRI L

EASTER YARN BOMB TRAIL Follow the magical knitted trail celebrating the glamour of Hollywood, and in doing so, win fun prizes. 10.30am-5pm, price included with gardens admission. American Museum; www.americanmuseum.org

52 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

15 AP R IL

MRS H AND THE SING-ALONG BAND Made up of members from existing bands including Red Snapper and Beth Orton, Harriet and her musical team bring together elements of Afro, Latin, dub, comedy and theatre for a happy, toe-tappy sing-along show for every single family member. £8.50/£7.50. the egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk 18 – 23 AP R IL

ELOISE AND THE CURSE OF THE GOLDEN WHISK In 1944, in the depths of the bombed ruins of a Bath restaurant, Eloise finds a beautiful, golden whisk that turns out to be cursed and is also wanted by a group of gangsters.

What follows is a musical, swashbuckling adventure. £12/£10. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Other 1 AP R IL

BOOK FAIR Organised by the Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association, this is a veritable literary treat for all book lovers. 10am-4pm, free.

Assembly Rooms; www.pbfa.org 3 AP R IL

A 21ST CENTURY RENAISSANCE A talk by Bath Evening Decorative and Fine Arts Society revealing the treasures of the Devonshire collection in the modern age. 7.15pm; £8. BRLSI Queen Square; www.bedfas.co.uk

4 AP R IL

ERIK SPIEKERMANN Talking at this Creative Bath Inspires event is Erik Spiekermann, a world-leading authority on typography and design, who has shaped the world of typography. 6pm-8pm, £12. Komedia; www.creativebath. org 12 AP R IL

THE SIXTIES – A DECADE IN FASHION A lecture delivered by two of Britain’s most influential fashion designers, Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin, described as the ‘Queens of Carnaby Street’ by Zandra Rhodes. 7.30pm, £4.

BRLSI Queen Square; www. brlsi.org 14 AP R IL

GOOD FRIDAY RACING Along with great racing there’s plenty of free children’s entertainment including circus skills, Easter crafting and face painting, as well as live music and great food, plus it boasts the course’s richest-ever race day with total prize money of £175,000. 12pm-7pm, prices start from £15. Bath Racecourse; www.bath-racecourse.co.uk 22 AP R IL

MEMORY WALK AND TULIP TEA Dorothy House Hospice Care invites people to visit their hospice in Winsley to both remember loved ones and also to take part in a 5k walk around the grounds and enjoy Tulip Tea with drinks, cakes and snacks afterwards. For more info, visit www.dorothyhouse.org.uk

ORIGINAL art direct from ORIGINAL artists at

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

www.bathartfair.co.uk

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

This is a TWO for ONE ticket £5 for two adults with this advert (normally £5 each) FREE for children and students FREE parking / pop up café / FREE children's entertainment

17 days of full on fun!

1st - 17th APRIL 2017 Tickets on sale now!

ABI ROBERTS

BILAL ZAFAR

ANDREW MAXWELL STEPHANIE LAING

ALAN FRANCIS

ED NIGHT PADDY LENNOX

HARRIET KEMSLEY

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www.bathcomedy.com In association with

Sponsored by

a d v e r tisi n g feat u r e a r t

THE CATTLE FIELDS With new work on show in an exhibition on Milsom Street, Bath-based artist JOANNE COPE explains how studying graphic design helped her to develop her painting style

A

lot of painting is about looking.

For Bath-based artist Joanne Cope, this means standing in a field with its inhabitants and searching out faces, shapes, textures and colours that compel her to want to create.

Her chosen subjects are placid, peaceful, yet powerful animals – cows and bulls – within their natural habitats. “I know fairly instantly if one of these impressive animals will make a good painting. I can feel it within me, I am obliged to paint them." Many photos and a few sketches later, she is armed with the starting points of at

least a couple of future canvases.

In an outstanding exhibition on Milsom Street in April, visitors can explore her latest artworks. A regular self-curating exhibitor, Cope’s work has gained her quite a reputation for producing eye-catching, stunning portraits of the humble cow. This show is no exception, with some wonderful work on offer: a dark, still, evocative portrait of a horned bull emerging from blackness, sits alongside a Charolais cow glowing with warmth from a sunset. There is much to observe; the paintings invite you to get up close and see every brushstroke.

Stags and hares also make an appearance interspersed between the cattle and treated stylistically in the same graphic way.

Joanne paints full time, as she has for more than a decade, and can spend up to 12 hours a day in the studio, drawing, painting and making her art. “I have to be careful as I approach an exhibition – I become obsessive, wanting to spend every waking hour up to my elbows in paint. It’s a good thing I suppose - that level of passion - but I can become exhausted, so need to try and aim for balance”.

The studio takes on a life of its own in the lead up to a show. The air is heavy with the smell of oil paint and thinners, paintings line the walls and small sketches of future paintings, wait for their chance to get onto a canvas.

There are also frequent visits from people eager to get a preview of the work. “Sometimes I am lucky enough to have a waiting list of

“anyone that visits will leave the exhibition enriched by the experience” people wanting paintings. It’s a great place to be in as an artist, I don’t take it for granted”.

Cope is a self-taught painter, meaning that she herself developed the technical aspect of her work as well as her style. Her style was helped considerably though by studying visual communication and graphic design in college.

“I chose all of the arts-based subjects – illustration, photography and printmaking.

"All of them have helped me hone my particular technique: a mixture of realism and abstraction."

Her new work engages the viewer emotionally and visually, so that anyone that visits will leave the exhibition enriched by the experience.

Cattle Paintings by Joanne Cope 11 – 23 April 28 Milsom St, Bath BA1 1DG 01225 322 962 or 07958 703 438 www.joannecope.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 57

Everyone has regrets. I was very naïve when I started out. I’m still learning, but I wish I knew then what I know now

Musical

roots The 80s biggest-selling singles artist tells Lisa Evans how his new album led him to the brother he never knew he had, why he’s so proud of his Somerset heritage and why he can’t wait to perform in one of his favourite cities – Bath

58 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

ONE TO ONE

E

ven to this day, almost four decades after his first hit, Hot Dog, it’s clear that the musical bug is still within Shakin’ Stevens. Now in his late 60s, he hardly sees his current Echoes Of Our Times tour, which his biggest ever, as work, and says there are some destinations on the schedule which he’s particularly looking forward to visiting; one of those places is Bath.

“Bath is one of my favourite cities,” says the biggest-selling singles artist of the 80s who will be performing at The Forum Bath on 25 April. “It’s a historic place, packed with character. I’ve visited on many occasions through the years, sometimes just for the day, but also at times when I’ve needed a well-earned break. It’s the perfect place to spend Christmas, and has some great walks.

We have friends near Bath and it’s always good to turn off the M4 to visit them.”

When he arrives in the city, he’ll attempt to see as much of it as he can and already has his tourist hat on.

“You can’t visit the city without taking a trip to the Roman Baths or getting on a tour bus to see the sights and hear interesting information,” says the singer, who’s known as Shaky to his millions of fans. “The city has great restaurants, beautiful parks, scenery, architecture and shopping.

There’s always a busker not too far away – the full package! If I can, I will explore when I’m there.”

He has familial links to the West Country, where generations of his ancestors have lived for hundreds of years. But it wasn’t until recently he learnt of this fact, as he explains. “My maternal grandmother was born in Somerset, and when she moved to Wales, she lost her husband, brother and brother-in-law in a pit disaster. It wasn’t until recently that I was made aware of this story.

There were so many secrets in the family due to family feud, you see.” And, interestingly, it was this realisation, among other surprises, which inspired Shaky’s new, critically acclaimed, album, Echoes of Our Times.

Shaky’s new album has an artistically darker sound inspired by recent family revelations

QUICK-FIRE ROUND WITH SHAKY… Looking back at your career, is there anything you would have done differently?

Everyone has regrets. I was very naïve when I started out. I’m still learning, but I wish I knew then what I know now. I’m sure this applies to most people in all aspects of life.

Where would we find you when you’re not working?

I love listening to music, going to shows in the West End, and gigs of other artists. Golf is something that I really enjoy, although sadly I don’t get time to play as much as I would like. It probably won’t come as a surprise that I love history, and that must have contributed to the spark that started off my family history research. I also love walking, and always make time to watch rugby when I can, especially the Six Nations.

If you weren’t able to sing, what job do you think you’d be doing?

I’ve been performing since my school days, so it’s difficult to imagine not singing as it’s in my blood. I guess if I couldn’t sing, I would have been drawn more to full-time song-writing and producing. With Echoes of Our Times I got even more pleasure out of the fact that not only are these songs very personal to me, but also that others can relate to them.

It really was a labour of love.

ARTS

It’s been described as a massive departure from earlier works, and he says this new, deeper direction was inspired by finding out the truth about his family.

“Some years ago, I was forced to slow down for a while, and at that point in my life I started asking questions about my family, and quickly realised that I knew very little,” says Shaky who, during this time, discovered he had a half-brother, along with 13 uncles and aunts he didn’t know existed. “So we started to research my roots – and I’m really so glad I did this as I feel I now know more about myself. I didn’t know that until the 1870s my paternal ancestors had all been copper and tin miners.

“I learned more about their lives – including the life of my grandfather, who worked the mines from the age of 10 – and what they had to put up with,” he adds. “These stories formed the lyrics of the album.”

He says he couldn’t help but be inspired as these stories unfolded, and the music just seemed to flow. For instance, Down in the Hole intentionally sounds dark, the rhythm structure based on the sound of hammer-on-metal sounds from the mines, and, artistically, he says the whole album has been his most satisfying to date.

“It’s a very personal album and I’m extremely proud of it,” he says. “It’s certainly a lot different to what people would normally expect from me – many who’ve listened to it don’t recognise it’s me.”

He moved on from the sound that many remember from his Merry Christmas Everyone days years ago, now using a mandolin, banjo, dobro and harmonica when playing live, and veering into rootsy blues and Americana. And with the songs on this album, he’s taken it a step further.

“My musical style in the 80s was different from everyone else out there at the time, which led to developing a strong image – one I’ve spent the last 20 years trying to change, to allow me to move on,” he says. “I was anxious, in some respects, about changing my ways but the musical styles of the album are all encapsulated in the roots of my music anyway.”

With 33 hit singles and four UK number ones to his name, the platinum-selling entertainer will be exciting his Bath fans as he performs new tracks from Echoes Of Our Times, along with classic hits and a few surprises which he’s remaining tightlipped about.

“The set I’m bringing to Bath will indeed be a mix of old and new, and I will also be introducing some songs that I have never performed before,” he says. “There will be some of the hits, but in some cases with a different twist. As the title of the tour suggests, I will also be performing all of the new songs from the album. As for the surprises at The Forum, I’m keeping quiet; I don’t want to spoil them for everyone.”

See Shakin’ Stevens on 25 April at The Forum Bath.

For more information visit www.bathforum.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 59

T h e C u r ta i n E x c h a n g e For the best dressed windows

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A Rich Man’s World What pricks your political conscience and causes belly laughter at the same time? A night with musical comic duo Jonny & the Baptists, of course...

By K at i e N Ic hol ls 62 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

COMEDY

ARTS

future: we travel all the way from 1979 to 2047.

It’s completely true though... We’re predicting the future, but we think it’s quite accurate.

The political landscape is shifting at such a rapid rate; are you having to constantly re-write your material to adapt?

We always try to keep topical but, unquestionably, this has been the toughest year yet for content rewrites. The last 12 months have very much taken away as much as they’ve given. We’re currently testing a new song about Donald Trump, which might still be relevant... Or we’ve got a great ditty about nuclear apocalypse in our back pockets, just in case.

Silly boys: Jonny and Paddy blend rock with comedy

JONNY

AND PADDY SPECIALISE IN HILARIOUS

WORDPLAY AND FINELYCRAFTED,

WITTY

SONGS – ALL WITH A DOSE OF PUERILE BEHAVIOUR

I

f you’re feeling concerned about the mercurial political landscape and you’re not averse to some blatant silliness and the odd joke about male body parts, then witty duo Jonny & the Baptists will probably already be on your comic radar. The pair, who some may recognise from Radio 4’s The Now Show, are currently touring their new show Eat The Poor in which they examine the growing gap between the super-rich and, well, the rest of us. They’ll be performing the show at The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham, on 12 May. Eat The Poor follows 2016’s Edinburgh-fringe favourite The End Is Nigh, which they performed at The Pound last May. Those who caught them on that outing will already be familiar with their riotous mix of rock, theatre and comedy and can expect more of the same. In Eat The Poor, Johnny becomes a wealthy songwriter for Andrew Lloyd Webber, betraying his friend in the process; meanwhile, Paddy finds himself destitute and homeless. Out of this fantastical scenario, the pair weave in songs, japes and a large portion of irreverent banter.

As with the musical comedians’ previous shows, Eat The Poor has plenty of punchy political satire, but while the subject matter wouldn’t normally bring a smile to your face, Jonny and Paddy specialise in hilarious wordplay and finely-crafted, witty songs – all with a celebratory dose of puerile behaviour, of course.

Can you give us a quick synopsis of Eat The Poor? What can audiences expect?

Expect a bit of everything: songs, comedy, politics, theatre, sketches, storytelling and even a bit of blue. The show is about inequality and the growing gap between rich and poor, but somehow being both joyful and fun. It’s partly set in the

How important is satire (and comedy in general) in these dark and brooding political times?

It’s vital. When the world looks like a bleak place, it’s easy to shut down and stop being engaged.

Comedy and music can be great ways to find new energy and a new perspective, and to bring people together in a theatre and hammer out the big issues.

Do you work to a fairly solid structure in your shows, or is there a dose of improvisation?

A bit of both really. You need a clear structure in order to improvise and have fun without losing sight of the ideas. The first half of our new show is much less structured and we’ll do a lot of talking to the audience and messing about. The second half tells a full story, so then we’re a bit more locked into a direction.

What are both your backgrounds in music, theatre and comedy?

Jonny & the Baptists started when Jonny (then an unsuccessful comedian) and Paddy (then an unsuccessful musician) met at a wedding and bonded by getting drunk and talking about how much they hated weddings. We got together a few weeks later and bonded some more about being angry with the state of the world in general. After that, it seemed only natural that we’d start writing funny songs together, and it turned out a lot of other people were angry about weddings and politics too. We’ve gone from strength to strength ever since.

‘Silliness’ is a word that comes up frequently in your reviews. Do you take this as a compliment and how important is it to be ‘silly’?

Of course it’s a compliment! Who doesn’t love silliness? For us it comes from wanting to talk about huge, serious themes – this show about inequality, the last one about climate change – while using silliness, songs and comedy to keep the shows accessible, fun and engaging.

See Jonny and Paddy at The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham, on 12 May; www.poundarts.org.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 63

H E A LT H & F I T N E S S A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

DEEP BREATHS YOGADOO’s Lucy Aston explains why the correct breathing technique is the most important lesson your child can learn

A

s we step into spring, many children and young people will face revision and exams. Lucy Aston, founder of YOGADOO and winner of the Best Health business Bath Life Awards 2017, teaches yoga and mindfulness to children and young people across Bath and has the following advice. “We breathe 20,000-30,000 times a day, and the quality of our breath affects how we feel,” explains Lucy. “Try to notice and improve the quality of your breath, sitting comfortably – preferably somewhere quiet, use these breathing exercises to help relax the body and mind.”

BELLY BREATHING

“Place one hand on your chest and the other on the belly, take a deep breath in through the nose, ensuring the diaphragm (not the chest) inflates enough to create a stretch in the lungs. Exhale through the mouth and feel your hand moving as you take nice deep breaths.”

PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION

“Start counting during your breaths, make your exhale progressively longer than your inhale. Start by breathing in for two seconds, hold for two and breathe out for four, then in for three, hold for three, out for six, and then breathe in for four, hold for four, and out for eight. Repeat.”

FINGER BREATHING

“Place your left hand in front of you (palm up), take the pointer finger of the right hand and trace the left hand from the bottom of the little finger to the top, down the other side. As you go up the finger, breathe in, as you go down each finger, breathe out. Do this for all fingers and thumb. Trace from the thumb and go back over the fingers to where you started. This is a really great exercise if someone is feeling particularly anxious. The connection of touching the hand, brings your attention inwards, and breaths get progressively longer which helps calm the mind.”

