Bath Life – Issue 402 by MediaClash

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property ISSUE 402 / 11– 25 OCTOBER 2019 / £3 @BathLifeMag

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

THE FALL

ISSUE 402 / 11– 25 OCTOBER 2019 / CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN

LUCKY MAN

AUTUMN FASHIONS ARE UPON US

WHAT’S HER STORY?

LIVE AND LEARN

AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH FOR ED JACKSON

MEG MATHEWS ON THE MENOPAUSE

TURKISH DELIGHT

NEW RESTAURANT CAPPADOCIA

A VISIT TO THE MUSEUMS

EDITOR’S LETTER

ABOVE: Walking towards success: Ed Jackson and Olly Barkley (page 38); BELOW: Halloween-inspired gifts (page 72)

nspiring is a word that lost its glow for me a few years ago. Perhaps it was the meteoric rise of Instagram that did it. Suddenly, everywhere on social media was an ‘inspiring’ story which sometimes involved nothing more than a person posting a selﬁe of themselves without – gasp – make-up. It left me feeling, well,

uninspired. But, now and then, there is someone who makes you stand to attention, someone who makes you think: Wow, what you are doing is truly amazing. Such is the case with our cover star for this issue, Ed Jackson. Turn to page 38 to read his remarkable story of going from professional rugby player to lying paralysed in hospital, to climbing mountains; and how he and his buddy Olly Barkley are committed to helping others through their charity-focussed company. Elsewhere in this issue, we’ve gone for a wander through the museums in Bath (page 54), we try on some autumn fashions (page 74) and we chat to Meg Mathews about the menopause (page 80). Eclectic as ever eh? Expect all our other regular content too, from foodie news to business stories, party pics – we recently had a big old birthday bash ourselves – and we try out the newest restaurant in town. Enjoy!

HARRIET NOBLE Follow us on Twitter @BathLifeMag Instagram @bathlifemag

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

Issue 402 / 11–25 October 2019 COVER By Jason Dorley-Brown

FEATURES

38 THE BIG INTERVIEW Ed Jackson and Olly

Barkley on their big bold future

80 MEG MATHEWS Destigmatising the menopause

THE ARTS

43 ARTS INTRO Works from a concrete chamber 44 WHAT’S ON Theatre, music, family stuff, and a

smattering of Halloween fun

51 LISA STANSFIELD Revisiting Affection 54 MUSEUMS More than the sum of their parts 61 FILM What to watch during cosy jumper season

FOOD&DRINK

63 FOOD & DRINK NEWS All of the culinary

developments in the city

64 TAKE 5 Discover Bath’s hidden farm 66 RESTAURANT We dig into a Turkish-

Mediterranean feast at Cappadocia

SHOPPING

71 INTRO Utilitarian style 72 EDITOR’S CHOICE We’re going gothic

51 74

54 63

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Issue 402 / 11-25 October 2019

LIFESTYLE

35 INSIDE STORY Black is the new black 106 LIVES Jodie Prenger: when art meets life

BUSINESS

89 BATHWORKS The local businessess making

the headlines

PROPERTY

99 SHOWCASE Look inside an eight-bedroom

townhouse on Bathwick Hill

DEPARTMENTS 19 SPOTLIGHT 24 SOCIETY 33 A MAN’S WORLD

71 Editor Harriet Noble harriet.noble@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Editor Lydia Tewkesbury lydia.tewkesbury@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 Contributors David Flatman, Philippa May, Calypso Sheaf, Sophie-Claire Mcleod, Ané Auret and Matt Bielby Group Advertising Manager Pat White pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Advertising Manager Justine Walker justine.walker@mediaclash. co.uk Deputy Advertising Manager Polly Jackson polly.jackson@mediaclash.co.uk Account Manager Annabel North annabel.north@mediaclash.co.uk Sales Executive Louis Grey louis.grey@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 and Exeter. 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

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

SPOTLIGHT Arts

HATCHING A PLAN

Charity

PUT ON YOUR GAME FACE Calling all board game fans: Bath-based charity Julian House is hosting their first ever Bath Board Game Day on 3 November. The one-day pop up event, hosted in partnership with the folks at Bath Gaming Group will feature a range of games from the classics to the more obscure indie gems. Bluffing, strategy and skill are must-haves and a sense of humour optional, but preferred. Board game novices need not be afraid because the experts from Bath Gaming Group will be on hand to help any mystified newbies transform to competitive experts by the end of the day. “It’s all about having fun with friends and family for a good cause,” says Jessica Gay, the event’s organiser. “You can feel great knowing your ticket is contributing to Julian House and all the work we do to support vulnerable and socially excluded individuals. It’s a chance to be part of something bigger and join us in our mission to alleviate homelessness in and around Bath.” For more: www.julianhouse.org.uk

children’s responses to squirrels, nature and acorns. Being able to explore our theatrical ideas with the children from the pre-school means that in the ﬁnal production, all the fascinations, impulses and brilliant ideas from such curious minds can be addressed,” says Katie Cross MBE, director of the egg. “In Squirrel, we are attempting to make something both entertaining and beautiful in theatrical terms as well as allowing the young children to do whatever feels natural to them throughout the performance. A tall order but one which will be aided enormously by this partnership.” For more: www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Space for the actors of the future to develop

No cheating!

The egg theatre has teamed up with The Paragon School for a year-long project that will see the school’s staff and pupils create exciting, professional work for the theatre. The first show they’ll be working on together will come out at Christmas. Squirrel, a performance for pre-school and early years audiences is currently under development, and so far has seen the children out exploring the woods to learn about the animals, as well as creating puppets and writing lots of stories about their fluffy-tailed friends. “We cannot think of a better, nor more beautiful venue than the Paragon School at which to explore

Shopping

CHRISTMAS MARKET

It’s beginning to look a lot like… Christmas? Really? We’re afraid so. Yes, it may still be a couple of months away, but once again the turkey and gift-giving season is bearing down on us. From 28 November to 15 December, the award-winning Bath Christmas Market will descend again, waving the wand of festive magic over the city. This year it’s all about local traders, with 91 per cent of the stunning 151 chalets occupied by independent businesses from the South West. This year New Bond Street will also be closed oﬀ to traﬃc and kitted out with an entertainment stage complete with piano decorated by local school children – impromptu performances very much encouraged. There are, as ever, more highlights than we can list, but just a few include Sleepy Doe, the Bath-based whimsical sleepwear brand; Bath Chocolate Company for those gifts you’ll have a really hard time not eating before the big day; and Jason Dorley-Brown Images for all the gorgeous prints of Bath landscapes you could ever need. For more: www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk Holidays are coming... www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 19

SPOTLIGHT Bath Preservation Trust

FOLLOWING THE SIGNS

Bath’s street signs have won a Georgian Architectural Award. Since 2010, Bath has seen many of its historic street signs carefully restored by the Bath World Heritage Enhancement Fund and this year their work has been recognised with the national Streetscape Initiatives award. The Bath World Heritage Enhancement Fund arose from a partnership between The City of Bath UNESCO World Heritage Site, BANES and the Bath Preservation Trust (BPT), and so far they have cleaned, repaired, re-carved and repainted 52 signs around the city. “Our project restores the chisel-marks of the architects and builders of the 18th Century who understood the importance of good signage,” says Professor Barry Gilbertson, Bath’s World Heritage chairman. “The street signs are generally at first floor level – not so much for pedestrians, but for carriage-drivers, sitting up at that level, with horse reins in hand, without the benefit of any street lighting. The elegance and regularity of design adds further uniformity to Bath’s myriad of Georgian facades.” For more: www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk

Loving hands have regenerated Bath’s street signs

Changing seasons

Always be kind

INSTA-PERFECT AUTUMN

Lights, camera, action

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Kindness © JOHNNY HATHAWAY

Autumn is the favourite season for Insta-people. From photographic pumpkins scattered here, there and everywhere to the favourite mug of steaming coﬀee – pumpkin spiced latte, of course – and book set up, it’s always a seasonal celebration in the colour burnt orange. Well, eager snappers, there’s no better place for a day out with the camera right now than Westonbirt Arboretum, which demonstrates the full palate of fall. “Our mild winter, combined with a mix of rain and sunshine over the summer means that the leaves have stored up plenty of sugars in their leaves, which is ideal for creating great autumn colour,” says Andrew Smith, Forestry England’s director at Westonbirt. “It’s also good news for local wildlife since the fruit and nut blossoms escaped an early frost and swelled throughout the sunny and wet intervals in summer, so there will be plenty of food for local insect and wildlife.” For more: www.forestryengland.uk/westonbirt

DOESN’T COST A THING

Age UK BANES has oﬃcially launched their Random Acts of Kindness community campaign and they want you to get involved. Age UK is challenging local people to show some acts of kindness towards older people living in the community. “There are over 11,000 people over 65 living alone in BANES and many of them go for days and sometimes weeks without speaking to anyone – a simple smile and hello can go a long way. Our work enables many older people in the area to become less isolated, but we think there should be more kindness in the community,” says Janet Dabbs, Age UK BANES CEO. “We’ve got lots of ideas to get you started and so whether you surprise an older neighbour with a bunch of ﬂowers, or simply give up your seat to an older person on the bus, you will help the chain of kindness around Bath and beyond.” They want you to share your random acts of kindness with photos, stories, tweets and posts on social media, which you can share with the hashtag #baneskindness. For more: www.ageuk.org.uk/bathandnortheastsomerset

FIND YOUR INTERIOR STYLE WITH ASPECT Discover the perfect window furnishing product to compliment your interior style with Aspect Window Styling. We supply an extensive range of interior and exterior products including curtains, blinds, shutters and awnings. We offer a complete design to installation experience, including free in-home design appointments, measuring, and a fitting service. Visit our showroom to speak to our experienced designers who are on hand to provide helpful friendly advice on all our products. 01225 469 559 info@aspectwindowstyling.co.uk www.aspectwindowstyling.co.uk or visit our showroom Â 1 Saracen Street,Â Bath, BA1 5BR

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 Mark Tyrell and Olivia Evans

Emma Rose Elle Chappell, Simon Moss and Katie Clinton

Debbie Still and Samantha Ricketts

Sophie Overment and June Overment Andrew Paradise, Zak Paradise and Kye Paradise

400TH FESTIVITIES

Wine was sipped and special hardback editions of Bath Life issue 400 handed out like prizes as local businesspeople came together to celebrate our benchmark issue at The Holburne. Surprisingly to all, the weather held, and crowds gathered outside the museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cafe to hear speeches from Dr Chris Stephens, director at The Holburne and, of course, Greg Ingham, MediaClashâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own CEO. It was a celebration of Bath Life, yes, but also the community that makes our city so wonderful. Continued to page 26. Photos by Nick Cole

Bradley Bailey, Mark Lloyd and Mandy Oestreich

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Danielle Saint and Polly Rathbone Ward

Mason Pollock and Kathryn Riley

SOCIETY

Tom Weaver and Max Day Nighat Arnott and Sheralie Margenout

Claire Hunton and Henry Hunton

Amanda Brown and Simon Brown

Rafi White, Kartini Sutoto, Leslie Redwood and Ben Danielsen

Gill Andrew, Nathan Baranowski and Emma Hogan

Alex Timms, Pippa Russell, Nick Oliver, Bill Vasilieff, Tom Weaver and Anna Nurkowski Lucy Collins and Stephen Speakman

Declan Gray and Kalvin Simmons

Helen Mulloy Reid and Stephanie Hill

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SOCIETY

Sue Coleman, Ann Ross, Amanda Oatley and Suzanne Thurlow

Claire Watson and Katie Cutting

Chris Stephens, Hannah Lee and Katie Jenkins

It takes a village: Chris and Greg celebrate the community that makes Bath Life great Reuben Collings, Joshua Bright, Richard Marchese and Grant Atkinson

Lydia Daniels, Jack King, Samanatha Ricketts, Michelle Sames, Barry Sames and Celia Lawrence We also celebrated some of our beautiful covers over the years

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

Pippa Russell and Kate Authers

Nick Bishop, Kathryn Riley and Charlotte Thursz

SOCIETY

The stunning Regency Promenade through Bath

Promenade or catwalk?

