Bath Life – issue 345

Dining/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property ISSUE 345 / 4 – 18 AUGUST 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

TR A NSFORMING SPACE S. STYLISH RENOVATIONS TO LOVE .

MEMBERS ONLY BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE CITY’S MOST EXCLUSIVE CLUBS

ISSUE 345 / 4 – 18 AUGUST 2017 / INDULGE YOUR SENSES

IN THE A B STR AC T

LOSE YOURSELF IN UNRESTRAINED. EXPRESSIVENESS AT BATH CONTEMPORARY.

STA LL STORIE S

BASQUE SHOPPING AT THE BATH INDEPENDENT MARKET

IN THE

AMBIENCE DISCOVER BATH’S SAN SEBASTIÁN-STYLE TAPAS AND SHERRY BAR

Carpets

Rugs

Vinyls

Image shows Karndean Luxury Vinyl Tiles

Commercial

EDITOR’S LETTER / ISSUE 345 / 4 – 18 AUGUST 2017

In style

52

BASQUE IN BATH Little plates, big flavour at Pintxo

A barrage of tapas and small plates restaurants have opened in Bath recently, and the latest one we’ve reviewed is Pintxos, a San Sebastiánthemed sherry and seriously-good-nibbles bar on Barton Street (page 52). Speaking of discovering something new, on page 64, peek behind the closed doors of some of the city’s best membersonly clubs – from the traditional, once gentlemenonly establishments, to the exclusive wellbeing sanctuaries for those who prefer to keep a discreet profile – and uncover the private side of Bath.

We’ve also spoken with the experts on the local property scene (page 26) who have been sharing their advice on how to create the new-build home of your dreams, how to renovate your current abode to reach its full potential, and what to do if you’re timepoor but want to give your home a makeover (hint, call in the property guardian angels).

For an out-of-town jaunt, we visited west Wiltshire to discover its most beautiful spots and its myriad independent businesses – from a prisoner-of-war camp hut converted into a chocolate laboratory, to a farm that goes back five generations (page 70).

Elsewhere, we’ve been shopping for ‘best dressed’ outfits for Ladies Day at Bath Racecourse (page 61); exploring the thriving garden of worldwide plant specialist and author Derry Watkins (page 76); and looking forward to the open-air cinema screenings soon to take place in the city under the stars (page 51).

Enjoy!

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

The Flying Pig Renovation Company

Due to the expansion of our business we have moved to larger offices Unit 2, Locksbrook works, Locksbrook Road, Bath BA1 3EN

Property Renovation

Project Management

Interior Design

Tel 01225 420370 Email andy@flyingpiginbath.co.uk www.flyingpiginbath.co.uk

FEATURES / ISSUE 345 / 4 AUGUST - 18 AUGUST 2017

Xxxx

64

MEMBERS ONLY

We take a look behind closed doors at the private clubs of Bath

106 Bath Lives

We talk to author and pub owner Rod Humphris

REGULARS / ISSUE 345 / 4 – 18 AUGUST 2017

THE ARTS 39 Arts intro Artist Emma Rose’s Life Force

40 What’s on Our guide to the best music, theatre, events and exhibitins in and around the city

70

The Kennet and Avon Canal at Bradford on Avon

Nic Bottomley exlores isolation in literature

51 Film Summer films from Jennifer Jennings-Wright

FOOD

Production and distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Production designer Matt Gynn matt.gynn@mediaclash.co.uk

52 Restaurant The tapas and sherry bar putting the Basque in Bath

59 Food & drink news Brigit’s Bakery, Dan Moon at the Gainsborough and Richard Bertinet

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

SHOPPING

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

61 Shopping intro

Effortless elegance for Ladies Day

62 Editor’s choice

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

Tempting wares from the Independent Bath Market 70 Out of town Having it all in west Wiltshire

76 Gardening We catch up with garden guru Derry Watkins

MOTORING 80 The new Audi S5 Sexy meets serious

Editor Lisa Evans lisa.evans@mediaclash.co.uk Managing editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Assistant editor Samantha Walker sam.walker@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors David Flatman, Nic Bottomley, Jennifer Jennings Wright, Nick Woodhouse 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 Sales executive Bradley Long bradley.long@mediaclash.co.uk

49 Bookshelf

LIFEST YLE

M E ET T H E T EAM

BUSINESS

DEPARTMENTS

83 Business insider

9 12 23

News, views and interviews from the regions’ 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

PROPERT Y 94 Property showcase Luxurious penthouse living at Bath Riverside

On the cover Pintxo on Barton Street.

Turn to page 52 for our review

BATH: ITS LIFE AND TIMES

Celebrating the awards

PUBLIC SPACES

FLYING THE FLAG Three Bath parks have been named among the best green spaces in the world after scooping a top award.

Royal Victoria Park, Bloomfield Green and Henrietta Park were all awarded Green Flag status, after impressing judges with their carefully cultivated flora and fauna.

A Green Flag is awarded to public spaces that boast the highest possible environmental standards, are beautifully maintained and have excellent visitor facilities.

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd says, “We are delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme.

“Each flag is a celebration of the thousands of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.

“The success of the scheme, especially in these challenging times, demonstrates just how much parks matter to people.”

The Bath parks are among a record-breaking 1,797 green spaces in the UK awarded the prestigious Green Flag.

Keynsham Memorial Park, which contains wooded areas, grassy vistas and water habitats, was also awarded Green Flag status.

For more: www.bathnes.gov.uk

SPOTLIGHT

Raising money for a good cause

CHARITY

PERSONAL BEST Last year’s Movie

by Moonlight

CINEMA

GIVE ME THE MOONLIGHT Cinema will go al fresco in Bath on 2 September in aid of a good cause.

The annual Movie by Moonlight will see Oscar-winning musical Moulin Rouge screened in the open air setting of Royal Victoria Park, and entry is free.

The Baz Luhrmann film is being shown by the Forever Friends Appeal, to raise money for the Royal United Hospital’s Cancer Centre.

Last year’s event saw 3,000 film lovers descend on the park, with organisers hoping for even more this year.

Emily Lynch, events and community officer at the Forever Friends Appeal says, “You don’t need a ticket to attend, just make a donation on the gate. Bring a blanket and snuggle up under the stars to watch this romantic musical. I’ll be there with my

team welcoming everyone and we hope that people will make a generous donation on the night as all the money raised will go to our Cancer Care Campaign, for a pioneering new cancer centre to be built at the RUH. “The appeal aims to raise a minimum of £8.5 million towards the building of the new Cancer Centre which will transform the care for patients and their families at Bath’s RUH. So far, an incredible £8 million has been raised, so we are getting close to the amount we need. That’s why we organise events like these, so people can show their support and make a donation whilst enjoying free entertainment with others.”

People are welcome to bring their own food and drink, but no glass bottles.

The gates will open at 5pm and the film will start at 8:30pm.

The Bath Half Marathon has set a new record after this year’s race raised more than £2.25 million for charity.

The huge amount came from official charity places alone, making it the most lucrative race for fundraisers outside of London.

Mel Taylor, charity director at Running High Events, says, “During this year’s race both our Lead Race Charity and our Local Charity raised records amounts, with Cancer Research UK raising just over £200,000, and Dorothy House Hospice Care raising £70,000.

We are particularly pleased that three local charities rank in the top 12 of our overall fundraisers – Dorothy House Hospice Care, the RUH Forever Friends Appeal and Julian House.”

The event is now in its 36th year and attracts 15,000 runners and 30,000 spectators annually.

Next year’s Lead Race Charity is the Alzheimer’s Society, a poignant choice for race director Andrew Taylor as his father was diagnosed with the disease four years ago.

The Bath Half Marathon 2018 takes place on 4 March; register online at www.bathhalf.co.uk

Adventures in party-going

Alan Button and Jonathan Ionides

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

Delma and Andrew Ralston

ROMAN REVELS The Roman Baths was the setting for a party held to celebrate 15 years for Three Abbey Green, as well as the 70th birthdays of its co-founders.

Sue Wright and Derek Merkl set up the city centre guest house, now run by their daughter Nici Jones and her husband Alan.

The 100 guests were asked not to bring presents but instead take part in a raffle, which raised £2,645 for Children’s Hospice South West.

Photos by Beata Cosgrove www.beatacosgrovephotography.com

Xxxxx Philip and Gordon, Cathy McBride

Sue Wright and Derek Merkl

Xxxxx Lloyd and Melanie Sheard Liz Wright, Gerald and Ros Addicott

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

David and Margaret Rogers

Lisa Farthing and Maddy O’Donoghue

SOCIETY

PART Y PIECE Nicki Websper hosted a garden party in support of Breast Cancer Now (formerly Breakthrough Breast Cancer) on 1 July.

Guests enjoyed a light lunch before shopping from a variety of stalls.

Another charity will also benefit from the event as a pop-up shop, stocking beautiful items from Nepal, raised funds for the Colerne-based Charitable Foundation for the Education of Nepalese Children.

Jenny Foulds, Andy Cockeram, Pauline Wiseman, Steve Marsh and Andrew Mitchell

Photos by Nick Cole www.nickcolephotography.co.uk

Tracy McConnell, Iris Mallon and Shirley Deeks Peter Foskett and Lisa WhitehouseFoskett

Angela Waltho, Olive Websper, Seabury Burdett-Coutts, Joan Partridge and Marian Cafferty Xxxxxx

Xxxxxx

NIcki Websper and William Chitolie

Georgia Rose-Small Carol Walsingham, Jo Menneer and Zita Alves

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

Ruhi Farmer and Carol Massey

SOCIETY Patrick Dawson and John Sadler

MAKING A MARK The Bathwick Boatman was the venue for a party held by indie travellers’ guide Footprint.

The party was held to celebrate Footprint’s future, with the company bought by John Sadler last year.

The event also celebrated the retirement of Patrick Dawson, the last member of his family to be involved with the day-to-day running of the business. Footprint is considered an unrivalled authority on Latin America and, fittingly, a themed cocktail was created for the event by The Bath Gin Company.

Cara Hickey, Lyn Hughes and Claire Antell

Ben Box and Izzy Fitzharris Felicity Laughton and Alan Murphy

Debbie Wylde and Renu Sibal

Katrien Craenen, James Dawson and Marc Craenen Sarah Thorowgood and Stephanie Rebello 16 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SOCIETY Sarah Baxter

TRAVEL TIME Topping & Company was the venue for a witty talk and book launch from author Alastair Sawday.

Guests enjoyed being able to browse the bookshop’s shelves, before listening to Alastair speaking about his latest book, Travelling Light.

The book is part memoir, part travelogue and eshews the joys of exploration.

Photos by Tim Woolf www.woolfandrogersphotography.com

Alastair Sawday

Sandy Schofield and Jenny McKinley

Catharine Brown

Kate Hordern and Richard Beswick, Alastair’s agent and publisher

It was a humourous event Richard Guyatt

Cornelia Topping

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

SOCIETY

David Richards, Jake Xu and Anthony Grimley Gemma Bailey, Elaine Sosna and Jayne Burton

READY, STEADY GO A former Bath Life Award winner has celebrated a decade in business with a party at the Victoria Art Gallery.

Ready, a marketing agency specialising in creative campaigns, was founded by Jake Xu and Shane Carnell-Xu in 2007 following the pair’s move from Beijing to Bath. Guests enjoyed Ready’s augmented reality birthday cake, which exploded in a burst of colour when viewed through a tablet or mobile.

Katrina Kelly, Pete Carnell-Xu and Richard Godfrey

Photos by Peter Travers www.petertravers.co.uk

Sophie Mytton, Bob Mytton and Katie Dale-Hamilton

Annie Miekus, Stephanie Dodd and Dave Corlett

Ian Taylor, Katrina Kelly and Christa Taylor

Caroline Coker, Ellie Stamouli, Camilla Fowlkes, Lauren Myers, Jake Xu and Julie Stuckes

Shane Carnell-Xu, Katie Dale-Hamilton and Jess Docherty

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

A MAN’S WORLD

DAVID FLATMAN

JOIN THE CLUB Flats fantasises what Bath’s perfect private members’ club would offer…

W

henever I hear the words ‘gentleman’s club’ my mind fills with images of George Galloway sneering at his Big Brother housemates and then, inevitably, those of him pretending to be a thirsty, submissive cat, slurping milk from a bowl. It was at once both serpentine and feline, and it evidently could not be unseen.

And this is why I don’t think Bath needs a gentleman’s club. But I do think it needs a club. You see, as my family and I move back into town, the hugely relaxed and convenient Woolley Grange is too far away if I want to take the kids for a swim and a bit of decent grub in one hit. Now, I know that we have a leisure centre in which to swim but – and I’ll just be frank here – I just like a bit more luxury in life than that.

I don’t just want to dunk my kids in chlorine at a club, I also want to eat nice breakfasts after the odd workout in the posh gym, to graze on sandwiches and espressos in gorgeous surroundings while I bash out Bath Life columns and emails (and look at cars on the internet), and to meet mates there for boozy dinners. Basically, I want a classy little refuge that’s lovely and easy and that feels luxurious and, I guess, like a familiar treat.

Babington House is the obvious option, but it’s just not convenient for me. It’s lovely, and the coffee is great, but it doesn’t quite work unless you’re keen to get out of town. Also, it’s not brilliantly geared up for families, I don’t think. Understandably, one’s kids must be members if they are to use the pool, but even then you can’t use the pool at weekends unless you’re staying in the hotel. So that’s a couple

of grand in membership fees and no option of a weekend dip. Seems odd to me.

I’ve heard rumours of some very clever people taking over a large building in town with plans to turn it into a members’ club so I thought it might be useful if I offered a small list of ideal facilities, whether they’ve asked for them or not (they definitely have not).

Good coffee and brutally fast wifi are non-negotiables, as is the obligatory avocado-on-toast breakfast. A pool into which anyone can bomb at any time of day would be ideal, as well as a basic, clean little gymnasium. A cool place for dinners as well as a sofa- and armchair-based lounging zone would be great for those of us who like to pretend to be busy, and, obviously, an outdoor kitchen for barbecues (I’m more than happy to act as a consultant here). Oh, and a bit of easy parking would be handy, and perhaps even a cool little cinema room.

So if somebody could make that happen by September that would be fab. I love Babington House – I really do – but I would likely hand back my membership there if something exceptional popped up in Bath, and I expect I wouldn’t be the only one. So it’s not a snobby, superior environment that appeals, but more a cool place to hang out and enjoy some downtime.

As long as Galloway is nowhere near it, I’m all in.

IT’S NOT A SUPERIOR ENVIRONMENT THAT APPEALS, BUT A COOL PLACE TO ENJOY SOME DOWNTIME

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

PROPERTY

PERFECT PROPERTIES In need of some inspiration for home renovations, restoration or development? Here we ask local property experts for their advice...

By L I SA E VA NS

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

PROPERTY

W

hether you’re looking to simply refresh your existing house, or you want to have a brand new one built to your exacting specifications, we speak to the professionals who are passionate about creating stand-out homes.

THE FIRST STEPS When it comes to where to start with new properties, the most important aspect to consider is location, according to David Newton, the chief executive at Kersfield, a private property developer in Bath.

“Identifying a good site is the first step,” he says. “We look at sites where the development will make a positive contribution to the area. A prime example of this is our development on Lower Borough Walls where we are retaining the façade of the former Hope Chapel and providing new accommodation in the form of a three-storey house, eight apartments and a restaurant on the ground floor.”

For Matthew Weaver, the director at Tile & Flooring on London Road, obviously what’s underfoot is one of his major considerations when developing, restoring or renovating a property.

“A floor forms the platform from which all other fitments emanate,” he says. “Our advice is that it is treated as a priority component from both an aesthetic and practical perspective. Different functional areas give different drivers for making a choice of flooring. For instance, in a relaxing area such as a sitting room, you may be looking for a quiet ambience; natural wood has excellent sound-absorbing qualities when compared to stone and has a warmth created by its thermal qualities.” w

BATH MAY HAVE STRICT GUIDELINES WHEN IT COMES TO FAÇADES, BUT CONTEMPORARY STATEMENTS INSIDE ARE GROWING IN POPULARITY This local tithe barn kitchen project, completed by Splinter Works, blends the traditional and the modern

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

PROPERTY

WHAT’S NEW? The appetite for both new builds and renovations in Bath is increasing, according to Miles Hartwell, design pioneer and the co-founder of Splinter Works on Queen Square, Bath. “The renovations in Bath will never end,” he says. “Our Georgian buildings all need maintenance and updates.

The trend at the moment that we get involved with is modern furniture and fittings set against traditional backdrops.”

David Newton at Kersfield agrees, and adds, “With our new-build developments we often incorporate heritage aspects where it is fitting to do so, and with existing buildings we weave in the use of contemporary finishes as you would expect to find in a new-build property.”

