Bath Life – Issue 451 by MediaClash

TAKE ME

ISSUE 451 / 27 AUGUST – 9 SEPTEMBER 2021 / £3

RISE THROUGH THE RANKS

THE BEST BREADS IN BATH

IN A FASHION

STYLE TO FALL FOR THIS AUTUMN

TEAM BATH’S 10 GLORIOUS OLYMPIC MEDALS

ISSUE 451 / 27 AUGUST – 9 SEPTEMBER 2021 / WE’RE RUNNING UP THAT HILL

DESIGN FOR LIFE

EXPERTS ON FURNITURE FAVOURITES

ROBUN IN THE HOOD

THE NEW JAPANESE-INSPIRED RESTAURANT WOWING BATH

HEALING LANDS

THE THERAPEUTIC POWERS OF BATH CITY FARM

SPICE AND ALL THINGS NICE

THE NEW YAK YETI YAK RANGE

LINE OF VISION EXPLORE AN ELEGANT SION HILL PLACE HOME

PLUS YEO VALLEYʼS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW EXHIBIT / A NEW LIFE IN BATH FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES / JANE AUSTEN AT NO1 ROYAL CRESCENT

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Hill Place (page 74) above: Going for gold (page 35)

here’s just a hint of it in the air isn’t there – that waft of positivity. On the horizon we can see the shimmer of a glimmer of hope. It feels like we are nearly out of the tunnel now thanks to vaccines, testing, and the NHS. Adding to the uplifted, spirits raised, vibe, is what’s been happening on our doorstep, and this issue is in many ways a celebration of that. There’s the Team Bath Olympians over on page 6 who brought back ten medals to the city, nine gold and one silver, out of 65 medals Great Britain won in total. On page 13 we have our social pages returning, which along with a Kaiser Chiefs gig at Bath Racecourse, and Farmfest over at Bruton, there’s the opening of the new Japanese-inspired restaurant Robun. We were also lucky enough to visit it to dine (page 32). We have positive business and property news stories aplenty (page 59 and page 72); plus we get to explore our cover star, a dream home on Sion Hill Place (page 74); there’s an inspiring interview with a local entrepreneur (page 63); gorgeous fashion features (page 38); and I think maybe one of my favourite ever Bath Lives is over on page 90, where we learn about the five Syrian refugee families who have made this city their home. Enjoy and see you in two weeks.

top: The calming and charming Sion

SARAH MOOLLA

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52 Issue 451 / 27 August – 9 September 2021

COVER Sion Hill Place, photographed by INIGO. Story over on page 74

THE ARTS

21 ARTS INTRO A new Jane Austen-themed tour 22 WHAT’S ON Theatre, music, family stuff, comedy and art

in Bath and beyond

FOOD&DRINK

29 FOOD & DRINK Always find time to fika 30 TRY 5 The best bread in town 32 RESTAURANT Japanese-infused Bath newbie Robun

SHOPPING

35 INTRO Fashionably on time with Omega 36 EDITOR’S CHOICE Going for gold 38 WOMEN’S FASHION New season looks 42 MEN’S FASHION Nick’s A/W wardrobe staples

LIFESTYLE

52 BATH CITY FARM Always growing: a photo essay 56 GARDENS Yeo Valley Farm at the Chelsea Flower Show

BUSINESS

59 BATHWORKS News, views, and interviews from our

successful local businesses

63 BIZ Q&A Hugo Morrissey of Nuisance drinks is making

nettles delicious

PROPERTY

71 PROPERTY LEAD A new report sheds light on Bath

buyer trends

72 PROPERTY NEWS Updates from the market 74 SHOWCASE An elegant, rustic and utterly enviable Sion

Hill Place property is on the market with INIGO

INTERIORS

81 STYLE COUNSEL Philippa May on creating unique

spaces with upcycled furniture

82 FURNITURE DESIGN Bath’s designers share one piece

of furniture every home needs

DEPARTMENTS

6 SPOTLIGHT A victorious homecoming for Bath’s Olympians 13 SCENE All the latest from Bath’s social scene 19 FLATLINE Flats discovers the joys of disconnection 65 GREG INGHAM Greg spends a night under the stars 90 LIVES Celebrating the five Syrian refugee families who

have made Bath their home

Editor Sarah Moolla sarah.moolla@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 Amy Bennett, David Flatman, John Mather, Philippa May, Simon Taylor and Matilda Walton Group advertising manager Pat White pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy advertising manager Justine Walker justine.walker@mediaclash. co.uk Account manager Annabel North annabel.north@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager Dan Nichols dan.nichols@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. Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help. Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk

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Tokyo 2020

GOLD STANDARD University of Bath sportspeople returned from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics victorious, with a spectacular ten medals to their names – nine gold, one silver. The gold rush began with the swimmers, when Tom Dean claimed the first gold medal in the 200m freestyle. He picked up a second gold medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay along with teammates James Guy, Calum Jarvis and Matt Richards. Meanwhile Bath student Freya Anderson nabbed her own gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay with James Guy, who won an additional silver medal in the men’s 4x100m medley relay. Pentathletes Joe Choong and Kate French picked up the University’s remaining gold medals, with Joe also laying claim to the first ever individual medal for a British man in the five-event sport with a new Olympic record, and Kate with her own Olympic points record. “We couldn’t be happier for all the athletes and we are really proud of our association with these great sportspeople. We’ve been particularly delighted over the past difficult 15 months to be able to provide them with access to training day in, day out through the elite sport ‘return to training’ protocol,” says Stephen Baddeley, director of Sport for the University of Bath. “We’re fortunate, as well as being open to the public locally, to be designated an elite training centre by UK Sport and we have excellent partnerships with the national governing bodies based here. This is a high-performance sporting environment and there’s no doubt that success breeds success. We are excited to look forward to Bath-based athletes competing at the Paralympic Games later this month, as well as the Beijing Winter Games and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022.” For more: www.teambath.com

SPOTLIGHT

this page clockwise from above: James Guy with his three medals for the 4x200m freestyle relay, mixed 4x100m medley relay and men’s 4x100m medley relay; Freya Anderson won gold for the 4x100 mixed medley relay; Joe Choong won the first individual medal for a British man in the Pentathlon

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Olympic swimmer Calum Jarvis

Kate produced a perfect clearance in the show jumping

Tom Dean with fellow Team GB swimmer Duncan Scott, who won silver in the 200m freestyle

Tom Dean picked up the first medal of the bunch in the men’s 200m freestyle, and a second in the 4x200m freestyle relay

Kate won 1,385 points for her performance, setting a new Olympic record

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Medal winning Matt Richards

Competing in the Pentathlon, Kate French won the University of Bath’s eight medal

SPOTLIGHT

ON THE WATERFRONT

There is nothing better than lounging by the water, on the water, and, if you’re feeling brave, in the water in this fine city

@lloydevansphoto

@roaminbath

@bogdan.mehedenuc85

@muskall

@anamariamnc/ @elaandhermoon

@brilliantbath

@originalwild

@paththroughbath

@wild__v

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HURRY Finalists! Your last chance for tickets!

NOTHING BEATS BEING THERE 9 SEPTEMBER 2021, ASSEMBLY ROOMS

SPONSORED CONTENT

REJUVENATE AND REVITALISE Founded in Wiltshire in 2013, REVITALISE SKINCARE CLINIC has recently opened a second clinic in the heart of Bath

ocated on St James Parade close to Southgate, Revitalise Skincare Clinic is an exclusive medical aesthetic clinic with a particular expertise in medical facial aesthetics. Their philosophy is to achieve the best results for their patients through safe, high quality services whilst always acting in their best interests. Their ability to delivering great aesthetic results whilst at all times maintaining the highest standards of patient care with their registered membership of Save Face along with the Care Quality Commission ensuring their services have been approved as safe, effective, caring and well led. Revitalise Skincare clinic is inspected regularly by CQC to make sure services meet the highest standards of quality and safety. Prior to every treatment they offer full consultations to educate their patients,discuss concerns, find out medical history and consider the most beneficial and safest treatment options.

MEET THE TEAM Arvin – CQC registered practitioner & aesthetic nurse prescriber Arvin is the founder and medical director of the Clinic. A registered general nurse with years of experience working for the NHS, during this time she developed an interest in medical aesthetics, going on to train in this area and become an independent nurse prescriber working for one of the UK’s leading cosmetic surgery practices. With a first-class reputation for her work and patient care, Arvin is highly experienced in performing a wide range of advanced medical aesthetic treatments and procedures such as non-surgical facelift with PDO threads, hollow under eye (tear trough) and dermatology treatments. Dedicated to continuing professional development and maintaining medical ethics, Arvin regularly attends world class conferences and master classes in aesthetic medicine. Clare – clinic manager & laser technician A member of the team since 2016, Clare brings over 15 years’ experience in customer service together with an extremely friendly and professional nature to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the clinic. Working alongside Arvin and preparing patients for treatments has given Clare extensive knowledge of medical aesthetics. Along with an NVQ level 3 diploma in Beauty Therapy, Clare holds

an NVQ level 4 in Laser treatments from the London College of Excellence, qualifying her to offer advanced laser hair removal services at the clinic. Clare has a passion for skincare and has trained with the world class Obagi Medical AlumierMD to add chemical peels to the treatments that she offers. Recently, Clare has trained in Medical Dermalux the multi-award winning Medical LED Phototherapy qualifying her to carry out Dermalux treatments at the clinic. Sophie – clinic administrator A member of the team since 2017, Sophie has over 15 years’ customer service experience covering our front of house and has a natural ability to liaise with patients in a professional manner whilst putting them at ease is second to none. She has exceptional treatment knowledge to advise patients fully on potential treatment options and recently trained in Medical Dermalux the multi-award winning Medical LED Phototherapy qualifying her to carry out Dermalux treatments at the clinic. Sophie has a passion for holistic therapy and wellbeing and is a qualified Holistic Practitioner with over 12 years experience within the industry. n

AVAILABLE TREATMENTS Key treatments at the clinic include:

• Wrinkle reduction injections (Botox) • Dermal fillers • Non-surgical face lift with PDO threads • Prescription skincare for acne, rosacea and hyperpigmentation • Mole and skin tag removal • Hyperhidrosis treatment (excessive sweating) • Advanced laser hair removal

Flat 1, Lombard House, St James Parade, Bath BA1 1UJ Tel: 01225 760 556 Email: info@revitaliseskincareclinic.co.uk Web: www.revitaliseskincareclinic.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 11