Eleven pipers piping...

THE JANE AUSTEN FESTIVAL People ﬂocked to Bath for the 19th Jane Austen Festival – which this year had an amazing 90 events for Austen devotees to get their teeth into. The much-loved Regency costumed Promenade – this year with a new, more accessible route – saw 500 people travel from Sydney Gardens led by the 33rd Regiment of Foot red-coat re-enactment soldiers. Over 200 People attended the popular Festival Country Dance – in full costume, obviously – while hundreds more went to the wide range of bookish, historical and theatrical events dedicated to Jane and her works, popular and obscure. www.janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk The Festival Country Dance is a sell-out every year

Photos by Owen Benson Visuals

Jane Austen: Roman style 19th century shakedown

The lesser known dogs of Jane Austen had a moment in the spotlight As ever, Jane Austen fans dressed to impress

Promenading is thirsty work

A well-earned rest 28 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SOCIETY

Emma Frampton, Joanna Palmer, Sammy Burt and Ryan Collins-Thomas Gemma Phillis and Samantha Ricketts

Greg Barden and Oliver Hill

TAPPING INTO BATH BUSINESS

Bath Untapped took place at Walcot House in September. The brainchild of Oliver Hill, owner of Media Space and Samantha Ricketts, founder of Wild Vine, the event saw creative marketing and pro-services types come out to network and share expertise. Bath Untapped always features a couple of speakers, the ﬁrst of which was Greg Barden, CEO and founder of the independent business discovery app, Pixie. He shared his story of how starting the business after a spell in the Special Boat Service gave him insight into what communities around the world have in common. Next up, brand strategy consultant and owner of Brand Council, Gemma Philis took the stage to explain how businesses can better communicate with their audiences. Join the Bath Untapped LinkedIn page or follow @bathuntapped on Instagram for news and updates about the latest events. Photos by Derryn Vranch

Ben Hutchings and Richard Rata Mei Huang and Fran Tremeer

Graham Street and Joanne Goodman

Fergus Thompson and Jenny Liddle

Chris Stevens, Dan Kenyon and Tim Brooksbank

A FOND FAREWELL

Colleagues from across Royds Withy King gathered to wish a fond farewell to partner Chris Kane, who has retired after 36 years. The occasion was marked with a drinks reception in Bath, which was attended by colleagues past and present from all offices. Chris joined in 1983, qualifying in 1985 as a family lawyer. He then became a partner in 1989, and then a lead partner in 1992. Graham Street, managing partner, led the tributes in a speech reflecting on Chris’s achievements. “Chris has been a great lawyer and colleague over many years. He has also been a good friend, inside and outside of work, and has contributed hugely to the social fabric of the firm,” he said. “He understands the value of community and business, and has helped us to support many local charities. I’d like to thank him for his efforts and contribution.” www.roydswithyking.com 30 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk Photos by Professional Images

Chris Kane with his son, Elliot Luciani- Kane

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THE GOAL OF MEDITATION ISN’T TO CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS, IT’S TO STOP LETTING THEM CONTROL YOU… Every decision, idea, habit, resolution and emotion begin in the mind and ultimately create your life. Get your head in the right place and you’ll create a better life! We are happy and excited to announce the opening of The Soul Spa, a space in central Bath designed to help you find a deeper connection with your life. If you have never meditated before, or if you have tried and decided it’s not for you, please come and try again. We love beginners, sceptics and practised meditators. Guided 20 minute sessions throughout the day, try your first for free by registering on the website www.thesoulspa.co.uk

Photos: © Beata Cosgrove Photography

Drop in £5 | Monthly membership £40 (unlimited daily meditations) INTRODUCTORY OFFER FOR OCTOBER: £20 FOR YOUR FIRST MONTH Other things you’ll find at The Soul Spa: Workshops • Courses • Therapies. First meditation starts at 6.30am, last one 7pm – check the website for details 2 Hetling Court BA1 1SH ( just a few steps from the Thermae Spa)

Tel: 01225 318226 | www.thesoulspa.co.uk

The Soul Spa

thesoulspa.uk

A MAN’S WORLD DAVID FLATMAN

On the run

Flats tries, and fails, to make himself like running

“I went for a run around Lansdown and it was so awful that I gave up”

aving spent most of my life involved in a sport that requires many of its players to be as large as they can possibly and healthily be, I’ve heard all the excuses that exist when it comes to avoiding running. I mean, nobody who weighs in at more than a Labrador likes running. The best excuse I ever heard, though, wasn’t from a fellow chubber before a mandatory endurance session, but from a girl I once met in All Bar One in Bath. With workout schedules and training principles being widely regarded as the most interesting thing on this earth to discuss with new people, we were going deep into preferred gyms and ideal repetition ranges. Then she revealed herself as a charlatan. “I’d love to run more,” she claimed, “but I have to avoid it as it makes me put on so much weight.” This, everybody, is a not a thing. Now, it is possible to put on a bit of timber as a result of running, but that’s to do with the sheer effort making you so hungry that you get home and stuff your face. I suggested to this lady that perhaps she might try to eat a little less in the hours that followed said trots, and our burgeoning relationship ended in that moment, with her making the obvious observation that I hadn’t quite managed to achieve such restraint myself. It only got awkward when I realised, minutes later, that she was my new teammate’s wife. Ho hum. Can’t win them all. I often think of this conversation, though, as I really, really want to find a way to love running. I’m tempted to write here that running’s ability to improve one’s health of mind as well as body is well documented, but I

don’t know that it is. Anecdotally at least, folks don’t half love running. I once discussed how fat I’d managed to get in my three weeks off between seasons with my dad. “How will I get it off, mate?” I asked. “Well,” he replied, “you don’t see many fat people winning marathons.” He was right, and my mission was made clear. Then I went for a run around Lansdown and it was so awful that, despite having been a professional prop forward for years and having refused – thousands of times – to give up when in the most brutal physical positions and situations, I gave up. I even walked home. I often think about that run, and it still shames me. The men – the monsters – I faced over the years would turn plenty to jelly, but I stood up and did my best to meet the challenge. This time, though, I bottled it. So last week I went for a run for the first time since then. It was awful, but I didn’t walk back. I trundled all the way. I want to run and I want to enjoy it. I want to do this because it would add to my current health regime of lifting lots of weights and eating lots of food, and because it reportedly makes one feel wonderful. So, is there a way for a 20 stone, weightlifting, meat eating, mildly asthmatic, aerobically lazy, Netflix-addicted 39 year-old to learn to love a method of movement so alien as this? Please, someone, give me a shortcut to success…maybe I just need some more expensive running shoes. That’s a start… David Flatman is an ex-Bath and England rugby star turned TV pundit and rent-o-mic. Follow him on Twitter @davidflatman

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@RESIDENT_ STORE

INSIDE STORY PHILIPPA MAY

BLACK BEAUTY The colour black has long been seen as a timeless classic in fashion, but not interiors. Until now...

“You don’t get too precious about coasters when you enjoy a rough wood table”

t’s not just fashion that sees seasonal shifts, but all walks of design. Unbeknownst to many, there’s a whole host of industry experts behind every shift in trends, all usually built on a study of popular culture that means that everything you see in the shops, on your Instagram and then in your wardrobes has been carefully curated and forecasted years before you’ve seen it on the shelves. Although in recent years we’ve seen quicker turnarounds in this forecasting, with globalisation and a new way of life where people move too fast, get bored quickly and want to see new styles appear quicker than they can click their fingers, meaning fast fashion has in many ways dissipated the original point of the ‘season’. I’m still of the old school thought that the year is split and that we should enjoy each quarter for its unique qualities and eagerly anticipate the seasonal trends hitting the stores, ready to build them into our wardrobe and our home. As we shift into autumn, it’s all about getting that hygge feeling with new articles from the local shops that fit seamlessly into current interiors. For those who are unaccustomed to the word (where have you been?!), ‘hygge’, a Danish term defined as ‘a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being’ has become quite the trend in the past few years. Although it’s died down slightly, the thought behind

the trend has transcended seasons and is the perfect starting place for autumn and winter styling. Pronounced ‘hoo-guh’, the word is said to have no direct translation in English, though ‘cosy’ comes pretty close, so there’s no better trend to follow for autumn as the dark nights draw in. Although my interiors style has shifted so much over the past few years, I’ve always kept a constant love for that rustic, more unfinished look. Not only does it lend itself to being lived in (you don’t get too precious about coasters when you enjoy a rough wood table with marks of life), but it tends to work with any house and any new décor. I would say my aesthetic overall is anything but fussy in finish and so an open term like hygge is perfect for defining style. I love an exposed beam in raw wood or steel, original floorboards with all their scuffs and memories and used, basement find furniture with a story, all accented by plenty of patina and natural materials like stone, wool and clay – that create my perfect cosy interior. But this season there’s a new trend that lends itself perfectly to slotting into my rustic, scandi amalgamation: black. A timeless shade that’s forever coveted in fashion and reimagined season after season, it’s rarely seen in everyday homes where people shy away from such a stark and bold colour that on the surface seems like it wouldn’t lend itself to the hygge world – but it can look beautiful and soft when used correctly. The lifestyle store

Resident, based in Frome, recently showed off their dark kitchen with walls and cabinets in a deep charcoal hue, oozing cosy in a new way that got me inspired to shop around Bath for more pieces that beautifully show off the use of black in the home. Black accessories emerged as a trend last year, and now it’s creeping its way into furniture, especially chairs. I’m already eyeing up HAY’s reproduction of Børge Mogensen’s classic J41 chair – a timeless design that will look at home in any kitchen, the design is both hard-wearing and comfortable and available in a dark black finish. But for a more scandi vibe – that’s right up my street – the newly reopened Salcombe Trading on Walcot Street has a whole host of new pieces that are already on the Christmas list, including the Skagerak Vent Stool that, styled next to a freestanding bath, would create the ultimate modern hygge scene in time for winter. With its slim, black steel frame juxtaposed against the rustic seat of braided paper cord, the Vent Stool has an organic look that will easily complement both modern and traditional interiors and with their new collection of Chalk candles and diffusers to place on top, you’ve curated a hygge corner without even knowing it… Philippa May is an interiors enthusiast and is Director of her own branding and marketing company Mayd Studio. Follow her on Instagram @_philippamay_ www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 35

THE BIG INTERVIEW Ed and Olly drop by for a cuppa

PEAKY BLINDERS

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

Climbing mountains, building a business empire, – Ed Jackson and Olly Barkley may have hung up their rugby boots but they’re winning in the real world Words by Harriet Noble

was just a bloke with a pipe dream really” says Ed, rather matter of factly. He’s talking about building a business with his chum Olly, and climbing mountains – all to raise money for charity. You might know Ed Jackson and Olly Barkley, they were both professional rugby players who played for – amongst other teams – Bath. They’re also local guys, with Olly in Bath and Ed in Timsbury. Recently, they started up their own charity-focussed events company M2M Presents, where they are shaking up the charity world (more on that later); and as part of this Ed is climbing Mount Everest this November. So far, so commendable. Except this is not just a sportsperson doing a charity stint. In 2017, Ed’s rugby career was put to an abrupt end when he dived into the shallow end of swimming pool; a devastating incident that left him paralysed, with a broken neck. The doctors said he would never walk again. Not that you’d know that now as we – Ed, Olly and myself, casually sit in Boston Tea Party chatting about James Haskell’s chances on I’m a Celebrity. So, how did Ed go from lying in a hospital bed, unable to move, to climbing peaks and running a booming events company? “I realized pretty quickly how much worse it could have been, that helped me to put it into context,” says Ed. “Don’t get me wrong, I did spend the first five days wanting to bury my head in the pillow, but eventually you start to realize that maybe you are getting better and other people aren’t. You’ve got friends who are worse off than you are but they’re living positive lives, so I thought, I haven’t got an excuse, I’ve just got to get on with things.” Why do you think you got better, after such a negative prognosis from the doctors? “I think positive thinking played a massive part, but why was I able to be positive? I had something to fight and get better for: I was engaged, I had an amazing family, a great group of friends in my room every day. Some people don’t have that. They don’t have family or friends coming to see them. The people that had stuff to get better for were the ones that tended to get better. It is positivity but that’s not just me being a positive person. It was my environment and the circumstances I was in. I