Founded in 2016, YOGADOO teaches yoga and mindfulness to children and young people through fun, non-spiritual, accessible and engaging sessions.

YOGADOO trains teachers how to use yoga and mindfulness in the classroom and runs classes for children from four years old through to working with teenagers approaching GCSE and A-levels. It also runs holiday clubs, family events and offers private tuition to children or families together.

Contact Lucy on lucy@yogadoo.co.uk or visit the website www.yogadoo.co.uk for more information.

Starting School?

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10a

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Monkton Farleigh Friday 28th April 2017

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We look forward to meeting you.

“Amazing success” in returning pupils to mainstream education (Good Schools Guide) • Co-educational day school for pupils aged 6-13 with dyslexia and other specific learning/language difficulties.

• Located in Wiltshire between Bath and Chippenham.

CReSTeD approved.

• Fully qualified specialist teachers with maximum class size of eight - reducing to one-to-one as required.

Headteacher: Mr Simon Futcher Bradford Road, Atworth, Wiltshire, SN12 8HY Tel: 01225 703026 Email: admin@churchfields.wilts.sch.uk www.churchfields.wilts.sch.uk

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BOOKS

ARTS

THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO RAISE YOUNG GIRLS IN TERMS OF THE READING MATERIALS YOU CAN SHARE WITH THEM TO BREED OPTIMISM

SET THE WORLD TO WRITES

Inspiring feminist reads for adults and youngsters alike

By N IC BO T T OM L E Y

I

become a little more feminist every day.

I think that’s inevitable as the father of two young girls, and given the world they’re growing up in.

Fortunately, whilst the world’s an unpredictable place for men and women alike at the moment, there has never been a better time to raise young girls in terms of the reading materials you can share with them to breed optimism, show the possibilities that lie ahead and to reveal the achievements of their predecessors.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo (Particular, £16.99) began life as a crowdfunding project.

The book that emerged is a lightning bolt of inspiration for adults and youngsters alike. Each of the 100 single-page life stories describes the life and achievements of an incredible woman in a simple storytelling form and is accompanied by a striking portrait by one of 100 different female illustrators.

The range of the book is astonishing, with every imaginable walk of life covered and with celebrated names such as Amelia Earhart or Serena Williams rubbing shoulders with

the less renowned. When it comes to the less familiar stories in particular, the persistence, flamboyance and bravery in adversity of the protagonists floors you repeatedly. Take fearless deaf motocross champion Ashley Fiolek or refugee Olympian swimmer Yusra Mardini – whose swimming skills were first tested when pulling a stricken dinghy full of fellow refugees for three hours to the shores of a Greek island. And then there’s Kenyan Wangari Maathai, who was so concerned about the impact of deforestation and the distance she was having to walk to get firewood that she began a tree-planting scheme that ended up with 40 million (yes, you read that right) new trees and, for her, a Nobel Peace Prize.

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky (Wren & Rook, £12.99) is similar in format to Rebel Girls but with a focus on groundbreaking female scientists and a chronological arrangement. Again, the target market is girls aged eight to teens, but you’d be hard pressed to find any adult that wouldn’t learn an awful lot from this as well.

Any preconception that female

involvement in scientific innovation is limited to the last two centuries goes out of the window on page one as we’re introduced to Hypatia, the fourth century mathematician from Alexandria. Hypatia’s philosopher father taught his daughter maths and astronomy and she became regarded as a renowned and visionary scholar – which unfortunately proved to be a death warrant as Christians targeted her for her pagan messaging.

Hypatia’s story – like that of the other 49 scientific pioneers included in the book – is presented on a single page alongside a drawn portrait dotted with captions of her major achievements. Ignotofsky’s drawings are superb, each page in a two-tone palette with dozens of small motifs representing the subject’s achievements as well as the portrait of the woman in question. In fact the publisher is so pleased with the design of the book that they’re simultaneously publishing a collection of postcards (Wren & Rook, £15) representing each of the scientists from the book. A brilliantly empowering set of images with which to cover any bedroom wall.

Broadening out from the theme of inspirational women for a moment I want to end by mentioning a book called Here I Stand: Stories that Speak for Freedom (Walker, £7.99) published last year but coming into paperback format next month. An illustrious list of adult and teen writers have penned poems and stories on the themes of freedom (both collective and individual) with the royalties from the book sales going to Amnesty International. Chris Riddell’s distinctive style graces the striking cover and he has also teamed up with his frequent collaborator Neil Gaiman on a piece called I Believe. Other highlights include contributions from Jackie Kay, Francis Hardinge and A.L. Kennedy and the brilliantly titled The Invention of Peanut Butter by Matt Haig.

There you have it. Books to motivate and educate us all, regardless of gender, proving that the lines between books for younger readers and those for adults are well and truly (and happily) blurred in the 21st Century.

Nic Bottomley is the general manager of Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights, 14/15 John Street, Bath; 01225 331155; www.mrbsemporium.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 67

Philosophy for living Free course starts May 2017 The aim of philosophy is to set people free; free from pressure and free from worry; free to grow, free to be themselves. So it seems fitting that a philosophy course should be free. This ten session short course, called Philosophy for Living, looks at life and its meaning, the world and its causes and applying mindfulness to every moment. Based on the classic philosophies of East and West, it invites us to see life as a place to test the words of the wise.

Feel free to join us.

BATH When? Tuesdays at 7.15pm starting 9th May 2017 Where? 30 Milsom St, Bath, BA1 1DG BRISTOL When? Thursdays at 7.15pm starting 11th May 2017 Where? Charnwood House, 30 Cotham Park, Bristol, BS6 6BU

If you would like to know more or to register please contact: Email: bathandbristolphilosophy@gmail.com Or call: 07873 230651 Bath and Bristol School of Philosophy: branch of The Fellowship of the School of Economic Science.

Registered Educational Charity 313115 Charity number 313115

www.bathandbristolphilosophy.org

Clockwise, from left: Their Finest is a rom-com-dram featuring Gemma Arterton and Bill Nighy; Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon heads up A Quiet Passion; a Nobel prize-winning poet and Communist Party activist is on the run in Neruda; The Handmaiden is a con flick that takes place in 1930s Korea

FILM

ARTS

DESPITE SOUNDING LIKE A WAITROSE ADVERT, IT’S A RELENTLESSLY DELICIOUS ROM-COMDRAM WHICH IS GOING TO TAKE THE LITTLE BY STORM

SPRING FLICKS From an explosive gangster movie to a twisty-turny con film, here’s the assortment of colourful pictures coming to the Little this season…

By J E N N I F E R J E N N I NGS W R IGH T

S

pring has sprung and we’re slowly coming out of hibernation and heading into the garden once again watching the ‘shoots’ come up. This leads me very nicely onto my first film (I knew there had to be a link somewhere). If you’re in the mood for a good ‘shootout’ flick, Free Fire is 90 minutes of exhilarating pow pow action. Set in 1970s Boston, it brings together a wonderful set of delightfully dodgy gang members doing shady deals in a derelict warehouse. Intense events, lightened marginally by witty retorts (think Reservoir Dogs) ensures a pretty explosive show.

Thankfully, the characters don’t get their shots in first time otherwise it would make for a very short film. A little snippet that may not interest you, but is certainly a pathway into conversation with your tween/teen child (you have to grab these little opportunities when you can) is that while planning out the dimensions of the set, director Ben Wheatley built a scale replica of the film’s warehouse on Minecraft. You’re welcome.

A Quiet Passion is the story of American poet Emily Dickinson from the acclaimed writer/director Terence Davies (The House of Mirth). Although a much-loved family member, Dickinson’s life is beset by

emotional turmoil and inner conflict. We see the transformation from a somewhat pesky schoolgirl to one deeply introverted individual. Dickinson died in complete obscurity and it’s just good luck that her poems still exist. It’s a beautiful plush film and Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon in her role as Emily proves she’s equally fabulous in a No Sex and the Burbs kinda role.

Back with the action, Nobel prize-winning poet and Communist Party activist Pablo Neruda is on the run. He taunts detective Oscar Peluchonneau with his pro-Communist literature and clues as to his whereabouts, in this gripping game of cat and mouse. Neruda offers a dark critique of post-war Chilean politics, as well as excellent cinematography.

For something a little cosier and slower paced try a film starring Jim Broadbent. In The Sense of an Ending, Tony (Broadbent), keeps himself to himself, living a purposefully dull life, until the postman delivers longburied secrets from his past. He’s been left an artefact in his ex-girlfriend’s mother’s will which propels him out of his comfort zone and forces him to face the flawed recollections of his younger self. I say cosy, but I guess that depends on what secrets you may have hidden in your past, or at the very least the way in which they’ve become

distorted over time.

Now for a trip out East, past Larkhall, yes, past Swindon even, all the way to Korea, wherein The Handmaiden takes place. 1930s Korea in fact, under Japanese wartime occupation, a grim time for most concerned.

We focus on the story of Tamako, a penniless village girl, who gets the job of handmaiden for Lady Hideko, a cash-stuffed Japanese heiress. However, the moment Tamako arrives, we learn all is not as it seems, as she is in truth actually none other than Sook-hee, a pickpocket working with a con artist to swindle her rich employer out of her yen. It’s a twisty turny con flick, actually adapted from the book and TV series Fingersmith that you might remember from a few years back. The plot thickens when Sook-hee finds herself falling for Lady H, and things get messy…. well I won’t go on. So see it if you’re a fan of sumptuous design, great acting and a cracking plot. I imagine that’s most of us, so I’ll see you there.

Saving the best ‘til last (although they’re all winners), Their Finest is going to be huge.

During the London Blitz, Catrin Cole, played by the oh-so lovely Gemma Arterton, takes a job as a script writer for ‘morale-boosting’ propaganda needing a woman’s touch. So good are Catrin’s efforts, she finds herself on location with a somewhat colourful crew including Buckley, the sexist screen writer, and pompous Ambrose Hilliard, a has-been actor portrayed by the brilliant Bill Nighy –the king of the withering look.

Despite sounding like a Waitrose advert, it’s a relentlessly delicious rom-com-dram which is going to take the Little by storm.

Wishing you all a very happy and peaceful Easter-time, and remember, a Little membership makes an egg-cellent gift.

The Little Theatre, 1-2 St Michael’s Place 01225 466822; www.picturehouses.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 69

T R A N S P O R T A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

SPRING INTO ACTION, GET ON YOUR BIKE The sun is hanging around for longer, so make the most of the spring days with different cycling options from JOHN’S BIKES COMMUTING

In winter, cycling to work isn’t that attractive.

What’s the excuse now? It’s ‘a gym on wheels’, but without dedicated time or cost. But if arriving hot and sweaty is a worry, an electric e-bike delivers lots of the benefits without trying too hard. John’s Bikes on Walcot Street has an extensive range of bikes suitable for commuting,

plus access to an innovative new cycle-to-work scheme that allows you to go well beyond the typical £1,000 cap. John’s also gives store credit of 5 per cent of purchase value.

LEISURE, ROAD, MOUNTAIN OR EBIKES

Make the most of your bike this spring. Whether it’s a family leisure ride on the flat Bath to Bristol railway path, out with friends for a road rampage or a hairy mountain bike descent – John’s Bikes has Bath’s largest range of bikes, parts, clothing and accessories.

“Also, we’re seeing an interesting use of e-bikes: people using them to keep up with friends or family, so enjoying the company and the outdoors.” says managing director Lyle Finlay, “Or with mountain e-bikes the customer gets more uphill miles and downhill smiles in during the day.”

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

Our staff take pride in giving great advice, taking time to understand your needs. There are shop floor bikes you can test ride or book for a longer 48-hour demo.

If you’re fast, join John’s Bikes Big Day Out on 9 April. We’ve got Trek, Whyte, Orbea, Intense, Focus and Orange to contribute extra demo bikes for a day on the Mendips: pedal and e-bikes to try. See our website for further details.

John’s Bikes 82-84 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BD 01225 581666 www.johnsbikes.co.uk

Lifestyle BATHROOMS

Specialists in bathroom safety With time you may find your bathroom becomes more difficult to use safely, however there are a range of options and products available to make life easier, for example; • Change your bath for a large shower or walk in bath • Create a wet room with a completely flat surface • Redesign your layout to make best use of space • Increase storage with built in units • Install underfloor heating to keep the floor dry • Add grab rails and fold away shower seats

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72 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

R E S TA U R A N T

FOOD

The Olive Tree

With a smattering of popcorn here and a scoop of thyme ice cream there, Chris Cleghorn combines well-honed tradition with innovative yet accessible pizzazz…

By L I SA E VA NS

W

ith flavour pairings such as quails’ eggs and popcorn, venison and hazelnuts, and mackerel and grapefruit on the estimable menu, I know it’s going to be an intriguing night at The Olive Tree. Of course, wondrous creations are a given at this subtly stylish, subterranean eatery, nestled in the basement of The Queensberry Hotel, due to its notso-secret weapon, head chef Chris Cleghorn. Despite his modesty to admit it, he’s a greatly respected chef who began his career at the Michelin-starred The Crown at Whitebrook and has developed his adventurous culinary skills in some of the country’s leading kitchens alongside world-renowned chefs including Michael Caines and Heston Blumenthal.

He’s been pushing boundaries ever since – his 3 AA Rosette cooking proves that – yet, there’s no pretentiousness attached to his high-standard cooking; in fact, Chris and the business’s proprietor, Laurence Beere, both loathe the term ‘fine dining’ and instead prefer quirkier terms such as ‘uplifting’ and ‘lighthearted’.

The venue has a personality you want to make friends with, and it’s a vibe that’s reflected in their eccentric house rules which include “It’s Bath, OK? With the A pronounced like the A in arm, not the A in bat,” and a warning that “Anyone attempting to secure bar staff’s attention by clicking their fingers will be scowled at, perhaps even ignored,” among others.

Being in typical voracious frame of mind, we are eager to sample Chris’s eight-course taste-athon, of which there’s a vegetarian version, too. We nibble on still-warm treacle and rye buns with aerated clotted cream butter before our appetiser arrives – melted goats’ cheese-filled profiteroles crowned with glossy, chocolate-mimicking black truffle, and coal-black squid ink crackers with light-as-air salmon mousse and trout eggs.

Then it’s on to our first course – and one of my highlights of the evening – the subtly flavoured Jerusalem artichoke soup. The focal point of the dish is its refreshing scoop of

THE REFRESHING SCOOP OF THYME ICE CREAM SLOWLY MELTS IN WHITE RIVULETS INTO THE HOT, SEAFOAM-GREEN LIQUID THAT SURROUNDS IT

thyme ice cream which slowly melts in white rivulets into the hot, seafoam-green liquid that surrounds it. The feel of it in the mouth reminds me of a ‘contrast hydrotherapy’ spa treatment I had last year which began with taking a shower in steaming and ice-cold water simultaneously, making for a rather interesting sensation. While my dish wins on taste and feel, my comrade’s blushing cured mackerel with avocado, cucumber and pink grapefruit is the more exquisite spectacle.

The pink-in-the-middle appeal continues to the next course of pigeon, served with Iberico ham, charred sweetcorn and a scattering of popcorn – the vegetarian version of which has the same trimmings but with miniature sunny-side-up quails’ eggs and mushrooms marinated in thyme and lemon.

Piccassoesque jauntily mismatched (in size, cut and placement) geometric blocks of earthy celeriac are up next; these are decorated with plump blackberries, incinerated grelot onion, and hazelnut rubble, while a smooth celeriac purée brings lubrication. I can’t pretend, celeriac has generally been something I’ve always tolerated rather than loved, like Ed Sheeran or Bath’s gulls, but the nutty flavours Chris brings out of this unsung hero of the vegetable world leaves me practically licking the plate clean. My dining partner feels the same about his meaty version of this dish – which has the same components, though less generous portions – along with a tender, supersoft loin of venison.

Before we move on to the first of our two desserts, we indulge in tagliatelle with mushrooms, cheddar, leek and black truffle, as well as a texturally playful dish of pearly monkfish with Alsace bacon and enoki mushrooms.

The first pudding, a deconstructed lemon meringue, ticks every box. The curd lulls us into a false sense of security with its comforting creaminess before electrocuting the taste buds with a sharp hit of citrus, while the shards of tanned meringue offer a delightful surprise in the form of an intoxicating liquorice tang.

