Bath Life – Issue 376

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property ISSUE 376 / 12 – 26 OCTOBER 2018 / £3 @BathLifeMag

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

In good taste DINING ISSUE 376 / 12 – 26 OCTOBER 2018 / SHOCK HORROR

AT THE BATH PRIORY

Right as reign

EXPLORING QUEEN SQUARE

Quoth

the Raven

῾῾Nevermore’’ The macabre and mysterious side of the city

Drop-dead gorgeous HAVE A STYLISH HALLOWEEN

Movie, baby, yeah!

GET READY FOR FILMBATH

SPECIAL EDITION TWO COVERS TO COLLECT

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+4 4 ( 0 ) 1 3 9 5 2 0 2 0 4 0 C O URT L ANDS L ANE

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W W W. LYM P S TO N E M A N O R . C O. U K

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★★ ★★★

© PAUL CONNER

EDITOR’S LETTER

Get to know the darker side of Bath, on page 28

1

2

COVER 1: Raven bronze, by Olivia Clifton-Bligh, as seen at David Simon Contemporary gallery.

Photograph by Adam Carter. See page 69 for more.

COVER 2: Eily O’Connell ‘Relic’ earrings, cast from dead insects. Eily’s pop-up shop is open until November. See pages 67 and 68 for more.

S

o enthused are we about Halloween that, to celebrate, we have two different front covers for this issue of Bath Life.

One features a raven bronze, adorned with screws, as spotted at Bath’s David Simon Contemporary gallery; and the other showcases macabre jewellery by a local maker, who casts her detailed, otherworldly accessories from already-dead insects.

As you can tell, due to the time of year, this issue has taken a darker turn than usual, and it is filled with all things mysterious, wicked and eerie. Turn to page 28, for example, and you’ll find ghost stories, graveyard explorations and local superstitions, as well as a chat with the world’s only professor of death studies – who lectures at the University of Bath.

Also, on page 25, our columnist Flats shares his favourite sugar-filled memories of trick or treating; and page 68 is crammed with the all-black beauties which have caught our eye in independent shops and art spaces.

Also in this issue is a close-up look at Queen Square (page 72); an interview with Holly Tarquini – executive director of FilmBath, which starts next month – (page 46); and a review of The Bath Priory, which has just been made a member of the Relais & Châteaux luxury collection.

Enjoy!

LISA EVANS Follow us on Twitter @BathLifeMag Instagram @bathlifemag

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 3

Issue 376 / 12 – 26 October 2018

THE ARTS

39 ARTS INTRO Sculptor Rick Kirby’s sublime, metal

human forms

40 WHAT’S ON Half term fun, autumn activities and

buckets more

46 THE BIG INTERVIEW We chat to Holly Tarquini,

executive director of FilmBath

53 FILM What to look forward to at this year’s FilmBath 55 BOOKS Think you know what to expect from your

favourite authors? The established authors who are dipping a literary toe outside of their genre

© PAUL GILLIS

FOOD&DRINK

68

56 RESTAURANT We dive into an 18-course deluxe

72 40

meal at The Bath Priory restaurant

61 TRY 5 Life’s too short for mediocre steaks – here’s

where to get the best

62 FOOD & DRINK NEWS What’s cooking in the

foodie world of Bath

SHOPPING

67 INTRO Macabre jewellery made from dead insects?

Why not...

68 EDITOR’S CHOICE All-black must-have items

STREET LIFE

72 QUEEN SQUARE Queen for a day in this pretty,

leafy square

56

© JON CR AIG

© THE BATH PRIORY / BROWNSWORD

46

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 5

Issue 376 / 12 – 26 October 2018

LIFESTYLE

28 DARK BATH With Halloween creeping around the

corner, explore the darker side of Bath

114 lives Author, and Harry Potter proofreader no less,

Sarah Holden chats about her new book

Business

79 business insider The local business world

under the microscope

Property

86 residence Inside the chic house of super stylish

mumma Luisa Fisher

94 GARDEN We take a peek inside the newly emerged

garden at the American Museum

97 interiors Ignite your passion for Woodburners 99 SHOWCASE Discover a hidden treasure property at

the top of Sion Hill

9 spotlight 12 society 25 a man’s world

114

© Lou Abercombie

99

86

Editor Lisa Evans lisa.evans@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Editor Harriet Noble harriet.noble@mediaclash.co.uk Managing Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior Art Editor Andrew Richmond Graphic Design Megan Allison Cover Design Trevor Gilham Editor’s Photo Bonnie Rose Contributors David Flatman, Matt Bielby, Nic Bottomley, Sophie-Claire McLeod, Nick Woodhouse Group Advertising Manager Pat White pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Advertising Manager Justine Walker justine.walker@mediaclash.co.uk Account Manager Annabel North annabel.north@mediaclash.co.uk Sales Executive Polly Jackson polly.jackson@mediaclash. co.uk Production/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 Chief Executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief Executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@ mediaclash.co.uk Bath Life MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

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). 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

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© Chris Wakefield

departments

spotlight Technology

DIGITAL DAYS

The gang striking a pose

Charity

A week long celebration of digital technology will commence as Bath Digital Festival makes a welcome return this October. Bringing together experts, enthusiasts and newbies to technology from across the South West, the events allow everyone to explore the thriving digital scene in Bath, and get hands-on experiences with the latest tech. What can people expect? A week of events, across multiple

venues, bringing over 2,000 attendees and 85 different talks with an impressive array of speakers.

Highlights include workshops entitled: How to grow your business through digital SEO and PR; The secrets of social media; and the ultimate team building game, Lego Robot Wars. Bath Digital Festival runs from 23-27 October.

For tickets and for more information, www.bathdigitalfestival.co.uk

FLYING THE NEST After delighting visitors and residents for the past three months, the time has come for the Owls of Bath to fly the nest. Sixty-two of the flock will be sold at the Minerva’s Owls Auction to raise money for four local charities.

The auction will take place at The Apex Hotel in Bath on 17 October with bidding expected to start in the region of £2,000. All event profits will be donated to four charity beneficiaries – Royal United Hospital Cancer Centre, Bath Young Carers Centre, Roman Baths Archway Project, and UK Little Owl Project. Work by artists including Inkie, Richard Twose, Brian Grimwood, and Horrible Histories illustrator Martin Brown is featured among the lots available and are tipped to be of particular interest to collectors both nationwide and globally.

Megan Witty, organiser of the Minerva’s Owls Charity Auction says, “Our owls have gone on an amazing journey over the past six months from blank sculptures to the beautifully decorated owls which have been entertaining visitors to Bath this summer. It will be sad to say goodbye to our feathered friends, but we’re thrilled that they’re set to raise some much-needed funds for our local charities.”

To register your interest in bidding or attending the auction, email auction@minervasowls.org. For more, www.minervasowls.org.

Cinema, cafe and bar all rolled into one

Isn’t it a beauty

Cinema

FANCY FLICKS

A boutique cinema is headed our way. TIVOLI will launch its first site later this year in the SouthGate centre and will comprise of a stylish café-bar lounge, complemented by four 50-seat screening studios. The café and bar will boast state-of-the-art technology, tasteful interiors and an impressive food and beverage offering, merging art-house cinema and casual dining to create a bold new concept.

Designed in partnership with a local chef, dishes will include indulgent takes on movie-night favourites, including wild boar hot dogs and a selection of gourmet burgers, pizzas, sharing platters and grilled cheese sandwiches. Food, drinks and good company can be enjoyed from the impressive quality lounge areas or during screenings from the comfort of the extra-wide bespoke studio sofas set between individual tables.

Justin Ribbons CEO TIVOLI comments, “We are very excited to be bringing this new concept to the UK. TIVOLI is set to redefine the cinema experience, and we look forward to welcoming guests later this year.”

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 9

spotlight Museums

MAkE MY WEEK

Residents with a Discover Card can look forward to a week of free activities as museums across Bath & North East Somerset will host an exciting programme of special events over October half-term (27 October – 4 November) as part of Museums Week.

Highlights include: Wonder Women of Science exhibition at The Herschel Museum of Astronomy, a mini stage set complete with ghastly ghouls and scary skeletons at The Holburne Museum, vintage film screenings at The Museum of Bath, and a tasting of famous Sally Lunn’s buns – where there will be a different sweet topping on offer every morning during Museums Week.

Checking out what those Councillor Paul Myers, Romans did for us cabinet member for economic and community regeneration, says, “There will be something for everyone, from talks and tours to film screenings and food tastings, plus plenty of family-friendly activities to keep children entertained over the October half-term holidays.

For more: www.bathmuseumsweek.co.uk

Health

THE X-FACTOR Radiology staff at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust (RUH) are celebrating the official opening of their new and upgraded department – now one of the most modern and best-equipped in the South West.

The radiology department now has six state-of-the-art new or refurbished MRI and CT scanners as well as X-ray and ultrasound facilities. The department also has a PET-CT scanner used in the detection and diagnosis of cancer and dementia, which was installed in 2016. There are also larger and improved waiting areas for patients.

It follows a five-year, £7.5m

investment programme by the RUH to make the radiology department among the best in the South West.

Craig Forster, RUH head of radiology, says: “We’re really proud of our new department. It means we can meet the increasing demand for radiology and provide the best services and treatment for our patients. This major investment confirms the RUH as a centre of excellence and care in radiology.”

Last year, more than 275,000 patients visited the radiology department and more than 58,000 people received CT and MRI scans.

For more: www.ruh.nhs.uk

Left, Charlotte Scully, project manager and right, Di Pressdee, team lead radiographer for CT and MRI

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

Feast in Bath: A charcuterie and mezze platter

Food

DELIGHTS OF THE FEAST

Visit Bath have launched a new food-focused directory which will be a one-stop source for residents and visitors looking for inspiration and information on eating and drinking in Bath.

The new landing page is the focal point of the Feast in Bath campaign which will see a range of ‘£10 Feast’ dining deals across the city during October. From a Mediterranean meat and cheese platter with a glass of wine at The Italian Food Hall to a light lunch at Lucknam Park, or a burger, fries and soft drink at Green Park Brassiere, there are a lot of great value foodie options available.

The Visit Bath site not only features listings and an interactive map of food and drink providers but also includes food events, news, special offers, blogs and recommendations. Neil Priscott, head of marketing at Visit Bath says, “The Feast in Bath campaign, which will run all year round, highlights just how diverse and vibrant the city’s food and drink scene is.”

For more: www.visitbath.co.uk

Charity

AND THE NOMINATIONS ARE...

Patrick Morgan, a critical care doctor for Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC), has been shortlisted for this year’s Air Ambulance Awards for the Doctor of the Year award.

Dr Morgan has been Patrick Morgan has made the nominated for taking shortlist for air ambulance control at the scene at a doctor for the year recent incident involving a near drowning. Specialist paramedic in critical care, Charli Watkins, who was on the scene with him that day says, “Paddy managed to successfully turn around the mind-set of the pre-hospital team, while simultaneously juggling contact with multiple people and agencies on and off scene. His exceptional leadership style meant appropriate clinical interventions were quickly implemented, and the pace kept up, but he remained professional, calm and friendly throughout.

“Paddy is a very humble man. In his team’s opinion, his decision-making that day truly saved the patient’s life, but he does not see it this way, merely stating that he did his job.”

The awards take place on 24 October.

For more: www.greatwesternairambulance.com

SCENE T H E L AT E S T A DV E N T U R E S I N PA R T Y- GO I N G AC ROSS BAT H

Rose Radford and Ian Radford Melanie Servantes and Ariane Charlebois

Carmen Casares, Susana Fernandez, Natividad Fallando, Mercedes Delgado, Carmen Espinosa, Inma Perez and Encarnita Terron Ladies leading the way

FANCY THAT

Best foot forward

Dorinda Lillington, Scott Lillington, Teri McComb, Andrew McComb and Shirley McComb

The Jane Austen Festival ofďŹ cially opened with the world-famous Regency costumed charity promenade. Over 500 men and women in glorious 18th-Century attire set off from The royal Crescent to walk through the streets of Bath, while onlookers marvelled at the decorative costumes.

Photos by Beata Cosgrove

Jessica Sjoberg, Karin Elisson and Jenny Petrini

Sarah Lockwood, Zoe Elliott, Jane Lee and Laura Gardner 12 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SOCIETY

Music and gin is a definite win

Hanging on every word Edwards Notley-Kent and Patricia Haylock-Vize

Emma Stacey and Tim Stacey

IT’S GIN O’CLOCK

Great Western Wine hosted an evening entitled ‘Gin garden’, at The Holburne Museum, to showcase some of the delicious gins they now stock and to reveal the stories and passions behind them. Guests enjoyed over 30 gins in the beautiful garden and café while listening to live music and chatting to the distillers. On the drinks menu for tasting, were gins as varied as blackberry, damson, elderflower and even marmalade.

Photos by Guy Traynor

Tim Johnson and Greg Plessard

Neamh Haden, Nicola Rogers and Lisa Parsons Darren Wilson and Hope Blamire

Jerry Hudson and Nuala Foster

Sarah McKay and Katie Waldron 14 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Michelle Tucker and Lisa Merryweather Millard Craig Hoptrough and Kartini Sutoto

Poet Beth Calverley

© HARRIET NOBLE

SOCIETY

Liora Lenger

ON THE CARDS

The Bath Gift Card was recently launched at The Huntsman pub, with guests enjoying wine and bubbly, and local poet Beth Calverley performing her specially commissioned poem entitled Gift-giving.

Here is a short excerpt: “It’s feeling like the only gift worthy of her is the moonlight giggling on Pulteney Bridge or Abbey bells like butterflies in Bath’s excited, giddy skies.

It’s hands kept like a promise all the way down Southgate despite the jostling.”

The Bath Gift Card in question can be spent in over 190 Bath businesses, including shops, restaurants, bars and hotels and is the brainchild of Bath BID. For more: www.bathgiftcard.com Photos by Derryn Vranch

Penny Jenkins and Christine Tuckerman

Helen Keating, Stephanie Stewart and Emily Davis

Allison Herbert and Dawn Burden Laura Fearn and Charlotte Thursz

© HARRIET NOBLE

Chris Davies and Robert Buckland

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

SOCIETY

Samantha Taylor and Larissa Willimott

David Maunder, James Tucker and Matthew Graham

THE CLIENT

Byron Williams and Meg Moss

Ellie Mackenzie and Kate Jackson

The team at Bath legal company Mowbray Woodwards hosted their annual client party at The Ivy Bath Brasserie, inviting old and new friends for a night of bubbly, superior canapĂŠs and an abundance of chatter. The packed event saw guests relax in the beautiful Baldwin room and spill out onto the terrace.

Photos by Paolo Ferla

Jo Stevens and Rebecca Broom

Pat Lawrence, Kevin Lawrence, David Whitworth and Janette Woodland Christine Tuckerman and Marc Cuddihy

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

Phillippa Paget, Gill Palmer, Julia Virley and Rebecca Broom Richard Andrews and Julia Virley

Chandra Devadson and Peter Darymple Smith

Paul Rathvy, Jane Sheppard and Sue Wright

Andy Richardson and Kate Newton

Andy McNulty

INDIE SPIRIT

Newly launched Stay in Bath is a voluntary membership organisation made up of over 100 guesthouses, small hotels and self-catering accommodation, all working together to offer overnight visitors to Bath the best possible experience. The organisation held their ofďŹ cial launch at Komedia, with speeches from honorary guest Wera Hobhouse MP; the chair of Stay in Bath, Harry Tedstone; co-founder of Touch Stay, Andy McNulty; and David Weston of Bath B&B Association.

Diane Grimstead, Csaba Ignaczy and Glyn Grimstead

Photos by Geoff Dunlop

Justin Allen and Tanya Haughten-Allen

Business folk at Komedia, listening to the speeches

Harry Tedstone, Peter Turness, Liz Turness and Jean-Luc Bouchereau Christopher Cameron, Charlotte Johnson and Callum Webster

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

Wera Hobhouse cutting the cake

SOCIETY

Conor Prior

Jen Ellul

Jacqi Lewis

THREE IS A MAGIC NUMBER

That’s one packed party

The gang at microbrewery Electric Bear celebrated their third birthday by hosting a big party. Over 200 people attended, and the company broke their record for selling the most beer on tap in one night.

Guests enjoyed vibrant street food from JC’s Kitchen, there was a whopping chocolate cake made from beer, and DJ Clemfandango kept the crowds entertained with his top-notch collection of electronic jazzy music.

Photos by Britt Kline

Drinks a plenty

Jules Mittra and Susie Smith

LIVING IT UP

The official launch of the Country Living Hotel on Lansdown Road kicked off with a short talk from the general manager Emily Rogers and editor-in-chief of Country Living magazine, Susie Smith. Both talked about the vision for the rebranded hotel and its onsite restaurant. Guests were given a full tour of the hotel and enjoyed Prosecco and hearty nibbles, including mini fish and chips and chorizo wrapped in courgette ribbons.