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was lucky enough to have that support network around me.” Ed talks about being lucky a lot. Is it luck that he survived? That he is walking again? That he had a lot of support from family and friends? Of course, in part; but his own dogged determination, strength and perseverance surely deserve some credit. But Ed’s not up for giving himself a pat on the back. He’s too busy telling me about his passion for his and Olly’s business and how excited he is about climbing Mount Everest. So, back to 2017. Through a huge amount of hard work, came gradual mobility and a year after the accident Ed climbed Snowdon, to try and raise awareness for other people who have been given a negative prognosis and told they weren’t going to walk again; and to raise money for the charities that helped him get better. One might think there were easier ways to raise money, but the sheer impossibility of it seems the part of the appeal to Ed. “Because of the nature of my injury, walking up hills was probably the last thing I should have been trying to do as my muscles didn’t work. But that’s the point. It was something I wasn’t supposed to be able to do – it was hard. And then it just got a bit symbolic. I found I really liked achieving something that could get other people involved in the challenge.” For a while Ed had thought about rowing to raise money; it certainly would have been the better option, he tells me, physically for his body. But there was something about climbing up a mountain with a group of people that was so powerful. “After we did Snowdon, we saw the power behind it. It was doing things as a group.” Realising how much climbing that mountain had helped him, Ed knew he was on to something special. If he could get groups of people climbing mountains – people who were going through a difficult time, whether it be recovering from a physical injury or a mental health issue – he knew it could make a huge difference to their lives. On return from a trip to Nepal, Ed called up his old rugby buddy Olly to tell him about his idea. Olly was heavily involved in charity work, and had the added bonus of running a property company so brought some business experience; it was the perfect fit for a partnership. And so M2M was born. M2M (millimetres to mountains, represents Ed’s journey from the first time he moved his toe to now climbing mountains) organises mountain climbs to help people experiencing something difficult and raises money for charity in the process – currently they are raising money to build a spinal unit in Nepal for the Neverest Orthopeadics charity. But this is just one prong of the company; the other is organising huge social events, something which neither Ed and Olly had any experience in doing as Ed jokes, “I was fresh out of rugby, I didn’t even now how to run a calendar.” For seemingly inexperienced guys, the events company, and the sheer scale that it has mushroomed to recently is impressive to say the least. For their next big event, bEat, they’re taking over Euridge Manor, near Castle Combe, for the night. It’ll be a full on foodie banquet (courtesy of local chef Neil

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

Olly making magic on the decks

“I was fresh out of rugby, I didn’t even know how to run a calendar”

Smith from Babington House and Eddy Reins from The Wheatsheaf in Combe Hay), plus dancing, live DJ’s, fire breathing, acrobatics, the works. The tone of their charity events is central to their business brand too. Olly explains that, as rugby players, they went to so many charity events; all that seemed to be black tie, a bit stiff, really formal and not much fun. It’s this image of charity events that they’re keen to turn on its head. “We want to shake things up a bit,” Olly says. “Make charity events cool again. We can make these charity events more accessible to a younger audience, so they’re more fun so people don’t feel like they’re at a charity event. Then it feels like you’re at a party and actually raising money for charity just by spending money behind the bar.” It strikes me that while they confess that they are very much learning on the job, their honest and straightforward approach is precisely why they have been successful and why international brands are jumping on board to be part of their events. They don’t have a team of PR savvy people behind them – it’s just the two of them (although Ed’s wife Lois, who apparently, describes Ed as “annoyingly positive” since his accident, is now joining the team). What’s key is that all proceeds from their events go to charities so they are not motivated by money. For now, Ed’s Mount Everest climb is just around the corner and he’s in full training mode. Since the accident, training is obviously a lot different.“My body’s now really inefficient, I’m burning more calories now in one day than when I was training full-time. I can’t put on weight now if I try. I haven’t been this light since I was 14 years old.” He’s not complaining though. “All these sorts of tests, they’ve got to be something I’m not sure I’m going to be able to complete. You need to challenge yourself, otherwise what’s the point?” n For more info: www.them2mgroup.com

The only way is up: Ed and the gang

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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

INSIDE OUT In a led-lined chamber, British X-ray artist Nick Veasey creates works that are part art, part science, wholly experimental. “I like showing the insides of things and how they work. X-ray is a discovery; it’s like a forensic investigation into the subject, showing what it’s really made of,” says Nick. “We live in a world obsessed with images – what we look like, what our clothes look like, houses, cars. I like to counter this obsession with superﬁcial appearances by using X-rays to strip back the layers and show what it is like under the surface.” The process is like putting together a jigsaw, and can take months. To create the California Bug, Nick dismantled the whole vehicle and separately X-rayed each component before assembling them once again as a whole. Pretty cool, we think. Self-taught, Nick is experimental to his core and had a gallery purpose built for his work. Working with X-rays isn’t exactly safe – as any of you who have had one will know – so he works in a bespoke concrete chamber. Nick’s unique and technical début collection is now on display at Castle Fine Art gallery on Old Bond Street, where it’ll stay as part of the gallery’s permanent display of his works. California Bug; £1950; Castle Fine Art; 13 Old Bond Street; 01225 789298; www.castleﬁneart.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 43

WHAT’S ON

11 October – 10 November

The English Touring Opera are bringing an old favourite to Bath

EXHIBITIONS Until 24 November

EXPERIMENTS WITH FLYING Artist Richard Twose is displaying a collection of works inspired by a residency at Elisabeth Frink’s former studio. Influenced by her bird men, horses and bulls, Twose created his own characters using studies of acrobats at CircoMedia in Bristol. The works deliberately test the limits of balance (and falling). Mon-Sun, 10.30am-5pm; free with general admission; Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk

Until 14 December

PLAYING THE PICTURESQUE A lot of people think our obsession with the ideal ‘Insta-perfect’ life is a new phenomenon, but this exhibition

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is here to reject that assumption. Playfully traversing the space between real and virtual realms, the work shows the way that 18th century artists and architects became obsessed with producing aesthetically pleasing, stylistic, ‘ideal’ landscapes. Tues-Sat, 11am-5pm; Andrew Brownsword Gallery, The Edge; www.edgearts.org

Until 31 December

INTERVENTIONS/2 Yoko Ono’s first solo show to visit Bristol arrives there this month. Including a series of iconic films that she made back in the ’60s and early ’70s – as well as the installation ARISING, first exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 2013 – INTERVENTIONS/2 asks Bristol audiences to engage with

the city’s less proud history. The curator, Jimmy Galvin, says, “It is a way to bring a new spotlight onto Bristol’s heritage and involvement with the slave trade, and, as with all great art, it gives us permission to open dialogue and create a better understanding of ourselves and our city’s past, as well as its future, and what role we need it to perform.” Sat-Tues, 11am-4pm; The Georgian House Museum, Bristol; www.bristolmuseums.org.uk

15 – 19 October

BPS ANNUAL EXHIBITION The talented lot in the Bath Photographic Society (BPS) have pulled together yet another bumper collection of images for their annual exhibition. There’s a great diversity of work from portraits to landscapes,

and even the occasional animal shot. The club itself can claim an impressive history and heritage – it's been around since 1888, making it one of the earliest photographic clubs in the country. 10am-4pm except the 19th, when it closes at 3pm; St Michael’s Church; www.bathphotographicsociety.org.uk

PLAYS/ SHOWS

14 – 19 October

GASLIGHT Martin Shaw stars in this new production of the classic stage thriller. Bella Manningham is convinced somebody is after her. Things go missing, she hears footsteps in the

WHAT’S ON dark – she starts to doubt her own sanity. But then Detective Rough (Shaw) shows up, pulling her back from the brink. Mon-Sat 7.30pm; matinees Wed and Sat 2.30pm; prices vary; Theatre Royal; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

22 October

ABOVE: Richard Twose makes the strange beautiful LEFT: Dress to impress for Halloween at Komedia BELOW: “Women never have young minds. They are born 3,000 years old” Expect this and other gems in A Taste of Honey

THE SILVER LAKE – A WINTER’S TALE The English Touring Opera is making a triumphant return to Bath with Kurt Weill’s masterpiece. Considered so threatening it was shut down by the Nazi authorities in 1933, the opera went years without being performed. The thief, the policeman and a girl called Fennimore are surrounded by opportunists, thugs and aristocrats. In this less-than-ideal world, the three cling to the possibility of a new life, if only they can cross the frozen lake to reach it. 7.30pm; prices vary; Theatre Royal; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

22 – 25 October

YOUTHQUAKE Sounds terrifying, but it’s actually an intriguing look at getting Gen-Z – otherwise known as the Netflix and Deliveroo generation – out the door and into a seat at the theatre. Awardwinning theatre company ZEST Theatre is rolling into the egg with a play aiming to do just that. Full of issues – political and personal – taken from the stories and opinions of the 800 young people the company spoke to when putting together the performance, the show narrates the lives of hidden teen Britain. 7pm; call box office for prices 01225 823409; the egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

27 October

DESIREE’S COMING EARLY It’s 2017, peak #MeToo and the end of Desiree’s run at the Edinburgh Fringe. As the world slips backwards politically, Desiree goes soul searching at Burning Man, a ridiculous journey that teaches her something surprising about how we all got to where we are – and perhaps, how we might get somewhere better. The LA-born comedian exploded onto the scene back in 2015 and solidified her place with painfully funny turns on shows like The Mash Report, Flinch and Live at the Apollo. Doors 7.30pm, show starts 8pm; £12; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk

28 October – 2 November A TASTE OF HONEY

A career-defining, taboo-breaking play from the 1950s, Shelagh Delaney wrote A Taste of Honey when she was only 19. It’s a celebration of female spirit in working class Salford, depicting post-war life in all its exhilaration and deprivation. Mon-Sat 7.30pm, matinees Weds and Sat 2.30pm; prices vary; Theatre Royal; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

1 November

THE LITTLE PRINCE Enjoy the classic tale of The Little Prince who, after leaving the tiny asteroid he calls home, finds a strange land of grown ups, kings who reign over nothing and obsessive, star-counting businessmen. 6.30pm; £15 (£12.50 children and concessions); Edge Theatre; www.edgearts.org

5 – 9 November

CALENDAR GIRLS: THE MUSICAL The popular musical by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth is making a much-anticipated stop in Bath and we can’t wait. Sarah Jane Buckley, Sue Devaney, Julia Hills, Judy Holt, Ruth Madoc, Lisa Maxwell and Rebecca Storm lead a production that received fantastic five-star reviews in the West End. Tues-Sat 7.30pm, Wed, Thurs, Sat matinees 2.30pm; prices vary; Theatre Royal; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

MUSIC 13 October

ALICE WALLACE AND BROKEN BONES MATILDA Misery, truth, love and loss: those are the four words used to describe Alice Wallis’ incomparable album Into The Blue. Her live sets are as intense as that description suggests, and not to be missed. Supporting her is local band, Broken Bones Matilda. With their own catalogue of anguish and broken heartedness, their songs tap into the vulnerability that lives in us all. Doors 7.30pm, show starts 8pm; £14 on the door; Chapel Arts Centre; www.chapelarts.org

16 October

THE ROLLING STONES: HAVANA MOON Calm down: it’s an immersive concert screening, but still pretty cool. One of only 11 dates in the UK, don’t miss your chance to see The Rolling Stones’ legendary 2016 Havana Moon concert. The super

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WHAT’S ON HD production will bring you up close and personal with The Stones against a backdrop of iconic Cuban culture. Time to party like it’s 1965! Or 2016. Up to you. 8.30pm; £35; The Forum; www.bathboxoffice.org.uk

16 October

THE WILDHEARTS The Renaissance Men Tour Part II is now in full swing. The Wildhearts have been around on the British rock scene for 30-odd years now, so they know how to put on a show. This tour welcomes back long-time bandmate Danny McCormack on bass. Cue applause. 7pm; £25; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk

23 October

LUCY SPRAGGAN Former X-Factor contestant known for playing one of her own songs she’d written – gasp – on the show, Lucy Spraggan is popping to Bath for one night of her 32-date UK tour. Five consecutive top 30 albums under her belt, with her latest release Today Was A Good Day she moves into a new chapter musically and personally – producing the most confident and accomplished sound of her career. 7.30pm; £18; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk