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 Claire Hardy and Lilly Hardy

xxxxx

Gabrielle Paxton and Jemma Davies

Andy Thomas, Neil Fortin, Marcia Wood, James Wood, Rachel Brocklehurst and Michael Cordell

Les Redwood, Tim Stacey and Colin Jupe

Nick Knowles, June Player and Roger Payne

READY TO LAUNCH

Patrycja Shameem and Mohsin Shameem

The red carpet was rolled out for the launch of Robun on George Street. Drinks flowed, canapés were sampled and the buzz of excitement filled the air. Who doesn’t love the thrill of a brandnew restaurant? Guests enjoyed samples from the Japanese-inspired menu, which includes a delectable mix of ‘Yakiniku’ (sharing plates) filled with grilled meats. seafood and vegetables infused with flavours from across Asia. We visited the restaurant to try it out for ourselves. Turn to page 32 to read the review. For more: www.robun.co.uk Photos by Soul Media www.soul-media.co.uk

Gary Pollock and Carry Pollock with Arlo

James Fisher and Alexa Volsey

Justin Prior and Lucy Prior

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Florence Mizen and Kerri Allen

Iona Fisher and Joe Clifford

Rachael Rosser and Hannah Gee Hattie Stephens and Angela Stephens

Caleb Walker and Tom Walters

Kaiser Chiefs performing at Bath Racecourse

Laura Robinson, Tom Campbell-Hill, Ellen Pragnell-Raasch, Charlie Campbell-Hill and Tim Keevil

BIG CHIEFS

Annie Kerr, Matilda Kerr, Jessica Kerr and Julie McCarthy

Having been delayed by that that shall not be named, the good time that was predicted by the Kaiser Chiefs came true on 30 July at Bath Racecourse. The ﬁve piece indie band originally from Leeds – guitarist Andrew White, bassist Simon Rix, keyboardist Nick Baines, drummer Vijay Mistry, and lead vocalist Ricky Barnett-Wilson – delivered a blistering set peppered with their many hit singles including Ruby, Everyday I Love You Less And Less, and I Predict A Riot, to a thrilled and responsive Bath audience. Photos by Chris Daw www.chrisdawphotography.com

Simon Donovan, Rose Donovan, Jake Morris, Grace Astley, Lacey Wiltshire, and Lily Walker

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

Anita Capewell, Charlotte Walker, Rosemary Capewell, Harry Capewell, Katie Walker, and Graham Walker

SOCIETY

Batala Samba Brand from Bristol Agustina Ruiz of Los Bitchos

Eno Williams Of Ibibio Sound Machine

Sequins, flags and good times Felix Bushe of Gengahr

SIMPLY THE FEST

Farmfest, which is held in Bruton, returned on 30 July to remind everyone why this no-corporate sponsorship, annual, two-day Somerset party is considered one of the most relaxed, upbeat and friendly festivals in the country. The line up was excitingly eclectic and included electronic rockers Beak>, the afro funk band Ibibio Sound Machine, superstar DJ Norman Jay MBE, and brilliantly mind-bendingly bonkers Snapped Ankle. Photos by Em Marcovecchio www.emilyanna.net / www.farmfestival.co.uk

FarmFest is the bees’ knees

That’s not how you spell YMCA

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

It’s a numbers game at Drag Queen Bingo

Somewhere in a field in Bruton

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FLAT LINE DAVID FLATMAN

Unplugged

Flats discovers that feeling of being without your phone, is off the hook

“I even took a couple of calls by mumbling into my left wrist”

got home the other night and realised that I didn’t have my phone. I didn’t realise for a good while, though, as my Apple Watch continued to alert me to incoming messages, WhatsApps and emails, and I even took a couple of calls by mumbling into my left wrist. Presumably, then, my phone was in the house somewhere, I just needed to find it. With every bag turned out onto the hall floor and my car gone through like a bricklayer’s lunchbox, I was refusing to give up. Ridiculously, I even checked the fridge and the wheelie bin out the front. Then I got a call from the pub I’d been in that afternoon and guess what, phone found. ‘We’re open till 10 if you wanna come get it,’ the nice lady offered, and that indeed seemed the obvious option. Except I said no. I told them I’d swing by at some point the next day, at which point she showed her youth by worrying about the inevitable death of my battery. The oddest thing happened as soon as I’d told her I’d leave the thing there overnight and not rush to get it: I felt my body physically relax. It wasn’t imagined. It was a real thing. I then felt a very small but very definite thrill at being without said device. We all use these things differently, but the images that popped into my head were of watching a show I’d been excited to watch (The Kominsky Method – it’s gentle and brilliant) and actually watching it, not double-screening on Rightmove or Twitter. I also thought ahead to bed time where, presumably, I’d get into bed, read my book for a while (currently reading Lamplighters and loving it) and then go to sleep. Kind of how it’s supposed to happen. No scrolling through Instagram or quickly responding to the unread chats on my WhatsApp (as I type I have 47 to address…). Just book then kip. This was how it played out, and I slept for just shy of 10 hours. I did have my laptop nearby

but was strong enough not to get it out and fire it up from its drained, lifeless state, and I also had said watch vibrating away (which was incredibly odd, I thought, as my actual phone was 12 miles away; I still do not get that at all). With my chubby but focussed right forefinger I slid and patted the watch’s little screen until it promised not to pull me in again with its tractor-beam shudderings, and peace reigned. Ding dong went the doorbell the following morning as my mate appeared on the step with my phone in his hand. Part of me was grateful for his efforts (quite how he knew I remain unsure), but another part didn’t want to see the thing again for a few hours. Now, as this odd little column comes together, I have my laptop indeed on my lap, my smart watch on my left wrist, and my smartphone on the armrest to my right, connected by a charging cable to said computer. I feel like I am wrapped in a sticky spider’s web of machines designed to keep tabs on me and to ensure no escape whatsoever from connectedness. The windows are open, a breeze is blowing, and I feel as claustrophobic as I ever have. I recently read a book called Lost Connections by Johann Hari and thought it a piece of genius. Maybe it’s this book that has seen me focus on and appreciate the connections that really matter to human beings (well this one at least), I’m not sure. But I do know that I’ve never been more connected to the outside world, and never has it been clearer to me that this isn’t a space in which I want to live my entire life. Sometimes I want to make my world much, much smaller, and leaving that phone in that pub distilled all of this perfectly for me. Time to turn off some notifications and go for a lovely slow walk. David Flatman is an ex-Bath and England rugby star turned TV pundit and rent-o-mic. You can find more Flats on Twitter @davidflatman and Instagram @ dflatman

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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

AUSTEN’S POWERS

Following the success of the new immersive experience at No1. Royal Crescent which allows visitors to see life as it was lived in Georgian Bath during the late 1700s , the team have now specially adapted the script for the upcoming Jane Austen Festival. The new tour, which runs 11 – 19 September, looks at life in the 1790-1820, (the Regency into late Georgian period), a time when Austen was writing, and for a while, living in Bath. Using the rooms of the house as inspiration, as well as passages and conversations from Austen’s novels, the experience brings to life the activities, as well as the thoughts and feelings of the people who lived then. From social climbing to gender inequality, it explores what life was like for many as one century ended and new one began. For more: www.no1royalcresecent.org.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 21

Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour bounds into Bath 8 - 9 September

WHAT’S ON 28 August 23 September

EXHIBITIONS Until 5 September

CANALETTO: PAINTING VENICE There is still time to catch this oncein-a-lifetime exhibition and enjoy and study up-close, 23 beautiful paintings that present cultural and historical themes of 18th-century Venice and also explores the artist’s life. Holburne Museum; www.holburne.org

Until 5 September

This unique exhibition celebrates the life of Adrian Ryan (1920-1998), and his friends John Minton (1917-1957) and Lucian Freud (1922-2011). In the art world of pre-war London, the three artists were friends. As ambitious ﬁgurative painters with promising career trajectories, all three explored a relaxed intimacy behind closed doors. Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk

Until 26 September

MAKING A SPLASH! This exhibition, held in the corridors of the Holburne Museum and curated by Cleveland Pools Trust, displays a range of swimming costumes through the ages, and explores the themes of health, fashion and gender to provide a visual account of the history of swimming. www.clevelandpools.org.uk

DAVID A. PARFITT 20 Miles, an exhibition of paintings and prints by the Somerset landscape artist at Black Swan Arts in Frome reﬂects on connections with nature, place and home. Most of the work – a mixture of dramatic, sometimes almost abstract, watercolours and striking monochromatic monoprints – was created during the lockdowns. www.blackswanarts.org.uk

Until 19 September

Until 7 October

FREUD, MINTON, RYAN: AN UNHOLY TRINITY

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FLIGHTS OF FANCY An exhibition by six local

Always check Covid-19 restrictions and instructions with venues before your visit

printmakers, Kate Bernstein, Dominique Coiffait, Charlotte Farmer, Polly Gough, Liz Saunders and Sarah Targett, who all make original limited edition prints using a variety of techniques. Many of them met whilst printing at Marshfield Screen Print, a local screen print studio owned by Dominique. The art work is available to buy at affordable prices with a commission paid to the RUH. www.artatruh.org

Until 31 October

Until 10 October

SHOOTING STARS: CARINTHIA WEST, BRITAIN AND AMERICA IN THE 1970S Features a collection of 63 intimate natural and lifestyle portraits of the rich and famous, including Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood, taken in the 1970s in America and the UK by journalist and photographer Carinthia West. American Museum; www.americanmuseum.org

MY KID COULD’VE DONE THAT! The Holburne Museum has staged this exhibition at The Edge arts centre at the University of Bath. It consists of brand-new work by 15 contemporary artists and their children, which then invites art lovers to determine just who created the work? Creative participants include Harriet Bowman and her son Len, Dickon Drury and son Cosmo, and Kate Owens with daughter Trudy. www.edgearts.org/ www.holburne.org

OUCH! This online exhibition draws on the themes of pain as explored by the University’s Bath Centre for Pain Research. It is made up of an interdisciplinary team who examine how pain aﬀects people’s lives. The ‘in person’ exhibition of Ouch! is now rescheduled at 44AD’s Abbey Street gallery next month. www.44ad.net

Until 31 October

Until 2022

SHOEPHORIA! Discover the fascinating evolution

WHAT’S ON a village gallery, with posters of art work fastened to railings and lampposts. www.cdarttrail.com