Jodie Wilson, Catherine Gee and Jennifer Ashall Melanie Greening-James and Les Redwood

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

Photos by Harriet Noble

Emily Rogers and Allison Herbert

Elizabeth Dhokia and Raj Dhokia

THE TALBOT CLINIC The Talbot Clinic is proud to present

– THE SKIN CLINIC – BATH

The Clinic dedicated to all Surgical and Non-surgical Cosmetic procedures in Bath Mr Serryth Colbert, MB BCH BAO (Irl), BDS (Irl), MFDS (Eng), MRCS (Edin), MRCS (Irl),MSc (Oxon), FRCS OMFS (Irl), FFD (Irl) Serryth Colbert is an experienced Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon/Facial Plastic Surgeon, who specialises in advanced Facial Aesthetics and Reconstruction for both male and female patients. Based in Bath, he sees patients from all over the UK, opting for the most advanced and up-to-date procedures.

Serryth offers a full spectrum of Cosmetic and Reconstructive treatments including Surgical procedures such as Facelifts, Eyelifts, Nose surgery and Facial shaping, as well as Non-Surgical procedures like Anti-Wrinkle (Botulinium toxin) injections and dermal fillers.

“Mr Colbert is an excellent and gifted consultant.

I would definitely recommend him for facial rejuvenation surgery. He performed my operation with meticulous precision and attention to detail, giving me the final result I had requested.”

– Megan Serryth is a Specialist Consultant Surgeon in Facial Plastic Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery, and offers private treatment at the BMI Bath Clinic, Bath Circle Hospital and The Talbot Clinic. He was appointed an NHS Consultant in the Department of Maxillo-Facial and Facial Plastic Surgery at the Royal United Hospitals NHS Foundation, NHS Bath in 2015, and presently serves as Clinical Director.

Serryth offers Facelift, Neck lift, Mini facelift, Blepharoplasty, Rhinoplasty, Genioplasty, Brow lift, Facial implants, and advanced Non-Surgical Cosmetic Facial procedures. For each of these procedures, several different techniques are evaluated based on the needs of each individual client.

At The Skin Clinic, your discretion is assured. We are committed to excellence in care. Patients first. Always.

Call the Skin Clinic Bath for a private consultation with Mr Serryth Colbert at 01225 426222 Alternatively, please send an email to serryth@talbotclinic.co.uk We look forward to your visit. The Skin Clinic – Bath – Where Beauty Meets Science. In partnership with The BMI Bath Clinic.

Part of

. Disclaimer: all text provided by Serryth Colbert.

The Talbot Clinic, Tasburgh House, Warminster Road, BA2 6SH. Phone 01225 426 222. Company reg. no. 02853023

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A MAN’S WORLD DAVID FLATMAN

Trick or treat yo’self

© TAKING PICTURES

Flats still has no clue what the meaning of Halloween is, but he has fond (and not so fond) childhood memories of it…

“It was the most exhilarating of nights, and we all loved it. Still do, actually”

L

ast Halloween, I found myself floundering somewhat as my little daughter, all dressed up and scary-looking, asked me what it all meant. “Ooh,” I started, “wouldn’t you like to know”. I didn’t know, so I googled it, and have since forgotten again.

Some things stay in one’s head, and some don’t.

As a child, Halloween simply meant a late night and some sweeties. In those days, of course, we weren’t all quite so aware of the evils of sugar and chemical-rich jellies and drinks.

This meant that, by the time we eventually got to bed, our little chests were rebounding between the mattress beneath and the scrappily-papered ceiling above.

Somehow it was terrifying, every single time we knocked on a new door, especially that of the weird old man we all called ‘teacosy’ due to his choice of daily headwear.

Years later, we realised that he was a lovely old chap, and that his hat was indeed just a hat, but these semantics didn’t suit our risky, jet-black narrative.

It was the most exhilarating of nights, and we all loved it. Still do, actually. What I don’t particularly love is when kids arrive – with parents or without – having made no sartorial or aesthetic effort.

These bleeders just want the calories. From me, these blaggers will receive a mini Bounty (the world’s least popular sweet, quite how it survives is a mystery) and nothing more.

When troops arrive made up like ghouls and nasties, though, they are asked what exactly said trick might be and then, when that all sounds too gruesome for words, offered each a fistful of teeth-rotting goodies.

In London, trick or treat was different. My flatmate and I answered the door one Halloween to a parliament of approximately eight teenage lads. I mean, their voices were as deep as ours. When

I questioned whether or not they might be a little old to still be out on the blag for choccies, the front man’s response was, “Mate, you know the drill”. How could I argue? I did ask, though, what their tricks might be, and his answer of “you don’t wanna know, Bruv” saw me reaching for the Quality Street and tangerines at record speed. Ah, kids.

Another less fortunate memory of Halloween is the one when my dog made some children cry and their parents scream. So the doorbell goes, and Gus, the stocky, all-white bull terrier, (I know, very predictable really) goes ape. This was my fault as, when he was a puppy, I’d shout “whoosatt?” at the front door every time someone knocked. We live and learn.

Anyway, knowing he meant no harm, I asked the kids if they were ok with dogs. They were.

In fact, they all rather liked him.

Then one kid decided to take off his mask and, well, that freaked Gus out a little. I’ve no idea why.

A few seconds later it was all peaceful again, but not before Gus let himself and his father down, and not before all the children left without sweets and with one of their fathers losing his cool also and using some rather agricultural language in front of said minors.

Ah, animals.

This year, the Flatman children will be made up and dressed up and will be criminally high on sugar by bedtime. They will be scared and excited in equal measure. They will be convinced that some of our neighbours are witches and wizards. And Daddy will be right behind them, with a big bull terrier who just loves Halloween.

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

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 25

THE WHEELWRIGHTS ARMS IS FOR SALE Would you like to own one of the most beautiful and popular gastropubs in Bath?

One of only five Bath pubs recommended in the Michelin Guide.

Situated on the edge of the Monkton Combe valley.

Seven lovely ensuite bedrooms. Spacious garden. Lovely staff.

David Munn the person who created this pub 12 years ago is retiring.

This creates an exciting opportunity for a new owner to develop and enjoy running this beautiful and romantic venue For further details concerning this leasehold opportunity and viewings contact: Kevin Conibear at Fleurets.

Tel: 01179 238090 Email: Kevin.conibear@fleurets.com

Dark Bath

dark side of the city

If Bath’s streets could talk, the stories you’d hear would chill you…

© prints of bath

With Halloween almost upon us, discover the eerie, mysterious and disturbing side of Bath

By Lisa Evans

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

H

idden within our honey-coloured, elegant city is a darker side, where there were suspicious deaths, unnerving superstitions, curses to ancient gods, and bodysnatching crimes. Here, we catch up with local experts, including the world’s only professor of death studies, to talk all things spooky…

Petrifying plots

A good place to start your exploration of Bath’s dead community would be at the Museum of Bath Architecture’s exhibition: Building Memory – the Architecture of Death and Burial in Bath, which runs until November 25.

“Our exhibition starts with looking at the Victorian ethos of the grand celebration of death, with overstated tombs and headstones,” says Tim Beale, museum administrator. “But we then show how public perception radically changed during WWI, and the sheer scale of death and loss meant that it was seen to be almost crass to build monuments to any one person.

“We also look at the suffrage movement and, in particular, to the Garden of Remembrance at Eagle House in Batheaston, where trees were planted to commemorate suffragettes who lost their lives in protest.”

Phil Bendall, a local historian, based in Widcombe, tells us that, in the 1850s, there was a crisis in Bath because burial grounds were running out of space. “There was agitation for a single cemetery for Bath, administered by the council, that would cater for both Anglicans and non-Anglicans,” he says. “It didn’t happen, and the individual wards created their own, each divided into Anglican and non-Anglican sections with separate chapels.”

© prints of bath

The peaceful and atmospheric St Mary’s Churchyard, Bath

© Georgie Cargill – The Bathonian

Dark Bath

Steeped in history, and brimming with historical buildings, the city has plenty of ‘haunted’ spots

Ghost stories

From a pub poltergeist to a mischievous shop-based apparition, here are some of the haunted buildings and spots in and around Bath…

Grace & Ted “The previous owners of the shop told us there was a resident ‘naughty’ ghost here, and it’s definitely true,” says Emma Savage, co-owner of the clothing shop in Kingsmead Square. “Things regularly move or get lost and then show up in the spot where you left them in the first place. Call me crazy, but now I don’t stress when I can’t find something, I just wait for Casper to put it back.”

The Royal Crescent “Will you see the phantom horse-drawn carriage outside The Royal Crescent?” says Emma Frayling at Visit Bath. “The carriage is apparently often seen and is thought to carry Elizabeth Linley and playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan as they eloped.”

Garrick’s Head “We’re constantly being approached by paranormal investigators asking if they can camp out in the pub overnight,” says Amanda Digney, proprietor of the pub on St Johns Place. “One account on the Haunted Island website says, ‘I was present when the till was thrown across the bar. I was working at the Garrick’s in 1996; there was an almighty crash, and, the till, which was lodged in a tight space, had been thrown three or four foot’.”

Joya “A famous Italian firework display man used to come to Bath in Georgian times to create displays in the city parks,” says Tim Coffey, co-owner of the Italian restaurant on Newmarket Row. “The site of Joya used to be a hotel, and, historical documents tell us that fireworks

Take it to the Grave

Tim Beale, museum administrator at the Museum of Bath Architecture says...

• “The largest and most intact Victorian cemetery in Bath would be Locksbrook. There have been over 30,000 burials there. Two that stand out to me are the small graves of child murder victims of serial killer John Straffen.”

• “Up at Landsdown Cemetery, you can visit the tomb of William Beckford, with his tower as the backdrop.”

• “There are remnants of 18th-century burial grounds remaining in some very odd places in Bath, like in people’s back gardens.”

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 29

DARK BATH

“There are remnants of 18th-century burial grounds in people’s back gardens” exploded in one of the rooms, killing the man’s wife and child. Some of our staff claim to have seen and heard strange things. We do wonder if the return of Italian voices to the site has stirred up some strange happenings.”

Longleat “It’s best known for its safari park, but Longleat also has some darker attractions,” says Emma Frayling at Visit Bath. “Look out for the ghost of Lady Louisa, who still wanders the halls searching for her long-lost footman lover.”

Theatre Royal Bath “The Grey Lady, whose presence is accompanied by the scent of jasmine, is said to be the ghost of a former actress who performed at the Theatre Royal when it fi rst opened, over 200 years ago,” says Emma McDermott, press officer at the theatre, on Sawclose. “The story goes that she hung herself in the Garrick’s Head pub, next to the theatre, where she was staying. Her favourite spot is one of the top

DID YOU KNOW...

• At Sally Lunn’s, one of Bath’s oldest houses, excavations in the cellars have produced many finds dating back to Roman times.

Located so conveniently close to the Roman Baths, it could have been an inn for travellers.

• Jack the Ripper is rumoured to have been British Impressionist painter Walter Sickert, who died in Bath.

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

Box C in the Theatre Royal Bath has a plaque – The Grey Lady Box – dedicated to its resident ghost

© ROBERT HOLLINGWORTH

The ghost tours at Longleat House take you through unseen cellars, creepy attics and dark corridors

boxes in the main house auditorium – Box C. The theatre underwent a major renovation in 1980, and, when it reopened, the door to Box C was given a plaque, which reads: The Grey Lady Box. We also have the Phantom Doorman, a ghost who appears at the stage door, dressed in 18th-century clothes.”

Amarone Restaurant “Beau Nash’s lover, Juliana Popjoy, was so distraught when he died that she lived the rest of her life in a hollowed out tree, vowing never to sleep in a bed again,” says Emma Frayling at Visit Bath. “Her ghost now apparently haunts their former home on Sawclose – now Amarone Restaurant.”

Orvis “I once saw a young woman walk up our grand shop stairs,” says Jessica Dayman-Johns, store manager at Orvis on Pulteney Bridge.

“When I followed her, she was nowhere to be seen, and there was no sign of her on CCTV. My colleagues have seen shadows of people move across the office windows, and we can hear thumps coming from the basement – which we believe were maids quarters, as there is evidence of rooms and a kitchen down there.”

architects Dark Bath

“We’re constantly being approached by paranormal investigators”

DID YOU KNOW...

• “The kind of conditions for which spa treatments at the Roman Baths were recommended by doctors at the time included gynecological disorders, urinary tract infections and gout,” says Stephen Clews, Roman Baths and Pump Room manager.“ • “Avon Street and Corn Street, built in the early 18th century, offering respectable lodging houses, soon lost their air of gentility,” says Kirsten Elliott, who, for over 30 years has hosted guided tours of Bath.

“They were built too close to the river; not only did the river flood regularly, it was filthy, a place where horses were washed, and into which sewers emptied. The area became home to some of the poorest in Bath, including prostitutes.”

At the Roman Baths, 130 ancient curse tablets, scrawled with revenge prayers, have been found

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

© Dan Bougourd

•”A street magician who used to work in Bath over 100 years ago drowned in the river and was identified by the guinea pig he always carried in his pocket (which formed the climax to his regular street shows, when it appeared under a previously empty hat),” says Noel Britten of Bizarre Bath. “If you’ve never attended one of our tours, part of our show, as a nod to this, consists of a chained up toy rabbit being thrown into the river to attempt to make a Houdini-style escape.”

Cross Guns Avoncliff “If ghosts are your thing, head to this pub,” says Bath-based author J.F Penn, whose book Map of Shadows opens in the city. “Reports tell of a Blue Lady, dressed in Victorian fashion, in the women’s toilets.

The figure of a monk sometimes appears, too, near a fireplace in the lounge, where there is a priest hole.”

The seven-metre tall sculpture in The Botanical Gardens

Sign of the Angel “Our inn dates back to 1480,” says director of the Lacock-based business, Tom Nicholas. “It’s said that the ghost of an old lady, perhaps a former innkeeper, lingers at the base of our staircase to greet guests down.”

The Francis Hotel “The hotel, in Queen Square, is said to be haunted by a former housekeeper who hung herself,” says Emma Frayling at Visit Bath.

“Guests have reported being kept awake by her scratching and tapping inside their rooms.”

Writing on the wall

Ghost signs, those faded advertisements for long-defunct businesses on the walls of old buildings, are among the most potent reminders of a bygone age, and nowhere are they found in greater abundance or variety than on the streets of Bath, so Kirsten Elliott, the author of Ghost Signs of Bath, tells us.

“Signs for forgotten trades such as brush-makers and perfumers still jostle for attention alongside modern shopfronts,” she says. “Canalside coal wharves, a Pump Room where Jane Austen’s brother took the waters, the sinister-sounding Asylum for Teaching Young Females Household Work, and a Regency tea warehouse all still proclaim their ghostly presence a century or more after they closed their doors forever.”

Very superstitious

The Theatre Royal Bath is famous for its association with butterflies.

Since shortly after WWII, butterfly scenery has hung out of sight above the stage – linked to former theatre manager and producer, Reg Maddox, whose family ran the theatre for many years. Since that time, live butterflies have occasionally appeared there at unseasonal times, as journalist Richard Wyatt of Bath Newseum tells us.

“The 1948 panto of Little Red Riding Hood included a ballet with a glittering butterfly backdrop,” he says. “During rehearsals, a dead butterfly was found on stage, and, shortly afterwards, Reg Maddox dropped dead of a heart attack. The butterfly ballet scene was

Drop-dead gorgeous At The Fashion Museum, Bath, the most Halloween-appropriate piece of attire you’ll find is this ‘spider’s web’ evening dress, by Jean Varon.

“The designer behind the name was John Bates,” says Rosemary Harden, museum manager. “The spider’s webstyle line was surely inspired by one of Yves Saint Laurent’s most famous dresses, from the Autumn/Winter 1970 collection, with a back panel made of gossamer-fine black Chantilly lace.”

DID YOU KNOW...

• “Most hangings were carried out at Ilchester Gaol, but there were gallows at Odd Down,” says Kirsten Elliott, an eminent authority on Bath’s history. “There was also a hanging on a small green near what is now The Black Fox bar (formerly The Hobgoblin pub) on St James’ Parade.”

• “I’ve heard that The Hanging Tree in Abbey Green was used for public executions way back when,” says Emma Frayling at Visit Bath.

• “I’ve heard that a nod to the Druid roots of the city is in The Botanical Gardens, where you’ll see a huge pagan deity carved from a tree,” says local thriller and dark fantasy author J.F. Penn. “Twelve Giant Redwoods were brought to the UK in the 1850s, but the one in The Botanical Gardens succumbed to honey fungus. In 2001, the council commissioned a local artist to create a piece celebrating its life. Lee Dickson created the seven-metre tall chainsaw sculpture that stands near the Dovecote.”

withdrawn, until, that is, a live butterfly was seen fluttering around backstage, and the ballet was restored to a show that went on to be a big success.

“Ever since then, the butterfly has been the sign of a successful pantomime, and that same piece of butterfly scenery has remained hanging in the theatre’s fly tower since 1949.”