24 October

WILLY PORTER Willy Porter’s singular signature finger-picking sound blurs the lines between indie-folk and rock in a way that has been captivating crowds for decades – since his breakthrough album Dog Eared Dream in 1994. A long-time touring artist, Willy knows how to work a crowd – guitar-driven songs about universal themes of love, loss and the occasional triumph will have you hooked from the off. 8pm; £12 advance/£14 door; www.chapelarts.org

30 October

SQUEEZE Quintessential Brit rockers of the ’70s are headed to Bath. The Difford and Tilbrook Songbook Tour is part fun night out, part awareness-raising activity for The Trussell Trust. It’s about more than dancing: you’ll also find multiple food bank drop-off points and collection boxes where you can donate non-perishable food or money. Where possible check with the local food banks for what they need first. Doors 7pm, show starts 7.30pm; prices vary; The Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

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8 November

ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK Having recently released their brand new greatest hits collection as part of their 40th anniversary celebrations, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are heading out on tour. The electronic synthesiser pioneers have also reissued their first four classic albums on 108g vinyl, mastered at half speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road. Doors open 7pm; prices vary; Bath Pavilion; www.omd.uk.com

FAMILY

18 – 21 October

TOUCH Less a performance and more an improvised and interactive workshop, Touch is performed by four dancers and a DJ who offer the audience the chance to watch, play and dance as they deftly move about the room. There are walker and pre-walker experiences for the really little ones, so do check the website for more details. Various times; £8; the egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

27 October

ARTHUR’S DREAM BOAT This is a story about a little boy who has a dream. It’s about a beautiful pink and green boat with a stripy mast. When he wakes up, Arthur wants to tell everybody but – plot twist – nobody will listen. Even as the very boat he dreamt of starts growing on his head! This magical children’s show by Long Nose Puppets is whimsical and lovely, escapist for children and adults alike. Doors 1.30pm, show 2pm; £8.50 (£28 for a family of four); Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk

OTHER 20 October

ELIZABETH DAY: HOW TO FAIL Elizabeth Day is bringing her massively popular podcast to Bath. How to Fail – which is now also a book, by the way – is based off the premise that we’re all better people for our failures, as much as it doesn’t feel like it at the time. Elizabeth and a special guest (TBC) will provide an uplifting and reassuring evening about learning from our mistakes. Doors 7pm, show starts 7.30pm; £20; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk

ABOVE: Elizabeth Day teaches us how to fail LEFT: Who doesn’t love a good puppet? We can’t wait for Arthur’s Dream Boat BELOW: The stars of Broken Bones Matilda

WHAT’S ON 26 October

DECADENCE AND CREATIVITY: VIENNA IN THE TIME OF FREUD, KLIMT, MAHLER AND WITTGENSTEIN A day-long symposium about life in late Habsburg Vienna with leading experts and academics dedicated to what was a seminal period in Western history. It’s set to be one of the highlights of the BRLSI calendar for this year. 9am-6pm; ticket prices vary; BRLSI www.bathboxoffice.co.uk

28 October

SOMETIMES IN BATH Author Charles Nevin is having an event for his new book, Sometimes in Bath: Her Stories and History. In an exclusive reading from the book, Charles promises to make you view all the places you know and love in the city from a fresh perspective. 7pm; Bath Spa Hotel; search Bath Spa Hotel on Facebook for more information

30 – 31 October

WESTONBIRT SHOPPING FAIR

THE SPOOKY CITY

Embrace the creepy season in and around Bath with some Halloween fun 18 October – 2 November

FEAR SCREAM PARK Are you the sort of person who has always imagined they’d be in their element in the event of a zombie apocalypse? Yes? Then Fear Scream Park is for you. An immersive theatre experience, the multi-award winning event’s scare attractions, Phobia: Rebirth, Anarchy Live, X4, House of Clowns and, new for 2019, the terrifying Scare Maze, promises more than a simple bump in the night. Kill zombies, run from creepy clowns and enter the Phobia Research Facility with the ominous tagline: ‘Death is only the beginning’. 6-11pm; Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park; prices vary; not advisable for children under the age of 12; www.fearscreampark.co.uk

23 October – 3 November A HALLOWEEN TALE Bath stars The Natural Theatre Company are setting up shop at

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Shop and donate to charity at the same time at Westonbirt Shopping Fair. It’s a great noton-the-high-street shopping opportunity where you’ll find a range of unique hand-made stuff. We hate to say it – you know what’s coming – but it’s perfect for Christmas. 10am-4.30pm; £8/£7.50 booked online; Westonbirt School; www.westonbirtfair.org

OMG it’s OMD

2 November

BATH FIREWORKS DISPLAY 2019 Grab your tickets for this year’s Bath Rotary Club’s fireworks display. Always a lovely community event, we defy anyone to spend fireworks night not getting a little bit swept up in the spirit of the impending winter. Tickets went on sale on 2 October, so make sure to grab yours before they sell out. 7pm; Bath Recreation Ground; prices vary online, cash only on the gate www.bathboxoffice.org.uk

Cheddar Gorge & Caves for some ghostly goings on this Halloween. A famous literary detective duo have a mystery to solve in Gough’s cave. Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster and Bill Sikes are all hiding within the caves and, mysterious as they may seem, in fact might hold the answers to the detectives’ investigations… 11am-3pm; price included with day admission; Cheddar Gorge & Caves; www.cheddargorge.co.uk

26 October – 3 November

HALLOWEEN TRICK OR TREAT TRAIL Put on your thinking cap and explore the family Halloween Trick or Treat Trail at the American Museum and Gardens. Ghoulish clues will lead you around the gloriously autumnal gardens with a treat or two for the lucky few to reach the end. 10am-5pm; £2.50 plus normal admission; American Museum and Gardens; www.americanmuseum.org

31 October

BATH CARNIVAL: HALLOWEEN RAVE

7 November

ROMAN BATHS WEDDING OPEN EVENING If there’s a more romantic location for a wedding than the Roman Baths, we can’t think of it. If you don’t believe us, head down to this open evening, where you’ll find the baths beautifully decorated and wedding-ready. Various local wedding suppliers will be on hand to field any questions you may have during this uniquely relaxed evening event.

Kicking off with a free Day of the Dead parade which will meander through the city and all the way to Komedia, the Halloween rave starts how it means to continue: in style. Once in situ, nine-piece funk outfit Wasabi will be on hand to kick off the proceedings before Bristol’s notorious DJ collective Bedmo Records take over later in the night. There’s a prize for the best costume, so make sure you dress to impress. Doors 7.30pm, tickets guarantee entry until 11pm; over-18s only; £6 advance; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk

31 October

GHOST WALK There are ghost walks in Bath year-round, but the Halloween event is a special one. Established back in the 70s by a local historian and psychic, the walks have a long and storied history of freaking out visitors from all overt the world with the tales of the ghosts and ghoulies that inhabit the Georgian buildings. 8pm; meeting point outside the Garricks Head; £8 (£6 concessions); advance bookings

7-9pm; registration essential; www.bathvenues.co.uk

8 November

AUTUMN LEAVES Bath’s finest storytellers are gathering to celebrate the changing seasons. Go full autumn and head out into the dark of the evening for a night of stories, readings and poetry by local voices. Doors 7pm; £12; St Michael’s Without; www.bathboxoffice.org n

I’ve come to suck your blood...

only, book before 22 October; www.ghostwalksofbath.co.uk

31 October

HALLOWEEN TWILIGHT TOUR OF LANSDOWN CEMETERY Halloween seems like the perfect night to visit a cemetery, right? Maybe you’ll see a ghost! Join Beckford Tower manager Courtney Fleming for a spooky cemetery tour where she’ll share all about the notable graves – including that of William Beckford himself – and rich history of the graveyard. 5-6.30pm; £10; Lansdown Cemetery; www.beckfordstower.org.uk

Foreign Languages Centre

Enrolling now! Daytime, lunchtime and evening foreign language classes for members of the public.

Arabic French German Italian Japanese Mandarin Chinese Portuguese Spanish We offer a wide range of foreign languages at beginner through to advanced level. To find out more about the courses available, or to enrol, visit our website www.bath.ac.uk/flc and apply online or call 01225 383991.

TALENT

BEEN AROUND THE WORLD

Lydia Tewkesbury chats Affection with Lisa Stansfield ahead of the 30th anniversary tour

isa Stansfield exploded onto the UK music scene in 1989 with the release of her début solo album Affection. In 2019, she’s back on the road for a handful of UK tour dates celebrating the 30th anniversary of ‘been around the world and I-I-I’ and the many other ear worms on the record that earned her a Brit Award, two Ivor Novello Awards and a Billboard Music Award. “Looking back at that album has been quite an education for me actually – I didn’t realise just how free that album was,” Lisa says. “I’ve come to a time in my life now where I really do feel more free than I ever have since that time in my life – since before I got famous.” While she doesn’t exactly consider the

“I didn’t realise just how free that album was”

anniversary tour – which swings by The Forum on 25 October – closing the book on Affection, there is something of the blank slate about the whole thing. The anniversary makes for an amazing chance to celebrate the past and where she’s been over the years, but it’s also a moment to reflect on the future and where she might go next as, Lisa refers to it, a ‘mature’ artist. Certainly a lot has changed since Affection’s first go around – the advent of social media, for one. Lisa shows a healthy degree of scepticism toward her follower count. To paraphrase – she’s much more interested in living her life than tweeting about it. “There’s only so much you can say about yourself, isn’t there? How much do people want to know? I always think it’s better to

not know anything about someone, because then they’re what you want them to be,” she says. “It’s like reading a really amazing book and then you watch the movie and it’s never as good as it was in your imagination.” While the business – let alone the way we communicate – has certainly transformed since she first stepped up to the mic more than three decades ago, day-to-day, a lot of her job remains the same. She’s still making music with husband of 20 years – and co-writer and producer of Affection – Ian Devaney, and doing the same vocal warm ups. The nerves are still present too. “Singers are the worst! When a singer is on tour, forget it. They’re the most neurotic pains in the arses you’d ever wish to encounter. I drive my husband absolutely insane. I think every tour that we’ve ever been on for 30 years, by the end of the tour he’s wanting to divorce me – so I’ve always had to really make it up to him,” she laughs. But she’d never tour without him – or he without her. They try and make time for days out together when they’re on the road, getting the train from gig to gig, making a little holiday of it all in-between shows. It goes without saying they’re both looking forward to getting back out there together – and digging back into Affection even more. “I don’t think it’s actually as scary as I thought it would be. Because it’s 30 years – it’s a long time! – I think about it like me as the girl and me as the woman. It’s two different people really.” But one thing she can rely on to stay the same is the enthusiasm of her fans, old and new – even if she still feels a little bit nervous about confronting her younger self on stage. “I’ve just got to do that woman justice,” she says. “And this woman justice too!” n Lisa Stansfield: Affection 30th Anniversary Tour is at The Forum on 25 October; www.bathforum.co.uk

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History in the making 54 I bath LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

MUSEUMS

Museums have come a long way in the last few decades. Along with the histories that they share, they’re now vibrant event spaces and active community hubs By Harriet Noble THE HOLBURNE MUSEUM

Great Pulteney St, Bath What’s it all about: It’s renowned for its eighteenth-century portraits and, more recently, its contemporary exhibitions. Due to its prime location and fantastic garden café, it’s a popular place for dog walkers to enjoy a quick coffee or for visitors to spend a longer time inside looking out into the garden.

What do most people not know about the museum? It has the largest holding (three!) in

“For the Georgian soirée think beauty spots, pastels and powdered wigs”

the UK of paintings by Breughel. The exhibition programme currently includes a beautiful display of twenty works by Henri Matisse and fifty extraordinary prints by Rembrandt. What else goes on there? “The Holburne is always busy with either our own events programme, including workshops, concerts and lectures, or with venue hire as individuals and businesses in the city celebrate their own special occasions with us,” says Chris Stephens, director of The Holburne. Anything exciting in the calendar?

