Bath Life – issue 339

Dining/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property ISSUE 339 / 12 – 26 MAY 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

MEAT AND GREET

VEGETARIANS V CARNIVORES

ISSUE 339 / 12 – 26 MAY 2017 / FEEL AT HOME

URBAN ORIGINAL

TOP THAT

THE CITY’S UNIQUE PIZZA RESTAURANTS

HEALTH KICKS

SUMMER VITALITY TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

TAKE A PEEK INSIDE A LUXURY BATH TOWNHOUSE

PERFECT HARMONY

THE IFORD ARTS FESTIVAL IS UPON US

EDITOR’S LETTER / ISSUE 339 / 12 – 26 MAY 2017

104 DWELL AND GOOD

Absorb the history of this Bath property which has just gone on the market

Eat your heart out Our front cover this week features a charming Pierrepont Place family home and bed & breakfast which has just gone on the market. We were so enamoured by this property that we dedicated four pages to it; turn to page 104 to discover how the combination of its beauty and history make it such a gem.

Sticking with a similar theme, on page 90 we speak to the developers who are currently helping to shape the future of Bath’s housing market with their new builds.

Elsewhere, as National Vegetarian Week is coming up, we’ve quizzed local foodies about their experiences with the plant-based lifestyle, and they’re an interesting bunch.

From a Bath butcher who decided to give up meat, to the owner of a smokehouse restaurant who can’t remember the last time he ate a steak, see their surprising stories on page 26.

On the topic of plants, we were fascinated to talk to the founder of Pukka – a global tea and supplement business – who also happens to own a traditional herbal medicine clinic in Bath. On page 70, he explains his attraction to the natural world and his happiness that millions of Pukka fans around the world trust in his ethos, too.

To balance all this healthiness out, we’ve visited the pizza restaurants of Bath on page 60 and taste-tested their most unusual offerings – think seaweed and turmeric bases, chocolate and pistachio sauces, and marshmallow and macerated strawberry toppings, not all at the same time, of course. After all, what’s life without a little indulgence?

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

PHOTO CREDIT RIVERFORD

FEATURES / ISSUE 339 / 12 – 26 MAY 2017

26

FOOD

Whether carnivore or vegetarian, foodie experts share their views on meat eating and veg-based diets

114 Bath Lives

A catch up with Judy Eglington, co-founder of Iford Arts Festival

REGULARS / ISSUE 339 / 12 – 26 MAY 2017 M E ET T H E T EAM

THE ARTS

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

35 Arts intro The Fringe Arts Bath Festival is coming to town

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: Safia Yalloui, David Flatman, Jennifer Jennings Wright and Nic Bottomley 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 Sales executive Michael Stevens michael.stevens@mediaclash.co.uk

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

46 One to one Author India Knight takes the lead on all things dog-related ahead of her Bath Festival visit

51 Bookshelf Mr B’s Nic Bottomley gets lost in a war of words

Production and distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Production designer Charlie Pinder charlie.pinder@mediaclash.co.uk

53 Film Jennifer Jennings Wright looks for films with a Bath connection

FOOD

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

56 Restaurant It’s a heavenly treat dining at Lacock’s Sign of the Angel

60 Pizza Creme Eggs, lime zest and black rice flour are all part of the Bath pizza experience

65 Food & drink news Big cheeses on parade and a Ping Coombes’ pop-up

SHOPPING

70

Bath Life, MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

BUSINESS

DEPARTMENTS

A selection of the best wine accessories with which to toast English Wine Week

81 Business insider

11 16 25

LIFEST YLE

PROPERT Y

70 Health and wellbeing

90 New builds

Meet the locals looking after the mind, body and spirit of Bath

The city’s property developers discuss their new Bath builds

68 Editor’s choice

News, views and interviews from the region’s professionals

Spotlight Society A man’s world

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 The exquisite bathroom of a Pierrepont Place townhouse which has just gone on the market. Turn to page 104 for the full feature

TRULY BESPOKE KITCHENS Meeting the highest of standards

SHAKER & MAY BESPOKE HANDMADE KITCHENS L11 Commerce Park Frome BA11 2FB 01373 764345 www.shakerandmay.co.uk

BATH: ITS LIFE AND TIMES Work up for auction includes, clockwise from left: Study 1 by Anna Gillespie; Tintin, Lisa and the Key of Paper by Cooper & Gorfer; and Richard Twose’s Scene from a Film No 3

THEATRE

STAGE COACH

FUNDRAISING

PAINT BALL The Royal Crescent Society is hosting a ball to both celebrate their landmark 250th anniversary, as well as raise funds for Royal United Hospital’s Forever Friends Appeal. Just 250 people will be invited to attend the black-tie Hope Ball on 17 June at the Royal Crescent which costs £250 per person and includes a champagne reception, a three-course fine dining menu with sommelier-curated wine pairing; and an auction including artwork by Sir Peter Blake, Manolo Blahnik, Cooper & Gorfer, Anna Gillespie and Richard Twose.

Tabitha Claydon, who is one of the key

organisers of the event, explains, “Local firms have been outstanding in their sponsorship endorsement and support of the Hope Ball, including Mallory’s, Emery Brothers, Aaron Evans and Doric Group, who have sponsored the printing of the art catalogue.

“After the auction there will also be music by Swing Machine Jazz Orchestra, acclaimed singer Claire Martin and a special appearance by Alfred ‘Pee Wee’ Ellis, a leading American saxophonist, who has worked with many greats including James Brown and Van Morrison.”

For more: www.hopeball.co.uk

The Theatre Bath Bus, an innovative new community project sponsored by local businesses including Theatre Royal Bath Creative Fund and Stone King Foundation, was recently unveiled. The year-long project has seen the conversion of an 11 metre-long single decker passenger bus fully converted into a mobile venue which will be available for a diverse range of events including theatre, comedy, poetry, music, workshops, seminars, meeting space, cinema and party spot.

Luke John Emmett, creator of the Theatre Bath Bus, explains, “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support of the community in Bath and further afield to help us realise this project and make it a reality. The bus has really captured people’s imaginations, and booking enquiries are already flying in from a range of diverse projects.” There are already plans to take the bus to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018 where a group of 50 local young people will perform three different shows.

For more: www.theatrebathbus.co.uk

Luke John Emmett and Zoe Bailey at the official launch party on 9 April

SPOTLIGHT

BATH COLLEGE

HELLO, PETAL

CHARITY

A WHEELY GOOD CAUSE Dorothy House Hospice Care have launched a new charity event – Soapbox Derby – with the support of Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams. The event, which takes place on 9 July in Victoria Park, Bath, challenges the local business community to join the ‘Soapbox Battle’ by signing up a team for the Soapbox Derby or sponsoring an obstacle on the course, and in doing so, raise funds for the hospice. Supporters and sponsors already include Minuteman Press, BA1 Hair, HMS Flying Fox the Royal Navy Reserves, Juice Recruitment and Strawberry Fields Catering.

Amy explains, “The Soapbox Derby is a time trial for non-power assisted carts run over a grassy, inclined course. The carts

will require a three-person team with one person driving and two pushing. I’m used to a push-start on my skeleton sled but it’s a bit different being pushed on wheels. I’m always happy to support local Bath events – especially when they’re raising funds for great local charities like Dorothy House.

Come along and watch the fun or build your very own dream machine, it’ll be a great day out.”

Competitors can bring friends, families and colleagues along to watch the battle of the soapboxes, plus there’s a ‘Time Trial’ available for anyone to take part on the day in a specially designed cart by Lansdown Mazda.

For more: www.dorothyhouse.org.uk

after working as a nurse for 30 years, says, “I felt it was time to try something new.

One of my patients told me that she had done the Level 3 course at Bath College, and that got me thinking.

“I did a 10-week floristry course as a taster and became hooked. It is so exciting to have found another direction to take in life.

“Competing at Chelsea is a wonderful, once in a lifetime opportunity, so I’m hoping that I can make something beautiful and unique.”

For more: www.bathcollege.ac.uk

From front: Amy Williams, Zac Fennell of BA1 Hair, Dorothy House’s Phillippa Watson and Oliver Sacco of Lansdown Mazda

PHOTO BY BEATA COSGROVE

Sarah, Lora and Linda are on their way to Chelsea

Three florists from Bath College, Linda Sorenson, Lora Stevens and Sarah Hampton, have, after impressing judges during the South West regional heat, secured the opportunity to compete at the famous Chelsea Flower Show, 22-27 May. Lora and Sarah are among 16 florists from across the UK chosen for the final of the Young Florist of the Year competition, and Linda is one of two college students selected to compete for the title of Chelsea Florist of the Year, with most of the places for the final going to professional florists.

Linda, who enrolled on a floristry course

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Adventures in party-going

Maddie Bond

SCENE

FASHION HOUSE

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

Rebecca Williams and Sarah Tinder

Lindsay Turner and Charlotte Curtiss

Elizabeth Vassie

Students from the Royal High School Bath took to modelling clothes to raise funds to build a school in Cambodia.

Catwalk for Cambodia took place on 28 March at Anthropologie on New Bond Street and along with their own spring collections, featured Wearable Art by local artist Carole Waller of One Two Five Gallery, with hair support from Artizan and Make Up

by MAC at Jolly’s.

Photos by Tim Woolf www.woolfandrogersphotography.com Annie Reynolds and Kerensa Reynolds

Rebecca Marx and Kora Faithfull

Sarah Baker, Lizzie Heffer and Carole Waller Lou David and Cherry David

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

SPONSORED BY:

14 green street, bath BA1 2JZ Tel: 01225 426000 www.greenstreethouse.com Quote this ad when booking. No two offers can be used together.

SOCIETY

SOCIAL STANDING

SPONSORED BY:

Mareike Schmidt and Steve Clark

The University of Bath hosted the launch of the Social Enterprise and Innovation Programme at the Guildhall on 30 March. The event, which helps to develop and transform the resources available to the region’s social enterprises and entrepreneurs, began with drinks and networking, followed by dinner.

Photos by Adam Carter www.adamcarterphoto.com

Susie Douglas and Marc Hutchby Liz Dobree and Sue Cooper

Dan Gregory and Oliver Hathaway

Angela Hiuck and Monika Radclyffe

Ruth Pitter and Wendy Stephenson

George Kousouros and Richard Hocking

Becky Gallagher and Andrew McLaughlin 18 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SOCIETY

SPONSORED BY:

AHEAD OF THE VERVE Verve, the interior design shop on London Road, hosted a spring party on 26 March to celebrate the arrival and installation of their new range. Along with locally designed and made textiles, glassware, ceramics and lighting, there are prints by Bath based Emma Rose, original oils by new artist Jenny Cowderoy and Agnes Pollock. Elisabeth Anderson, of Amamini Flowers, also demonstrated how to make kokedama – Japanese inspired moss balls, which work as mini indoor gardens.

Fiona Parashar, Jacqui Edmiston and Louise Rushford

Susannah Padiachy, Koobie Wainwright and Emma Jordan

Photos by Emma Rose www.emmaroseartworks.com

Emma Rose, Agnes Pollock, Fran May and Jenny Cowderoy

Julie Warner, SJ Han, Estienne Sheppard and Sarah Maya

HAPPY EVER AFTER Isabella Fitzjohn-Moores hosted a launch party for her first novel – The Golden Hair – a fairytale for adults which also includes illustrations from Bath artist, Samuel Lindup at Toppings and Co on 31 March. Guests enjoyed champagne and canapés, along with readings of the book by Isabella, who is also a songwriter known as Isabella in the Forest.

Isabella Fitzjohn-Moores, Stephanie Lyons, Terry French and Wendy French Harriet Knowlton, Hettie Lewis and Antonia Hempleman-Adams

Photos by Harriet Knowlton

Ollie Jacobs and Patrick Phillips

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

Louise Hempleman and Marcos Mykonos

SOCIETY

SPONSORED BY:

PROPERT Y RIGHTS

Heledd Wyn

Three firms shared their insights and expert opinions into the Bath property market at the Hilton, Walcot Street on 23 March.

Handelsbanken, Bishop Fleming and Savills invited guests to the talks and Q&A sessions, which were followed by drinks, snacks, and networking.

Manjinder Kang and Carly Foster

Photos by Beata Cosgrove www.beatacosgrovephotography.com

Jane Lethbridge and Richard Lethbridge

BRIDE AND JOY

Rosalind Anderson and Emma Charlton

Kambiz Shayegan, Nick Sandy and Benjamin Shayegan

Sandy Marshall and Joy Marshall

Krystle Brides recently held an accessories event at their St James’s Parade store. Along with a vast array of beautiful bridal pieces and shoes from the Rainbow Club, the Bath Life Award winning hairdresser Zara Perry was on hand to advise on styles, and Bath Spa Florists provided the floral inspiration.

Photos by Adam Carter www.adamcarterphoto.com Robyn Collins and Amy Derham

Laura Bradiwood, Katy French, Leslie Herbert, Krystle Herbert-Worgan and Katy Nochar

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

A MAN’S WORLD

DAVID FLATMAN

MORE THAN MEATS THE EYE Although he’s a passionate carnivore, Flats has begun adding meat-free days to his diet, and they’re some of his favourites ust like the ‘football versus rugby’ debate, there’s no winner when carnivores attempt to combat vegetarianism. Not only is there no winner because, well, life isn’t actually an augmented game of Top Trumps, but because neither side can ever really be called losers. Those who eat meat absorb all the nutrition and vitamins offered by a decent fillet steak, while vegetarians don’t have to feel bad about killing cute animals.

Predictably, I am about as vegetarian as a Siberian tiger. This doesn’t mean, however, that I dismiss the very notion of herbivorous living.

No, I actually rather like the idea. In fact, I’ve secretly started doing the odd day without meat.

I know, this seems like so token a gesture as to be futile, but consider this: I am a man who, just last night, cooked a large lamb breast for four hours in my garden and ate it all myself. With nothing else. And I didn’t even use cutlery. It was glorious, until Mrs F poked her head out of the French windows and told me I was going to die before my 40th birthday. Ah, marriage.

I once ate 13 sausages for lunch. All of my dream shopping baskets online (except the Porsches and robot lawn mowers) are meat. I eat whole chickens with my hands while watching programmes about American pickup trucks, I snack on biltong while walking the dogs, and I literally have dreams about homemade barbeque sauces. I was born this way.

But my veggie days are some of my favourites. Somehow I don’t feel all fresh and less cumbersome after a day off animals, but

that’s not why I do it. Nor do I do it to make myself feel better about anything or to appease any non-meaty friends. I do it because it tastes nice. And because Mrs F’s macabre warnings drill their way into my subconscious.

I pop into The Green Rocket café now and then with my vegan mate and always enjoy my fodder, but it could never be a way of life for me. Everyday vegetables can be pleasant, but the truth is that they more closely resemble a necessity rather than a treat. Much like lots of children, I eat them because I really should. But meat – glorious, meaty meat – represents luxury to me. The bacon from the hand-reared pigs at Vale House Kitchen that I’ll have for breakfast tomorrow, the beef brisket I plan to cook in beer for 10 hours soon after from Field & Flower (the world’s best website – I’m addicted), and the pork tenderloin I’ll chomp from a Tupperware pot as I plough up the M4 this weekend. All of these things excite me in a way a vegetable probably never will.

I’m ready to be proven wrong, however, and I’m up for just about anything. I just don’t think plants will ever replace animals in my life. It’s 2017, though, and we thankfully live in a time of acceptance. Vegetarians, I accept you.

Please, embrace me. Show me the way. And if you want the favour returned, the barbecue’s always loaded up and ready to rock.

I EAT WHOLE CHICKENS WITH MY HANDS WHILE WATCHING PROGRAMMES ABOUT AMERICAN PICKUP TRUCKS. I WAS BORN THIS WAY

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

FOOD AND DRINK

ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MINERAL? As it’s National Vegetarian Week between 15-21 May, we’ve spoken to local foodie business owners and chefs, all of whom have experienced vegetarianism at some stage in their lives. Read on to meet the butcher and the owner of a smokehouse who have both flirted with plant-based lifestyles

By L I SA E VA NS

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

FOOD AND DRINK it for longer I would have adapted, and I’m in no way saying that this was the only factor.

“I think what I missed about meat the most was the variety it provided. I was having many different and extravagant meals, but before a month was over, I found myself eating the same dishes three or four times, so purely for that reason, I couldn’t have remained a vegetarian.

“My aim now is to create a demand for responsibly sourced meat to challenge the ethics of those producers who are irresponsible. I source meat from Jamie’s Farm, for example, because their ethos aligns with my own.”

PHOTO BY TIM GAUTREY

1 Lambridge Buildings, Bath; larkhallbutchers.co.uk

THE CHEF WHO TURNED TO PLANTS AT THE AGE OF 10

O

ur relationship with meat is complex, and there are countless reasons why we might choose to eliminate it from our diets: health worries, moral ambiguity, to lose weight, and so on.

But while some turn away from the omnivorous path, on occasion those same people come back, and vice versa. The individuals profiled in this article all dabbled with the vegetarian side of life before deciding on a diet that worked for them.

THE BUTCHER WHO BECAME A VEGETARIAN

Peter Milton, the owner of Larkhall Butchers, tried out vegetarianism for a while to understand the diet’s limitations...

“For a brief period, I was a vegetarian. The aim was to gain an understanding into the difficulties and limitations vegetarians might face. I completely support many of the views posed by vegetarians, and I agree that there is a lot wrong with the meat trade at the moment and many of the mass-producing methods are harrowing.

“What I don’t agree with, however, is complete abstinence from meat. I was able to do much more good by adjusting the practices when I took over the shop than if I had stayed vegetarian, not just by sourcing more locally, but from suppliers who I often visit to see the animals grow so I know that every step of the process is as humane and as ethical as possible. At the end of the day, were we not to eat them, they wouldn’t be there. Not eating meat isn’t saving any animal’s life, it is condemning them never to live.