Back in 1989, I performed in Babes in the Wood at the theatre,” adds Richard. “Some of our company saw a butterfly backstage over that Christmas, and most certainly the production enjoyed a successful run.”

Our regular Bath Life columnist Anna O’Callaghan, marketing manager at the Theatre Royal Bath, says in her book Past, Present, Future – A Recent History of the Theatre Royal Bath, “During the theatre’s renovations, members of the stage crew came across a heavy wooden box. When it was opened, out fluttered half a dozen tortoiseshells.

Resting inside was a photo of the previous owner Reg Maddox.” Is the butterfly his ghost, maybe?

The lost children

A common crime in 18th- and 19th-century Bath, according to Kirsten Elliott, the author of Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in Bath, was infanticide. “If a woman was charged, the jury often decided the baby was born dead,” she says. “In an age when justice was often draconian, why did so many inquest juries take such a lenient attitude to what to us seems like a dreadful crime?

“Many took the view that the unhappy woman had been punished

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

© prints of bath

Dark Bath

Dark Bath below: The Six Stages of Beauty, as seen at No.1 Royal Crescent;

© British Museum

bottom: Lansdown Cemetery and Beckford’s Tower

“Georgian women often wore artificial eyebrows made of mouse fur”

enough. We certainly should not blame these women. In our day, science has made it easy to avoid an unwanted pregnancy; in those days, there were no contraceptives for women – the only way out was an abortion, with all the attendant risks, or to wait and kill the child at birth.

“There were pragmatic reasons as well. Few would employ a servant with an illegitimate child in tow; infanticide saved the authorities money,” she adds. “Furthermore, if the baby was born to a servant in a wealthy household and there was a trial, not only would the family be subjected to the scandal, but awkward questions might be raised as to who was the father.”

Dr Tony Walter, based at the University of Bath, is apparently the world’s only professor of death studies. His fascination with the topic of death began when he organised his father’s funeral in 1985.

“I find it shocking to read the gravestones in a burial ground such as St Marks Cemetery, in Widcombe, where all social classes were laid to rest,” he says. “Many a Victorian stone records two, three, or even four infant and child deaths before, eventually, the mother died.

Other stones record teenagers who got through the really dangerous early years, only then to succumb to cholera or TB. “It’s so easy to forget that it’s not much more than a century ago that child-death became a fearful rarity rather than a reality that most parents expected to suffer at least once or twice. Reading such gravestones makes me immensely grateful to live in the 21st century.”

Skin deep

For Georgian women, the beautifying process was a painful and often life-limiting business. Firstly, their toxic, lead-based make-up poisoned them and made their hair and eyebrows fall out. If you’ve been to No. 1 Royal Crescent’s museum, you may have noticed the 18th-century mousetraps on display, which were sometimes used to catch mice for their fur, so that artificial eyebrows could be made from it, and possibly then stuck on with tree sap.

Also at No.1, you’ll find an ivory scratching rod, which Georgian women used to poke into their piled-up hair, or underneath their wigs, to relieve itches caused by scurrying lice. Additionally, when well-off Georgians’ high-sugar diets made their teeth rot, they would have had to have them yanked out, and then have them replaced with false teeth or, more sinister, those who belonged poor people, or those pillaged from dead bodies.

Grave expectations

Phil Bendall, local historian says...

• “It was (and still is) expensive to have someone buried. Over the whole city, 80 per cent of those buried do not have memorials.

Cemeteries have areas of grass which seem unoccupied, but records show that most of these are common graves.”

© TIM BEALE

• “Eleven of Bath’s graveyards have either been built on top of or destroyed. For example, Walcot Cemetery was cleared of its memorials in 1925 and made into a children’s play area. At the same time, St Michael’s graveyard was made into a rest area for old people, and then later built upon by The Podium. The first Quaker burial ground is under a roundabout at the eastern end of the Batheaston bypass, and two cemeteries disappeared with the redevelopment of Snow Hill.”

• “There are (or were) 46 burial grounds in Bath, with more in the surrounding villages.”

• “Burials for children was up to 50 per cent during the 19th century.”

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

Dark Bath

At The Roman Baths, Roman curse tablets – private prayers of 130 individuals, inscribed on small sheets of lead or pewter – have been found. Believed to range in date from the 2nd to the 4th century AD, the tablets were rolled up and thrown into the spring where they believed the spirit of the goddess Sulis Minerva dwelt.

“The curses were prayers for justice and revenge,” says Stephen Clews, Roman Baths and Pump Room manager.

“They sought restoration of stolen property, but also wished terrible punishments on those that had stolen them. Docimedis, for example, asked that whoever had stolen his gloves should ‘lose both his mind and his eyes’; and Basilia asked that the person who had stolen her silver ring, or anyone who knew about it and was keeping quiet, ‘may be accursed in his blood and eyes and every limb, or even have all his intestines quite eaten away’.”

The Theatre Royal Bath’s said to be one of the most haunted places in the city; inset: Curse tablets, discovered at the Roman Baths

nightmares she had during a stormy night in Switzerland earlier that year while staying with the poets Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron. Out of these experiences came her novel. Curiously, an electricity sub-station now sits directly beneath the spot where the novel was written. To find out more, we suggest you try Show of Strength’s Frankenstein-themed walking tours in the city, which run until the end of October. n

Monster mash

A plaque was unveiled earlier this year, outside the Pump Room, to mark the 200th anniversary of Frankenstein, which Mary Shelley wrote the majority of in Bath. She wrote the novel while staying at 5 Abbey Churchard, which then stood next to the Grand Pump Room. She attended the scientific lectures of Dr Wilkinson in the nearby Kingston Lecture Room, and he suggested that, one day, electricity, then in its infancy, might be used to bring inanimate objects to life.

This idea resonated with Mary, who had made notes of the

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

DID YOU KNOW...

• “In 1826, there was a case of bodysnatching from Walcot Cemetery, when an individual was convicted of taking 45 bodies – over a period of five months – and sent them to London, packed in hampers,” says local historian Phil Bendall. “He was sentenced to a year’s imprisonment and fined £100. He had been paid up to 10 guineas per body.”

© Pete Helme Photogr aphy

Curse the day

© paul conner

Dark Bath There has been Christian worship on the site of Bath Abbey for over 1,200 years

DID YOU KNOW...

“The Hanging Tree in Abbey Green was used for public executions”

An estimated 6,000 people have been buried in shallow graves beneath Bath Abbey. It wasn’t until digs at the beginning of 2011 that the effect the bodies were having on the long-term stability of the building was discovered.

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

the arts s n a p s h o t s o f b at h ’ s c u lt u r a l l i f e

bare METAL

Sculptor Rick Kirby is enthralled with the relationship between his material and the soft, warm flesh of the human being. He works only in metal, predominantly in mild and stainless steel, but also copper, to produce classical male and female forms. His mesmeric pieces consist of small welded plates, which Rick refers to as pixels, and range in size from two metres up to 10-metres’ high.

“Importantly for me, the steel does not detract from the classical human form, which remains at the core of my work” says Rick.

“It is the juxtaposition of steel in its raw form, cold and industrial, and the warm human that my art breaths into it, that is my fascination.”

Rick’s art has been exhibited outside the Houses of Parliament, at Fulham Reach and locally in Somerset and Wiltshire.

The Torso is on permanent display, until sold, at Axle Arts, Leighton Road, Bath; www.axlearts.com

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

What’s on 13 October – 10 November

The Royal Crescent painting by Pedro Rodriguez Garrido at Adam Gallery

exhibitions Until 14 October

ATMOSPHERICS: CATHERINE BEALE Award-winning Bath-based painter Catherine Beale’s solo exhibition celebrates the power of modern pigments and dramatic weather over our city. This luminous exhibition also features new portraits from the Society of Women Artists exhibition at London’s Mall Galleries.

10am-6pm, 44AD artspace; www.44ad.net

Until 22 October

IMPRESSIONS OF WATER Water is a key feature in the landscapes of both Bath and its twin town Alkmaar (the Netherlands)

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

thus making it the natural choice of theme for this exhibition. The display of prints will showcase the artists’ interpretation of water and will be enhanced by illustrative quotations, in poetry and prose.

Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm.

Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution; www.bathartistprintmakers.co.uk

Until 27 October

IRYNA YERMOLOVA Ukraine born, Yermolova settled in the UK in 2005 and paints bold yet sensitive figurative studies with a confident style and striking use of light and colour, often scraping paint away from the canvas to define her forms.

Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm, Axle Arts; www.axlearts.com

Until 28 October

SIDE BY SIDE: AMERICA AND WORLD WAR I Marking the 100th anniversary of America’s first major military engagement, this exhibition uncovers the relationship between the US and Europe, reflecting on those who went into battle and those who stayed at home.

10am-5pm, various prices, The American Museum; www.americanmuseum.org

Until 28 October

THE BECKFORD WOMEN Exhibition exploring the lives of the women who influenced – and were influenced by – art collector, author, builder and all-round English eccentric, William Beckford.

Various times, Beckford’s Tower; www.beckfordstower.org.uk

Until 28 October

FACE TO FACE WITH ANGELA CONNER Exhibition of intimate work by celebrated sculptor Angela Conner, promoting Anglo-American understanding. Subjects include the British royal family, actor Sir Laurence Olivier, James Bond writer Ian Fleming and American president Abraham Lincoln, among others.

10am-5pm, The American Museum; www.americanmuseum.org

Until 30 October

EMMA ROSE – AZURE BLUE Celebrating five years in the Walcot Street gallery, Emma Rose’s paintings, limited-edition giclée prints and cards will be on full display. A large proportion of her work echos the land, sea, sky and the

what’s on elements and is a unique mix of Indian Inks and acrylics, often using gold, copper and silver leaf.

Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Upstairs @ 78 Walcot Street; www.emmaroseartworks.com

Until 12 November

A QUEST FOR WELLNESS Beijing-based artist Zhang Yanzi takes a look at healing and wellbeing from the Chinese tradition, with large-scale installations, paintings and more.

It should appeal to those with a curiosity about the human body, the human condition, medicine and healing.

Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm, £5 adults, £4 seniors, The Museum of East Asian Art; www.meaa.org.uk

Until 25 November above:

Woman Wrapped in Red Plaid, by Iryna Yermolova, is exhibiting at Axle Arts left: Shakespeare in Love at Theatre Royal, Bath below: Sir Winston Churchill at the Face to Face exhibiton with Angela Carter at The American Museum

MAKING ART MATTER Showcasing the graphic works and illustrations of Bath-based artists (also husband and wife) Clifford and Rosemary Ellis, whose artistic partnership spanned more than five decades. The pair loved bright and bold design, and their imagery reveals an overwhelming interest in, and love of, the British countryside.

10.30am-5pm, £4.50 (concs available), Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk

Until 25 November

ADELA BRETON: TRAVELS WITH A PAINTBRUSH In 1887, Artist Adela Breton left her home in Bath to travel the world – this exhibition showcases the best of her art from these adventures.

During her explorations she became an expert on Mexican archaeology and documented her travels around Europe, the Americas and Japan in a series of watercolours.

10.30am-5pm; Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk

Until 30 November

THE ART OF THE CIRCLE Featuring work by artists Howard Jeffs, Stephen Magrath and Kirsten Murphy, using the shape of the circle as a connecting theme. The natural circles of the sun and moon have always been observed in our history, and this collection uses the fixed, powerful shape to display a range of prints.

Circle Bath Hospital; www.artatruh.org

Until 23 December

rick kirby: Sculptures

Sculptor Rick Kirby is enthralled with the relationship between his material and the soft, warm flesh of the human being. He works only in metal, predominantly in mild and stainless steel but also copper, to produce classical make and female forms. (See Arts Intro on page 39 for more information) Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm; Axle Arts; www.axlearts.com

Until 1 January 2019

Wonder women of space A free exhibition celebrating the women who are changing the way we see the world and beyond. The museum talks to leading female astrophysicists, astronomers and engineers to find out what truly inspires them.

1-5pm weekdays, 10am-5pm weekends, various prices, Herschel Museum of Astronomy; www.herschelmuseum.org.uk

Until 9 November

KEN LOACH PORTRAIT This portrait of filmmaker Ken Loach is by local artist Richard Twose and was featured in the 2017 BP Portrait Awards at the National Portrait Gallery in London. During the sittings, the men shared many conversations about politics and football, Loach being a very keen supporter of Bath City FC. In the picture, the bird is a reference to Loach’s film Kes and the threelegged dog is a motif that Twose spotted in several of Loach’s films.

10.30am-5pm; Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk

20 October – 24 November

PEDRO RODRIGUEZ GARRIDO The celebrated Spanish artist is exhibiting a collection of new works based around his preferred theme of ‘cityscapes’. He has visited Bath and London to gather subject matter for the exhibition, but there are also scenes of Windsor, New York, and Madrid. This show includes a number of works on paper – a medium that the artist has taken to with enthusiasm.

Mon-Sat, 9.30am-5.30pm; Adam Gallery; www.adamgallery.com

Plays/Shows

Until 13 October

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE Will Shakespeare has writer’s block…the deadline for his new play – a comedy called Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate’s Daughter – is fast approaching and he’s in dire need of inspiration.

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

What’s on

Until 20 October

VULCAN Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer star in this hilarious comedy about two actors, Gary Savage and Hugh Delavois, who are now in their 60s and meet in an Icelandic wasteland, on the set of a fantasy movie. Hugh has had a plodding career but has landed the small but regular role of Vulcan’s butler while Gary, is playing a guest monster with four hours in make-up and one word in the script.

Various times, Main House, Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Until 3 November

IN PRAISE OF LOVE Robert Lindsay and Tara Fitzgerald star in Terence Rattigan’s last play, a powerful drama about marriage and the hidden truths and veil emotions that lie within it. Set over the course of two evenings, Sebastian and Lydia’s relationship fundamentally changes forever after searing revelations emerge.

Various times, Ustinov studio; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

24 – 27 October

THE HISTORY BOYS Alan Bennett’s hilarious and touching play follows an unruly bunch of bright, funny sixth-form boys in pursuit of sex, sport and a place at university.

Various times and prices; Rondo Theatre; www.rondotheatre.co.uk

Family

Until 4 November

A HALLOWEEN TALE -CHEDDAR GORGE & CAVES There are all manner of spooky goings on at the mysteries of the cave event. Those who dare will have to unravel strange happenings inside the shadowing walls, while some unfriendly appearances from Dracula, Dorian Gray and Frankenstein’s Monster will keep you on your toes.

11am-3pm; price included in day ticket; Cheddar Gorge & Caves www.cheddargorge.co.uk

19 – 21 October

BUTTERFLIES Join three friends as they embark on

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

an exciting adventure to chase their butterflies away in this uplifting tale of friendship, courage and facing your fears. The production promises a cracking musical score, innovative staging and touching humour.

Various times and prices; the egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

20 October

WEEK OF THE DEAD FIESTA: FAMILY FUN TRAIL Journey around the gardens with the ancestors on the fun family trail.

10am-5pm; American Museum; www.americanmuseum.org

20 October – 4 November

THE GREAT BRITISH AUTUMN Immerse yourself in all things autumnal with this enchanting event. Activities include pumpkin carving, owl demonstrations, ferret racing, tractor rides and you can even make your own juice with sticky sweet apples.

All day; included with a day ticket; Longleat; www.longleat.co.uk

above: Ken Loach portrait will be showing at Victoria Art gallery left: Vulcan at Theatre Royal, Bath below: Cemetery tours at Beckford’s Tower

27 – 28 October

WIZARD ADVENTURE WEEKEND Get your wands at the ready and help in the search for the missing magic as you join the grand old school of wizardry. Board the steam train, meet the characters and enjoy the adventure.

Various times and prices; www.avonvalleyrailway.org

Music 21 October

BOYZLIFE Boyzlife brings together members of two of the biggest boybands in history, (Keith Duffy) Boyzone and (Brian McFadden) Westlife, to perform a whole host of their biggest chart-topping hits.

7pm; prices vary; Komedia www.komedia.co.uk

26 October

JOOLS HOLLAND Expect much gusto as Jools Holland and his 19-piece Rhythm & Blues Orchestra perform toe-tapping classics, with special guests including Soft Cell frontman Marc Almond.

6.30pm doors open, show 7.30pm; various prices; The forum; www.theforum.co.uk

27 October

BATH BACK CHOIR: AFRICAN SANCTUS Widely acclaimed for its passion,

© Nobby Cl ark

Then he meets the beguiling Viola and mayhem and much falling in love occurs.

Various times, Main House, Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

What’s on colour, vivacity and raw emotion, African Sanctus interweaves the Latin text of the mass with traditional African music. The percussion group Backbeat will be conducted by Nigel Perrin.

7.30pm; various prices; Kingswood school; www.bathboxoffice.org.uk

Other 15 October

ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE WITH ERIC IDLE The holy grail of comedy is coming to Bath as Eric Idle talks “Sortabiography”.