My last course is reminiscent of my first, not in flavour, of course, but in temperature. Just as the warm soup was topped with an ice-cold garnish, this frosty peanut butter parfait slowly melts into its lava-like salted caramel bed. It is both light and rich and I quietly declare myself in love while also scolding myself for not leaving room for petit fours.

With the new summer menu due out around the same time as this issue of Bath Life, there’s a lot more to look forward to at what is one of Bath’s oldest independent restaurants.

So if you fancy a relaxed atmosphere, romantic lighting, impeccable service and some serious, yet never over the top, culinary mischievousness in a place which moves with the times and shuns the over-familiar and the every-day, you know what to do.

DINING DETAILS Russel Street, Bath, BA1 2QF; 01225 447928; www.olivetreebath.co.uk Prices The tasting menus range from £58 – £80 per person Vegetarian choice A dedicated menu Wine list This is crucial to The Olive Tree experience, and the menu is stocked with interesting, unusual, high-quality artisan wines and spirits Service/ atmosphere Friendly and very professional/ quirky and elegantly charming

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 73

f o o d & d r i n k a d v ertising feat u re

Meet the CHEF From that all important pork crackling to inspiration from Jamie Oliver, Bath’s chefs share their kitchen secrets, culinary loves and early foodie influences

Chris Tabbitt

Chez Dominique 01225 463482 www.chezdominique.co.uk

Who are your foodie heroes?

Being in London in the 90s I’d say Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsey, they were the best chefs around.

With Bibendum being such an intregal part of my training, founding chef Simon Hopkinson couldn’t go without a mention, his books are always a source of inspiration. I also admire Raymond Blanc for his garden-to-table philosophy and Heston Blumenthal for his pursuit of perfection.

What is your favourite dish on the menu at the moment?

Sunday’s roast pork – it is an amazing plate of food with roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, heritage carrots, sage and onion stuffing, apple sauce and the allimportant spot on crackling, all prepared that morning with fresh ingredients.

What got you interested in cooking?

My first job was as a kitchen porter at the Three Horseshoes in Madingley, Cambridge. Richard Stokes, the chef patron, created incredibly inventive dishes and the flavours were extraordinary.

74 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Simon Mealing

Garrick’s Head 01225 318368 www.garricksheadpub.com What inspired your interest in cooking?

My mum’s cooking has always inspired me, making scones as a kid with her, and mince pies at Christmas, are some of my earliest food memories.

What is your favourite dish on the menu to cook?

The venison dish, it’s got a few different elements to it as well as an old English classic pan haggarty. The shoulder is braised and served with some rare loin, it’s a great contrast of textures.

How would you describe your style of cooking?

I’m influenced by Italian cooking; the seasonality of it, the flavours, and the simplicity. I try to incorporate this into my food, adding technical elements and using local British ingredients.

How have you gone about putting said menu together?

For this menu I have had a lot of input from the team. I want them to feel that they have some ownership of the menu.

It’s been a real team effort and I’m delighted with the results.

Who is your foodie hero?

Massimo Bouttura. He’s amazing and is all about the passion and the flavour.

TOM HARRISON

Cafe Lucca 01225 938282 www.cafelucca.co.uk Which dish from your menu do you most enjoy making?

My current favourite dish on the menu is sweet cured maple bacon and avocado on parmesan toast with a pomegranate and vanilla dressing. So popular and so very good.

What inspired your interest in cooking?

I became interested in the kitchen quite young. I found the heat, pressure and pace really exciting. There’s no better feeling than getting through a really busy service.

Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?

I couldn’t live without squeezie bottles, I don’t know how chefs coped before them. Also the modern quick peeler.

Who are your foodie heroes?

There a few inspirations and influences – Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White, the American chef, author, and television presenter Anthony Bourdain and Nick Harrison, the chef and food journalist.

Dan Vosper

King William 01225 428096 www.kingwilliampub.com What inspired your interest in cooking?

If I’m being really honest (and I know a few chefs will probably rip me for this) it was Jamie Oliver that made me want to be a chef. I love his passion and how he packs as much flavour into everything as he can.

What is your favourite dish on the menu to cook?

Fresh pasta is my favourite thing to cook without a doubt, it’s so satisfying seeing it through each stage and the end product is amazing.

How would you describe your style of cooking?

I’d say my style is quite clean, I like just a few elements on the plate. It’s as much about flavour as it is presentation, so I always try to avoid unnecessary elaborate garnish.

What do you love about Bath’s foodie scene?

The great thing about the local culinary scene is that there is so much love for food. It’s rare to find an entire town or city where food is as big a part of the culture as it is here.

Who is your foodie hero?

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is an absolute hero, he sees food through from the absolute start to finish, and it’s always good.

Sean Horwood

The Restaurant at The Centurion 01761 417711 www.centurionhotel.co.uk What is your favourite dish on the menu to cook?

My favourite dish on the menu at the moment is my Wye Valley asparagus, duck egg, hollandaise, parmesan tuile. So simple but English asparagus is just the best finished off with the hollandaise and duck egg.

How would you describe your style of cooking?

I like to think of it as creative and using techniques from lots of different countries and varying styles of cooking.

This way I can get the most flavour out of every dish.

What do you love about Bath’s foodie scene?

I love the choice. There are so many good places to eat, from formal to just a casual place you can chill out with a really good beer and a snack. What I find tricky is making the decision about where to go.

Name two foodie heroes..

The American chef, restaurateur, and cookbook writer Thomas Keller, and Daniel Clifford, who is best known for his work at the two Michelin star restaurant Midsummer House. He was also named one of the winners of the 2012 and 2013 series of the BBC television show the Great British Menu.

Soyful Alom The Mint Room 01225 446656 www.themintroom.co.uk

What got you interested in cooking?

Like many chefs, much of my interest in cooking started with my mum. She’s a very good, authentic family cook, and I learnt from her. We moved to the UK from Bangladesh in the early nineties, I often had to do the cooking at home, and my love for this evolved from there.

I also used to work in a kitchen in London, watched the chefs and got inspired that way.

What is your favourite dish on the menu to cook?

It definitely has to be one of our signature dishes, Masala lamb shanks, because I love the mix and variety of spices that I can use in the braising of the lamb, which are all absorbed and add an incredible depth of flavour to the dish. It’s one of our customers’ favourites.

How would you describe your style of cooking?

My style of cooking focusses on healthy, modern Indian cuisine-clean flavours, just the right spicing, and a true reflection of the different styles and regions of the Indian continent, but presented in a very contemporary way.

How have you gone about putting said menu together?

Last year, I worked with Michelin-starred chef Hrishikesh Desai for a short while, and learnt a great deal from him.

He and I worked on some adventurous new dishes together and he has helped me take my cooking style and menu to another level.

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WINE

FOOD & DRINK

ANGELA MOUNT Wine exper t

WINE AND CHOCOLATE –

HEAVEN OR HELL? Call them luxuries or call them simple necessities that get us through our daily lives, wine and chocolate are up there on the must-have list. But can they combine and make the sum of the parts even more magical?

‘‘I

t’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it” is the phrase that sprung to mind when I set off on a quest to find out whether wine and chocolate could live together. Easter is looming and that means chocolate, and lots of it, so it seemed the right time to put this to the test.

Can the two co-exist? I’m delighted to say that the answer is yes, but choose with care.

Just like wine, there is great chocolate, but there is pretty horrible, gloopy muck, full of greasy cocoa butter and not much else, too – if that’s what rocks your boat, I’d stick with a cup of tea to accompany it.

There is a world of exciting, artisancrafted chocolate out there – from all over the world. I recently co-hosted a wine and chocolate-pairing evening, with Spencer Hyman, who is as passionate about chocolate as I am about wine, and has set up an online subscription business for true choc lovers called Cocoa Runners. He and his team whizz around the world sniffing out the best bean producers and also the best chocolate-makers; his range is vast, encompassing chocolate bars from Brooklyn to Budapest, Cleethorpes to Saigon.

For wine, it’s all about the grape, the soil, and how you make it; with chocolate it’s pretty much the same, which is why local wine merchant Great Western Wine have teamed up with Cocoa Runners to stock a wide range of chocolates, matched with specific wines. The chocolate range is broad, ranging from the darkest, most intense and highest cocoa-content bars, to fudgy, creamy and unctuous milk varieties.

So what works? The old adage is that you need to drink something sweeter than the chocolate itself – easily done, but a bit predictable. After an exhaustive and extensive afternoon of wine and chocolate-

matching (I did say it was a tough job), here are my recommendations for you to enjoy the ultimate in indulgences – and yes, red wine can work with chocolate, and does so rather nicely, if you pick the right one. So throw your preconceptions aside and try a few of these with your Easter chocolate fest.

Dark Chocolate This has over 70 per cent cocoa solids, with depth and intensity; it’s sweet yet has a balancing bitter note – think oozingly rich chocolate fondant. Rich, spicy red wines can work well here, as the balance between the sweetness and the bitter edge in dark chocolate marries well with an intense, voluptuous drink. Chilean Carmenere can be great; Vina Falernia Carmenere Syrah, 2014 (GWW, £11.50) was spot on. In this wine, one third of the grapes are left to dry out to a raisin-like state, which means the wine is richer, and takes on an ‘amarone’ type of intensity, with truffly, mocha notes, powerful enough to balance the brooding intensity of dark chocolate.

Milk Chocolate The world’s favourite style; here, the milk content adds to the sweetness and luxuriously creamy texture. Australian-style Muscats generally work well, but can overpower with their exuberant personalities, but my two favourites in this category are lesser wellknown sweeties. First up, a glorious sweet red, somewhere between a dessert wine and port. Bertani Recioto 2012, 50cl (GWW £23) from Italy is my go-to choice. Its mix of cinnamon, spice and candied peel, is silky, sumptuous and utterly indulgent. My other top choice was PX Belle Luna (GWW, £8.95) – almost syrupy in texture, sensuous and swooningly enchanting, with its decadent raisin, dried fig and toffee character.

White Chocolate People either love or hate white chocolate.

It’s a mix of mainly cocoa butter, milk and sugar, often flavoured with vanilla. This is where traditional dessert wines work well, with their gentle, honey and caramel edges.

Patricius Late Harvest Tokaji 2015 (GWW, £13.95), from the majestic Tokay region of Hungary is the style to fit the bill here, with its notes of acacia honey, honeysuckle and dried, candied oranges.

To sum up, wine + chocolate = happiness.

Angela Mount is a Bath-based wine writer, presenter and international judge who had her taste buds insured for £10million during her tenure as one of the country’s leading supermarket wine buyers. She works with wine producers, chefs and distributors, including local wine merchant Great Western Wine.

Wells Road, Bath; www.greatwesternwine.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 79

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FOOD & DRINK W H AT ’ S M A K I N G T H E G O U R M E T N E W S I N B AT H

Rupert Taylor brings his talents to the Abbey Hotel

Councillor Martin Veal at the British Food Fortnight Awards ceremony, hosted by Andrea Leadsom, secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs

FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD

developed many acclaimed signature dishes, such as venison rolled in hay ash with red cabbage puree and broccoli, and turbot with brown bread sauce and smoked mussels. Of his new role, he says, “I’m looking forward to bringing my Michelin background to the kitchen, but I’m looking to change things – stripping back complicated dishes to create simple food with brilliant flavour.

It’s about using the best ingredients and treating them with absolute care.”

Bath & North East Somerset Council recently won the National British Food Fortnight competition after a panel of judges, including Chef Raymond Blanc OBE and Andrea Leadsom MP, named it the unanimous winner for the most imaginative and inclusive celebrations of British Food.

The council organised a programme of events, activities and competitions, between 17 September – 2 October 2016, which saw over 30 businesses and organisations participating in food festivals, cooking and growing courses and special local food promotions and menus. A new online local food directory was also launched, and primary schools provided pupils with a special healthy British breakfast.

Councillor Martin Veal says, “The event was a huge success bringing together local businesses, community groups and schools to celebrate local food and drink and healthy eating and to support local businesses in imaginative ways.

By creating a district-wide programme we were able to extend the celebrations leading to a truly remarkable fortnight of fun and food.”

For more: www.abbeyhotelbath.co.uk

For more: www.bathnes.gov.uk

THE ABBEY HABIT One of Bath’s finest chefs, Rupert Taylor, is heading up the kitchen at the Allium Restaurant and Abbey Hotel. His illustrious culinary CV includes starting out under Gary Jones at Homewood Park, followed by two years at The Royal Crescent Hotel, head chef at The Swan at Swineford, which he ran in partnership with his wife, Amy and consultant for Whatley Manor and city centre restaurant The Chequers.

Over the course of his career, Rupert, who was born and bred in Bath, has

GAME ON

Celia has made gaming a piece of cake

Bath Cake Company, which recently won the Creative Bath Life Award, and two awards at the Cake International competition held last month at the Birmingham NEC, has further upped its game.

They have created bakes based on the worldwide hit mobile puzzle game, Candy Crush, for a new book Candy Crush, Cakes & Bakes, published by Little, Brown.

Celia Adams, who founded her bespoke cake firm in 2010, explains, “We were so honoured to be asked to create the cakes as there are amazing bake decorators based all over the world, but the publisher loved our work. The designs were such fun to do and include a Yeti Cake Surprise, an Odus the Owl Cake, a Booster Wheel Cake and a Bubblegum Troll Cake.”

For more: www.bathcakecompany.co.uk

82 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Award Winning, Family Run Farm Shop Selling Quality Local Produce Established for over 30 years Open Daily 9am-6pm (10am-5pm on Sundays) HOME & LOCALLY REARED FRESH MEAT, POULTRY & GAME. HOMEMADE SAUSAGES, BURGERS & FAGGOTS

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Fashion/gifts/stores/more

GET THE RUNWAY LOOK Enthusiastic Cutler and Gross fan and designer Anya Hindmarch has featured Cutler and Gross frames in her legendary fashion shows for multiple seasons, most recently in her autumn/winter 2017 show where she reinvented their strong, oversized ‘1058’ frame with icy-coloured oversized floral sidepieces.

“Cutler and Gross frames have punctuated my life,” says Anya. “I have so many pairs of them; they each tell a story of a particular time. They capture a moment, the feeling, the spirit almost as

well as perfume. More than that, they epitomise a confidence, a very British confidence. In a world of brands that lose their way, they have always done ‘their thing’, and quality and individual style – real style – have always been at the core of what they do.”

Available in three colours – ‘honey tort’, ‘black’ and ‘humble potato’ – the ski goggle-style frames, which are handmade in Italian acetate with a heavy brow bar and thick temple, blended perfectly with Anya’s AW17 soft, winter wanderlust collection. Turn the page for more Cutler and Gross looks to love...

1058 frames, £310. Cutler and Gross, 9 Bridge Street, Bath; www.cutlerandgross.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 89

C U T L E R A N D G R O S S F E AT U R E

WAYS OF SEEING Bold, provocative, artisanal and iconic – CUTLER AND GROSS have succeeded in changing people's perceptions of glasses and sunglasses forever, and created a visionary and classic brand

I

t’s getting closer. Spring is here, summer is just around the corner and with that comes sunshine. Bright summer days and long summer evenings filled with light until late. Time for a new pair of shades?

True masters of the best-dressed eyes are iconic British brand Cutler and Gross. From inception in 1969 they have been at the forefront of stylish, bold, wearable eyewear combined with exceptional craftsmanship.

Tony Gross and Graham Cutler joined forces after studying together and opened their first store in Knightsbridge, London, in 1971.

They realised that what they needed to do was produce a product not only classic in

“MOST GLASSES BY THEIR VERY NATURE ADVERTISE SHORT SIGHTEDNESS. CUTLER AND GROSS CELEBRATE VISION” – AA GILL

its design, something stylish but not too susceptible to the changing temperate gusts of fashion, but one that would have to be an object of desire. One that was most importantly superbly and unquestionably handcrafted from the finest materials. This was to be their sell. And boy did they sell.

Considered true bastions of iconic eyewear, the brand’s frames have graced some of the most recognisable faces of the last four decades. Think of the legendary David Hockney, Sir Elton John and Madonna or influential artists and style leaders such as Rihanna, Kate Moss and Manolo Blahnik.