11 – 19 September

left: Shuya Cheng is just one of the artists whose work helps make up the Combe Down Art Trail middle: The Intimacy Stands a Chance exhibition runs at 44AD Artspace from 7 until 12 September below: Deliverer of beautiful pop and folksy sounds, Lady Nade comes to the 7 Hills festival in Lyncombe

PEACOCK ARTS TRAIL 2021 Peacock Arts Trail flies again with more than 70 artists and craftspeople from Corsham, Chippenham, Melksham and surrounding villages participating in real life, online and in person exhibitions. www.peacockartstrail.co.uk

MUSIC

28 / 29 August

of shoe style over the last 300 years, from the actual footwear worn by Queen Mary and Queen Victoria, through to the recent contemporary designers, such as Manolo Blahnik and Vivienne Westwood. Fashion Museum; www.fashionmuseum.co.uk

WEST OF ENGLAND YOUTH ORCHESTRA After a year of virtual projects, the region’s finest young musicians in the West of England Youth Orchestra come together to perform a glorious programme of powerful orchestral music. The concert opens with the fire and fury of Mahler’s Totenfier from Symphony No. 2 and Mussorgsky’s arresting song cycle. Shostakovich’s dramatic Symphony No. 5, with its dark opening and triumphant finale, explores emotions. Wiltshire Music Centre; www.wiltshiremusic.org.uk

1 – 15 September

4 September

GROUP EXHIBITION Paul Wright, Cecilia Cardiff, and Millena DeMille are the three artists featured in this exhibition, plus there’s a focus on local artist Ben Hughes. Art Salon; www.artsalon.co.uk

7 – 12 September

INTIMACY STANDS A CHANCE A group exhibition by figurative artists Catherine Ade, Mel Pozniakow and Sam Heath. These three artists depict and celebrate ordinary life through intimate, expressive images of people, domestic interiors and remembered events. 44AD Artspace; www.44ad.net

11 – 12 September

COMBE DOWN ART TRAIL Artists living and working in Combe Down will be opening their studio doors to the public for live demonstrations and the opportunity to buy work direct from them. Part of Bath Open Studios, the Combe Down Art Trail is in its fifth year and has been designed to cover all eventualities including an online exhibition, work on show at local landmarks such as The Museum of Bath Stone, the King William IV pub, and the Peggy Dodd Centre, as well as turning the streets into

7 HILLS The 7 Hills is a new music festival happening at Lyncombe Court and is inspired by the sounds and culture of Americana. The event is the brainchild of singer-songwriter and musician Matt Owens and amongst the acclaimed performers is the Bristol singer Lady Nade who gorgeously blends soul, indie, pop, and Americana. www.the7hills.com

10 September

SHALAMAR Shalamar sold over 25 million records until the classic line up split in the mid eighties. They are acknowledged as one of the best funk and soul groups of their generation. Reformed in 2001 – Howard, Jeffrey, and Carolyn have been performing live with a seven piece backing band that has brought energy and a major injection of funk to audiences worldwide. The Bath Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

11 September

WHITNEY – QUEEN OF THE NIGHT Critically acclaimed international stage sensation Whitney – Queen of the Night is back with its biggest ever UK tour. Elesha Paul Moses takes on the title role supported by live band

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WHAT’S ON to deliver Whitney’s legendary hits including I Wanna Dance With Somebody and I Will Always Love You. The Bath Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

13 September

SCOTT LAVENE Distinctive lyrical linguistics and a deadpan delivery makes post-punk bluesy rocker Scott Lavene, a masterful musical storyteller. The Bell; www.thebellinnbath.co.uk

COMEDY 3 & 4 September

KRATER COMEDY CLUB Kick-off your weekend with some proper good laughs and discover the best in live comedy, featuring Laura Lexx on the 3rd, and Joe Sutherland the following day. The cabaret style seating comes with several dining options, as well as table service. Komedia Bath; www.komedia.co.uk

4 September

MYRA DUBOIS IN DEAD FUNNY Myra is dead; long live Myra! Realising she stands to miss out on the most attention she’ll ever receive, the ‘acid-tongued and funny to the bone’ (Time Out) Myra brings forward her funeral to make sure people get it right. The results are an irreverently sardonic and ‘incredibly quick-witted’ (The Scotsman) side-eye at death, dying and the theatrics of grief. Ustinov; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

THEATRE / CINEMA

31 August – 4 September

ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR Alan Ayckbourn’s comic masterpiece of social climbing in 1970s suburbia fuses a potent mix of farce and black comedy. Sidney Hopcroft, a small-time tradesman, persuades wife Jane to throw a Christmas party hoping to find favour with a bank manager and local architect. Class differences and naked ambition comically combine as, one by one, the characters seek refuge in Jane’s kitchen. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

8 – 9 September

BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR From trail running in Tajikistan to mountaineering on the world’s highest mountains and more, there

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are two different collections of short, adrenaline-fuelled films made by the world’s top adventure film-makers. As well as wild journeys and ground-breaking expeditions, audiences can expect captivating cinematography from little-known corners of the globe. Komedia Bath; www.komedia.co.uk

5 September

HAPPY TOGETHER Setting out to depict the dynamics of a queer relationship with empathy and complexity on the cusp of the 1997 handover of Hong Kong – when the country’s LGBTQIA+ community suddenly faced an uncertain future – director Wong Kar-wai crafts a feverish look at the life cycle of a love affair that’s by turns both devastating and deliriously romantic. Little Theatre Bath; www.picturehouses.com

FESTIVALS Until 29 August

BATH & WEST COUNTRY FESTIVAL Over three days at the Shepton Mallet, The Showground, there are action packed events for all the family, and a haven for all enthusiasts of rural life. There’s live music, food and drink, roaming performers, a vintage fairground, canine corner, an art show, and main ring events to include show jumping, heavy horses, and stunts. www.bathandwest.com

10 – 12 September

VINTAGE NOSTALGIA FESTIVAL A fun and fabulously charming three-day family festival in Stockton Park near Warminster celebrating a rose-tinted past with jazz, swing, classic cars, vintage fashion, and dance. www.vintagenostalgiafestival.co.uk

OTHER

Until 12 September

TALES OF THE GARDEN Experience specially commissioned sculptures blooming up across the expansive landscaped grounds of Longleat. Using a variety of materials and crafting methods, these nine installations tell the unique and fascinating story of the 1580 building that has been home to15 generations of the Thynne family, such as the time kangaroos roamed freely the lawns in the 1800s. Longleat; www.longleat.co.uk

above: The Peacock Arts Trail features more than 70 artists including Miles Cantelou middle: Alan Ayckbourn’s comic masterpiece of social climbing Absurd Person Singular is coming to the Theatre Royal Bath below: Happy Together is a moving love story set against the 1997 handover of Hong Kong

WHAT’S ON

3 September

THE SECRET LIFE OF THE SAVOY Olivia Williams talks about her new book, which offers a fascinating and well researched glimpse into Britain’s first luxury hotel which opened in 1889. Allowing the rich to live like royalty, it attracted glamour, scandal and a cast of eccentric characters including thespians, bohemians, aristocrats, and royalty itself. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

above:

Paul Wright’s Young Hockney is on view at the Art Salon right: Comedian and author Laura Lexx flexes at Komedia on 3 September

7 September / 26 September

SECRETS OF BATH WALKS Explore history on our beautiful Bath doorstep with expertly guided walks that, not only reveal the background of some of the finest Palladian architecture in the world, but also introduce the routines, leisure and entertainment of the aristocracy. www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk

11 – 26 September

BATH LIFE AWARDS 2021 Celebrating the best of the city, from the finest businesses to the most innovative indies. Turn to page 64 for more. Bath Assembly Rooms; www.bathlifeawards.co.uk

BATHSCAPE WALKING FESTIVAL Celebrate Bath by walking the city. This festival thanks to its organised walks, downloadable maps, podcasts and tours will help uncover hidden valleys, iron age forts, picture perfect villages, and views that are out of this world. www.bathscapewalkingfestival.co.uk

10 – 19 September

18 September

9 September

THE JANE AUSTEN FESTIVAL For ten days it’s all about Austen’s powers. There’s walking tours, lessons in ball etiquettes, and best of all maybe, ladies pretend to be Lizzie Bennett and the men Mr Darcy, and together they parade the streets of Bath. Turn to page 21 for news of the special Jane Austen immersive exhibition at No1 Royal Crescent. www.janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk

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

WELLNESS IN BATH As part of World Wellness Weekend, Visit Bath is working with local spa and wellbeing partners and businesses to bring a programme of free events for all, such as The Soul Spa which is delivering free demos and classes in support of Bath Mind. Look out for more updates in our next issue. www.visitbath.co.uk n

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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

IN THE FIKA OF IT

Linnea Johansson, a home baker turned pro, founded Bun in the Oven during the last lockdown. What began as a small enterprise selling cinnamon buns from home has grown into a wholesale operation, and Linnea now supplies cafés in Bath, Frome, Bradford on Avon, and Trowbridge “It started over a nice cup of coffee and freshly baked buns with a friend at my house,” says Linnea, whose bakes draw on her Swedish roots. “It was a cold January evening and we just needed something comforting. She had tried my buns and baking before but this time something shifted. She looked at me and said: ‘you’ve got to sell these.’” Bun in the Oven is inspired by the Swedish concept of fika, which refers to the act of making time for a friend and to share a hot drink with something to eat – especially a bun. “Fika is the most important moment, or moments – it can happen many times – during the day in Sweden,” says Linnea. Fika breaks can happen anywhere – in a café, at work, or at home. According to Linnea, many Swedes consider it essential to make time for it every day. You can enjoy fika yourself with one of Linnea’s buns at Cortado Café on Bridge Street. For more: www.bunintheoven.uk Linnea Johansson makes cinnamon buns inspired by her Swedish roots

Make your favourite Yak Yeti Yak dish from home with a spice mix from The Himalayan Spice Co

SPICE UP YOUR LIFE Sarah Gurung, co-owner of Yak Yeti Yak on Pierrepont Street, has launched a new venture, The Himalayan Spice Co. Co-founded with her cousin, Helen Keen, the company offers a range of spice blends for easier home cooking. “Recipes with long lists of spices are daunting, fiddly and who needs a cupboard full of ageing spices?” says Helen. “We don’t have that problem in the restaurant or at home because we roast, grind and blend our own spices ready to use with blends for different recipes – it makes our lives so much easier. We wanted to share that simple approach to cooking with our customers.” Along with the new range, The Himalayan Spice Co offer a library of recipes and tips so you can now create Gurung family favourites, as well as a few things from Yak Yeti Yak’s menu, from home. For more: www.thehimalayanspicecompany.com