Expect incredible tales from his days working on Monty Python and stories about rubbing shoulders with the likes of David Bowie, Mick Jagger and Robin Williams.

7pm; £20; Bath Assembly Rooms; www.mrbsemporioum.com

17 & 24 October

EVENING CEMETERY TOURS Beckford’s Tower and Museum have teamed up with the Museum of Bath Architecture for this ‘Building Memory’ exhibition which will entail a tour of the atmospheric cemetery at Beckford’s Tower.

5.30pm; £7; Beckford Tower; www.beckfordstower.org.uk

25 October

EVEBATH AT TWILIGHT Experience the city at your own pace with lively late-night events that will transform the streets with evening entertainment, shopping and dining.

12-8ppm; Union Street; www.visitbath.co.uk

23 – 27 October

BATH DIGITAL FESTIVAL Whether you fancy trying your hand at coding, joining an interactive workshops or just want to get your hands on the latest tech, this is a great opportunity to explore the local thriving digital scene and meet other techy fans.

Various times and places; www.bathdigitalfestival.co.uk

24 October

CHARITY FASHION SHOW A charity fashion show co-hosted by the young people of Mentoring Plus, raising awareness of significant challenges faced by many of them and the brilliant work of community mentors supporting them.

6.45pm; £8 (£5 students); Boston Tea Party. Tickets at www.tinytailor.com; www.mentoringplus.net

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25 October

NICK PAGE – PAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE The comedian has a unique style of writing and delivery, enabling him to link things as diverse as police detention in Indonesia, a manifesto for a better world, planning permission, pizza ovens, the world's worst dog and bovine artificial insemination so that they make sense.

7.30pm for 8.00pm show; £10; Widcombe Social Club; www.widcombesocialclub.co.uk

25 October

THE PORTFOLIO TASTING – GREAT WESTERN WINE The 11th annual Great Western Wine event is offering more than 150 wines available to taste, special masterclasses, premium spirits and the chance to meet some wine and spirit producers.

5.30pm-9pm; £25; The Assembly Rooms; www.greatwesternwine.co.uk

28 October

MAKE A PIPED CUSHION WORKSHOP – THE MAKERY Learn how to make a professionally finished piped cushion cover using piping cord and bias binding, finished with a zip fastening. A range of material is on offer or sewers can bring their own chosen fabric.

2-5pm; £40; The makery www.makery.co.uk

1 November

BRIDGE OF CLAY WITH MARKUS ZUSAK Author of the international bestselling novel The Book Thief, will be chatting about his new book Bridge of Clay. The book is at once an undulating family history, an emotional rollercoaster and an extraordinary tale of Clay – a tormented boy who takes on the mammoth task of building a bridge.

7pm; £10; Bath Central United Reformed Church; www.mrbsemporium.com

1 November

KATHERINE BENNETT OBE – PHENOMENAL WOMEN Senior vice president of Airbus, Katherine Bennett OBE, will be talking about her life and career, and a practical business coaching session from a member of UWE business school will follow. Guests at the event will be treated to Prosecco, canapés and networking opportunities.

6pm; £15; The Gainsborough Bath Spa; www.thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk n

above:

Gorgeous cushionmaking at The Makery right: Author Markus Zusak will be speaking at Bath Central United Reformed Church below: Mulberry handbag, part of the fashion show at Boston Tea Party

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

© Simon Taylor

the big interview

Now in its 28th year, Bath’s film festival returns in November for 11 days of screenings, awards and Q&As. Last year, it was renamed FilmBath, and it’s enjoying a higher profile than ever thanks to its zeitgeist-surfing, muchdiscussed F-Rating. It’s headed up by executive director Holly Tarquini, once a TV documentarymaker, who is passionate about women’s representation behind the camera. Here, we chat...

Words by Matt Bielby www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 47

the big interview

© Simon Taylor

B

ack at the start of the ’90s, Bath Film Society mainstay Chris Baker decided to put on a season of French films, and ended up making £50 profit; a-ha, he thought, we could have something here. With pals Alastair Goolden and Philip Raby, owner of local institution On the Video Front, he set out to make Bath Film Festival a permanent thing, and all three are still involved. These days, though, it’s been renamed FilmBath – for reasons we’ll get to – and is headed up by executive director Holly Tarquini, a one-time documentarymaker, bubbling with smart ideas. Prominent among these has been the F-Rating, designed to highlight female storytelling and inspired by the Bechdel Test, which first appeared as a gag-with-teeth in American cartoonist Alison Bechdel’s Dykes to Watch Out For strip. In it, two women discuss their requirements for a movie: it needs to have two women in it, they decide, who talk to each other about something other than a man. “Pretty strict, but a good idea,” says one, and her buddy replies, “No kidding. Last movie I was able to see was Alien…”

Things have moved on with the F-Rating, though, and Alien – despite featuring one of our most potent female heroes – wouldn’t qualify, for two simple reasons: both the writer and director were male…

The F-Rating started in 2014, didn’t it?

We’d seen a report that showed that, of that year’s 250 biggest films, fewer than five percent had been directed by women – and it’s got no better, actually – while, over in Sweden, a woman called Ellen Tejle had decided to highlight films that pass the Bechdel Test at cinemas she ran. Elsbeth in our programming team suggested we do something similar, and I thought: genius.

Holly and her F-Rating logo, which a number of blockbusters earn, though mainly through their writers: Fantastic Beasts, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel…

But the F-Rating’s quite different, isn’t it?

The more I thought about it, the more I realised that what I really care about is more simple: who’s telling the story? So the F-Rating would be given to films directed by or written by women, and if one also starred a significant woman in her own right, it would get a triple F-Rating, our gold standard.

That third criteria has changed over time, though: originally it demanded that the story featured a woman who isn’t rescued by a man, because that was my major bugbear.

How so?

Because it spoiled films I otherwise liked. Even in Mad Max: Fury Road, for instance, Imperator Furiosa has to be saved

by Max at the end. But the term ‘significant women in their own right’ is less limiting, we’ve found, and doesn’t just mean the character is played by a famous actress. Instead, it’s about what agency the lead female has. Is the plot about her?

Ellen Ripley in Alien certainly has agency, but you’re saying that film would still fail the F-Rating?

Because of the first two criteria, which are more important: the Alien films were written and directed by men. As my friend, the actor and director Kate Hardie, said right at the beginning, we can’t have that third criteria carrying the same

“You’d just get men telling women’s stories.

And we’ve had that for centuries, right?”

weight, because then you’d just get men telling women’s stories. And we’ve had that for centuries, right?

But something like The Hurt Locker passes, though it’s a film about men with few female characters?

Yes, because it was directed by Kathryn Bigelow, a woman.

The ‘F’ in F-Rating stands for ‘Feminist’ rather than ‘Female’, and the overall intention is to encourage equality in who tells the stories we see on screen. It’s got nothing to do with the quality of the films, and little to do with their subject matter: women are perfectly capable of telling misogynist stories, just as men are capable of telling feminist ones. But the fact is, for the past 150 years, men have been repeatedly allowed to make sh*t films, and women haven’t. In fact, they have to make brilliant films their first time out – because if they don’t, all women are considered bad directors.

As well as encouraging female storytelling, the F-Rating has really put FilmBath on the map...

I couldn’t believe the press we got. The F-Rating began as little badges in the festival programme, but people started writing about it in France, Italy, China… I knew we were onto something, so in 2015 we invited all the independent cinemas and film festivals in the UK to F-Rate their programmes, and now over 80 do so, including the Barbican, the Irish Film Institute, and Raindance Film Festival in London. Then, in 2017, IMDb – the Internet Movie Database, a vast archive of information on films – also added ‘F-Rated’ as a keyword, and there are now over 23,000 F-Rated titles listed there. Of course, it was when IMDb picked it up that America found out about it.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 49

the big interview And there was a backlash, we’re guessing…?

I once did a TEDx talk on the F-Rating, and got great feedback – until the IMDb thing, when suddenly I had hundreds of abusive comments. Even at FilmBath we occasionally get someone who hates it – that whole, ‘Are you going to have an M-Rating too?’ thing – but most audiences are supportive. It helps that Pukka, the herbal tea people, sponsor it, so every time you come to an F-Rated film at the festival you get a free cup of tea!

Your dad was a television critic, wasn’t he?

And what brought you to Bath?

I’d burnt out doing TV and got into yoga, meeting my now husband on a retreat. We moved to South India, set up a guest house for yoga students, but returned to England when I got pregnant. We were looking for somewhere to live, and I had fond feelings for Bath from the time I’d worked on Animal Park, the series about Longleat. That it’s between my family in London and my husband’s in Torquay didn’t hurt.

And you got involved with the festival how?

I taught a ‘how to make a video’ module at Bath Spa University, and a tutor there asked if I’d be interested in programming the documentaries at the festival. I didn’t have time for that as a voluntary role, but asked if there was a paid job, and there was – but just part-time for three months of the year. So I met Philip Raby, and found out that the festival was at something of a crossroads – hugely successful in terms of getting people to come, but not in terms of making money.

He and Chris were thinking they either had to put the whole thing to bed, or change gear and expand. We decided to grow, my role soon became full time, and we went to Col Needham – founder and CEO of IMDb – to ask him to support some awards. These days, FilmBath runs the 11-day festival, plus the IMDb Awards – Script to Screen and the New Filmmaker Award – plus the FilmScore Competition, too. We’ve also done community screenings, taking films to areas like Radstock where there’s no cinema.

© Jon Cr aig

For the Financial Times for 35 years; he also presented Feedback on Radio Four. He wouldn’t let me watch things like Grange Hill as a child – he thought it a bad influence – but I was allowed black-and-white movies; my first love was Fred Astaire, and Top Hat was my first favourite movie. Later I studied art history, then worked in telly as a producer/ director of documentaries, everything from a Channel 4 series about fostering, to This Morning With Richard and Judy.

What would really boost film in Bath? A permanent art house cinema home for FilmBath, perhaps, or even a Bottle Yard-type studio on the edge of town…

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

Which is only possible because we run lots of feature-length documentaries, world cinema and art house films. What can knock us away from our target is if we get offered big films as special previews – long before they hit the cinemas – which we can’t resist. Last year it was Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and we weren’t going to reject that!

Why change the name to FilmBath?

To highlight two things: that we’re now much more than just the festival, and that film is the important factor and our location secondary. Also, it’s a pun on the thing you wash film in to develop it – but if nobody gets that, it’s fine!

So, what are the highlights this year?

Do you argue about which films you show each year?

Philip runs the programming – he’s much more of a film buff than I – with a group of volunteers, and yes, they certainly all champion their favourite films passionately.

I, meanwhile, bring my own agenda, which is to support female filmmakers. Hollywood moguls will say there’s no sexist bias in the industry – that if it makes money they’ll do it, and if it doesn’t they won’t, and it doesn’t matter who the director is – but that’s simply not true. When you think that 51 per cent of the population in the UK and US is female, and historically more women buy cinema tickets than men, then the lack of female directors just doesn’t stack up. Right now, the films that women direct are in a pyramid shape, with documentaries at the bottom – women make about 30 per cent of these, because they’re the cheapest sort of film to make. At the very top of the pyramid are the special-effects blockbusters, of which only one recently – Wonder Woman – was directed by a woman. Each layer up, as it becomes more and more expensive, the fewer women there are.

Yet you try to run a strict 50-50 ratio of female to male directors at FilmBath, don’t you?

“Film is arguably the greatest tool for empathy we have”

As well as all the film screenings and the IMDB Awards, we’ll have a screening of a silent film with live music accompaniment – an original piece actually, by an amazing composer called Lillian Henley – and numerous Q&A sessions after the films, usually with the directors. (At many other festivals, only a dozen or so people stay for the discussion after a film, but not here!) Then there’s this year’s overarching theme, which is that film is arguably the greatest tool for empathy we have, and that watching films from other cultures leads to a greater understanding. As well as films by female directors, we love to celebrate voices from Africa and Asia that you wouldn’t normally stumble across – and that seems especially important in Bath, which is such a white city.

Do you ever worry that your feminist agenda can ruin film, this medium that you love, for you?

While it’s true that my feminist goggles make it very difficult for me to enjoy certain blockbusters, I’m generally a very happy consumer of film. Of course, this doesn’t stop my daughters constantly having a go at me. ‘Mum,’ they say, ‘it’s not all about gender, you know.’ n FilmBath runs November 1-11; for more, see page 53 and www.filmbath.org.uk

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FILM FROM FAR LEFT:

Olivia Coleman and Rachel Weisz in The Favourite; Melissa McCarthy looking unrecognisable in Can You Ever Forgive Me?; The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a must at Halloween

Private view The FilmBath festival starts next month, and here’s a little insight of what’s to come…

W

e’re into the depths of autumn now, and the best way to enjoy this cosy weather is to grab some warm popcorn and enjoy a good film. We also have the wonderful FilmBath Festival coming up soon (1 – 11 November) with a fantastic range of previews, recent releases and classics for everyone to enjoy.

First of all, to celebrate our favourite spooky holiday, Halloween, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is back on the big screen for one day only. The cult classic is a camp musical spoof of the haunted castle horror movie genre, encompassing a ’70s glam-rock world of androgyny, with characters that are completely unconventional. When the typical all-American couple Janet and Brad’s car breaks down outside of a strange-looking dark house, they begin a night of frolics and frights at the hands of the transvestite scientist Dr Frank-NFurter from Transylvania.

Filled with great tunes and a crazy plot, this musical is a great way to celebrate scary season.

FilmBath, now in its 28th year, has previously shown major Oscar-winning titles, such as Birdman; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; and The King’s Speech before their general release. So this year’s line-up has a lot to live up to. The festival also pioneered the F-Rating, a rating given to films directed by and/or written by women; and if the film also has significant women

on screen, it receives a triple F-Rating.

One of the films on the list this time around is The Favourite. Starring Olivia Coleman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone, this punk restoration black-comedy is certainly not to be overlooked. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer), The Favourite is loosely based on the true story of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, competing with her cousin Abigail, Baroness Masham, for the monarch Queen Anne’s favour.

It’s a cheerfully obscene film that creates an atmosphere of a dysfunctional politico-sexual love triangle, centred around mother issues. Lady Sarah, played by Weisz, uses sly emotional tricks to keep the monarch keen on raising taxes for an ongoing French war that is glorifying Sarah’s husband, Marlborough (Mark Gatiss). When Sarah’s cousin Abigail, played by Emma Stone, arrives as a servant to the court, the competition for the Queen’s favour begins.

Though not as twisted and demented as Lanthimos’ previous work, The Favourite is cunning and filthy.

It’s an excellent movie in which women hold all the power and get to revel in some debauchery while pulling the strings; it will be striking to see on the big screen.

Another brilliant title being shown at the festival is Can You Ever Forgive Me?.

Starring Melissa McCarthy, the film explores the melancholic true story of Lee Israel, a struggling biographer who begins a new career as a forger of letters written by celebrities. It’s

“ It’s a cunning and filthy movie, in which women hold the power”

been considered McCarthy’s best work to date, with her well-known comic skills shining through in perfectly timed moments, while also expertly pulling off the serious nature of the film.

Lee has had mild success with her biographies of historical women, but the money didn’t last very long, and she starts to struggle. Through unlikely circumstances, she finds herself a new career in forging celebrity letters and selling them on. Though she enjoys the lucrative rewards from her new venture, things begin to crumble when her buyers become suspicious. For every moment that Lee deserves the audience’s sympathy, there are at least five different moments where her behaviour is infuriating; McCarthy is able to perfectly highlight just how exasperatingly difficult her character can be.

The film offers the audience covert observations about our fascination with writers and celebrities, and will definitely be a welcomed treat.

FilmBath has a wide array of fantastic new films, including Colette, Lizzie, The Old Man and the Gun, and The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. All of these are certainly worth seeing, and I would highly recommend indulging in as many as possible during the festival, or it’ll be a long wait.

For more, see page 46

Sophie-Claire McLeod is duty and marketing manager at The Little Theatre, 1–2 St Michael’s Place; 01225 466822; www.picturehouses.co.uk

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

WEDDINGS & PRIVATE PARTIES

w w w. w i l d fo rk we s t . co. u k | 0 12 2 5 4 2 6 3 5 4

NIC BOTTOMLEY BOOKS

Reinventing reads If you tend to gravitate to authors you already know, you may get some unexpected results right now. Here, Nic Bottomley tells us that, this season, old authors are trying out new tricks

“Established authors seem keen to dip their toes outside of their usual genres”

W

e are now entering the busiest stretch of the publishing calendar, with so-called Super Thursday, which will see a staggering number of new titles published followed closely by Bookshop Day, and the Books are My Bag high street bookshop celebrations. Every bookshop up and down the country will be unfurling the bunting through early October, inviting in guest authors and generally shouting loud and clear about the joys of spending time in a bookshop to discover the next book that is going to take you away to another world, or shine a new light on this one.