As for emerging trends of the minute, surfaces with texture are at the top of the agenda, as is the ‘aged’ look. “In tile terms, the linen effect gives a subtle woven effect that adds interest,” says Matthew Weaver at Tile & Flooring. “With natural wood, the boards with a bandsaw surface give a ‘used’ quality which is something different from the normality of uniform pattern material.

GO THE LIMIT Bath is blessed with an abundance of period and listed properties which need to be sensitively and sympathetically restored, and while some may see this as restrictive in terms of updating, David Newton at Kersfield considers original features a huge benefit. “We often go to great lengths to retain and restore characteristics of special interest, he says. “Modern fixtures and fittings are successfully introduced into properties, offering uncompromised modern living while showcasing original architecture and period features.

“Achieving a good balance between retaining as much of the original fabric and architectural features as possible and combining these with new-build elements is of paramount importance when it comes to refurbishing an existing property; as is commissioning an architect who respects the heritage of the building, and finding a reputable builder to do the project justice.”

The main limitation in many historic properties in Bath as far as Miles at Splinter Works is concerned, comes in the form of the floorplan of the homes. “The need for planning permission aside, the main challenge comes from layouts,” he says. “Most Georgian buildings were designed to accommodate a very different way of life; one example is that the kitchen was very much a place for staff to store and prepare food only, and is now the main room of the house where even the most affluent families play out their daily lives.”

And for Matthew at Tile & Flooring, it’s often the tilt of old buildings that poses a challenge.

“The properties are old and, in most cases, not straight or true, so particular attention is always paid to limiting the effect of altering the listed building while attempting to provide long-lasting solutions, here expertise and comprehensive understanding of the industry is essential.” w 28 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

MOST

GEORGIAN BUILDINGS WERE DESIGNED TO

ACCOMMODATE A VERY

DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE

A shiny new staircase completed

by Tile & Flooring, Bath

Within many of Kersfield’s newbuild developments you’ll spot heritage aspects incorporated into the modern designs

PROPERTY

Ambitious, functioning sculptures are at the core of Splinter Works’ offering

FOCAL POINTS Bath may have strict guidelines when it comes to façades, but contemporary statements inside are growing in popularity. An example of this at Splinter Works – which is known for its sculptural pieces of furniture – includes a tithe barn kitchen project (pictured on page 26 and 27) which was fitted with a modern cabinet that floated between two rooms. “It served food from one side, and housed television equipment on the reverse,” says Miles Hartwell.

“It was tapered, which gave an optical illusion of exaggerated perspective, making the form seem longer than it was and it played with scale and proportion.”

One of Miles’ best pieces of advice for those who want to update their homes in a low-key way without renovating the entire space, is to opt for a statement item of furniture which, he thinks, can drastically alter the look and feel of a single room. “Their impact really depends upon how much they are permitted to dominate a space,” he says. “If they are competing with a dozen other pieces, their impression will be low. So I would suggest that the cheapest solution is to declutter. A day spent clearing will leave your house feeling completely rejuvenated.”

OUT OF TIME What if you’re strapped for time to even think about renovations, or you have a second home 30 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

A STATEMENT ITEM OF FURNITURE

CAN DRASTICALLY ALTER THE LOOK AND FEEL OF A SINGLE ROOM

or holiday home you’re not in close proximity to? Christopher Askew thinks he has the answer with Weston-based Nook, a property guardianship business he founded for busy home owners. “For those who may not have the time to take care of their properties while in the UK or abroad, we provide a service which covers everything from simple key-holding to full renovation and project management,” he says. “We have also become specialists in the burgeoning Airbnb market in Bath. This flexible, online service, allows homeowners to rent out a house or flat for a short period of time when the client is away. It is a proven method of increasing income from their properties and is something we have a lot of experience managing for our clients on a daily basis – so they don’t have to.

“Above all, we aim to give our busy clients peace of mind and the security of knowing their property is being cared for,” adds Christopher, who says some customers haven’t set foot in their homes for years, whereas others like to be involved in all aspects of the decisionmaking process when it comes to renovations.

“Interior design and decoration is a bedrock of what we do, be that small or large scale. For example, we often work with customers in order to get properties ready for sale or rental, and work closely with Georgian interior designer Sarah Latham at Eton Design on Walcot Street.

Whatever the clients aim is, we can tailor and furnish a property to the required standard.”

PROPERTY

DIRECTORY For all your interior and home development needs

Architects, builders and construction Bath Stonemasons 07968 697091 www.bathstonemasons.co.uk CaSA Architects Toll Bridge Road, Bath 01225 851871 www.casa-architects.co.uk DR Vowles and Son Upper Weston Farm, Weston Bath; 01225 425232 www.drvowlesandson.co.uk The Flying Pig Renovation Company Lansdown Road, Bath 01225 420370 www.flyingpiginbath.co.uk Hawker Joinery Northend, Batheaston, Bath 01225 858233 www.hawker-joinery.co.uk Matthew Clay Architects Spiders Barn, 13 Cross Keys Corsham; 01249 476208 www.matthewclayarchitects.co.uk McIntosh DBR Commerce Park, SouthGate Frome; 01373 752700 www.mcintoshdbr.co.uk Nook of Bath 07733 102671 www.nookofbath.co.uk Norton Masonry 38 Long Barnaby, Midsomer Norton, Radstock; 01761 419422 www.nortonmasonryltd.co.uk Permaframe SouthGate, Frome 01373 452022 www.permaframe.co.uk Rock Pools and Spas 86 Westbury Leigh, Westbury 0333 6009001 www.rockpoolsandspas.co.uk

As the kitchen is the hub of the home, this is a good place to start when it comes to room makeovers. We love this rustic look created by McIntosh DBR in Frome

Western Building Consultants 2 Rush Hill, Bath 01225 789307; www.western buildingconsultants.co.uk

Bathrooms

Bathrooms at No 5 5 The Shambles, Bradford on Avon; 01225 309110 www.bathbathrooms.com

Boniti Dunsdon Road, West Littleton Road, Chippenham 01225 89200; www.boniti.com

Hobsons Choice London Road, Bath 01225 433511 www.hobsonschoice.uk.com

Broadleaf Timber 134-136 Walcot Street Bath 01225 463464 www.broadleaftimber.com

Homemaker Design 8 Pulteney Avenue, Bath 01225 481881 www.myhomemaker.co.uk

Ripples Chelsea House, London Road, Bath; 01225 447971 www.ripples.ltd.uk

Capitol Carpets of Bath 120-122 Walcot Street Bath 01225 333341 www.thecarpet.co.uk

Total Bathrooms Brassmill Lane Trading Estate Bath; 01225 462727 www.totalbathrooms.co.uk

Tile & Flooring Bath 1 Mile End, London Road West Bath; 01225 310561 www.tileandflooring.co.uk

Fireplaces

Kitchens

Rudloe Stoneworks, Leafield Stoneyard, Potley Lane Corsham; 01225 816 400 www.rudloe-stone.com

Flooring and carpets

Bath Contract Flooring 4 Kingsmead Square, Bath 01225 471888 www.bathcontractflooring.co.uk

The Bath Kitchen Company 22 Hensley Road Bath 01225 312003 www.bathkitchencompany.co.uk Cheverell wood Waller Road, Hopton Park, Devizes; 01380 722722 www.cheverell.co.uk

RooďŹ ng

Aqua Fortis 01225 285 500 www.roofersbath.com

Worktops and surfaces

Hobbs Marble & Granite Radstock Road Midsomer Norton 01761 412934 www.hobbsmarbleandgranite. co.uk The Marble Works of Bath Locksbrook Yard, Upper Bristol Road, Bath 01225 780062 www.marbleworksofbath.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 31

2

d 197

lishe

Estab

D R Vowles & Son Ltd are highly reputable roofing contractors based in Bath, Somerset. We provide premier roofing services for residential, commercial and industrial clients with properties throughout the south west.

We offer concrete, stone and slate tiling, single-ply flat roofing, lead roofing, asphalt roofing and pointing services, as well as chimney stack refurbishments and Velux window installation.

For more information please call Liz today

01225 425232

Upper Weston Farm, Weston, BATH BA1 4HL www.drvowlesandson.co.uk

Visit our Showroom Rudloe-stone.com | 01225 816400 LeaďŹ eld Stoneyard Corsham | Wiltshire | SN13 9RS Image of Hazelberry Manor Fireplace and Distressed White Limestone Flagstones

Working with Kelly & her trusted team of fitters, decorators and electricians was an absolute pleasure from start to finish!

Kelly-marie Hicks, Head Designer/Manager of Homemaker Bath, has been in the industry for over 12 years and brings her creativity & design air along with her vast experience and knowledge. She has made a lot of clients very happy with her unique style and detail to design. Her portfolio shows o her work from the country kitchen to the ultra-modern open plan kitchen. Never too big or too small, she can work in any spaces and put together a very beautiful design. The designs are very detailed and show how much care and attention she takes to make the dream kitchen become reality.

Along with her skills she has a very good ďŹ tter and team alike. They have been working with her for 12 years and are very much like family. With all the skills put together, her service really is second to none.

Proud Finalists of 8 Pulteney Terrace, Bath BA2 4HJ t 01225 481 881 e homemakerdesign@btconnect.com

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

HOTEL INDIGO BATH WRITES NEW CHAPTER INTO BATH’S HISTORY Painstaking restoration and attention to detail has seen HOTEL INDIGO BATH transformed into a stunning city centre hotel that effortlessly combines old with the luxurious new

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ith the Hotel Indigo brand, every hotel is an endless gallery, an open-top museum, a visual treasure trove for curious travellers to explore.

The same can be said for the latest and hugely exciting project, Hotel Indigo Bath, owned by the St James’s Hotel Group, which is set to open in spring 2018.

A stylish mix of 18th century architecture and modern design, the hotel includes 166 bedrooms, a gymnasium, private members' club and The Private House, complete with meeting room and a private dining suite for up to 10 guests, plus eight adjoining guest rooms.

Celebrity chef Mike Robinson will also be launching an exciting new restaurant concept for Bath at the hotel.

With a prime location on South Parade, Hotel Indigo Bath is at the heart of this elegant and upmarket neighbourhood. Surrounded by everything the historic city of Bath has to offer, the construction and interior design of this hotel has been heavily influenced by history, romance and literature.

RESPONSIBLE RESTORATION

Set in beautiful honey coloured Georgian terrace buildings on a UNESCO World Heritage site, conservation and restoration have been a huge focus for the construction team.

They have given special attention to making careful and sustainable repairs to the existing fabric of the building, so that the history of the building’s construction can be preserved for future generations.

Cathy Gay, project manager for Hotel Indigo Bath, says, “We went to extreme lengths working with specialised tradesmen to ensure that every historical aspect of this Grade-I listed property was treated with respect. For example, the original wooden floorboards have been carefully covered over piece by piece to preserve them correctly.”

“Traditional lime plaster has been used to match the original finishes. These are all timeconsuming and highly skilled tasks which show commitment to the quality of the final piece.”

The hotel has also carried out significant

Hotel Indigo Bath is made up of five town houses

works to level the floors between the different buildings to connect five town houses (one Duke Street, eight South Parade and four, five and six Pierrepont Street) to re-create and conserve this magnificent hotel for Bath.

DESIGN

Reflecting Bath’s long-standing reputation as a literary mecca, designers were heavily influenced by the architects and novelists who made Bath famous for its storytelling and passionate social scene.

Simon Hall, general manager for Hotel Indigo Bath says, “The designers reflected the frivolity of Bath’s past by using touches of romance and mischief in each room. They used rich warm tones and exciting and mysterious decoration to completely immerse guests into the enchanting history of Bath.”

Elliott, to discuss the collection of items that were found under floorboards and behind walls.

Kirsten says, “You never know what you will find when you work with a hotel of this grand scale. We were lucky enough to discover some delightful treasures from as far back as the 18th century. Highlights include snuff packets, old playing cards and mysterious postcards. This shows us the type of guests that stayed in this hotel over the years – it’s a real combination of past and present.”

“There is a responsible attitude to restoration with this project and it is very cheering to a historian to find a company prepared to lavish such TLC on a set of buildings which were crying out for attention of this kind.”

HIDDEN TREASURES

It is no surprise that the construction team for the new Hotel Indigo Bath has uncovered several historical gems during construction. The team met with Bath expert and author, Kirsten

www.ihg.com/hotelindigo/hotels/gb/ en/bath/qqxuk/hoteldetail

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

Experts in restoration and renovations

Call (01225) 666 226 | Email: info@minimis.co.uk | Web: www.minimis.co.uk

Designer clothes for Boys and Girls

Music/theatre/film/more

INSPIRED ART Artist Emma Rose has used a near-death experience as the inspiration for her latest exhibition, Life Force. The artist, who lives in Wellow, was taken ill earlier this year, with the traumatic experience giving way to her creativity.

Her exhibition in Bath, which runs until 31 August, has paintings bursting with both life and light, reflecting the fragility of mortality. Emma’s work has been compared to contemporary versions of Turner and Monet and, fittingly, the headline painting is called Turner’s Vision. The painting draws the eye in with vivid colours and strong strokes and costs £1,500.

“The other paintings in the exhibition exude life and light, again in response to having a very close brush with mortality,” says Emma. “Many people who buy my work comment on the fact that after a long time searching, it is my paintings that both husband and wife like, which is unusual. Not only that but the

paintings keep on giving. People see different colours, tones, moods and shapes in the work each day and in different light.”

Emma uses many layers of paint to build up the effects, which means the paintings can adapt to differing homes and décor. She also undertakes commissions. Life Force contains original paintings from 40x40cm up to 100x120cm, with Indian inks and acrylics used to create texture and form.

There are also cards and both framed and unframed limited edition prints for sale. Entrance is free and the first floor gallery at 78 Walcot Street in Bath is open Monday – Saturday from 10am – 5pm. Her Wellow studio is open by appointment; 07885 235915.

For more: www.emmaroseartworks.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 39

5 August – 2 September

Lady In The Van is at the Theatre Royal Bath, Painting Myself Into A Corner from Nick Cudworth’s exhibition; Des O’Connor comes to Frome

Exhibitions U N TI L 5 AUG US T

ALICE LINFORD FORTE See this talented emerging artist’s exhibition at Bath Contemporary.

Her gracefully atmospheric work is inspired by a love of travel, and captures drama and intensity. 35 Gay Street, Bath U N TI L 6 AUG US T

BRITISH LIFE Fascinating photographic exhibition by Tim Woolf and Becky Rogers; I.C.E Artist Studio and Workshop; 1 North Parade Road, Bath; 10am – 5pm; www.woolfandrogersphotography. com U N TI L 2 8 AUG US T

THE SUMMER EXHIBITION: PAST & PRESENT This summer the Rostra Gallery reaches new heights with

its largest exhibition yet. It features artists from the gallery’s impressive 20-year collection and highlights the best artwork of past and present. Rostra Gallery; www.rostragallery.co.uk U N TI L 3 1 AU GUST

NICK CUDWORTH The summer show at Nick Cudworth’s art gallery will exhibit a wide variety of his paintings and prints that represent his interests and inspirations, including landscape, music and portraits.

5 London Street Bath BA1 5BU; www.nickcudworth.co.uk U N TI L 3 SE PTEMBER

SKETCH Sketch is a touring exhibition of artists’ sketchbooks, selected from over 500 international entries, and aims to promote the importance of drawing and the role of the sketchbook in contemporary creative practice.

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

Black Swan Arts; 2 Bridge Street, Frome; www.blackswan.org.uk UNTIL 9 SEP TEMBER

THE BRUTALIST PLAYGROUND Edge Arts presents an exhibition that’s part sculpture, part architectural installation,

by Turner Prize winners Assemble and Simon Terrill, and commissioned by The Royal Institute of British Architects. The artists have used archival materials, drawings and photographs from RIBA’s collections to create an interactive installation exploring the stark designs of post-war playgrounds.

11am – 5pm. The Edge, University of Bath; www.edgearts.org UNTIL 1 O C TO BER

TAPESTRY HERE AND NOW Celebrating the vibrancy of modern tapestry, this all-day exhibition showcases the work

of more than 20 artists from as far afield as Australia, Norway, Latvia, Japan and the US. As well as revealing the skill of the craft, the show also explores the themes of the tapestries, our response to nature and the urban environment, and how pieces tell personal and political stories. The Holburne Museum; www.holburne.org UNTIL 8 O CT O B ER

JOHN EAVES: ECHOES OF PLACE Vibrant compositions in oil, watercolour and collage dazzle the viewer in this show by one of the most distinguished local artists. Eaves studied and taught at Bath Academy of Art, working alongside such luminaries as William Scott and Kenneth Armitage. His work is noted for its rhythmic compositions and use of colour to create mood.