THE BIG SMOKE

American-style dining at The Smokehouse Kitchen

A new American-style pub has opened on Lower Bristol Road. The Smokehouse Kitchen is in the old Green Park Tavern space, and offers a menu of slow cooked meat dishes. Founded by Judit Molnar and Peter Merriam, the menu is influenced by Peter’s time living in America, when he fell in love with Southern cooking. “We cook low and slow, using Tunley Farm meat,” says Judit. “Our best sellers are the ribs, pulled pork and brisket, but we do burgers and many different sundaes too.” For more: Instagram @_smokehousekitchen1_

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

TRY FIVE 2

3 1

BREAD

There’s truly nothing better than a hand-made, crusty loaf, and Bath oﬀers some of the best Compiled by Amy Bennett

RYE BAKERY Frome’s beloved bakery has recently opened a concession in Berdoulat on Margaret’s Buildings. Word of mouth is powerful, and in the short time since they set up shop in the city, the rye loaf has become an absolute must – even if you have to queue for it. All their breads are naturally leavened with a sourdough starter, and range from a traditional heritage sourdough, to seeded rye and wholemeal spelt. If you’re on a day out in Frome, you can ﬁnd the bakery on Station Approach, or the café on Whittox Lane if you fancy sitting in for a bite and a cuppa. www.rye-bakery.com

THOUGHTFUL BAKERY As you browse shelves packed with freshly made loaves, pastries, sandwiches and salads in the café on Barton Street, below your feet the team of Thoughtful bakers, led by owner Duncan Glendinning, are hard at work in the basement, crafting it all by hand. From sourdough to wholemeal to rye sourdough to ciabatta, Thoughtful do it all – and they do it the proper way. Slow fermented, with natural, minimal ingredients, many sourced locally; it all results in crusty, rich, chewy loaves that look as beautiful as they taste. Thoughtful also oﬀer to slice it for you when you buy, so you make the most of your loaf and don’t end up with the four huge slices and sea of breadcrumbs situation that often results from hacking into a thick loaf free hand. www.thoughtful-bakery.myshopify.com

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LANDRACE BAKERY Walcot Street’s Landrace Bakery offer a gorgeous selection of naturally leavened loaves made only from traditionally stoneground and organically grown wheat from the bakery’s own heritage wheat population, based less than 10 miles away at Westcombe Dairy. The team make notable efforts to give back to the community, and partner with The Oasis Pantry to provide traditionally made sourdough loaves made with a minimum of fifty percent wholemeal flour – you need only add it to your basket when you order online and it’ll go to someone in need. www.landracebakery.selz.com

BERTINET BAKERY Throughout lockdown it was easier than ever to ﬁnd the Bertinet Bakery, tucked away down New Bond Place – you simply had to follow the queue. From sumptuous loaves to amazing sarnies, it’s an absolute must on the Bath bread trail. These days the bakery has expanded to massive stockists like Waitrose and Ocado, but with no sacriﬁce to quality. As it always has been, their bread is made only with natural, quality ingredients – there are no nasties in there to synthetically boost shelf life. They don’t need it anyway – a loaf of Bertinet sourdough never hangs around for long. www.bertinetbakery.com

BASIL’S BAKERY The newbie in town, you can find Basil’s next to The Locksbrook Inn. Basil owned two bakeries in Greece before moving here seven years ago, where he went on to work at Bertinet Bakery and Hobbs House Bakery. He set up his own place in May, and he sells a range of artisan breads that draw on a mix of Mediterranean and English influences, made with locally-sourced flours and all cooked in full view of the customer. The smell of baking bread hits as you step in the door, and we defy anyone to leave without a loaf once you’ve got a whiff. Alongside a variety of bread options, Basil’s offers tasty hand-crafted baked goods packed with high quality, healthy ingredients. ■ Instagram: basilsbakerybath

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ROBUN

Sarah Moolla visits the new city centre Japanese-inspired sushi restaurant to see how they roll

kind of like sushi. I remember being super excited when those conveyor belts carrying coloured plates snaked their way into the UK. And then less excited, and more shocked, when those plates were counted up and the bill presented. ‘But I’m still hungry, and now also poor!’ More recently my sushi has come in hard plastic refrigerated packages with a pinprick of packet wasabi. The rice stays clumped, claggy and flavourless. Slithers of smoked salmon slide off their underwhelmingly solid bases escaping the clickety clackety chasing of my thin splintered wooden chopsticks. This I know is not the real Japanese sushi experience, but I am not going to start making my own. And to those who do, I say – Robun. Barely open for two weeks when we visit, the city is already buzzing about its arrival. Housed in the site of the former French restaurant, Bistrot Pierre, it’s an impressive space beginning with an elegant shimmering art deco style bar and ending with the bustling open kitchen. And in the middle, contemporary Japanese-inspired murals on the walls set against a décor of inky black, slashes of crimson, gleaming chrome and glass, all softened by bamboo rattan

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

lampshades and light-diffusing shoji screens. For the table to start, its spicy, garlicky flamed edamames and piquant curls of chargrilled padron peppers, while sipping on the best gin cocktail I have ever supped. The Robun Sour is Roku Gin (a Japanese craft gin), yellow chartreuse, egg white, bitters, lemon and mango – tart, sweet, with a good slug of peppery juniper. I could’ve happily spent the night testing their lively and extensive cocktail menu. However instead it’s time to experience the seductive and beguiling feast that is Robun. The dishes arrive thick and fast, and fabulous. The sharing, sociable, here-try-this, style of eating works best because whatever you think you want, your companion’s choices will look equally tempting. What follows is a symphonic orchestra of flavours, textures, colours, and aromas. A few key high notes: The golden crunchy chicken karaage pieces, coated and deep fried in Japanese mixed flour, positively vibrate with soy, garlic and ginger and come served with citrussy, almost chutney-like, yuzu kuzu for dipping. There’s thick, freshly cut, slabs of chutoro sashimi – the red, fleshy part of the tuna, which almost swims back into life when dotted with

RESTAURANT

the heat of the wasabi. The spicy avocado and prawn tempura maki roll with nori, seasoned rice, toasted sesame seeds and spicy sauce demonstrates what sushi, in the right hands, should actually look and taste like. The nasu dengaku – an aubergine cut in half, scored and brushed with sweet and savoury miso glaze, and baked until soft – is a mashy, mushy, delight. The fried rice with kimchee, which gives the dish its fiery colour and kick, is drizzled with truffle oil and topped with a lacy fried egg. It is so comforting, so moreish, the recipe is Googled as soon I get home. Special mentions also have to go to the Korean glazed marinated lamb cutlets; the thin slivers of marinated seabass coated in kelp konbu; the deep fried squid served with the deeply dredge-able kosho sauce; king prawns freshly grilled on a Japanese robata and drenched in garlic shiso butter. But it’s an, on your feet please, standing ovation, for the pan fried Shirakiku gyoza. Past brushes with gyoza have been chewy, watery and tasteless experiences. Robun’s are steaming, translucent parcels of delicately seasoned, lightly peppered and aromatically spiced ground chicken. Just a polite little dip into the soy sauce and these silky little aromatic pillows disappear before the wisps of steam have time to evaporate. At desserts we stop the sharing rule and order our own – mine is dorayaki – small red bean pancakes, and maybe the least exciting part of the meal for me. A little dry and a little too sweet for my taste (I suspect kids will absolutely love them) but that’s okay because I’m staring hard at my companion’s mochi ice cream to the point of making her feel uncomfortable, she feels obliged to share one of her fluffy, bite sized treats with me. The mochi is a thin skin of marshallowy rice paper dough wrapped around a ball of ice cream – coconut, matchu and I can’t remember the other flavour because I was beaten off by her chopsticks. Chilled and hard, they are amazing, but the longer you leave them to sit, the more amazing they become. Once you bite through the papersoft skin, the liquid sweetness of the still cold ice cream floods through. After dinner, we’re given a tour of the building which spans three floors – we’re told upstairs is going to be a large private dining space available for hire, and above that, a b&b style arrangement where the whole floor can be rented out for overnight stays. Stay, you say? Stay at Robun? Just let me know what time I can check in. n

“The red, fleshy part of the tuna almost swims back into life when dotted with the heat of the wasabi” DINING DETAILS Robun, 4 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath; tel: 01225 614 424; www.robun.co.uk

Covers 120 and some outside space at the front of the building

Head chef Jon Calro

Specialities Super fresh sushi in a variety of creative incarnations such as softshell crab tempura maki with kimchee mayo; and salmon roe chawan mushi. The Robata grilled meats including the show-stopping kagoshima wagyu beef and the black cod saikyo yaki

Inspired by Robun is a tribute to Japanese author Kanagaki Robun and his 1872 book Seiyo ryoritsu, which introduced Western-style barbecue cooking to Japan

Prices It’s an extensive and wide ranging menu where you can go full on feast with lobster and ribeye for around the £49 mark, or keep it light with sushi starting at £5.75

Opening hours Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner Established July 2021 Owned by Roger Payne

Drinks choice The cocktail menu is imaginative and plentiful, plus there’s a wide range of quality wines and Japanese beers Vegetarian options Plenty for vegetarians and vegans including veggie maki rolls and the savoury pancake okonomiyaki Disability access Yes Atmosphere We visited on a Thursday night and it was party central. Along with incredible food, Robun brings with it an upbeat vibe thanks to its efficient, informed, and friendly staff.