Of course, when you do visit a bookshop, there is often a tendency to gravitate to authors that you already know – familiar voices and narratives styles that you’ve already read and enjoyed. But, this season in particular, that tactic may yield unexpected results, because established authors seem increasingly keen to dip their toes outside of their usual genres.

Take Jessie Burton, the novelist behind the colossal 2014 historical novel The Miniaturist (Macmillan, £8.99), set in 17th-century Holland. She followed that up with a second novel, The Muse, which splits its narrative between the art world of 1960’s London and rural Spain in the early days of the devastating civil war.

But now she’s teamed up with illustrator Angie Barrett to create a book for a much younger audience. The Restless Girls (Bloomsbury, £14.99) reimagines one of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, The Twelve Dancing Princesses and injects it with a healthy dose of modern feminism to produce something bold – a story that celebrates imagination and that is free of heroic prince tropes.

Princess Frida is the heroine here. She embarks on a creative battles of wills with her father, the over-protective King Alberto, who, after the Queen’s death, takes away her and her 11 sisters’ freedom in order to prevent any further misfortune. The illustrations that accompany the story are as vibrant and extravagant as Frida herself.

Novelist Khaled Hosseini is most known for his huge bestselling novels The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, but now he too has written something that is accompanied by illustrations. His big book for 2018 is, in fact, not big at all. Sea Prayer (Bloomsbury, £12.99) is a poetic short story, on the theme of the refugee experience, but with a wistful tone that celebrates the memories of home

that are carried across the sea by those forced to migrate.

The narrative for the most part takes the form of a monologue delivered by a father to his sleeping son as they await the dangerous sea passage that will take them away from Syria. In fragments of fond recollection, we see the city he’s leaving behind – not the war-torn place it has just become, but the fragrant, noisy, energised community he knew before. The illustrations by Dan Williams are impressionistic watercolours that perfectly complement the story’s tone.

A third genre-swapper is comedy genius and Monty Python legend Michael Palin. In the late 1980s, he segued effortlessly into a new persona of travel writer and broadcaster.

The longevity of that travel-writing career has been incredible. He has now written eight travelogues to accompany his variously epic, foolhardy and dramatic global meanderings.

His new project, though, marks another change of direction. In Erebus (Cornerstone, £20) he’s sticking with adventure, but now he’s describing adventures past from the safety of his desk rather than embarking on them himself. The title refers to the ill-feted vessel most-known for its final voyage in 1845, that saw it disappear, along with its partner ship Terror, as they attempted to navigate the Northwest Passage towards the Canadian Arctic.

Palin sketches out the first two decades of the Erebus’ busy career as an exploration vessel, before turning his attention to the misfortune and mystery of the Franklin expedition, which proved to be its last journey.

The key mystery, until just four years ago, was where the boats had finally ended up and what had become of them and their crew. Incredibly, the wreck of the Erebus was only discovered in 2014, and The Terror was found two years later. That’s what prompted Palin to research and write this book, and it’s his recounting of that disastrous voyage that makes his first diversion into narrative history writing such a compelling read.

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 55

The Bath Priory

Lisa Evans drops into the new member of the Relais & Chateaux collection to make her way through 18 dishes, cooked by a chef who was formerly at The Ritz Photographs by The Bath Priory/Andrew Brownsword Hotels

T

hey must go through some washing-up liquid at The Bath Priory Restaurant.

My guest and I have been served a Herculean 18 dishes this evening, and with them came 38 pieces of cutlery; that’s just for two people, and there’s a full house here tonight.

So, it was two seven-course menus for us, plus bread, and preceding that came two plates of canapés – which we praised so much that the waiter brought us two more helpings as a surprise, midway through courses. Yeesh.

The complex and accomplished feast officially began with an appetiser of chestnut velouté with croutons, yoghurt and chestnut oil; so magically sweet and light, it was almost dessert-like. I wanted more than the little portion I received, but I knew I needed to pace myself.

Next, for me, it was hen’s egg with potato garlic foam,

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

wild mushrooms and edible flowers, and, for him, saucy Cornish crab served in its shell along with butternut squash, quinoa and sea vegetables.

There were carbs: pecorino gnocchi sheets with seasonal greens and truffle curls; and black garlic cappelletti with yet more pecorino. We had plant-based dishes in the form of arancini with orange coulis – one of the mid-dinner canapés – and onyx-like beluga lentils with creamy cauliflower, which was a fresh yet superseasoned dish (you won’t need to add salt to anything here). Meat-wise, there’s expertly roasted grouse – the right shade of crimson – with celeriac and blackberries, and there’s exquisitely garnished halibut with Jerusalem artichoke, onion purée and chicken jus.

Obviously there’s wine, too. Head sommelier Adam Willis listened to our likes and dislikes and devised a 10-strong wine flight to match our preferences and our

restaurant

dishes. Spain, France, Hungary and California all made an appearance, but it was the dessert variety from Italy, the Birbet Brachetto, that was the sweet, refreshing, sparkling winner for us.

Just before pudding, came the palate-cleansing pear sorbet pre-dessert, and, to finish was a blackcurrant soufflé with ivoire chocolate. The waiters kept excitedly telling us to save room for it; I’m not really a puddings person, and, unfortunately, this dish didn’t succeed in turning me, but I still applaud the chef – Michael Nizzero, who arrived from The Ritz in 2017 – for this fluffy, towering thing of beauty.

The restaurant is a formal affair, and the only negative thing I can say about it is that it’s rather quiet; even when it’s full, you find yourself speaking in hushed whispers because you don’t want to disturb the muted ambiance of the space – and you daren’t scrape your plate clean, no matter how much you want to.

Last month, due to its high standards of hospitality and service, the creeper-covered hotel – which was built in 1835 – was made a member of the Relais & Chateaux collection, and it’s the only hotel in the city to be a member of this luxury group. To state the obvious, it’s beautiful; it’s Victorian Gothic in style and is nestled within four acres of mature, award-winning gardens, which most of the 33 sumptuous, traditionally styled bedrooms look out over.

If you’re going to indulge in more dishes than you care to count here, we suggest you get a room, because you’ll need to lie down after such a spread. But the best, smuggest feeling you’ll get after dining at The Bath Priory Restaurant is knowing you won’t have to wash up a single thing. Aaand relax. n

“I applaud the chef for this fluffy, towering thing of beauty” Dining details The Bath Priory, Weston Road, Bath, BA1 2XT; 01225 331 922; www.thebathpriory.co.uk In a nutshell It’s a sophisticated, intimate retreat, offering modern European fine dining We ate Seven courses, from a tasting menu Vegetarian options A wonderful array, with a whole menu dedicated to plant-based eaters Wine Head sommelier Adam Willis will take care of your every wine wish; there’s a stellar list to choose from Prices The tasting menu costs £98 per person, or three courses à la carte is £85 Rooms Double rooms start from £195, on a bed and breakfast basis Service/ atmosphere Very attentive and correct/ elegant and comfortable What else? There are beautiful four-acres gardens and a L’Occitane spa Interesting fact The building was a private home until the 1960s when it was converted into the dormitory wing for The Park School.

It remained as such until 1969, when it was converted into a hotel

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

try five 2

3

1

STEAK OUT

Steak is not a dish, it’s an institution. Here are five of our favourite places to get one

1

Hudson restaurant Frequently voted one of the top steak restaurants in the country, Hudson Restaurant has got a winning formula for producing mouth-watering steaks that the customers love. The chef uses his own blend of seasoning, which brings out the natural flavour of the beef, and meat is sourced from Terry and Son on Walcot Street, Bath.

What’s popular on the menu? “Our early evening flat iron with frites and a glass of wine is very popular,” says owner Richard Fenton.

“Also, our chef is able to cut larger steaks if customers ask for them. We have a customer who likes a 16-ounce fillet steak.”

For more: www.hudsonsteakhouse.co.uk

2

The Herd restaurant The family-run restaurant doesn’t just feature steak – the steak is the star of the show, and rightly so. Each piece of beef is hung until it reaches its optimum level of maturity, and only the best cuts are then chosen. Owner Tim Coffey says, “We tried every local supplier before deciding on who we could clearly see was the best. This was then taken even further by making sure we have our own dedicated butcher within this supplier, who guarantees we get the very best cuts every single time. The fact that this supplier makes daily runs to London from here supplying a celebrity chef, among other customers, says it all.”

What to have on your steak? Sauces including béarnaise, peppercorn, blue cheese and mushroom and brandy.

For more: www.theherdrestaurant.co.uk

4

3

Chez Dominique The modern French and European restaurant gets a lot of love for its steaks, which are beautifully marbled and sourced from award-winning local butcher Walter Rose and Son. Chris Tabbitt, chef patron says, “We take time to make all the steak sauces with our homemade stocks, my personal favourite being the Café de Paris butter.

We have three steaks on: an onglet on the prix fixe menu, sirloin on the á la carte, and a chateaubriand for two on the specials board.”

Customers can also expect wild garlic, mustard and tarragon sauce, or mustard and peppercorn sauce with pommes frites.

For more: www.chezdominique.co.uk

5

4

The Pig Describing itself as a ‘mellow country house’, The Pig boasts a beautiful restaurant, and when it comes to their steaks, they like to keep things unfussy.

“At The Pig near Bath, we only ever feature one cut of steak on our menu, and, right now, that is the sirloin, our favourite,” says chef Jack Stallard.

“Letting the meat speak for itself, we serve it very simply – with a fresh garden salad, a flower pot of chips and homemade Bearnaise sauce (which the staff fight over at the end of every shift – fact!). Given that pork is definitely what we are famous for, steaks are still hugely popular and seen as a real treat.”

For more: www.thepighotel.com

5

Woods restaurant Independent and long-time Bath favourite, Woods is a must for those who love British cooking with a French twist. Woods serves up 28-day-old steaks sourced from Wales and Cornwall. Particularly popular on the menu is their fillet steaks with a green peppercorn and brandy cream sauce.

What’s their winning technique for a succulent steak? “All our steaks are well seasoned with sel de Guérande and cracked black pepper,” explains head chef Stuart Ash. “The secret is in the cooking, the resting of the meat and a good stock-based sauce.” n For more: www.woodsrestaurant.com

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

food & drink news

YES, CHEESE The Fine Cheese Co. is once again gathering

the finest cheeses and cheesemakers from the UK and Ireland for another of their unmissable artisan cheese festivals.

Nestled within the courtyards of Milsom place, the day-long event on 27 October takes place in an ideal setting for meeting and greeting the makers behind some favourite cheeses, as well as giving cheese lovers the opportunity to discover new flavours.

From traditional Somerset raw milk cheddars, to British brie-style cheeses and a few modern-farmhouse cheeses in between, the list of attendees reads like a who’s who of the specialist cheesemaker world.

For more: www.finecheese.co.uk

Decisions, decisions

ROOM TO PLAY After four years of creating, distilling, bottling and packaging every drop of Bath Gin in the cellars of the Canary Gin Bar, Bath Gin is moving to bigger and better facilities – namely Bath Distillery on Monmouth Place.

“While making gin in the cellars of a listed Georgian Townhouse has been quaint, and a great spectacle, there’s not much room to store and bottle an ever-increasing demand for one of the regions favourite Gins! We are now listed in Waitrose, which is amazing, and want to keep momentum with more and more orders. Therefore, a bigger home is needed.

“With the new facilities, and a new bottle and branding, we can make Bath Gin a nationwide product, and onwards to much more.”

For more: www.thebathgincompany.co.uk

LIQUID LEISURE Discover the secret life of

Cheese tasters as far as the eye can see

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liquids – why liquids flow up a tree, and how to make the perfect cup of tea – with well-renowned scientist Mark Miodownik in this liquid author event with Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights. In his new book Liquid, Miodownik unlocks the mysterious properties of the slippery, dark, explosive, delicious and poisonous liquids.

If you’re the type who thrives on fascinating, if unusual, scientific facts, this event on 22 October is a must.

For more: www.no15greatpulteney.co.uk

Mark Miodownik will be raising a glass

advertising feature

Christmas in Cardiff – the city of arcades Experience a new way of shopping this Christmas. Take the time to explore Cardiff, just an hour from Bath or 50 minutes from Bristol by train

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even beautiful Victorian and Edwardian arcades sit alongside the biggest names of the high street earning the Welsh capital the title of City of Arcades. Inside you’ll find over 100 independent cafés, bars and shops, selling hand-crafted, bespoke, and designer items, helping you to make your Christmas gifts as unique as you are.

Five gold rings Lovers of luxury will find a treasure trove of jewellers during their visit. High-end designer and specialist diamond store Willows Jewellery is perfect for those popping the question this Christmas. For hand-made items, Crystals is one of the leading retailers of semi-precious stones.

Dad always running late? Watches of Wales will find you the perfect time-piece to keep him on time and looking stylish.

A touch of magic Looking for something to keep your little muggles in check? Magic and Mayhem, packed with all things Harry Potter, have everything your aspiring Hufflepuff or Gryffindor could need – from clothing and wands, through to Snitches and chocolate frogs.

Stuck for something to do between Christmas lunch and The Queen’s Speech? With over 1,500 board and card games in stock, Rules of Play are sure to have something to keep the whole family entertained during the festive season.

photo: Visit Cardiff/Explore with Ed

Picture perfect Cardiff has art covered, with a burst of colour from Jian Chen’s Fine Art to the geometric style of Illustrate, inspired by the natural world. As well as traditional prints, both stores showcase their designs on a range of products, from clothing to mobile phone covers.

If you have a budding artist in the family, keep them well-stocked in acrylics and watercolours with a visit to The Pen and Paper or treat them to a camera and all the kit from Camera Centre UK.

photo: Visit Cardiff/Explore with Ed

Wrap up warm Fashion lovers are spoilt for choice, with soft tailoring and cosy knits at Morgan and Morgan’s Menswear or hand-picked designer pieces at 31 The Store, featuring all your favourites from high-end brands such as Billionaire Boys Club and Nudie Jeans.

perhaps a bottle of cognac from its little brother, Wally’s Liquor Cellar, to round off the feast.

Treat yourself Don’t forget to treat yourself - you can’t beat a trip to Fabulous Welshcakes for a little something to nibble on the journey home and a sweet reminder of your trip to Cardiff.

Still can’t decide?

The FOR Cardiff gift card is redeemable in over 70 independent businesses across Cardiff city centre, catering for everyone from coffee lovers and vintage fashionistas, culture seekers and sports fans and any other shopper you can think of. n

Time for a feast Budding baristas will enjoy a coffee subscription from Uncommon Ground Coffee Roastery, whilst Mum will be the envy of her friends with an Afternoon Tea gift voucher for Waterloo Tea, recently voted Cardiff’s favourite arcade business.

Stock up on all your favourite Christmas treats with a hamper from Wally’s Delicatessen, or

Need more help planning your visit? Go to www.thecityofarcades.com to explore the full list of businesses and hear from some of the owners themselves. Share your stories, photos and memories with FOR Cardiff by using #cityofarcades and see Cardiff from a new angle www.mediaclash.co.uk I bath life I 65

antique and modern carpets bought, sold repaired and cleaned 25 years in Bath Largest selection in the south west

9 8 WALCOT STREET, BATH BA 1 5 BG T E L 0 1 2 2 5 4 6 9 2 4 0 E M A I L CONTACT @ HALIDEN . COM W W W. H A L I D E N . CO M

SHOPPING LIVE WELL, BUY BETTER

Death becomes Him silver, gold and garnet ring, £1,050. Find Eily O’Connell’s pop-up shop at 2 Hetling Court, Bath; www.eilyoconnell.com

DEAD RINGER Macabre, mysterious and otherworldy are the buzzwords when it comes to local maker Eily O’Connell’s jewellery. Much of what she creates is cast from dead insects, which she forages for in forest undergrowth, as well as bark, twigs and other natural objects. She casts these items into solid silver and gold, before ornamenting them with gemstones and enamel.

Each piece she makes is a hybrid of species; for example, pictured is Eily’s Death becomes Him ring, cast from the body of a dung beetle, with crab’s legs and a bark band.

“Everything I cast is already dead when I find it,” she says. “I don’t believe in buying insects, as this only feeds an awful industry where insects are purposely killed for hanging on a wall etc. For this ring, I found the dung beetle dead in sand dunes, and I found the crab along a beach in Ireland. I always bring along tins with me if I’m out walking!”

In celebration of her 10-year anniversary as a jewellery designer, she has opened a pop-up shop and atelier in Bath, right beside the Thermae Bath Spa, which is open until mid November.