All items in this show of recent

W H AT ’ S O N

paintings and prints will be for sale. Free; Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk

U N TI L 3 1 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

THE TRANSFORMED LAND The Transformed Land collects work from various artists who are interested in place. Some frequently return to the same place, others are visitors, some are residents, and some are creators of imagined places. Artists include David Daniels, Russell Denman and Eleanor Goulding. 8am-8pm.

CircleBath Hospital, Peasedown St John, BA2 8SQ; www.artatruh.org

UNTI L 2 9 O C T O B E R

U N TI L 2 5 N O VEMBER

UNTI L 2 9 O C T O B E R

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

BATH AND THE SMITHSONS The Museum of Bath Architecture’s exhibition, Past, Present, Future: Bath and the Smithsons, is part of a series of events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Royal Crescent.

The exhibition explores Bath’s unique architecture through two of England’s most influential

post-war architects Peter and Alison Smithson. Free with museum admission. Museum of Bath Architecture; www.museumofbatharchitecture. org.uk

ARTS

on the darker side of Bath architecture; peeling paint and stained stonework.”

London Road, Bath, BA1 6QB; www.real-images.com 7 – 19 AU G U S T

UNTIL 10 DEC 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 our city. Free, Herschel Museum of Astronomy; www.herschelmuseum.org.uk 1 AUG UST – 10 O C TO BER

DAVID RINGSELL Exciting exhibition at The Beaufort Restaurant. David says, “I aim to present a contemporary perspective on some familiar places. While my work is representational, it retains a painterly quality. I often focus

NICHOLAS TURNER A sensitive use of line and gentle structural distortion hints at the elusive nature of memory in Nicholas Turner’s exhibition at Bath Contempory. Turner’s muted palette is occasionally punctuated with flashes of strong colour, which subtly balance his harmonious compositions.

Bath Contempory, 35 Gay Street, Bath; www.bathcontemporary.com 16 – 20 AU G U S T

SEPARATION Eleven local artists were invited to respond to the idea of separation and have created new work for this exhibition of painting, w

This striking Bath view features in David Ringsell’s exhibition at the Beaufort Restaurant

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 41

ARTS

W H AT ’ S O N

printmaking and ceramics.

Participating artists include Paul Brokensha, Richard Gardiner and Marlis Garner. 10am-6pm. Walcot Chapel, Walcot Gate, Bath, BA1 5UG. Email ann.hines@hotmail. co.uk for more 21 AUG US T – 2 S EPTE MBE R

ENDRÉ RÖDER The artist’s elegant and contemplative portraits of feminine beauty are presented through a bold use of colour and strong line at Bath Contemporary, 35 Gay Street; www.bathcontemporary.com

Plays/Shows U N TI L 1 2 AUG US T

NORTH BY NORTHWEST Every twist, every thrill, every hairbreadth escape from Alfred Hitchcock’s supreme comedy of suspense is retained for this stunning new stage adaptation.

North By Northwest is an unmissable theatrical spectacular in which the magic of film and theatre collide live on stage, starring Roger O.Thornhill. £21.50-£37.50. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk St Stephen’s Millennium Green is holding a Summer Fair and Produce sale 3 AUG US T – 7 S E P TE MBE R

LOOKING AT LUCIAN When Lucian Freud died in 2011 aged 88, he was widely considered the greatest portrait painter of our time. This mesmerising flyon-the-wall drama in the Ustinov, we look at Lucian as he works in his Kensington studio, painting across a period of 10 months.

Tickets from £17.50; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

August, the Frome Jazz Club will be hosting a different jazz band. The season includes seven dates, and features a number of renowned musicians, including Kevin Figes, Jake McMurchie, Nathan Mansfield, Nick Malcolm and Terry Quinney. 7pm-9.30pm, Free. Frome Jazz Club, The Cornerhouse, Christchurch Street East, Frome

17 AUG US T – 2 S EPTE MBE R

5 – 6 AU GU ST

THE LADY IN THE VAN This production starring acclaimed actress Sara Kestelman comes to Bath. In 1974, homeless woman Mary Shepherd, temporarily moved her clapped-out Bedford van into Alan Bennett’s front garden in Clapham. However, she remained parked there for 15 years. Tickets from £15; Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Music U N TI L 2 7 AUG US T

FROME JAZZ CLUB Every Sunday evening until

BOWOOD PROMS WEEKEND Ibiza dance music meeting classic orchestra and iconic music from across the home nations will set the pace for Bowood’s August over the first weekend of the month.

DJ Goldierocks will be bringing some of the biggest dance tracks from the last 20 years to life, and The National Symphony Orchestra, led by world famous conductor Anthony Inglis, will pave the way and be joined live on stage by renowned artists such as soprano Philippa Healey. Bowood House and Gardens; www.bowood.org

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

10 AUG UST

MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS The band behind classic hits such as Nowhere to Run, My Baby Loves Me, Jimmy Mack, and Dancing In The Street bring the sound of Motown to Komedia Bath.

When looking for the perfect presentation of the Motown sound and style, few fit the bill as well as Martha Reeves & The Vandellas.

7.30pm. Tickets from £28.50; Komedia Bath; ww.komedia.co.uk

orientated show, Here Be Dragons. Visitors to this aweinspiring exhibition can expect to encounter a veritable dragon’s den – in two and three dimensions – crammed with creatures that have leapt out of their favourite books. Events, workshops and storytelling sessions will take place at the gallery suitable for the whole family. Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk UNTIL 17 DECEM B ER

AN EVENING WITH DES O’CONNOR The showbiz legend performs at Frome’s The Walled Garden on the Orchardleigh Estate. The event costs £60, and includes wine on arrival and a four-course dinner; www.orchardleigh.net

SOUNDING THE WOOD Let your imagination run wild at musical playground Sounding the Wood, at Prior Park Landscape Garden in Bath.

Find four instruments set within the woodland of Prior Park and explore how sound is created.

Free with normal admission; www.nationaltrust.org,uk

Family fun

Other

UNTIL 8 O C TO BER

UNTIL 27 AU G U S T

19 AUG UST

HERE BE DRAGONS Dragons have taken over the Victoria Art Gallery for family

CHARITY EVENTS AT THE CURFEW PUB The pub at 11 Cleveland Walk, w

ARTS

W H AT ’ S O N

Bath is raising money for Dorothy House throughout August. On 11 August Caribbean Kitchen will offer a pop-up menu, 18 August sees a quiz night; £2.

27 August sees Curfest, with a mix of bands, DJs, BBQ, Corkage pop-up wine bar, and Hideout Bar to enjoy the summer sun.; www. thecurfewbath.co.uk U N TI L 3 1 AUG US T

TORCHLIT EVENINGS AT THE ROMAN BATHS Experience a magical torchlit tour of the Roman Baths, where you’ll see the ancient spa brought to life under rows of flaming torches.

Last entry 9pm; free to local residents with a Discovery Card; www.romanbaths.co.uk

1 2 AU GU ST

POP-UP CINEMA Hosted by the Little Theatre, The San Miguel Picturehouse is heading to The Holburne Museum for a weekend of outdoor cinema. The 1980s classic Back To The Future will be screened al fresco, with a limited number of deckchairs available on a first come first served basis.

9.30pm; www.picturehouses.com 1 4 AU GU ST

AUTHOR TALK Join writer Jason Goodwin at Topping & Company for the publication of A Pilgrim’s Guide to Sacred London.

Tickets £6; 7.15pm; www.toppingbooks.co.uk

Furry friends at Bath Cats and Dogs Home annual Fun Day 19 AUG UST

COOKERY COURSE Explore the spice route at Demuths cookery school and learn how to add flavour to your cooking. 10am – 4pm; £175; www.demuths.co.uk 19 AUG UST

TEXTILES FAIR The Textiles Fair brings a wide range of specialist textile retailers to the American Museum. Browse antique, vintage and world textiles.

Included in gardens admission; 11am –5pm; American Museum, Claverton Manor, Claverton; www. americanmuseum.org 20 AUG UST

VOCAL WORKSHOP Hone your singing voice at a workshop run by choirmaster Chris James in aid of Dorothy House. Beechwoods, One Beechwood Road, Bath. Tickets cost £15; free entry for children under 12; book at www.dorothyhouse.org.uk 28 AUG UST

Find and play musical instruments at Prior Park Landscape Garden

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

FUN DAY AND DOG SHOW Bath Cats and Dogs Home is holding its annual Fun Day and Dog Show from 11am – 4pm.

There will also be dancing and gymnastic shows, Avon Fire and

Rescue, a kids’ zone and more.

Tickets from £2.50; www.bcdh. org.uk 28 AUG U S T

KELSTON VILLAGE FETE Come rain or shine there’ll be plenty to do at this annual fete, with activities including stalls, skittles, a coconut shy, a fun dog show and cream teas; 2pm – 5.30pm 28 AUG U S T

ST STEPHEN’S MILLENIUM GREEN SUMMER FAIR AND PRODUCE SALE See the beautiful community garden and stock up with fruit, vegetables and flowers. Also stalls, tombola, Punch and Judy and cakes. www.milleniumgreen.org.uk 2 SEP TE M B ER

THE NATIONAL VINTAGE GAMES The event is a UK-wide, multisport games specifically for the over-50s, and includes competitive events like track athletics, swimming, tennis and badminton.

A proportion of what it raises will be donated to organisations whose concerns touch the over-50s, including the Genesis Trust and Shelter. University of Bath Sports Training Village; 9am – 6pm; www.nationalvintagegames.com

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BOOKS

ARTS

THE UNPREDICTABLE CHARACTERS CHOOSE LONELINESS RATHER THAN HAPPINESS

ONLY THE LONELY NIC BOTTOMLEY discusses the subject of isolation, solitude and detachment within storylines, and discovers just how rich the literary seam is

W

e recorded a podcast last week, as we do nowadays – or rather as my colleague, Jess, does, with myself and other team members contributing in our rather ramshackle way.

Anyway, between us we recorded a podcast on the subject of isolation and detachment.

Some of these themes we come up with for podcasts seem full of endless possibility when we first dream them up, but then quickly run dry once we dig a little deeper.

Not isolation, though. If ever there was a rich literary seam to be tapped, it turns out that it’s solitude in fiction.

On the podcast, we talked about books such as the contemporary Welsh pair Cove, by Cynan Jones (Granta, £9.99), and Hummingbird by Tristan Hughes (Parthian, £10). I’ve talked about those here in recent times so I won’t risk repeating myself.

Actually, in the case of Cove, perhaps I will.

It really is one of the most striking short novels you’ll ever read. Jones, at times, feels like a stripped-back Cormac McCarthy thrust into the Welsh landscape, and in this incredibly high-impact sparse novella we watch a man coming back to his senses in a boat after a lightning strike and slowly working out where he is, how he came to be

there, how he might regain the shore and why he’d want to do so. It’s nine months since I read Cove, but I can still smell the singed flesh.

Paul Kingsnorth received much praise for his similarly oblique and tense novella Beast (Faber, £7.99). Here too a man is left completely alone and pitted against an unknown foe and the instability of his own mind. For me, Jones’ book is the more impressive feat, but anyone who enjoys watching a character’s descent through not just the words on the page but also their decreasing coherence, will enjoy Beast too.

But the thing about this solitude theme is that it just won’t go away. The podcast discussion was only a few weeks ago and already I’ve read two more novels that would have been a perfect fit. Roy Jacobsen’s The Unseen (Maclehose, £8.99) doesn’t feature true solitude in the sense that involves a family unit (of sorts) rather than a lone player. The location, though, is the very definition of isolation; Barroy, an island off the Norwegian coast is barren and harsh, consisting of five fields, one weatherbeaten house and a horse (whose life is subject to a constant cost/benefit analysis).

The early 20th-century time setting is never defined precisely, because this is not a novel driven by plot or by goings-on in

the wider world. It’s a story of subsistence survival; of a family finding a way in an inhospitable extreme environment, and in particular of young Ingrid – a daughter cut up with grief each January when her father leaves to earn the bulk of their annual income in the marginally less remote Lefoton Islands. Ingrid resiliently copes with Barbro (her sister with learning difficulties), her fragile mother, her impulsive father and a grandfather who often finds himself at odds with the decisions of others and his diminished influence. It’s an eye-opening joy to follow Ingrid as she navigates her way through her tough, salty and occasionally exhilarating childhood without ever losing her love of home.

The other contender is an altogether more plot-driven novel – a sunnier and lighter book although one not without its dark edges. Rachel Joyce’s The Music Shop (Transworld, £14.99) is actually all about a dysfunctional retail community and the power of music to offer solace during life’s trickier moments. We are introduced to Frank a vinyl-addicted music shop owner – in an unnamed 1980s town – who has an uncanny instinct for the music his customers need to ease their troubles.

But for Frank, and for the mysterious Ilse who appears (and promptly faints) in his shop one day, isolation seems a constant temptation despite the friends around him and the pleasure he gets from helping his customers. As with her previous books, Joyce has created a cast of quirky unpredictable characters who, thanks to slowly revealed scars in their past, have a tendency to choose loneliness rather than happiness, and to run away at all the wrong moments.

At least here, though, unlike the stricken boat in The Cove or the lonely island of Barroy, isolation is matter of choice.

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 49

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Clockwise, from top left: an outdoor screening of La La Land is close to selling out; Detroit is the new one from Zero Dark Thirty director Kathryn Bigelow; Casey Affleck is the dead bloke in A Ghost Story; Logan Lucky stars Daniel Craig

SUMMER LOVIN’

From open-air flicks to divisive figures in film, here’s what you can look forward to for the rest of summer…

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

I

f you’re thinking it’s going to be a tame summer, flick-wise, think again. Expect art, music, legacy and the odd cheeky heist here at the Little. Not to mention the ever enchanting cinema under the stars. More on that later.

One of my guilty pleasures is Always, the one with Richard Dreyfuss playing an unfortunate chap who dies then comes back and kind of hangs around his lady friend, undetected while he noses into her life post-him. I was a bit reminded of this by A Ghost Story, starring Casey Affleck as the dead bloke and Rooney Mara as his grieving widow. Affleck, always fab in my book is terrific in this, even though some of his subtleties are hampered by the fact that he spends most of the film wearing a white sheet, Scooby Doo ghost-style. It’s a quiet meditation on time, loss and legacy, and the importance of quality bedclothes.

If folk art’s your thing then you probably know of Maud Lewis, the Canadian artist who became immensely popular while struggling with rheumatoid arthritis. Her touching and inspiring story is brought to the screen in Maudie, starring the incomparable Sally Hawkins as Maud, and Ethan Hawke as her husband, Everett, a man she married a few weeks after answering his ad for a housekeeper.

Most notable among her many works of art was their one-room house, inside which she covered every surface with drawings and decorations. I prefer something a bit calmer,

decor-wise, if I’m honest but I can see that a lot of effort went into it so who am I to carp? The film itself is brilliant – extremely moving and if anyone is more likely than our Sal to be on next year’s awards roster then I’ll eat my beret.

Onto another bit of biopic action for you, this time about someone who has been more divisive a figure than most in popular music.

There was a time when popstars stood up for things like animal rights and sang for those living life on the outside. Chief among these was Morrissey, and although he went on to blot his copybook a bit as far as I’m concerned, when he started waggling a big union flag around, he was, and is, a fascinating figure.

Hard to imagine Harry Styles or Justin Bieber creating much of a stir about much else than a change of hairdo or struggles to sing in Spanish. Morrissey on the other hand was possessed of a Wildean way with words both in song and in interview, that grabbed attention and caused controversy with every utterance.

So, about time we had a film about him, and what we have in England is Mine is a depiction of his early years in Manchester, spent stumbling around in a sea of self-consciousness, obsessing over The New York Dolls and singing in a band called The Nosebleeds. Not sure what happened to the latter but I hear they weren’t to be sniffed at. Anyway, what’s great about this film is firstly the evocation of an era all-too familiar to this deceptively youthful-looking columnist, and secondly the convincing

FILM

ARTS

portrayal of our bequiffed hero before he was famous. Great performance from Jack Lowden, who greatly impressed in Dunkirk as the Spitfire pilot who wasn’t Tom Hardy. Now all I need is for someone to get cracking with The Barry Manilow Story and I’ll be a happy girl.

Hurrah! Steven Soderbergh is back with a brand new heist. Not Ocean’s Fourteen, although I’m sure that would have been amazeballs. Logan Lucky follows Channing Tatum as Jimmy Logan, looking to turn the bad luck of of the Logan family around by pulling off a $14 million heist at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

He’ll need a little help from his friends in the form of incarcerated robbery king Joe Bang (a bleach-blonde Daniel Craig) and his onearmed brother Clyde (Adam Driver). In Mr Soderbergh’s own words: “On the most obvious level, it’s the complete inversion of an Ocean’s movie. It’s an anti-glam version of an Ocean’s movie. Nobody dresses nice. Nobody has nice stuff. They have no money. They have no technology. It’s all rubber band technology, and that’s what I thought was fun about it.”