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

SHOPPING LIVE WELL, BUY BETTER

GOOD TIMING

The Omega De Ville Prestige collection is renown for its classic, elegant design and luxury finishes. This model features a two-zone, white mother-ofpearl dial with gold-fashioned Roman numeral hour indexes at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock positions. A scratch-resistant sapphire crystal covers this striking dial. The bezel is mounted on a 27.4 mm 18k yellow gold case and is presented on an 18k yellow gold bracelet. This wristwatch is powered by Omega’s calibre 1376, a precision quartz movement. The Omega De Ville Prestige 18ct yellow gold watch costs £16,030 and is available from Mallory, 1-5 Bridge Street, Bath; www.mallory-jewellers.com

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

FLAT LINKED BRACELET, £18,000 Made in solid 18ct yellow gold, this bracelet has a substantial weight with each link measuring 22mm giving a total length of 21cm. From Tina Engell, 3 Bartlett Street, Bath; www.tinaengell.com

GOLD RUSH

It’s a precious metal celebration of Team Bath’s phenomenal medal achievements at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (see page 6)

WEDDING BAND, £1,150 This slight court shaped wedding ring features an 18ct yellow gold base with a sleeve of platinum running through the middle. From S.P. Green & Co, 7 Green Street, Bath; www.spgreen.com

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

GOLD DISC NECKLACE SET WITH A BROWN DIAMOND, £625 Solid 9ct yellow gold handmade disc pendant on an adjustable 16-18 inch chain, with a hammered ﬁnish and a singular natural brown diamond. From Gold & Platinum Studio, 19 Northumberland Place, Bath; www.goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk

STAR HOOPS, £28 18ct gold plated 20mm hoops designed by Mara Studio, with gold plated over sterling silver star charms. From Julia Davey, 20 Wellsway, Bear Flat, Bath; www.juliadavey.com

GOLD CHAIN LINK BRACELET, £6,595 An 18ct yellow gold bracelet handmade in Italy using traditional craftsmanship combined with the latest technologies. From Mallory 1-5 Bridge Street, Bath; www.mallory-jewellers.com

EDITOR’S CHOICE GOLD DIAMOND PENDANT, £3,750 Captivating 18ct yellow gold diamond pendant set with ten large round cut diamonds surrounded by a circular diamond set halo. From Orton Jewellery, 6-7 Market Street, Bradford-on-Avon; www.ortonjewellery.co.uk

LAILA GOLD BANGLE, £49.95 From Nkuku, this brass plated 22ct gold bangle, which has been hammered to created its textured surface, is handmade by artisans in Rajasthan. From Homefront Interiors, 10 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath; www.homefrontinteriors.co.uk

DIAMOND OVAL STUDS, £700 9ct yellow gold diamond oval stud earrings featuring two brilliant cut diamonds, from the ‘With Love Collection’ exclusive to Nicholas Wylde. From Nicholas Wylde, 12 Northumberland Place, Bath; www.nicholaswylde.com

SPONGE EARRINGS, £110 14k gold plated silver, handmade, textured earrings with a 2cm long drop. From Icarus Jewellery, 3 Pulteney Bridge, Bath; www.icarusjewellery.com

BLACK MISANGA BRACELET, £98 A 18ct gold vermeil friendship bracelet with sterling silver balls threaded onto an adjustable black cord. From Jody Cory Goldsmiths, 9, Abbey Churchyard, Bath; www.jodycory.co.uk

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

“Sustainability totally rocks our world”

From the catwalks of London Road, comes the haute couture of Dorothy House

WEAR FORE ART THOU

On the rebound from loungewear we’re falling for sparkles this fall By Sarah Moolla 38 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

e are virtually done with sweatpants, hoodies, and keeping it on mute. Summer was nearly a thing to coax us into something a little less comfortable and a little more bold, but then the weather dampened our sartorial ardour somewhat. Autumn comes with no such contrariness clothes-wise – sleeves get longer, legs are covered, and the big coat comes out, out – so we all know where we stand. Our returning social confidence is reflected in the predicted key looks – from deep saturated hues like fuchsia and electric blue, to the hey-look-at-me energy of animal prints and sequins. While casual may have had its time, we’re not totally forgoing comfort clothes – that old party faithful, denim, has fallen back into favour, and shoes are staying mid-heeled to flat. And sustainability totally rocks our world – to be able to say, ‘What this old thing?’, whether it be a charity shop find or an heirloom from Granny, will give your wardrobe a kudos that money can’t buy. Main image: Photographer Egle Vasi Makeup and hair Chantelle Moody Styling Dorothy House Models Angelica Baines and Tash Kings from Mustard Models Location London Road, Bath

FASHION

A SEQUINS OF EVENTS 2

Marianne Cantelo, who specialises in the business development of Dorothy House helping promote charity shop chic, says, “Year on year, we see sequins and glitter entering the fashion arena in autumn/winter and Dorothy House shops are brilliant at saving up these seasonal party items in preparation. In cold and dark times we have always found ‘light’ by gathering around a bright ﬁre. Now we like to wear ‘light’ bringing warmth and energy into our social events with sparkle on our clothes and makeup – this trend will never go away, it’s pure instinct to long for more light at this time of year! Wear it with pure delight and joy, with jeans or skyscraper heels, sequins and glitter are the ‘neutral’ for AW2021. This year especially we need to feel ‘bright’ and reborn.”

7 6

SHOPPING LIST 1. Stine Goya Jordan sequin tulle dress, £280, from Grace & Mabel 2. 18ct white gold tanzanite and diamond double halo cluster ring, £8,950 from Mallory 3. Royal white fuchsia Betty leather sneakers, £245, from Channi B 4. Sidney cardigan in pink cashmere, £225, from Cabbages & Roses 5. Nanette scarf in pearl grey, £54.95, from Spirit Fashion 6. Handpainted black silk munga shawl, £195, from Carole Waller 7. Desigual Tropical PR Tutti Frutti belt, £44, from Gaff Clothing

COLOUR CODED

Remember how Pantone selected grey and yellow as their colours for 2021 – well now that yellow is coming into play. You can block it with black, contrast with fuchsia or tone with silver. Yellow isn’t normally an autumnal colour but given the weird hiatus we’ve all been on – it’s all about representing an optimism and positivity in your hues. “Wear colour with conﬁdence and enjoy how relaxed we have all become in our dress codes – we are free to enjoy ourselves and to not worry so much,” says artist Carole Waller, who makes original handpainted clothing and scarves in natural fabrics. “Wear colour with more colour – or wear colour over muted creams, greys and soft blacks. A colourful scarf is like jewellery – worn over really simple basics it brings it all to life.” “Our range has many rich deep bold colours such as mulberry and lapis that invoke feelings of comfort and warmth,” says Jin Kaur of Bath Oska on Upper Borough Walls, which deals exclusively in its own classic range.

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

FASHION

9 8

ANIMAL ATTRACTION

“Leopard print seems to be one of those trends that always comes back in circulation, especially for autumn-winter,” notes Hannah Holloway, the company director of Maze, the family-run women and menswear store on Green Street. “We absolutely love the print and the way it can be adapted. We have bought the most amazing Bellerose Laos parka in olive with a faux fur leopard print lining; we also have a Bellerose Loud jacket in flame with a faux fur leopard print inner which is reversible. “Another key piece is a beautiful thick angora blend knit from Bellerose in of course leopard print, perfect for snuggling into on those first autumn days. We love the Bellerose Fafi leopard sweatshirt in grey. Wear leopard with one other colour and the number one rule is to not mix leopard prints together.” You can go full-on spotted or play it subtle as Tessa Brand, owner of The Dressing Room, the specialists in lingerie, beach and nightwear based on Quiet Street, explains, “Don’t get scared at the idea of a set of lingerie that isn’t black or plain. Pretty lingerie is an absolute delight to wear and sexy lingerie is even better. “Animal print worn this way has a certain playful power to it and a professionally fitted and beautiful brand worn under your clothes is going to radiate that sass from within.”

SHOPPING LIST 8. Bellerose Apache jacket in trail, £220, Maze 9. Florence Mini Gladstone Handbag in Metallic Zebra, £225 from Blue Clothing 10. Bl-nk shimmer leopard print kimono, £98, from Anthropologie 11. Prima Donna twist petit bijou in reptile, balcony bra £85, and briefs, £38, from The Dressing Room 12. Sideline Maya jeans in dark indigo, £175, from Maze 13. Ischiko trousers in subtle striped cotton denim, £169, from Oska 14. Irosa pullover in deep blue, £59.99, from Spirit Fashion 15. Side button skirt in red gingham, £275, from Cabbages & Roses

JEAN GENIE

The cowboy equivalent of the little black dress – a great pair of jeans is a must – but don’t panic about those extra lockdown pounds because the skinnies have given way to a looser, and thankfully more forgiving, style. There’s even whispers that ﬂares will be ﬂapping up the catwalks soon but until we see them sailing down Milsom Street, we’re going for boxy, boyf, and baggy look, with a cheeky little turn up. Maze’s Hannah says, “This season we have bought lots of beautiful deep indigo denim, from industrial denim jeans in utility shapes to boiler style jumpsuits. We also have lovely alpaca knitwear in a variety of deep and bold shades which pair perfectly with indigo denim.”

SKIRTING THE ISSUE

As our spirits are raised, our hemlines are lower, with long skirts and dresses sweeping the streets. The sexy, no ankles please, we’re Bridgerton-eﬀect maybe? Marianne Cantelo thinks it’s the result of an economic statement, “The maxi skirt, either as a separate piece, or as a dress, is a symbol of romantic hopefulness. You have to wonder, if like Christian Dior post World War II, by increasing the volume of fabric in our clothes, that we are making a statement that this time is well and truly ‘over.’” Pair with a chunky cable knit tank top or a traditional patterned Fair Isle cream jumper, and you’re bringing the harmonious, pandemic-born trend of cottagecore out of our homes and into our social lives.