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ZEBRA BAG, £45 Be part of the stampede for this animal print clutch, in real leather and faux fur From Portman, 28 Milsom Street, Bath; www.nickieportman.co.uk

HOBNAIL TEAPOT, £24.99 This sturdy, cast iron winter essential comes with an infuser and is great for keeping your tea warmer for longer From Teahouse Emporium, 22 New Bond Street, Bath; www.teahouseemporium.co.uk

BLACK BEAUTIES As a nod to Halloween, here are the all-black goodies which have caught our eye in local shops and galleries…

RELIC EARRINGS, £565 These one-of-a-kind earrings highlight the plight of our bees. They have been cast from various bug parts and feature rose-cut spinel stones From Eily O'Connell, which will run as a pop-up until mid November, 2 Hetling Court, Bath; www.eilyoconnell.com

PERI NOIR BOOTS, £69 These Ruby Shoo ankle boots combine Victorian styling with metallic polka dots and scallop edging for a quirky style From Flock Bath, 12 –13 The Corridor, Bath; www.flockbath.co.uk

RUNWAY WALK, £2,500 Marker pen and pastel on paper artwork by Kenneth Paul Block – arguably the most important fashion illustrator of the second half of the 20th century. His versatility and ability to create a graceful gesture makes his work stand out From Gray M.C.A, 5, Margaret's Buildings, Bath; www.graymca.com

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ED’S CHOICE UNISEX ‘SALTA’ BAG, £107 Handmade and sustainably produced leather and canvas bags and accessories are the name of the game at Awax UK, an online independent business based near Larkhall, Bath From Awax UK, Bath; www.awaxuk.com

CROOKED CRESCENT, £1,660 Drawing inspiration from the places she spent her childhood in, artist Clare Halifax uses design and pattern to add depth and perspective to familiar landmarks From Rostra Gallery, 17 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath; www.rostragallery.co.uk

FIG+YARROW BLACK CLAY MASK, £26 This detoxifying and pore-decongesting blend is especially suited for oily and blemish-prone skin, but, beware, it looks quite menacing when applied From Little Lab, 20 Broad Street, Bath; www.littlelab.co.uk

MIRROR, £295 With its ornate detailing, this Rococo-style mirror will add elegance and luxury to an interior space, without being overpowering From Verve Living, 15 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath; www.verveliving.uk

BLANKET, £95 From her small collection of heirloom-quality contemporary blankets for kids, comes Odd Down-based maker Gabrielle Durnford’s storm cloud design From Marjorie Minnie, Bath; www.marjorieminnie.com

RAVEN BRONZE, £7,500 Look closely at this bronze, by sculptor Olivia Clifton-Bligh, and you’ll see that its feathery texture is achieved with screws From David Simon Contemporary, 3-4 Bartlett Street, Bath; www. davidsimoncontemporary.com

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advertising feature

Two students tandem from Cairo to Cape Town to stop preventable blindness Third year medical student Merlin Hetherington and best friend Alex McMaster are set to cycle 10,000km across Africa to deliver over 2,000 Arclights to help tackle preventable blindness, carrying their equipment on a tandem bicycle. Bath Optometrist Brad Abrahams was moved and compelled to support their challenge

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oday over 80% of blindness and 50% of deafness is preventable (The World Health Organisation). To combat this, the former schoolmates from Bath aim to distribute over 2,000 devices over their 10,000km ride, providing equipment and training to frontline health workers in their fight against the preventable loss of sight and hearing.

The Arclight is a compact solar powered ophthalmoscope that works like traditional devices, but at a fraction of the cost.

‘I’ve tried the ophthalmoscope at my own practice and it is excellent; its performance on a par with a modern ophthalmoscope, costing 70 times as much, the likes of which most GPs in the UK use on a daily basis. This unit is solarpowered and also acts as an otoscope to examine the ear canal. It has a USB port to download training manuals, so has great practical use in Africa to help frontline teams,’ comments Brad Abrahams. “I have become so used to using the best equipment in the country, I felt somewhat humbled by Merlin and Alex’s efforts to distribute such an effective instrument and wanted to do all I could to support their journey.”

The boys met Brad for a social drink and to share their passion for ophthalmology during the summer. Stood outside the Pig & Fiddle pub in Bath, little did they know that this conversation could help them to realise such an amazing and important expedition across Africa.

“Good ideas come to us on bikes,”says Merlin. “Two years ago, for his 21st birthday Alex received a tandem bicycle from a group of friends. Now our eight-month project will take us through the demanding environments of the Sahara Desert, Ethiopian Highlands and the vast plains of the Serengeti. We are honoured to be able to do this and grateful to Brad for supporting our venture.”

“The desire to help others burns very brightly in some people. I couldn’t help but be overwhelmingly enthused by their efforts,” says Brad Abrahams, “I would urge everyone to follow their progress online and offer them support and encouragement.”

Followers can track Merlin and Alex’s adventure online at www.arclight-tandemafrica. com; on twitter @tandemafrica; Instagram tandemafrica; Facebook @arclight.tandemafrica n

Brad Abrahams provides one of the most comprehensive eye examinations available in the South West. With over 1,000 frames available from everyday eyewear to designer frames, customers can arrange an appointment at bradabrahams.uk.com or visit the branch in Upper Borough Walls, Bath www.mediaclash.co.uk I bath life I 71

QUEEN FOR A DAY

Queen Square has survived the Bath Blitz, weathered an almighty storm and gone on to become both a business hub and pocket of calm in the city – we chat to the local businesses to find out what it’s like to live in the square

By Harriet Noble Photos by Paul Gillis

The obelisk remains the focal point of the square 72 I bath LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

STREET LIFE

“We suspect Jane Austen would be a little bemused to see a home she so enjoyed now used as offices”

The beauty of the square: balconies, columns and leafy trees

How to spend a day in and around Queen Square Morning: Start your day with brunch and coffee at locals’ favourite Colonna & Small’s. www.colonnaandsmalls.co.uk Drop in on the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution where you can pick up their Queen Square tree trail, and check out one of their exhibitons. www.brlsi.org Lunchtime: Visit the Bath Artisan Market (on every first Saturday of the month) for hot food from the array of stalls there, plus arts, crafts, cupcakes and more. www.bathartisanmarket.com Afternoon: Head to La Rose Parfaite for relaxing treatments such as massages,

pedicures and manicures. www.laroseparfait.co.uk Visit The Jane Austen Centre for a guided tour from one of their costumed ‘character’ guides, and enjoy being shown Bath’s fascinating history and its associations with Jane Austen and her family. www.janeausten.co.uk Evening: If great wine and small plates is up your street, Corkage is a must. The bar area is flanked by hundreds of wine bottles; there’s a fireside seating area by the window, vintage wine posters lining the walls, and the gang there will be on hand to guide you through their menus. www.corkage.co.uk

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or many locals, Queen Square is their lunch break place of refuge. The haven where, having escaped the office, they can sit on a bench and quietly tuck into a sandwich while gazing up at the proud obelisk, the square-hug of surrounding trees and the elegant Grade-1 listed Georgian houses.

As a quiet spot in the city, Queen Square really does rank highly. While the main shopping streets and tourist attractions are only a short walk away, tourists often fail to stumble on this little pocket of the city – hence its much valued sense of calm.

The square itself was built by local Architect John Wood the Elder between 1728 and 1736. Wood designed many prominent buildings in Bath – notably Prior Park and the North and South parades of the Circus – and he said that his vision was to restore Bath to its former glory.

Wood himself lived in the square, residing at Number 9 – now the entrance to Francis Hotel – on the south side, but he is not the DATE FOR THE DIARY! only notable resident of The annual Bath Boules Week the Square. is a fun and vibrant pop up “The Georgian event in Queen Square, held building was once used every June, which raises funds as the holiday home of for local charities.

Jane Austen, with the Austen family’s arrival even making it into the local paper in 1799,” says Steven Greenwood, managing partner of Stone King.

“We suspect Jane would be a little bemused to see a home she so enjoyed now used as offices, but she would probably be pleased to see that so many of the original features remain, including beautiful marble fireplaces, cornicing and sash windows.”

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STREET LIFE

“There’s definitely a collegiate feel to the square, which is one of the many reasons why we love it so much”

LOOKING BACK

Its architecture and sense of grandeur could have you believe that Queen Square hasn’t changed throughout the years, but the square has not been untouched by history.

Bath was not bombed as heavily as some cities in WWII – unlike neighbouring Bristol which experienced extensive attacks – but it was hit in April 1942 as part of the Baedeker Raids. Queen Square was bombed, and houses on the south side were damaged. The Francis Hotel lost 24 metres of its hotel frontage, and most of the buildings on the square suffered some level of shrapnel damage.

Fortunately, casualties on the square were low considering the devastation, as the majority of hotel guests and staff took shelter in the building’s basement.

Looking further back, there’s the focal point of the square, the obelisk, which was erected in 1738 in honour of Frederick, Prince of Wales. It was originally 70 feet high (21 metres) and rose from a circular pool of water but was damaged in a severe gale in 1815 and truncated.

Also no more is St Mary’s chapel, which was situated at the end of Chapel Row. The chapel was built between 1732 – 1734 costing £2,000 and was modelled on Inigo Jones’s St Paul’s in Covent garden but was demolished in 1875 to improve access to the new Green Park Station.

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Leaves turning red in Queen Square inset: Mark Appleton from Best in Bath

DID YOU KNOW… “While in Bath, there have been around 30,000 students in my charge, and between them they have stayed nearly half a million nights in the city.”

Mark Appleton, Best In Bath “Apparently our building was haunted by the jilted girlfriend of John Wood, who promised to leave his wife but never did. The story goes that she committed suicide in one of our rooms. There were reports of noises and bangs and draughts so years ago the senior partner hired an exorcist to rid the building of the ghost” Steven Treharne, Mogers Drewett

STREET LIFE WHY THEY LOVE IT...

Tim Naylor, Principal at Bath Academy

Today the square is the heart of Bath’s professional district with many of Bath’s top law, property firms and financial services deciding to locate themselves here, such as Mogers Drewett, Stone King, Thrings, and Epoch Wealth Management.

“Within two minutes of the square is almost every possible business we or our clients could ever need,” says Barry Newbury, managing partner at Epoch Wealth Management LLP. Other Bath businesses concur that the space is a prime location.

“Being in Queen Square means we remain at the heart of Bath’s financial and business districts – positioning us squarely alongside many of our clients, referrers and professional contacts. There’s definitely a collegiate feel to the square, which is one of the many reasons why we love it so much,” says Alice Altounyan, residential property partner at Thrings.

Queen Square is also home to the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution (BRLSI) and educational establishments, such as private tutorial college Bath Academy and English language school Best in Bath. “We are extremely fortunate to be located on such a beautiful, prominent square,” says Tim Naylor, principal at Bath Academy. “The leafy views overlooking the square from our classrooms allow us to observe its daily life and changing seasons. Queen Square is a gathering place, a place to take pause, to enjoy the essence of Bath in its greenery and Georgian architecture, not to mention give inspiration to our students who cross it every day to get to their classrooms.”

Queen Square’s architect ,John Wood once said, “The intention of a square in a city is for people to assemble together.” Thankfully, in Queen Square this certainly is true.

DID YOU KNOW… “Queen Square, Gay Street and The Circus forms the shape of a key – the key to the city.

Being an important ancient symbol, some believe this design to support rumours of Wood’s links to the Freemasons.’

Alice Altounyan, residential property partner at Thrings “Stone King dates back to 1785 in Bath when attorney at law Robert Clarke set up business in the Cross Baths. In 1832 the first member of the King family joined the partnership,

moving into offices at 13 Queen Square.

Steven Greenwood, managing partner of Stone King Steven Greenwood.

“Legend has it that we have a ghost in our cave downstairs. A little boy ghost has been spotted by previous tenants in what used to be the servants’ quarters. Once upon a time this must have been a house, as the name W.E. Martin is engraved into the brass of the doorbell. Needless to say, most of us are afraid to go into our storeroom for supplies because of this!”

Tim Naylor, principal of Bath Academy

Corkage owners Marty Grant and Richard Knighting

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Keep calm and carry forward EPOCH WEALTH MANAGEMENT share their knowledge on saving you tax and maximising your pension

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re you interested in saving tax? Are you an additional rate taxpayer? Do you have a pension? If the answer to these questions is yes, time is running out to make meaningful contributions to your pension and save tax.

Since April 2011, people contributing to a pension have been able to mop up unused annual allowances from the three previous tax years.

Separately, since April 2016, people with high incomes have had their annual allowance reduced. The rules are complex but in broad terms, someone with total income of £150,000 or less can contribute £40,000 per annum to a pension. Those with total income of more than £210,000 can only contribute £10,000 per annum, whilst those earning between these amounts have a tapered allowance somewhere between the two.

Combining these two areas has allowed people to make meaningful contributions to their pensions, which has many benefits. Those caught in the “annual allowance trap” have found the Carry Forward allowance particularly useful but the window of opportunity is closing.

ANNUAL ALLOWANCE This year (2018/19) represents the last time a high earner can carry forward a previous annual allowance of up to £40,000, because of when the tapered annual allowance rule came in. The diagram below shows the maximum annual allowance and Carry Forward position for a high earner.

In practical terms, a client able to invest £70,000 in their pension can do so at a net cost of £38,500, saving some £31,500 of tax. If no action was taken this year, the same high earner’s limit drops to a maximum of £40,000. The net cost would be £22,000 with only £18,000 of tax reclaimed.

This is a complex area of financial and tax planning; this article cannot explain everything in a way that’s specific to all readers and you should always take appropriate tax advice. The deadline for contributing is 5th April 2019 but realistically, plans need to start being made as soon as

possible. If you think you could benefit from this planning, please get in touch. Please note that none of the information in this article is to be relied on as financial advice. Please always speak to a suitably qualified professional before making any financial decisions. ■

Epoch Wealth Management, Queen Square House, Queen Square Place, Bath BA1 2LL; 01225 487261 www.epochwm.co.uk

“THIS YEAR (2018/19) REPRESENTS THE LAST TIME A HIGH EARNER CAN CARRY FORWARD A PREVIOUS ANNUAL ALLOWANCE OF UP TO £40,000” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 77

Oriel Lodge A highly rated residential care home, specialising in dementia care for the elderly. With local, friendly management and staff, Oriel Lodge prides itself on the quality of service it provides all its residents.

Oriel Lodge has several amenities including an in-house chef who provides high quality meals. It also has a conservatory with spectacular views of Bath, provides regular activities centred around its residents’ lives, and has a quiet area for residents.

Please call us to talk about your needs, or arrange a visit.

Oriel Gardens, Swainswick, Bath BA1 7AS info@oriellodge.com • 01225 310 301 • www.oriellodge.com

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

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

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

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

businessinsider b at h g e t s s e r i o u s

Founders of Touch Stay, Andy Mcnulty and Joe Jones, who are partnering up with Stay in Bath

STANDING STRONG

Newly launched Stay in Bath has been developed to promote and support the independent sector in Bath and to give visitors the best experience of the city

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ndependent tourism businesses are working together with the purpose of promoting a local and authentic experience of the city for visitors. The recent collaboration – named Stay in Bath – is made up of local independent accommodation providers backed by the Bath Independent Guesthouse Association (BIGHA) and supported by many of the city’s independent retailers and eateries.

The company recently held its launch event at Komedia, with honorary guest Wera Hobhouse MP. The event coincided with Stay in Bath’s partnership with travel app and website Touch Stay.

Through the partnership with Touch Stay, members will easily be able to connect with guests and provide information, discounts and incentives in ‘real time’ for the city’s many independent retailers.

BIGHA Chair and independent accommodation owner, Harry Tedstone, says, “Over the last decade, the importance of independent businesses to the Bath economy and the visitor experience has been highlighted on many occasions. However, we can no longer solely rely on cash-strapped local authorities, with whom we work closely, to promote and support the independent sector. As with many other stakeholders in the future of Bath, we recognise the need to play our part in maintaining our living heritage.

“As we are all volunteers, we have developed a cost-effective and user-friendly service to act as a shop window for independent Bath to attract the 21st-century traveller to our region. Bath is a

Quote of the issue

“Bath is a great place to work but it requires patience and tenacity“ Who could be saying this?

Find out on page 81

The Big Number

250

This is the minimal number of different wines that will be on offer at Beckford Bottle Shop

great place to live, work and visit and the independent offering is all part of that.”

The new site highlights the highquality, friendly service you can often only find with independent businesses, and brings them all together for travellers to truly see what Bath has to offer. Guests can also guarantee value for money, as booking directly with Stay in Bath members incurs no 3rd party booking fees, therefore offering savings of up to 15 per cent.

For more: www.stayinbath.org

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BUSINESS INSIDER

ONE TO WATCH

Managing director of Aaron Evans Architects, Kevin Murphy, tells us about his hopes for the future of architecture in Bath, his all-time favourite local building and proud moments along the way You’re managing director of chartered practice Aaron Evans Architects. How do you lead and inspire your team?

I have a hardworking and dedicated team who share common goals and values. I like to remain ‘hands on’ throughout a project and although I may not know every detail, I endeavour to maintain a clear overview of all projects in the office so I can lend support and steer the ship when I need to. I find humour and positive thinking also helps when dealing with particularly difficult situations.

What was your journey into architecture and what inspired you?

My father always encouraged me to draw when I was a child. I was always designing cars, speedboats, and planes, even Doctor Who monsters! I would spend hours making models and creating three-dimensional objects.