I think that pretty much sums it up Those of you who, like me, rated The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty among the very best of the last few years’ cinematic offerings, will be delighted to see that director Kathryn Bigelow is back with Detroit. This time, the ex-Mrs James Cameron is delivering an in-your-fizzog reconstruction of what happened in 1967 when, against a backdrop of racial tension, the police managed to grossly and tragically mishandle a largely innocuous incident and extensive rioting ensued. Starring the simply fabulous John Boyega, I can’t praise this film highly enough. It’s powerful stuff and needs to be seen by all with an interest in social ills and great cinema.

Finally, a quick mention for our outdoor screenings at the glorious Holburne. Yep, it’s pop-up time, and we have a splendid line-up this year, starting with Close Encounters of the Third Kind, followed by La La Land and Back to the Future then culminating with Singin’ in the Rain. So far La La Land is the most popular and is close to selling out. But for me it’s Close Encounters all the way. What Richard Dreyfuss (him again) can do with a big plate of mash and an artful fork needs to be seen on the big screen to be believed, and that pop-up screen is big. Get your ticket sharpish, come and sit with me under the stars and gawp at the best alien flick ever.

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

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 51

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

R E S TA U R A N T

FOOD

Pintxo This tapas and sherry bar in the heart of Bath’s theatre district brings the tastes of the Basque Country to the city

By L I SA E VA NS

L

WE

et’s get the pronunciation out of the way first. It’s ‘pin-cho’, and it’s Basque for a small snack eaten in bars. My other half, who lived in San Sebastián for a year, used to rave about these little dishes; you don’t have to order or wait for them, you just help yourself to the freshly made nibbles which are already prepared and waiting for you at the bar. Then, before you leave, you tell the trusting barman how many plates you took, and you’re charged accordingly.

The recently opened Pintxo on Barton Street was born from this concept, although the help-yourself idea didn’t work out as people didn’t quite know what the rules were.

So, there is still Basque-style tapas, but there’s also a menu and table service, resulting in an authentic experience that’s easy to grasp.

In the heart of Bath’s theatre district, the restaurant, which took over from French joint Bistro La Barrique, was an instant hit when it opened in May, and on the mid-week night we arrive, the no-reservation eatery is full – great for the husband-and-wife owners Teresa and Mark Mentzel, but terrible for the many couples and families we see turned away with ‘well what do we do now?’ looks on their faces.

The location may be a draw, but the reason diners return is evidently down to the spectacular offering. The menu is lively to say the least, and features the likes of boar salami and marinated shark, plus familiar dishes and inventive specials.

My first choice is the ‘dish of the day’, artichoke with almond and rosemary, which I enjoy with a recommended glass of Lustau E. India Solera Reserva Oloroso – a mouth-coating, toffee-flavored sherry with notes of candied orange.

Teresa is originally from Sanlúcar de Barrameda which is the home of Manzanilla sherry, hence the reason sherry features so heavily on the menu. Mark jokes that the tipple conjures images of grandmas sipping it at Christmas,

COULDN’T LEAVE WITHOUT TRYING THE CRISPY, DEEP-FRIED SHARK

but encourages dubious customers to try it and surprise themselves. I did, and I did.

My dining partner and I order a total of eight dishes between us, including huge marinated olives with an orange peel kick, spicy patatas bravas, Spanish omelette which has a pert wobble to it, and charred lamb skewers on a bed of sweet, melt-in-the-mouth onions and peppers, and we couldn’t leave without trying the crispy yet delicate deep-fried shark, which my comrade describes as “mild flavoured with a meaty and firm texture that balances tension with tenderness.”

The dishes come to the table as and when they are ready, there are no courses, but everything arrives promptly and is piping hot. My favourite has to be the salty spinach and goats’ cheese croquettes with their extraordinary depth of flavour, while his was the simple dish of smoky, almost caramelised Basque sausages – which he ended up having two portions of – with nothing to accompany them but the flavoursome, paprika-coloured oil they leaked into the bottom of the bowl.

The atmosphere and décor is also a huge appeal; there’s a laid-back yet convivial feel, vintage-look Spanish newspaper pages decorate the ceiling, naked bulbs hang low, and rustic wooden flooring, tables and chairs finish the look. There are pavement tables too, and a delightfully sunny sherry garden – the perfect place to spend time with friends discovering the tastes of Basque cuisine.

For dessert, my companion goes for iced lemon mousse, which arrives in a frosted, hollowed-out lemon, and, for me, it’s the indulgently warm and gooey chocolate and almond cake along with the suggested pairing of Hidalgo Pedro Ximénez – a lusciously sweet sherry with rich caramel, fig and raisin qualities.

My only minor niggle of the night would be that most of the small plates I ordered were accompanied by a deliciously robust garlic aioli, which meant that, although dreamy, it became a central flavour to each, and gave a repetitiveness to the offering. An observation rather than a criticism. Having said that, the dishes are prepared with care and attention and only the best ingredients are used, which are treated with the maximum of respect. And we will most certainly be back to partake in it all again soon.

DINING DETAILS Pintxo, 31 Barton Street, Bath, BA1 1HG; 01225 463861; www.pintxobath.co.uk Prices Small plates range in price from £2.50 to £8.50, and desserts come in at £1.50 to £4.50 Drinks The focus is on sherry and Spanish wine, with a varied offering Service/atmosphere Welcoming, unrushed and authentic

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

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

DINING in BATH Bath Life’s selection of the best places to eat out in Bath and the surrounding area BRITISH THE BATH PRIORY Weston Rd, Bath; 01225 331922; www.thebathpriory.co.uk Michelin-starred fine dining overlooking hotels award-winning gardens THE BEAUFORT 1 Beaufort, London Road, Bath; 01225 422033; www.thebeaufortbath.com Family-run restaurant in the heart of Larkhall cooking creative, seasonal food CIRCUS RESTAURANT 34 Brock Street, Bath; 01225 466020; www.thecircusrestaurant.co.uk Voted number four in the UK in The Times “20 secret restaurants that foodies love” CLIFTON SAUSAGE 5 Bladud Buildings, Bath; 01225 433633; www.cliftonsausage.co.uk Upmarket sausage and mash restaurant and bar newly opened in Bath THE DOWER HOUSE, ROYAL CRESCENT HOTEL 16 Royal Crescent, Bath; 01225 823333; www.royalcrescent.co.uk/dining AA 3 rosette fine dining at one of Bath’s most iconic locations HENRY'S 4 Saville Row, Bath; 01225 780055; www.henrysrestaurantbath.com Imaginative modern dining offering a classic menu and also full vegetarian and vegan menus DAN MOON AT THE GAINSBOROUGH RESTAURANT Beau St, Bath; 01225 358888; www.thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk Creativity meets delicious food with this talented chef MENU GORDON JONES 2 Wellsway, Bath; 01225 480871; www.menugordonjones.co.uk Multi award-winning fine dining with constantly changing surprise tasting menu THE OLIVE TREE RESTAURANT, THE QUEENSBERRY HOTEL Russell St, Bath; 01225 447928; www.thequeensberry.co.uk One of Bath’s longest established restaurants, overseen by Chris Cleghorn with 3 AA rosettes 54 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

WOODS 9-13 Alfred St, Bath; 01225 314812 www.woodsrestaurant.com legendary Bath dining institution serving French influenced British cuisine

THE GARRICKS HEAD 7-8 St John's Rd, Bath; 01225 318368; www.garricksheadpub.com City centre pub and dining room next to Theatre Royal

CAFÉS & COFFEE SHOPS

THE HARE AND HOUNDS Lansdown Road, Avon, Bath; 01225 482682; www.hareandhoundsbath.com Airy, relaxed spot with modern British gastropub menu, extensive wine list and scenic outdoor area

CAFÉ LUCCA 1-2 Bartlett Street, Bath; 01225 335394; www.cafelucca.co.uk Stylish contemporary café situated at The Loft on Bartlett Street offering a Mediterranean inspired menu with barista coffee and sumptuous homemade cakes GREEN BIRD CAFÉ 11 Margaret's Buildings, Bath; 01225 487846; www.greenbirdcafe.co.uk Independently run cafe located between the Circus & Royal Crescent THE KINGSMEAD KITCHEN 1 Kingsmead St, Kingsmead Square, Bath; 01225 329002; www.fieldfireandfeast.co.uk Laid-back, modern cafe-bar open daily from 8am until 6pm for breakfast, brunch, lunch and tea using own farm produce

CALIFORNIAN

THE LOCKSBROOK INN 103 Locksbrook Rd, Bath; 01225 427119; www.thelocksbrookinn.com Recently opened canal side gastropub in Bath, open every day for drinks, brunch, coffee, lunch, evening meals and grazing in between THE MARLBOROUGH TAVERN 35 Marlborough Buildings; 01225 423731; www.marlborough-tavern.com Award winning gastropub using seasonal local produce THE NEW INN 24 Monmouth Place, Bath; 01225 442944; www.newinnbath.co.uk Burgers and bar snacks with cask and craft ale and beers

THE FIREHOUSE ROTISSERIE 2 John St, Bath; 01225 482070; www.firehouserotisserie.co.uk Californian and Tex-Mex dishes, prepared over a wood-fired grill in a rustic setting

THE RICHMOND ARMS 7 Richmond Place, Bath; 01225 316725; www.therichmondarmsbath.com Hearty dishes with menu changing on a daily basis

GASTROPUBS

INDIAN

GPT SMOKEHOUSE 44-45 Lower Bristol Rd, Bath; 01225 429509; www.gptbath.com 'Dude Food' menu cooked with an authentic handmade American hot smoker

THE EASTERN EYE 8a Quiet St, Bath; 01225 422323; www.easterneye.com Classic traditional Bengali cuisine in grand Georgian interior space

KING WILLIAM 36 Thomas St, Bath; 01225 428096; www.kingwilliampub.com Pub with an upstairs dining room serving a modern British menu based on west country produce

THE MINT ROOM Longmead Gospel Hall, Lower Bristol Rd, Bath; 01225 446656; www.themintroom.co.uk Award winning contemporary Indian fine dining

THE CHEQUERS 50 Rivers St, Bath; 01225 360017; www.thechequersbath.com Inventive British food served in a welcoming pub atmosphere close to the Royal Crescent

MARTINI RESTAURANT 8-9 George St, Bath; 01225 460818; www.martinirestaurant.co.uk Traditional Italian food served in a cosy atmosphere

ITALIAN

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

SOTTO SOTTO 10 North Parade, Bath 01225 330236; www.sottosotto.co.uk Classic Italian menu with a contemporary twist in candlelit vaulted cellars

STEAKHOUSES

OLÉ TAPAS 1 John Street, Bath 01225 466440; www.oletapas.co.uk Charming, authentic Spanish tapas – one of Bath’s best kept secrets

PIZZA

THE HERD 12a Argyle St, Bath; 01225 316583; www.theherdrestaurant.co.uk Locally sourced meat of the finest provenance alongside a simple, seasonal menu

THE OVEN 21 Westgate St, Bath 01225 311181; www.theovenpizzeria.co.uk Neapolitan artisan pizza using local and Italian imported produce

HUDSON STEAKHOUSE 14 London St, Bath; 01225 332323; www.hudsonsteakhouse.co.uk Award-winning steakhouse in listed building specialising in prime aged steaks and delicious starters with a fusion twist

KOH THAI TAPAS 36 Broad St, Bath 01225 311232; www.koh-thai.co.uk Award winning small Thai tapas plates and cocktails

REAL ITALIAN PIZZA CO 16 York St, Bath 01225 330121; www.realitalianpizza.co.uk Family owned pizzeria. Wood fired pizza with fresh authentic ingredients

TAPAS

THAI BY THE WEIR 16 Argyle St, Bath 01225 444834; www.thaibytheweir.co.uk Restaurant overlooking the weir, serving a classic Thai menu

TAPAS REVOLUTION 20A St Lawrence St, Bath; 01225 312917 www.tapasrevolution.com/bath Newly opened authentic Spanish Tapas

THAI

OUTSIDE of BATH BRITISH THE GREENHOUSE RESTAURANT The Pavilion, Wadswick Green, Corsham SN13 9RD; 01225 585880; www.thegreenhousewg.co.uk Smart, stylish and relaxed new dining destination THE GARDEN 15-17 The Bridge, Chippenham, SN15 1HA 01249 465672; www.thegardenuk.co.uk Relaxed dining using British produce

COUNTRY HOUSE HOTELS LUCKNAM PARK Colerne, Wilts, SN14 8AZ 01225 742777; www.lucknampark.co.uk Michelin Star fine dining at the renowned Park restaurant and more informal dining at the stylish contemporary brasserie at 5 star country house hotel WIDBROOK GRANGE HOTEL Trowbridge Rd, Bradford-on-Avon BA15 1UH; 01225 864750; www.widbrookgrange.co.uk

Modern farmhouse cuisine, locally sourced and freshly prepared

Award winning modern British food and cask ales in country inn

GASTROPUBS

THE PEAR TREE INN Top Lane, Whitely, Wilts, SN12 8QX; 01225 704966; www.peartreewhitley.co.uk An elegant revamped country inn with an acclaimed restaurant and contemporary rustic-chic bedrooms

BUNCH OF GRAPES 14 Silver St, Bradford-on-Avon BA15 1JY; 01225 938088; www.thebunchofgrapes.com Bar and restaurant inspired by the village bistros of South West France THE GEORGE AT WOOLLEY 67 Woolley St, Bradford-on-Avon, BA15 1AQ; 01225 865650; www.thegeorgebradfordonavon.co.uk Recently refurbished gastropub from award winning team HOMEWOOD PARK Abbey Lane, Freshford, Bath BA2 7TB 01225 723731; www.homewoodpark.co.uk Luxury hotel with two rosette restaurant and spa THE LONGS ARMS Upper South Wraxall, Wilts, BA15 2SB; 01225 864450; www.thelongsarms.com

THE WHEELWRIGHTS ARMS Church Lane, Monkton Combe, BA2 7HB 01225 722287; www.wheelwrightsarms.co.uk Pub featuring modern takes on British classics, plus understated, individually decorated guestrooms

FARM SHOPS ALLINGTON FARM SHOP Allington Bar Farm, Allington, Chippenham SN14 6LJ; 01249 658112; www.allingtonfarmshop.co.uk Shop and Café selling local produce

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 55

GREAT BURGERS FRESH LOCALLY SOURCED PRODUCE DELICIOUS COCKTAILS

INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FOR OVER 30 YEARS. THIS COSY CAFE HAS BEEN A FAVOURITE OF LOCALS AND VISITORS ALIKE. The Courtyard Cafe is situated just a stone’s throw away from Bath Abbey in the historic Lilliput Court.

MeatBusters Previously Burgers and Barrels

2 Victoria Buildings, Lower Bristol Road, Bath, BA2 3EH www.burgersnbarrels.co.uk b a

The home made food is hearty and chef Kirsty’s cakes are quite moorish, making this cafe a great spot for breakfast, lunch, or a quick stop for a little something sweet.

THE GARDEN

CAFE - BAR - GRILL

Quality * honest * independent

THE GARDEN TROWBRIDGE TOWN CENTRE TEL: 01225 767511 chippenham town centre TEL: 01249 465672 NEW & INDEPENDENT BAR & RESTAURANT Visit us: www.thegardenuk.co.uk Follow us: /thegardentrowbridge /thegardenchippenham

Fortune Inn

Bath’s finest modern Indian Restaurant Where our food and drink speaks for itself…

Chinese Restaurant & Traditional Pub

Superior Chinese, Szechuan & Authentic Chinese Cuisine within a fully air conditioned restaurant near the heart of Wiltshire market town, Chippenham.

Function room available with capacity for up to 50 people

115 Sheldon Road, Chippenham, SN14 ODA 01249 661382 | www.fortuneinn.co

Rooftop Bar Opening Soon…

Longmead Gospel Hall, Lower Bristol Road, Bath BA2 3EB Tel: 01225 446656 12-16 Clifton Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1AF Tel: 01173 291300 Email: info@themintroom.co.uk www.themintroom.co.uk

fa

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

FOOD FLAIR

A Bath eatery has a new name to reflect the growing reputation of its talented head chef.

The Gainsborough Bath Spa has relaunched its restaurant as the Dan Moon At The Gainsborough Restaurant, in recognition of Dan’s culinary flair and popularity.

His food focuses on pioneering cooking techniques and theatrical presentation, and reflects his position as a trailblazer on the modern British culinary scene.

Dan says, “For me, every single meal of the day should be a celebration, whether it’s a quick breakfast for guests, an indulgent afternoon tea, or a six-course tasting menu experience, I want my diners to feel special with every bite they take. I feel so proud that this has been reflected in the popularity of the restaurant and its establishment in both the local and tourist market.”