There is clearly no shortage of high profile Cutler and Gross devotees. The late AA Gill once wrote, “Most glasses by their very nature advertise short sightedness. Cutler and Gross celebrate vision.” Indeed, with the Cutler and Gross store right in the heart of Bath, there’s no excuse not to check out what all the fuss is about.

The new Spring/Summer 2017 collection is bold and brilliant and arrives in the Bath store this month. To showcase the designs through the power of photography, Cutler and Gross called upon longstanding friend and globally-renowned photographer Platon to shoot the campaign. Adding to his awardwinning portfolio of work for the New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Vogue and GQ, as well as portraits of some of the world’s most powerful leaders, the new images for Cutler and Gross are bold and provocative, inspired the tension between the fast pace of technology and the natural world. They certainly got us thinking.

The eye-catching spectacles and sunglasses themselves are drawn from a mixture of brand new styles as well as classics from the Cutler and Gross archive that have been reinterpreted with contemporary detailing and new lens technology and are each available in three colourways. Something you might want to grab before the super rock-star collectors do is the limited edition frame in classic navy blue with real gold plated metal and flat gold lenses. Each piece is numbered and stamped individually in a limited production run of 200.

Not just a pretty face, all frames are, as always, crafted by hand in the company’s

dedicated factory in Cadore, Italy, from the finest Italian acetate and high-grade metals featuring hand-riveted hinges. The importance of the artisanal creation of each pair of glasses remains one of the essences of the brand, with each frame taking four to six weeks to produce. This manufacturing process, with 42 tailored steps by expert frame makers, gives each frame its unique character. And unique character is exactly what the brand celebrates, offering the hordes of devotees with an independent sense of style and flair their own window to the world since 1969.

YOU'RE INVITED

To view the new collection, head over to Cutler and Gross at 9 Bridge St, Bath, BA2 4AS and join us for a special in-store event on Wednesday 19 April in association with Arnolfini contemporary arts. To register your interest, email pr@cutlerandgross.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 91

1

3

2

EASTER CHIC

4

WE’VE TRAWLED BATH’S INDEPENDENT SHOPS AND DISCOVERED THE EDIBLE, DRINKABLE AND LOVABLE ITEMS TO BRIGHTEN UP YOUR LOVED ONES’ DAY

5

1. LUCKY DIP

2. COMPLETELY QUACKERS

3. HANG IN THERE

4. FLORAL FANCY

5. HOP TO IT

Belgian chocolate eggs, £15 From locally based chocolate makers come Easter-themed treats including quail eggs, hot choc buns, and these ‘hard boiled’ eggs with dunkability factor From Choc on Choc, Chocolate House, High Street, Frome; www.choconchoc.co.uk

Chocolate ducks, £2.99 From traditional makers of real handmade fudge in Bath comes an exceptionally cute chocolate animal range for spring, featuring rabbits, sheep and ducks From The San Francisco Fudge Factory, 6 Church Street, Abbey Green, Bath; www.sanfranciscofudge.co.uk

Porcelain decorations, £3.50 each When displayed on an Easter tree, these simple, egg-shaped hanging ornaments are ideal for seasonal décor From Article, 3 Bartlett Street, Bath; www.articlebath.com

Easter cake, from £70 Topped with a pastelcoloured flowering design, this blushing bunny creation is sure to impress the family From Bath Cake Company, 15 Fountain Buildings, Lansdown Road, Bath; www. bathcakecompany.co.uk

Bunny egg cups, £6.25 each Because there’ll always be someone who doesn’t like chocolate, these Gisela Graham polka dot egg cups will sit happy at home in a spring kitchen From Rossiters of Bath, 38-41 Broad Street, Bath; www.rossitersofbath.com

92 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

ED’S CHOICE

6

SHOPPING

7

8

10

9

6. THINK INSIDE THE BOX

7. SHELL OUT

8. OFF THE RECORD

9. CHEEKY CHICKEN

10. HOT STUFF

Premium chocolate selection, £60 This two-layer classic and elegant box contains a tempting collection of luxury handmade chocolates which are freshly packed to your taste From Charlotte Brunswick, 3 Church Street, Bath; www. charlottebrunswick.co.uk

Handmade Easter eggs, from £6 Seven Hill’s Easter range includes a salted caramel egg and a caramelised hazelnut version made a few miles from the centre of Bath From Seven Hills, The Stable Building, Newton St.Loe; Bath; www. sevenhillschocolate.co.uk

Chocolate vinyl, £8.50 From a Bath-based maker, this innovative confectionary uses organic, Fairtrade chocolate for designs including Daleks, Lego and this groovy vinyl, which comes in flavours such as lime and chilli.

From A Little Piece & Love, www.alittlepieceandlove.com

Dark chocolate hen, £32.50 From the French confectioner which has chosen Bath as the venue for its first ever shop outside France, comes this googlyeyed little fella From Maison Georges Larnicol, 13-14 Upper Borough Walls, Bath; www.chocolaterielarnicol.fr

Solid hot chocolate, from £4.20 Available in solid bars and drops, Hasslacher’s gourmet drinking chocolate is made from rare Columbian beans.

From Hasslacher’s, 38, Gay Street, Bath; www. hasslachers.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE LIFE II 93 www.mediaclash.co.uk I CLIFTON 69

Visit orientalrugsofbath.com or call 01761 451764 at Bookbarn International, Wells Rd, Hallatrow, Bristol, BS39 6EX

HALF PRICE SPRING SALE

Interiors & Homewares Handmade Reclaimed Vintage Finds Chalk Paint Workshops

10 Margaret's Buildings, Bath BA1 2LP homefrontinteriors.co.uk T: 01225 571711 E: info@homefrontinteriors.co.uk 10 York Street, Bath BA1 1NH 01225 447920 leatherchairs.co.uk

Paint Workshops | Lampshade Making | Memory Box Making

glamour on the go More and more of us have less and less time to indulge in ‘me-time’ during our busy working weeks, that’s why local hair and beauty experts have created quick-fix treatment menus to revive and refresh those on the go

By E v e ly n gr e e n

I

f you find yourself with no time to spend on your beautifying regime, cue the plethora of day spas, cosmetic clinics and hairdressing salons in and around Bath where you can indulge in impressively speedy pampering sessions. Here are the 60-minute makeovers to treat yourself to in your lunch break…

Green Street House

Betsi Hughes, company director

What can you do for clients during a lunch hour?

In 30 minutes we can do the likes of: a lash and brow tint, a shape and polish, a mini pedicure or a spray tan.

And what about extended options to indulge in on, say, a lazy weekend?

The Big Chill – a one-hour massage, a facial of your choice and a spa pedicure over three luxurious hours.

Share your best DIY beauty advice…

Exfoliate twice a week to stimulate cell renewal, and take one teaspoon of flaxseed oil a day.

What mistakes do you see your clients making?

Forgetting how important they are – it’s never too late.

14 Green Street, Bath; www.greenstreethouse.co.uk

B Hairdressing Harriet Barber, owner

A fast and beneficial haircare treat?

An Olaplex treatment with a blow-dry can be done in 45 minutes – this repairs the hair from within.

96 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

The Alevere

Weight

Loss Therapy is a medically

designed

programme that allows

clients to lose large amounts of weight quickly and

safely

And for those with more time on their hands?

Indulge in our extensive colouring services paired with an Awapuhi wild ginger treatment or maybe a set of Racoon International hair extensions.

What’s the go-to hair look for the season?

Our platinum card colouring service is a big trend right now. It will get you ultra blonde without the roots that foils still leave.

Your top at-home tips for healthier hair?

Wrap your hair in a silk turban before bed and brush it regularly as this helps distribute the natural oils.

What do you want people to stop doing?

Cutting their own fringes – we offer fringe trims in between appointments to avoid this.

11 Claverton Buildings, Widcombe, Bath; www.bhairdressing.co.uk

Snowberry Lane Clinic Ann Gabriel, co-founder

What quick procedures do you offer?

We specialise in non-invasive cosmetic procedures such as Botox, which has always been known as ‘the lunch break treatment’, however, dermal fillers are now more popular than ever.

Your recommendation if time was no object?

Microdermabrasion facials which exfoliate, unblock pores and leave your face silky smooth and glowing.

The most popular option at the moment?

The Alevere Weight Loss Therapy – a medically designed programme that allows clients to lose large amounts of weight quickly and safely.

Share an at-home beauty boost...

If you sleep on your side, this can show on your skin; try to sleep on your back, but if you find this difficult

HAIR AND BEAUTY

THE DUCHESS

Beatrice Pounder, proprietor

How would you pamper a busy client?

Our Billion Dollar Brow 30-minute brow makeover is finished with tinted powder so there are no red marks on your face, and, holistically, I’d recommend an Indian head massage – the ultimate tension release for those who sit at a desk all day.

And for those with more time on their hands?

A detoxing heat wrap followed by a body polish and aromatherapy massage. Or maybe a couple’s package including massages, facials and pedicures.

Your most popular procedure at the moment?

Toning treatments which improve cellulite and shift stubborn fatty deposits on the thighs and tummy.

What beauty mistake would you like to ban?

Changing a skin routine too often. It confuses the skin and can cause sensitivity reactions. try a high thread count pillow case instead.

33 Walcot Street and 12 Pierrepont Street, Bath; www.duchessbeauty.co.uk

Ridgway House, 49 Shurnhold, Melksham; www.snowberrylane.co.uk

FRONTLINESTYLE BATH

Frances Urwin, managing director

RUSSELL BROOKS HAIRDRESSING

Firstly, tell us a bit about the salon…

It’s a multi award-winning boutique hair salon and day spa with state-of-the-art facilities. We focus on head-to-toe pampering as well as being specialists in wigs and hair loss.

Your most popular on-the-go services?

Sienna X one-hour tan, eyelash tints, waxing, or Clarins energising back, neck and scalp massages.

And your more extended treatments?

Clarins Tri-Active facials which restore the skin as if you have had a full night’s sleep, and a hydro bath finished with a Clarins honey hot stone massage.

What’s your personal favourite indulgence?

The Caci non-surgical face lift which improves appearance using microcurrents and LED therapy.

Russell Brooks, co-owner

Name a feel-good lunch-hour treatment...

We’re merging two of our most requested options: hair and nails. The service takes 45 minutes, starting with a massaging hair wash, and then the nails and the blow-dry will be done simultaneously.

And for someone with more time to spare?

A bespoke fitting of Russian hair extensions. They’re considered the safest strand-by-strand method – no glue, sewing or braiding is involved.

What’s the hottest hair trend for spring?

Colour contouring which can appear to narrow, widen, shorten or lengthen the face.

Your top at-home tips for healthy hair?

Towel dry it, add Moroccanoil and then use a warm – never hot – hairdryer, finishing with a cool blast.

4-5 Monmouth Street, Bath; www.frontlinestyle.co.uk

ZARA PERRY HAIRDRESSING

11 Crown Hill, Weston Village, Bath; www.russellbrookshairdressing.co.uk

Zara Perry, owner

ARTIZAN GEORGE STREET Matthew Carr, salon director

Recommend a quick hair pick-me-up…

A blow-dry and an Aveda ritual – a complimentary neck, head, shoulder or hand massage.

What about for those with hours to spare?

A pampering day in our salon has to involve having your hair coloured and cut.

What DIY haircare would you advise?

When you exercise, you perspire, which can actually make the hair dry. Before the gym, wet your hair and add in some conditioner. Rinse it out postworkout and you’ll be left with shiny locks.

What should we all stop doing immediately?

Over-washing coloured hair. Use a professionalquality shampoo and only wash it every few days.

8a George Street, Bath; www.artizanbath.co.uk

Top to bottom: The chic space at Russell Brooks Hairdressing salon; Snowberry Lane Clinic specialises in non-invasive cosmetic procedures; Artizan George Street offer complimentary massages; expect top-to-toe pampering at Wadswick Green Spa

What’s your one-hour hair recommendation?

From our blow-dry menu, clients can choose looks that make them feel fantastic. Or, if they are blonde and need a refresh, we can offer a quick toner.

What about for someone with more time?

A visit to our beauty therapist, Ramona, for a back neck and shoulder massage, and an LVL lash lift.

Your most popular service at the moment?

Hair extensions. We work with some great names and have two specialists in the salon.

Give us your at-home guide to great hair…

Shampoo twice to allow your other products to work better. Also, buy a hairdryer with ionic technology.

Name a common haircare mistake...

Why spend time and money and not protect your hair colour? Professional products are all it takes.

Lombard House, 30 St James Parade, Bath; www.zphairdressing.co.uk w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 97

HAIR AND BEAUTY EDEN ROSE BEAUTY

Sharon Savage, aesthetic nurse prescriber and skincare specialist

Name a lunch-hour saviour...

Botox injections for wrinkle reduction, and hand rejuvenation with collagen-stimulating fillers.

A popular service right now?

Non-surgical rhinoplasty. It involves small amounts of filler to correct indentations on the nose and can raise the tip of a drooping nose.

Share an everyday tip for beautiful skin…

Use a minimum of 30 SPF sunscreen every day – even when it’s cloudy – on the face, neck, décolletage and hands. Also, use a fine daily exfoliator before bed to remove dead skin cells and allow skin to regenerate during sleep.

What beauty sins do you see too often?

Using wipes to clean off make up. They only skim the surface and are not thorough enough. Cleansing is the most important part of a skincare regime.

2 Cheap Street, Frome; www.edenrosebeauty.com

Within 45 minutes, hair can be given the red carpet treatment at B Hairdressing in Widcombe

FIGO HAIR

Giuseppe Calascione, salon director

Treatments for the time-poor/ the time-rich?

A half an hour blow-dry/ a colour treatment.

How can we take better care of our hair?

Treat your hair like your favourite cashmere sweater and you won’t go far wrong.

Your best hair tip?

Go with the flow, not against it – don’t try to radically change the nature of your hair, but at the same time don’t be afraid to try something new.

15 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath, and The Pavilion, Wadswick Green, Corsham; www.figohairltd.co.uk

NICK BRAIN HAIRDRESSING Rob Cartwright, salon manager

Recommend a 60-minute hair makeover...

A quick conditioning treatment using Moroccanoil which gives the hair shine and bounce.

How about for those with hours to spare?

Balmain hair extensions.

What are your top tips for out-of-salon care?

With summer coming, use products to protect your hair from harmful rays and drying sea water.

Name a hair mistake...

Overuse of hair straighteners.

15 and 2a York Street, Bath; www.nickbrainhairdressing.com

ONE TO TRY GARDEN OF ENGLAND ROSE RESTORE

Lisa Evans tries the hour-long treatment at Green Street House, Bath Anyone who’s ever felt soothed, recharged or uplifted by a therapeutic massage knows the power of the combination of euphoric scents and relaxing body kneading. I don’t often have massages – even though I know they’re beneficial and well-deserved treats – and I only end up booking when my shoulders are so stiff and uncomfortable that I have to then opt for the sports-style manipulation that makes you 98 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

OUR

FACIALS, EYE TREATMENTS, HOT STONE MASSAGES AND

MUSCLE REVIVERS COME IN UNDER

THE HOUR MARK

WADSWICK GREEN SPA

Melissa Mitchell, spa supervisor

Your most popular quick-fix beauty saviour?

Our facials, eye treatments, hot stone massages and muscle revivers come in under the hour mark.

What about longer treatments?

Reflexology combined with use of our pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi.

What can we do to take care of ourselves?

Use oils – such as sweet almond, calendula, and soya – to encourage healthier hair, nails and skin.

What’s the most common beauty mistake?

Using the wrong products. We offer Skin Vision Analysis that identifies what skin-type the client has and what products they should be using.

The Pavilion, Wadswick Green, Corsham; www.wadswickgreen.co.uk

BROWN HAIR SALON

Gemilli Lad, beauty therapist

Name an express service...

Our Sienna X products and gel nails are perfect for a lunchtime treat.

What’s new with you?

Our High Definition bespoke brows and make up.

Share your top beauty tip…

Eat Brazil nuts – a selenium-rich diet may help to protect against cancer, sun damage and age spots.

What beauty mistake would you like to ban?

Not exfoliating pre self tanning.

First Floor, 29 Milsom Street, Bath; www.clairebrownhairsalon.com

grimace in pain. But having been recommended a Garden of England Rose Restore treatment at Green Street House on Green Street, I had to see what all the fuss was about.