In 1982, I moved to Bath from Kent, having secured a place in the School of Architecture at the University of Bath, and have been here ever since.

The practice has been going since 1978 – what do think has determined its success?

Our clients tell us they enjoy working with us, and the fact that we are celebrating 40 years of business in the city this year indicates we must be

doing something right. Our clients benefit from our local knowledge, experience and expertise.

What are the challenges and rewards of working with Bath property?

Bath is a great place to work but it requires patience and tenacity. We work in perhaps one of the most challenging planning environments in the country. Not only must we consider impacts upon listed buildings, their setting, and the World Heritage Site, we are surrounded by a wonderful landscape, including an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Development in Bath is therefore about more than just building buildings. It’s also about creating places and contributing to the city in its wider sense.

What is your favourite building in Bath and why?

I always find this a difficult question to answer. We are spoilt when it comes to our splendid Georgian heritage, but if I had to choose just one building it would probably be The Holburne Museum. For me, this successfully integrates an imaginative, contemporary extension, reflecting its sylvan setting, with the grandeur of the original building while respecting the more formal views from Great Pulteney Street.

Kevin Murphy started off his career by designing Doctor Who monsters

Do you have a vision for where Bath should go architecturally?

What would you like to see more of/less of?

While we must always remain respectful of our historic context.

I believe there is scope for us to be more adventurous. I would welcome more high-quality, contemporary architecture being developed. Bath lacks, for example, any significant, stand-alone contemporary arts building that other European cities enjoy, such as the Guggenheim in Bilbao. I believe our city could accommodate a world-class, landmark building, but the opportunities for doing so are rapidly disappearing.

What is the thing you are most proud of professionally?

While proud of the many of the consents granted and projects completed over the past 30 years, it is perhaps taking on this practice that I am most proud of. From those early teenage years, I always wanted to run my own successful architectural practice, and, for three years during the late 80s / early 90s recession, I did out of necessity. While I later worked autonomously as a director, running

this practice alongside Aaron for a number of years, it was only when I fully took the helm in 2012 that this became a reality.

And personally?

As I’ve not yet managed to climb Everest, and, without wishing to sound a little cheesy, becoming a dad! I have a beautiful 10-year old daughter, Poppy Isabella, (our star player in the Bath Boule) and have been married to my wife, Penny, for 27 years.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of a career in architecture?

Start early! If you are thinking of studying architecture, read widely, visit buildings both new and old, and draw them to build a portfolio. Seek out work experience too; we had four pupils from different schools and backgrounds over this summer, and they all enjoyed their time with us.

Your work can vary enormously, can be challenging but is always rewarding, and you also get to meet a wide range of interesting people from bat experts to royalty.

For more: www.aaronevans.com

Weddings Families Portraiture Events Professional studio Fashion Jewellery Architecture

BeataCosgrovePhotographer beatacosgrovephotography

@BeataCosgrove

@ beatacosgrovephotography@gmail.com

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS ETC

BATH RUGBY NEWS Bringing you the latest from the Bath Rugby headquarters

BUSINESS MATTERS DIARY

© ONSIDE IMAGES

From networking breakfasts to invaluable evening courses, make a note of the courses and classes that will help your business flourish 17 OCTOBER CALL THE ARCHITECT Expect a seminar demonstrating how an architect-led, fully integrated approach will help you create healthier, more productive and more profitable environments for your clients. 2pm-4.30pm; Bath cricket club; www.architecture.com 18 OCTOBER GET NETWORKING GO Get Networking is held in a relaxed setting where you simply arrive, buy a coffee at the bar and start networking. In the last 15 minutes, there will be a short talk on a subject that is useful to small businesses. 9.3011.30am; Framptons; www.gogetorganised.co.uk

Todd Blackadder‘s contract has been extended

In an open letter to supporters, Bath Rugby addressed recent speculation from the press regarding the club’s leadership.

“We at Bath have experienced more than our fair share of change in the past,” says chief executive Tarquin Mcdonald. “This may explain some of the nonsense which had been whispered and printed in recent weeks regarding our management team, specifically director of rugby Todd Blackadder.

Regardless of the reasons, it feels that now is the time to communicate with you regarding our long-term plans.”

Tarquin went on to confirm the extension of Todd’s contract by one year, taking it up to June 2020. “There is the opportunity for a further extension beyond this point, a decision Todd and the club will make together at the

appropriate time.

“It is a mark of Todd’s unique character, rare among coaches, that we are able to hold such discussions openly and to make decisions together for the best of Todd, his family, and the club.”

On Todd’s departure, Stuart Hooper will take on the leadership of the Rugby Department.

Tarquin adds, “Stuart has outstanding leadership qualities, tremendous integrity, yet also the willingness to be challenged, an unbelievable work ethic, a strategic mind-set, and the ability to get the best out of people. Does Stuart have more to learn? Definitely.

Can he lead the department in two years? Absolutely.”

For the 2018/19 season, Stuart Hooper will take on the role of general manager. Also, first-team coaches Darren Edwards and Toby Booth will leave at the end of the season.

For more: www.bathrugby.com

19 OCTOBER ONE-TO-ONE BUSINESS SUPPORT The session will include a diagnostic review of your business or business idea, with a detailed action plan and further one to one support, workshops or referrals.

3.15pm; Bath and County club; www.coolventures.co.uk 24 OCTOBER GROW YOUR BUSINESS This workshop is aimed at owners of established businesses looking to grow. This workshop will outline the steps you need to take to move closer to your goals and help you understand some of the challenges you could face in transforming your business. 9am-5pm; Bath and County Club; www.coolventures.co.uk 30 OCTOBER CLIMATE CHANGE A talk on the global temperature average: a history, recent changes and their context by Professor Philip Jones, Climate Research Unit Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia. 4.30am-5.45pm; University of Bath, 8 West 3.22 lecture theatre; www.bath.ac.uk

Michael Musgrave suited and booted

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK A brand new general manager has joined the team at the city’s largest hotel – Apex City of Bath Hotel.

Experienced hotelier, Michael Musgrave, brings with him a wealth of management experience having worked in various general management roles.

Michael says, “I’m looking forward to continuing to build the hotel’s reputation for offering a first-class guest experience to anyone who comes through our doors – whether they’re stopping by for a coffee, attending a conference or bringing the family for a relaxing stay.”

For more: www.apexhotels.co.uk JUDGES’ HOUSES The finalists at the first ever Bath Property Awards have been announced – and tickets are now selling on a finalist-only basis due to unprecedented sales and interest.

The full list of companies who impressed the judges enough to make the finalist list is available on the awards website, and across social media.

Tickets to the awards, happening at the Apex City of Bath Hotel on 23 November, are now available once again to finalists only, who can purchase two tickets per company initially via a special link. Remaining tickets will go out to the waiting list on a first come, first served basis.

For remaining opportunities, contact Rosanna Hood rosanna.hood@mediaclash.co.uk SEEING DOUBLE Chartered accountants Richardson Swift has strengthened its tax and audit teams with two senior appointments.

Keynsham-based Deborah Sawyer joins the firm as a personal tax manager, while Catherine Edwards has been promoted to director of audit services.

Deborah says, “I’m excited to be joining Richardson Swift and to take on this new and challenging role There’s a strong private client team here and I’m really looking forward to getting to know clients and helping them with their tax affairs.”

For more: www.richardsonswift.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 83

SERVICES GUIDE HOME CARE

GUIDE to SERVICES in the CITY TO ADVERTISE HERE CALL THE BATH LIFE TEAM ON 01225 475800 DATING AGENCY

CONTRACTOR

Looking to find that special someone?

Caroline Crowther is a truly local personal introduction agency helping you meet someone new in your area. We offer a long term personal service until you find your perfect match.

For a professional and personal service call

0800 180 4788

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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.

For more information please call Liz today

01225 425232

Upper Weston Farm, Weston, BATH BA1 4HL www.carolinecrowther.com

STONE SPECIALIST

drvowlesandson.co.uk PONDS AND AQUATICS

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

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Luxury & local The most sophisticated audience is just a call away

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

WWW.PONDANDAQUATICSYSTEMS.CO.UK DECORATING

Paul Swift Painting and Decorating

45 Old Fosse Road Odd Down, Bath BA2 2SP Tel: 01225 352437 07894 210446 Fax: 01225 350429

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Member of Painting, Decorating Association

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

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

Bath life Awards – Dates for your diary 5 November 2018 nominations open 15 January 2019 finalists revealed 15 January 2019 tickets on sale to finalists 29 January 2019 - finalists’ and sponsors’ Reception 28 February 2019 Bath Life Awards 2019

BOTTLING IT

An independent wine shop, café and restaurant is coming to Saville Row in Bath. The Beckford Bottle Shop will offer Bath residents over 250 wines, together with a selection of local craft beers, ciders and spirits.

The site will be divided into four interconnected parts: a wine shop, tasting rooms, cheese and charcuterie counter and cellar lounge.

“Locals can just pop-in or meet friends for a quick glass of wine and a tasty bite, or perhaps, indulge in a half bottle of prosecco and fresh peach Bellini accompanied by a delicate Petite Madeleine or Biscotti,” says co-owner Dan Brod.

The tasting rooms promise wine accompanied by inventive, tasty ‘small plates’ (English tapas style) as well as the very best of British cheese and charcuterie from the neighbouring counter, while the cellar lounge will provide more intimate seating.

For more: www.beckfordbottleshop.com

MOVING ON UP

Bath Business School, part of Bath Spa University, has been shortlisted in the Business School of the Year category of the Times Higher Education Awards 2018. It is the first time the business school has been shortlisted for the awards – regarded as the ‘Oscars’ of higher education.

Dean of the Bath Business School, professor Georgina Andrews, says the nomination is the culmination of two years of developing a distinctive curriculum. “Unlike

other business schools, we don’t run separate undergraduate courses for functions like marketing and HR,” she says. “Instead, we offer a BA (Hons) course in business and management, with nine themed pathways.

“Our students complete interdisciplinary projects, open modules and joint honours programmes alongside other students on creative industry courses; this means not only are our business students particularly talented creative thinkers, they also have a deep understanding of the creative industries – a sector of the economy growing twice as fast as the UK economy as a whole.”

The winning business school will be announced at a ceremony in London on 29 November.

there will be no tickets on open sale of any sort, including tables, due to an unprecedented number of sponsors and nominees backing Bath’s leading business event. Tickets will be offered to finalists after they are announced on grand reveal day in January.

Just a handful of category sponsorships remain available, which at present, is the only way to guarantee a table at the event.

The winners are chosen by a panel of independent judges, newly chosen each year. Organisers are also offering information online, with everything businesses need to know about how to win a Bath Life Award. The Bath Life Awards are on 28 February at the Assembly Rooms. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, contact Pat White – pat.white@ mediaclash.co.uk For more: www.bathlifeawards.co.uk

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

A new careers hub has been set up to help improve career opportunities for young people and forge closer ties with businesses.

The programme will initially work with 25 schools and colleges from across Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. The schools and colleges will be supported to improve career opportunities and work experience for young people, allowing them to make more informed choices about their future careers. The Hub is managed by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) and Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

Heidi Bell-West, assistant headteacher at Hayesfield Girls’ School and Mixed Sixth Form, in Bath, says, “Our motto, ‘Achieving Ambitions’, is at the heart of all that we do at Hayesfield Girls’ School and Mixed Sixth Form. Thus, we are delighted to be a lead school in the West of England Careers Hub and we are looking forward to working with other schools to best improve the career provision for all students across the region. n

For more: www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk

clockwise from top left: Bath Business

School; Bath Life Awards ceremony; the gang at The Hub; and The Beckford Bottle Shop

For more: www.bathspa.ac.uk

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

Bath businesses are urged to take note in their diaries, as key dates for the 2019 Bath Life Awards are revealed.

For the first time ever at the awards, www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 85

residence

LET THE LIGHT IN

Luisa Fisher’s beautifully renovated home does the seemingly impossible: it creates a family space that manages to be both stylish and artistic, yet practical and devoid of clutter

Words by Harriet Noble Photography by Chris Wakefield

L

ooking around Luisa Fisher’s Bath home in Lower Weston, it is not surprising to learn that she spent 10 years working in luxury fashion and styling. The interiors are crisp, white and chic, with intriguing objects and furniture pieces that catch the eye at every turn. There are nods to the past – the beautiful period fireplace for one – but also more modern pieces, with clean lines that keep the look and feel of the house simple and beautiful. This is not a showroom house, however. Luisa lives her with husband, Andrew Fisher, a member of Babington House management, and their two and a half year old son Hugo-Claude, and charming Pomeranian, Jimmy, and the interiors manage to retain the feeling of a working family home, albeit a very stylish one. Between her busy family life, and running a new venture as host for The Mum Club, which invites mothers to socialise, exercise and vocalise, Luisa chatted to us about how she created her handsome home.

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

How long have you lived in your house and what did it look like when you bought it?

We bought the house in July 2016 but didn’t move in until February the following year, as it needed a complete overhaul. It was formerly a student property and had been rented out for years, so was in dire need of renovation. We had to strip out all of the ancient carpets as well as the plywood boarding underneath, to reveal the original Victorian floorboards. Luckily they were in exceedingly good condition. There was also a plethora of orange pine on all of the woodwork and an array of colours on the walls. The scaffolding went up the week after we bought the house to replace the entire roof and the electrics also needed some work. All three of the houses we have bought have been projects so it didn’t deter me.

residence

“I always want to make a room feel light and spacious but to inject a form of drama”

Luisa’s home was previously a student property

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residence Talk us through the interior…

I tried to be sympathetic to the building’s age; I sourced a beautiful period fireplace from Wells Reclamation that was absolutely perfect in both style and size. It was as though it was meant to be. We had that fitted and then painted in the formidable Farrow & Ball shade ‘Railings’ to match our front door. It’s definitely my favourite piece in the house. I also wanted to keep a similar pallet throughout the rooms. Black, white and greys are timeless and can adapt to changeable accessories and furnishings. I am also enamoured with chartreuse, so you will find a glimpse here and there.

What was your vision for the décor of the interior of the house?

My vision is yet to be fully achieved. We really want to knock a wall or two down to open the space up and make it a sociable domain. I hope to keep the period charm while still providing for a modern family lifestyle. We inherited the kitchen from the previous owners, which is a decent quality but not to our tastes. That is next on the list.

Dreamy mono furnishings, sprinkled with humour

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

“Black, white and greys are timeless”

residence What inspires you when you think about designing a room?

I always want to make a room feel light and spacious but to inject a form of drama. It needs to be opulent yet chic and with an industrial edge. A mixture of fornasetti objet d’art, decorative Christian Lacroix cushions and industrial fixtures and fittings marry well together.

Maintaining a glamorous, pristine house, how easy is that when you have kids?

I never really think of my house as glamorous. It’s just who we are as a family. Having a child hasn’t hugely affected how I’ve decorated this house, as it is mostly stylish (I hope!) but practical. An antiqued leather sofa, Perspex Philippe Starck chairs and wooden floors mean everything is wipe-clean. The shabby chic flooring is remarkably hardwearing due to the wonderful work of Becky at Blush painting and decorating. Our toddlers toys take over the house most days, but bespoke storage in the living room means it can all go away again at night.

What local shops did you source your décor homeware and accessories from?

Rolfye’s is a favourite of mine to discover hidden treasures. I have bought so many pieces from there over the years, including the vintage desk in the dining room and our antique, inlaid hall table. Graham & Green is another, mostly for lighting, soft furnishings and mirrors.

I also adore Brissi for beautiful decorative accessories & scented candles. I am inspired every time I walk in to India Jane, particularly around Christmas when they stock the most exquisite decorations.

middle: Luisa,

the homeowner

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

residence

“I want visitors to feel a sense of awe”

What are your favourite independent homeware shops in Bath?

Felix Lighting enthrals me and its neighbour The Loft carries interesting and individual items. Red Rag Gallery is my go-to if I feel the urge to splash out on original artwork.

Do you have a favourite room?

I do love our bedroom. It fills with southerly sunshine and holds our extremely comfortable super king bed, which is the best place in the world.

What was the most challenging room to design?

I think deciding on lighting for our main bathroom was the most tricky. It came with ugly spot lights and I desperately wanted to hang a chandelier from the vaulted ceiling. We got there in the end.

What do you want people to feel when they enter your home?

I want visitors to feel a sense of awe, to be intrigued by every room but to also feel welcomed and at ease. There may well be a lot of white, but it is most definitely lived-in and we have fun every day.

What did you learn from designing your own home?

This is the third property we have renovated, but I learn new things every time. I am always a perfectionist, but having a newborn this time around meant I had far less time and funds to achieve exacting results. There are several more things we still want to do, but it works well for the three of us (and our dog).

Does the interior of your home reflect your personality?

I hope it reflects all of us in some way. My passion for interior design and fashion, my husband’s penchant for fine wine and spirits, and our two-years-old’s sweet, gentle and playful nature.