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

THE BATH STYLE GUIDE Anthropologie, 1 – 4 New Bond Street, Bath; www.anthropologie.com Blue Women & Home at The Loft, 1-2 Bartlett Street, Bath; www.bluewomensclothing.co.uk Cabbages & Roses 3 West End, Bruton; www.cabbagesandroses.com Carole Waller; www.carolewaller.co.uk Chanii B, 9 Milsom Place, Bath; www.chaniibshoes.com Dorothy House, 24 charity shops including Argyle Street and Broad Street, www.dorothyhouse.org.uk The Dressing Room, 7 Quiet Street, Bath; www.dressingroombath.com Gaff Clothing, 29 Upper Borough Walls, Bath; www.gaffclothing.co.uk Grace & Mabel, 3 George Street, Bath; www.graceandmabel.co.uk Mallory, 1-5 Bridge Street, Bath; www.mallory-jewellers.com Maze, 19 Green Street, Bath; www.mazeclothing.co.uk Oska, 30 Upper Borough Walls, Bath; www.bath.oska.com Spirit Fashion, 3 High Street, Devizes; www.spiritfashion.co.uk

THE FI NEST I N LI NG E RI E , BEACH & NIGHT WE A R

7 Quiet Street Bath BA1 2JU | T: 01225 330563 E: info@dressingroombath.com

www.dressingroombath.com |

IN SEASON

Men’s stylist NICK HEMS on how to dress to impress this autumn

utumn is a bit of a funny season when it comes to purchasing new clothes for your wardrobe. Will it be another Indian Summer, will it rain in the morning and turn out to be a scorcher or vice versa. Making sure you have a versatile wardrobe and understanding how to layer your clothes are sure fire ways to make sure you are prepared for the unpredictability of the UK weather. Here are nine key items that seamlessly take you from summer into autumn. 1. Suede shirt – A suede shirt/jacket is definitely an investment piece for your wardrobe. It’s multi-versatile in terms of wearing it with other pieces and can be worn virtually year-round. As the weeks get cooler though it is also a very good layering garment. 2. White t-shirt – I think this is among the most staple pieces on any man’s wardrobe, a quality white t-shirt. This one from Sunray is made from 100 per cent recycled cotton and provides a classic fit that feels soft due to the recycled cotton and the way it is manufactured. This piece will wear really well and last.

8. Backpack – This is not your ordinary backpack. If you like investing in your luggage and bags, then this is not only stunning, but extremely practical as well. It oﬀers three compartments as well as a laptop compartment and two mobile phone pockets and generally plenty of space. With this on your back, you’ll deﬁnitely be elevating your entire look. It even comes with an international two-year guarantee.

A riverside Nick wears it well

9. Gilet – This nylon padded gilet is perfect for layering over a sweater or under a jacket. It’s lightweight and perfect to take out with you as an additional item this time of year when the weather can’t make up its mind throughout the day. You’ll probably wear a gilet more often than you thought if you don’t currently own one.

3. Knitted polo shirt – A quick way to elevate your style is with a knitted polo shirt. They look great with jeans/ chinos/trousers and can also easily be worn with a twopiece suit. This particular shirt from John Smedley is made from merino wool, so it will keep you warm, is light weight, wrinkle resistant and won’t itch your skin. 4. Jeans – Indigo blue jeans should be another must have for your wardrobe. This versatile denim colour can be worn across the range of casual to smart and works especially well with unstructured blazers on the smarter end of the scale, whereas many other jeans tone down a smart look and struggle more to work with as many styles of shoe.

6. Shoes – Chukka boots work really well for the autumn. They are extremely comfortable and again really elevate your look if you are keeping it simple with a jumper or polo shirt and jeans. They work well for slightly less formal business attire too, now that many of us are ditching wearing a suit as often back at the oﬃce. They are simply a timeless look. If you are buying suede, don’t forget to purchase your shoe protector spray also. 7. Aftershave – As autumn moves past its sunnier days, this is an amazing warming, earthy and very masculine scent. Its main notes are rare oud wood, sandalwood and chinese pepper. This scent keeps me feeling fresh, and its base notes will hang around you all day without being overpowering. This aftershave has stood the test of time, is the most complimented, and is one of my ﬁrm favourites.

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5. Socks – Good quality socks can be a game changer, not only in the comfort stakes, but also style wise. Socks can show our attention to detail with our look, and also a bit of personality. This is my type of diamond sock, bold colours, yet still smart and perfect for shoes or trainers.

FASHION 1

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SHOPPING LIST 1. Florida suede twin pocket shirt in rust, £368, from Reiss, 34 Milsom Street, Bath; www.reiss.com 2. Sunray Haleiwa short sleeve T-shirt in off white, £60, from Maze, 19 Green Street, Bath; www.mazeclothing.co.uk 3. John Smedley Dorset in deep fig, £185, from Gabucci, 35 Milsom Street, Bath; www.gabucci.co.uk 4. Nudie Jeans Gritty Jackson Dry Maze Selvage Jeans, £165, from John Anthony, 26-28 High Street, Bath; www.john-anthony.com 5. Green Diamond Bamboo Socks, £10.50, from Suave Owl, 33 Milsom Street, Bath; www.suaveowl.co.uk 6. Joseph Cheaney Jackie III R Suede, £350, from The Brogue Trader, 15 Green Street, Bath; www.thebroguetrader.com 7. Tom Ford Oud Wood, £174, 50ml, from Jolly’s, 13 Milsom Street, Bath; www.houseoffraser.co.uk 8. Montblanc Sartorial Indigo Leather Large Backpack, £860, from Mallory, 1-5 Bridge Street, Bath; www.mallory-jewellers.com 9. Universal Works / Carlton Gilet In blue Italian, £125, from Found Bath, 17 Argyle Street, Bath; www.foundbath.co.uk

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DRY CLEANING AND LAUNDRY

Collection and Delivery service Available at no extra cost

Open 9.30am–4pm Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays. 9.30am–2.30pm Saturdays. (Closed Tuesdays)

6 Monmouth Place, Bath BA1 2AU Tel 01225 311595

Jewellery handmade in Bath, by Camilla Louise using precious metals, semi-precious and precious gemstones. www.camiloujewellery.co.uk camilla@camiloujewellery.co.uk  camilou_jewellerydesigns

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SHOPPING GUIDE

SHOPPING SUMMER / AUTUMN 2021

GUIDE It is our wonderful array of independent shops which make Bath so vibrant and unique. Get into the creative heart of the community with these innovative indies – right on our doorstep

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

SHOPPING GUIDE

THE FRAMING WORKSHOP

The Framing Workshop is a long-established bespoke framers, specialising in art and object framing, with quality materials, specialist craftsmanship and an individual service at the forefront of each and every job undertaken. They have been framing for 30 years in Bath’s artisan quarter and they love hearing the stories which come along with the art, objects and everything else they frame. They also make mirrors to order with any of their range of frames, and have a selection of collections and curiosities on display in the workshop to inspire you. They talk through the process with you to ensure you ﬁnd a framing solution to suit your requirements, be it simple or more specialised. Every frame is diﬀerent, just as every client is. Call in to see them, talk through ideas and share a story. The Framing Workshop, 80 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BD; 01225 482748; www.theframingworkshop.com

FRANCIS DIY

Based within the local shopping district of Oldfield Park in Bath, Francis DIY supplies a vast range of DIY and hardware products. Established by Derek Francis in 1966, it’s a family-run business. With 55 years on the high street, the team has a wealth of experience and pride themselves on the friendly service they provide to their customers, both new and existing. The range of stock at Francis DIY runs to thousands of items and dedicated and friendly staff are on hand and delighted to offer advice or simply point you in the right direction! Francis DIY, 39 Moorland Road Bath BA2 3PN 01225 427885; www.francisdiy.com

GARDEN REQUISITES

Garden Requisites of Bath design and make handwoven wirework trellis panels and arches, as well as solid steel door canopies and porches. They have ranges of standard designs, but can also make to measure. Now’s the time to consider structures for your garden and home before the winter sets in. For inspiration visit the showroom in Batheaston. Get in touch with their design team on 01225 851577, email at info@garden-requisites.co.uk or visit www.garden-requisites.co.uk

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GOLD & PLATINUM STUDIO

This long-established independent jewellers based in central Bath specialises in perfectly fitted wedding/ engagement rings and one-of-a-kind pieces, all handmade at their onsite workshop. Michael Parsons, owner and goldsmith, designs and makes collections of fine jewellery using traditional tools and craftsmanship to create contemporary pieces with classic styling – heirlooms of the future. These are exhibited at the studio alongside works by a selection of UK-based designer makers. The Studio offers a bespoke service so you can experience being a part of the design process and create something meaningful and unique. Michael’s skilled team also works on remodelling and restoring jewellery. 19 Northumberland Place, Bath, BA1 5AR; 01225 462300; www.goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk; Instagram: @goldandplatinumstudio

SHOPPING GUIDE

IF THE SHOE FITS

HOMEFRONT INTERIORS

Homefront Interiors is a small independent store which stocks an eclectic mix of homewares, interior pieces, gifts, cards and art prints. Their ethos is that of sustainability and fair trade, whether that be items from small scale producers, local talented artists, reclaimed or recycled. The shop is a carefully curated treasure trove, perfect for gift-shopping or ﬁnding those small ﬁnishing touches for your home. Homefront Interiors Ltd, 10 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath BA12LP; 01225 571 711; www.homefrontinteriors.co.uk; www.trouva/boutiques/homefrontinteriors.com

If the shoe fits, wear it – so goes the expression, and the team at If The Shoe Fits wholeheartedly agree. Look where properly fitted shoes took Cinderella! While they can’t promise a prince, they can certainly put a spring in your step. They are professionally trained to measure and fit shoes, and work closely with local foot health practitioners and podiatrists. Every shoe If The Shoe Fits sell has been rigorously assessed by the team to ensure it meets exacting standards in comfort and health. From first walkers to school shoes, plus men’s and ladies’, you will find the right fit at If The Shoe Fits. Visit them in the charming market town of Corsham, 20 minutes from Bath, home to a thriving range of independent shops, cafes and restaurants, with two hours of free parking in the nearby town car parks. If The Shoe Fits, 5 Martingate, Corsham, SN13 0HL 01249 736114; info@iftheshoefits.shop; www.iftheshoefits.shop

JODY CORY

Jody Cory creates handmade jewellery in the heart of Bath. Situated opposite the Abbey and Pump Rooms, the store is home to a collection of unique handcrafted jewellery that features many unusual gemstones, alongside traditional pieces. As well as selling jewellery, Jody also carries out jewellery repairs and commissions and can remodel your treasures from old to new. Jody is an established, independent designer and goldsmith and is also a member of the prestigious National Association of Jewellers. When visiting the beautiful city of Bath, Jody Cory Goldsmiths is very much worth a visit. 9 Abbey Churchyard, Bath BA1 1LY; 01225 460072; www.jodycory.co.uk

LONDON CAMERA EXCHANGE

In addition to the basic photographic requirements of cameras, lenses, memory cards and film, London Camera Exchange offers a quality processing service, and will store the finished work. Traditional film users and those who have switched to the latest digital technology can all take advantage of excellent prints with minimum wait times. Whatever interest you might have in cameras, binoculars, telescopes or their associated accessories, a visit to London Camera Exchange with its helpful and knowledgeable staff combined with competitive prices is a most rewarding experience. 13 Cheap street, Bath BA1 1NB; 01225 462234; www.lcegroup.co.uk