After pinpointing my pressure preferences, my reassuring therapist, Rhian Amos, began with a heated foot cleanse – a gesture that somehow made me feel very cared for – before anointing my skin with Elemis nourishing oils and rose balm and getting to work on my legs, back and arms, but not in a way I’ve ever known a massage to be. Every move is extended, slow and rhythmical, and

both gentle and intense depending on what she felt was needed.

Combined with a hypnotically mind-calming trio of rose, camelina and poppy seed to oils, it really did work to calm me blissfully and completely, to the point where I almost fell asleep several times. The whole body is worked on – even the palms of the hands and the scalp. Lavishly hydrating and deeply nurturing, this treatment left my skin intensely supple and moisturised for days and had the added benefits of increasing my skin’s elasticity and improving my circulation.

Winner of Best Hair Salon and Best Day Spa in Somerset 2016

Enjoy a Clarins Aromatic Balancer Express Facial for just ÂŁ44 and receive a CLARINS DETOX BOOSTER KIT worth ÂŁ30!

Whatever your skin condition this customised facial will rebalance and coax the bloom back. The potency of Clarins renowned 100% pure plant facial oils, prescribed according to your skin type.

Take home a Clarins Detox Booster Kit to care for congested skin. This highly enriched formula contains green coffee extract, detoxifies and purifies to revive radiance and plump the skin.

Book online www.frontlinestyle.co.uk 4/5 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA12AJ T 01225 478478 E bath@frontlinestyle.co.uk 11 Broad Street, Wells, BA5 2DJ T 01749 672225 E wells@frontlinestyle.co.uk

J'adore RM beauty at Zara Perry Hairdressing Zara Perry welcomes new beauty technician, Ramona, to the salon.

Treatments include: • Eyebrow shape & tint Book yo ur • HD Brows beauty • Tanning appointm ent • Lash lift including tint today!

• Massage • Nail treatments

OTHER TREATMENTS AVAILABLE CALL THE SALON FOR DETAILS

Lombard House, St James Parade, Bath BA1 1UJ 01225 444178

TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Pilates Brunch Club

Re-energise with Pilates followed by a relaxation session and enjoy a delicious, healthy, freshly prepared brunch.

Saturday 20 May 9.30am - 12pm Widcombe Social Club £35 per person

Places are limited so do book quickly. Bring a blanket for the relaxation session to keep your toes warm.

To book call 07939994757 or email info@bathpilatesacademy.uk

WWW.ZPHAIRDRESSING.CO.UK

We are now in two new locations!

33 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BN

12 Pierrepont Street, Bath BA1 1LA T: 01225 446836 E: theduchess@duchessbeauty.co.uk www.duchessbeauty.co.uk

Facial Treatments Brows & Lashes Massage & Holistic Therapies Slimming, Toning & Body Pamper Waxing & Threading Nails, Hands & Feet Treatments for Him

Catiovital Cellular Energy Facial The alternative to aesthetic medicine Clinically proven results after just one treatment Dynamic Ionisation

Re-awakens the energy within the skin cells, whilst speeding up the enzyme responsible for repairing damage and stress caused to the skin

Lifting Stimulation

Using low frequency for optimum results, slackened muscles are toned and skin is left firmer

Thermal Energy

The oxygen level within the skin is increased, cellular regeneration is accelerated and toxins are eliminated

5 Old King Street, Bath BA1 2JW

Receive

ÂŁ10 OFF

when menti onin this advert g

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THING Mini Manicure or Mini Pedicure Lash and Brow Tint and Shape Bikini or Half Leg Wax ONLY £65

HIGH DEFINITION BROWS plus a FREE high definition foundation sample £25

HIGH DEFINITION MAKE UP SESSION with our new creative director, MaryKate FREE with every cut and blow dry

WEDDING PACKAGES ALSO AVAILABLE

Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion. Offer ends 14 May 2017.

day spa for men and women 14 green street, bath BA1 2JZ tel: 01225 426000 www.greenstreethouse.com

Book now by calling 01225 462 112 or email info@clairebrownhairsalon.com

Milsom Street Bath

" Cut out this voucher and bring into the salon for a

FREE

Dermalogica skin care sample

Whilst stocks last. Maximum three per customer.

Shake-ups/launches/intel/promotions

B AT H G E T S S ER I O US

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE

Bath will soon be minding the gap

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

BUILDING BRIDGES Plans to build Bath Quays Bridge have been granted planning consent and represents the first new crossing of the River Avon for over 100 years The next stage of the development of Bath Quays has been granted planning consent, taking the area one step closer to creating a new central business district at the heart of the city.

Integral to the project is the building of a bridge, and Bath & North East Somerset Council has been successful in getting funding for the project from the Cycle City Ambition Fund. The link will provide both cyclists and pedestrians a new crossing point between proposed development sites on Bath Quays North and Bath Quays South. It will also enhance connectivity between the riverside and Bath city centre by providing an alternative crossing point to Midland Bridge and Churchill Bridge and the Lower Bristol Road.

The granting of planning consent is a significant moment for the city as the Bath Quays Bridge represents the first new crossing of the River Avon

for over 100 years. The bridge, which was selected by a panel of experts from an international design competition in 2015, has been designed by the Parisbased engineering and architectural consultancy Marc Mimram. Work on their ‘Between History and Modernity’ construction is expected to be completed by spring 2018.

Councillor Patrick Anketell-Jones, cabinet member for economic development, says, “The new Bath Quays Bridge across the river represents an important link in the council’s ambition to create jobs and opportunities for local people. As part of the wider riverside regeneration, the bridge will play a key role in connecting the city centre to the north and with the existing and future communities to the south and west.”

For more: www.bathnes.gov.uk

“YOU HAVE TO ALLOW MONEY TO BE SPENT, AS IT IS BUSINESS MONEY, AND NOT SEE IT AS YOUR OWN MONEY” Which local publisher shares his business life lesson?

Turn to page 109 to find out

£250k THE BIG NUMBER

The target amount Bath Boules hopes to raise over four years Turn to page 109 to find out more

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 105

BUSINESS INSIDER

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

ELLA MORISON Ella Morison is the Mandarin Stone showroom manager. Here she talks DIY, this year’s tiling trends and how she learned her trade from the very best…

Tell us a little about your background…

I’m a Bath girl born and bred. My first job was a paper round, followed by bar work. I’m a sociable person – curious about people and eager to build relationships.

I’ve always had a creative side and studied art, which later lead to an interest in interiors.

How did you progress into working with Mandarin Stone?

At college I specialised in sculpture and enjoyed working with various materials including stone. I’d always known of Mandarin Stone – their products, styling and the family dynamics of the company interested me.

What are the most rewarding aspects of your work?

I really love the client-facing role, and the fact I can indulge my creative side is definitely a benefit. I enjoy listening to clients enthuse about their projects, and working with the team in Bath to ensure the best possible service. It’s so satisfying to see clients return time and again when they choose to refurbish or relocate.

Who has inspired your career?

Alma Small, the founder and owner of Mandarin Stone. From day one, she taught me to be honest, work hard and never to rest on your laurels. I’ve learnt that it’s okay to be direct when required and to treat each individual equally. 27 years on, she continues to play an active part in the company and shows that you can achieve anything if you truly love what you do.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to someone who wanted to go into your line of work?

You’ve got to be able to don many hats – a designer, a technical adviser, an admin ace and most of all, a great listener. Attention to detail is key in all areas – from the aesthetics of the showroom to the detail given to clients - it’s important to get every aspect right.

How does being located in Bath impact on the business?

Bath is a city where quarried stone is so intrinsically linked to its history and we feel proud to be part of it. And being our pilot showroom, Bath will always be very dear to us. It put us on the map and showcased our products and our business when stone tiling was almost unheard of.

106 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Enjoying a night (and a day) on the tiles with Ella

What, in your opinion, is the most important room in the house?

With the trend for open-plan living here to stay, the kitchen is still very much the heart of the home.

People are using this space to make statements whether funky splashbacks, natural stone, wood-effect porcelains or concrete-look porcelain.

Which tiling trends will be big for 2017?

Think big porcelain! Large format porcelains are taking over – our latest is a whopping 1200mm x 1200mm. At the other end of the scale, there’s still porcelain, but in mosaic form.

What’s the trickiest project you’ve had to work on?

A lovely couple were renovating a Grade-II building and had to balance their design wishes with the rather stringent planning laws of Bath. It took eight months of talks and overhauls with architects and builders.

Luckily our collection is so diverse that we were able to select products that ticked all the boxes.

What are your favourite local hangouts?

My personal favourites are The White Hart, Bistro Pierre and The Field Kitchen.

Any secret talents…?

I’m a seasoned DIY-er – I can plaster, weld, paint and mend.

For more: www.mandarinstone.com

YOU CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING IF YOU TRULY LOVE WHAT YOU DO

BUSINESS INSIDER

MOVERS, SHAKERS, ETC

BATH RUGBY NEWS Bringing you the latest from the Bath Rugby headquarters Amanda knows about energy levels

POSITIVE ENERGY Amanda Henderson, architect at Hetreed Ross Architects in Bath has recently qualified as a certified Passivhaus designer.

Amanda explains, “Passivhaus’s aim is to dramatically reduce the energy consumption of a building and increase comfort levels through intelligent architectural design and the application of complex building science, which translates as low energy bills with minimal or no heating requirements.” www.hetreedross.com

As Bath Rugby prepare to face their fiercest rivals Leicester Tigers in The Clash at Twickenham on 8 April, the event will also help raise money for Bath Rugby Foundation and Help for Heroes. Half of the net proceeds from upper tier sales will be split between the two charities, while the limited edition shirts will be signed by the Bath squad after the match to be auctioned off.

Semesa Rokoduguni, a serving soldier as well as a Bath and England player, expressed his pride at the club’s charity commitment, “Both Bath Rugby Foundation and Help for Heroes do fantastic work, and as players we’re proud to play our part in supporting them on what is going to be an awesome day for the club. We’re really excited to be running out as a team at Twickenham, and look forward to seeing as many people supporting these two great charities as possible on the day.”

Wing man Semesa Rokoduguni is geared up for action

For more: www.bathrugby.com

LOYAL SUPPORT An innovative new app that helps people to discover and experience independent businesses has launched in Bath. Pixie introduces users to a collection of unique, hardto-find indies, and offers a seamless mobile payment and loyalty points system through users’ smartphones. www.pixieapp.co

HOT PROPERTY Royds Withy King has strengthened its property disputes team in Bath with the appointment of Sarah Taylor, who joins as an associate from Bevan Brittan solicitors in Bristol and comments, “Royds Withy King has a strong reputation for its property disputes work and I look forward to helping to develop this further.” www.roydswithyking.com

BUSINESS MATTERS DIARY From city centre conferences to networking breakfasts, make a note of these dates and make them work for you VARIOUS DATES

Bath Business Club offer the chance to meet up once a week.

7.30am, £10. www.bathbc.com

Hotel & Spa. 12pm-2.30pm, £50. www.bathlifebusinessclub.com

sponsorship opportunities, email info@creativebath.org

2 JUNE

9 – 11 JUNE

Training expert Simon Hares 5 APRIL shares his advice on how to Women’s Business Club host a Bath network. 8am-9am, free. Glove Business Lunch. Bailbrook House Factory Studios, Holt.

Hotel. 11.30am-2pm, £30. www.glovefactorystudios.com www.womensbusiness.club Enjoy fine dining and mighty fine business insight with Bath Life Business Club. Royal Crescent

22 JUNE

Employment law with Royds Withy Creative Bath Awards will highlight King employment law specialists. exceptional creative quality 6pm-7.30pm, £18. Midland Bridge throughout this diverse sector. To House; www.roydswithyking.com get involved and to discuss 8 JUNE

8 MAY

Bath Boules in Queen Square returns to help raise money for local charities with food, fun and boules. www.bathboules.com

Successful, well-established year-round language school in the centre of Bath requires

HOMESTAY HOSTS IN BATH to host both short-term and long-term students.

We teach adults and teenagers, and need both single and twin-room accommodation.

For further details, including rates of payment, please contact our Accommodation Manager: Sarah Wringer, KIE Bath, 5 Trim Street, Bath, BA1 1HB Direct Line (01225) 473502, Email: sarah.wringer@kaplan.com

BUSINESS INSIDER

BREAKING NEWS

FANTASTIC FOUR Our pick of the most exciting, intriguing or important local business stories right now Every book tells a story

LIFE LINES

A Bradford on Avon-based company, which specialises in publishing notebooks to mark life’s major events, is celebrating its own 10th birthday. Founder Neil Coxon came up with the idea of creating Journals of a Lifetime to record information about loved ones, whilst looking after his own father. Neil explains, “It struck me that there was so much that had been left unsaid and undiscovered about my father’s life.”

So, together with his partner Helen, he set up the publishing firm, from you to me, which also works with the children’s bereavement charity Winston’s Wish.

The journals, which include Dear Daughter, Dear Grandad, Baby on Board, and Mum & Me, are sold all over the world including the UK, Australia, South Africa, Spain and the USA. So what lessons would Neil note in his own journal from the last decade? “You have to be confident to let go and allow money to be spent, as it is business money, and not see it as your own money.”

For more: www.journalsofalifetime.com

YOU SHALL GO TO THE BOULE!

For more: www.bathboules.com

Fetch

WORKING OUT Along with spreadsheets and conference calls, business management consultants Nine Feet Tall have introduced sun salutations for their staff.

The Bath-based award-winning firm are encouraging their team to enjoy lunchtime yoga sessions, along with other healthy lifestyle options. Office manager Georgina Ball explains, “Keeping up a healthy lifestyle often gets pushed to the backburner in the thick of project delivery.

“Consequently, Nine Feet Tall has a fully embedded corporate well-being initiative which includes yoga sessions in the offices with local instructor Ben Robinson.”

They also provide company fitbits, offer discounted gym memberships and even organise a yearly surf trip to Newquay in June.

For more: www.ninefeettall.com

PHOTO BY PAOLA FERLA

This year’s Bath Boules has received the highest-ever level of sponsorship due to the outstanding support from local businesses, and with that, a new target has been revealed – £250,000 to be raised for local charities in the next four years.

The must-see, must-boule, social event, sponsored by Royds Withy King, promises to be even more of a festival party than ever with Queen Square once more closed to traffic, from 9-11 June. Organisers are keen to hear from any local company to discuss creating any special sponsorship features, and also food companies wishing to trade in the street market.

The main party is on the Friday night, 9 June, and is sponsored by Big Boules sponsor Novia. Other Big Boules sponsors are: Epoch Wealth Management, Hall & Woodhouse, Champagne Jacquart, Bath Life, Apex Hotels, B&NES, Investec Wealth Management, HomeLets Bath, Dick Lovett BMW Bath, Archers Marquees and Great Western Wines.

Nine Feet Tall’s Georgina Ball

MAKING ARTS THEIR BUSINESS

Chief executive of Bath Bid Louise Prynne, Bath Festivals’ chief executive Ian Stockley, Marks & Spencer’s Tom Searle and Jolly’s Samantha Little

The Bath Business Improvement District (BID) has become a strategic corporate partner of The Bath Festival, the new flagship arts event which takes place on 19-28 May, with highlights to include Mary Berry, Victoria Hislop and Ed Balls.

As part of this alliance, Bath BID member businesses will have the opportunity to get involved individually, as well as benefitting from umbrella Bath BID sponsorship. Ian Stockley,

chief executive of Bath Festivals, says, “Together, we will widen our engagement with the city through greater diversity in programming and performance venues as we push out the boundaries of what a festival can do and move towards being at the leading edge of festivals internationally, enhancing Bath’s position as a destination city.”

For more: www.bathfestivals.org.uk

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2017 Professional Services special

ou r guide to th e region ’ s fin a nci a l , l aw and business experts who help make this cit y such an economic success www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 111

Marketing • HR • Sales

Redefining Recruitment Over 25 years of proven experience across Marketing, HR and Sales Recruitment

Permanent Fixed Term Contract Interim / Day Rate Call us on 01225 436229 or email sam.laite@fwdthinkingrecruitment.co.uk 30 Monmouth Street | Bath BA1 2AN

www.fwdthinkingrecruitment.co.uk

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 2017

SAFE IN THE KNOWLEDGE Your guide to the leading lights of Bath’s professional community services – from recruitment consultants to probate lawyers, and everything in between

By SA R A H MOOL L A

B

enjamin Franklin, the American revolutionary, diplomat and inventor, commented back in 1789 “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

He’s still right. However, to help us safely navigate our way through life’s major landmarks and those unexpected choppy seas, we can call on a body of experts. Whether it be financial, insurance, legal or accounting advice needed, here in Bath we are home to some of the most prestigious experts. Here, a cross section of the city’s professionals explain what they do and share their business world insights… w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 115

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 2017

LAW FIRMS BRYERS LLP

Trade mark and design attorney Tina Rees-Pedlar

What field does Bryers specialise in?