“Now, I have to be careful here as this bit can come across badly. When I turned vegetarian I actually got quite sick and I did attribute much of that to the diet at the time. Coming from a considerably carnivorous farming family, the sudden and extreme change to my diet didn’t sit well with me, though I am sure had I stuck with

Opposite page: Riverford Bath delivers vegetable and meat-filled boxes to your doorstep; this page, above: Peter Milton of Larkhall Butchers stopped eating meat to gain an understanding of vegetarianism; below: vegetarian chef Helen Lawrence says a lack of plantbased choices growing up inspired her career path

THERE IS A LOT

Helen Lawrence, lead tutor at Demuths cookery School chose to give up meat as a child after becoming aware of animal welfare. The lack of meal choice she experienced when growing up led her to think more creatively as a chef...

“During the 80s and 90s, being vegetarian and eating out was difficult; if we ever went anywhere other than an Asian restaurant, my choice was limited to salad, goats’ cheese tart or mushroom risotto. It was frustrating back then, but once I had trained to be a chef I knew how easy it was with a little exploration and imagination to create exciting vegetarian and vegan dishes. Even now, vegetarians tend to get cheese or egg-based dishes as a rule, but there is still so much more that even simple eateries could offer.

“That’s why I have a passion particularly for vegan cooking at Demuths. We bring a huge variety of pulses, grains and vegetables along with herbs, spices and world-flavors into our w

WRONG WITH THE MEAT

TRADE AT THE MOMENT AND MANY

OF THE MASSPRODUCING

METHODS ARE HARROWING

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 27

FOOD AND DRINK dishes. We do a great vegan version of spinach ricotta malfatti (an Italian poached gnocchi) with a shallot thyme “cheese” sauce, for example. We make our own soya ricotta and use cashews and nutritional yeast to create the creamy, cheeseflavoured sauce.

“I would love to see more traditional restaurants offering these variations and giving a broader choice. I know that its not only strict vegetarians that love to eat in this way; half our customers at Demuths are not vegetarian.

They are drawn to this way of cooking as it can be tastier and more colourful, but also much healthier. I wish more restaurants would embrace this and think that potentially half the people who came in to eat would choose a vegetarian or vegan option if it was done right.

“I think it is easier to come up with veggie dishes than meat ones in the sense that when you make the vegetable at the centre of the meal, you automatically get into thinking creatively.

Each vegetable has many ways of being cooked and prepared – from roasting, steaming and chargrilling to blending, shredding and julienning – which all radically change the ingredients’ flavour and character.”

6 Terrace Walk, Bath; www.demuths.co.uk

THE VEG NERD

Although she eats meat from time to time, Vicki Mowat, the director of Riverford Bath – which specialises in delivering organic vegetarian and non-vegetarian recipe boxes to customers’ doors – says her lifestyle revolves around plants...

“I’m not 100 per cent vegetarian, but I eat a diet which is very heavily plant-based, and the meat I do eat is very high welfare as it comes from our own farm. As a business, although we do deliver meat boxes, vegetables are absolutely at the heart of everything we do and we think of ourselves as “veg nerds” first and foremost. Our fruit and veg boxes are all about providing you with the raw ingredients to create what you want to eat, and we believe in making vegetables the star of the show.

Customers can tailor what they buy according to how they eat. They can also add store cupboard essentials like pasta, coconut milk, chopped tomatoes, olive oils, and wines to their delivery.

“We’re delighted that identical twin chefs David and Stephen Flynn – the Happy Pear – will be our guest chefs this month. Their vegetarian recipe boxes will be available throughout May and will include beetroot, walnut and feta burgers with roasted carrot hummus, sweet potato falafels with red pepper relish, and a Moroccan tagine, among other dishes.

“It’s not at all difficult to come up with inventive veggie offerings. Vegetables provide a much greater variety of flavour, texture and colour than meat, and there are so many different ways to cook them. Just take a look at one of our veg box companion cookbooks or the recipe videos on our YouTube channel to get a feel for the fabulously inventive Riverford approach.”

Limpley Stoke; www.riverford.co.uk 28 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Above: Although she’s a meat eater, Vicki Mowat, the director of Riverford Bath, prefers to focus on making vegetables the stars of the show

VEGETABLES

PROVIDE A MUCH GREATER VARIETY OF FLAVOUR, TEXTURE AND COLOUR THAN MEAT

THE ALMOST-VEGETARIAN OWNER OF A MEAT-EATERS’ PARADISE

Robbie Tack owns GPT Smokehouse – a restaurant with a focus on locally sourced meat which is cooked low and slow over a hickory wood fire in an American hot smoker. Think ‘dirty burgers’ made with prime steak mince, smoked pulled pork and bacon, and ‘the pit master’ consisting of a half rack of ribs, BBQ chicken, buttermilk ribs and fries. Robbie takes pride in only using the highest quality ingredients which take welfare and sustainability into account, but interestingly for an owner of a meat-eaters’ paradise, he has recently become drawn to the vegetarian diet. Here, he explains why and what his upcoming plans are to introduce his ethos to the restaurant…

“On a personal note, I don’t ever eat meat at home, and I can’t remember when there was meat last in my fridge. I have been profoundly moved by certain documentaries on Netflix, and a plantbased diet now really resonates with me.

“I’m currently looking at ways we can move the business in that direction, but I’m a million miles away from it at the moment. We do our best with responsible sourcing of our ingredients, but we want to push the standards even further.

“For example, since we opened, we’ve used GM-free sunflower oil in our fryers as opposed to industry-standard GM soy which is bad news but is half the price. We’ll be relaunching our menu at some point this summer which will feature an array of vegetarian options including superfood salads, vegan burgers, cauliflower and chickpea curry, and lots of Homewood halloumi and mac and cheese which are already firm favourites.”

44-45 Lower Bristol Road, Bath; www.gptbath.com w

COME AND MEET Frederick Augustus the cat..............at

OLD BANK ANTIQUES CENTRE 16-17 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath BA1 6AD

Tel. 01225 338813

The largest antiques retailer in Bath & voted in the top 50 antiques shops in Britain, by the Independent on Sunday

No, he’s not stuffed...

Maybe even find time to look at some antiques... we’ve got everything from 17th century furniture to 1970s retro and kitchenalia, spread through lots of showrooms.

We’re on the A4, London Road, near Morrisons.

About 15 minutes walk from the bottom of Walcot Street.

We’re open 10-6 Monday to Saturday. 11-5 on Sunday.

We have our own parking at the rear, accessed via Bedford Street.

alexatmontague@aol.com / www.oldbankantiquescentre.com

Trimbach Wine Tasting Dinner Allium Restaurant, Abbey Hotel, Bath Thursday 15th June, 6.30pm-9.30pm Taste some of the finest wines of Alsace with Julien Trimbach, 13th generation of a family that has been making wine for almost 400 years. Accompanied by a menu created by talented Head Chef, Rupert Taylor. The evening will include a taste of Clos Sainte Hune – “one of the greatest white wines in the world.”* * Decanter.com, 6th May 2016

Tickets £75, to include all wines, canapés, three courses, tea or coffee and chocolates. Approximate à la carte price of this menu and these wines would be £150 per head.

Tickets £75 | www.greatwesternwine.co.uk/events | 01225 322810

FOOD AND DRINK

VEG v MEAT: THE DEBATE Bath Life editor Lisa Evans, and deputy editor Sarah Moolla, are a mirror image when it comes to their diets. While Lisa has eaten meat for years but became a vegetarian recently, Sarah was a vegetarian for a decade before going back to meat LISA EVANS

An enthusiastic carnivore until a year ago when she went cold turkey…

I would like to say I became a vegetarian for health reasons, and that I’m a kale-loving individual who frolics among bean-grain combos and kneels at the altar of organic, cage-free tofu, but in reality, when I gave up meat, I didn’t become the apple-a-day person I’d hoped I’d magically transform into, I became a cheese fiend. The vegetarian in me thinks that because I’m not adding mince to my spaghetti, it’s fine to make up the calories by topping the dish with half a block of parmesan; she also considers it appropriate to order an entire board of portsoaked stilton as well as a dessert at a restaurant, because, well, she forewent the rack of lamb she secretly craved; and she apparently believes that a whole baked camembert is a fitting snack because later she won’t eat those pork and apple sausages her partner brought home from the butchers. I really dislike her and the weight she’s making me gain.

After decades of eating the worldwide gamut of food, you may be reading this thinking I have a life-altering reason for ditching meat. You’d be wrong – I only wish my life was that interesting.

Truth be told, my decision was a whim – a lastminute New Year’s resolution – and truth be told, I never thought it would last. But here we are, over a year later, and I’m still spiralising courgettes with gusto.

My reason? Everyone who knows me will understand how much I adore animals – I have two Old English Sheepdogs, one Bath Cats and Dogs Home-rescued tabby, and I have owned everything from a corn snake to a hamster who I taught to give paw – and, yes, I did start to feel like a hypocrite being the girl who pulls her car over to pat a cow and then drives home to a steak dinner.

But I loathe stating this as my motive for not eating meat – simply because non-vegetarians will usually react in one of four ways: act offended and state vehemently that they too are animal lovers; suddenly become nutritionists and show concern for my protein intake; poke fun – “vegetables have feelings too” and “you kill ants when you walk” are my favourites; or go out of their way to be critical about my holier-than-thou, uptight, prudish, attentionseeking ways.

For these reasons, I mute all talk of food, and go to lengths to avoid admitting I’m a plant-eater, as if it’s some dirty little secret.

And, although it’s become much trendier in recent years and restaurants have upped their vegetable game, there is still a stigma around vegetarianism, and I still feel the need to apologise when I ask for carbonara without the pancetta, and to publically brand myself ‘the annoying one’ when everyone else wants to share a charcuterie board.

Vegetarian goal accomplished, I think my next aim should be to stop caring about what people think.

SARAH MOOLLA

It was a Spanish fish pie that reeled her back to eating meat...

I did the difficult years. I did the kidney bean, soggy courgette and tomato juice stew, I endured the ‘you’re a what?! Is that an ailment or a religious thing?” and I smiled through the ‘surely you can eat a bit of turkey at Christmas?’. Being a vegetarian in the late 80s was truly when I earned my veggie stripes. For the first year of university, my halls of residence evening meal was a lump of orange cheese, chips and three pieces of lettuce. I made my sausages by hand using a grainy pink paste called Sosmix and mastered the art of cooking with mushrooms.

I reconsidered, and then forego eating meat completely, thanks to a combination of a principled ex-boyfriend, questions from an animal-loving little brother, and listening to The Smiths. I’m not an ardent animal lover but I loathe cruelty in any form, to any thing. For me, giving up meat and fish reflected a disciplined and considered attitude to life.

Rather wonderfully, my father, a single parent, not only accepted my stance, but actively embraced it to the point where he also gave up meat, and now, at 80 years old, he’s still a pescatarian. However, while I’m very proud of my 10 years a vegetarian, I do now eat fish and meat again.

It was the menus that did it. By the late 90s I was earning decent money and eating out a lot more, and wanted to read and choose from the whole menu – not just scan for the few lame veggie options. My first actual ‘lapse’ was not for meat, but a fish pie in Spain and still remains one of my fondest meal memories.

A fellow former veggie told me it takes seven years for the body to break down meat, and once that’s happened, it’s common for the cravings to set in again. Maybe it was that, maybe I was bored, maybe I was less conscientious, I’m not sure, but I knew I was no longer a veggie. It does seem crazy given that Linda McCartney was making a veggie’s life easier and varied home cooking was on the rise, as was the trend for healthy eating.

One of the more interesting side effects of going back to meat was the reaction of others. Strangely, while vegetarians were laidback about the decision (aside from one veggie friend who moved tables at a wedding so she could glare while I self-consciously chewed my way through my meaty meal), the carnivores seemed to be fascinated and were relentless in their questioning.

Being vegetarian has utterly shaped my eating habits. Due to necessity I learned basic cookery skills; I eat very little meat, but when I do, I try to ensure it is free-range, and most of the week the family eat Quorn everything – this makes me feel marginally better about my boys’ Haribo and French fries habit.

So while meat is back on the menu, the main choices are still normally veggie, and that’s a balance I can live with. w

GIVING UP MEAT REFLECTED A DISCIPLINED AND CONSIDERED ATTITUDE TO LIFE

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 31

With all this talk of vegetarianism, here are a couple of recipes for you to try out…

RIVERFORD BATH’S PIEDMONTESE PEPPERS (Serves up to six as a main course) Ingredients 2 tbsp capers 6 red peppers Olive oil 9 tomatoes 24 pitted black olives, halved 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced 20g basil (shred just before using) salt and pepper For the couscous: 200g couscous 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas Zest and juice of half a lemon 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Method 1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Drain the capers if they’re in brine, put them in a bowl of cold water and soak for 15 minutes (capers in oil don’t need soaking, just drain them).

2. Cut the peppers in half lengthways, keeping the stalks intact. Remove the seeds and lay the peppers cut-side-up on a lightly oiled roasting tray.

3. Cut small crosses in the skin at the base of the tomatoes. Put them in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water and leave for one minute, just until the skins start to peel away, then plunge them into a bowl of cold water.

Drain, and slip the skins off. Cut into quarters and place three quarters in each pepper half.

Tuck the capers, olives and garlic slices in among the tomatoes. Drizzle a dessertspoon of oil into each pepper and season. Roast for 50 minutes, until tender and starting to caramelise at the edges.

4. Meanwhile, pour the couscous into a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water and a little olive oil. Leave to stand until the peppers are ready.

5. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the chickpeas.

Add the lemon zest and juice, the extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the peppers on top, drizzled with any juices from the roasting tin and garnished with shredded basil leaves. www.riverford.co.uk/recipes

FOOD AND DRINK

DEMUTHS COOKERY SCHOOL’S CAULIFLOWER FRITTERS (Makes 24 small or 16 medium fritters, to serve up to six people) Ingredients 1/2 a cauliflower (200g cauliflower florets) 2 large leaves of kale 1 small leek 100g fine yellow cornmeal 100g gram flour 2 tsp baking powder 200ml almond milk 1/2 tsp paprika 1/4 tsp smoked paprika pinch of salt sunflower oil for frying For the vegan cream cheese topping: 50g walnuts, toasted and chopped

100g cashew cheese 1 lime, juice and zest 1 tbsp mint and parsley, chopped pinch of salt and pepper Method 1. Cut the cauliflower into small florets, slice the leek finely and strip the kale leaves from the stem, and chop.

2. Mix together the cornmeal, gram flour and baking powder, then stir in the almond milk.

Season with paprika and smoked paprika and salt, stir until it resembles a thick paste. Stir in the vegetables.

3. Heat a large frying pan and add two tbsp

of sunflower oil. Heat the oil until a drop of batter bubbles when you add it to the frying pan. Carefully drop one tbsp of the fritter mix into the frying pan. Fry four fritters at once, but don’t over-crowd the frying pan.

Fry on both sides until they are golden brown and firm.

4. For the cream cheese dip, mix the walnuts with the cashew cheese. Add lime juice, zest, mint and parsley and season to taste. www.demuths.co.uk

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

Music/theatre/film/more

FRINGE BENEFITS

Fringe Arts Bath Festival 2017 features artists from Bath’s ever-growing creative community alongside international artists in an annual festival of pop-up exhibitions, events, installations and performance, transforming and breathing new life into unexpected spaces, whether it be in empty shops, open spaces or on the city’s streets. FaB17 will host over 20 collections ranging from the curious and the whimsical, to the ironic, the challenging and the always inspiring. To kick off the event is the Opening Night Arty Party on 26 May, with the winning combination of exhibitions and pop-up bars.

To find out more about what’s happening during the Fringe Arts Bath Festival 2017, which runs 26 May – 11 June in venues and spaces all across the city, visit www.fringeartsbath.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 35

13 May – 10 June

The acclaimed and unique acapella group Africa Entsha perform at The Bell as part of the Bath Fringe on 5 June; The Vienna Festival Ballet comes to Frome with the classic fairytale Cinderella, with music by G.A Rossini; Nichola McAuliffe and Jeffrey Holland star in the comedy play Waiting For God at the Theatre Royal Bath

Exhibitions U N TI 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 U N TI L 2 0 M AY

IMAGES OF RESEARCH See this year’s entries to the annual University of Bath’s innovative competition in which the research community is invited to visualise their work through the creative use of images including photography and images produced via collaboration with artists.

The Edge; www.edgearts.org

U N TI L 2 9 MAY

HARRIET DAHANBOUCHARD Meet classically trained portrait artist Harriet Dahan-Bouchard as she draws from a model.

11.30am-4pm, free. Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk U N TI L 2 9 MAY

BATH OPEN STUDIOS Following the Larkhall and Newbridge art trails, Widcombe and Bear Flat are next up to open their doors to the public and showcase painting, printmaking, photography, jewellery, ceramics and sculpture. 11am-6pm, free.

For more information see www.bathopenstudios.co.uk U N TI L 2 9 MAY

LYNNE CARTLIDGE AND ANDY WAITE There is a softness and a warmth to both of these painters’ work,

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

shown together for the first time.

Lynne Cartlidge, whose main focus is on still life, uses the subject as an endless source of experimentation with light and shadow. Andy Waite’s paintings of remembered landscapes, drawing upon the tradition of the Romanticists, uses the handling of the subject to reflect his own wandering moods. David Simon Contemporary; www. davidsimoncontemporary.com UNTIL 30 MAY

#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 UNTIL 31 MAY

WIDCOME RISING Nick Cudworth turns his artistic

attentions to Widcombe, including depictions of the canal, St Matthew’s Church and The High Street. Nick Cudworth Gallery; www.nickcudworth.co.uk UNTIL 4 J U NE

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 UNTIL 10 J U NE

THE BATH FIELD KITCHEN Features interactive exhibits with installations from Gayle Chong Kwan and Will Shannon, including the kiln house for observing and participating in ceramics production, and The

W H AT ’ S O N

Bath Field Kitchen – specially constructed tents for community activities within the gallery space.