Dan previously won 3 AA Rosettes and The Caterer’s Acorn Award, along with the Bath Life Award for Restaurant of the Year in 2009 during his time at Homewood Park Hotel.

Brigit’s has a certain je ne sais quoi

For more: www.thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk

FRENCH FANCY Afternoon tea in Bath has been given a French twist following the opening of a new café.

Brigit’s Bakery is at 17 Argyle Street, in premises that used to house the Riverside Café.

It takes its name from its French owner Brigitte Bloch, who first opened a tea room and patisserie in London together with her son Cedric.

Brigit’s – or B Bakery as it is also known

– also offers red bus and boat trips so people can take in the sights of the city.

It has a classic Routemaster bus and a 10-person canal boat, the Lady Lena. The bus route takes in many of Bath’s historic sites including the Royal Crescent, Queen Square and the Circus.

The menu includes sandwiches, scones, cakes and pastries, and it also offers halal, vegetarian and gluten-free options.

For more: www.b-bakery.com

BAKING BREAD Use your loaf

The writing’s on the wall

A gap in the market for a good quality sliced loaf has seen Bath baker Richard Bertinet create a sourdough version.

The loaves are available in Waitrose, and have proved so popular that the range has been expanded to include a smaller version.

“It has been incredibly exciting to be part of the artisan bread revolution taking place in the UK over the last 10 years,” says Richard. “But no matter how much we all love a ciabatta, foccacia or crusty sourdough boule at the weekend, the sliced loaf will always have a place, whether for kids, packed lunches, or just because

it fits in the toaster. Until now it has not been possible to buy a sliced tin loaf in a supermarket which does not contain at least some additives or preservatives and I wanted to change that. I am on a mission to make great bread available to everyone. I’m incredibly excited about the roll-out of our sliced sourdough range and look forward to families across the UK enjoying it as much as mine do.”

The loaves are baked with just flour, sea salt and water, and stay soft for three days. They can be used for toast beyond this.

The small 500g loaf costs £1.95.

For more: www.bertinet.com

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

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Free Drop-in advice sessions available from 18th to 31st August (excluding Sundays) 10am-1pm

27 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HX 01225 334577 | admissions@bathacademy.co.uk www.bathacademy.co.uk

Over 20 years experience All garden construction undertaken including: All types of walling

Decking

Patios

Fencing

Block paving/ driveways

Astro turf

Please call Tom for a free quotation on 07725 354 207 email: tomhill@trhlandscaping.co.uk

Fashion/gifts/stores/more

FAST FASHION A key feature on Bath’s social calendar, this year’s Ladies Day at Bath Racecourse will see women (and men) flocking to place their bets on 19 August. The theme of the event for 2017 is ‘effortless elegance’, and whoever is crowned Best Dressed in the increasingly popular outfit competition on the day, will win a £1,000 cash prize.

If you’re planning on pulling out all the stops, along with your hat or fascinator, you’ll need a show-stopping outfit. When we spotted this Malene Birger dress in Grace and Mabel on Broad Street, it certainly made us look twice. With its bold leaf motif, high neck and sharp, asymmetric hem, this figure-hugging frock would look fabulous with a pair of slingback heels, and a colourful clutch bag.

Last year’s Ladies Day attracted more than 5,000 racegoers, and, new this year, the racecourse is staging its first ever allfemale jockey race, which is yet another reason to go along.

“Ladies Day is a quintessential part of summer horseracing and many ladies enjoy getting into the spirit of the event by making a special effort with their outfits,” says Jo Hall, executive director at Bath Racecourse. “We’ve kept the prize that we introduced last year for the Best Dressed competition because it was hugely popular and attracted lots of stylish ladies; it just adds to the excitement on what is already a fabulous day out.”

Nartuna dress by Malene Birger, £180, available at Grace & Mabel, Broad Street, Bath; www.graceandmabel.co.uk. For more about Ladies Day, visit www.bath-racecourse.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 61

1 2

3

MARKET DAY

4

THE INDEPENDENT BATH MARKET IS A NEW STREET MARKET BASED IN ABBEY GREEN, BATH, WHICH CELEBRATES SMALL FAMILY BUSINESSES, MAKERS, BAKERS AND CRAFTERS, FROM IN AND AROUND BATH. HERE’S A SELECTION OF TEMPTING WARES FROM A HANDFUL OF THE TRADERS 5

1. SHE SELLS…

2. AT THIS POINT IN TIME

3. MELT DOWN

4. MY PRECIOUS

5. WILD CARD

Murano glass bracelet, £30 Handmade with Murano glass, Diana Ingram’s jewellery is ideal for those who avoid run-of-the-mill From Diana Ingram Jewellery, Churchview House, Churchyard, Westbury; www.dianaingram.com

Brass wall clock, £100 This Himmeli-style clock was handmade in Bathford

by Hayley Breen and will bring a contemporary touch to the home From GeoAttic, designs available locally at Leak in Larkhall, and Article on Bartlett Street; www.etsy. com/uk/shop/GeoAttic

Bath Soft Cheese, £6 Soft and yielding with a white, bloomy rind, the flavour of this cheese is mushroomy and creamy with a hint of lemons From Bath Soft Cheese, Park Farm, Kelston, Bath; www.parkfarm.co.uk

Tale of Whimsy rings, £40 each These silver rings are stamped with fairytale quotes such as Alice in Wonderland’s ‘We’re all mad here’, and are made

by Bath’s Gemma Atwell From The Silver Shed, Bath; www.folksy.com/ shops/TheSilverShed

‘Thank you’ concertina card, from £4.15 Featuring watercolour paintings by Lavinia Thomas, these cards are made at Lavinia’s studio in Bath From The Botanical ABC; available locally at Article on Bartlett Street, and Kilver Court in Shepton Mallet; www.botanicalabc.com

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

6

ED’S CHOICE

SHOPPING

7

8

9 10

6. SWEET TOOTH

7. AN OPEN BOOK

8. SHOW THE ROPES

9. SLOW BURN

10. GET THE PICTURE?

Assorted cakes, from £2.50 per slice Le Cordon Bleu-trained Jessica Langford-Snape ensures her ingredients are organic and Fairtrade From The Organic Cake Company, Hayeswood Road, Timsbury, Bath; www.theorganic cakecompany.co.uk

Photo albums, from £30 From his workshop in Wiltshire, Rob Kendrew makes photo albums, journals and stationery using traditional techniques From Paperwallah, The Old Batch Bindery, Bradford on Avon; www.paperwallah.co.uk

Rope vessels, from £15 The work of Bathwickbased maker Anna David, these braided rope vessels are made of natural materials and are created with simple techniques From Modern Makers, Bath; www.modernmakers. design

Just Bee candles, £24 each These candles are produced using the beeswax collected from maker Harriet ScottBolton’s family bees Available from The Foodie Bugle, 2 Abbey Street, Bath; www. thefoodiebugleshop.com

Individual cards, from £3 Created by Bath illustrator Donna-Marie Scrase, these cards can be found in leading stores such as Liberty London From Studio Scrase, designs available locally at The Foodie Bugle, and Rossiters of Bath; www.studioscrase.com

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Behind closed doors

Here’s what you can expect to see inside the many private members’ clubs in Bath The first membership at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa was allocated in 1998, when it was very much a social club in addition to the spa facilities

By L i sa E va ns

MEMBERS O N LY

The Bath and County Club is one of two remaining once gentlemenonly social establishments from 18th-century Bath

B

ath’s private members’ circuit has come a long way since the days of the stuffy gentleman’s club. An explosion of more accessible groups have seriously shaken things up in recent years. So, whether you are looking for a wellbeing sanctuary, to indulge in the world of fine wine, be on the guest list for black-tie dinners, or are just looking for a sense of belonging and to meet people with the same interests as you, come with us as we step into a diverse handful of membersonly clubs in and around Bath...

Keeping with tradition

The two remaining once gentlemen-only social establishments from 18th-century Bath are the Harington Club in Harington Place, and the Bath and County Club on Queen’s Parade.

“Founded in 1858, it is the oldest private members’ club in the area,” says Nancy WiseGarrett, the vice president of the Bath and County Club. “It was initially formed to give a welcome to service men back after serving abroad, and it grew to become a favourite haunt.”

The club, still retains its smart dress code – a tie and jacket are to be worn at lunches and dinners – but now, there are no limits on who can be accepted – barring those with a criminal record – and it’s now less about exclusivity and much more about inclusivity.

“It was the earliest gentlemen’s club to admit women as full members, and such is the equality of the membership that they elected a female as chairwoman some years ago,” says Nancy. “I think what draws people to the Bath and County Club is companionship with like-minded people who enjoy gossip and a laugh in agreeable and relaxed surrounding. There are regular opportunities to enjoy club activities and events as well as share a meal with friends and to entertain others.

There is an advantage in joining an organisation where you know people will share your taste and style.”

So what can you expect to encounter behind closed doors here? Everything from winetasting events, film nights and book launches, to black-tie evenings, garden parties, an open bar

and catering at all hours. Memberships here do cost a pretty penny, but you can sign up for a trial for six months which will allow you reciprocal membership for over 200 clubs around the world – from India to Australia to America to London.

When it comes to the Harington Club, which formally started in 1874, there have been drastic changes over the years, particularly with the number and type of members. In 1902 there were 1380 members, today there are just 150.

“Ladies were first allowed on weekends only, from 1985, and as full members from 2016,” says Andrew Squires, the club treasurer. “There are now no conditions to becoming a member, whereas, before, nominated members’ names were displayed in the club for all to see and blackballed if necessary. There were much stricter conditions between the wars, and all nominated members were vetted.”

Don’t hate the player

IT WAS THE

EARLIEST GENTLEMEN’S CLUB TO ADMIT WOMEN AS FULL MEMBERS

When it comes to private golf clubs in Bath, there has been much debate and research about what makes them so appealing. The overwhelming evidence, according to Gareth Morgan, the general manager at Kingsdown Golf Club in Corsham, is that being a member of a ‘tribe’ has, time and time again, shown up as more important to golf club members than factors such as fast greens or the quality of clubhouse.

“The sense of belonging to a group is an explanation as to why some groups of members stay in one club for such long periods of time,” he says, referring to Kingsdown which opened in 1880 and is the second oldest golf club in the South West with over 600 members. “This truly is a golfer’s club. “There are several golf clubs where obviously the game is a part of the membership, but there is a big focus on social events and wedding hire too. Here, the focus is the golf course – which has been our major triumph recently with the introduction of a driving range, academy course and a world-class short game practice facility.” w

The secluded spa garden at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 65

MEMBERS O N LY As well as reduced rates and cheaper drinks, membership privileges include the right to play the course at any time, as often as you like, plus integration within a very particular social scene.

“Aside from the 19th hole tradition of a drink and a bite to eat, we have such things as competitions for all abilities, Sunday lunches, social evenings, and themed events too,” says Gareth. “More than anything, what tempts individuals to join are the people. They are such a welcoming group; I think that comes from a sense of pride in what is, without question, a great club.”

He adds that barriers and conditions to becoming a member are waning these days, although to join Kingsdown, a face-to-face meeting is suggested before the application process.

“Within reason, this is a trend which is slowly leaving golf,” says Gareth. “So, while, like most clubs, we reserve the right to refuse membership, that is not our intention for anyone.”

Exclusivity is key at Health on Crescent Lane

Fit for a king

Although most gyms work on membership systems, many of them feel like overcrowded, testosterone-fuelled jungles crammed with ominous machinery and prying eyes. Health is a nutritional therapy and personal training space in Bath that aims to eradicate that impression.

Despite its prime location behind the Royal Crescent, Health deliberately keeps a discreet profile on the street. Director Rob Suchet says the reason for this is exclusivity.

“The privacy that Health provides enables all our clients to feel uniquely looked-after and those with higher public profiles are able to step away from prying eyes and just be themselves here,” he says. “It’s the discretion that’s the draw, rather than the excitement of being part of a ‘secret’ club.”

He adds that it’s more than a gym, and the level of detail with which they approach each individual’s health is, he says, unparalleled. “Every client undergoes a thorough consultation by a qualified nutritional therapist before a personal nutrition plan is drawn up to address hormonal balances and digestive function, and to improve sleep and reduce inflammation. Then structural and postural imbalances are assessed, and muscle tension tests and thorough movement screening is undertaken before the exercise programme is created.

“Everything we do is focused on helping you achieve life-changing, lasting results. And there are no conditions to becoming a member, other than being genuinely motivated to transform yourself.”

Similarly, Bath’s Moovit is a private fitness studio which is not open for the general public to wander into; this, says its owner Amelia Rolfe, is one of the aspects which draws in clients who like to train discreetly in an exclusive space. The women-only gym, which offers both personal training and small group bootcamps, aims to inspire, motivate and encourage women to feel 66 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

At The Gainsborough’s aroma bar, bespoke therapeutic blends are made for each spa journey

THOSE WITH HIGHER PUBLIC

PROFILES ARE ABLE TO STEP AWAY FROM PRYING EYES AND JUST BE THEMSELVES

HERE

better about themselves, and they’ve recently introduced mini Moovit fitness classes for primary school children.

“When a woman trains here, they are 1-2-1 with a personal trainer with no one else there, making it a comfortable environment,” says Amelia. “We would encourage any women to join us as we offer a holistic approach to fitness and health for the body and mind.”

Take it easy

Bath’s relaxing spa culture is known about worldwide, and there are so many to visit and enjoy, plus a select few that you can become a member of.

The first membership at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa was allocated in 1998, when it was very much a social club in addition to the spa facilities. It attracted a mature, affluent clientele on the social side, and younger members enjoyed the gym as it was bigger back then and offered classes in a studio space. Subsequently, the gym was made smaller the studio space was lost and memberships dropped considerably for some time.

“The changes have been dramatic in the time of our current owners,” says Pearl Ollerton, memberships manager. “A complete refurbishment of the spa reception area and a modernisation of the spa style have occurred.

Old plunge tubs were replaced by a vitality pool and a new sauna, steam room, an ice station and w

L A N S D OW N G O L F C LU B Membership and green fee deals available now!

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Lansdown, Bath, BA1 9BT

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MEMBERS O N LY

Lux Rewards offers treats in return for dining at independent restaurants in the city

Incredible countryside views and a blissful setting await at Combe Grove

loungers were installed. We no longer provide a social calendar of events as, over the years, this lost popularity; the majority of our members were just interested in using the fitness suite and spa.”

At The Gainsborough Bath Spa, relaxation and inclusion are two of the main draws of becoming a member of the Spa Village, according to spa consultant Melissa Mettler, “Everybody needs to feel like they belong, and to find a space in which they can completely relax and be at peace with themselves. We understand that people need to feel they have somewhere safe and peaceful to retreat to from the worries and stresses of everyday life. I think having an element of exclusivity through a private membership creates a particularly calm and luxurious atmosphere.

There’s a reluctance in the UK to invest in our own wellbeing. In some countries, people really celebrate their health, and belonging to a fitness club is a source of personal pride. Wellness is not an option, it’s a necessity.”

Memberships at The Gainsborough include different benefits and discounts – from indulgent treatments and meals cooked by an award-winning chef, to luxury overnight stays – depending on the individual’s preferences.

Another spot where relaxation is all but guaranteed is Combe Grove where indoor and outdoor pools await along with indulgent pampering packages. But the main motivation for becoming a member at the manor house is fitness, as Lewis Morrison, the club manager, explains, “Membership means you can use the facilities, including the tennis courts and gym, but the biggest draw is our enormous range of studio classes – with everything from Les Mills courses, to yoga, Zumba and Pilates.”

The club began in 1987 and was called Cannon’s, managed by the Australian athlete Ron Clarke, and many of the members have stayed since the beginning. In March, Combe Grove was purchased by The Elmhurst Foundation, a charity

with the vision to transform Combe Grove into a centre for work-based learning excellence and apprenticeships.

“Our team of apprentices will help us to grow into a centre for holistic wellness, with more yoga and meditation and with homeopathy, acupuncture and reflexology all available,” says Lewis. “Taking time for yourself to restore equilibrium is so important.”

IN AN

INCREASINGLY DIGITALISED, BUT ALSO DISCONNECTED,

WORLD, INVOLVEMENT IN GROUPS BECOMES EVER MORE

APPEALING

Wine and dine

Comparing their offering to ‘foodie air miles’, Lux Rewards is a free mobile application which, once you become a member of it, offers treats in return for dining at high-quality restaurants in the city.

“The app allows a user to discover local, independent restaurants and be rewarded for dining in them,” says Chloe O’Connell, head of restaurant relations and business development for Lux. “In essence, Lux has created a large loyalty scheme for Bath, where connecting the independents and rewarding spend within them aims to move the consumer away for the chains that monopolise our high streets.