For anyone who likes a touch of glamour there is a Georgian Soirée on 23 November – think beauty spots, pastels and powdered wigs, Beau Brummell and Marie Antoinette. www.holburne.org www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 55

MUSEUMS THE MUSEUM OF EAST ASIAN ART

12 Bennett St, Bath In a nutshell: It’s the only museum in the UK solely dedicated to East Asian art, with a collection consisting of nearly 2,000 sets of objects from East and South East Asia, spanning in date from 5,000 BC to the 20th century. This covers ceramics, jades, bronzes, Chinese bamboo and wood carvings; it’s also got a cracking shop selling beautiful China homeware. Any cool artefacts? The Ming vase is something of a wonder; blue and white, it hails from the Ming dynasty from 15th century China and is decorated with two scholars meeting in a landscape and their attendants, one carrying a qin (Chinese zither), the other a dragon-headed staﬀ. “The Ming vase has evolved into a conceptual idea representing something fragile, beautiful and valuable in Englishspeaking cultures, ” says Rachel Yi Yuan, communications and events manager at The Museum of East Asian Art. “This conceptual impact is still apparent in the modern world. In 2007, Victoria Beckham wore a dress named ‘the Ming vase’ by designer Roberto Cavalli.” Any events coming up? There’s ‘East Asian Friday’ – a regular event series for adults, which consists of talks or workshops on the ﬁrst Friday evening of every month. There’re also organised talks mostly based on the theme of exhibitions, and Christmas and Lunar New Year origami workshops. www.meaa.org.uk

Flying high is the gift shop at the Museum of East Asian Art

You can peruse the art, or just stop for a cuppa at The Holburne’s garden café

NO 1 ROYAL CRESCENT

1 Royal Crescent, Bath In a nutshell: The museum is decorated and furnished just as it might have been during the period 1776-1796 and the rooms feature historic furniture, pictures and objects that reveal what life was like for Bath’s fashionable

SPOOKY STORIES

“We think the house has ‘memories’ and several staff have reported queer goings-on, but no-one has actually seen a ghost. Quite often the house manager has reported smelling fresh flowers or perfume in the Withdrawing Room (where none is placed). Often the person locking up the house at night hears knocking on the connecting doors, and early in the mornings the guide’s radios have sometimes crackled with giggling children – always after a period of upheaval such as dismantling an exhibition or moving furniture. Spooky!” Janey Abbott, marketing manager No 1 Royal Crescent

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No 1 Royal Crescent invented rustic chic don’t you know

DID YOU KNOW?

Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein while staying at 5 Abbey Church Yard, which then stood next to the Grand Pump Room. Mary,19, arrived in Bath in September 1816 and took lodgings at 5 Abbey Church Yard, on the site of the current Pump Room’s 19th century extension. She attended the scientific lectures of Dr Wilkinson in the nearby Kingston Lecture Room. 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 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 the novel Frankenstein. Curiously, an electricity sub-station now sits directly beneath the spot where the novel was written.

residents – both upstairs and downstairs.

the ﬁrst crescent-shaped town house terrace to be constructed anywhere in Europe and it quickly became the most fashionable addresses in Bath. Any quirky artefacts? Yes, a boat shaped vessel with a handle and unglazed lip forms part of a rather niche piece of Georgian history. “This is a bourdaloue, a chamber pot designed speciﬁcally for women,” says marketing manager Janey Abbott. “With the assistance of a lady’s maid, it could be slipped beneath skirts and petticoats, employed while standing, and then discretely carried away.” And for the little ones? Kids like to see the complicated mousetraps and hear how ladies used mouse skin to make false eyebrows, and they often look very surprised when they see the stone shelves for keeping meat, butter and cheese cool. Life before fridges, eh? What about interactive stuff? Lots. Dressing up clothes, 18th century board games, replica items to handle and No 1 detective packs for kids to explore the house with. Any events? Lectures, demonstrations, guides in costume, workshops, walks, late night openings and family craft activities. www.no1royalcrescent.org.uk

ROMAN BATHS Stall St, Bath

In a nutshell: We’ll keep this brief, because

we’ll hazard a guess you know about this place, but The Romans built a magniﬁcent temple and bathing complex here on the site of Britain’s only hot spring, which still ﬂows with naturally hot water. What you might not know about it…

On Tuesday mornings you can do T’ai Chi on the terrace. Which bit do the kids enjoy? The costumed characters, who bring to life the stories of past inhabitants. You might meet a Roman lady called Flavia, slave girl Apulia, stonemasons Sulinus and Brucetus, or a travelling merchant named Peregrinus.

A bit of history… The Royal Crescent was

Why aren’t the baths in our homes this big?

The Ming vase. Note to self: do not handle after moisturising hands

The children’s audio guide, narrated by Michael Rosen, is also popular. Anything in the pipeline? There will be family-friendly activities during October halfterm as part of Museums Week, and a festive activity in December where kids can make mini Roman lamps. www.www.romanbaths.co.uk

RADSTOCK MUSEUM Waterloo Road, Radstock

In a nutshell: Get an insight into Somerset

Coalﬁeld, which was active from 1763 to 1973. Housed in a Victorian former market hall, there are interactive displays including a replica coal mine, miner’s cottage, and blacksmith’s forge. What the kids will love… At weekends, you can experience a virtual reality ride dropping down the mineshaft in a cage at a rate of 60 feet per second. Once at the pit bottom, you travel in a coal truck on an underground roadway. Extra adrenaline is provided by a sudden rock fall in one of the coal veins. What’s in the pipeline… During Museums Week, they’ll will be oﬀering a fossil hunt and a carnival-based children’s event. Anything else? The museum has a 1930swww.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 57

MUSEUMS

“Kids like to hear how ladies used mouse skin to make false eyebrows” style railway buffet – think Brief Encounter – which serves tea, cakes and features sounds of the trains that ran through Radstock. www.radstockmuseum.co.uk

VICTORIA ART GALLERY Bridge Street, Bath

What’s it all about: Founded in 1897, it holds

one of the region’s most diverse collections of art, including works by Howard Hodgkin, Grayson Perry and Thomas Gainsborough. Any standout pieces? “Paul Klee’s painting ‘Small Harbour Scene’ from 1919, because it belonged to a Jewish family in Berlin and was carried with them to Britain when they fled from the Nazis,” says Jon Benington, manager at Victoria Art Gallery. “I think of it as a Talisman of that journey that saved their lives.” What you probably don’t know about the museum… You can see hundreds of views

and faces of Bath here, including a bust of William Harbutt, the inventor of plasticine. The collection also includes some stunning European and British glassware, including one of the oldest wine bottles. Happening soon… Well-known local artist Peter Brown – also known as ‘Pete the Street’ – will exhibit 100 new oil paintings and drawings at the Gallery from 30 November. The exhibition, Peter Brown: Bath Is It, will celebrate the streets and green places of Bath, along with other places painted by the artist on his travels. www.victoriagal.org.uk

Deep in thought: Mr William Harbutt at the VAG

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THE AMERICAN MUSEUM & GARDENS

Claverton Manor, Claverton, Bath In a nutshell: It’s the only museum outside of America to showcase American decorative arts, and this includes a world famous quilts and textiles collection. Built in 1802, Claverton Manor will be 200 next year, and during this time it has been used for many eclectic purposes, including a cookery school. Any favourite bits for the kids?

They love rolling down the amphitheatre. Any fun events? Yes – textile workshops, historical lectures, crafts, outdoor theatre and jazz on the terrace. What’s the café like? Expect home-made, American inspired recipes including Ring Tum Ditty (a bit like Welsh rarebit, sort of) and Chicken à la King. What’s coming up soon? During the Christmas season, Twas the night before a very colourful Christmas is an interactive, familyfriendly event. Based on Clement Clarke Moore’s magical poem, visitors will be able to walk through that magical night. St Nick will be stopping by too. www.americanmuseum.org

Tucking into a three-course meal might be tricky in this wedding dress from the Fashion Museum

FASHION MUSEUM

Assembly Rooms, Bennett Street, Bath In a nutshell: It’s home to one of the world’s leading collections of historic and fashionable dress. You can see everything from sumptuous Georgian gowns to spectacular outfits by some of today’s top designers. Any favourites pieces? “At the moment, it has to be Queen Elizabeth I’s Coronation Glove, on display, just until the end of this year,” says Rosemary Harden, fashion museum manager. “I still pinch myself every time I walk past the display, to think that here in Bath we have one of the only known garments associated with Elizabeth I, dating from 1559. Really special.” Most magical time of day... “Each week the dress curators here at the museum pull boxes from that space for people to see wedding dresses in the Fashion Museum study facilities,” adds Rosemary. “There’s a magical quality about this particular place, a calmness and stillness; maybe it has something to do with the presence of so many beautiful dresses, all with a personal story, all imbued with a sense of happiness on a wedding day.” What’s a big hit? The dressing up – you can try on hats, coats, corsets, dresses and bonnets, and then have your photo taken against a backdrop of Bath’s Royal Crescent. Any interactive stuff? On Saturday mornings visitors are invited to pick up a sketchbook and draw some of the fabulous items on display. n www.fashionmuseum.co.uk

AND SOME MORE…

THE JANE AUSTEN CENTRE 40 Gay Street, Bath Yes, you can have your picture taken with the Georgian-attired chap standing outside the museum but you can also learn all about Jane and her time living in Bath and finish off with a refreshing beverage in the Regency tea room. www.janeausten.co.uk BATH POSTAL MUSEUM 27 Northgate Street, Bath Did you know that the postal system as we know it today has its origins in 18th century Bath? Or that before the introduction of postage stamps the cost of sending post was borne by the receiver and the cost varied dependent on the distance travelled and the number of sheets sent? All this and more can be learnt at this quirky museum. www.bathpostalmuseum.org.uk SALTFORD BRASS MILLS The Shallows, Saltford With the aid of the working waterwheel and dynamo, three operating river sluices, replica machinery and displays, you’ll see the story of the mill. You might even glimpse other users of the mill: otters, a variety of birds, the occasional bat and numerous spiders. www.brassmill.com

THE

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FILM SOPHIECLAIRE MCLEOD

FROM FAR LEFT:

The Day Shall Come; NT Live: A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Autumn ﬂicks Autumn means great cinema, including a hilarious new comedy, a retelling of a magical play and the return of a classic film

rom the director of the quirky Four Lions (Chris Morris) comes a fresh new comedy The Day Shall Come, following an impoverished preacher named Moses (Marchánt Davis). Living in Miami, where extreme poverty contrasts extreme wealth, Moses leads a small band of fellow AfricanAmerican locals, all angered by the obvious racial inequalities they live with. They talk of a race war to overturn the ‘accidental dominance of the white people’. However, there are some problems: there are only four of them and none of them have any money. Plus, Moses has serious mental health issues, and his commitment to avoiding medication leads to a series of strange delusions, including an insistence that both God and Satan speak to him through a duck. The group are rather harmless, often using toy weapons to protect themselves, but FBI agent Kendra (Anna Kendrick) spots an opportunity. Kendra, whose job it is to identify terrorist threats before they happen, uses Moses’ revolutionary dreams to further her career. It’s an interesting, wacky comedy that makes some important points about the polarisation of society. Satirical and sharp – this ﬁlm should be on everybody’s watch list. One of Shakespeare’s most famous, romantic plays returns to the stage. NT Live: A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a magical reimagining of the play, with an impeccable cast and stunning stage; this special screening is deﬁnitely worthy of a watch. Engaged in a long-running feud, a

fairy king and queen of the forest cross paths with a group of runaway lovers and a troupe of actors who are trying to rehearse a play. Lives of the mortals are meddled with and mistaken identities, love triangles and transformations ensue. This fantastic production will be captured live from the Bridge Theatre in London, starring an incredible cast, including Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Oliver Chris (Green Wing) and many more. Every performance from the cast is outstanding, hilarious and highly entertaining.