Andrew Brownsword Galleries, The Edge; www.edgearts.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 UNTI L 1 2 JULY

FIND ANOTHER BATH This diverse collection of works includes music, photography, painting and print, and celebrates Bath’s less well-known industrial history. Art at the Heart of the RUH; www.artatruh.org UNTI L 1 2 JULY

SWIll South West Illustrators, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, is a group of illustration artists based mainly around the Bath and Bristol area. This exhibition features the work of 15 members and includes stamp design, street artworks and printmaking. Art at the Heart of the RUH; www.artatruh.org

ARTS

U N TI L 2 9 OCTO BER

JOYCE PETSCHEK: BREAKING THE PATTERN Bargello needlework is a beautiful flame-stitch pattern and the artist Joyce Petschek has created a captivating body of work that is colourful, inspiring and innovative. American Museum; www.americanmuseum.org 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 U N TI L 1 0 D E C EMBER

JUBILATE A celebration of music and science in 18th century Bath, with a fascinating collection exploring the 250th anniversary of William Herschel being appointed director of music in Bath. Free, Herschel Museum of Astronomy; www.herschelmuseum.org.uk U N TI L 1 JA NUAR Y 2018

LACE IN FASHION From rare, fine luxury garments

worn by royals and the aristocracy, to machine-made items for more everyday, and practical use, this exhibition showcases over 50 lace pieces, some dating from the time of Shakespeare. Fashion Museum; www.fashionmuseum.co.uk

UNTIL 1 J ANUARY 2 0 1 9

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 19 – 20 M AY

OPEN STUDIOS The artists at 44AD invite the public to explore the gallery and watch them while they work, with the opportunity to ask questions. 44AD; www.44ad.net 20 MAY – 1 5 J U LY

BATH SOCIETY OF ARTISTS ANNUAL OPEN The popular annual exhibition, showcasing the region’s best artistic talent. While the artwork is on display, the public can vote for their favourite exhibit, with the overall winner receiving £500. Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk 21 – 31 M AY

Top to bottom: Blossom by Phil Greenwood can be viewed at The Rostra Gallery until 31 May; Horrid farmers and wily foxes battle it out over juicy, tasty chickens in a new production of Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox at Theatre Royal Bath

BLAKE, BRUNSDON & GREENWOOD: THE UNSEEN COLLECTION Celebrate the work of three of Britain’s most loved and collected contemporary artists with the unique opportunity to see an exhibition of highly coveted works, available for a limited w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 37

ARTS

W H AT ’ S O N

time only. Rostra Gallery; www.rostragallery.co.uk 26 M AY – 1 1 J UNE

FRINGE ARTS BATH FaB17 offers 17 days of free exhibitions and events, while they take over unexpected spaces and transform empty shops to fire the imagination with art from every part of the spectrum. Turn to page 35 for more details. www.fringeartsbath.co.uk 27 M AY – 1 1 J UNE

ALTERNATIVE REALITIES A group exhibition of six local artists – Kit Glaisyer, Ellie Preston, Jon Adam, Paul Newman, Kate Genevieve and Dan Bendel – which includes painting, sculpture, installation and video, with each piece evoking mystical visions of alternative realities. Garden Flat Gallery, 48 Great Pulteney Street; www.kitglaisyer.com 27 M AY – 5 AUG UST

IFORD ARTS FESTIVAL The internationally renowned Iford Arts Festival takes place in the exquisite Peto Garden of Iford Manor, and includes intimate opera performances sung in English and staged in-the-round in the miniature Italianate cloister. For more, turn to page 114. Iford Manor, Bradford on Avon; www.ifordarts.org.uk

Plays/Shows 15 – 2 0 M AY

FRACKED! Fracked! or: Please Don’t Use the F-Word by Alistair Beaton is set in an idyllic English village threatened by shale gas drilling plans. Anne Reid plays Elizabeth, who finds herself transformed from obedient citizen to angry protestor and soars to fame via social media, much to the dismay of her grumpy husband Jack, played by James Bolam. £23.50£38.50. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk 22 – 2 4 M AY

OUR COUNTRY’S GOOD Bath Spa Theatre Society perform a moving play written by Thomas Keneally and Timberlake Wertenbaker, set in an Australian penal colony in 1788. It explores the redemptive power of art, asking the audience if it is better

The innovative Paillion combine raw Eastern inspired music with cinematic soundscapes at Chapel Arts Centre on 26 May

to punish or to rehabilitate. £10.

The Mission Theatre; www.missiontheatre.co.uk 2 2 – 2 7 MAY

WAITING FOR GOD Jeffrey Holland and Nichola McAuliffe lead the cast in this premiere stage production of the BAFTA nominated series about growing old disgracefully, with an all-new script penned by the sitcom’s creator, Michael Aitkens. £19.50-£33.50. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk 2 7 MAY

CINDERELLA Vienna Festival Ballet present an adaptation of the rags-toriches classic tale of Cinderella, with music by G. A. Rossini.

7.30pm, £20. Frome Memorial Theatre; www.fmt.website

Music 2 0 MAY

THE GAS GIANTS Will Gregory, one half of the band Goldfrapp, joins multi-

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

instrumentalist Ross Hughes of live Portishead and legendary local drummer Tony Orrell to become the occasional supergroup again and mash their talents to blur the boundaries of jazz, electronica and pop. The gig will be recorded for their fourth release on local independent label, Kelston Records. 6.30pm, £14. Old Barn, Kelston Roundhill; www.kelstonrecords.co.uk 22 MAY

TOY TIN SOLDIER The Scottish singer and songwriter, Toy Tin Soldier whose sound ranges from gentle folk to soulful rock with a little bit of punk, possesses the rare ability to create music which is intensely personal, but vague enough that people can see themselves in his lyrics. 7pm, £3.

Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk 26 MAY

PAPILLON Anna Phoebe and Nicolas Rizzi combine raw Eastern inspired violin and guitar melodies set within cinematic soundscapes.

7.30pm, £12.50. Chapel Arts Centre; www.chapelarts.org 28 MAY

MISHKA SHUBALY The Johnny Depp-approved American musician, best-selling author and storyteller returns to the Walcot gem to sing songs, talk Trump and praise our Tesco Express. 7.30pm, £7. The Bell Inn; www.thebellinnbath.co.uk 2 J UNE

JUAN MARTÍN FLAMENCO TRIO Dancer Raquel Gonzalez and guitarist Juan Martin invite you to enjoy the power and intense beauty of flamenco. 7.30pm, £17. Wiltshire Music Centre; www.wiltshiremusic.org.uk

Family fun 24 – 28 M AY

HAPPILY EVER AFTER The queen is growing impatient.

Her lazy son will never be king until he grows up and gets married. She invites hundreds w

ARTS

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of princesses from across the land, hoping to find the perfect bride for him, but the prince isn’t impressed by any of them.

Then one day a princess arrives accompanied by her brother and love blossoms. £8.50/£7.50. the egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk 27 M AY – 2 JUNE

MAY HALF-TERM WITH THE ROMAN BATHS, FASHION MUSEUM AND VICTORIA ART GALLERY A huge activity of programmes includes the chance to play a Roman board game, make a fashionable brooch, and create canine-inspired art. For all details of venues, times and prices, visit www.bathnes.gov.uk 28 M AY

YOU’VE GOT DRAGONS Part of the Bath Fringe Festival is this delightful performance about worries represented as dragons, and a young girl’s battle to beat those monsters she encounters. 1.30pm/3.30pm, £6. www.bathspalive.com 30 M AY – 3 JUNE

FANTASTIC MR. FOX Boggis, Bunce and Bean, three greedy, smelly, horrid farmers hate the cunning Mr. Fox. Mr. Fox is smart, clever and rather fantastic, but he doesn’t realise how determined the farmers are to get revenge. £8.50/£7.50. the egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk 2 JUNE

WILD WOODLAND SKILLS Two hours of den building, wild cooking, crafts and woodland skills. Suitable for children aged 5-11yrs. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

10.30am-12.30pm, £10. Dryham Park; www.nationaltrust.org.uk 8 – 2 5 J UNE

FESTIVAL OF NATURE The UK’s biggest free celebration of the natural world starts in Bristol, winds down the River Avon through Keynsham and ends in Bath. The varied and illuminating events include a travelling cinema in a campervan, talks and workshops all over the city, and an all-day free family wildlife party on 25 June in Parade Gardens.

For more information, please visit www.festivalofnature.org

The power and intense beauty of flamenco comes to life with Raquel Gonzalez at the Wiltshire Music Centre on 2 June

Other

19 – 28 MAY

OFF THE STREET An evening festival of multicultural culinary delights and live performing arts in aid of Julian House, organised by a group of Bath Spa University students as part of their studies.

6pm-10pm. Green Park Station; for more details please email adrien.troy13@bathspa.ac.uk

BATH FESTIVAL A new 10 day multi-arts festival bringing the streets, venues and all four corners of Bath to life with music, poetry, theatre and literature. Big names include Sir Salman Rushdie, Georgie Fame and Sally Phillips. There’s also a raft of new talent. Opens with the free Party in the City on 19 May. Turn to page 46 for our interview with the writer India Knight. www.bathfestivals.org.uk

1 5 – 1 7 MAY

21 MAY

1 3 MAY

PINT OF SCIENCE Organised by the University of Bath, more than 24 scientists are headed to the pub to enjoy a pint and talk dancing robots and erasing unwanted memories, as part of this global celebration of all things science. For details, venues and pricing visit www. pintofscience.co.uk/city/bath 1 8 MAY

LIVES OF THE GREAT GARDENERS Stephen Anderton, garden writer for The Times, talks about his new book Lives of the Great Gardeners, followed by a comprehensive guided Capability Brown tour and lunch at Bowood House & Gardens. 11am-4pm, £55; Bowood House; www.bowood.org

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

THE INDEPENDENT BATH MARKET On the third Sunday of the month, eight times a year, a brand new street market based in Abbey Green, will pop up featuring small, independent family businesses, traders, makers, growers, crafters, artisans and producers selling their wares. Abbey Green, Bath; www. independentbathmarket.com 26 MAY – 11 J UNE

BATH FRINGE 2017 Experimental art, street theatre, poetry, plays, dance and music will be filling the air including performances at Burdall’s Yard, Kingswood Theatre, St Michael’s Church and St James Wine Vault.

For full programme information, visit www.bathfringe.co.uk

27 MAY

PAPERCUTTING AND COLLAGE Artist and illustrator Jessica Palmer is running two workshops to create a book cover design using collage and papercutting techniques as part of the Bath Festival. £35. Assembly Rooms; www.jessicapalmerart.com 27 – 28 M AY

BATH RUM FESTIVAL From the kind people who brought you Gin Festivals UK, here’s the chance to take a rum journey around the world, tasting special craft rums from the West Indies, Cuba, South America and the United States.

12pm-5pm and 8pm-11pm, £10.

Bath Pavilion; www.fatsoma.com 30 MAY

ALAN LEE ON TOLKIEN This is a rare opportunity to meet Alan Lee, long standing Tolkien illustrator and recipient of an Academy Award for his work on The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Alan will be talking about his latest work, painstakingly restoring from Tolkien’s manuscripts, the epic adventure Tale of Beren and Lúthien. 8pm, £8-£75. Topping and Company Booksellers; www.toppingbooks.co.uk

Chippenham Golf Centre Friendly golf centre in the heart of Wiltshire offering smart and modern facilities.

NEW mini-g o cours lf e 300 yard driving range | Tiddleywink par 3 short golf course | PGA professional golf tuition Large putting green | Outdoor short game area | Professional golf shop | Latest custom club fitting technology

ALL ABILITIES WELCOME. ONE TO ONE FOUR LESSON PACKAGE £80.

Tiddleywink, Yatton Keynell, Chippenham SN14 7BY 01249 783121 | www.chippenhamgolfcentre.co.uk

“The entire show was captivating from start to finish” Welwyn Hatfield Times

Saturday 27 May at 7.30pm, Frome Memorial Theatre, Frome Box office: 01373 462795 www.fmt.website

nick cudworth gallery

Down Widcombe Hill Paint on canvas

WIDCOMBE 2 – 31 May

An exhibition of paintings and prints by Nick of the many interesting and attractive aspects of Widcombe.

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

ONE TO ONE

NEW TRICKS As the very first Bath Festival nears, LISA EVANS talks to journalist and author India Knight about her upcoming visit to the literature and music festival where she’ll be discussing her new book, The Goodness of Dogs

P

enned from the perspective of a lay person crazed with doglove, comes India Knight’s guide to dog ownership, The Goodness of Dogs. And this month, the novelist and Sunday Times columnist will be visiting one of her favourite cities, Bath, where she’ll showcase her knowledge of all things dog at The Bath Festival – a brand new flagship festival for the city which will feature some of the brightest names in literature and music.

Combining the personal with the practical, in her book, India sheds light on everything from how to deal with breeders and how to handle a new puppy, to thoughts on the psychology of the human-canine relationship and outdated training techniques.

“My Bath Festival visit will mainly focus on The Goodness of Dogs, but I’m happy to talk about anything,” says India. “It’s an ordinary person’s guide to dog ownership. It assumes you just really like dogs, but don’t know anything technical about how to look after them.”

There were two reasons she wanted to write this book. Firstly, to offer a different, more modern perspective to many of the behavioural tomes out there, while, secondly, providing ‘reasons’ for this type of training.

“Lots of the dog books out there are very brisk,” says India who owns a soft-coated wheaten terrier called Brodie and a Norfolk terrier puppy called Tails. “They tell you to do something, don’t really explain why, and assume that the instruction is going to work perfectly from the onset. They’re rather like books about having a baby – you think “I’ve done everything you said, but he’s still crying. Now what?”. So I wanted to write a dog manual for people who loved dogs but didn’t have a clue, and I also wanted to explain that it isn’t as simple as “just” getting a dog. It’s a huge commitment for up to 15 years, and it needs thinking through.

“Also, a lot of people’s thinking about dog training is incredibly old fashioned and hasn’t caught up with recent findings,” she adds. “I wanted to write emphatically about how dogs respond to kindness far better than they respond to fear or threats. I’m not a dog encyclopedia, which is fine as there are lots of those about, but

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

I do know how to have really happy, wellbehaved, well-adjusted, healthy dogs who are nice to live with.”

India’s not only taking a trip to Bath to share this knowledge, but the book itself has a local link in that the illustrations are by prodigious portrait painter of dogs, and former Bath City College student Sally Muir, who lives in the city.

“Sally has done a fantastic job with her beautiful paintings and drawings in this book,” says India, whose former husband’s family lived in Bath, which is how she first came to visit over 20 years ago. “I saw Sally’s work in Anthropologie – she was in-store doing quick dog portraits. I absolutely fell in love with them and commissioned her to paint Brodie (our dog). So when it came to illustrating the book, there was really only one option. And she’s from one of my favourite places – Bath. I love it there and I’m hugely looking forward to coming back to visit.

“It’s beautiful, obviously, but I love the way in which Bath also feels modern and dynamic as opposed to preserved in aspic,” adds India who lives in Suffolk. “The city centre seems extremely user-friendly. I guess maybe there’s Tourist Bath and Normal Bath, and what I like is that they seem to coexist especially well.”

She also believes that multi-arts celebrations, such the upcoming Bath Festival, are tremendously beneficial platforms for writers like her, and for audiences who enjoy diverse cultural self-improvement and meeting people who share their passions.

“They’re really great,” she says. “People are short of time, so the more variety under one umbrella, the better.”

Variety seems to be The Bath Festival’s middle name, with over 130 events running over 10 days (19 – 28 May) featuring the likes of Mary Berry who will talk about a life in cookery at The Forum Bath; Bath Camerata chamber choir who will perform in the ravishing acoustic of St Mary’s Church, Bathwick; and author Sir Roy Strong – the inimitable former director of the National Portrait Gallery and Victoria & Albert Museum – who will discuss his second volume of diaries at Bath Assembly Rooms.

For more: India Knight will be at Komedia Bath on 27 May. For more information, visit www.bathfestivals.org.uk

Right: India’s love of dogs led her to penning a book about how to train them in the modern day

QUICK-FIRE ROUND WITH INDIA KNIGHT Where would we find you when you’re not working?

Having spent my life living in a very urban part of London, I now live in a very rural place. It’s been nearly two years but I still can’t get over the thrill of it. You’d find me outside, wearing terrible clothes, doing something extremely unglamorous to do with gardening, vegetables or animals, happy as a clam. You would also pretty permanently find me cooking.

What’s the first thing you can remember writing?

Good question, to which the honest answer is, I can’t remember. But I’ve kept a diary since I was eight or nine. I’ve always liked stories. I was a very keen reader as a child and writing my own books seemed to be the natural progression.

What are the best and most challenging of your career?

I am unbelievably privileged to get paid to do what I love, so it’s impossible to pick a best moment, or to moan about a tricky one.

Future ambitions?

I would really like to keep pigs (this may be a reality by the time you read this).

It’s beautiful, obviously, but I love the way in which Bath also feels modern and dynamic as opposed to preserved in

aspic

BOOKS

THE LATTER STAGES OF THE BOOK ARE ALL ABOUT COMING TOGETHER IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP AND ABOUT REBUILDING IN THE AFTERMATH

WAR OF WORDS From ghosts of recent conflicts, to the long-term effects of the dark days of war, Nic Bottomley suggests diving into a genre to stir the emotions…

By N IC BO T T OM L E Y

S

ometimes I finish reading a book and then at the end of the next working day I’ll cast my eyes around the 16,000 or so books in the shop and I just can’t decide which direction to go in next. Spoilt for choice I suppose.

Sometimes, when this mood strikes, it’s best just to go in blind.

The last time that this happened, for example, I reached for a recent novel that I knew little about but which a string of customers had recommended to me out of the blue. I didn’t read the blurb, I just dove in, putting my faith in the views of others.

The book in question was Girl at War by Sara Novic (Little, Brown, £8.99) which begins in Zagreb in 1991 with hostilities in the Balkan region on the news but not yet an immediate threat to the daily routine of Ana and her school friends. Soon, though, the street games that Ana and her best friend Luka play, change from football to war games behind sandbag barricades, her walks home from school are interrupted by visits to air-raid shelters, and the Serbian tobacconist won’t serve her when she’s

sent out to buy cigarettes. Her own family’s descent into war is accelerated by Ana’s baby sister’s worsening illness; the family must travel to find a doctor for Rahela just at the moment roadblocks are appearing.