“It enables diners to accrue points towards luxury rewards,” Chloe adds. “With Lux, you could get away and be sipping champagne at The Shard, sitting in a Ferrari on a race track day, or donating your points to some of the city’s most loved charities.”

Chloe explains that in an increasingly digitalised, but also disconnected, world, involvement in groups and schemes becomes ever more appealing to consumers. Schemes that enable people to share in their discoveries and enjoyment of their experiences while feeling more connected, promotes and incentivises people to repeat the activity.

“Why would a diner continue to eat in their favourite restaurants with no reward when they could be eating their way towards a spa day at no extra cost to themselves?” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 69

www.visitwiltshire.co.uk

From traffic-free commutes, history galore and a thriving business scene, it’s little wonder west Wiltshire has plenty to shout about

By Sa m a n t h a Wa l k e r

W

hen it comes to town versus country the jury is, and no doubt always will be, out.

But those living in west Wiltshire are convinced they’ve really hit the jackpot when it comes to living and working in a really beautiful location.

It’s a vast area and includes historic market towns like Corsham, Devizes and Bradford-onAvon plus villages and tight-knit communities.

Add in the edge of the Cotswolds setting, the open spaces of the Westbury Hills, fascinating chalk downlands and the glorious Kennet & Avon Canal, and we have to wonder if it’s sometimes possible to really have it all?.

HERITAGE

Tom Bowles, who runs Hartley Farm Shop and Kitchen, says, “I was born and raised in the village of Winsley and my roots lay firmly here. Our farm is nestled in the countryside surrounded by lots of green grass, Cotswold stone walls and amazing nature. I’m very lucky to live here and felt a great opportunity to carry on our farming story in this area of the world. We have a fifth generation farm founded a long, long time ago but also a farm 70 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

OUT OF TOWN Top to bottom: Produce from Hartley Farm; Dan from Conservation Contractors; Downside Nurseries; opposite page, bottom: Sign of the Angel

WE HAVE

CONVERTED AN OLD PRISONER-OF-WAR CAMP HUT INTO A STATE-OF-THE-ART

CHOCOLATE LABORATORY

shop and café founded in 2008.”

Primarily a beef farm, it’s also partnered up with a few other artisans such as bakers The Oven, microbrewery Willy Good Ale and fruit and veg growers Grown Green with products sold in its farm shops in Hartley and Neston.” We all know farming is a difficult business, but Tom says a commute of a mere minute across the field really helps put things into perspective.

Someone else who sees no reason to leave the glorious countryside is William Warden, who runs Conservation Contractors together with his wife Sarah. “I grew up in Trowbridge so it made good sense to stay put in west Wiltshire – moving just 12 miles to Devizes. It’s a good place to do business, people know who we are and it’s a thriving market town – all the banks are there, that says something when many other towns and villages are losing their banks. There are also good, easy transport links and you can get everything locally.”

Another family-run business is Downside Nurseries set over three acres in Upper Westwood between Bradford on Avon and Freshford. “We came here originally in 1968 to grow vegetables,” says owner Lorraine Young. “What we needed was a well-drained south-facing slope within easy reach of the Bristol wholesale market and the land at Westwood was perfect.

“It was a happy decision and we found Westwood a friendly village with a great community spirit. The parish church of St Mary the Virgin and its neighbouring National Trust Westwood Manor date back to the late 12th century, with the nave of the Church being built in the 15th century.

When we started working the land this history was evident; we turned up all manner of interesting pottery, coins, horseshoes and clog irons. Best of all, though, was a medieval armourpiercing arrowhead which is now in the care of Devizes Museum.”

COMMUNITY IS KEY

Across west Wiltshire, old meets new with new enterprises making their mark. They’re following in the footsteps of the Romans, Saxons, Normans, Georgians and Victorians, all of whom have helped to shaped the area. It seems fitting, therefore, that quirky Devizes shop Asbeau is bringing vintage up-to-date. “We upcycle obsolete things into quirky homewares, jewellery, all sorts,” says co-owner Kathryn Hipkiss.

“We also stock pop culture merchandise and anything that makes us laugh or is particularly cool or unusual.

“We have lived here many years, and our children are in school in the town. For a small market town, Devizes has a vast amount of fun, alternative-thinking people.” w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 71

OUT OF TOWN

Community was key when creative design and web company H2 opened an office in Bradford on Avon. Managing director Paul Hammond says, “The people here are just more relaxed and friendly, and the transport infrastructure is great for meetings in Bath, Bristol or even London and there are some absolute great businesses in the area. However the best thing about running a business here is a personal one for me. The benefit of being able to cycle to work along the Kennet and Avon Canal and the stunning views that come with it you – just can’t beat it.

“I’ll never get bored of just walking around and taking in the scenery and architecture and I think the best place is Avoncliff – I can’t think of many places more beautiful and there’s always so many interesting people just passing through.”

Not passing through is Debbie Newman, who runs Armstrong Beech Marketing. “I work with owners of small businesses to turn their vision and ambition into a profitable marketing and sales strategy, thus increasing their bottom line,” says Debbie. “Originally a Poole girl, I moved to north Hampshire following my marriage, and then moved to Westwood, outside Bradford on Avon, with my husband, Bernard, and two daughters in 1992. My husband became director of music at Monkton Combe School and in fact had grown up in Bradford on Avon. His parents lived in Winsley so were delighted their grandkids were now local.

“The community in Westwood is great. We’re adjacent to Bradford on Avon yet just 20 minutes’ drive into Bath. Bristol is easy too on the train or driving outside of rush hour, and the train service to London is excellent.”

FOODIE CREATIVITY

Part of the area’s appeal is the creativity that springs up in the towns and villages. Husband and wife Michelle O’Donnell-Evans and Darryl Evans, set up their boutique brownie business this year, and their sweet treats are proving popular with Bradford on Avon’s band of foodies. ”Our dream was always to open up a brownie shop – the Odonnell Bakehouse – and we did a lot of research to find the perfect foodie town that would hopefully respond to what we wanted to do.

Bradford on Avon is such a unique town and we

WELL I NEVER! “Our farm and the village of Winsley sits on top of a Cotswold stone mine; there is a street in London called Winsley Street where the stone used is said to have come from here.”

Tom Bowles, Hartley Farm Shop “We have converted an old prisoner-of-war camp hut

WWW.VISITWILTSHIRE.CO.UK

Lacock Abbey

FOR A

SMALL MARKET TOWN, DEVIZES HAS A VAST AMOUNT OF FUN, ALTERNATIVETHINKING

PEOPLE

(there was a POW camp in Devizes and, after the war and the prisoners had returned home, many of the local farms were given one of the camp huts) into a state-of-the-art chocolate laboratory.”

Richard Phillips, CoCo Chemistry “Our storeroom and office at The Sign of the Angel are old stables at the rear of the building – horses still have a

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

right of way through the inn’s front door …we’re yet to have a horse through.”

Tom Nicholas, Sign of the Angel Middlewick House in Corsham was occupied by Camilla Parker Bowles (now The Duchess of Cornwall) and her first husband between 1986 and 1995, when it was bought by Nick Mason of Pink Floyd

just had a feeling about the place from the first time we visited. We felt that it was diverse enough that the people of Bradford on Avon would get what we were doing, thankfully that has most definitely proved to be the case.”

Sign of the Angel is a 15th century coaching Inn, restored in 2014 and serving quality food and drink. “We have brought the traditional inn up to date with modern life; great food and drink should be enjoyed in a relaxed atmosphere, and an overnight stay should be comfortable and cosy,” says Tom Nicholas, who runs the business with his brother Jack and chef Jon Furby.

“The opportunity to take on this historic inn, situated in the charming village of Lacock was too much not too apply. Wandering the countryside in west Wiltshire is a treat – the footpaths provide a perfect network to see the land active in spring and summer (with livestock) and autumn (harvest), then the prospect of an al fresco lunch or dinner in a country village is ideal.

Furthermore, while just outside Bath, we are on the edge of the Cotswolds and Wiltshire has lots to see, it is a perfect venue for those wanting to explore the area and even more special if you appreciate food and drink.”

A business which also appreciates food is CoCo Chemistry, a deliciously artisan chocolatier in Lacock. “Being scientists, we are naturally inquisitive,” says Richard Phillips, who runs the business with co-director Julie Wishart. “So with our technical skills as product formulators, developers and scientists we set to work to craft chocolates and ganaches galore.

“We love Lacock, it’s just such a beautiful place to live. In the day it’s vibrant and busy with locals and tourists – we get to meet so many visitors in our little chocolate barn from all corners of the planet – and yet, when the evening arrives, a calm tranquillity descends on the village, making it such a relaxing place to walk around anytime of the year.”

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The worldly garden We catch up with Derry Watkins, the author of two books on greenhouse gardening, and visit her Special Plants thriving garden and business which is filled with unusual florae from all over the world Wor d s a nd i ma ge s by N ic k Woodhouse

GARDENS

N

estled in the Cotswold Hills, a stone’s throw from Bath, is a garden admired by many for quite some time now but one that could easily go unnoticed. Even the approach to the gardens of nursery woman Derry Watkins has an ethereal feel; the winding, narrowing lanes seem only to add to the immediate sense of tranquillity when you first capture a glimpse of 20 years of graft, vision and experimentation from this plant fanatic and her husband Peter.

Here, just north of the city, Cotswold limestone gives way to heavy yellow clay, a soil which can be off-putting to the most determined of gardeners. A south-facing space, outside any frost pocket, with views over the valley, is the spot that the couple fell in love with when on a walk from their house in North Wraxall. Years later, when looking for a new home for their family, they approached the farmer who owned the derelict barn on the site.

A sale was made, and so began a very personal project.

It was initially Peter’s career in architecture that brought him and Derry to Bath, establishing his design practice here. It was only natural that Derry and Peter’s own partnership would evolve into a very personal mission to tackle this neglected, Derry’s passion for plants sloping wilderness and make it their has taken her to most own. Home to docks, nettles and corners of the globe thistles, no one had ever lived on or gardened on this spot before. Peter was able to provide the designs for the space, borrowing from the landscape while also providing more manageable areas with which Derry could let her horticultural experience take flight. Eschewing the obvious clay-loving stalwarts such as roses, Derry instead stayed true to her love of Mediterranean planting – not necessarily a perfect bedfellow for the soil in question. Undaunted, and having taken advice from plantsman John D’Arcy, Derry set about removing the rich topsoil resulting from two hundred years of cow manure. In its place she added 20 centimetres of gravel, and so her gravel garden was born, sheltered by the house on two sides and trees on the third.

How the plants have thrived ever since. Herbaceous perennials such as Thalictrum delavayi ‘Splendide’, a favourite of Derry’s, mix seamlessly with less recognisable varieties. Derry’s passion for plants has taken her to most corners of the globe and from these travels a wealth of non-native plants have returned to our climes.

“I have my eyes open all the time,” says Derry, “I can’t go anywhere without pinching some bit of seed.” And, knowing this passion for the unusual, people will often send Derry plants from far and wide.

The latest arrival is that of Diascia Personata, perhaps from a fellow plant-lover conscious of Derry’s fondness of orange-flowering varieties. The result of these finds and new arrivals is an array of particularly unusual self-seeding annuals, short-lived perennials and tender plants in a quintessentially English setting. As might be

expected in this valley, natural springs are also aplenty. So water trickles magically from pond to bog garden, with bold mixes of planting meandering through the strongly curved beds cutting into the hillside. It’s for this very reason that garden groups from as far as Russia have headed to the area specifically to see the gardens.

The garden really comes into its own in the late summer, with unusual gems such as the billowing white-lace towers of Fagopyrum dibotrys displaying their ample ability to thrive far from their original habitat. Throughout the year, however, bold curves of clipped yew provide an all-year structure and act to anchor the space as a whole; a centrepiece that links the herbaceous borders to the wilder, contemplative spaces beyond. In the latter, mature and semi-mature trees stand proud through longer grasses, creating a seamless transition to the rural surrounds.

Sitting with Derry in her living room, I first notice that there are no curtains. But then why would you have curtains when they only obstruct the views beyond? Views not only onto the valley but also the wealth of plants that wrap so closely round the house. Perhaps it is Derry’s Connecticut provenance that contributes to both this approach and her ability to throw off our rather British habit of nursing a plant back to health come what may.

“I’m vicious in the garden,” says Derry. “It’s partly ‘be cruel to be kind’, and partly ‘if it’s not what you want, get rid of it’. Who cares what plant it is? The compost heap is a great place for a plant”.

With that in mind, it may come as little surprise that Derry runs a course called Slash and Burn as part of her range of free, short, practical courses on her opengarden Tuesdays. This weekly event runs from April to October, with additional open days on Wednesdays throughout July and August. Among other commitments, Derry’s neighbouring and established nursery, Special Plants, keeps her more than busy the rest of the week. Home to an extraordinary range of the unusual and the unpronounceable, the nursery has also sent out seeds to the most unexpected of places, such as Korea.

First and foremost, the garden is however a very personal space, so the weekend closure of the gardens provides an opportunity for both to enjoy the benefits of many years of devotion and hard work.

For Peter in particular, this offers a space in which to retreat and recuperate. And surely that’s what every garden needs to provide each of us in some very personal way.

CAPTURE A GLIMPSE OF 20 YEARS OF GRAFT, VISION AND EXPERIMENTATION FROM THIS PLANT FANATIC

Nick Woodhouse is the co-director of interior and garden design company Woodhouse & Law on 4 George’s Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath; 01225 428072; www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 77

a d v e r t i s i n g f e at u r e p h y s i o t h e r a p i s t s

Meet the physio There is no magic sponge for injuries so we talk to physiotherapists who help people enjoy moving freely again

Stuart Galise

erika hayward 07801 536735 physio@erikahayward.com www.erikahayward.com

The Pure Practice 07971 050968 www.thepurepractice.co.uk

The Recovery Studio 07843 643112 www.therecoverystudio.co.uk

Describe physiotherapy in one sentence?

The restoration of normal movement and activity with the use of hands-on manipulative techniques, soft tissue release, acupuncture and taping combined with tailored rehabilitation exercises in those prone to or suffering from injury/pain.

What is your background and where did you qualify?

I am an independent chartered physiotherapist with my practice based in a relaxing countryside environment. I have over 10 years experience in physiotherapy, having graduated with a First Class Honours in Bsc Physiotherapy from Coventry University.

What area of physiotherapy do you specialise in?

I specialise in musculoskeletal (or MSK) problems which covers bones, muscles, nerves and joints. Typically I see people with common physical symptoms such as sciatica, whiplash, sports injuries and pain from arthritis.

What area of sports therapy do you specialise in?

I am a sport and remedial massage therapist specialising in the treatment of aches, pains and injuries caused by muscular dysfunction from sport or busy lifestyles.

What inspired you to make physiotherapy your career?

Having played rugby at school and a local club side, injury was inevitable. Getting match fit in a fortnight rather than a month was often facilitated with some private physiotherapy. I enjoyed the process of rehabilitation and now, after some 18 years as a physiotherapist, I still feel lucky that I’m in a profession that I continue to enjoy greatly.

What sets you apart from others in the field?

I believe in a professional, holistic approach to treatment and use this to work with individual patients to create a treatment plan specifically for their needs. It is important for me that people feel relaxed when having treatment, and understand the cause of their symptoms and the effects these can have on their everyday life.

What area of physiotherapy do you specialise in?

During my professional career I have gained valuable experience through work in outpatients, respiratory, musculoskeletal, orthopedics, neurology, pain management, women’s health and professional sports physiotherapy, including five years working with Somerset County Cricket Club.

What inspired you to make Physiotherapy your career?

Growing up, my parents had friends whose daughter had cerebral palsy. I used to really enjoy taking her swimming and from then on wanted to work with children with special needs, which led me to physiotherapy.

What inspired you to make sports therapy your career?

Growing up as a keen sportswoman, I have always had a passion to contribute to the development of likeminded athletes. It can be a very rewarding job relieving pain or following an athlete’s journey to success!

Physioimpulse 01225 683007 www.physioimpulse.co.uk

What sets Physioimpulse apart from others in the field?

We offer a bespoke service including hands on treatment from both Physiotherapists and Chiropractors, to running analysis and the provision of Orthotics for biomechanics problems and Ostenil injections for pain management. We are a local, well established company with a fantastic team.

sonja bass

What sets you apart from others in the field?

Having worked in the elite sport world for the last 20 years, I’m now focusing more on building the private practice in St James’ Parade.

It has taken me two years to find the ideal premises to be able to develop a more rehab centred outlook, and we now have our own studio space and an AlterG anti-gravity treadmill. I have worked for Bath Rugby as well as the English Institute of Sport.

Sophie Gover

What professional sports people have you worked with?

I have been fortunate enough to work with various professional athletes.