Bryers, which turns 40 next year, is a boutique firm of significant reputation working to protect inventions, goodwill and reputation for all types of business in all areas of industry. We advise on all aspects of intellectual property protection and enforcement including patents, trade marks, designs and copyright.

What is the secret of your firm’s success?

The team of attorneys at Bryers, which include a championship horse jumper, a Jedi Master (aka a laser scientist) and a DJ, are personable and thrive on direct client contact. Their ability to see the wider picture and take into account the different commercial impacts of advice for different businesses is an essential attribute.

Will Brexit have an impact on the world of intellectual property law?

As a specialist law firm we are always monitoring legal developments and practice amendments, so our advice is up-to-date and reflects any significant changes. Although there will be an impact on the IP industry as a result of Brexit, Bryers supports the introduction of measures to ensure that UK businesses are not placed in a detrimental position in respect of their intellectual property protection and to allow a seamless transition of protection for existing EU IP rights in the UK.

Above: Mogers Drewett’s Maeve England recently helped in Swiss arbitration; below: Tina Rees-Pedlar from Bryers counts a championship horse jumper and a DJ amongst her colleagues

www.bryerlaw.com

THE TEAM INCLUDE A CHAMPIONSHIP

HORSE JUMPER, A JEDI MASTER (AKA A LASER SCIENTIST) AND A DJ

MOGERS DREWETT LLP

Partner and head of commercial dispute resolution Maeve England

Any recent cases that illustrate the work Mogers Drewett does?

We recently acted in the High Court and in Swiss arbitration for a global oil filtration and mineral processing company in a dispute with their Turkish supplier; acting in a judicial review of a local authority decision; and acting for a large regional commercial property portfolio in relation to a dilapidations dispute with a local authority.

We also advise on construction disputes and have a niche practice in contentious trust and probate disputes.

What attributes are needed to succeed in your line of work?

The ability to listen is a must. Commerciality is absolutely key to understanding a client’s business. Without that background understanding, the advice you give can only be of limited value to your client. Of course, excellence in legal knowledge and practice is a given and every client is entitled to expect that. As a firm we are always reviewing our position in the market place to understand how we can better deliver our services to match changing client needs.

Anything about your firm that might surprise us?

One of our trainee solicitors, Eboni BeckfordChambers, is captain of Team Bath Netball and has 77 caps for England. www.md-solicitors.co.uk

HELEN STARKIE SOLICITOR

Solicitor Helen Starkie

What does your company specialise in?

In 2010, I set up a niche firm dealing primarily with the issues which affect older and/or w 116 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 2017 vulnerable clients and their families including wills, probate, lasting powers of attorney, issues around lack of mental capacity, as well as advising on nursing and residential home contracts and funding care and benefits.

How have you made your company so successful?

Clients know that we are always there for them as we are a 24 hour a day, 365 day a year practice.

And we have deliberately kept the firm small so clients will always be greeted and seen by someone they know, and who knows them and their family. Staying small helps us keep our overheads lower than those of the big firms and we pass this saving onto our clients.

What personal qualities help in your line of work?

Patience, time to offer, flexibility and, above all, a sense of humour. Some of what we deal with can be quite surreal.

recognised as one of the most well established law firms in the area, with 45 partners and employees.

WE ARE

ABLE TO OFFER CLIENTS A TRULY 360 DEGREE

SERVICE

What’s different about the way you work?

We are not driven by the agenda of a larger entity, which isn’t aligned with our own vision or in the best interests of our clients or team. Because all of our fee earners and support staff work from under one roof, we are able to offer clients a truly 360 degree service and a tailored solution based on what their particular need or situation is.

Has anything exciting happened in the last year or two?

Committed to future-proofing our business with a strong identity, we developed the new brand identity. A significant departure from our previous visual identity, the new design reflects the modern, dynamic lifestyle of our present clients, but remains true to the strong, traditional foundations on which the firm is built. www.mowbraywoodwards.co.uk

www.helenstarkie.co.uk

ROYDS WITHY KING

MOWBRAY WOODWARDS

Managing partner Graham Street

Managing partner Tracey Smith

When and where was Mowbray Woodwards established?

Since 1946, we’ve been based in the same building in Queen Square helping people with their legal affairs, both business and personal, and are now

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Below: Mowbray Woodwards have been based in the same Queen Square building since 1946

How would you describe the work Royds Withy King does?

We are a full-service law firm that provides straightforward advice and support to businesses, individuals and families. We make it our business to listen and respond to our clients’ needs and we w

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 2017 Any exciting news from the past year?

We act for over a thousand maintained and private schools and have recently completed on our 800th Academy conversion. We also opened an office in Leeds in June 2016 and it has been an exciting challenge for us to establish ourselves there and look to the new horizons a northern office has given us. Another highlight was the award of ‘Investors in People’ Gold last summer.

What qualities do you think are needed to succeed in the legal sector?

A drive to learn, develop and grow is needed for both – together with a balanced sense of humour to make coming to work meaningful. www.stoneking.co.uk

THRINGS

Commercial property partner and head of office Ben Jones

do this by making an effort to understand what it’s like to be in their shoes.

What has changed in the last year or two?

We embarked on an exciting new chapter when we merged with the city of London practice Royds LLP last September. As Royds Withy King, we are able to offer our clients enhanced services and greater choice, as well as the quality and value they are entitled to expect of a sustainable UK Top 100 law firm. We were recently ranked 30th in the Sunday Times 100 Best Mid-Sized Companies to Work For 2017.

What traits, for both the individual and the company, are advantageous in your line of work?

We value humility and determination and we hope these are reflected in the way we do business. Equality and diversity, in the broadest sense, are also hugely important. Successful people and successful organisations are inclusive, they respect and value people for what they do, and they don’t undermine or criticise. www.roydswithyking.com

STONE KING

Managing partner Steven Greenwood

Tell us a little about the history of Stone King...

We were established in Bath in 1785 – so we have been working in the city for 232 years and counting. Jane Austen wrote some of Northanger Abbey whilst she lived in 13 Queen Square, which is now part of our offices. We provide specialist legal advice to the four sectors – education; charity and social enterprise; business; and private client.

Top: Steven Greenwood’s firm, Stone King, provides specialist legal advice; below: Ben Jones reveals Thrings are exploring growth opportunities

JANE AUSTEN

How would you best describe Thrings?

Thrings is a leading commercial law firm whose partner-led teams of specialist lawyers advise entrepreneurs, start-ups, corporates and multinationals in a range of industry sectors.

Any recent case studies that help illustrate the work your company does?

In recent months, our Bath-based lawyers have completed the sales of Priston Mill Limited and Moore’s Recycling Limited, and supported lifestyle hotel business, Another Place Limited, with its growth plans. Our reappointment to the NFU Legal Panel for seven counties in England endorses the strength, depth and knowledge of our agriculture team, many of whom are w

WROTE SOME OF NORTHANGER ABBEY WHILST SHE LIVED IN 13 QUEEN SQUARE, WHICH IS

NOW PART OF OUR OFFICES

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 2017 based at our Queen Square offices. We have also recently formed a new strategic partnership with the Bar Council, we’re advising an increasing number of clients about floating on the London Stock Exchange, and our commercial teams are exploring growth opportunities in Africa and the Far East.

Any exciting changes that have happened in the last year or two?

Last year we opened a Southampton office, which will focus on agriculture, landed estates and private client work. We have also experienced a robust recruitment programme across all areas of the firm, and recently appointed six of our trainees as newly qualified solicitors. www.thrings.com

ACCOUNTANTS BISHOP FLEMING

Partner in charge Bath office Andrew Sandiford

What type of financial work does Bishop Fleming specialise in?

We deliver support to a wide variety of businesses and individuals through the provision of audit, accounts and tax services. We work very closely with clients ensuring that the work we do with them delivers quantifiable value and doesn’t just tick boxes.

What recent achievements are you particularly proud of?

Being listed at number 42 in the Sunday Times Top 100 Businesses to Work For, and being awarded a three-star grading as an exceptional provider of client service by the Investor in Clients organisation. The firm is also ranked at number 33 in the UK listing of Top 50 Accountancy firms provided by Accountancy Age. Also, last year, 75 staff members took part in a 324 mile cycle-marathon to raise over £28,000

Above: The Bishop Fleming team are a tour de force to be reckoned with; below: Ian Lloyd of Milsted Langdon believes in plain-speaking when it comes to complex tax matters

for a number of local charities including Dorothy House Hospice Care.

Tell us a little about the firm’s history…

We were established in 1919 in Paignton, and there really was a Mr Bishop and a Mr Fleming.

Mr Fleming then changed his mind about joining the firm. However, the stationery had already been produced, so the name stayed. www.bishopfleming.co.uk

75 STAFF

MEMBERS TOOK PART IN A 324 MILE CYCLE-

MARATHON TO RAISE OVER £28,000 FOR A NUMBER OF LOCAL CHARITIES

MILSTED LANGDON

General practice partner Ian Lloyd

When and where was Milsted Langdon established?

Milsted Langdon was founded by two University of Bath graduates in 1988 and operates across the South West, with offices in Bath, Bristol, Taunton and Yeovil, as well as London. We are one of the only firms to ever win a prestigious Accounting Web Practice Excellence Award – one of the profession’s top honours – three times.

What is the secret of the firm’s success?

We are passionate about providing accounting services, tax planning and business advice and about what our clients do. We are able to talk to our clients about complex tax and accounting issues without resorting to jargon and therefore getting advice from us is never daunting and most clients consider it to be one of their best investments.

Is there anything nationally that might impact on tax affairs?

Nationally the biggest change that will impact on

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 2017 all businesses are the government’s plans to take tax affairs online. This will create a significant administrative burden for businesses over the next few years, which will also carry additional costs. We are already working with our clients to prepare them for the challenges and will continue to keep them updated on a regular basis, so that they are able to plan for the future. www.milsted-langdon.co.uk

R D OWEN & CO, CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS Director Ian Gillard

Tell us a little about R D Owen’s history...

It was established in 1871 by David Owen, one of the founding fathers of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales. In 146 years, this current management team is only the fourth in the firm’s history. We are more than just accountants and tax advisers. We offer a complete one-stop source of all financial support, be it financial services through our parent company or legal services through our associate company.

A DEGREE OF DETERMINATION TO TREAT EVERY

OBSTACLE

AS A CHALLENGE IS ESSENTIAL

What advice would you give to any considering accountancy as a career?

A good analytical mind is required, a desire to offer the very best advice to all clients, both large and small, and a degree of determination to treat every obstacle as a challenge is essential.

Is there anything you are monitoring that might impact your line of work?

We are always keeping an eye on anything that may affect us and our clients, including making tax digital. And, undoubtedly, Brexit will provide challenges at all levels. For many businesses, the impact of the major increases in national living wage allied to increased auto enrolment pension contributions will mean that pricing issues will be at the forefront of many businesses. www.rdowen.com

w

The offices of R D Owen based in picturesque Kelston

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 2017 RICHARDSON SWIFT Director Jon Miles

Tell us about the work you do...

As entrepreneurs ourselves, we strive to be more than just number-crunching accountants.

We work with a variety of businesses from high tech start-ups through to multi-million pound enterprises. As a firm, we regularly lend our support to Bath’s business community and in 2016 helped nurture 60 local start-ups as part of our partnership with the Bath University Innovation Centre. This included facilitating early-stage funding for the Bath coffee app company Ordo.

What recent achievements are you particularly proud of?

The past year has been tremendous for us as a business, with our highest ever turnover growth of 25 per cent in the last five months of 2016 alone. This growth is largely influenced by a record number of client wins across the business, which have mainly come from referrals and word-of-mouth recommendations. We were also thrilled to be Bath Life 2017 finalists.

Any changes or developments planned for the firm?

We will undoubtedly need to take on more staff to expand our teams as we grow. We’re advising a high proportion of mature businesses looking to move to the next level, be it through raising finance, restructuring, making acquisitions, or succession and exit planning. We’re also experiencing a growing demand for our Cloud Accounting and Outsourcing services.

Top: The successful team at Richardson Swift are looking to increase their numbers; below: Craig Jenkins of TSL Accounting works with local artists, writers and poets

www.richardsonswift.co.uk

WE HAVE

HELPED

TO DELIVER THE

LATEST AND MOST EXCITING

DAMIEN HIRST

EXHIBITION DUE TO OPEN IN VENICE

TSL ACCOUNTING

Managing Director Craig Jenkins

Who are TSL? Established in 1987, TSL is one of the largest chartered management accounting firms in the UK operating from two offices in Bath and Stroud, providing a full range of accounting and management consultancy services. Locally, we specialise in charities, the arts and media, including writers, artists, sculptors, designers, screenwriters and poets.

Tell us about some recent jobs…

During the last few months we have been helping the award-winning Bath-based 44AD gallery and artspace with its financial planning and structure as well as its conversion into a registered charity.

At the other end of the scale, we have set up, and now run from our Bath offices, a complete UK branch operation for an international listed company called Tyratech Inc. What’s coming up for TSL over the next few years?

Working closely with one of our clients Pangolin Editions, Europe’s largest fine art foundry, we have helped to deliver the latest and most exciting Damien Hirst exhibition due to open in Venice on 9 April. We are looking to stage a major sculpture event in Bath in a couple of years’ time, featuring both local and international sculptors. www.tslaccounting.co.uk

FINANCIAL SERVICES BECKFORD JAMES LLP Partner Patricia Lake

What’s different about the way you work?

As chartered financial planners, we pride ourselves on our technical expertise across a range of disciplines, from trust and personal w 124 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Attention Bath & Bristol Business Owners Do you need more than just accounts and tax returns from your accountant?

Preparing your accounts and tax returns is easy. Six reasons why hundreds return to RDO each year.

But can your accountant help you make more money? Does your accountant have experience working in your specialist field?

4 Clear fixed and guaranteed fees. When we say fixed we mean it

Does your accountant give you answers or just more questions?

4 We take away the worries of the penalty driven compliance issues

With a unique range of services, we are more than just your accountants; we are your complete one stop business partners.

4 Proactive advice for both personal and corporate tax mitigation

4 Plain English advice from experienced professionals

4 Inheritance tax planning supported by Wills, Trusts and Probate support 4 Pension Auto Enrolment solutions for small and medium size employers.

CALL US NOW FOR A FREE INITIAL MEETING 21A Market Place, Warminster BA12 9AY T: 01985 213130

The Terrace Suite Kelston Park Bath BA1 9AE T: 01225 422183

www.rdowen.com

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 2017

IF YOU HAVE

YOUR

PERSONAL FINANCES IN

ORDER, THEN IT DOES NOT

MATTER

WHAT THE WIDER injury, to pensions and retirement planning including occupational pensions and pension sharing on divorce. Our clients are at the centre of the process, with a team of specialist advisers and support staff to guide them through every aspect of their financial plans.

What do you consider to be important qualities that help in your line of work?

Financial advice can sometimes be full of jargon and be very confusing, so it is part of our job to cut through that and make sure that we talk the same language as our clients, so empathy is essential. Also, technical skills and competence are key and both as a company and as individuals we aspire to very high standards in all we do.

What’s new with the company?

We are one of a very few companies who offer a genuine graduate training programme to a diploma in financial planning, with further support for successful trainees through to chartered status. We have taken on trainees in Bath and in Birmingham and are delighted with their continued successes and commitment.

WORLD THROWS AT YOU

Top: Ian Sandham of Bluefin who have been based in Bath for more than 40 years; below: Jonothan McColgan (centre) collecting one of the many awards his firm have amassed over the last few years

What changes have there been recently?

A really exciting development for us has been our acquisition by Marsh, a global leader in insurance broking and risk management, earlier this year.

With Marsh as our new parent, Bluefin will be working together with Jelf, also part of Marsh, to bring even more expert advice and services to help our clients in Bath manage their risks.