“It’s a wacky comedy that makes some important points about the polarisation of society” Director Nicholas Hytner takes inspiration from his immersive staging of Julius Caesar (NT Live 2018) to create a forest setting, a dream world of fairies, fog and moonlight, surrounded by an audience that follows the action on foot. It’s a fascinating, beautiful set that almost feels like another character in the play. This incredible production will make you view the classic Shakespeare in a new light, and make you fall in love with this wonderful tale. Hot patootie, bless my soul! The sci-ﬁ comedy cult classic, The Rocky Horror

Picture Show, returns to the big screen for Halloween. A campy, musical spoof of the classic haunted-castle horror, this 1975 flick is filled with memorable characters and songs that everybody knows and loves. Sweethearts Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon) get a flat tire in the middle of a storm. They discover they’ve broken down just outside a spooky mansion, and decide to go in to ask for some help. There, they meet Dr Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), a mad scientist who leads them down an intriguing path. As the pair lose their innocence, Brad and Janet meet a range of crazy characters, including Eddie, a rocking biker (Meatloaf) and Riff Raff (Richard O’Brien, who also wrote the film). Through a series of incredibly catchy song and dance numbers, Frank-NFurter reveals his latest experiment, ‘the secret to life itself ’ – Rocky (Peter Hinwood). Disorder ensues as Janet and Brad spiral further into Frank-N-Furter’s chaotic life. An absolute classic, it’s a treat to see it on the big screen. With epic performances from the entire cast, but especially from Tim Curry, it’s an incredibly fun watch. A chaotic, quirky and charming ride, you need to see this film at least once in your life. Sophie-Claire McLeod is duty and marketing manager at The Little Theatre, 1–2 St Michael’s Place; 01225 466822; www.picturehouses.co.uk

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FOOD & DRINK S N A P S H O T S O F B AT H ’ S F O O D S C E N E

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Home-cooked, artisan products made by renowned chefs? I don’t know about anyone else, but to us, that sounds like a dream – one that the newly launched Freshford FoodCo has made a reality. Started by a group of foodie friends with a shared mission for quality and sustainability, they are selling a range of sensational charcuterie, burgers and hot dogs, enormous hearty pies and sausage rolls as well as cakes, drinks and condiments – all delivered to your door whenever you choose. They’ve chosen a small-batch style of cooking that enables them to source products seasonally and support the local rural community – with the added bonus they know exactly what goes into everything they make. They are open now for online customers and a range of restaurants, cafés and shops. For more: www.freshfordfoodco.com sales@freshfordfoodco.com

Mmm... awards make pizza taste better

CAN’T BE TOPPED Bath Pizza Co is a finalist at the National Pizza Awards. Yep, being the judge of the awards does sound like the best job ever. Anyway, selection was based on level of mastery of the pizza basics – dough and what have you – and the unique toppings and touches that make each nominee special. It goes without saying Bath Pizza Co scored highly. During the initial rounds, The Green Park Station-based pizza joint were highly praised for the overall quality of their pizza, creativity, flavours and aesthetics. For the final, chef Tiv will be heading up to London to compete head-to-head with chefs from other leading pizzerias – both indie and chain. Best of luck!

For more: www.bathpizzaco.com

Bandook Pani puri

KEEP CALM AND CURRY ON

Made with love

There’s a new restaurant opening at Milsom Place. Bandook Indian Kitchen, a Wapping Warf stalwart, is opening its doors in Bath this autumn. With simple but sophisticated interiors inspired by the Hindustani cafés where the British and Indian army used to eat together, Bandook will offer all-day dining, seven days a week. Signature dishes like Grandma’s curry, samosa chaat and melting peshwari lamb cutlets have got us seriously excited for our first visit. “I’ve been in the restaurant business all my life and I’ve always wanted to create a street food concept,” says director Moe Rahman. “Now that Bandook Bristol is firmly established, we’re really looking forward to expanding the concept and the next chapter in the beautiful city of Bath.” For more: www.bandookkitchen.com

Bandook Grandma’s curry

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FOOD & DRINK

“Ultimately, it’s all about respecting natural systems ” anxiety. As a consequence I started learning about Permaculture Design, a sort of whole-systems look at sustainable living, which eventually, after living/working on a few farms, led me to organic farming. What do you love about it?

The fact that you can get higher quality produce, with a lower environmental impact than going shop-bought, and that you improve your ability to self-determine.

More than ‘just a field of salad mix’

TAKE 5 Unless you frequent the canal

on dog walks, you may not know about Undercliff Urban Farm, tucked away down a side path. A hidden gem, it’s packed with a range of delicious organic veg, carefully raised by farmer Nat Cross Tell us about the farm – where are you based?

The original site, Undercliff Urban Farm, is nestled between the canal and the railway, off a path that connects the canal to the rear of London Road. This season I’ve started getting a new plot under production just off Bailbrook Lane on Solsbury Hill, too. What are you growing?

Quite a variety. My small scale – under a quarter of an acre currently – limits my selection a little in terms of what I can justify growing on a time/yield/cost axis. I’ve always grown more than just salads, the most lucrative crop

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for small scale production, as the thought of a field of salad mix is a bit boring... This will be my first winter under production and the selection will narrow to green, so things like spinach, Tat Soi, mustard greens, as well as the eggs from our hens and ducks. So, has growing your own vegetables always been a passion of yours?

I hadn’t grown anything until I was about 19, when I haplessly raised a tomato plant. At the time I realised I knew nothing about how food was produced, which, in conjunction with a variety of other factors, caused me a lot of

You mention environmental impact – talk to us about that

I think ultimately it’s about respecting natural systems that are always slightly beyond our comprehension. For me, farming systems that are sustainable work primarily towards building healthy soil, thereby preserving the ability of that soil to provide us with food going into the future, and minimising the externalities of production, e.g. carbon footprints, pesticide contamination, habitat destruction, etc. How does no-dig farming play into the sustainability thing?

No-dig is an ever more popular growing methodology – the British guru is a fellow named Charles Dowding, who’s worth a watch on YouTube. It involves not inverting soil structure in the production process. There’s evidence to suggest it’s good for soil health and, at the very least, it removes an apparently unnecessary step in the process – i.e. digging/rotavating the soil. Lay it out for us: why is it more sustainable to buy locally grown veg?

Re-localising food supply reduces dependence on non-renewable energy, both in production and supply. On a broader platform it’s a way of taking responsibility for your existence – you can be much closer to the production, and better engaged with what the consequences of that production are. A globalised food system that leverages profit as the primary

economic good is much less accountable, and much more likely to cause damage in the pursuit of its goal. We’ve heard growing can be as tricky as it is rewarding, though. What are some of the particular problems you face?

Access has always been an issue at Undercliff – there’s no road in! But I’ve become adept at strapping things to my bicycle. Up on Solsbury Hill, the new site I’ve recently started work on, there are some of the foulest perennial weeds around, which has led me to cover most of the plot with a tarpaulin this season to kill them off. We noticed you have some other products on sale – bread especially – where does that come from?

My old mate Charlie started baking organic sourdough a few years back. His bakery, Pistrina, is located on the outskirts of Bristol. And you sell eggs, too. Is it a challenge to raise the birds in the same place as the produce? We have heard chickens can be a bit destructive...

The sunnier months sees them pasturing in a solar powered, moveable fence set-up, in the winter they shift into one of the polytunnels. I haven’t had them come close to the veg, but even if they did, I already have to net 90 per cent of the crops to keep off voracious wild birds that live locally. Finally, how can people buy from you?

At the moment I sell only from Undercliff – Saturdays 9am till 1pm, and pre-order collections on Tuesday 4.30-7pm via our website. However I’m set to change things up soon for the winter months. Undercliff Urban Farm is tucked in between the Canal and the Railway, along the footpath that joins Hampton Row to Grosvenor Bridge Road; www.undercliffurbanfarm.co.uk

CAPPADOCIA

Bath’s latest restaurant – and cocktail bar – is the perfect place for a taste of the Mediterranean By Harriet Noble

verlooking Pulteney weir is the newest addition to the local restaurant scene, Cappadocia. You’ll know the spot – it’s where Marmaris used to be. There was, deservedly, quite a bit of affection for Marmaris; it served up great Turkish food, had been open for 29 years, and was often the cheap and cheerful place to go to after a jar or two in town. It was, it has to be said, a little down at heel in the looks department. While Marmaris is no more, the new restaurant is serving up cuisine from the same part of the globe, (they are describing it as Turkish-Mediterranean) and of the three chaps who own Cappadocia, two of them had links with the old restaurant.

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Mehmet, one of the new owners and the restaurant manager worked at the old restaurant for over nine years and Erdal (also known fondly by the regular customers as Eddie) was and is one of the chefs. These two, along with the other co-owner Mr Tunc, liked the friendly atmosphere and food of Marmaris but could see the place needed a massive revamp. And that’s exactly what’s been done. Gone is the exposed counter and unflattering lighting; it’s now all deep green walls with gold touches, comfy velvety sofa chairs, giant artwork on the walls, chandeliers and floral motifs. As my date and I sit down for the evening, we look at the menu and I remember why I am always in my happy place in Turkish restaurants – the dips. I love dips with an unbridled passion; they are, to me, the best part of

RESTAURANT

any foodie gathering and there’s loads here on the starter menu. But which to choose? Our lovely waitress for the evening, and bar manager, Annis recommends the mixed cold meze so we go for this. What arrives is eight little dishes – I say little, the portions were huge – and they include vine leaves, fried aubergine and the following dips: hummus, tzatziki, pilaki, taramasalata, and a trusted basket of warm bread. Mediterranean scents of mint, garlic and lemon waft up our nostrils and we wade in: tearing bread, dipping in, mopping up. The dishes are all delicious and the dips are supremely more-ish; the stand-out one for more being the garlicky tzatziki. For mains I opt for the lamb musakka, which turns out to be a smart choice for a slightly chilly autumnal evening. The heartiness of the tender lamb cooked in spices, smoked aubergine, creamy sauce and cheese is so absolutely comforting. It’s not the first time I think to myself: why do we go crazy for lasagne; clearly, it’s all about musakka. My dining partner is equally happy – he’s digging into the mixed grilled kebab, which is a mountain of lamb chops, chicken and lamb shish, chicken wings and kofte. When he finally comes up for air he tells me, succinctly, it is ‘really good’ and ‘meaty’. No kidding. For pudding, there are the traditional options you’d expect, like baklava, but still feeling the autumn vibe we share the apple crumble and ice cream, which is yummy. When I quickly quick nip upstairs to the loo (do check out the beautiful mosaic tiles when you’re there) I have a nosey around the other rooms: there’s the new addition of a cocktail bar now, Bar Cappa. Again, it looks great with rich dark colours, dimmed lighting and showstopper views out across Pulteney weir and bridge – perfect for a date night or a drink with friends. Back downstairs scanning the restaurant before we leave, lots of the diners and members of staff are chatting to each other; it’s a noticeably relaxed, unpretentious and friendly atmosphere. It is more upmarket, for sure, but thankfully it’s not got posh, expensive or haughty. The spirit of Marmaris lives on, with very decent nosh – and much better interiors. n

“Why do we go crazy for lasagne; clearly, it’s all about musakka”

DINING DETAILS Cappadocia, 4 Newmarket Row, Bath BA2 4AN; 01225 461946; www.capparestaurant.co.uk We ate mixed cold meze for one (but it was more than enough for two people); lamb musakka; mixed grill kebab; apple crumble with ice cream Prices starters £4.95-£6.95; main courses £10.95-£17.95; desserts £4.45-£6.25 Drinks Along with a wide variety of wines and beers, there’s an extensive cocktail menu Service/atmosphere Friendly, informal What else? Cocktail bar upstairs with one of the best views overlooking Pulteney weir

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NEW YEAR’S EVE BALL AT T H E RO M A N BAT H S A N D P U M P R O O M 7. 45pm – 1. 30 a m Pump Room: £150 | Terrace: £135 | Reception Hall: £127.50 | Kingston Room: £110

Count down to 2020 in spectacular style! Dust off your finest suit and bring out that ballgown – join us at the Roman Baths and Pump Room for an unforgettable start to the New Year! Begin the evening with a sparkling reception around the torch-lit Roman Baths, before moving upstairs for an indulgent five-course dinner with half a bottle of wine, followed by live music and midnight celebrations.