My main focus has been within professional rugby, predominantly the England and the Team GB sevens squads in preparation for Rio 2016. Other athletes include GB triathletes, professional golfers and cyclists.

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

FAST FIVE

MOTORING

CAR REVIEW

Compromises might be easy to live with, but they’re rarely sexy. Not so, however, when we’re talking about the new Audi S5, a practical coupe with serious grunt…

By M AT T BI E L BY

A

decade or so ago, Audi took its capable A4 saloon, slapped a cool new suit on it, and created the A5 coupe – it was similar underneath, but now boasted a particularly handsome Cokebottle shaped two-door body, with a distinctive high shoulder line and swollen wheel arches.

It looked like a modernist Germanic take on a classic American pony car – squint, and you could see a resemblance to the very first Chevrolet Camaro – and it sold like billy-o, becoming the late Noughties middle management wheels of choice.

Suddenly Audi was back in the coupe game, and BMW started to look worried. (Indeed, what was the BMW 4 Series coupe of a few years back if not a tribute to what Audi had achieved here?) In 80 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk 66 I CLIFTON LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

THINK DANIEL CRAIG IN A DINNER JACKET, NOT RAMBO

time the A5 range grew, with a Cabriolet and even a swoopy five-door version called the Sportback, and though the roomy, well-built A5 was never quite the driver’s car that the best BMWs are, you certainly couldn’t accuse it of being slow – and especially not in S5 spec. This most sensible of hot rods initially carried a detuned version of the 4.2 litre V8 from the R8 baby supercar, and later a supercharged V6.

Now, in 2017, we have the new secondgeneration of A5, with a larger, lighter new platform, sharper-angled bodywork, a totally reworked interior, and yet another new engine – again a V6, but this one turbocharged. The regular A5s get normal motors of between two and three litres, but the new S5 model’s 3.0 litre beast of a petrol engine has 349bhp, mated to an 8-speed auto and Quattro four-wheel-drive. This

CAR REVIEW

makes it extremely potent, and although there’ll soon be a yet-faster Audi with a 5 in its name (the crazy-expensive, power monster RS version), the S5 is as much as most of us will ever need. It’s not brutishly quick, exactly, but for discreetly fast real-world driving, this is where it’s at.

For those of us who don’t like our sports coupes too loud and lairy, the S5 is – visually – a fairly restrained hooligan, offering a subtle upgrade over the regular models rather than the full spoilers-galore look of some sporty models.

It rides slightly lower and wider than cooking versions, and boasts slightly larger air intakes, a mildly different grill and bumpers, and four exhausts at the back; think Daniel Craig in a dinner jacket, not Rambo.

Inside you get fancy nappa leather upholstery (with the trendy diamond-stitched pattern you get in some Bentleys; very nice), plus all the well-ordered, tactile pleasure of the regular A5 interior. The new larger platform means there’s more room inside, too – it’s fine for four adults where many coupes are not, though a jaunt up to Scotland, say, might be a bit much for those in the back – and the boot, at 465 litres, is huge.

The tech and equipment are class-leading too, with a good central 8.3 inch screen, and the option of a Virtual Cockpit digital dashboard that,

SHOPPING

at just £250, is a box you really should tick. Build quality, as ever with Audi, is first class.

To live with, then, the S5 should be pretty effortless, the only obvious bug-bear being just how long those doors are, making getting in and out in a tight parking space a case of opening it a crack and then doing your best to toothpaste yourself out through the gap.

And to drive? Well, it’s one of those Audis that feels very easy to go fast in, with impressive poke and the reassurance of four-wheel-drive. In Comfort mode the experience is fairly soft, quiet and relaxed, but drop the S5 into Dynamic and it all tightens up, delivering 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds; it’s a car that manages its dual roles (comfortable cruiser and roaring racer) with aplomb, but perhaps never quite with verve. This is a clinically good car, rather than a soul-stirring one.

Still, as a compromise it’s almost unsurpassed.

Stylish yet practical, powerful yet frugal, sporty yet luxurious, comfortable yet sharp in the corners, this is a car that can be all things to all people. For the mature and pragmatic sporting driver, it’s the supremely capable all-rounder you’ve been looking for.

More info: www.bathaudi.co.uk

AT A GLANCE Car: Audi S5. Prices: From £47,875; this one, with options like the Virtual Cockpit, was still usefully under £50k. Under the bonnet: A 3.0 turbo petrol engine, making 349bhp. Equipment specs: You get all the usual stuff (big 19” wheels, LED headlights, the 8.3 inch central display screen) as standard, but the 12.3in Virtual Cockpit if a worthwhile £250 upgrade, and we’d fancy the £750 Bang & Olufsen stereo too. Performance: It’s fast, and pulls hard, especially around 2000rpm and again above 4000rpm; think 0-62mph in a mighty 4.7 seconds, and a limited top speed of 155mph. The official combined fuel economy figure of 38.2mph ain’t bad either. In a nutshell: Quietly handsome, beautifully built and spacious coupe for serious (but low profile) speed-freaks; there are few better all-rounders. Dealer: Bath Audi, Roman Way, Bath Business Park, Peasedown St. John, Bath BA2 8SG; 01761 441352

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CLIFTON LIFE I 43 www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 81

Shake-ups/launches/intel/promotions

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

Play Sports Group founder and CEO Simon Wear with new MD Wayne Brown; (below) the GCN team in action

GROWTH

JOBS BOOST FOR BATH Investment leads to expansion for a digital media company A Bath business is planning to create up to 150 jobs following a 20 per cent investment from a global media group.

Digital media company Play Sports Group, in Monmouth Street, is behind sport and active lifestyles channels Global Cycling Network (GCN) and Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN).

It will be launching further channels in cycling and other sports, hiring up to 150 people for newly created digital and creative roles over the next two years.

These will be predominantly based at its headquarters in Bath.

GCN is already the largest and fastest-growing cycling channel in the world, with new MD Wayne Brown appointed to the group to further build its brands.

Simon Wear, Play Sports Group founder and CEO,

says,“We have big plans for the Play Sports Group, so attracting someone like Wayne with a proven track record in establishing and growing digital businesses is a hugely important step towards us achieving our vision.”

Wayne will work across the whole group, supporting the plan to rapidly scale the business.

His appointment follows the recent investment in the business from Discovery Communications, who owns Eurosport, and which took a 20 per cent stake.

Play Sports Network is the world’s leading creator of cycling digital video distributed on YouTube and on Facebook.

It has reported an 84 per cent year-on-year growth in video views to over 40m in January 2017.

For more: www.playsportsnetwork.com

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE

“THE DIGITAL SECTOR IN THE UK IS GROWING TWICE AS FAST AS ANY OTHER INDUSTRY; IT IS PROJECTED THERE WILL BE OVER ONE MILLION UNFILLED JOBS IN THE INDUSTRY BY 2020” Which Bath firm is helping bridge the skills gap?

Turn to page 87 to find out.

£10,000 THE BIG NUMBER

That’s how much free rugby kit grassroots clubs can get See page 85 for more

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BUSINESS INSIDER

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

SUE COLEMAN Creativity is the key for interior design business Perfect Rooms

Tell us a little about your background…

I am from Scotland originally, born in Perth. I moved to England when I was 12-years-old with my parents and brother. My mother was a tailoress and taught me how to sew, which led to many happy years of making clothes and other items.

What was your first job?

My first full-time job was as a hairdresser after training at college in Kidderminster. I loved being creative and this fulfilled my ambitions. So, for 12 years I worked my way up to become a senior stylist.

How did Perfect Rooms come about?

My husband needed an interior designer for his architectural company, CMS Group, and threw me in at the deep end, which meant I had to do a threeyear course in interior design for which I received a distinction. After a few years working on contract interiors, hospital refurbishments, schools and doctors’ surgeries, I decided to open Perfect Rooms independently in Corsham in 1992. This meant that I could use my creative side more and work with residential clients as well as on commercial projects.

What are the best aspects of your job?

Always being able create a new and different scheme, using colours and fabrics… seeing the look of gratitude on the client’s face when they have the finished look they desired.

What are the trends for today’s home interiors?

Today, the trends are varied, but cool colours on walls, enhanced with a feature wallpaper or strong paint colour is still a big trend. Wall art is becoming more popular, with some amazing digitally printed designs.

Plus texture on everything from walls and fabrics right through to floorings.

We see you also have a coffee shop…how does this enhance your business?

We like to encourage people to come and visit the showroom, so we are offering our freshly ground coffee and homemade cakes on a daily basis.

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The showroom is a place to take time out and think about your scheme, look at samples and get inspiration. We also love it when people just drop in to have a coffee and read a magazine, it’s just a nice thing to do.

What makes Perfect Rooms stand out?

We pride ourselves on being a friendly, helpful and enthusiastic business, willing to go the extra mile when it comes to helping get the job done. We have our own workroom, with two full-time staff, where we make everything from curtains and blinds to bespoke headboards and footstools. We have our own fitter and a great upholstery service.

What’s next for Perfect Rooms?

We are designing and creating our own range of luggage and handbags, which is very exciting. These will be marketed online, and, who knows, perhaps you will see them on the high street.

Surprise us...

I used to play guitar and sing in folk clubs, in the early 70s. In the Carole King and Joni Mitchell days, I would go around the folk clubs and do a bit of performing. www.perfectrooms.co.uk

Interior trendsetter Sue

THE BEST ASPECT IS SEEING THE LOOK ON CLIENT’S FACE WHEN THEY GET THE LOOK THEY DESIRED

BUSINESS INSIDER

MOVERS, SHAKERS, ETC

BATH RUGBY NEWS Professor Gilbertson

STEERING THE COURSE Professor Barry Gilbertson has been appointed chairman of the City of Bath World Heritage Steering Group.

“I feel particularly honoured to have been chosen at a time when the future of our city’s prosperity requires such a delicate balance between the protection and enhancement of our heritage and the desire to expand our office business community, supported by more housing and commerce,” he says.

Bringing you the latest from the Bath Rugby headquarters

Freddie Burns with young players from Beechen Cliff School

Bath Rugby hopes its new home kit will help raise £10,000 for local grassroots clubs.

The 2017/8 home strip is a continuation of last year’s traditional blue, black and white hoops, with £10 donated from the sale of every shirt to help inspire a new generation on players.

The money will be converted into kits, and will see 10 lucky clubs each getting £1,000 worth from the club’s official supplier Canterbury.

Winners will also have visits throughout the season from Bath Rugby, who will pass on their training tips and techniques.

Club captain Matt Garvey says, “We receive fantastic

support throughout the season from our local clubs, so it’s really great to be able to give back in this way.

Grassroots clubs are at the heart of rugby – they give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the game at all levels, and help inspire future generations, so it’s really important to us to help them through initiatives such as this.”

Fans can nominate clubs to benefit from the free kit, with winners drawn at random by Matt.

The new away and European shirts are set to be unveiled on 15 August.

To enter visit www.bathrugby.com

FLY ME TO THE MOON Architect and building firm Moon has produced a children’s book to help inspire a love of construction and design in little ones.

Moon Bath is in Claverton Street, with I Am The Builder the firm’s second book for children.

It has 50 free books to give away; email archie@ moondesignandbuild.com

ALL IS REVEALED The scaffolding has come off the Apex City of Bath Hotel revealing the £35m property’s Bath stone exterior.

Some 1,000 tonnes of base bed stone, sourced from Stoke Mill Mine just outside Bath, was used in its construction.

With 177 bedrooms, the hotel will be Bath’s biggest property. www.apexhotels.co.uk

BUSINESS MATTERS DIARY From city centre conferences to networking breakfasts, make a note of these dates and make them work for you 6 AU GU S T

Companies will compete in the Bath World Cup at Monkton Combe School Sports ground.

Proceeds go to Creative Bath and Bath Boules Trust. A team ticket is £250 plus VAT; 10.30am; www.creativebath.org 8 AU GU S T

in the Great Outdoors event.

Meet in front of the Tithe Barn, Bradford on Avon at 11am; £6.95. www.rfmcoaching.com

businesses Xxxxx looking to grow. www.coolventures.co.uk 10 AUG UST

The focus will be on networking, masterminding and learning at The Bath Business Lunch; Combe Grove Manor Hotel.

Tickets from £29.08; 12pm – 2.30pm. www.nrg-networks.com

31 AUG U S T

Strategy and Business Planning Workshop at the Bath 22 AUG UST and County Club, Queen’s There will be fresh air and Parade from 9am – 5pm. forming links at the Networking The workshop is for B&NES

The RIBA Conservation Course for architects and construction professionals.

Four-day course; Francis Hotel, Queen Square; £654. www.architecture.com/mylocal-riba/riba-south-west

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BUSINESS INSIDER

NICE TO TREAT YOU

BREAKING NEWS

FANTASTIC FOUR

The company was visited by Tim Bowles, West of England Mayor, who says, “This is a really innovative example of an employer investing in training local people and equipping them with the right skills for high-quality jobs.”

A new app has been launched in Bath and Bristol so people can treat friends to a coffee or drink simply by sending a text.

Huggg can be downloaded for Text appeal free and allows users to select items from a number of Bath eaterys, before gifting them to a friend.

It has teamed up with All Bar One, Turtle Bay and Society Café in Bath, and plans to add more outlets.

“There are points in life where a message alone doesn’t say enough, and a little extra thoughtfulness would go a long way,” says Paul Wickers, Huggg cofounder and CEO. “Huggg is such a great and easy way to let someone know you’re thinking of them – whether it is as a thank you, a birthday message or simply because you’re feeling generous, sending someone a huggg is guaranteed to bring a smile to their face.”

For more: www.maydenacademy.co.uk

www.huggg.me

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

SORTING THE CODE A Bath company is helping to bridge the digital skills gap with a 16-week course in software development.

Mayden Academy, in Widcombe Crescent, has a 100 per cent success rate of getting participants into coding jobs within 90 days of completing its course.

The full-time course costs £8,000 and is open to non-graduates and graduates.

Mayden Academy lead, Mike Oram, says, “The digital sector in the UK is growing twice as fast as any other industry; it is projected there will be over one million unfilled jobs in the industry by 2020. We work closely with many different tech companies to ensure our curriculum meets their needs.”

Mayden students with Tim Bowles

WATER WIN Wessex Water is currently celebrating after winning a top award for civil engineering.

It saw its £230 million supply grid project, designed to improve interconnectivity within the existing water system, awarded a Civil Engineering Award from the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

The prestigious awards celebrate outstanding civil engineering achievement, innovation and ingenuity around the South West.

Richard Fish, chairman of the awards judging panel says, “Collectively, the winning projects are a real showcase of the breadth

The Wessex Water team

and depth of civil engineering; they include bridge restoration and maintenance, a new highway, an historical lake restoration and even a nuclear research project. This is far from an exhaustive list of what civil engineering is all about, but it gives a very good idea of how much our profession impacts upon everybody’s quality of life.”

The supply grid will enable water to be moved from areas of surplus to areas of need, providing customers with a secure, resilient supply to 2035.

For more: www.ice.org.uk

ENGINEERING SUCCESS

Vice-chancellor of the University of Bath, Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell

The University of Bath is helping to develop clean and efficient vehicles, following investment from the West of England Combined Authority and Local Enterprise Partnership.

It is to build an Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS), located at the Bristol and Bath Science Park.

IAAPS will be a global centre of excellence and will lead the development of future generations of ultra-low emission vehicles.

It is also expected to attract sector-related

businesses to the region, generating economic growth.

President and vice-chancellor of the University of Bath, Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell, says, “The University of Bath has over 40 years of automotive research excellence in collaboration with some of the world’s leading companies and is ideally placed to turn this opportunity into a reality.”

Construction of the £60m IAAPS facility will start next summer, and is scheduled to open in 2020.

For more: www.bath.ac.uk

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BUSINESS INSIDER

BATH LIFE AWARDS 2017

RETAILER WINNER Sponsored by

GRAHAM & GREEN Kate Vincent, PR and marketing manager at Graham & Green, has seen her team’s passion for interior design, homeware and Bath pay off with a Bath Life Award So how did it feel to win a Bath Life Award? How did you celebrate? And where is your award now?

We were so shocked and thrilled. It is our first year in the city and we were blown away by the welcoming response and recognition.

We celebrated on the evening and enjoyed drinks as a team after the event. Our award now takes pride of place in our Bath store, either in the window or beside the till.

What do you think makes Graham & Green stand out from its competitors?

We always try to offer something a bit different from the norm. We’ve transformed our store into an Aladdin’s cave of stunning products inspired by our trips around the globe. We really believe in what we do and the products we sell, and I think that makes us stand out.

How did you get into doing what you do?

I’ve always worked for interior and homeware businesses and as soon as I heard that Graham & Green were moving their head office to Bath, I jumped at the chance to join the team.

What do you love most about your job?

I love how varied it is, no two days are ever the same.