There are some devastating moments in Ana’s war – including one brilliantly written episode during that trip to find help for Rahela which will haunt the reader for a long time. But half of the novel is set nearly a decade later and focusses on the long-term effects of those dark days as Ana, now living in New York, struggles to cope with the memories she has suppressed and begins to contemplate a return trip to face her demons head-on. The two time frames of the novel meld together smoothly and whether you’re looking back on her recent history or watching her bear arms as a child, Ana is a complex and spirited character to spend time with.

Whilst I was in the midst of enjoying Girl at War, my seven-year-old daughter brought me a Michael Morpurgo book that had made it to her bookshelves, and in just two nights we devoured it. Initially, I Believe in Unicorns (Walker, £5.99) seemed to be a simple tale

ARTS

of a young boy in a small European town who was a serious book-sceptic (to our dismay). Reluctantly, Tomas agrees to attend a storytelling session at his local library because his mother has heard that a new librarian has arrived who is an accomplished storyteller. Happily, the librarian is able to win Tomas over to the power of stories as, sitting on the model magic unicorn in the library (which earns her the nickname The Unicorn Lady), she inspires an everlarger horde of local kids with her many fascinating tales.

And soon the strength that such stories give is needed more immediately in Tomas’s village because, as you’d expect of Mr Morpurgo, war comes to town. It was at this point that the penny dropped – the timeline, the names, the look of the buildings in the lovely drawings – although the place wasn’t named, we were in the Balkans and we were reading about the same conflict that I was navigating with Ana in Girl at War. I Believe in Unicorns is as emotional as you might imagine, but Morpurgo pitches it so carefully and perfectly so as to inform the young reader about some of the fear and sadness that war brings without burdening them with the horror of its details. Crucially, the latter stages of the book are all about coming together in times of hardship and about rebuilding in the aftermath and, most of all, about the need to protect books and keep the stories going at all costs.

The fictitious chronicles of the Balkan wars certainly don’t end with these two.

I’ve sung the praises of The Hired Man

by Aminatta Forna (Bloomsbury, £8.99) here before. It’s a novel commencing in modern day Croatia but very much haunted from page one by the ghosts of recent conflicts. And another recent novel to try is Farewell, Cowboy by Olja Savicevic (Istros Books, 2015) translated by an independent publisher with real expertise in the literature of the Balkan region and again telling difficult tales of post-war reconnections with a Croatian homeland.

Give one a try, or, alternatively, just reach unknowingly for any book that’s been recommended to you and enjoy where it takes you.

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 51

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FILM Clockwise, from left: The Hippopotamus will leave you in fits of giggles; prepare for a tale of secrets and mystery in Frantz; a detective’s superpower is his eyepatch in Mindhorn; Rooney Mara stars in The Secret Scripture

MAY MOVIE MEDLEY Whether it’s flicks with a local connection, or Bath-based film clubs, Jennifer Jennings Wright has the lowdown…

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

I

do feel that part of my remit in this here position is to deliver something of interest both to film fanciers in general and those of a Bathonian bent, but, short of having Vanity Fair on repeat and that bit at the end of Les Misérables, there’s surprisingly little fare in terms of stuff actually filmed hereabouts.

Surprising given how blooming lovely it is around here. You’d have thought filmmakers would be falling over themselves to get all that gorgeous Georgianness on camera, but perhaps it’s not thought an ideal backdrop for a lot of the films made at the moment, the universes of Marvel and Star Wars being remarkable for their paucity of Bath stone crescents. All of which makes me rather pleased that we have not one but two local connections in this column, one rather tenuous but I’ll take anything I can get.

Mindhorn is one of the funniest films I’ve seen for a good long time. It’s about Richard Thorncroft (played by Mighty Boosh chap Julian Barratt), a washed up actor whose glory days of playing a TV detective on the Isle of Man were way back in the 80s. The echoes of Bergerac and Shoestring cease there, however, as the detective in this hilarious case once had a super-special power that involved wearing a fetching eyepatch through which he could ‘see the truth’. All that business is long

behind him until a villain names him as his arch-nemesis, and Mindhorn is back in action, albeit with a toupée and a stonking great paunch. Excellent sight gags and 80s references abound, all of which add up to a good old chucklefest. Local connection?

Julian Barratt is married to none other than comedian Julia Davis, who was born and grew up in Bath. Yes, well I said it was tenuous.

The other one’s a bit more substantive.

You’ll no doubt recall the dreadful flooding that overwhelmed large parts of Somerset a couple of years ago. It’s this that forms the backdrop to The Levelling, a drama that explores particularly fraught family relations and finds eloquent expression for the attendant bleakness in the stark landscape of the Somerset Levels. An immensely powerful piece that’s well worth seeing. Another bleak one but breathtaking in its depiction of a life that’s every bit as hard as the land around it is Lady Macbeth. It has nothing to do with Shakey’s Scottish lassie, being an adaptation of the Russian novel of the same name, which has been transposed to 19th century England.

Is this a winner I see before me? It most certainly is.

For a right old titter-fest, join us for the adaptation of Stephen Fry’s 1994 novel, The Hippopotamus. The ‘hippo’ is Ted Wallace, a drunk has-been poet and redundant husband

ARTS

IT FINDS ELOQUENT EXPRESSION FOR THE ATTENDANT BLEAKNESS IN THE STARK LANDSCAPE OF THE SOMERSET LEVELS who leaps at the chance to drown his sorrows at his friend’s country pad. Ted is alerted to a recent series of mystical healings that have got the house a bit riled up. The mystery healer is Ted’s 15-year-old godson whose parents are set on sharing his ‘gift’ with the world. Aware that David’s methods are somewhat unorthodox, Ted sets out on a mission to prove the miracles are a hoax and hence save his godson from a lifetime of imbroglio.

A couple of fab directors next, with, I’m glad to say, terrific pieces of work for our enjoyment.

Jim Sheridan was all the rage a few years back, with My Left Foot and In the Name of the Father and what have you. Been a bit quiet recently, but he’s back with The Secret Scripture, a splendid meditation on memory and life’s twists and turns starring Vanessa Redgrave and Rooney Mara. Interesting companion to The Sense of An Ending which we showed in April to very positive reactions, one of the stars of which, Charlotte Rampling, made a couple of belting psychological dramas with Francois Ozon back in the noughties. Monsieur Ozon, no slouch in the director’s chair, this time gives us a tale of secrets, mystery and great big fibs in Frantz, which is all about the bereaved fiancée of a German soldier killed in the Great War, who encounters an enigmatic Frenchman who seems to know more about her late love than she bargained for.

On to cheerier matters, one of our aims here at the Little is to pass the torch on to the next generation of minicineastes. We have an incredibly popular Saturday morning Kids’ Club and there’s a bunch of great films coming up (including Robinson Crusoe, Sing, The Incredibles and Boss Baby) with tickets a measly £3. And there are fewer birthday outings more fun than this: film, popcorn, drink, happy birthday sung in the auditorium and even the chance to start the projector. All for only £6 each. Now I know where I’m having my next birthday, that’s for sure. Well, you have to do something special for your 30th, don’t you?

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

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 53

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R E S TA U R A N T

FOOD

Sign of the Angel From a starter concealed inside a single chip, to a main dish of cheesecake, the exciting menu will vie with the wondrous 15th century venue for your attention…

By L I SA E VA NS

H

YOU’LL

owever long it may take you to travel to Sign of the Angel inn, add a minimum of 20 minutes onto your journey – not because of traffic or roadworks, but because you’ll find yourself stopping and staring at the surroundings on your amble, even if you’re only dawdling few step from carpark to restaurant.

The National Trust village of Lacock will captivate you with its historic streets and cottages, medieval tithe barn and spectacular abbey, and when you approach the 15th century coaching inn, with its distinctive Tudor frontage, prepare to be taken aback. Once inside, you’re likely to first be drawn straight outside again because, on a sunny day, the door to an enchanting back garden will be flung open, and you won’t be able to resist the allure of the lawns unfolding around the pretty, babbling stream.

When you finally make your way back indoors, you’ll stop and wonder, as the waiters try and fail to break you from your stare in order to show you to your seat, what secrets the 500-year-old wonky walls would tell if they could talk; and the dominating open fireplaces, charmingly short doorways and low-slung ceiling beams will make you feel as if you’ve wandered on to a film set. No surprise, then, that it was actually chosen to double as the Babberton Arms in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, as co-owner Tom Nicholas explains, “This was the pub shown in the film,” he says.

“Harry comes out of a fireplace in one of the films, and that is one of our fireplaces. Also, Lacock Abbey was the venue for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Downton Abbey was filmed, as was a lot of Cranford, in the area, too – specifically on Church Street, and our façade can be seen in them.”

The beauty and ornament of this historic pub are so bewitching that you’ll begin to ponder just how the food will possibly match the aesthetic and atmosphere. Thankfully, you needn’t worry, as the cuisine at this 2 AA Rosetteawarded establishment is positively sensational – “the best I’ve had in years”, according to my dining partner.

Formerly of the Pear Tree in Whitley, chef Jonathon Furby – who has 30 years’ experience working in the

STOP AND WONDER WHAT SECRETS THE 500-YEAR-OLD WONKY WALLS WOULD TELL IF THEY COULD TALK

hotel, restaurant and pub industries – and his team have created a succinct menu of rustic, modern British favourites with a twist. From avocado panna cotta with smoked king prawns and grapefruit dressing, to sweetcorn and watercress cheesecake with tomato vinaigrette, it’s the sort of gastropub nosh that keeps you on your toes with its unobvious flavour combinations. And the provenance of the ingredients from local farmers, butchers and artisan producers – such as Lovejoys Wholesale in Melksham, and Woolley Park Farm in Bradford on Avon – is proudly printed on the menu for all to see.

While we toy between the specials, a sharing platter of freshly baked breads (red onion, and hazelnut and honey) is delivered to our table along with an amuse-bouche of potato, onion and horseradish bhajis. My dining partner settles on the ham and egg in a chip to start – how could he not be intrigued? What arrives is an amber, deep-fried, hollowed-out potato filled with honeyed ham hock and poached egg, which oozes liquid gold upon slicing. And, after deliberating between the blue cheese-crusted baked mushroom with chilli couscous, and the red pepper gnocci, I certainly have no regrets once the latter arrives with its pink and orange potato dumplings, creamy West Country feta, and basil crisps. And it goes exceptionally well with the plum and vanilla notes in the recommended Veneto Passori Rosso wine choice.

While eagerly awaiting our mains, a palate cleanser of lemon and elderflower sorbet arrives, then it’s on to stuffed courgette halves for me. Tender, and filled with a Mediterranean-style combo of tomatoes, olives and pine nuts, they’re perfectly set off by silky, buttery apple rice (the fruity chunks cooked to melting point) which is tangled with freshly plucked herbs, angular new potatoes which stand on end and add drama to the plate, and a sticky balsamic glaze which brings a sweet-sour punch to proceedings.

Next to make an impact is my comrade’s baked, pastrywrapped, Wiltshire-sourced pork tenderloin with a crackling crumb. It’s served on a neat platform of mushy peas which thrum with mint, comes with plenty of miniature porkdripping potatoes and onions, and is drizzled with a rich cider sauce.

His perky dessert of elderflower and rhubarb trifle, complete with sherbet meringues and ginger ice cream – a childlike indulgence made to look distinctly adult – would have made me envious if I hadn’t ordered a West Country cheeseboard – decorated with candied walnuts, celery, grapes, and dried apricots – all to myself. It is a classy end to an exceptionally classy meal.

DINING DETAILS Sign of the Angel, Church Street, Lacock, SN15 2LB; 01249 730230; www.signoftheangel.co.uk Prices Starters £6 – £9; mains £17 – £24; desserts £6 – £9.50 Wine An impressively affordable, carefully selected list which offers some familiar favourites alongside artisan refreshments Service/atmosphere Refined yet unstuffy, friendly and relaxed

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

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We visit the restaurants which all have something different to offer when it comes to their pizzas – whether it be chocolate, mascarpone and marshmallow toppings, health-giving crusts, or Bath-inspired titles…

By L i sa E va ns

F

rom Creme Egg calzones to strawberry cheesecake pizzas, we’ve searched the city for Italian classics with surprising twists. It’s not just the toppings that are alternative, though; it’s the shapes (such as the five-pointed star base which is easier to share), it’s the colour (there’s a crust that turns dark purple when cooked), and it’s the hyperlocal-sounding titles which remind you you’re in Bath (think ‘Great Poultry Street’ and the ‘Oldfield’) which offer a multisensory experience alongside your casual lunch or dinner.

Fire and Brew

Come here for: Chocolate and strawberry pizzas, creations named after Bath’s streets, and one of the largest range of craft beers in the city…

At this stripped-back, industrial-style craft beer bar and pizza restaurant, the chefs like to break the rules. They swap marinara sauce for melted Nutella, mozzarella for mascarpone, pepperoni for marshmallows, and herbs for cinnamon.

“As well as our chocolate pizza, we have added a strawberry cheesecake pizza to the menu,” says 60 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Above: Neapolitan-style pizzas are cooked in 90 seconds at The Oven; below, top to bottom: authentic flavours are the aim at The Real Italian Pizza Company; chocolate replaces marinara at Fire and Brew

general manager Fergus Harris. “It has macerated fruit, mascarpone, basil, balsamic and shortbread crumbled over it. We also did a hot cross pizza over Easter weekend with currants, mixed peel, cinnamon and a dough cross. And they’re all handmade and then cooked in a wood-fired pizza oven.”

Although their sweet selections are rocketing in popularity, the savoury options are equally innovative, with choices on the menu such as a spicy ‘nduja-topped pizza, and a New York Deli Sandwich-inspired pizza. There are Bath-inspired options, too, which are named after some of the Fire and Brew owners’ favourite city spots – including the ‘Oldfield’ and the ‘First Avenue’.

“Most of our pizzas are named after local roads and streets, emphasising the community feel we have here,” says Fergus. “We also work with some excellent local businesses, such as Electric Bear Brewing, Honey’s Midford Cider, Comins Tea House, Bath Soft Cheese, The Grumpy Baker and Henny & Joe’s to name but a few. We also have one of the largest ranges of craft beer (over 55 options) to wash everything down.”

49 Moorland Road, Bath; www.fireandbrew.com

Photo by Soul Media

The slice is right

THE REAL ITALIAN PIZZA COMPANY

Come here for: Pizza-making parties, authentic flavours, and a distinctly ‘Bath’ surround…

“Our pizzas are authentic, just like the ones Italians are used to finding from the top to the bottom of Italy,” says co-owner Timothy Coffey.

“Anyone that has visited Italy will recognise the distinctive taste; in fact, many Italians who visit us, claim our pizzas are better than many they have tasted back home.”

The pizzas are wood-fired – as are other ingredients on the menu, such as the vegetables that top the goats’ cheese salad – and have been served in the same way for the past 10 years.

“Many of our young customers have now grown up and remain loyal to our restaurant,” says Timothy. “We host pizza-making parties, which have been popular with a generation of young Bathonians celebrating their birthdays with us and their friends, and we hope that they’ll continue enjoying our pizzas, too.

“We are in the shadow of Bath Abbey,” he adds.

“Our summer courtyard looks up at the Abbey tower, and the sounds of bells ringing tells people exactly where they are. They may be eating Italian food but the surrounds are distinctly Bath.”

ONE OF THE

MOST UNUSUAL PIZZAS WE MADE HAD A PISTACHIO

CREAM

BASE, MORTADELLA, LIME ZEST AND TOMATO DEL PENDOLO

16 York Street, Bath; www.realitalianpizza.co.uk

THE STABLE

Come here for: The Bath play-on-word pizza names, and the 80 varieties of cider…

With its exposed brickwork, stylish interior and eye-catching artwork, this pizza, pie and cider spot is relaxed and homely, and, although it’s part of a chain, its owners ensure that all ingredients

PHOTO BY PAOLO FERLA

FOOD AND DRINK

Above: the star-shaped poker pizza at Dough is perfect for sharing; below: try a Bath play-on-word pizza at The Stable

are sourced locally.

“The ingredients on your ‘Bath Blaster’ pizza, for example, will be entirely different from the ingredients on your ‘Bristol Blaster’, and it’s this local approach that keeps The Stable grounded with its community, and continues to win the hearts of its customers,” says co-owner and executive chef Andy Briggs. “With our refresh, we’ve brought back an old favourite – the West Country Porker – after so many customers said they missed it.

“My mum used to serve up home-made pizza on Sundays when I came home from football practice,” he adds. “That homely feeling of tucking into piping hot, fresh pizza is what drives all my menus. The joy of knowing it’s going to taste amazing – nothing beats that.”

On the menu are plenty of other quirky, hyperlocal pizza titles – such as The Great Poultry Street – and an offering of over 80 varieties of cider, and there’s even a new cider sorbet on the summer menu to enjoy outside while you people-watch on Kingsmead Square.

1-3 Westgate Building, Kingsmead Square, Bath; www.stablepizza.com

THE OVEN

Come here for: Neapolitan-style pizzas which are cooked from scratch in just 90 seconds and have rather surprising toppings…

Over Easter they introduced the limited edition Creme Egg calzone featuring mini marshmallows and ice cream; you’ll find many unexpected flavours popping up during special dates and occasions, and customers are never discouraged to make uncommon requests.

“One of the most unusual pizzas we made had a pistachio cream base, mortadella, lime zest and tomato del pendolo – which are tomatoes grown at the foot of Mount Vesuvius,” says head chef Fabrizio Mancinetti. w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 61

FOOD AND DRINK

The Pizza Bike uses portable mini ovens to make up to 50 pizzas per hour

They also have a bolognese pizza, and toppings including creamed walnuts, fresh figs and truffle.

No matter the ingredients, pizzas here are always Neapolitan in style, as Fabrizio explains, “We offer authentic wood-fired pizza made of a very particular type of flour – a traditional Italian stone-ground flour – which retains more nutrients than industrial types. The dough is then raised for 36 to 40 hours – ensuring a light, digestible base – before being baked in up to 500-degree heat for just 90 seconds.”