Buy tickets now at: searcys-bath.designmynight.com For more information, call 01225 444477

SHOPPING LIVE WELL, BUY BETTER

CARRY ON REGARDLESS If you lead the kind of life where you need to carry a lot of stuff around, a rucksack is an essential. Those monster handbags may look chic, but they’ll play havoc with your shoulders and you’ll invariably knock someone out when you do a 180 in Boots. But rucksacks can be a bit lacking on the stylish front. Not so with this lovely piece. The lightweight backpack in question is from GalelBags, a company set up by Bath resident Eleni Galanti. A self-taught textile bag maker, Eleni designs and produces these wonders from her home. The exterior fabric is upholstery cotton canvas, for those inevitable rainy days, and the interior is super soft cotton. It has an off-white horse-hair tassel, two internal slip pockets and comes in a range of colours.

This GalelBag rucksack is £58.50 and can be purchased on www.etsy.com

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SET OF MERMAID IMAGES, £17.50 Mermaids have gone a bit cute in recent years – so all hail these creepy vintage illustrations. Perfect for the visitors’ loo or to hang above the bath From Bath-based brightbluestar on www.etsy.com

HELLO DARKNESS MY OLD FRIEND…

With a nod to Halloween, here are some to-die-for black goodies to get you in the mood

MINOU, STEEL CAT SHAPED PURSE HOOK, £17.50 Hang your purse, hat, or dressing gown on this curly cat tail From Quadri of Bath; 16 Milsom Place, Milsom Street; www.quadri.co.uk

GOTHIC HAIR FASCINATOR, £23.99 This retro mini percher is the ultimate accessory for any occasion, be it a glamorous funeral or a night-time walk under a full moon From Bath-based GothicDivaDesignsUK on www.etsy.com

AVALON BLACK SUEDE BOOTS, £110 These stylish slip on boots will be your go-to footwear this autumn, whether you’re oﬃce or pub bound From DuoBoots; 33 Milsom Street, Bath; www.duoboots.com

BLACK STAR HAIR CLIPS, £4 It doesn’t need to be Halloween for you to rock these cutesy/creepy hair accessories From from Bath-based Saidlucy on www.etsy.com

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ED’S CHOICE THREE BLACK CROWS, PRICES START AT £115 These crows will provide a great double-take moment when visitors come round for a cuppa From Graham and Green; 92 Walcot Street, Bath; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

CHARCOAL GREY SCARF WITH GOLD STARS, £34.99 An elegant charcoal grey wool scarf, embellished with glistening gold stars, brought to you from Vinegar Hill’s own brand Cocoa Bean From Vinegar Hill; 16 Milsom Street; Bath; www.vinegarhill.co.uk

HOW TO BE A MODERN WITCH, £12.99 One reader on Amazon described this book as, “A wonderfully written modernized guide for any witch, whether it be a beginner or someone well practiced.” Well, there you go From Anthropologie, 1-4 New Bond Street, Bath; www.anthropologie.com THE KANSAS WALLET, £65 Handmade in Spain from 100 per cent leather , this woven wallet is a keeper From Bibico; 9A Bartlett Street, Bath; www.bibico.co.uk

COOKBOOK STAND, £40 When you’re stirring your cauldron and mixing up your potions this cast iron cookbook stand will be a lifesaver From Robert Welch Studio Shop; 6 Broad Street, Bath; www.robertwelch.com

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FASHION

Fashion forward Update your wardrobe with these Autumnal looks

By Calypso Sheaf

Crushed silk shirt; £295; www.carolewaller.co.uk

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hen we got in touch with the local boutiques keen to learn what was on-trend this season in the word of fashion, we were lambasted with a ﬂurry of beautiful images that all screamed vibrancy. Yes, there were lots of autumn shades, as you’ll see below, but there were also lively prints, out-there fabrics; standing out from the crowd and a general feeling of optimism are most deﬁnitely in.

3 1

RED RED WINE

We couldn’t do an autumn fashion feature without including all the lovely shades this season brings. Reds, oranges, purples – there’s something about these deep rich colours that feels so comfortable on the skin as well as luxurious. Find the shade that suits you best, mix with a dash of rouge on the cheeks and you’re good to go.

SHOPPING LIST

1. Cassie bird-embroidered headband, £34; Anthropologie; Bond Street; www.anthropologie.com 2. Janet suede bucket bag, £136; Anthropologie; Bond Street; www.anthropologie.com 3. Painted silk blouse, £275; Carole Waller; Abbey Green; www.carolewaller.co.uk 4. Burgundy suede boots, £180; DuoBoots; Milsom Street; www.duoboots.com 5. Rundholz cropped cardigan, £199; Blue; Bartlett Street; www.bluewomensclothing.co.uk 6. Samsoe & Samsoe knit, £120; available at Maze Clothing; Green Street; www.mazeclothing.co.uk

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FASHION 1

BE BOLD

“There is a wonderful, eclectic, colourful energy around at the moment – and glorious clashes of colour invite fresh individual style,” says Carole Waller of Waller and Wood. If you’re not feeling brave enough to go for the clashing colours, you can keep it simple instead. “An overriding style suggestion for all colours is to opt for one colour from head to toe, which is of course easy when it comes to getting dressed yet proves very effective,” says Samantha Mickleburgh from DuoBoots.

MAD ABOUT METALLIC

Metallics are a striking look for sure, but they’re also a surprisingly easy look to pull off. Team with black for a strong ensemble piece.

SHOPPING LIST

1. Metallic silver boots with buckle straps, £255; Blue; Bartlett Street; www. bluewomensclothing.co.uk 2. Lurdes Bergada coated trousers in Silver, £189; Blue; Bartlett Street www. bluewomensclothing.co.uk 3. Olive Cooper silver clutch, £140; Rossiters of Bath; www.rossitersofbath.com

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SHOPPING LIST

1. Samsoe & Samose Delaun Trousers, £110; available at Maze Clothing; Green Street; www.mazeclothing.co.uk 2. Bonne Maison mountain socks, £16; available at Maze Clothing; Green Street, Bath; www.mazeclothing.co.uk 3. Yellow and orange headbands, £13 each, Rossiters of Bath; Broad Street; www.rossitersofbath.com 4. Ledger scarf by Carole Waller, £195; Abbey Green; www.carolewaller.co.uk 5. Pleated velvet skirt, £98; Anthropologie; Bond Street, Bath; www.anthropologie.com

Staircase silk organza blouse; £275; Carole Waller; www.carolewaller.co.uk

GOTHIC FLORALS

“The Gothic florals trend is one which wholeheartedly shies away from the traditional bright colours of botanical prints typically reserved for the warmer months, and instead shows a darker colour palette of moody blooms.” Samantha Mickleburgh, Duoboots Floral boots, £160, DuoBoots; www.duoboots.com

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FASHION 3

DRESSING UP

Lots of blue, lots of velvet and lots of colour: this is the palette for the dresses this season. These dresses are designed to take you from casual day wear to night-time fun and, praise be, four of them have got sleeves.

SHOPPING LIST

1. Sessun longdance dress in moon, £235; available at Maze Clothing; Green Street; www.mazeclothing.co.uk 2. Ledger stones: painted silk velvet devore dress by Carole Waller, £695; Abbey Green; www.carolewaller.co.uk 3. XD Xenia design metallic evening dress, £359, Blue; Bartlett Street; www.bluewomensclothing.co.uk 4. Tina tencel tunic dress, £89; Bibico; Bartlett Street; www.bibico.co.uk 5. Adair velvet-trimmed midi dress, £148, Anthropologie; Bond Street; www.anthropologie.com 6. Dot: painted silk crepe dress by Carole Waller; £450; Abbey Green; www.carolewaller.co.uk

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

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ONE TO ONE

HOT GOSSIP

Once a Britpop party animal and tabloid darling, Meg Mathews has started making very different headlines: as the country’s leading menopause activist and advisor. Now she’s coming to Bath, as part of Walcot House’s Big Hot Menopause Night on 7 November

By Matt Bielby

t doesn’t seem long ago that Meg Mathews was a fixture of the red-tops. Wife to Noel Gallagher, pal to Kate Moss and Sadie Frost, she was Queen Bee of the Primrose Hill set, a woman forever caught draped over her buddies in the tabs or standing, slightly more demure, in bare legs and denim jacket on the Vogue society pages. “But then, in 2017, I started getting these strange feelings,” she tells me. She’s coming to Bath in November, with a very different medication regime in mind. “I thought I’d hit a mid-life crisis, that my ’90s partying had caught up with me. Or could this odd collection of symptoms be, I wondered, something to do with my mental health? They were certainly nothing like I’d ever heard about the menopause.” But menopause they were, and Meg suddenly found her life taking a new focus. “The basic version of what everyone thinks happens is you stop having your period and might get a hot flush, but that’s not what happened with me. I felt terrible anxiety, I didn’t want to leave the house. There was no hot flush, and I had no idea if my periods were stopping or not – I used the Mirena coil, so I didn’t bleed anyway. I was totally confused.” The truth, though, seems obvious in retrospect: Meg was going through something

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every woman on the planet goes through – around 13 million in the UK alone, she says, at any one time – and she didn’t understand it. More frighteningly, hardly anyone else seemed to either. And the symptoms for everyone, Meg suspects, are getting worse. “Everything’s conspiring against us,” she says. “Pollution, 4G, Brexit, the cost of living, the rain forests burning down – it all means

happens to every single woman. I’ve never got my head around why we talk about periods and pregnancy in schools, but never mention the menopause. Why is nobody preparing us for what’s going to happen to us?” Well, not quite nobody. There’s now Meg, with her website, Meg’s Menopause; less than two years old, it’s been a massive hit, and turned Meg into the somewhat unlikely face and voice of the menopause in the UK, and a dedicated campaigner through newspaper features and daytime TV.

“Our lives are so much more stressful than our grandmothers’ were. And there aren’t always older women around to help” our lives are so much more stressful than our grandmothers’ were. And these days there aren’t always older women around to help. My own mum passed away five years ago this August, for instance, so I basically had no-one to speak to.” Really? Has life actually got that much worse? “It seems to me that it has. It certainly isn’t as easy as it used to be in the ’80s and ’90s, which were brilliant.” Hanging out with movie stars in Primrose Hill, maybe… “But whoever you are, whatever you are, the big thing with the menopause is that we don’t talk about it – and we should, because it

Is the tide turning on this, do you think? Are we finally starting to learn how to talk about the menopause a little more?

We are – but because I’m a celebrity, people still find it funny. They say, ‘Oh, look at her, she’s lost her libido, she’s all dried up, she’s over the hill.’ But I can take it. Not many would want to become the face of the menopause, maybe, but I’ve found it somehow empowering. I’m certainly more comfortable talking about it now, in my fifties, than I ever would have been in my twenties or my thirties. After all, what have I got to lose, really?

Meg Mathews: once the face of hip Primrose Hill, now bringing her message to the British everywoman

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Meg’s MM range is subtle enough that you can pop ’em in your shopping bag and nobody will notice, she says – and cheap enough that your partner won’t question the cost, either

So are you all the way through the menopause yourself now?

Out the other side, though I’ll keep taking Hormone Replacement Therapy until I’m 99. I take testosterone, progesterone and oestrogen – and feel great, actually. I’ve got my energy back, and life is practically normal again. I say ‘practically’, because I still get days when I don’t feel as good, or can’t sleep at night. But there are ways to cope with that too – often as basic as eating healthily, and drinking lots of water. Basically, looking after yourself. Do that, and you’ll feel like you’re 25 again…

Not quite! When I was young I had such an easy ride. I never had a heavy period or period pain, never took a day off games. I was never all ‘kill your boyfriend’ with PMS. I gave birth in an hour and 15 minutes, then got up and had a shower. But in your early fifties it all changed.

God said, ‘Here you go’ – and floored me. I didn’t leave the house for three months; I told everyone I had glandular fever. There are around 30 known symptoms of the menopause, and I had 27 of them. My quality

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of life went completely downhill. You put on weight, you have no energy, and the thought of going to the gym makes you sick. So what should women do? Go along to see their GP?