Have there been tricky times?

Not tricky times but certainly some very 88 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Kate Vincent and Charli Botha

busy ones! We took on a lot of exciting new projects last year, from opening our flagship store in Bayswater to relocating our head office to Bath.

What do you aim to achieve in the next couple of years?

Right now we’ve focusing on creating a new website, which we’re all really excited about.

We’re also using the space in our Bath and Bayswater stores to host lots of exciting workshops and events.

WE’VE TRANSFORMED OUR STORE INTO AN ALADDIN’S CAVE What advice would you give someone looking to go into this sector?

Be passionate about what you do and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and believe in what you do.

Which are your favourite independent retailers in Bath?

It’s so hard to choose! We love The Foodie Bugle as it’s a great retailer and a very supportive force for independent businesses

in Bath. And of course all of our indie neighbours on Walcot Street that make the area really stand out.

What do you love about being in Bath?

It’s the perfect combination of a thriving city, beautiful green spaces and stunning architecture, says Kate.

MD Jamie Graham says, “We fell in love with Somerset’s picturesque landscape and Bath’s architecture. Being right in the heart of the city’s artisan quarter is perfect for us; we’re surrounded by inspirational independent businesses and interior design shops. The whole city is brimming with good food, a creative atmosphere and endless design inspiration. Strong family values are still at the heart of the company; our rich history working closely with international artisans to craft unique designs translates into the high quality products you see today.”

What do you do when you’re not working?

I love to travel and explore new places, Lisbon is next on my list and I can’t wait.

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

Whatever you do, do it with passion.

For more: www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

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

CHANGES TO THE TAXATION OF DIVIDEND AND SAVINGS INCOME A change of rules means that calculating tax can be a little more taxing.

Jacqui Bowden of Pearson May explains

T

he taxation of savings income and dividends in the hands of individuals changed fundamentally with effect from 6 April 2016. Whilst the changes were heralded as a simplification removing the need for a lot of people to complete Self-Assessment Tax Returns, a year down the line some practical issues and unexpected consequences have emerged, meaning that others may be required to complete tax returns for the first time.

Savings Income

With effect from 6 April 2016 interest received from banks, building societies and National Savings is being paid gross, without the deduction of basic rate income tax.

To compensate for this, a new Personal Savings Allowance (PSA) was introduced allowing basic rate taxpayers to receive savings income of up to £1,000, and higher rate taxpayers’ savings income of up to £500 tax-free. Additional rate taxpayers will not be entitled to a PSA.

Dividend Income

A new dividend allowance of £5,000 was introduced from 6 April 2016 for UK resident individuals. It is not available to trustees or personal representatives. The notional 10 per cent tax credit attached to most dividends has been abolished. Dividends received above the £5,000 level will usually be treated as the highest band of income and taxed at 7.5 per cent for basic rate taxpayers, 32.5 per cent for higher rate taxpayers and 38.1 per cent for additional rate taxpayers.

The calculation of tax has now become complicated; the following examples may serve

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

to illustrate how the new rules may complicate people’s tax affairs.

Example 1– Grace is a basic rate taxpayer with pension income and savings income. The pension income fully utilises Grace’s personal allowance. Her savings income comprises bank interest of £2,000 and dividend income from a portfolio of £7,000. Prior to the 2016/17 tax year, Grace’s bank interest would have been paid to her net of basic rate tax deducted at source by the bank, and her dividends would have attracted a notional 10 per cent tax credit meaning that no additional tax would be payable.

However, from 2016/17 Grace will have tax to pay of £350. £1,000 of her bank interest will be covered by the PSA meaning that a £200 tax bill will be due on the balance. The first £5,000 of her dividend income will be taxed at zero per cent; the remaining £2,000 will be taxed at 7.5 per cent producing a tax bill of £150, assuming that the level of her pension means that she is not entitled to the zero per cent starting rate band for savings.

Whilst HMRC have suggested that tax owed on savings interest would be collected through individual tax codes, Grace will need to check that the restriction for savings interest included in her tax code is correct.

Example 2 – Melissa has employment income of £11,000 and dividend income of £10,000. She has other income from ISAs which is not taxable. Melissa is very generous and makes gift aid payments to charities of £4,000.

Gift aid relief requires the donor to have paid income tax equal to the basic rate treated as paid on the donation. In Melissa’s case, this would be £1,000. Prior to the 2016/17 tax year, the 10 per cent notional tax credits attached

to Melissa’s dividends would have met this obligation for her. However, in the 2016/17 tax year the tax payable on the dividend income is £375. This is less than the £1,000 tax due on the gift aid payments, and therefore Melissa will have to pay tax of £1,000.

Melissa will have to complete a SelfAssessment Tax Return. She may also wish to consider making donations outside the gift aid scheme in future.

Planning Opportunities

Consideration should be given to splitting interest-bearing accounts, for example, to maximise the use of the PSA, and to arranging shareholdings so that each spouse can benefit from the £5,000 dividend allowance.

It is important to note that in order to allocate the income to the spouse with the lower rate tax liability, the ownership of the capital must also change. It is important that assets gifted between spouses represent an outright gift.

However, do remember that tax is not the only consideration, and you may wish to seek legal advice if large sums are being gifted.

The dividend allowance is being reduced from £5,000 to £2,000 from next April which may mean that even more individuals will have to pay tax.

Please be aware that it is not HMRC’s responsibility to tell you if you need to submit a tax return. If you are chargeable to income tax for a tax year you must declare this to HMRC, normally within six months of the end of the tax year.

The above is for general guidance only and if you feel you may be affected by the changes you should obtain specific advice.

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

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

A NEW PERSPECTIVE Take a look inside the last remaining luxury penthouse at Royal View in the enviable waterside location of Bath Riverside

By E V E LY N GR E E N

94 LIFE LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk 112I I BATH CLIFTON I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SHOWCASE

PROPERTY

This CGI image shows what Royal View will look like upon completion

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PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

W

ith dramatic, cutting-edge architecture that stands out from the crowd, the Royal View – a new landmark which offers contemporary living at its finest – is the next chapter in the popular Bath Riverside story.

The work-in-progress building – with its thoughtfully considered features, including its soft edges and curvature, which were inspired by the distinctive character of Bath’s famous Georgian buildings – will add to Bath Riverside’s current collection of new homes which is transforming the city’s western riverfront into a modern residential quarter.

The eight-storey structure, brought to life by awardwinning architects Studio Egret West, boasts majestic views of the landscape from all angles, access to beautiful parkland and upcoming eateries, and is perfectly placed for luxurious city living. Located on the banks of the River Avon, it has a harmonious relationship with the landscaped parks and the water and, predominantly built using Bath stone, the building is instantly recognisable as part of the Bath vernacular. One curve of the building stretches out to offer views of the skyline and surrounding countryside, whilst the other is south-facing and makes the most of the light.

The Livingston Penthouse – the last of three penthouses awaiting a new owner inside Royal View – has a private rooftop terrace, which offers panoramic views of Bath’s stunning skyline and surrounding countryside. The terrace is accessed via its own spiral stairway, which is encased within glass to maximise light and space, and the area will feature living green walls to help the building’s façade blend in with the natural setting. And, if a terrace 96 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Clockwise, from top left: the bedrooms are decorated in a clean, uncluttered way; light positively floods the kitchen; views from the private rooftop terrace are incredible; the openplan living space is bright and airy

HOUSE NUMBERS

2,003

square foot of space

2

bedrooms

£1.1M price

1

roof terrace

1

communal garden

isn’t enough outdoor space for you, there are communal gardens throughout the development to enjoy, and just across the river is Royal Victoria Park, a substantial green area that includes Botanical Gardens, children’s play area, tennis courts and sublime Victorian landscaping.

Every aspect of the penthouse has been finished to the highest specification, and the interiors are neutral throughout, so you can personalise every room and make the home your own. The bright and spacious Alno kitchen is equipped with carefully considered features such as A-rated appliances and soft-close doors and drawers, and is the perfect space for hosting vibrant dinner parties.

Retreat to the luxurious bathroom where you’ll find a double-ended bath, a state-of-the-art Hansgrohe shower and Porcelanosa tiled flooring. Throughout the space, you’ll find ultra-modern electricals such as LED downlighters and Hagar pendant lighting designed for modern living, and there is also a USB port in the kitchen.

The master bedroom offers ample room in which to relax and unwind, with a private dressing area and an en suite bathroom. The en suite and main bathroom have been beautifully designed with luxurious fixtures and fittings, and the second bedroom has also been carefully considered and offers you an additional space, which you can transform to suit your lifestyle.

This new build is one of the few residential developments that enjoys direct access to the riverside while being a short, level walk to the town centre, and with its top-notch design and up-to-date internal features, the lucky owner-to-be of the Livingston Penthouse is guaranteed a serious slice of local luxury.

Crest Nicholson, 01225 463517; www.crestnicholson.com/bathriverside

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.

T: 01225 471116 crossmanhomes.co.uk

T: 01225 325857

timbennettandassociates.co.uk

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

advertising feature p r o p e r t y

Make moving easy with Stamp Duty paid at Crest Nicholson’s Vicarage Fields Stunning homes in a rural haven await at Crest Nicholson’s Vicarage Fields

L

ying in the picturesque heart of the UK’s smallest city is Crest Nicholson’s rural haven, Vicarage Fields. Offering a traditional collection of two, three and four bedroom homes, Vicarage Fields is just a 10-minute walk from Wells city centre and offers homes to suit the needs of modern living. There is something for everyone, from first-time buyers to growing families and downsizers.

Crest Nicholson is offering to pay Stamp

Duty on selected homes at Vicarage Fields, saving buyers up to £13,000 on stunning four bedroom homes.

Homes at Vicarage Fields offer luxurious comfort, yet remain architecturally mindful of the rural surroundings. Each home is fitted with a beautiful Moores’ Definitive Kitchen, complete with integrated Bosch appliances.

The interior décor is impeccably designed, with sleek, sophisticated features ideal for modern living.

With views of the rolling Somerset countryside, Vicarage Fields is ideally situated in the heart of rural Wells. Keward Brook runs through the development and a wildlife corridor winds across the site.

Vicarage Fields is ideally located just off the A39 Glastonbury Road, with excellent road links to nearby cities such as Bristol and Bath, both located under an hour away. It also benefits from regular public transport, with a bus stop at the front of the development perfect for relaxing day trips.

The charming city of Wells has a brilliant community feel, and is a popular tourist attraction due to its’ historical character. With

a magnificent cathedral, a medieval palace and traditional narrow cobbled streets, Wells has an abundance of attractions to keep the family entertained. The bustling city centre, just a short walk from Vicarage Fields, has a wide range of shops, restaurants and other amenities.

Four bedroom homes at Vicarage Fields are available now from £437,000.

Pop into our Sales & Marketing Suite to visit our showhomes, open daily 10am to 5pm for more information. Or visit www.crestnicholson.com/developments/ vicarage-fields/ Email Vicaragefields@crestnicholson. com or call 01749 600864

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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

HOLIDAY RENTALS

PONDS & AQUATICS

60+ luxury properties for lets 2 nights to 5 months

Richard Brook

Holidays – For business – Friends & family – Temporary accommodation during renovation/relocation Contact: 01225 482 225 | alexa@bathholidayrentals.com www.bathholidayrentals.com Offering 4 & 5 star holiday rentals since 2006

DECORATING

STONE SPECIALISTS

Paul Swift

Tel: 01225 352437 07894 210446 Fax: 01225 350429 Member of Painting, Decorating Association

DAVIS MASONRY & CONSTRUCTION Natural stone specialist Bath stone restoration Walling Re-pointing t: 07910 621 316 e: jack_fb_123@hotmail.co.uk JEWELLERY

To advertise here call ✆ 01225 475800

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

WWW.PONDANDAQUATICSYSTEMS.CO.UK STONE SPECIALISTS

NORTON MASONRY LTD

Painting and Decorating

45 Old Fosse Road Odd Down, Bath BA2 2SP

POND & AQUATIC SYSTEMS

Nigel Dando 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

Stonework Specialists & General Builders 38 LONG BARNABY, MIDSOMER NORTON, RADSTOCK BA3 2TZ

Tel/Fax: 01761 419422 Fax: 01761 232480 Mobile: 07901 712232 / 07899 927276

Email: nortonmasonryltd@hotmail.co.uk

www.nortonmasonryltd.co.uk Over 30 Years Experience

STONE SPECIALISTS

Repairs, Restoration Alteration of Stone Buildings New Build Stone Cleaning Stone Carving Fireplaces

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

www.bathstonemasons.co.uk

B AT H L I V E S

Q&A

R

at’s Tales is a small but ambitious, self-styled artisan publisher based in Bath at the top of The Raven pub on Queen Street. It was set up by Rod (a thriller author) last year, and his aim was to get his own stories out to the world – breaking traditional publishing taboos while he was at it – and helping other unpublished authors do the same. Rat’s Tales’ philosophy is to make books as easily available to the world as possible, across all mediums; this is why they give away all their content for free, digitally. Having said this, Rat’s Tales’ creative team painstakingly illustrate, design, and bind the physical books, blending traditional and state-of-the-art methods and materials to position them as a premium offering. Here, Rod tells us more...

I’m a writer first and foremost…

Writing is where most of my passion and energy goes, but I also own half of, and work at The Raven in Bath. Buying The Raven seemed like a good idea at the time, and has turned out to be so, but the first couple of years were a steep learning curve, to say the least. And as it settled down to be what it has become, it allowed me to return to my creative endeavour and become a writer, which I have wanted to be since I was about 12-years-old.

Rat’s Tales is the response to the challenge of connecting my work with readers…

And hopefully others’ work too. We wanted to do it properly, by our standards, and we wanted it to be fun. So far, I think we’re modestly achieving both aims.

Rat’s Tales is reinventing the traditional publishing model…

We approach every element of publication first on an aesthetic basis, not a commercial one. We ask ourselves, ‘what looks and feels great?’,not, ‘what are we supposed to do?’,or ‘what will make the most money?’. We’re trusting that, if we do a great job, we’ll connect with readers, and if we do that, the money will come along in due course.

We have broken publishing taboos…

We invest in high-quality print for unknown writers. A more conventional publisher would only make nice books for writers who have proven themselves commercially. And we set our stories free on the net. We want no barriers between our writers and our readers. We believe that those who love the stories will read them on their phones and tablets and kindles, and also buy our beautiful physical books.

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

ROD HUMPHRIS The author and owner of artisan publishing business Rat’s Tales talks 19th-century shotguns, juggling his passion for writing with co-owning a Bath pub, and his Milsom Street disaster ‘Why would you buy a book when you can read for free?’ I hear you ask…

Because a book is a book and gives you a different and better emotional connection with the story than any other medium apart from hearing it read or performed. But, as an author, all I want is for people to read my stories – there are three in my Simon Ellice series, and I’m currently working on the fourth, Blood Stock, which should be published early next year.

We have an increasingly strong team…

We have illustrators, web designers, editors, typesetters and printers behind us – some of whom are local, but some are in other parts of Europe. We seek out collaborators based on talent and shared values, not geography.

I love Bath’s independent book scene…

Aren’t we lucky with our bookshops? One of the best surprises about joining the book industry is how nice everyone is. So far, I’ve found that everyone who works in books, loves books.

My top tips for writing a book are…

You have to do the miles; put in your 10 thousand hours. If the word, or the sentence, or the paragraph, or the chapter, is wrong, you just have to keep rewriting it until it’s right. When you believe it’s right, get a good editor and let them tell you it isn’t. Completing a full-length novel is a very serious undertaking. Just doing that puts you in a pretty select band of people. Writing one that’s worth reading is a whole other thing. Only those who really want to, do, and it’s a major achievement you should be proud of.

The book that’s on my bedside table right now is…

The Beach by Alex Garland. I’ve been told that he has a similar narrative voice to me.

Redgauntlet, by Walter Scott, is my all-time favourite book, but I reserve the right to change my mind tomorrow.

My most treasured possession is…

A side-by-side shotgun made by Birmingham gunsmith Thomas Wild in about 1885. It’s part of the inspiration for the book I’m currently writing.

If I owned Bath for a day…

I would send all the seagulls on an extended vacation to Ursa Minor and make tables and chairs outside all the cafés, pubs and restaurants absolutely compulsory.

My favourite place in Bath to have a beer is…

No, not The Raven. I love it dearly, but it’s hard to feel fully off-duty in my own pub. I’ll take a pint or two in The Bell please, and if you force me to have supper at Corkage, I won’t be offended.

A little-known fact about me is…

I once got sacked as a taxi driver for driving up Milsom Street. You’re supposed to drive down Milsom street.

For more, visit www.ratstales.co.uk. Rod’s Simon Ellice thriller series can also be read from start to finish online on Rat’s Tales’ character website www.simonellice.co.uk