3-4 Saw Close, Bath; www.theovenpizzeria.co.uk

THE PIZZA BIKE

Come here for: The sight of sourdough pizzas being cooked in portable micro ovens…

The business idea was inspired by Angel Ganev’s passion for both, you guessed it, bikes and pizzas, and led to him setting up a micro streetfood pizzeria which consists of a Beach Cruiser bicycle complete with a portable pizza oven, sink, cooking equipment and table.

“It’s challenging in many ways – from finding the right equipment and fitting it in, to making sure you can produce the volume to keep the business sustainable,” says Angel, whose set-up allows him to make 50 pizzas per hour. “However, the overheads are lower than restaurants’ and that allows us to offer reasonable prices.”

You’ll find the bike at events – from birthdays and weddings to corporate events – all around Bath, as well as at The Bell Inn on Walcot Street where they cook in the garden every Sunday. And, after two years on the road, you can now find 62 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

them at their shop in Green Park Station.

Green Park Station, Bath; www.thepizzabike.co.uk

DOUGH

NEW FOR SUMMER IS A BLACK RICE FLOUR DOUGH WHICH, WHEN

COOKED, TURNS A DEEP PURPLE

Come here for: Curious bases with healthgiving properties, and the passionate cooking of an experienced southern Italian duo…

With ingredients such as seaweed, hemp, turmeric and grains added to the dough, the bases aren’t what you’d typically find at a pizza restaurant.

New for summer is a black rice flour dough which, when cooked, turns a deep purple. “It makes the base crunchier and it has more fibre, vitamins and minerals than traditional dough,” says chef and director Emiliano Tunno – a pizza acrobat and instructor who’s opened pizzerias around the world.

An unusual base selection is not their only selling point, they also shape their pizzas in interesting ways. “We like to offer people something different to what’s expected,” says Emiliano. “With the starshaped poker pizza, for example, you get more variety on flavour as there are different fillings in each point – it’s great for sharing.”

But when it comes to what makes their pizzas stand out, Emiliano says it’s not about novelties, it’s about experience and love. “We’re supremely passionate about what we do and we’ve gained knowledge working with pizza experts around the world, but we couldn’t do any of it without an innate love for the job. We also like to make people laugh, and spin dough for the kids, too.”

14-16 The Corridor, Bath; www.doughpizzarestaurant.co.uk

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Indulge yourself on a retreat from the stresses and strains of everyday life and sample one of the most sensuous and healing spas in Bath. We have a hidden haven of refreshing spa treatments, ready to wash away your tension in our state of the art spa.

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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

How many toasties did you say we had to make?

Pop goes the Ping

POPPITY PING Ping Coombes, the MasterChef judge and former winner, will be popping up for one night only at The Roman Baths Kitchen.

The ‘Go Bananas’ event is on 25 May, where Ping will be taking inspiration from her latest cookbook Malaysia.

“The informal evening will be as much about the eating experience as it is about the food itself,” explains Ping, “I am so excited to host this new concept at The Roman Baths Kitchen and have the opportunity to showcase exciting new Malaysian dishes, and a new way to eat.”

Graham Plumb, general manager of Searcys in Bath who are organising the event which costs £48 per person, adds, “The pop up event will appeal to both adventurous foodies and those that like good food simply cooked. The idea is to provide inspiration and get people to have the confidence just to try something new and different.

“On arrival, guests will enjoy nibbles at the bar and a welcome drink before commencing their culinary adventure.

A selection of beverages will be available to purchase throughout the night.”

For more: www.romanbathkitchen.co.uk

BIG CHEESE The British Cheese Awards, now in its 24th year and the most prestigious cheese event in the UK, are forming part of the Royal Bath & West Show, which takes place 31 May – 3 June. More than 900 cheeses will be gathered in the Shepton Mallet location, where they will be judged on 31 May on presentation, texture, aroma, flavour and balance, in a process that can be watched by the public. The British Cheese Marquee will also offer

the opportunity to sample and purchase the cheese entries.

Other attractions at the fabulous Royal Bath & West Show, which costs £20 per adult with free entrance for two children, includes world-class livestock, an all new equine area, the Diggerland JCB Stunt team, British Cider Championships, International Sheep Shearing and live music.

For more: www.bathandwest.com

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You HAD ME at MERLOT AS ENGLISH WINE WEEK – WHICH MARKS THE START OF VINEYARDS WAKING UP TO THE NEW GROWING SEASON – BEGINS ON 27 MAY, WE PERUSE BATH’S SHOPS FOR THE IDEAL WINE ACCESSORIES

4

5

1. WHAT’S THE SCOOP?

2. THE BIG CHILL

3. SHORT STACK

4. POUR DECISIONS

5. TIME TO UNWIND

Slogan dessert spoon, £19.95 Hand-stamped with the words ‘Life is short, buy the shoes, drink the wine & order the dessert!’, this vintage, silverplated piece of cutlery reminds you to be spontaneous From French Grey Interiors, 1 Burton Street, Bath, www.frenchgreyinteriors.co.uk

Cooling pour spout, £19.95 This multitasking wine gadget chills and neatly pours your wine as well as preserving it with its airtight seal From Rossiters of Bath, 38-41 Broad Street, Bath; www.rossitersofbath.com

Wine glasses, £10.50 each These Lempi glasses are softly rounded and stackable, offering generous servings without taking up too much space in the kitchen From Shannon Furniture, 68 Walcot Street, Bath; www.shannon-uk.com

LSA Ships Decanter, £54.95 Handmade from highclarity glass, this decanter is a decorative, attractive and practical way to store and serve spirits and wines From Kitchens Cookshop, 4&5 Quiet Street, Bath; www.kitchenscookshop. co.uk

Parrot corkscrew, £32 With its tropical bird motif, this Alessi practical, pocket-sized sommelier corkscrew is the perfect bar accessory From Quadri of Bath, 16 Milsom Place, Milsom Street, Bath; www.quadri.co.uk

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

ED’S CHOICE

SHOPPING

6

7

10

9

8

6. AN OPEN-AND-SHUT CASE

7. HOLD YOUR LIQUOR

8.AFTER EIGHT

9. PROTECT AND SERVE

10. AIRS AND GRACES

Wine and cocktail trunk, £1,895 A centrepiece to any celebration, impress your guests with this beautifully hand-crafted leather drinks trunk which makes for an elegant storage solution when the party’s over From Brissi, 38 Milsom Street, Bath; www.brissi.com

Wino nine-bottle wine holder, £69 This white oak, contemporary storagesolving design makes for a snazzy yet chic countertop display From Salcombe Trading, 9 Broad Street, Bath; www. salcombetrading.co.uk

Octopus Wine Holder, £35 This quirky aquatic creature’s arms helpfully support a bottle of wine, while his gold, metallic demeanour is sure to add glamour to your dining table From Graham and Green, 92 Walcot Street, Bath; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

Still Life ‘Storm’ coaster, £6 Part of a collectible range of matching table mats and placemats, these coasters feature a still life painting of a papercutting composition

by Robert McPartland From Avenida Home, 27 Walcot Street, Bath; www.avenidahome.com

Soiree wine aerator classic, £22.50 Working by infusing oxygen into wine to improve taste and enhance flavour, this nifty aerator fits tightly onto any bottle From Vinegar Hill, 16 Milsom Street, Bath; www.vinegarhill.co.uk

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

Fresh thinking

From the Bath-based owner of a global herbal company which sells hundreds of millions of health-giving products every day, to a spa offering celestial and ice treatments, we meet the people and visit the places breathing wellness into the city

By L i sa E va ns

H

ave you ever wondered whether you have a hidden allergy that’s making you lethargic? Have you ever visited a stars-andplanets relaxation room?

Or have you ever had a spa treatment at the bottom of a garden in a potting shed? No? Then read on to discover some of the most unusual wellbeing strategies available locally, and meet the professionals who are making waves in the health industry right now…

The power of plants

At Neal’s Yard Remedies Therapy Rooms in Bath, you’ll find Sebastian Pole, an Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal practitioner who co-founded Pukka – a now global organic tea and supplement business – and he believes that herbs and plants are all-powerful when it comes to wellbeing.

“I’ve always been fascinated by plants, which is why I co-founded Pukka and became a herbal practitioner in Bath,” he says. “Little did I know that hundreds of millions of cups of our Pukka herbal teas would be enjoyed every day and our supplements would be helping transform people’s health. I integrated my experience of traditional and current medicine, yogic mindfulness philosophy and the joys of good food into my clinical practice in Bath. I focus on bringing revitalised health to the whole mind-body-spirit 70 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

I’ve always been fascinated by

plants.

Little did I know that hundreds of

millions of cups of our Pukka

herbal teas would be

enjoyed every day

system using herbs, diet and yogic experiences.

“Our health and our genes are inexorably linked to a diverse range of plants that deliver information that drives metabolic pathways essential to our survival and wellbeing,” he adds.

“For example, a single plant, such as ginseng, which can survive through the harshest winters, can bring us warming strength, or another, like aloe vera, which thrives in the hot desert, can soothe our burns. Understanding more about how herbs and plants cope with extreme conditions can tell you a lot about what they can do for us.”

More and more people are now awakening to the “incredible wonder of herbs”, according to Sebastian, and he says that even looking at the increase in sales of herbal and green teas can tell you that.

“People aren’t just looking for a tea which tastes great, but one which also delivers a functional benefit – from helping them to sleep, to rebooting their energy levels,” he says. “My business partner and I were ready to create a business to reach millions of people. We thought that at the very least if they drank something delicious, or used a herb that helped their health, they would feel more positive about herbal medicine.”

With summer approaching, he recommends a number of nutrient-rich plants, spices and herbs which could benefit people who want to reboot their health for the season ahead.

“Nettle will help rid the body of excess waste and help with skin conditions,” he says. “Fennel

H E A LT H A N D WELLBEING will, with its strong anti-inflammatory properties, soothe digestive systems; turmeric helps your liver work more efficiently and gives the skin a glow of health; aniseed will detoxify; and spirulina – a complete protein which contains every amino acid and is the only non-animal source of vitamin B12 – helps to build up cells, muscles and tissue.”

WAKE UP TO WELLBEING

For those who don’t know where to start when it comes to making time for self-management, you may want to try out Wellbeing College which provides opportunities for people to improve their knowledge, skills and confidence when it comes to aspects such as mindfulness, yoga and mental health.

“It’s a virtual college,” says Wellbeing College adviser Sarah Lane. “We don’t have an actual building but we use community centres and church halls in the local community to run our free courses and opportunities which are open to any B&NES resident.

“It was set up in 2014 as a pilot NHS project (there was nothing else like it in the UK) to see if empowering people take ownership of their wellbeing would reduce impact on primary care and GP surgeries,” she adds. “We work in partnership with lots of charities and organisations in Bath to deliver courses and this really helps bring the community together and reduce social isolation.”

Another super-social wellbeing club in Bath is wise+well, which launches this month and was founded by Emma Hughes, who also juggles roles as a yoga teacher and as a founding partner of Bath artwork company Bertie & Jack.

“It’s not just about pounding the treadmill or

Opposite page: the new Roman steam room at Thermae Bath Spa; this page, above: take a dip in Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa’s pool; below: teas, herbs and spices are, according to the Bath-based cofounder of Pukka, all-powerful

cutting out the ‘bad’ foods, there are so many interesting ways we can keep our bodies (and minds) in balance,” she says. “wise+well’s events will cover topics such as nutrition, skincare and foraging. The events are hosted at independent venues in Bath, with the first event taking place on 17 May at Wild Café.

“Also, being social is a good way to keep the neurons firing,” she adds. “Blogs and books are great, but learning directly from experts whilst supporting independent venues and local practitioners is a win-win.”

SPA DAYS

Any refresh for summer wouldn’t be complete without a pampering session, and The Pig near Bath is just one of the oases of calm on our radar.

“As well as being able to enjoy homegrown, locally sourced fresh food largely sourced from our kitchen garden, you can indulge in massages and facials here,” says account executive Olivia Bloom-Davis at The Pig where, unusually, the single treatment room is an old potting shed in the garden.

“There is no clinical waiting-room-feel when you come and experience that unwinding process which we’re renowned for delivering,” she adds.

“We have recently launched our holistic, healing reflexology treatment with ancient origins – a must-try for summer.”

Speaking of new treatments, the Thermae Bath Spa opened a state-of-the-art wellness suite this spring where you’ll find two Roman and Georgian-themed aromatic steam rooms, an infrared sauna, an ice chamber, chromotherapy showers, and a celestial relaxation room in which guests lie on heated loungers and take in the audio-visual display which has his historical links with astrology, notably William Herschel’s discovery of Uranus from his home in Bath. w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 71

H E A LT H A N D WELLBEING “The suite marks an exciting new chapter for us,” says Colin Skellett, chairman of the Thermae Bath Spa. “Thermae Bath Spa has now been open for over 10 years and it was time to reinvest in the facilities. The new suite really strengthens our offering and keeps the experience original, relevant, and interesting.”

And at Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, you’ll find unusual offerings such as the dry floatation treatment, during which you lay on a thin membrane allowing you to float on a heated bed in a peaceful, almost weightless environment without touching the water, and reiki – an effective alternative to massage therapy.

“Many elements make our spa unique,” says spa therapy manager Sam Teifel. “Take the sunlight therapy, for example, or our Well-being House which is home to our yoga and pilates studio.”

All of the spa treatments at The Pig near Bath are delivered in a single garden shed

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

Emily Addicott Sauvao, the founder of Bath Farm Girls Quinoa, originally began growing quinoa after discovering her eldest daughter was gluten intolerant, and now the 320-acre farm grows 40 tonnes of the plant each year, which is packaged for local and national shops and eateries.

“My dad, Gerald Addicott, and I produce topquality quinoa and quinoa flour,” says Emily, whose two daughters are the inspiration behind the business name. “Quinoa is typically grown in South America, but it has adjusted to successfully grow on our family farm, five miles from the centre of Bath.”

She adds that the health benefits of quinoa are huge as it’s wholegrain, it’s considered a complete protein, it’s nutritionally dense, and it boasts essential amino acids.

“What works for me is cooking big batches of it at a time so it’s in the fridge ready to eat,” she says. “I use it as a base for everything to add

QUINOA IS TYPICALLY

GROWN

IN SOUTH AMERICA, BUT IT HAS

ADJUSTED TO GROW ON OUR FAMILY FARM, FIVE MILES FROM THE CENTRE OF BATH Emma Hughes has launched a new wellbeing club, wise+well, in Bath this month

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

to soups, salads, stews, or as a side dish. Being prepared will mean you’re less likely to reach for junk food.

“Also, being able to introduce healthy foods into my children’s diet is very important,” she adds.

“This isn’t about preaching to them, but getting them interested in cooking and growing their own food.”

TESTING, TESTING

Have you ever considered if the reason you’re feeling unwell or tired every day is down to a hidden allergy you’re not aware of? Helle Jones, an allergy specialist, chiropractor and homeopath in Frome says it’s much more common than people think.

“Often I see patients who are curious and ask for a vegatest – a computerised, full-body homeopathic testing system – as they have friends who have experienced such a change in their wellbeing after being tested,” says Helle of Frome Medical Centre. “These patients might have a few intolerances – it could be potatoes or any other food found in the daily diet – and knowing this changes so much.”

Helle’s interest in allergy treatment developed because her son suffered severe eczema from birth. As the usual creams made no difference, she took the situation into her own hands.

“He was successfully treated by homeopathy and diet,” she says. “In general, if the body is well-balanced, less stress occurs and disease less likely. Detecting intolerances can help the body to work at its optimum. Great benefits are obtained w

H E A LT H A N D WELLBEING from trying to avoid things we come into contact with regularly, such as pet hair, pollen, dust mites, mould, washing powders and certain food, drink and medicine.”

FITNESS FANATICS

“Gyms can be scary,” says Dave Wilby, CEO of Team Breakthrough in Box which specialises in one-to-one personal training, group training and physical therapy. “And change can be scarier. But if you want to transform yourself, take the first step, now. There will always be a reason to delay.”

He suggests putting your health and fitness regime to the top of your priority list and to treat it as you would a work appointment in your diary.

And, for beginners, his advice is to hire a personal trainer to motivate you.

“You are not hiring an exercise buddy or someone to bark orders at you,” he says. “You’re hiring a coach to help you to reach your goal – someone to listen, to understand and provide expert guidance and support.”

The founder of Bath Pilates Academy, Margo Singleton’s best advice is to choose a form of exercise which doesn’t make you want to groan when you think about doing it.

“Just start slowly doing something you love to do,” says Margo, whose studio is in Bear Flat. “If it’s sunny, just start by walking around the block for 10 minutes. Likewise, with pilates, it’s very much a progressive type of exercise that you can

Top to bottom: Zest Bootcamp’s Zita Alves went from a size-16 asthmatic to a personal trainer; the ‘Bath Farm Girls’ at their quinoa farm in Corston

start slowly introducing.

“We offer small classes so that everyone involved can be given the proper guidance,” she adds. “We also do private sessions as well as pilates in the workplace.”

Zita Alves, the founder of Zest Bootcamp, agrees that working out in small groups can be beneficial and a great source of motivation, and she holds outdoor fitness classes in Alexandra Park three times a week in a safe, supportive and enjoyable environment.

Zita, who’s 46, knows, personally, how much of an impact a change in fitness levels can have. In her 20s she was a size 16, had always felt sluggish, and knew she wanted to do something to make herself feel better.

“When I look back, I used to dress, move and had the health of a much older person,” she says.

“My skin, digestion and asthma were especially bad, and I’m sad that I spent years feeling this way and hid under baggy clothes.

“I am now so passionate about helping others because I know how great it is to feel full of energy and be able to do what you want because you are fit, healthy and strong,” she adds. “I love simple exercises that use multiple joints and large muscles to get results. A workout doesn’t have to contain loads of fancy equipment or complicated moves for it to work. I’m not from a fit background, I’m just a regular woman who wants to help other women feel better.”