Yes, of course – but remember, they may not know a great deal about the menopause

Hardly any are the same. And while it’s true that some HRTs are running out, others aren’t – and you can usually swap over, though women don’t always know this. My favourites are the ones you rub into the skin, as there’s no danger of it going into the liver and causing clotting. They help with the libido, help you become more active – but using testosterone doesn’t mean you’re going to turn into a man. You’re taking just the tiniest amount. Some women can’t use HRT for medical reasons, and I feel so sorry for them – but if you can, you probably should. Millions of women are suffering right now when they don’t need to.

“When I was young I had such an easy ride. Then God said, ‘Here you go’ – and floored me” either. I’d suggest finding a menopause expert, and doing your own research. It doesn’t help, of course, that we get so much conflicting information: first we’re told HRT might cause cancer, then we’re told it doesn’t, then there’s a scare again… It means I’m very careful about commenting on things – I won’t do it until I’m 100 per cent certain. Part of the problem seems to be that everyone’s menopause story is different…

Does it feel like talking about the menopause has become your life?

I definitely think, ‘This is what I should be doing’ – far more than I ever did with my interior design, or the other stuff I did. This seems important – and partly because I’ve found I have a voice, and am being listened to. People always want to talk to the celebrity rather than the expert, but I’ve made sure I’m backed up by a solid panel of medical women. When there’s something I don’t know, I go straight to people like Dr Louise Newson, an amazing menopause specialist, to find out.

ONE TO ONE What are the most important things you can do to help?

My diary’s fully booked into 2020, five days a week, talking with the press or going into big companies and explaining ways to manage the menopause with their staff. I’ve done talks at the Foreign Office twice now. There might be 3,000 women in an organisation, none of them knowing if and when their periods will come. Some might need a quiet space, some might be about to make a presentation and feel overwhelmed or have a hot flush – the idea is to make it all seem as normal as possible. Women find they’ve worked their whole lives to get to a certain place – then suddenly don’t want any more promotions, because they don’t feel they can take it on. The menopause is one thing for rich, successful women to deal with, surely, and another for everyone else…?

Which is why I do everything on the NHS – I never use private clinics – and why my range of MM products is pitched to be accessible too. Only a small percentage of people can pay for a £700 blood test at Harley Street.

Everything I do, and everything I talk about, the whole nation can afford. That’s why you won’t find my stuff in Selfridges or Harvey Nichols or Space NK, but you will find it in Boots and Superdrug and Tesco. I’m not so much interested in the three million who could maybe afford Harley Street – I want to help the other 10 million, too. MM is growing into quite a range, isn’t it?

Some products are specifically for the menopause, but others are for more general vaginal health. Keeping the PH balance of your vagina is so important, because it’s a membrane, yet your body almost abandons it during the menopause; it decides you no longer need to be moist down there. Back in the olden days, if I was living in a tribe of cave people, nobody – not nature and certainly not the other cave people – would want me running around as an old women, trying to fornicate with all the bold young warriors. They’d rather I sat back, giving out herbs and advice and looking after the children. But because we’re living longer and have better lifestyles, you and I might have other ideas – and that’s why I

made my own lubricant! Nobody wants to pay £45 for expensive lube, so mine’s just £10. How do men feel about all this?

At first they laugh, or don’t want to know. But actually, once you get them talking about the menopause, there’s a lot of interest. They start thinking about their wives, their mums, their sisters – and what they went through, or will go through. What are you still surprised that women don’t know?

Well, I thought I was a woman of the world and knew everything – but I had no idea, for instance, about the three basic stages: perimenopause, menopause, then postmenopause. From your early forties you might have weeks when you feel off or tearful, and you think it’s just holiday blues – but that’s perimenopause. Then you have a stage where your periods are all over the place – one every three months, maybe – and that’s the menopause. It can go on for years. The last one is postmenopause, which is when you’ve not had a period for 12 months. Typically people start going through the menopause around age 51, but one in a hundred women starts between 40 and 45. I’ll stand in front of a room of 300 women and ask who knows this, and maybe five hands will go up. What will Big Hot Menopause Night be like in Bath? It looks like there are comedy and medical segments, then you come on at the end…

I like to start off by telling my own personal story, but I also like to leave plenty of time for a good long Q&A session, because women are almost always dying to ask questions. I try to give them tips and places to go, but part of it’s just about having someone to talk to. In fact, I’m keen to get something going like a Weight Watchers for the menopause, where like-minded women go along to the village hall once a week and support each other. A lot of what I do is just about sharing and talking. And the more we do that, the easier it will get for everyone?

I want the taboos and the stigma to go. We’ve made such strides with LGBTQ and mental health issues, so I’m now starting to lobby government to pay more attention to the menopause. We need more training for GPs, bringing them all up to date on best thinking, but we also need more nurses in the local surgery who are specifically trained in the menopause. And we need to be more vocal ourselves. We need to complain more if we’re not being given the right help! n

Amongst the lesser known menopause symptoms, Meg says, are dental problems, joint pain and electric shocks

Meg Mathews is headlining Big Hot Menopause Night at Walcot House on 7 November. For more, eventbrite.co.uk; www.megsmenopause.com; www.walcothousebath.com

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BEAUTY ANÉ AURET

Get your autumn glow Just because the weather is a bit dull, it doesn’t mean your skin and hair have to be. ANÉ reveals her tips for staying radiant over the next few months

entral heating can affect your skin barrier and cause dehydration, increased sensitivity and irritation – a distant relative to plump, glowing summer skin. So when October rolls around we need a little extra skin TLC. Try not to think of it as a chore but rather delight in it as we do when we get a new pair of autumn boots. Plus, if you lay the foundations now, you’ll segue way beautifully into party season and will be able to focus on all the glittery eye shadows rather than all the cover up! (more on how to get head-to-toe Christmas party ready next month.) So here are my top tips for an autumnal glow to rival your very best skin in August.

rays: UVA and UVB. UVA rays penetrate the deepest and are responsible for premature signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles, pigmentation and sagging skin. UVB rays are responsible for causing sunburn. UVB rays are a little weaker during the winter months and we don’t get sunburn as easily, but UVA rays can cut through glass and cloud cover (up to 70-80 per cent), and are strong all year round. Make sure to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB. Wearing sunscreen every day, no matter the weather, is really the best possible anti ageing investment you can make and keep your skin protected. Remember to reapply when out and about and don’t forget your hands, neck and ears.

Don’t skip the sunscreen

Supercharge your head-to-toe hydration

While skin is at its most vulnerable during the summer months, it’s at risk of sun damage all year round. That’s mainly because there are two types of Ultraviolet

Keeping your skin barrier healthy is crucial all year round, but even more so during the colder, harsher weather months. Hydration,

“Wearing sunscreen every day, no matter the weather, is really the best possible anti ageing investment”

inside and out is key in setting up a solid full body skin care routine as we’re transitioning into winter. Here are five ways you can boost your skin hydration and protect your skin barrier 1) Hydrating serum boost Add a serum with hyaluronic acid (a moisture-binding ingredient that helps keep skin hydrated and plump) between your cleansing and moisturising steps. Serums are thinner in consistency than creams and contain a potent concentration of active ingredients to pack a punch and target specific skin concerns. 2) Switch up your light-weight moisturiser for something richer such as a ceramide rich cream. Ceramides (lipids that help form the skin’s barrier and help retain moisture) aid in protecting the skin’s barrier. 3) Radiance Boosting Face Oils Naturally rich in essential fatty acids, plant-based face oils can help re-hydrate dry skin, assist the skin barrier and help to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 4) Hydrating Sheet Masks An intensive weekly mask can boost moisture levels and leave skin soft and smooth. 5) H2O is also for all year-round It may feel easier to drink plenty of water during summer, but it’s still as important in the colder

months. Stay hydrated and your whole body will reap the benefits. Embrace Exfoliation

Exfoliation is not only the fake tan girl’s best friend. Regularly exfoliating during the colder months can go a long way to help skin go from good to glow and bring back radiance and clarity. Clearing away dead, dull and dry skin improves texture, softens lines and prepares your skin for the rest of your skincare products. The key to exfoliation is to choose the right type of exfoliation for you, start slow and not overdo it. Skip the harsh scrubs that could cause irritation and instead opt for a kinder liquid exfoliator. There are many good at-home options these days, or you may want to invest in a series of professional peels this time of year while the risk of sun damage is a little lower. Dermaplaning (professionally done manual exfoliation using a medical grade scalpel to shave off the top layer of skin) is another great option to keep your complexion fresh. I tried this earlier in the year, and am definitely planning a repeat session very soon.

Ané Auret is a self-confessed beauty obsessive and founder of Bath-based skincare brand Ané. Learn more at www.beautybyane.com and follow her on Instagram @beauty_by_ane

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Meet the garden expert The green-fingered folk on hand to help your garden reach its potential

ROSIE NOTTAGE

JIM PENALIGGON

ROSIE NOTTAGE GARDEN DESIGN 07967 316259; rosienottage.com What do you most enjoy about gardening in Bath? Our slopes and listed buildings mean that planting is often enjoyed with a view and against a beautiful wall. Both also create challenges, which means designing gardens here can be especially interesting and keeps us on our toes. What’s your favourite local garden open to the public? The Courts Gardens in Holt. There are lots of different areas to explore and it works in all seasons, though it’s especially lovely in spring. If you could give one bit of advice to garden owners what would it be? Live in your garden for at least a year before you change it, so you can get a feel for where you are most at ease, where the sun lands and how the garden changes through the seasons. Its easy to get carried away and take out gems that you didn’t know you had. Describe your style as a gardener… I like to work with an already established garden and edit and curate as much as I like to start from scratch. A good design is one that you can’t see. If there is anything you can see in the garden it should be the client’s personality, not the designer’s, so I hope that my gardens all reflect the people in them rather than have a particular style.

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Rosie Nottage

Jim Penaliggon

What do you most enjoy about gardening in Bath? We count ourselves extremely fortunate to be working in such a glorious landscape at properties in and around the city of Bath. There is a rich history of gardening in this area from the Georgian era to the present day, which provides us with a diverse range of outdoor spaces to work on and maintain. What is your favourite part of the job? Meeting and working with our clients and delivering their vision – whether it’s creating something new or providing routine maintenance, our clients always end up with an outdoor area they are proud of and enjoy spending time in. We relish new enquiries as no two gardens or clients are the same, so we don’t know what next we’ll be faced with, which is fun! What’s the biggest mistake that can be made with a garden? Leaving seasonal tasks too late may mean your gardener has to do reactive gardening instead of proactive gardening. Every season requires you to take a certain course of action to get the most out of your space. Forward planning enables you to manage your garden most efficiently with your gardener, ensuring it is the best it can be throughout every season of the year.

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01225 428072; www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk What trends do you think spring 2020 will see in gardening? More colour. The growing momentum in the home towards bolder colour choices will start to see itself being replicated in the garden; expect to see more of the hotter colours being combined with purples and blues. I think we’ll also see larger leafed, more exoticlooking plants being used to greater effect, taking their inspiration from the growing trend towards the houseplant indoors. What’s your favourite local garden open to the public? The gardens of Hauser and Wirth in Bruton. I’m a huge fan of Piet Oudolf’s work, both here and further afield. His naturalistic planting schemes are both playful and romantic, whilst his plant selections are really robust too. Describe your style as a gardener... I don’t like to impose any particular style on a client; preferring instead to work to their personal tastes and the style of their home. As well as ensuring a consistent look throughout, this also makes the job more fun for us – we get to work on a range of styles from ultracontemporary to the more classic, traditional feel.

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Nick Woodhouse

Kristian Reay

Describe your style as a designer? Modernism, with a sense of romance. Although every project is different, my designs often feature a combination of formal structural planting, fragrant perennials and ornamental grasses, all set within a framework of finely detailed, crisp, hard landscaping. As a designer I want to have a positive impact, not only for the people enjoying the garden but also environmentally. I aim to integrate environmental considerations into my designs by ethically sourcing natural stone, considering water use and irrigation in the garden and providing sources of food for birds and pollinating insects throughout the year. Which accomplishment has made you proudest? Winning the RHS Young Designer of the Year 2019 award at Tatton Park this year was such an amazing achievement. The whole experience was a bit of a whirlwind and it was so surreal to see Jo Wiley stood in my garden presenting the BBC coverage of the show! What is your favorite part of the job? Planting, that’s the moment when the project really starts to sing and you know that you have created something special.

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