Any recent case studies that help illustrate the work your company does?

We were recently commended by a recycling business whose insurance company had gone into administration. We were quickly able to assess their needs, with minimum fuss or disruption, and help them get the right replacement cover for their business. www.bluefingroup.co.uk

COMBINED FINANCIAL STRATEGIES LTD

Director and chartered financial planner Jonothan McColgan

What are the company’s beginnings?

Combined Financial Strategies was launched in 2008, right into the headwinds of the credit crunch. The one thing we always tell our clients is that if you have your personal finances in order, then it does not matter what the wider world throws at you.

Talk us through a recent case...

One client had been ill for some time and was focused on getting to age 60 so he could draw on his Lloyds final salary pension. We managed to take advantage of a current economic situation that has boosted the transfer value of his pension so he could give up work and start looking after his health. w

www.beckfordjames.com

BLUEFIN INSURANCE SERVICES Branch director Ian Sandham

When and where was Bluefin established?

We started trading in Bath more than 40 years ago, then known as Kallender Ashford, based on Lower Bristol Road in Bath. We have been in the same premises, providing tailored insurance and risk management advice to the business community as well offering personal insurance broking services, for more than 30 years. We’ve been helping the local community with their insurance needs and very many clients from those early years are still with us. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 127

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 2017 How has the company developed over the last few years?

We’ve had an incredible period of success at national industry awards winning 14 different awards covering all the major areas of financial expertise. As a result we are regularly featured in the money pages of the Financial Times, The Times, The Telegraph and Mail on Sunday. I was personally recognised by the Personal Finance Society as the country’s leading Retirement and Later Life Specialist at the Personal Finance Awards 2016 and also crowned Financial Adviser of the Year at the Growth Investor Awards 2016. www.cfsorg.com

EPOCH WEALTH MANAGEMENT Head of business development and marketing Tom Annear

What’s different about the way you financially advise?

We use specialist tools to visually show clients their journey towards financial freedom. Not every IFA does this but we couldn’t easily operate without it; it’s a fundamental part of the process we go through with clients. We also invert the typical ratio of advisers (fee earners) to backoffice staff. By doing this, we can provide the high quality service we do.

Share two case studies that illustrate the work you do...

We recently showed a client she could afford to spend £500k on her dream home abroad and not have that affect her lifestyle. And we advised a solicitor who was up for partner, but who wanted to spend more time with his family, that not only did he not need to take the partnership but that he could go to four days a week and maintain his lifestyle indefinitely.

Top: Tom Annear is the proud recipient of not one, but two Bath Life Awards; below: Chris Johnson describes Handelsbanken as being built on close relationships and traditional values

What exciting events have happened in the last few years?

Aside from winning two Bath Life awards, we’ve been noted one of the top 100 IFAs for the third year in a row and been shortlisted for five other accolades, winning twice. We’ve also secured some significant clients – one with over £90m of assets – and have grown staff by about 15 per cent. www.epochwm.co.uk

HANDELSBANKEN

Branch manager Chris Johnson

ASIDE

FROM WINNING TWO BATH

LIFE AWARDS, WE’VE BEEN NOTED ONE OF THE TOP 100

IFAS FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW

How would you describe Handelsbanken?

Handelsbanken, which was established in Stockholm in 1871, is a bank built on close relationships and traditional values, with all of the modern technology that customers expect.

We offer a full range of banking and wealth management services to both personal customers and established businesses.

How does that translate on a local level?

Bath is branch no.30 in the UK, and was set up in 2007. We operate a church spire principal – only looking after individuals and businesses that are based in the local area, and each customer has direct access to their own dedicated account manager.

Any changes in the pipeline?

For the eighth year in a row we have been voted top for customer satisfaction by personal and business customers in an independent survey of British banks (EPSI, October 2016). We have continued to expand, recently opening branches in Cirencester and Chippenham, meaning we now have 207 branches across the UK. So actually we will continue to follow the same basic principle that we have followed successfully for the past 47 years – take a prudent, long-term approach and deliver the best possible service in each of the local communities we operate in. www.handelsbanken.co.uk/bath w

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 2017

SANLAM PRIVATE WEALTH

Head of private clients (South West) Peter Finnigan

When and where was Sanlam established?

Sanlam was founded in 1918 in South Africa as a life insurance company, where it took a stance against apartheid early on with how it treated employees in the workplace. It is now a diversified financial services business with just under 15,000 employees worldwide and approximately 500 in the UK. What current and future events do you see causing changes in the world of finance?

The UK and EU negotiations on leaving Europe are critical, as are the outcomes in the French and German elections, whether President Trump delivers on his spending and tax plans or not.

Furthermore, the possibility and outcome of a Scottish referendum and both interest rate rises and inflationary pressure from weaker sterling all have a part to play in deciding how best to manage client investments.

What is the main quality that helps you succeed in the field of finance?

When a client asks that you look after their finances, this takes a high level of trust on their part. In return, both individuals and companies need to show that this trust is justified. Honesty, integrity, diligence and attention to detail are all required as an individual. www.sanlam.co.uk

Top: Georgina Wilson founded The Everyday PA to assist small businesses and individuals; Peter Finnigan’s Sanlam firm took a stance against apartheid

THE

NATURE OF THE SERVICE MEANS THAT NO TWO DAYS ARE EXACTLY

ALIKE

PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT THE EVERYDAY PA

Founder Georgina Wilson

How did the idea to set up The Everyday PA come about?

It was during a particularly busy December, full of endless tick lists, that I decided to turn this challenge on its head and The Everyday PA was created. It is a bespoke service that can be adapted to suit the needs of each individual client or small business – Life PA – for researching, reorganising or sourcing; Work PA for informal, ad hoc, administration help and OAPa for support for yourself, or loved ones.

How has it grown since setting up in 2015?

The nature of the service means that no two days are exactly alike; one day I might be working with an elderly couple, helping with phone calls and online shopping, the next I will be sorting paperwork and organising an office. I have been thrilled by how exciting the journey is of watching one’s own business develop.

How important is being part of the community to you?

Very – I have been busy organising and hosting events in Batheaston, including a sales nights promoting small businesses run by local women; a comedy night and a Drag Bingo evening featuring the fantastic Lady Margaret. www.theeverydaypa.co.uk

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w

We are a specialist law firm providing advice in all areas of intellectual property protection and enforcement, including: Patents | Trade Marks | Designs | Copyright Our personalised services are tailored to fit your business, helping you to achieve your commercial goals.

7 Gay Street, Bath, BA1 2PH

T: 01225 42 88 77

E: post@bryerlaw.com

www.bryerlaw.com

j

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 2017

RECRUITMENT

FWD:THINKING RECRUITMENT LTD Director Sam Laite

How would you describe the work your company does?

Specialist marketing HR and sales recruitment, covering permanent fixed term contract and interim, and day rate assignments. We recently placed four marketing professionals into Wild & Wolf on Walcot Street, similarly with Lovehoney, Inpsecs, 7House and A-Plan Insurance.

How would you describe Fwd:Thinking’s approach to recruitment?

We believe that today’s candidates are most likely tomorrow clients, and we therefore invest the time in building a true long-lasting professional working relationship. Equally, we believe in really looking after our staff and creating a brilliant and fun culture.

How did the firm begin, and how has it developed over the years?

We started out in 2015 in two garages, one in Bear Flat, Bath, and one in Solihull, Birmingham, and now we have already outgrown two offices.

We have built great working relationships with Bath College where we play an active role in their employability programme and have increased our commitment to our three chosen charities including Three Ways School in Bath, enabling us to invest back into the local community. www.fwdthinkingrecruitment.co.uk

Top: Sam Laite’s Fwd:Thinking firm plays an active role in Bath College’s employability programme; below: Juice’s distinctive brand attracts fantastic candidates

WE

BELIEVE THAT TODAY’S CANDIDATES ARE MOST

LIKELY TOMORROW CLIENTS

JUICE RECRUITMENT LTD

Managing director Emma Summers

Tell us about Juice…

We started the business in 1998 in Bath and opened our Cheltenham office in 2002, Bristol in 2005, Swindon in 2008 and Trowbridge in 2014. Our core areas of specialism include office support, customer service, sales, marketing, creative, HR, financial services and accountancy recruitment.

What’s special about the way Juice works?

Juice has a very strong brand and one that emulates both our culture and the service delivery we provide. This in turn attracts fantastic candidates. We love nothing more than developing excellent working relationships with both our candidates and clients, and this coupled with the business’s culture, which is one of fun, enthusiasm, passion and providing excellent customer service, means we are truly committed to what we do.

Any developments in the pipeline?

It is an exciting and progressive time for us as we have just implemented a new software system that links all the communication and activity between our branches. We have a new management infrastructure in place and new launches on the horizon both in terms of location and specialisms. www.juicerecruitment.com

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 2017

SIMPLE RECRUITMENT (SOUTH WEST) LTD Director Jayla Wilcox

How would you describe the work you do?

We find jobs for people and people for jobs. Our dedicated team of consultants serve the local business community in Bath and the surrounding Somerset and Wiltshire areas, providing people with temporary and permanent roles. We pride ourselves on making the recruitment process as simple as possible for both clients and candidates.

Tell us about the Simple Recruitment team The Simple team is made up of six eccentric females, each with their own fantastic personality.

Our ladies range in ages, with at least one having been born every decade from the 50s to 90s.

What’s different about the way you work?

Unlike other recruitment agencies, our consultants do not work on the basis of bonuses or commissions. Rather, they are driven by the desire to provide an excellent service for each and every client or candidate we work for. Our focus is in always finding the right candidates for the right roles. www.simplerecruitmentltd.co.uk

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Top: The Simple Recruitment team are driven by their desire to provide an excellent service; below: Queen Square is at the heart of Bath’s finance and business district

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E L E G A L F O C U S

INHERITANCE TAX ON LIFETIME GIFTS HELEN STARKIE provides a clear guide about the basic rules and regulations regarding inheritance tax, including the exemptions and common misconceptions to his mother would all be taxable if he had already used his annual £3,000 allowance. ● A gift of up to £5,000 to a child of theirs who is marrying or entering into a civil partnership ● A gift of up to £2,500 to a grandchild of theirs who is marrying or entering into a civil partnership ● A gift of up to £2,500 between a bride and groom or a couple entering into a civil partnership or a gift of up to £1,000 to just one party to the marriage or civil partnership. ● (This is the exemption I find most people have not heard of – and is in many cases it is the most useful) any amount paid out of the individual’s income as part of their usual expenditure, provided that the individual is left with sufficient income to meet his or her own usual standard of living without having to resort to their capital assets. – This exemption is often used, for example, in relation to the payment of school fees by grandparents.

M

ost people I see professionally are already aware that their estates may be subject to Inheritance tax when they die if their estate is over a certain value. Many also have some idea that there is a seven year rule of some kind relating to gifts they have made before they die and that they can give gifts of £3,000 inheritance tax free each year. However, most are confused about how the various rules and figures they have heard apply and relate to one another – and few seem to know anything about one allowance in particular (which is in many ways the most useful of all). So here is an outline of inheritance tax basics which I hope you may find useful as an aide-memoire.

The following gifts (whether made during the lifetime of the donor (the individual making the gift) or on his or her death) are not liable to inheritance tax. ● Gifts to a spouse or civil partner ● Gifts to charities and national institutions ● Gifts to political parties

LIFETIME GIFTS

In any one tax year an individual may make any or all of the following gifts free from any liability to inheritance tax ● Gifts of up to £3,000. (The donor may also carry forward any unused allowance from the previous tax year – but only once - so if, for example, Bill made no gifts at all in 2012/13, gifts totalling £2,000 in 2013/14 and now makes a gift of £7,000 to Ben only £4,000 will be exempt from IHT – that is the allowance of £3,000 for the current year and the unused allowance of £1,000 from the previous one.

He cannot carry forward any allowance from 2012/13 and has already used part of his allowance for 2013/14) ● As many gifts of £250 each as he wishes to different recipients – So if Bill gave Ben another £250 now it would be liable to IHT. If Bill gave Weed two separate gifts of £250 in a year the first would be free from IHT; the second would not.

In the example above Bill’s £3,000 allowance for this year was offset against his larger gift to Ben. It is not possible to offset individual £250 gifts against larger gifts, so a gift by Bill of £400

Any gift made under any of these exemptions must be declared to the Revenue if the donor dies within seven years of making it but no IHT will be payable on it.

Any gift made during the seven years prior to the donor’s death which does not fall into one of the exemptions listed above will have to be taken into account when calculating the tax payable on the donor’s estate This is a thumbnail sketch of the basic rules. It is not totally comprehensive. You should always seek professional advice in relation to your own specific circumstances if you are thinking of making gifts or taking any other action which may affect your tax position.

Helen Starkie Solicitor 5 Gay Street, Bath BA1 2PH 01225 442353 www.helenstarkie.co.uk

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F I N A N C E A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

WANT TO RETIRE BUT WORRIED ABOUT YOUR INVESTMENTS? COMBINED FINANCIAL STRATEGIES are here to advise

M

any of our clients have a particular focus on when and how they can afford to retire.

Combined Financial Strategies will help you to understand what you will need, when you will need it and what you need to do now so that you can get on with enjoying your retirement. We

offer independent financial advice that will pull together all of your financial affairs covering investments, retirement and tax planning. This will allow you to get on with living your life in the knowledge that you have made the right financial plans for your future.

FINANCIAL ADVISER OF THE YEAR

Jonothan McColgan (Chartered and Independent Financial Planner) has been recognised as one of the top Financial Planners in the country by the finance industry winning many awards in 2015 and 2016 including Financial Adviser of the Year at the Growth Investor Awards 2016 and Retirement and Later Life Specialist at the Personal Finance Awards 2016.

He is also one of the country’s leading commentators on pensions and retirement in the national press. You will frequently find his commentary in the Times, Telegraph, Mail on Sunday, Financial Times and BBC.

Combined Financial Strategies Ltd 38 Gay Street, Bath BA1 2NT 01225 471 462; jonothan@cfsorg.com www.cfsorg.com “Combined Financial Strategies Ltd is an appointed representative of The Whitechurch Network Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Tax Strategies are not regulated by the FCA.”

A d v e r ti s in g featu r e a c c o u n ta n c y

Tax rules for non-doms set to change The experts at Milsted Langdon help explain the tax rule changes for those living in the United Kingdom who claim to be non-UK domiciled

F

rom 6 April 2017, an individual who has been UK resident for 15 of the previous 20 tax years will be treated as UK domiciled for tax purposes, regardless of their actual domicile.

Being non-UK domiciled carries potential UK tax advantages for those who are resident in the UK. The new rules have introduced a time limit for being able to use these advantages.

One of the advantages is the ability to use the remittance basis, where UK tax is paid on UK income and gains, but overseas income and gains are only subject to UK tax to the extent that proceeds are brought into the UK, allowing them to defer UK tax on these sources.

There are annual charges for using the remittance basis after an individual has been UK resident for seven of the last nine tax years, increasing once they have been resident for 12 of the last 14 tax years, but the opportunity will now cease altogether once an individual has been resident for 15 of the last 20 tax years.

Once the time limit is reached they will instead be subject to UK tax on their worldwide income and gains on an arising basis. The remittance basis continues to apply to 'old' income and gains, if segregated properly.

Use of the remittance basis is practically difficult as to benefit from it fully multiple bank accounts need to be operated, sometimes with new accounts being needed for every tax year.

If sources of income and gains are mixed, an individual is treated as bringing in the source that gives the highest UK tax first, when there could be part of the fund which wouldn’t attract any UK tax. This is a worst first basis. If the funds are properly segregated the non-dom can choose which source to remit and plan their tax accordingly.

From 6 April 2017 to 5 April 2019 it will be possible for non-doms to retrospectively

“There are also changes that could impact individuals who have left the UK�

Rachael Verinder, tax partner

Antonia Stokes, tax manager

rearrange mixed fund accounts if the original source of funds can be clearly identified.

Even though they may not be able to operate the remittance basis in future they may be able to make better use of the funds previously under the remittance basis, creating tax planning opportunities.

Provided certain conditions are met, individuals who become deemed domiciled as a result of the new rules will also have the opportunity to uplift personally owned foreign assets to their 5 April 2017 market value, with only gains after this date being subject to UK capital gains tax on an arising basis. Those affected may wish to obtain asset valuations as at 5 April 2017.