DIRECTORY Beauty

The Brow Place 6 Abbey Gate Street, Bath; 01225 443821; www.thebrowplace.co.uk Green Street House 14 Green Street, Bath; 01225 426000 www.greenstreethouse.co.uk

BMI Bath Clinic Claverton Down Road, Bath 01225 835555 Circle Healthcare Foxcote Avenue, Peasedown St. John, Bath; 01761 422222 www.circlehealth.co.uk

The Orangery Laser and Beauty Clinic 2 Kingsmead Street, Bath; 01225 466851;www.theorangerylaser andbeautybath.co.uk

Snowberry Lane Ridgway House, 49 Shurnhold, Melksham; 01225 700072 www.snowberrylane.co.uk

Hairdressing

Riverford Organic Farms 01225 722387 www.riverford.co.uk

Artizan George Street 8 George Street, Bath; 01225 447087 www.artizanbath.co.uk BA1 Hair 5 Bartlett Street, Bath 01225 420611; www.ba1hair.co.uk

Health, wellbeing and medical

Allergy Testing Clarion Health, Henry Street, Bath; 01225 448348; www.allergytest.co.uk 74 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Nutrition and diet

Personal trainers, gyms and health and fitness clubs

Body Development Unit 6 Stable Yard, Windsor Bridge Road, Bath 07737 484198 www.bodydevelopment.co.uk

Spas

Health 23 Crescent Lane, Bath; 01225 465111 www.health-bath.co.uk

Lucknam Park Spa Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Colerne, near Chippenham; 01225 742777 www.lucknampark.co.uk

Jane Braham 01225 852634 www.aero-tone-ilates.com www.walkingfitclub.com Monkton Leisure Monkton Combe School, Monkton Comb, Bath; 01225 721116 www.monktoncombeschool.com

Bath Pilates Academy 07939 994757; www.bathpilatesacademy.uk

Moovit Ameliarolfe.pt@gmail.com www.moo-vit.fitness

Bath Yummy Mummies 07789 712405 www.bathyummymummies.co.uk

Taylor fitness 07545256510 www.taylor-fitness.co.uk

The Gainsborough Bath Spa Beau Street, Bath; 01225 358888; www thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk

McDonald Bath Spa Hotel Sydney Road, Bath; 01225 444424 www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk Royal Crescent Spa 16 Royal Crescent, Bath; 01225 823333 www.royalcrescent.co.uk Thermae Bath Spa The Hetling Pump Room, Hot Bath Street, Bath; 01225 331234 www.thermaebathspa.com

Why YOU should be part of the BYM Ladies Only Training Studio...

With over six years experience, whether you are looking to maintain a certain level of fitness or to achieve a complete body overhaul, we'll be with you every step of the way!

Challenging. Fun. Effective.

BYM Personal Training From your initial consultation to your personalised workout and nutrition plan you can rest assured that your training sessions at BYM will be designed to meet your specific needs, enabling you to achieve your goals.

BYM Group Training A variety of group classes all working on different muscle groups in different ways.

Monday 9.30am Body Sculpt | 2.00pm HIIT Tuesday 9.00am BYM Beginners | 10.00am BYM Bootcamp Wednesday 9.30am Strength | 12.00pm Punch & Squat Thursday 9.30am Strength & Sculpt | 12pm Baby Bootcamp 2.00pm Punch & Squat | 6.30pm Disco HIIT Friday 9.30am HIIT

BYM Pre & Postnatal Training Pre & postnatal strength training specialists, expertly training ladies at all stages of pregnancy, soon after birth and further beyond.

EXCLUSIVELY LADIES ONLY

Claire 07789 712405 | Charlotte 07767 895246 claire@bathyummymummies.co.uk charlotte@bathyummymummies.co.uk www.bathyummymummies.co.uk

ad v ertisin g feat u re h e a lt h & f i t n e s s

Meet the Personal trainer Whether you want to shape up, get fit, learn more about nutrition, have fun exercising or stay motivated, we get up close and personal with Bath’s best trainers

Karen Crudgington

Body Development 07921 526 539 www.bodydevelopment.co.uk What can your clients expect from your sessions?

Firstly expect a well equipped, fun and supportive gym.

I always assess movement and alignment to prevent injury and correct imbalances.

My body composition scanner provides a starting point that’s monitored weekly to check progress. Training sessions vary but are based around weight and body weight training, cardio and interval training and stretching.

Sessions are fun, challenging and expertly coached. I like my clients to leave the session feeling like they are another step closer to their goals.

Nutrition is key so food diary checks are made to keep my clients on track and focused.

What is the most satisfying part of your job?

Seeing first hand the impact training and dietary changes have on a person’s confidence and self esteem.

Do you specialise in a particular training style?

I specialise in weight training for body composition, injury rehabilitation and prevention particularly for low back conditions, plus HIIT for fat loss. I also design HIIT classes for our gym.

ANNA BARTON Moovit Fitness 07879 436 332 www.moo-vit.fitness

What should clients expect when they come to you for a training session?

After an initial consultation to discuss the client’s objectives, a tailored bespoke plan will be made. Programmes and training sessions are varied to ensure the body is always being challenged and pushed.

There’s always an element of fun included to keep interest levels high whilst also pushing the client to the maximum.

Personally speaking, what’s your favourite exercise?

I am a big fan of short, sharp 20 high intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions. You can get your heart rate up to give you a cardio element, whilst incorporating full body strength training in one 15-20 minute session. HIIT sessions are one of the best ways to burn fat and tone your body in a short amount of time.

What are the misconceptions regarding personal training?

Many women come to us thinking that PT is a man’s game and are worried about bulking up and looking masculine. The combination of training we offer will give clients leaner, fitter bodies and more importantly boosted self esteem and confidence.

Abi Taylor

Taylor Fitness 07545 256 510 www.taylor-fitness.co.uk How should someone choose a personal trainer?

Think about what you’d want to get out of the time you spend with someone one on one. As it says in the name, it’s personal. You need to feel that a trainer is getting the best out of you, challenging you in a constructive way.

Shop around, do your research. Word of mouth is also a good place to start.

How do you keep so physically motivated?

I’m not always motivated but I enjoy the journey and the challenges that training brings, setting small goals as I go. Motivation comes from finding something you enjoy and want to keep at. Fitness means something different to everyone. Trying to stick to something because you’re punishing yourself won’t get you far. Motivation is found when there’s excitement and an appreciation for yourself and your body’s capabilities.

Learn to love it along the way.

What are the common assumptions people make about personal training?

That it’s not worth the money.

However, if you find the right coach, it’s one of the best ways to invest in yourself.

Claire Watson

Bath Yummy Mummies 07789 712 405; www. bathyummymummies.co.uk How do you encourage clients to stick to their personal goals?

We have a fantastic team spirit at BYM. I make sure that all of my clients know their short and long term goals and we keep them in sight every time we train. We have a members only group where clients share meal ideas and top tips.

What makes BYM unique compared with other gyms in Bath?

This year we have introduced a ‘6 Week BYM Transformation’ programme for two clients per term. The results have been fantastic and it really helps to kick start those who need a more intensive approach to their training.

We are launching our ‘Baby Bootcamp’ on 6 June where we have kept numbers low to ensure that all ladies have the attention they need.

We are pleased to be able to offer a paediatric first aid course focussing on child CPR and choking in June.

BYM offer unique classes such as ‘Punch n Squat’ and ‘Disco HIIT’.

In July we have the amazing ‘Mummy MOT’ coming to visit who will hold a two hour course covering all aspects of post pregnancy health care. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 77

Bath Pilates Academy Pilates is for everyone, whatever your fitness level Improve your posture, balance and movement with Pilates.

We offer classes, one to one and two to one individual sessions designed for your body in a fully equipped studio.

Would you like to work in Media Sales?

We are always looking to hear from talented individuals who would like to work for MediaClash, presenting advertising opportunities and marketing solutions across our portfolio of fantastic local titles. We are a growing business and anticipate there being various opportunities over the next few months.

Beginners Classes Monday, 7.15pm • St Lukes Church, Wellsway Wednesday, 6.15pm • Widcombe Social Club info@bathpilatesacademy.uk 07939994757 WWW.BATHPILATESACADEMY.UK

If you would like to join our continuing success story please email your CV to steve.hawkins@mediaclash.co.uk or give us a call anytime on 01225 475800 for a chat about the company, our magazines and available positions.

Walking Fit Club

All leve ls welcom e

presents

French Speaking Walks Santé, Français, Détente Mettez-vous en forme. Perfectionnez votre Français.

Every Wednesday, 1.30pm – 2.30pm and most Tuesday evenings 6.30pm – 7.30pm £10 membership, £4 per walk Different venue in Bath each week See www.walkingfitclub.com for venues www.mediaclash.co.uk

For more information call Jane on 07866 604341

Shake-ups/launches/intel/promotions

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

How the proposed automotive research might look

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE University of Bath has been named the best in the South West

EDUCATION

DOING THE HONOURS As the University of Bath celebrates its 50th anniversary, its relationship and economic contribution to the city of Bath has continued to grow since 1966 Recently named the best university in the South West and 11th in the country in the latest Complete University Guide rankings, the University of Bath’s reputation for conducting world-leading research and delivering exceptional learning and teaching continues to attract high quality students and researchers to Bath. From supporting student start-ups and job creation in the city to industry collaborations and generating local spending, the university’s positive effect on the region’s economy and business activity is far-reaching. Local spending from the university’s students in 2014/15 amounted to £147.5 million with each student generating £9,560 in extra value added.

In this same period, as one of the area’s largest employers, the university, its students and visitors supported nearly 5,850 jobs in Bath and North East Somerset, whilst one in every 17 jobs in the district was in some way dependent on the university, which can trace its roots to a technical school established in Bristol in 1856. The students come from all over the country and across the world. Many spend their time in Bath taking up part-time work, volunteering and enjoying the city’s range of shops, restaurants and bars.

One example of how the university is investing in the wider region is through the proposed Institute for

Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS).

This unique automotive research facility, to be based at the Bristol & Bath Science Park, will act as a catalyst for sustainable future economic growth stimulating new jobs, driving turnover and unlocking up to £67 million in research and innovation.

Securing government funding for IAAPS will be a major step forward in helping Bath to create a nationally significant facility here in the region.

Through job creation and industry investment, IAAPS will help develop the next generation of automotive engineers, providing companies with a highly skilled workforce and the opportunity to grow.

Vice president (Implementation) Steve Egan CBE explains, “The University of Bath has a longstanding reputation for conducting high quality, impactful automotive research. Working with our industry partners, we have developed IAAPS as a much-needed research facility that will be a global leader in its field. This will bring businesses and jobs to the South West region and enhance the UK’s position in the global automotive industry.”

For more: www.bath.ac.uk

“ALL THEY WANT IS A NORMAL LIFE AND JUST NEED THE CHANCES A PROJECT LIKE THIS CAN HELP PROVIDE” Which hairdresser provided his skills to help a project in Mumbai? Turn to page 85 to find out

£147.5m THE BIG NUMBER

The amount that local spending from University of Bath students amounted to in 2014/15.

See opposite for more

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 81

BUSINESS INSIDER

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

JAMES HUGHES We step out with Loake Bath’s head of business to talk shoes and shops

S

ince 1880, Loake Shoemakers have been manufacturing Goodyear welted shoes in Kettering, Northamptonshire. More recent developments include a collaboration with the independent gentleman’s footwear The Brogue Trader. The Loake Bath head of business James Hughes reveals the steps he took to get into the shoe business, what it’s like to sell your sole and changes afoot…

Are you a Bathonian boy?

I would say so! I moved to the city when I was a year old, I have always lived in and around Bath and am currently in Widcombe, one of my favourite areas.

What jobs have you had previously?

When I was little I did have dreams of being a pilot, and my first Saturday job was at The Hub café in Northumberland Passage – a former Bath institution!

Before this I was working at BMW on the Lower Bristol Road.

How did you progress into working with Loake?

I saw that Chris Macnamara was opening a new Brogue Trader store in Bath, and was very keen on following the store’s progress and one thing led to another and before the shop had opened, I had the job as head of business.

How would you sum up Loake’s philosophy?

At the Brogue Trader we understand that for a true gentlemen, a well fitting, long-lasting shoe is like a mark of refinement and a statement of personal pride in one’s appearance. A handmade welted shoe is the creation of a master craftsman, expressing the social standing of the wearer whilst simultaneously providing the delicate structure of the feet with optimum protection from the stress and strain of everyday life.

Do you find yourself always clocking other people’s footwear?

While I would not judge a person by their footwear, I am forever looking down and tend to make shoe contact and then eye contact.

How do you fight the increasingly disposable shoe wear market?

We live in a very throw-away society, and a ‘high street’ shoe will wear 17 times faster than a Goodyear welted shoe. As long as it is taken care of, it is fully rebuildable and can go back to the same craftsmen who originally made the shoe, up to three times. We have seen people’s attitudes changing and a rejecting of poor quality – since opening in Bath, we have built up an incredible loyal customer base.

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

Any notable customers?

We supply the Bath Rugby team with their official match day shoe. Bath hasn’t had a shop where you can be fitted for a handcrafted shoe, with a choice of 200 styles with sizes from five to 13 including half sizes. That can all be done whilst being sat in a Queen Anne wingback chair, sipping a cheeky beer, so we are attracting a lot of discerning clients. Whether it be a set of laces or a pair of our Export grade shoes, every customer is of value and importance to us.

James pictured in the Loake Bath store on Green Street

What is your own favourite pair of shoes?

That would have to be my ‘Strand’; it’s a half brogue in burgundy, such a sexy shoe and is great to dress up and down.

What makes your business stand out from your competitors?

I’d like to think we offer a customer journey like no other retail store in Bath, from greeting to the offer of a single malt through to the fitting and the shoes. We also offer a loyalty card, and our ‘6 Pair Club’ has been very popular; within this year alone over 20 people have claimed their seventh pair free.

How does Loake intend to grow? What plans does it have?

The Brogue trader is continuing our partnership with Loake and we are opening three more stores this year, Canterbury next, followed by Guildford and Oxford in the autumn.

Whereabouts in Bath do you like to shop, wine and dine?

Brissi, Mallory’s and Flamingo are three great indies, and the spring summer ‘17 collection at Gieves & Hawkes is incredible. For food, I do like to pop into the Widcombe deli for one of Jon’s tarts, and my mornings are not complete without a trip into Society cafe for a cappuccino. My wife and myself have two children so we don’t get to go out as much as we used to, but the Hideout for a quick dram is great and we’re looking forward to the Ivy Brasserie opening in the autumn.

For more: www.loake.co.uk

WHILE I WOULD NOT JUDGE A PERSON

BY THEIR FOOTWEAR, I AM FOREVER LOOKING DOWN AND TEND TO MAKE SHOE CONTACT AND THEN EYE CONTACT

BATH RUGBY NEWS Bringing you the latest from the Bath Rugby headquarters Darren Moth was drawn to leading lights Novia Global

FINANCIAL TIMES Novia Global have expanded their sales and support team with the addition of Darren Moth, formerly of Moneywise, as business development manager. He says, “I was enthused by Chris Skelhorn’s [head of distribution] knowledge of offshore markets and passion for what lies ahead for Novia Global.” www.novia-financial.co.uk

THE INSIDE STORY Interior specialists Dible & Roy have welcomed two members to their Bradford on Avon team. Operation manager Marni Poole who has more than 25 years of shop management experience, and Lizzie Escott whose background includes the interiors showroom industry. www.dibleandroy.co.uk

TECH TALK Eye-Tech IT and soVision, two leading ICT providers in the South West, are merging to form soVision IT. Brian Carpenter, who has been appointed as the firm’s new managing director, says, “Our new company will combine the assets and skills of two well established and highly competent organisations bringing significant depth and capability enhancements for our customers whilst strengthening opportunities and scope for our future growth to become one of the South West’s strongest complete IT solutions companies.” www.sovisionit.com

PHOTO BY MERVYN CLINGAN

MOVERS, SHAKERS, ETC

The fifth annual Bath Men’s Walk, in aid of Bath Rugby Foundation and Dorothy House Hospice Care took place 18 March with 541 men. The eight-mile walk along the canal path from Winsley to Bath, was followed by a screening of two Six Nations matches at the Bath Rugby ground, which saw France beat Wales in extra time and England lose out to Ireland in the second match.

Ex-England rugby player, Duncan Bell was amongst those walking along with the ITV weatherman Bob Crampton, director of rugby Todd Blackadder, head coach of Bath Rugby Tabai Matson, and modern pentathlete Jo Muir, Sports Ambassador for Dorothy House Hospice Care who cheered the men off on the walk. The Walk, which is expected to

On your marks, get set, walk!

raise more than £45,000 for the charities, was sponsored

by Thrings solicitors with support from Fidelius, Pieminister, Bath Ales and Thatchers.

Kevin Down, ‘Gill’s Boys’ team leader at the Bath Men’s Walk and husband of Gill Down, recently cared for by Dorothy House says, “I took part in the walk in memory of my wife and to give something back to Dorothy House, all their staff are amazing and we couldn’t have wanted better care for Gill. I hope that, as well as giving us a storming day of walking, chatting and rugby, the funds raised by the Bath Men’s Walk will help the hospice continue to support families through a difficult time in their lives.”

For more: www.bathrugbyfoundation.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

2 JUNE

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

7.30am, £10. www.bathbc.com

Simon Hares advises on how to get the best out of business networking. 8am-9am, free. Glove Factory Studios, Holt. www.glovefactorystudios.com

15 MAY

Enjoy fine dining and mighty fine business insight with Bath Life Business Club’s guest speaker Lord MacLaurin.

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

9 – 11 JUNE

Bath Boules in Queen Square returns to help raise money for local charities with food, fun and boules. www.bathboules.com 22 JUNE

8 JUNE

Creative Bath Awards will highlight exceptional creative quality throughout this diverse sector. To get involved and to discuss sponsorship opportunities, please email info@creativebath.org

Employment law with Royds Withy King employment law specialists. 6pm-7.30pm, £18.

Midland Bridge House; www.roydswithyking.com

Specialist advice across a range of financial services Planning for retirement?