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SHOPPING GUIDE

OSKA BATH

OSKA Bath has enjoyed trading in Upper Borough Walls since 2012. Established in 1998 in Munich. OSKA’s success is based on its strong commitment to providing quality, unique and individual style. They pride themselves on providing a friendly and approachable experience and oﬀer an in-store personal styling service. The OSKA and ISCHIKO brands have always had sustainability at the heart of each collection. With a focus on quality and distinctive design, an OSKA and ISCHIKO piece will provide many seasons of wear and enjoyment. With its OSKA and ISCHIKO brand, the Bath store oﬀers something for everyone – whether it’s for a special occasion, or just for taking the dog on a walk, our long-serving and experienced team will be happy to help you. 30 Upper Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1RG 01225 637159; bath@oska.com www.bath.oska.com

THE DRESSING ROOM

The Dressing Room first opened its doors in 1985 and has been selling the finest in lingerie, beach and nightwear ever since. “I’ve been the owner here for over eighteen years now and I still feel as passionate about what we do as I did on day one,” says Tessa Brand. The offering is beautiful, practical, luxurious, basic, fancy and plain – literally something for everyone. “You can’t beat a great fitting bra, a snuggly dressing gown or a slinky silk number for a special weekend. And if you’re going away, we have the best beachwear collection in the south of England. Come and see!” 7 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2JU; 01225 330563; www.dressingroombath.com

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TAKE CHARGE BIKES

Take charge of your life – you too can really benefit from an electric bike. An electric bike works like a regular bicycle but with power assistance when you want it – why not pop in and try it out for yourself ? With options from 15+ speciality e-bikes brands you are sure to find the right bike for your needs. Commuting, trekking, mountain biking, family, cargo, in fact all your road/offroad adventures become more fun with an electric bike. Off-street parking available next to the shop or very nearby. Service and repair to e-bikes, and regular bikes also available. 1 Victoria Buildings, Lower Bristol Road, Bath BA2 3EH; 01225 789568; www.takechargebikes.co.uk

WALLER&WOOD

Waller&Wood sells original hand-painted clothes and scarves by Carole Waller, ceramics by Gary Wood and aluminium and silver jewellery by Annie Beardsley. Carole’s glass panels and tables are also on show and can be commissioned for indoors and out. She is represented by the V&A, and before opening Waller&Wood in Bath, sold to Harvey Nichols and Liberty in London. Gary Wood makes beautiful painted stoneware ceramics, tea bowls and cups, bowls, small sculptural work and wall pieces. Make an appointment to visit the gallery anytime at: ONE TWO FIVE, Box Road, Bath, BA17LR Tel: 07803 033629; www.carolewaller.co.uk; www.wallerandwood.co.uk

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Take a seat

Explore the eclectic range of furniture at TR HAYES

t is worth walking the length of Walcot Street, where you will find a wealth of fascinating independents, the largest of which has to be the TR Hayes furniture store at the top of the street. TR Hayes has been in Bath since 1915 and has grown in that time to be the largest furniture store in the city. Covering seven floors over two buildings, TR Hayes sells a range of sofas, chairs, beds and mattresses, as well as dining room and living room furniture. Brands range from the traditional classics such as Parker Knoll and G Plan through to fabulous contemporary corner sofas and brands such as Calligaris, among others. In the bed department you will find Hypnos, Vispring and Tempur, as well as a good range of British-made beds and mattresses at very affordable prices. The main store is a fascinating place. An old, labyrinthine building completely packed with furniture – shoppers can lose themselves amongst the soft furnishings. But don't fear – there are always friendly staff on hand to guide (or rescue!) you.

Up on the top floors are bedroom ranges, with sofas and chairs on the lower two floors. Here you will also find dining room furniture. Carry on down and towards the back and there are several floors of beds and mattresses. Just across the road, on the other side of the roundabout, you'll find the second building, the TR Hayes Contemporary Showroom, which houses displays of stunning contemporary collections. Over its long history, TR Hayes has established a reputation for good quality and excellent customer service. Choosing furniture – especially larger items – can be an involved process, with all sorts of options and decisions to consider, but the knowledgeable staff are there to help. It’s a friendly place, and many of the staff have been with the firm for years, which says a lot about a company. ■ 15-18 London Street Bath BA1 5BX Tel: 01225 465757 www.trhayes.co.uk

Palmer Corner Sofa

Vispring Divan Set

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The ﬁnishing touches

Get advice from the flooring and curtains experts at TR HAYES

lthough the convenience of buying online can count for a great deal, when it comes to making decisions about flooring and window treatments, being able to see the carpet or fabric in person is essential. Flooring is a technical decision, and having an expert on hand ensures you come away with a solution suitable for the surface. Equally, when choosing curtains it is important to discuss how fabric will drape and what sort of curtain headings should be used. This is where TR Hayes can help. The large furniture store on Walcot Street has highly regarded flooring and curtain departments and an in-store interior designer, so whether you need madeto-measure curtains or blinds (including fancy motorised blinds), fabric or even wallpaper – you're covered. There are hundreds of fabric samples on Ulster Carpets display from leading design

brands like Sanderson, Harlequin, Scion and Morris & Co, and when it comes to blinds there is a whole world out there – Roman and Roller blinds are just the tip of the iceberg. TR Hayes is a Luxaflex stockist, which offers a huge array of amazing blinds as well as motorised blinds and plantation shutters, and can help with Velux window blinds, too. The carpet and flooring department has a large selection of carpets from neutral plains to on-trend stripes and patterns. If you are after wooden flooring there is a wide choice available, including parquet and chevron patterns. For those on a budget, luxury vinyl tiles are a practical alternative to wood, and with high quality, authentic styles, they needn't be a compromise. TR Hayes’ knowledgeable staff will help you navigate the ranges on offer with detailed knowledge of all the quirks and idiosyncrasies different surfaces have. TR Hayes only use experienced (and friendly!) fitters for added peace of mind, and both flooring and curtains departments offer a free measuring service. ■

Sanderson Caspian fabrics

15-18 London Street Bath BA1 5BX Tel: 01225 465757 www.trhayes.co.uk

FRESH FROM THE FARM

How the produce at Bath City Farm is sown, grown and sold, and how it benefits the whole of the Bath community

Words and pictures by Simon Taylor; www.simontaylorvisualartist.co.uk

ath City Farm is a 37-acre plot based near Twerton featuring chickens, goats and pigs, plus a café, trails, and wellbeing and social events. Simon Taylor, who is a photographer and visual artist, has captured this community-minded venture with a photo essay to help promote its work. Here he explains why:”I applied for, and won, a Covid recovery grant to work on an independent project. I chose Bath City Farm as it is five minutes from where I live, and I have seen it flourish over the years. Also I appreciate all the support the farm gives to families and wellbeing groups.”

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FOOD

2 Volunteer coordinator Sara Chapple, says, 1 “For me Bath City Farm is a really important place that provides just what human nature

needs, companionship, purposefulness and friendship. We garden in a way that’s good for nature. Gardening here gives many people the time to recover from difficult life experiences such as mental health crises, trauma such as psychosis or bereavement. Some of our volunteers are managing a long-term chronic condition such as bipolar or schizophrenia and the farm and our growing helps keep them well.”

Some of the farm’s produce ends up here at 2 the farm’s Trough Café kiosk where visitors buy it. And some ends up in the new little Garden Shop. Money from the sale of goods at the café and Garden Shop are ploughed back into the farm to fund the work and care for the animals.

The time varies between planting seeds and 3 seeing the produce feature in the Trough Café kiosk. For lettuce the time from seed to plate is ten weeks, for rhubarb it can be two years and some of the blackcurrant bushes are ten years old.

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FOOD 4

5 6

The growing never stops at Bath City Farm. 4 It’s a continuous circle. Everything on the farm is grown from seed and flourishes because they use their own animal manure.

Growing at Bath City Farm is a labour of 5 love from a lot of people. They benefit from being outside and having a purpose to their work and it’s extremely satisfying to see the fruition of all the planting seeds, growing, and picking in the summer.

Planting takes place year-round. There is 6 a big round in September when everything is prepared for the following spring. The poly tunnels enable growing all year round with different plants propagated at different times of the year.

It costs £850 a day to man the farm, feed the 7 animals and fund the projects, so in addition to monies raised by selling produce, donations are always very much needed and welcomed.

Bath City Farm is a charity. The 37-acre 8 site which sits on slopes overlooking Bath is home to a multitude of farm animals, nature trails, a café kiosk and to an extensive growing project that is tended by volunteers.

The produce couldn’t be grown and tended 9 for without the amazing volunteers. Out of lockdown, the farm usually works with 30 volunteers each week on horticultural projects and across the year, on various projects, with hundreds of different people. They all contribute to the gardens in different ways.

Bath City Farm is free to visit and along with the Garden Shop, is open Tuesdays to Saturdays 10am to 4pm. For more: www.bathcityfarm.org.uk

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Interiors & Homewares Work from local artists and makers Prints, Cards & Gifts

10 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath BA1 2LP homefrontinteriors.co.uk T: 01225 571711 E: info@homefrontinteriors.co.uk www.homefrontinteriors.co.uk Ethical, Sustainable & Handmade Homewares and Gifts

GARDENS

SHOW TIME The organic gardens of Yeo Valley make their Chelsea Flower Show debut By Nick Woodhouse

or the first time in its long history, Chelsea Flower Show will be held in September this year, rather than its traditional May offering. Whilst circumstance may have imposed such a move, those very same events also provide a one-off opportunity to present a very different show than we have seen before. A show, no doubt, with its very own challenges but one too that will offer plant choices and combinations not seen in previous years, with otherwise overlooked plants taking centre stage. No less so for the Chelsea debut of the organic gardens of Yeo Valley, set on the edge of Blagdon Lake on the Mendip Hills. It’s third

quietly farming and growing organically for a quarter of a century now, seeing first-hand the benefits of this approach on wildlife and pollinators. So it was key that this ethos was maintained in the show garden; no chemical fertilisers or pesticides have been used on its plants, all grown in peat-free compost, within compostable pots. Despite the delays imposed on the show garden, fortunately very little has changed from its original design. Taking inspiration from the Somerset gardens and pasturelands of Yeo Valley, a perennial meadow will sit at the heart of the space, a biodiverse palette of plants offering not only colour and scent in plenty, but also a wildlife-rich habitat too. The transition to the woodland area beyond is marked by sweeping walls of charred logs, reflecting Sarah’s passion for the maintenance of soil health through rich carbon content. Recently the team at Yeo Valley have started making their own biochar, adding it to their compost heaps to help soak up moisture and return carbon to the soil. A similar approach will be applied to the carbon created by the show garden itself, locking the same level of carbon into biochar and working it back into the fields of the Somerset farm. The woodland area of the show garden will feature native multi-stem silver birch, hawthorn, hazel, quince and medlar. The trees will frame the garden’s centrepiece, an egg-shaped oak hide craft, hand-crafted by Tom Raffield and his team in their Cornwall workshop. Tom’s passion for sustainable design makes him the perfect match for the show garden. Rather than using adhesives, his iconic lighting and furniture pieces are steam-bent, using ecological and low-energy methods. In the show garden, the egg will feel intimate and cocooning, almost floating over the stream that meanders through the