Beautiful toys that add a splash of colour to the look of the house

Got an amazing Bath home? Want it to feature in Residence? Contact lisa.evans@mediaclash.co.uk

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

advertising feature

for the home Our local businesses are poised and ready to help with all your home needs for autumn

Avonvale Carpets

bear interiors

Bear Interiors are a small, approachable company delivering quality interior solutions at affordable prices. From advice on colour schemes to renovation, from initial planning to project completion, we can help you. To arrange a free consultation please call Lynette Labuschagne on 07977548340 or email lynette@bear-interiors.co.uk.

MENDIP FIREPLACES (BATH) Est.1980 Bath’s leading fireplace, wood burner, gas fire, chimney and flue specialist. From classic to contemporary, concept to completion, our team of experts can work with you to achieve your perfect interior. Chesney’s, Barbas Belfires, Hwam, Stuv, Jetmaster. Contact us or visit our showroom.

Mendip Fireplaces (Bath) Monkton Combe, Bath BA2 7HD. info@mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk, Tel: 01225 722706

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claire rendall Design

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Avonvale Carpets has served homeowners and businesses throughout Bath and Wiltshire for over 46 years, providing a unique combination of excellent choice, in-depth expertise and perfect fitting. A family-run business, the company offers a selection of quality flooring that’s truly second to none.

Avonvale Carpets. Beautiful flooring. Fitted perfectly.

Claire Rendall is an international interior and furniture designer with 30 years’ experience. She works with developers and private clients creating quality contemporary and traditional schemes. “No two projects are the same. My aim is to create my client’s dreams, on time and to budget.”

Call Claire on 07778 240223.

Carpet and flooring from all the leading manufacturers for your home or business. Karndean specialist, marmoleum, vinyl’s, safety flooring and rugs. Free measuring and estimating. No gimmicks, just honest value for money. Our domestic showroom and commercial office is located at 4 Kingsmead Street, Bath, BA1 2AA. Call 01225 471888.

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Working from her beautiful showroom and with over 15 years’ experience in the kitchen industry, Kelly Marie has built a strong reputation. She combines technical aspects of design with an intrinsic creativity, producing functional yet beautiful spaces. Her portfolio includes luxury German made kitchens & Italian painted shaker kitchens.

Full design & installation service. Call 01225 481881.

KNEES HOME AND ELECTRICAL

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Loved locally since 1879 we offer a one stop shop to update your home. With top kitchen appliance brands and a showroom full of beautiful home furniture and accessories, we pride ourselves on helping our customers find the right product.

Spitfire Retail Park, Trowbridge BA14 0AZ High Street, Malmesbury SN16 9AA. Tel: 01225 754161

Verve is an interiors store with a difference. This creative hub is all about mixing it up: an ever-changing collection of one-off vintage pieces sits alongside locally sourced contemporary artwork and accessories, all exclusive to Verve in Bath. Pop in, a warm welcome awaits.

15 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath BA1 6AD Tel: 07785 332536

For over 40 years Tile & Flooring of Bath has developed its reputation as a high quality supplier of design lead materials and installation service, gaining us important and long standing relationships from discerning home owners managing their own projects to design and build professionals servicing the property industry. Tel: 01225 310561.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I bath life I 93

gardens

U.S. and them Nick Woodhouse visits the recently opened New American Garden at the American Museum, in Claverton Words by Nick Woodhouse Photos by American Museum

L

ast month saw the launch of the New American Garden at the American Museum and Gardens in Claverton, just to the south of the city. Six years in the planning, and with an investment of £2 million, the space has been transformed, with the gardens now sharing the stage with Claverton Manor itself.

The museum opened in 1961, with an aim to showcase America’s contribution to decorative arts, and to promote a deeper Anglo-American understanding. It’s only now that the belief of co-founders John Judkyn and

pleasing shrubs and perennials. To create an honest representation of the original and to fix both drainage and irrigation issues, the original boundary wall and picket fence of the replica garden have been demolished and rebuilt. Internal pathways have also been removed, and over 200 tonnes of topsoil imported to create a more level space with improved growing conditions.

A large single bed now features, with plants carefully selected to reflect those that would have been available to Washington at the time.

The centrepiece is a boxwood fleur-de-lys motif, in tribute to the Marquis of Lafayette, who helped the Continental Army win the American War of Independence and who grew to become a lifelong friend of the general.

The space between Claverton Manor and The Mount Vernon Garden has been bridged both sympathetically and spectacularly by the designs of Washington DC-based landscape architecture firm Oehme, van Sweden. This is the company’s first European commission, and one still true to the ecologically minded and signature free-form style of its founders, Wolfgang Oehme and James van Sweden.

Taking the American meadow as its influence, the naturalistic planting is a melting pot of texture, movement and colour. Sweeping paths lead you to a series of American-themed gardens and their centrepiece: a natural amphitheatre.

Effortlessly nestling into the sloped lawns of the landscape, the grass tiers are not only arresting to view but are also inviting to sit and reflect.

As part of the project, renowned sculptor Angela Connor has also been commissioned to create a collection of sculptures for the space. The prolific English artist has fashioned six bronze portraits, each of historic figures key to US history and forming part of her

“With an investment of £2 million, the space has been transformed” Dallas Pratt has perhaps truly been realised: that the gardens there should play a major part in its visitor experience and educational programme.

That in mind, The Mount Vernon Garden is perhaps the natural starting point of any tour here. The space was originally built a year after the opening of the museum to replicate George Washington’s Upper Garden at his Virginia home. Recent and extensive archaeological research has, however, highlighted some significant deviations from the original Mount Vernon gardens, and amends have duly been made. Now we see a much truer reflection of how the garden would have looked on the general’s death in 1799.

Washington was a ‘gentleman farmer’ so his Upper Garden was both functional and fruitful, as you might expect of a plantation owner. Rows of fruit and vegetables were enclosed by a deep border of more visually

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

larger Face to Face exhibition, on show until the end of this month.

While the planting scheme is heavily influenced by plants native to the US, this selection has been broadened to suit our climate and ensure year-round interest. With that in mind, the planting of over 15,000 plants started in earnest this June and is currently being supplemented by an extensive bulb-planting scheme of alliums, muscari, daffodils and tulips in time for next spring. The full-time gardening team now numbers four and is led by Andrew Cannell, head gardener since 2015. As we take in the sweeping views of Limpley Stoke Valley and discuss this labour of love, Andrew admits the process has been a huge learning curve. This has been made that bit steeper by this summer’s long-lasting drought, fortunately long-forgotten by the healthy swathes of grasses and perennials such as rudbeckia, gaura and persicaria.

Historically the museum shuts throughout November in preparation for the Christmas season. This year, however, the gardens will stay open through to December, allowing us the opportunity to see the fledgling garden emerge and evolve. For those wishing to really get their hands dirty, the museum is also looking to expand their team of volunteers to help maintain the gardens and provide tours around them. What better way to nurture that ever-elusive ‘special relationship’?

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

interiors

Glow up Norway seems to be the key influence when it comes to woodburners and stoves this season. Here are the styles we can’t get enough of…

1

2 3

1

Kindle Stoves Specialising in the supply and installation of clean-burn, high-efficiency wood and gas fires, Kindle Stoves has a contemporary, timeless style with a focus on functional as well as aspirational design. “We’re inspired by the Swedish concept of ‘Lagom’, which means: not too much, not too little, but just right,” says owner Clare Collins. “Our Scandinavian influences have a minimalist, natural and fresh look.”

Kindle Stoves, 331 Bath Road, Saltford; www.kindlestoves.co.uk

2

Mendip Fireplaces Mendip Fireplaces works with high-end, design-led brands, such as Chesneys, Bellfires and Hwam, to combine style and functionality. “Whatever the interior look to your home, the fireplace remains the focus of any room, and will ignite any colour scheme,” says Jane Morten-Atkins, design consultant. “We offer everything from classic and period to cutting-edge and contemporary; our style is always bespoke.

We are loving the New Nordic trend; Moving away from the minimalist Scandi look, this style features Nordic log-burners and architectural gas fires, making cold winter evenings in front of the fire something to savour.”

Mendip Fireplaces, Monkton Combe, Bath; www.mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk

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R W Knight & Son “Our business started when my father, Dick Knight, bought a Jotul stove from Norway to heat his draughty, damp farm house,” says managing director Henry Knight. “He slowly did less farming and diversified into selling stoves.

Now, over 45 years on, I run the family business.”

R W Knight & Son supplies contemporary and traditional wood, eco-design, gas and electric stoves, from leading manufacturers, and they have over 100 on display, many working and in fire place settings, so it’s easy to envisage how they would look nestled in your own home. n R W Knight & Son, Castle Farm, Marshfield; www.knight-stoves.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 97

Fireplaces, wood burners, gas fires, chimney and flue specialists

Classic to contemporary – concept to completion

Chesney’s . Barbas Bellfires . Hwam . Stuv . Jetmaster Contact us today or visit our showroom Mendip Fireplaces (Bath) Monkton Combe, Bath, BA2 7HD | 01225 722706 | info@mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk | www.mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk

a placeto call home

property a pl ace to c all home

masterpiece of design Take a look around the handsome and elegant 2 Sion Hill Place, which is in one of the most desirable residential areas in Bath

By Evelyn Green www.mediaclash.co.uk mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 141 99

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

PROPERTY

B

uilt circa 1820, number 2 Sion Hill Place is a masterpiece of design by John Pinch the Elder.

Forming part of a small, select terrace of only nine houses, this impressive, handsome property is a secreted treasure at the top of Sion Hill, arguably one of the most desirable residential areas in Bath.

It’s recently been refurbished to exacting standards, yet carefully retaining numerous original features throughout and a wealth of character, including a remarkable stone staircase and exceptional ceiling plasterwork.

Perfect for a family, there are five bedrooms, two bathrooms and a shower room – the rainfall shower and

pastel roll-top bath being two of our favourite features.

The magnificent, sunlight-saturated drawing room, with its full-height sash windows, fresh, open feel, and balcony, is a space you can instantly picture yourself in, lounging and laughing with loved ones. And the same goes for the gorgeous bespoke kitchen, which leads to elegant dining room, both with wonderfully ornate ceilings. This house could host Christmases well, we feel, especially as the kitchen and dining room are joined, which gives a fabulous flow to feastserving. The current owners have a eight-seater dining table, but the space in the dining room could easily accommodate something even more substantial.

The sizeable lower ground floor retains numerous features, including the original kitchen pantry and dumb waiter, and comprises four to five rooms, as well as a WC and three storage vaults, ideal as a spacious self-contained apartment, or as a home office.

Head outside, and you’ll find the private lawned garden to the front, solely for the use of Sion Hill Place; and the delightful and well-stocked walled garden backs onto private land belonging to Kingswood School (previously believed to be known as the Secret Gardens).

Going back to the location for a second, the property occupies a prominent position in the soughtafter Lansdown area of the city, with trouble-free

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 101

PROPERTY

access to the city centre, and Kingswood and Bath Royal High Schools are within strolling distance.

The High Common and Royal Victoria Park are within easy reach for whiling away peaceful weekends, and also a network of rural walks can be found in nearby countryside on the outskirts of Bath, including a section of the Cotswold Way. So, just over a mile from the centre of Bath, in a premium, semirural position, nestled among lofty trees which give it such privacy and exclusivity, proudly sits this exceptional Grade-I listed Georgian townhouse.

This is a particularly rare opportunity, so if you can picture yourself living in a house like this, we suggest you act swiftly; this won’t be sticking around for long.

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

House numbers Square footage 3,638 Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms/WCs 5 Price

ÂŁ2.3M

Outside Walled and lawned gardens

Parking Residential permit available Where

2 Sion Hill Place

What else? Balcony and vaults Pritchards, 11 Quiet Street, Bath, BA12LB; 01225 466225; www.pritchards-bath.co.uk

RESIDENTIAL LETTINGS & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

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I’ve been renting for 20 years, and have never found a letting agent as good as these guys. A refreshingly friendly, personal and easy group of people to communicate with! Thanks Reside.

01225 445777 | www.residebath.co.uk | @ResideBath

advertising feature

Three tips for becoming a first-time landlord

N

Peter Greatorex from the Apartment Company offers some advice‌

ot everyone becomes a landlord out of a deep-seated passion. For many, a change of circumstances means it is a necessity rather than a choice.

There is no doubt that with the vast array of architectural styles to choose from, apartments are certainly in high demand as the rental property of choice for those looking for a home in Bath.

Becoming a landlord is a steep learning curve; with a growing number of legislative requirements and regulations that change often, it can be easy to get confused or even miss an important step, which is why many turn to the support of a letting agency such as ourselves.

We want you to be able to succeed in the lettings market.

Can you let?

Before you jump into preparing your property

for the rental market you need to check if you are legally allowed to let it out. If your property is mortgaged, does your mortgage allow you to let? Some will have caveats preventing a property from changing from home owned to rented.

Getting let ready Just as if you were planning to sell your property, you need to be on top of any maintenance issues.

It is also worth taking the time to complete any little jobs that may arise in the future; this could prevent a void period whilst the works are completed. Refreshing the dĂŠcor of your property will also ensure that it is presented in a way that will attract potential tenants, and also demonstrates that you care about your property.

price your property too high you may struggle to get viewings, never mind secure a tenancy. Price it too low and you may find it difficult to get your finances to balance. Start by getting to know the rental figures for similar properties to let in the area. A word of caution: this is just a guide, a rough idea that will enable you to calculate your potential yield.

In Bath, apartments are always in demand as a rental property of choice. At The Apartment Company, we are best-placed to support you to ensure that your first tenancy is successful.n

Do your homework Don’t assume that your property will achieve a certain rental figure without having undertaken the research and sought expert advice. If you

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

AJ Removals Removals - Storage - Shipping - Packing

Tel: 01225 404060

enquiries@ajremovalsbath.co.uk

Unit 12 Stable Yard Industrial Estate, Windsor Bridge Road, Bath BA2 3AY

www.ajremovalsbath.co.uk

Bath LIVES

© Lou Abercrombie

“I proofread Harry Potter. I was one of only four people who had read it before it was published ” Anna Wilson The author and Bath Spa University lecturer on her Paddington Bear and Harry Potter involvement, her new book, and getting stuck in a lift with Jude Law...

Anna, who’s published 35 children’s books, and who was a proofreader and editor for Harry Potter and Paddington Bear respectively, tells us about her new book, The National Trust Children’s Almanac 2019, which pulls readers away from computer screens and nurtures a love of the outdoors.

My biggest achievement professionally… was my involvement with Paddington Bear over the years. I was Michael Bond’s editor at HarperCollins in the late 1990s, and was honoured to be asked to write the novelisation of the Paddington 2 film last summer, just before Michael passed away.

I proofread the last Harry Potter book… for Bloomsbury back in the day. I was one of only four people who had read the

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book before it was published – that was pretty special!

My latest book is The National Trust Children’s Almanac 2019… It’s a new venture for me as it’s the first nonfiction book I have written. It is a year’s guide to what is happening in nature, packed with recipes, activities, and what to spot while out in the garden. It’s inspired by the activities and fun I had as a child and contains a lot of the things I used to do with my father and grandmother.

When I had my own children, I got a huge amount of inspiration from them… I was seeing the world through their eyes and I loved listening to their conversations and taking notes. It got to the point where they would see me reach for my notebook and groan, “Don’t put that in a book, Mum!”.

My son has always been curious about nature… We volunteered for the toad rescue programme on Charlcombe Lane in Bath a few years ago, and we have always enjoyed wildlifewatching. I have no doubt that his interests inspired me while writing this book.

I moved to the area 10 years ago… I live between Bath and Bradford on Avon, in Turleigh – a pretty village with easy access to the city and the countryside.

I teach creative writing at Bath Spa University… I am also a tutor on the Bath Spa creative writing MA. I didn’t study here myself; I went to Cambridge and got a degree in modern and mediaeval French and German.

My favourite view… is from the top of Bathwick Hill as I drive into the city. I’ll never get tired of the golden stone and the beautiful rows of houses surrounded by green hills.

My number one tip for aspiring authors is… Read.

Read everything you can get your hands on. You can’t be a writer without being a reader first. Reading is the best way to learn about plot and structure and characterisation. Although, you could always do a creative writing MA as well – I happen to know a very good course right on your doorstep…

When you’re looking to get published… Finish your book.

This might seem obvious, but a lot of people start looking for an agent with only the sketchiest of outlines or a few chapters. No agent is interested in a halffinished project.

You’ll mostly find me at...

Bath’s bookshops, as well as Boston Tea Party, and Clayton’s Kitchen.

There might be a few people who would be surprised to know… that I swim in rivers and lakes all year round, and I don’t wear a wetsuit.

A memory of mine is… getting stuck in a lift with Jude Law. But that’s a story for another time. n

The National Trust Children’s Almanac 2019, £9.99, was published by Nosy Crow, and is available in all good bookshops and in National Trust shops; www.nosycrow.com