Worried about inheritance tax?

Our financial planning advice delivers solutions tailored to your needs.

Call Monahans Financial Services now on 01225 472800 Lennox House, 3 Pierrepont Street, Bath BA1 1LB www.monahans-fsl.co.uk

BUSINESS INSIDER

BREAKING NEWS

Make ours a double

FANTASTIC FOUR Our pick of the most exciting, intriguing or important local business stories right now

Zac helps train disadvantaged young women in Mumbai

Zac Fennel, director of BA1 Hair, has taken his hairdressing talents to India to help vocationally train women who have been the victims of trafficking. It was in support of Oasis International who provide some of the most disadvantaged communities in Mumbai with the opportunity to gain

pathways to full time employment and rehabilitation into society through learning skills such as beauty training.

Zac explains, “I learned of the charity’s work through a client of mine, and when I heard the terrible stories of these young girls’ lives, it really affected me. Getting the chance to teach them was the most humbling thing I have ever done. They watched my every move, were able to repeat everything so easily and helped each other out. Even just after one lesson you could see their confidence grow.

“I loved talking with them and loved hearing their dreams. All they want is a normal life and just need the chances a project like this can help provide.”

For more: www.ba1hair.co.uk | www.oasisin.org

COMMUNITY MINDED Bath Carnival, which is due to take place this summer and is also popping up as part of Party in the City on 19 May, will work with three disability groups and two charities who help support vulnerable adults, after having been awarded a £9,950 lottery grant from Awards For All. The money will help fund the delivery of carnival arts workshops to Action on Hearing Loss, Wheels For All, MENCAP, Genesis Trust and Julian House and will include sessions in drumming, costume making and dance. Matt Prescott from Genesis Trust comments, “Our Life Skills project works with people who are vulnerable. This may be due to loneliness, mental health issues, addictions or problems with confidence. These workshops are an excellent way for clients to gain confidence and be part of a community based project.”

Bath Carnival is also injecting its energy into community projects

For more: www.bathcarnival.co.uk

PHOTO BY DEAN SHORT

Seeing creativity in Bath through new eyes

PHOTO BY RICH HOWMAN

HELPING HANDS

RAISING THE BAR The Bath Boules is set to be the biggest yet, with record numbers of sponsors and registrations rocketing to attend the Novia Friday Night Party.

The Queen Square event, which runs 9-11 June, is free to attend and open to everybody – residents, businesses and visitors. The more who come and buy food and drink, the more money will be raised for local charities.

Inventive sponsorships are also abound, which include the latest from Zara Perry Hairdressing, which is said to be tangentially related to Lovehoney’s sponsorship of the Bath Boule’s mascot Le Coq Massif. Other sponsorships include the teams themselves being sponsored via Just Giving.

All are encouraged to gain sponsorship at least to the value of their team ticket, which is £240. Those raising the largest amount on each of the three days will be given a Legion d’Honneur equivalent medal, which itself will be sponsored.

For more: www.bathboules.com

CREATIVE THINKING Finalists for the first Creative Bath Awards have been unveiled, after a huge amount of entries. Creative Bath’s chairman Greg Ingham explains, “We had 180 nominations – far in excess of what we’d expected in our first year and we are absolutely delighted.

“The creative, tech and cultural sectors are vital for Bath economically: for employment, for how our city is perceived and also for what it contributes to the fabric and culture of Bath. So it’s also great that we have Awards sponsors and partners from other areas of Bath business life, supporting and benefiting from this booming sector.”

All finalists can be viewed on the Creative Bath Awards site and the awards will be held alongside the Creative Bath Summer Party in Queen Square on 8 June. The Sponsors and Finalists Reception will be held at Café 15, part of No.15 Great Pulteney Street, with the Winners’ Dinner at the Allium. Parent company Kaleidoscope is a sponsor, as are Future, Anthem, MediaClash, Storm, Rocketmakers, Battens, Bath Digital Festival, The Guild, Minuteman and Interaction. The Headline Sponsor is Bath Spa University.

For more: www.creativebathawards.org

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 85

BUSINESS INSIDER

BATH LIFE AWARDS 2017

BUSINESS SERVICES WINNER Sponsored by

SEARCHSTAR Dan Fallon, managing director at SearchStar, one of the UK’s leading independent PPC and digital media agencies, talks about the early days of setting up, only employing fabulous people and being a typical Bathonian So how does it feel to win a Bath Life Award?

I think Tim Woolf’s Bath Life photo published at the time, of me fist pumping as I heard the announcement, pretty much sums it up.

What do you think makes SearchStar stand out from its competitors?

By employing only fabulous people, and by focusing only on what we’re really good at – digital media buying, conversion optimisation and analytics – and not getting distracted by the wider scope of digital marketing services.

How did you get into doing what you do?

I’ve always loved advertising and media and got lucky in the mid 90s with a job at a large media agency in London. I then wanted to work for myself and could see Google Search Ads, although in their infancy, were going to be huge, and so SearchStar was born.

Has SearchStar met with your initial plans, and expectations?

The original business plan was to quit my job and see if I could get four clients to each pay

Dan Fallon, third from left, celebrating with colleagues, Ryan Webb, Donna Moore, Emma Chun and Ed Culliford

me £500 a month to manage their advertising budget. We also got two lodgers while we waited for the four clients. Now, 12 years on, we have a team of 40 working alongside 200+ clients.

Any recent examples of a project that best illustrates the work SearchStar does?

We’re working successfully at the moment with London & Country Mortgages to develop their direct website leads channel and reduce reliance on the financial comparison websites.

Do you think being an active part of the community is important in business?

SearchStar has always been in Bath and we have a core group of clients that are within the local community as well as across the UK. Have there been some tricky times for SearchStar?

The business has grown consistently since it started in 2005, but recruiting the right people, culturally and technically, has always been challenging. We look after the people we love, but letting people go who don’t fit in is always hard.

What are your current business aims?

We want to continue to grow the team, retain our fabulous culture and continue to delight clients. In the next year we’re hoping to move to a larger open plan grade A office in the centre of Bath.

Who are your business heroes?

Niraj Gadher from Chai Walla who is making a fortune from samosas and bhajis.

What’s your favourite journey?

Travelling on the train back to Bath from London.

What do you do when you’re not working?

The usual middle class Bathonian male hobbies – food, family and cycling.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Be honest and say what you are thinking – it’s far less stressful.

For more: www.search-star.co.uk

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

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OFFICE MACHINES

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Woods the stationers

OUR SHOP HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IN BATH FOR OVER 200 YEARS

Come in for all your day to day and gift stationery

12 Old Bond Street, Bath Tel: 01225 445 347

a d v e r t i s i n g f e at u r e F I N A N C E

THE 2017 SPRING BUDGET

From the dramatic U-turns on national insurance contributions to changes in the cycle-to-work schemes, PEARSON MAY explores the impact of the chancellor's recent budget

T

he chancellor, Philip Hammond, delivered his Budget speech on 8 March 2017. This was both his first and last spring budget speech as the tax policy-making process will move over to a single main autumn budget later this year with a spring statement expected in 2018.

Possibly as a result of this and with one eye on the autumn budget, the spring budget didn’t include an awful lot of changes to tax policies, although other changes have already been planned and two budgets in one tax year have the potential to have an impact on our household finances.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this spring’s budget came a couple of weeks after the budget itself, with a dramatic U-turn as far as Class 4 National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for the self-employed are concerned.

It was announced that Class 4 NICs would increase to 10 per cent (from 9 per cent) from 6 April 2018 with a further increase to 11 per cent from 6 April 2019. This followed on from the abolition of Class 2 NICs for the self-employed from 6 April 2018. However, the

overwhelming negative publicity and accusations that the Conservatives had broken one of their key manifesto pledges, resulted in the chancellor having a change of heart and backing down on the planned increases, with a statement making it clear that there would be no further increases to NICs for the duration of the current parliament.

I have summarised a few of the more relevant tax announcements below. There is more detail in our 2017 Budget Report, which is available free of charge from any of our offices or you can email us at mail@pearsonmay.co.uk and we will be pleased to send a pdf of the report to you.

National Insurance for Employees/Directors

The threshold below which no National Insurance is paid will increase from £155 per week for the 2016/17 tax year to £157 per week from 6 April 2017, as previously announced. Employees (including directors) earning between £113 per week and £157 per week in the 2017/18 tax year will have no national insurance liability but should still be entitled to the same benefits as those paying national insurance, such as state pension on retirement, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Maternity Allowance and bereavement benefits. Company directors may wish to consider this when determining the level of salary/dividends to be taken from their company and we would be happy to provide advice in this connection.

Salary Sacrifice

With effect from 6 April 2017, most salary sacrifice arrangements for providing benefits to employees will cease. However, the following benefits can continue to be provided via salary sacrifice, thus tax and NIC savings will continue to be available:

“sometimes the company is given the right to buy the shares of the departing shareholder”

l employer pension contributions and advice; l employer-provided childcare and workplace nurseries; l cycle-to-work schemes; l ultra-low emission company cars Transitional provisions apply where the employees were in contractual arrangements before 6 April 2017.

Dividend Allowance

Introduced in April 2016, the dividend allowance taxes the first £5,000 of dividend income received by individuals per annum at 0 per cent, irrespective of the individual’s marginal rate of tax. From 6 April 2018, the dividend allowance will be reduced to £2,000. Individuals and particularly married couples and civil partners should consider arranging their finances in order to make use of the current £5,000 allowance.

It is important to note that the £5,000 is added to taxable income so can affect the rate of tax paid on other income. It is also added to income for the purposes of determining whether the High Income Child Benefit Charge (for incomes exceeding £50,000) and abatement of the personal allowance (for incomes above £100,000) apply.

Those who operate their business through a limited company can also benefit from the dividend allowance and there are tax planning opportunities when considering the extraction of profits from the limited company.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss your particular situation.

The above is for general guidance only and no action should be taken without obtaining specific advice.

Nick Oliver FCA FIoD

37 Great Pulteney Street, Bath BA2 4DA 01225 460491 mail@pearsonmay.co.uk www.pearsonmay.co.uk

PROPERTY

NEW BUILDS

BUILDING SOCIETIES As Bath continues to thrive economically, the new build housing market is expanding to accommodate the needs of the residents. Here, we put key questions about modern homes to the city’s expert developers…

By SA R A H MOOL L A

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

I

n a city famed for its glorious architectural past, the design, layout and structure of Bath’s landscape is as carefully protected and considered, as the Royal Crescent and its Bath stone construction, is celebrated and preserved. However we are also a region evolving and flourishing on every level, which has in turn facilitated a boom in new housing. Here, the developers currently helping shape the future of Bath’s housing market, answer the most commonly asked questions regarding their contemporary builds.

CREST NICHOLSON

Crest Nicholson are the developers behind the Bath Riverside, a collection of new homes including deluxe studios to penthouse apartments, which are transforming the western riverfront into a modern residential quarter Should I rely on looking at just the show home to get an idea of the build?

There are a number of show homes at the Bath Riverside development, all providing a different take on style and layout and demonstrates the high level specification and build quality.

NEW BUILDS Left: The Kersfield developments, such as these Hope Chapel Apartments, have been carefully designed to reflect Bath’s heritage; below: The Crest Nicholson Bath Riverside homes are regenerating over four acres of previously unattended land

AT WALCOT YARD THE

HOUSES

WILL BE BUILT USING THE

SAME

MATERIALS AND

COLOURS THAT HAVE BROUGHT CHARACTER TO THE

YARD

IN RECENT DECADES

The website is also a great way to see what’s available, what the area is like and to check out the specification.

Are down payments required, and is shared ownership an option?

A reservation fee of £1,000, or £500 if using Help to Buy, is needed and a further 10 per cent is payable on exchange of contracts. The remainder of clear funds will need to be with the purchaser’s solicitor prior to legally completing. There are also some mixed rental and shared ownership properties available through Curo.

What are the likelihood of delays in completion if I’m buying off-plan? And does everyone move in at the same time?

Crest Nicholson is one of the biggest and most respected new housing developers in the UK and is currently on target to achieve all its completions at Bath Riverside. All of our properties are phased, so that completions are staggered in line with the building programme.

Bath Riverside is regenerating over 40 acres of land that had been left unattended for many years. Already, four years into the build programme, people have moved in, as and when, their new homes have been completed, and there is now an established community living and enjoying life on the banks of the River Avon. The work is expected to continue for another five years during which time more and more people will move in and add to the vibrant, exciting feel.

For more: www.crestnicholson.com

PROPERTY

KERSFIELD

Kersfield is a private housebuilder and property development group whose current residential and mixed-use developments include Walcot Yard, Lansdown Fields, Beckford Gate, Lower Borough Walls and Westgate Buildings How is it best to judge the area where the new development is built?

Visit the area where you’re thinking of buying and get an idea of what amenities are available, including nearby shops, cafés, restaurants and transport links. For example our Walcot Yard development sits within one of Bath’s most vibrant areas, in the heart of its artisan district. While our two show houses at Lansdown Fields enjoy some of the best views in the city.

Can a new build look out of place in the heart of Bath?

Every one of our developments have been carefully designed to reflect Bath’s heritage, adding value to our houses and apartments through the role they play in helping to preserve the unique cityscape here. For example, at Walcot Yard the houses will be built using the same materials and colours that have brought character to the yard in recent decades, with finishing touches to the interiors that reflect the area’s industrial past. With the Hope Chapel Apartments, the original chapel façade will be retained.

What building guarantees are there? What about my white goods – are they covered?

Our strive for quality is reflected in every aspect of our properties, from the materials we use to every last finishing touch. As such, all of our properties come with a 10-year building warranty and white goods are covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.

For more: www.kersfield.co.uk

HARDROCK DEVELOPERS

Destined to become a new neighbourhood in Bath, the Holburne Park properties from the Hardrock Developers, include a choice of terraced houses, villas and apartments and have been designed by award-winning architect Robert Adam What are the advantages of buying off-plan?

When buying early within a development, you get to choose the house that you want from the widest possible selection and get the excitement of seeing your house take shape in front of your eyes. At Holburne Park, you also get a choice of kitchen and wardrobes to cater to your individual tastes.

Are new homes good value for money?

Holburne Park has been designed by Robert Adam along classical lines but with modern living in mind. He has created a range of homes to appeal to a wide range of people from young couples to families and downsizers, as the aim is to develop a new and balanced neighbourhood in keeping with Bath. The variety of homes are built to such a high quality that no additional extras are required w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 91

PROPERTY

NEW BUILDS

and this is proving very popular with potential buyers who like the fact that everything is there – they can simply move their furniture in and start living in their new home. The handmade Neptune kitchens also come with a lifetime guarantee to demonstrate the confidence in the quality of the materials being used.

How can I get a real feel for what my new home will be like?

The show home will open in late summer but we have already opened a marketing pavilion, which is designed to demonstrate the quality and style of the buildings being created. It features complete bathrooms, kitchens and living spaces, and there is a 3D model so people can see the whole development to understand the layout and community being created here.

For more: www.savills.co.uk

CROSSMAN HOMES

Crossman Homes have looked after developments and new builds at Odd Down’s Red Lion Quarry, Titan Cottage Bathford and Box Road Bathford What should I be looking for when deciding on my new home?

Schools, amenities are all very well but also look at the surrounding housing stock – who lives there and on average how long do they stay or have lived there?

There is also no substitute for walking the actual plot you are buying or, at the very least, the type of plot.

Am I obliged to use your solicitor and mortgage advisor?

We like you to make your own choice regarding solicitor and mortgage advisor. However, if you need a recommendation, we can point you in the right direction.

Are the new builds a one-size-fits-all, or am I allowed to modify the outside of a building, to build a conservatory for example?

We believe as far as possible you should be able to have the home you desire. To this end we have been only too happy to put clients in touch with our suppliers if they want to amend specifications.

Post completion and developments should comply with ‘permitted development’ rules, planning

permission, building regulations and conservation area and listed buildings permission.

For more: www.crossmanhomes.co.uk

WHITECROFT DEVELOPMENTS

Among Whitecroft Developments projects are the Bath Hill school building conversion. West Harptree in Chew Valley and nearing completed Treetops, Keynsham What are the advantages of a new build?

Treetops, Keynsham, is a select development of just nine new homes and the last remaining property is dressed with beautiful contemporary furniture to match the property design and looks fabulous. The fitted appliances, and floor and wall finishes are all included as standard. Keynsham is served by its own train station making commuting very straightforward too.

Is it true that most new builds will depreciate immediately after purchase?

If there is over supply of a particular property generated by volume house building, it is likely that there will be less demand and therefore, prices could drop for a particular property type. However as there are only three properties of this type on the Treetops development, they are very unique, so this should afford some resilience. There is sometimes an understandable premium for new build properties as some purchasers will pay more for new appliances and fittings and fixtures throughout. There are also maintenance and energy efficiency benefits in purchasing a newer property worth considering in the overall sums.

What peace of mind do I get about long-term upkeep of the building?

There is a 10 year building warranty with the property, white goods are included within the sale and covered by their own manufacturer’s warranty, and there is a service charge of £10 per month for communal gardens.

For more: www.whitecroftdev.co.uk

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

Above: Whitecroft homes come with a 10-year building warranty; below: Crossman Homes believe in helping deliver the types of homes people desire

THERE ARE ALSO

MAINTENANCE AND

ENERGY

EFFICIENCY BENEFITS IN PURCHASING A NEWER PROPERTY

Crafting beautiful homes in stunning locations Bath Somerset Wiltshire Cotswolds Dorset Timeless design Refined quality Bespoke specification

01225 791155 ashford-homes.co.uk

Treetops, Keynsham, Bristol The new homes at Treetops demonstrate high levels of architectural attention, resulting in cohesive interiors with character and interest.

Treetops by award winning developers Whitecroft Developments | Quality High Specification throughout | Gardens | 4 bedroom detached | Views | Open plan living | Private Parking | 10 Year BLP Warranty

Guide Price ÂŁ635,000 Whitecroft Developments Ltd Hayloft, Lady Farm, Chelwood, Bristol BS39 4NN www.whitecroftdev.co.uk Tel 01761 490 101

You Won’t Believe It’s Not Timber!