An individual currently becomes deemed UK-domiciled for inheritance tax purposes once they have been resident for 17 of the last 20 tax years, but this period is shortening to 15 of 20 tax years too.

Non-doms are subject to UK inheritance tax on UK assets, but this extends to worldwide assets once they become deemed UK domiciled. There may be planning opportunities before they become deemed domiciled, including the creation of certain trusts.

Trusts created by non-domiciled settlors will be given protected trust status, providing certain beneficial tax treatments even after the settlor has become deemed domiciled.

However, residential property owned indirectly through offshore entities will no longer be

Vanessa Clark, tax manager

excluded property for inheritance tax purposes and may be subject to UK inheritance tax.

There are also changes that could impact individuals who have left the UK, who may have acquired a new domicile of choice. If they return to live in the UK they will be treated as deemed UK domiciled for income and capital gains tax purposes for any year in which they are resident. They will also be treated as deemed UK domiciled for inheritance tax purposes if they have been resident for one of the previous two tax years.

At Milsted Langdon we advise a large number of non-resident and non-domiciled individuals.

If you think any of the changes apply to you, we would recommend that you get in touch with our award-winning tax team for more detailed personal advice.

www.milsted-langdon.co.uk 1 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HA Tel: 01225 904940 Rachael: rverinder@milsted-langdon.co.uk Antonia: astokes@milsted-langdon.co.uk Vanessa: vclark@milsted-langdon.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 139

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a d v e r t i s i n g f e at u r e F I N A N C E

LIFE INSURANCE FOR COMPANY DIRECTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS

In business, when a shareholder of the company passes away, the matter of who inherits the shares is not always a straightforward situation, as PEARSON MAY explains

Y

ou may well have considered life insurance in the context of your personal and family relationships, to provide for loved ones upon your death or critical/terminal illness, but what about your business relationships? Have you thought about providing a means by which your fellow directors and shareholders could purchase your shares, or the business receive a lump sum, should anything happen to you?

It is relatively common for shareholders of a company to have an agreement drawn up whereby, should a shareholder die, their executors must offer their shares to the other surviving company shareholders, with a mechanism to determine the price.

What is perhaps not as common is the directors/shareholders having a plan in place whereby the surviving shareholders have access to sufficient funds to enable them to purchase these shares from the deceased’s estate. This can be relatively easily dealt with by having an appropriate term insurance policy in place. Premiums have to be funded out of taxed income however and there may be a better way of achieving the objective.

Keyman Insurance

It is relatively common for companies to have keyman insurance in place for the loss of a director or key employee. The basics of such insurance are that any pay-out on death (and usually critical illness) is paid to the company and the company pays the insurance premiums.

“sometimes the company is given the right to buy the shares of the departing shareholder”

point appropriately.

Another benefit with keyman insurance is that the insurance payments are not usually classified as a taxable benefit in kind on the director/shareholder concerned.

Relevant Life Policies

Whether such premiums are tax deductible as far as the company is concerned and whether the proceeds of the policy are taxable depends upon the circumstances. If the sole purpose of the policy is to meet a loss of trading income that may result from loss of the services of the key person, rather than a capital loss, the premiums would normally be deductible and the proceeds taxable.

However if, for example, the purpose of the policy was to provide funds so that the company might buy back the shares of the deceased shareholder, this would normally be regarded as a capital purpose with the premiums not being deductible and the proceeds not taxable.

A word of warning must be given here – sometimes the company is given the right to buy the shares of the departing shareholder.

However, unless the qualifying conditions are met, this can land the executors or beneficiaries of the deceased shareholder with an income tax liability, because the payment to them by the company is treated as a dividend. Many company articles and shareholders’ agreements do not cover this

Under this type of policy the tax treatment can be more favourable since the premiums are normally eligible for corporation tax relief, if paid by the company, and any pay-outs to the beneficiaries are not subject to tax. The policies would also usually be written in trust so there can be favourable inheritance tax treatment as well. Additionally, premiums paid do not count as a taxable benefit in kind for the individuals concerned.

However, relevant life policies, unlike keyman insurance policies, usually only pay out to a discretionary trust for the benefit of the family of the person covered.

The wording and conditions attached to the policy in question should be checked carefully, as should the wording of the trust. The fact that the beneficiaries must be close family members may not present a problem for some companies (where the other shareholders are family members) but obviously such a restriction is not suitable for companies with unrelated shareholders.

The above is for general guidance only and no action should be taken without obtaining specific advice. Independent professional advice should be sought from insurance providers, financial advisers or brokers regarding the various policies and products available.

David Richards ACA CTA

37 Great Pulteney Street, Bath BA2 4DA 01225 460491 mail@pearsonmay.co.uk www.pearsonmay.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 141

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

SURPRISE, Xxxxxxx 144 LIFELIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk 112 II BATH CLIFTON I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SHOWCASE

PROPERTY

SURPRISE With a spa complex, gym, outdoor terraces that follow the sun, and a revolving summer home on site, Woodwyck House in Freshford near Bath is a gift that keeps on giving

By E V E LY N GR E E N www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE LIFE II 145 www.mediaclash.co.uk I CLIFTON 113

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

S

ometimes on these property pages, we save the best bits for last, but in the case of Woodwyck House, we can’t contain our excitement for that long. So, getting straight into it, we’ll guide you directly to the rear lobby of the house where an exceptional spa complex – complete with a pine-clad, family-sized sauna, an invigorating multi jet shower and comfortable changing area – await the new owners. From here, you’ll enter the superb remodelled swimming area with fabulous roman steps submerging into the large pool. Frescos of beachside images line the walls, and west-facing doors lead to the outside terrace – a perfect sunbathing area when the weather permits – from which the panoramic views are truly breath-taking. Added to this already-glorious array of facilities is a fully equipped gym – reached through an enticing walkway, complete with three stone arch windows overlooking the front garden.

The grounds surrounding the house are just as impressive as the spa, and they include an enchanting secret garden and an area which attracts wild ducks, but we’ll get to that later.

First, let us take you room-by-room.

Originally constructed in 1934, this exceptional country house, nestled in glorious Freshford countryside, has been significantly extended and renovated to exacting standards by the current owners.

Entering through the oak front door, the feeling of space and grandeur is immediately apparent and a large reception hall with a galleried landing and stained glass windows provides a grand welcome. In the drawing room, the proportions are excellent, a marble fireplace sits at the heart of the room and the dual-aspect windows offer a fabulous sense of light and space.

Another area with real presence is the dining room where a hand-painted pilaster frieze is enhanced by oak-panelled walls and an open fireplace, giving it warm and atmospheric setting, while a secret door and an edgy sound system add an intriguing feel.

Situated off the reception hall is the charming and cosy 146 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

The grounds include a waterfall, Monet bridge and a wild duck pond; the interior of the house blends modern with traditional character; a spa complex, which includes a pool and family-sized sauna, is the gem of the property; the heart of the home is bathed in light

HOUSE NUMBERS

6,415 sq ft of space

742

sq ft of outbuildings

5

bedrooms

POA price

3.7

acres of gardens

library snug; an ideal spot for a quiet moment. By contrast, an open, bright sun room is a fantastic entertaining space and has a choice of doors that lead outside onto the adjoining terrace and is completed by a fabulous remote controlled sun canopy.

At the centre of the ground floor, and enjoying a southerly aspect, is the bespoke kitchen/dining room. It’s bathed in light and enhanced by a roof lantern, Cotswold stone flooring and under-floor heating, while offshoots such as a walk-in pantry, a boot room, a cloakroom and fully fitted utility room keep the space clutter-free.

There are four generous bedrooms (the fifth currently being used as a study), luxurious en suites and a family bathroom on the first floor. The master suite enjoys magnificent views and the en suite shower room is complemented by sophisticated modern lighting and couple’s sinks. There is also a spacious balcony overlooking the grounds and surrounding countryside.

So, back to those jaw-dropping gardens. To the front of the house is a large lawned area which flows to a tree-lined orchard, and to the rear are three attractive terraces, each carefully positioned to follow the sun throughout the day.

The back gardens are also laid predominately to lawn and seem to disappear towards the far-reaching panoramic views. An infinity rill provides further aesthetic appeal and, at the far edge, the level slopes down to a pond, gloriously set amongst landscaped rockery and includes a gushing waterfall and Monet bridge.

As if that wasn’t enough to lure a new owner in, the surprises just keep on coming. There’s a ‘bog’ garden which attracts wild ducks and an array of other wildlife, a flower meadow, a vegetable garden and plenty of outbuildings including a wood store, a tractor shed, and a revolving Victorian summer house. We might just move in ourselves…

Savills Bath, Edgar House, 17 George Street, Bath BA1 2EN; 01225 474 500; www.savills.co.uk

Alcombe, Near Box. Guide £1,350,000.

A handsome country home with character, views, large gardens & paddock totalling circa 3 acres.

Briary Orchard is a very comfortable detached property set in its own generous grounds in stunning Wiltshire countryside. The heart of the home will surely be the fashionably large kitchen family room with lofty beamed ceiling. Drawing room, dining hall & garden room, Master bedroom with ensuite plus another bedroom presently used as a study with another bathroom, two further double bedrooms. The extensive gardens extend to circa 1.25 acres. The house links well to the gardens and enjoys views over them and well beyond. Lastly, we have a paddock believed to be approximately 1.75 acres. This is a fine home in a sought after situation.

Bradford-on-Avon. Guide £500,000.

Centrally located period home for renovation. Double garage! Walk to the station & amenities.

Number 5, Regents Place is tucked away from passers-by, traffic & tourists!

Approached through the garden, the rear elevation is utterly charming boasting honey coloured stone, sash windows and white painted shutters. Welcoming hallway & two lovely reception rooms, both look out onto, and lead to, the garden and patio seating area immediately outside the house. The property also has a good-sized kitchen breakfast room, separate utility room and cloakroom. Four bedrooms, three of which are doubles. Pretty south west facing garden. The cherry on the cake is the double garage!

Tel: 01225 866747 27 Market Street, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, BA15 1LL email: info@jeremyjenkins.co.uk • website: www.jeremyjenkins.co.uk

Box Road, Bathford, Nr. Bath Prices from ÂŁ945,000 A luxury development of only four contemporary detached villas in this tucked away cul de sac situated on the North Eastern outskirts of Georgian Bath.

4 bedrooms (one with GF master bedroom) plus study/ bedroom 5, Fitted kitchen breakfast room, separate utility room, large living/family room, ground floor cloak room, Garage, parking and garden. Summer 2017.

Woodford, Berkeley, South Gloucs Prices from ÂŁ525,000 1st two of 4 brand new contemporary styled detached barn type homes in this exclusive development of only 6 elegant professional homes within 5 miles of Thornbury.

4 bedrooms (with en-suites to master & guest rms). Spacious dual aspect living rm, dining rm, stunning fitted k/breakfast rm and separate utility. Vaulted ceilings to FF. Bold, confident yet reassuringly traditional.

Now under construction build completion expected Summer 2017

T: 01225 471116 crossmanhomes.co.uk

T: 01225 325857

timbennettandassociates.co.uk

P R O P E R T Y a d v e rtising f e at u r e

Why apartments can make beautiful homes Apartments make wonderful homes for many people, from young professionals and second-home owners to downsizers

D

eciding whether to live in an apartment or a house ultimately comes down to personal preference.

Overall, apartments are perfect for anybody who wants to call a place a home. Being specialists in selling and letting apartments, 100% of our buyers and tenants are solely looking for this type of property.

This is mainly down to a lifestyle choice.

Location is key for them, wanting to be in the heart and soul of city living in Bath. They want to be close to its architecture, boutique shops, transport links, independent cafes and so on.

Size is less important as they’re more likely to find that sort of location living in an apartment.

Georgian townhouses converted into beautiful apartments add a lot of appeal too. Whether they are made into a stylish

contemporary home or kept traditional, they provide plenty of character. Rooms are often larger and brighter, with period features such as ornate cornicing and original fireplaces.

There are also many apartment blocks in Bath with pools on the premises.

A home does not need to be large or lavish either. A smaller place means there is less additional maintenance. If you’re not on the ground floor you won’t have a garden to look after and its upkeep and utilities are generally lower too. There is also shared responsibility for maintaining the building.

Apartments boast excellent security.

Neighbours are in close proximity, some buildings have guards and others have secure front doors. All of this creates a safe-haven for anybody living there, as well as an ideal lockup-and-leave option for second home owners.

And finally, for buy-to-let investors they make

great investments as there are so many professionals seeking quality apartments to rent.

For more advice visit our blog at www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk/ newssearch.aspx Sales: 01225 471144 Lettings: 01225 303870 www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk

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B AT H L I V E S

Q&A

S

ensory specialist Claire founded a business on the concept that far too many of us take our senses for granted. Vetyver is driven by her passionate belief that it’s not just about how something looks, it’s about how it feels, smells, sounds and tastes. So whether she’s creating signature perfumes or organising multi-sensory art installations, her aim is always to bring more forgotten aspects into businesses and add new and exciting experiences What I do is a little different…

I’m a sensory brand consultant. That’s to say, I advise and create sensory experiences.

I founded sensory agency Vetyver which helps businesses and institutions to create a better and more emotional connection with their customers through considering audio, olfactory, gastronomic, tactile and visual experiences.

Our senses are powerful; they appeal to our emotions, mood and memories…

We’re often unaware of our sensory environments and how much impact they’re having on us. With most businesses, events, products and companies, the whole sensory experience isn’t considered. So whether we are creating toiletries for a hotel, sounds for apps, multi-sensory products for dementia patients, tasting events for drinks brands, multisensory gigs, running creative workshops for agencies, or organising virtual reality, everything we do is about engaging the senses. Every project we do is different – we have worked with retailers, airports, hotels, galleries, concerts, hospitals, drinks brands and mobile providers.

I was always interested in how brands behave and feel rather than just the visual identity…

That’s what inspired me to start the business.

My background is branding, but I wanted to help people create experiences that are much more engaging and memorable.

CLAIRE SOKELL THOMPSON The founder of Vetyver on creating sensory experiences for a living, working with neuroscientists, and her obsession with all things terrifying Smells and sounds can take us back to a certain time in our lives…

For me, the scents that evoke the happiest memories are crayons, roses, rice cooking, Cire Trudon carmélite candles and tomato plants in my greenhouse. And, as for sounds, it’s waves, thunder, hooves and bees. My senses are my most prized possession; they bring constant joy and entertainment.

There are many ‘best bits’ about what I do…

Working in an emerging field is very exciting and I’m learning new things every day. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to work with an amazing and eclectic network of businesses such as Orange and The Savoy, and amazing people, from soundscape artists and perfumers to academics and neuroscientists.

There’s a huge challenge I face, too…

And that is having to constantly explain what it is we do!

I’ve been in Bath just over two years…

I live with my husband, two children, two Border terriers, Briard puppy, a cat and some colourful tropical fish.

The pleasures of living and working in the city are tremendous…

The combination of independent and high street shops and restaurants, schools, great entertainment and activities, all in such close proximity to the countryside, is fantastic.

I feel very connected to nature without the need to commute – ideal.

154 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

On a day off, you’ll find me at my favourite Bath hangouts…

These include Found, the boutique shop on Argyle Street, a small yet perfectly formed shop run by two lovely people; Sam’s Kitchen where such care is taken over ingredients they buy, what they cook and how they cook it; and the Canary Gin Bar where dark walls, a colourful attitude and teapots of gin unite – what’s not to love?

My favourite view in Bath is from Brassknocker Hill…

I’m up and down it constantly but I never tire of it. It changes constantly – by the hour, by time of day, by direction and by season. And my favourite spot in general has to be Walcot Street.

Something interesting not many people know about me is…

I really want to learn how to fly.

My favourite place to be in the world is...

In, on or under the sea – surfing, swimming, sailing and scuba diving. If I could change one thing about Bath I’d put it next to the sea.

It may surprise people to know…

I am strangely attracted to collecting weird toys such as Moshi Monsters, scary vintage bell boys and creepy dolls – the stuff of horror movies.

www.vetyver.co.uk

your local Villeroy & Boch stockists 5 The Shambles, Bradford on Avon BA15 1JS | 01225 309110 www.bathroomsatno5.co.uk