Bygone windows are the ideal replacement for original timber box sash windows.

They combine the low-maintenance and energy efficiency of modern material with the classic aesthetics and traditional design features of timber.

See for yourself; you might not be able to tell the difference, even up close.

For more information, please call us on 01373 452 022 or visit www.bygonecollection.co.uk

P R O P E R T Y ad v ertisi n g feat u re

BECAUSE THERE ARE THOSE WITH A GREATER OUTLOOK ON LIFE A new luxury housing development in Lansdown by Bloor homes ensures you get the rural charm of Somerset, beautiful Bath skylines, generous space and amenities all on your doorstep

J

ust two miles from the renowned City of Bath, Bloor Homes’ Ensleigh development offers all the benefits of living close to a busy city. This soughtafter Lansdown address is just two miles from the centre of Bath and a short walk to the local amenities and new forthcoming primary school ‘Abbot Alphege Academy’, which will be under the leadership of Dr Anne Bull OBE, head teacher of Weston All Saints Primary School (also known as WASPS).

Stunning countryside and the Bath skyline complete the picture.

Each house has been beautifully designed with the buyer in mind, from spacious and modern open plan layouts, to the high specifications that are typical of Bloor Homes.

From a generously-spaced two bedroom home perfect for first time buyers, to a luxury superior detached four bedroom family home, Ensleigh has something for every buyer.

The development has been sensitively designed to reflect the charm of the Somerset countryside. Lansdown is surrounded by an expanse of fields and green spaces, with Lansdown Golf Club and the popular Bath Racecourse located nearby.

Being so close to the city centre, transport links are excellent. Ensleigh is convenient for the M4, there are regular bus services into Bath, and Bath Spa Railway station has a link to London Paddington which makes it ideal for commuters.

The area has a number of excellent schools both primary and secondary, a number of which have been rated the best in England. Bath itself has a great deal to offer visitors and residents alike, from the Thermae Bath Spa to the Theatre Royal, to the festivals and events that take place throughout the year.

Rowena Adams, regional sales director at

“Stunning countryside and the Bath skyline complete the picture” 102 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Bloor Homes South West, comments, “There is so much about Bath that attracts people to the area. Its history, charm and energy make it a desirable place to live. From the landmark Georgian architecture of the Royal Crescent, and Britain’s only natural thermal spa, to fantastic shopping and restaurants offering cuisine from across the world, there really is something for everyone.

“Ensleigh is located a short distance from the city, and yet it’s an incredibly peaceful setting that is perfect for families, downsizers and first time buyers. Each home has the high specifications and quality finishes which Bloor customers know to expect from us, so I would encourage anyone who is interested to visit the development and see for themselves what we have to offer.”

The combination of the location and the homes that are for sale, means that demand is high, so we would encourage potential buyers to get in contact with us as soon as possible.

A range of two, three and four bedroom homes are currently available, priced between £359,950 and £779,950.

01225 685229 www.bloorhomes.com

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

ROUGH LUXURY This simply exquisite Grade-II listed Georgian townhouse, which is arranged over five floors and is tucked away in a central location, was designed by John Wood the Elder and is steeped in fascinating history

By E V E LY N GR E E N

104 LIFELIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk 112 II BATH CLIFTON I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SHOWCASE

PROPERTY

H

aving only changed hands once in the last 200 years, a rather special Georgian townhouse – which is currently used as a family home and an incredibly popular B&B, Berdoulat and Breakfast – in Bath has just gone on the market.

The period building on Pierrepont Place is steeped in history, as the owners explain on the Berdoulat and Breakfast website. “We bought it from our neighbours, The Bath Freemasons, who purchased the house along with the then Theatre Royal (now the Masonic Hall) back in 1809 for the princely sum of £25, and had rented it to myriad tenants since. w

VELLUM DEEDS ARE ADORNED WITH THE WAX STAMP AND SIGNATURE OF THE ARCHITECT JOHN WOOD THE ELDER

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE LIFE II 105 www.mediaclash.co.uk I CLIFTON 113

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

“Designed by the ‘Founder of Bath’, architect John Wood the Elder, whose works include the famous Royal Circus, Royal Crescent and Queen Square, 5 Pierrepont Place was built in 1748 on a plot within the former orchard of Bath Abbey.”

There is a fascinating near-complete paper trail dating back to before the house’s construction, right through to email print-outs from the current owners’ purchase. The earlier documents are on display in a vast, impressive frame in the entrance hall and include vellum deeds adorned with the wax stamp and signature of the architect John Wood the Elder.

The website goes on to say, “In the deeds, John Wood the Elder describes in detail how the house was to be built, from citing the source of the stone, through to the colour the windows and front door were to be painted (our dilemma as to what colour to paint the front door was solved by the discovery of these documents).”

The five-bedroom, Grade-II home was restored over a gruelling 18 months by the current owners and is now simply exquisite in style. Until this refurbishment, very little modernisation work had been carried out so there remains a breathtaking wealth of original features inside.

A feature in a recent issue of House & Garden magazine highlighted the great care and attention to detail given to restoring the original fabric of the building while adding to it sympathetically to allow for modern-day comforts, with a resultant warm charm and character.

This family home is cleverly arranged over five floors and the two en suite bedrooms on the garden level are currently run as the aforementioned award-winning and constantly fully-booked bed and breakfast, providing great income potential to its future buyers.

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

Clockwise from top left: One of five traditional bedrooms; the roof terrace – a rare feature in central Bath; original features can be spotted in many of the rooms; the kitchen island features a butler sink, stove and refrigerated drawers

HOUSE NUMBERS

2,639

square foot of space

5

bedrooms

4

bath/shower rooms

£1.3M price

1

roof terrace

1

courtyard garden

The rear bedroom features a large en suite, which lies underneath the neighbouring chapel and looks out on to the attractive courtyard. And at the front are vaults (one is currently blocked up) providing useful storage.

The ground floor kitchen and dining room feature original panelling throughout; the kitchen has an impressive, beautifully designed central island, containing a large butler sink, an Everhot range cooker, and cleverly hidden refrigerated drawers.

A dressed stone stairwell leads to the first floor, where, to the front, a library is enveloped by large bookcases and has a working fireplace. To the rear is a panelled bedroom with plenty of built-in storage and glorious vistas out over the courtyard.

On the second floor, the master bedroom takes pride of place at the front of the property, with a lovely aspect through triple sash windows, and it benefits from an en suite shower room. And to the rear is a large family bathroom with a fantastic circular bath, as featured on our front cover.

On the top floor is a further double bedroom at the front, and access to a rare feature in central Bath: a large roof terrace. With stunning views over the rooftops towards the Abbey tower in one direction and St. John’s Church spire in the other, this is a very special oasis in the heart of the city – perfect for outside dining and entertaining.

With all this, as well as Pierrepont Place being a conveniently centrally located, peaceful, no-through cobbled street, this seems like a once in a lifetime opportunity if ever we saw one.

Savills Bath, Edgar House, 17 George Street Bath, BA1 2EN; 01225 474550; www.savills.co.uk

SHOWCASE

PROPERTY

Clockwise, from this image: On the first floor you’ll find a spacious library; the property benefits from a quaint courtyard garden; the handsome façade of the house on Pierrepont Place

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 107

Exceptional apartment in Lansdown A modern, stylish and beautifully presented ground floor apartment, offering stunning views and wonderful outdoor space in this much sort after area.

Equus House

offers in excess of £700,000

A beautiful two bedroom apartment, occupying one of Lansdown’s premium positions on Bath’s popular Northern slopes. This stunning contemporary accommodation has been finished to the highest standards and boasts a large open plan living area which offers an immediate feeling of space and airiness. Large French doors lead onto a slate covered patio area and large garden with stunning uninterrupted views stretching to the Solsbury hills. With two good sized double bedrooms, one with large en-suite, contemporary kitchen, family bathroom and benefitting from private secure parking, this accommodation must be viewed to be fully appreciated. Viewing is highly recommended.

Bespoke architectural design · Contemporary finish · Stunning uninterrupted views · Two double bedrooms · Secure gated driveway · Private parking · 1367 Sq ft · EPC Rating: B

SALES

01225 471 14 4

LETTINGS

01225 303 870

sales@theapartmentcompany.co.uk

A stylish recently refurbished apartment in the heart of the city A modern, immaculately presented three bedroom apartment. Centrally located just a short walk to local shops, restaurants and local amenities.

Milsom Apartment

per calendar month £1,700

This fabulous apartment located in the trendy Milsom Place development is the perfect property to enjoy all of the city’s facilities. Sharing an entrance with just two other apartments this first floor property boasts a spacious open plan kitchen/ sitting room with oak floors and a bespoke kitchen. The master bedroom benefits from a well-appointed en-suite shower room, there are two further bedrooms and a master bathroom. Having recently undergone a superb refurbishment this property would make an ideal home viewings are highly recommended.

Three Bedrooms · First Floor · Beautifully refurbished · Bespoke kitchen · Central Location · Furnished · Tenant fees apply

www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk

P R O P E R T Y a d v e rtisi n g f e atur e

Dress to Impress in Bath The Apartment Company advises that a few home staging tricks can transform a boring and bland rental or sale, into a desirable let or a showstopping must-buy

B

ath is a very glamorous city, well acclaimed for its shopping, Georgian architecture, spas, restaurants, boutique cafes, hotels and so on.

It’s of no surprise therefore, that our area tops the property rankings for sales and rental values. For example, Rightmove reported Bath had the highest annual growth for asking prices in 2016, up 17.8 per cent to £485,491. Meanwhile, their recent rental tracker has noted Bath is the second highest region outside of London for average asking prices per month in Q1 2017, up 11.7 per cent to £1,167 from Q1 2016.

To take advantage of our high performing property market, interior design plays a fundamental role. Apartments must be ‘dressed to impress’ to achieve the best possible price quickly. So let me introduce you to a concept called home staging...

Initially a common practice for developers in

London to give their properties the wow factor, home staging has become increasingly popular across the UK for estate agents to recommend to their clients.

Sellers engage a professional stager, who are highly skilled artists. They transform a property from a blank canvas into a masterpiece by adding textiles, furniture, accessories and so on.

For example, a stager would implement best in class furnishings and finishes for a prestige apartment, to ensure it projects the opulent quality that buyers at that end of the market would expect.

Home staging can be a valuable tool because as we are still in a market where people are price conscious, apartments have to project good quality from every corner if they are to maximise their value and sell quickly. It can also be a cost-effective alternative to price reductions.

We therefore encourage some of our clients to use this concept. For example, home

staging can bring a lot of life to an unfurnished apartment which can feel ‘soulless’ otherwise.

This can apply to rentals too.

For more information and our top five home staging tips, please do get in touch.

For more advice visit our blog at www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk/ newssearch.aspx Sales: 01225 471144 Lettings: 01225 303870 www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk

Enjoy a hotel lifestyle all year round in our Pavilion suites

Retire to a life of leisure with all the support you need Our Sales Centre is open 7 days a week from 10am-5pm.

Call us on 01225 584500 to arrange your visit.

Register your interest for Almond Close, our next phase of Courtyard Apartments at almondclose@wadswickgreen.co.uk The Pavilion | Wadswick Green | Corsham Wiltshire | SN13 9FN | www.wadswickgreen.co.uk

Father’s Day at The Greenhouse, Sunday 18th June All are welcome to celebrate in style with their families and enjoy a delicious Father’s Day menu.

For full details visit our website www.thegreenhousewg.co.uk or call 01225 585 880.

Booking essential.

Box Road, Bathford, Nr. Bath Prices from £945,000 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.

Vernon Terrace, Lower Bristol Rd, Bath Prices from £195,000 Ideal for FTB or investors 4 new built apartments by prestigious local developers Crossman Homes in this popular location within a miles' level walk of the city centre.

Two ground floor garden apartments (a one bedroom (£195,000) and a two bedroom unit (£255,000) plus a further two 1st and 2nd floor two bedroom maisonettes (£269,000 and £285,000). Build completion scheduled for Summer 2017.

T: 01225 471116 crossmanhomes.co.uk

T: 01225 325857

timbennettandassociates.co.uk

PHILIP SHONE PHOTOGRAPHY

Architectural property photography In t e rior s | E x te rior s | H ot els | N ew H o mes | Res ta u ra n t s Estate Ag ents | Letti ng A gents

Email: philipshone1@gmail.com Tel: 07480 333 320 web: philipshone.wixsite.com/properties

SERVICES GUIDE

ALLERGY TESTING

ALLERGY TESTING

GUIDE to SERVICES in the CITY

Feeling unwell? May I help you?

ARE YOU FIT INSIDE AND OUT?

uk co. st. yte erg all w. ww

TO ADVERTISE HERE CALL THE BATH LIFE TEAM ON 01225 475800

Headaches & migraine, tiredness & fatigue, weight problems, eczema or other skin problems, asthma, catarrh & sinus congestion, IBS & digestive disorders, anxiety & depression.

If you suffer with any of the above complaints, an hour’s test could change your life!

For your nearest tester please contact Cindy on 07747 800097 or 01934 824056, or email allergytesting@churchviews.co.uk

Now testing at Lansdown Clinic, Bath BA1 5EE www.allergytest.co.uk

STONE SPECIALISTS

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Email: nortonmasonryltd@hotmail.co.uk

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Tel: 01225 462688 / 07968 697091 Email: Julian@bathstonemasons.co.uk

Over 30 Years Experience

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GARDENING

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DESIGN � CONSTRUCTION � CLEANING � MAINTENANCE BLANKET WEED SOLUTIONS AND MORE T: 07834 973945 E: richard.brook9@btinternet.com

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To advertise here call ✆ 01225 475800

STONE SPECIALISTS

JEWELLERY

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45 Old Fosse Road Odd Down, Bath BA2 2SP Tel: 01225 352437 07894 210446 Fax: 01225 350429 Member of Painting, Decorating Association

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WE BUY Gold, Silver & Platinum in any form or condition.

Nigel Dando 11 Pulteney Bridge, Bath BA2 4AY Tel/Fax: 01225 464013 www.nigeldando.co.uk

B AT H L I V E S

Q&A

T

he internationally renowned Iford Arts Festival entices some of the best musicians and singers to the South West, and this year is no exception. Three opera productions – all sung in English, for an intimate audience of 90 – form the backbone of the festival, with the ever-popular picnic proms and classical concerts in the enchanting miniature Italianate cloister, and a programme of stunning jazz events punctuating the season. The dreamlike atmosphere and overwhelming charm of the Grade-I listed Peto Garden at Iford is reason enough for a visit to Iford Manor, which is five miles from Bath in Bradford on Avon.

But if you need another reason, the festival is particularly acclaimed for its productions of baroque opera, and this year’s dramatised Jephtha – Handel’s sensational family story – offers a rare chance to witness this wonderful work. Singers and musicians including Clare Teal and her trio, Hailey Tuck, and James Brown’s sensational saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis all make appearances over the summer, too.

Here, Judy, the creative director and cofounder of Iford Arts, tells us more…

For those who have been before, I would describe the Iford Arts festival as…

A jewel/ Shangri-La/ Arcadia. Its location, its friendliness and its informality sets this festival apart from others.

The highlights this year are…

Our first-ever own production of Puccini’s La Bohème which will be conducted by Oliver Gooch with rising young tenor Anthony Flaum as Rudolfo, and Irish soprano Màrie Flavin as Mimì, together with Alison Langer as fire-spitting Musetta and Nicholas Lester as her longsuffering lover Marcello. You’ll also see our first dramatised oratorio – Handel’s dramatic account of the crisis in Jephtha’s life when he proposes to sacrifice his own daughter; singer Clare Teal; party bands at the proms; and our young singers concert in the cloister with Oliver Gooch. ‘Where else in the world can I see something like this?’

Is a comment often made by opera audiences at Iford.

I was the co-founder of the festival in 1993, and it has always been my vision which has guided the festival along…

Although people visit from all over the world, Iford is still seen as a well-kept secret. People living two miles away don’t always know about it. We are a tiny, so called ‘part-time’ team, working year-round in our office at Iford.

It’s a family affair – the owners of the manor are ever so accommodating and are often

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

JUDY EGLINGTON The co-founder of Iford Arts on the Shangri-La feel of the Iford Arts Festival, her experience of singing in a beehive tomb in Greece, and her memories of visiting the Theatre Royal Bath as a child found drinking coffee with the guests. We all do everything, we are crazily busy and work as a close team, so changes take a great deal of time.

Don’t miss…

Butterfly Day – a free day on 25 June for families who come to Iford to picnic and explore the wildlife of the valley, with arts, crafts and storytelling for children thrown in, too.

The best bit about my job is…

When we gear up for the opera festival. The production teams arrive after their London rehearsal run, and all sorts of surprising stuff and props appear in our office – from limbs, harps and theorbos, to babies and glue guns.

My proudest achievement is…

Seeing the potential of the cloister space at Iford, developing relationships and working with top performers to create new work there.

I was born in Hilperton, grew up in Melksham and came to Bath with my mum and siblings…

We would go on tiring shopping trips on Saturdays, we were regularly taken to the Theatre Royal Bath, and sometimes we sat in the gods and watched Gilbert & Sullivan – I loved it!

Bath is utterly extraordinary but I also love the countryside…

I spent a lot of time staying on a farm in Atworth as a child; there was a pond where we used to catch tadpoles with a silver soup ladle. Now, my favourite places to visit in the city are Blue and Café Lucca in The Loft.

My most treasured possession is an artwork by my daughter…

Her name is Lucy Eglington, and a print of her latest painting hangs in our office at Iford. It’s stunning and has something big to say about climate change.

Not many people know that…

I love visiting unusual places and travelling. My two favourite moments were singing in a beehive tomb (good acoustics!) in Greece; and jumping out of volcanic hot springs into the shudderingly cold sea in Turkey.

If I owned Bath for a day, the one thing I’d add is…

An antipodean café.

The Iford Arts Festival runs from 27 May to 5 August. For more, visit www.ifordarts.org.uk