“A biodiverse palette of plants offering not only colour and scent in plenty, but also a wildlife-rich habitat too” time lucky for head gardener Sarah Mead and designer Tom Massey, who had planned their first Chelsea garden for 2020, then for this May, before the event was again postponed until this autumn. This isn’t Tom’s first show garden at Chelsea. In 2018, he was awarded a SilverGilt medal for the Lemon Tree Trust Garden, a space that took its inspiration from those unexpected glimpses of beauty found in the refugee camp of Domiz in the Kurdistan region of Iraq; beauty created through the resolve and resourcefulness of those refugees making new homes within. The message of this year’s garden will be a different one, of sustainability and the positive impact of organic principles in the garden. Sarah and the team at Yeo Valley have been

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space. Once the show is over, the egg will find a new home, in the gravel garden at Yeo Valley. Those materials hand-picked from the farm for the show, such as the Mendip stones that run through the garden, will also return to the farm. When the 2020 event was cancelled, Sarah and Tom were keen that none of the plants planned for the show garden went to waste. Two thirds of the plants, around 2,000 in total, were instead distributed to hospitals across London and Plymouth; a thank you to NHS staff at those very hospitals and a way of brightening up the gardens there for staff and patients alike. Those plants that weren’t redistributed have been cared for by the team at Yeo Valley, preparing them for their temporary London home. This task has had its challenges but has also meant that some of those original specimens, particularly the grasses and ferns, have been looking that bit fuller, that bit more dramatic. These plants will be added to by a tweaked palette of plants that now sees the addition of late season perennials like dahlias and echinacea. Sarah and Tom hope that visitors will be inspired by the show garden to consider organic principles within their own gardens, and to put nature first when making plans for those very spaces. The show may be later than planned, but this garden’s message couldn’t be more timely. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show will run from 21 to 26 September. For more: www.yeovalley.co.uk

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

©BRIT T WILLOUGHBY DYER; W W W.LEMONTREETRUST.ORG

clockwise from above: Tom Raffield is handcrafting the design’s oak centrepiece; The plans for the Yeo Valley Organic Garden Chelsea Flower Show exhibit; Head gardener Sarah Mead and designer Tom Massey; Tom was awarded a Silver-Gilt medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2018 for the Lemon Tree Trust Garden which took its inspiration from those unexpected glimpses of beauty found in an Iraq refugee camp; The beautiful Gravel Garden at Yeo Valley in Blagdon

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It’s the city’s business

BATHWORKS © TOBY OSBORN

THIS ISSUE >>TOUR BATH ON A PENNY FARTHING (60) >>BATH DIGITAL FESTIVAL RETURNS IN OCTOBER (61) >>BIZ Q&A WITH HUGO MORRISSEY (63)

Councillor Sarah Warren lays out Bath’s plans for tackling the climate emergency

Hot topic

How Bath & North East Somerset is addressing the climate emergency he Bath & North East Somerset Climate and Biodiversity Festival will take place from 13 – 26 September to showcase the individuals, organisations and businesses that are that are taking action to tackle the climate emergency. Co-ordinated by B&NES Council, the festival will link with the national debate stoked by the release of the ‘code red’ report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, as well as the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in China in October and the UN COP 26 Conference in Glasgow in November. “Bath & North East Somerset has shown exceptional leadership in declaring climate and

BUSINESS CLUB

ecological emergencies and we have made big shifts in how we operate to help meet our commitment, investing more than £10m into helping deliver real and rapid action to decarbonise council operations,” says councillor Sarah Warren, deputy leader and cabinet member for Climate Change and Sustainable Transport. Research completed by B&NES in 2019 showed that the main sources of local greenhouse-gas emissions are energy use in buildings (66 per cent) and transport (29 per cent), which they plan to address with energy efficiency improvement of existing buildings and zero carbon new builds, reducing car use in the city, and a rapid and large-scale increase in renewable energy generation. Sarah continues, “But to go further we need a new framework that will deliver real change and ensure a

fair transition to Net Zero. We have already consulted on and agreed crucial elements of this such as our Liveable Neighbourhoods policy. But we need to involve residents in jointly shaping a Net Zero future. So, we will shortly be consulting on our Local Plan Partial Update, running from 27 August until 8 October. This document contains proposals for the future shape of our communities, and I encourage everyone to read it and comment on it when the consultation starts on 27 August.” The Climate and Biodiversity Festival offers further opportunity to learn about how organisations in the local community are addressing climate crisis, with a mix of online and in-person events. For more: www.bathnes.gov.uk

Virtual one hour sessions, all free to attend Search Bath Life on LinkedIn for upcoming dates and registration If you would like to get involved, please email events@mediaclash.co.uk MEDIACLASH.CO.UK 115

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BATHWORKS

The subway connecting Holloway and Bear Flat to central Bath now has its own mural The Bath Digital Festival is the latest in-person event to return to the city

COME TOGETHER The Bath Digital Festival returns with an in-real-life event 19-23 October 2021. The theme this year is Collision and Collaboration, with a focus on how digital technology can enable healthcare and agriculture to operate more eﬀectively. South West businesses will feature in a range of talks oﬀering tales of collaboration with other businesses and industries, each presenting opportunities for learning, connection and perhaps even further collaboration. “We’d like to think that at a local

level, it provides inspiration to those working in, or hoping to work in, the digital and tech space,” says Dave Kelly, festival founder. “On a national level, we hope it’ll continue to promote the radical, creative, and inventive people and projects that exist in our beautiful city.” The festival is open for submissions for talks, workshops and sponsorships. To learn more, email nicola@ bathdigitalfestival.co.uk for further information. For more: www.bathdigitalfestival.co.uk

UNDERPASS MAKEOVER The subway connecting Holloway and Bear Flat to central Bath has received a much needed makeover. The Widcombe Association & Bear Flat Residents’ Association invited local artists to submit ideas on the theme of Where the City Meets the Countryside. From 26 submissions they chose a design by Sarah Ovens, which was translated onto the subway walls by professional mural artists Dan Wilson and Tom Webb. “My design for the subway connecting Holloway and Bear Flat with central Bath is deliberately light, portraying moments of beauty and peace journeying from the city centre to green natural spaces south of Bath,” says Sarah. “I hope to convey a sense of hope, peace and exuberant life into an underpass that has previously felt very dark and dingy. “It is a wonderful, rare opportunity to be developing this piece of art with the local community, in which we hope to transform this small but well-trodden section of the city.” For more: www.sarahovens.com

Pallino installs home boules courts

ON A ROLL Pallino is a new service creating boules courts to enjoy from home. The brainchild of Bath local Freddie Baker, the courts are beautiful and eco-friendly, with a sub base made out of recycled rubber. “Having always been a business minded person it suddenly occurred to me that this ever so popular game isn’t played enough in this country. Perhaps the odd game on the lawn or the beach, or Bath Boules in Queen Square of course, but rarely on proper courts,” says 20-year-old Freddie. “I did some market research and found that there wasn’t an obvious specialist company that installed boules courts in the UK.” He saw the gap in the market, and drawing on his background in construction, set about creating unique and quality courts for UK boules players. For more: www.pallino.co.uk

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Alex Sherman is Bath Preservation Trust’s new CEO

MOVERS AND SHAKERS ETC TRUSTWORTHY!

Bath Preservation Trust (BPT) has appointed Alex Sherman its new CEO. “I am delighted to be joining Bath Preservation Trust at such a significant time. As we look forward to the future, I am excited to work with our many passionate staff, volunteers, and members, as well as existing and new partners, to make the Trust more resilient, inclusive and relevant to all people,” Alex says. www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk

HIGH RANKING

Stone King has come out on top in the Chambers High Net Worth Guide once again. The law firm as a whole ranked in Band 1, while three partners also received high rankings in the independent guide. Alison Allen, Daniel Harris and Andrew Mortimer were all recognised in the Private Wealth Law Somerset 2021 category, while Daniel, head of international and cross-border at the firm, received further recognition as Foreign Expert for France. “I am delighted that the Chambers High Net Worth guide has again recognised our people and the work they do for our clients,” says Steven Greenwood, Stone King’s managing partner. “Chambers carried out their research last year in what was a challenging time for everyone due to Covid-19, and so to have again been recommended by our clients is especially humbling.” www.stoneking.co.uk

The team: Alison Garcia Levy, Rebecca Garcia Levy, Alberto Bona, Bita Fallah and Sophia Raee

WHEELY GOOD Tour Bath the old-fashioned way – on a penny farthing. Originally started in London in 2013 by Neil Laughton, The Penny Farthing Club launched in Bath in April. The Bath Club is led by Alberto Bona, who, along with his guides will teach you how to mount, dismount and ride – all in unique and flamboyant style. “We head out on a leisurely guided journey around central Bath, past many iconic locations such as the Royal Crescent, Queen Square,

Pulteney Bridge, Bath Abbey, and of course the Roman Baths,” says Alberto. “After a short photo stop, we then roll on back to the Circus and return to the present day!” The expansion to Bath comes after massive success in London, where The Penny Farthing Club is among one of only 50 top rated experiences on Airbnb Experiences – out of more than 50,000 listings around the world. For more: www.pennyfarthingclub.com

EDUCATION ACTS Throughout September, Bath Life is holding a series of online talks about education. It kicked off at the end of August, the day before this magazine went to press, with a Bath Life Business Club education special (available to watch again on Bath Life’s YouTube channel), and will continue on 13 September, with Bath Life Presents… Kingswood School, a detailed exploration of the school’s values and approach as established by its founder, John Wesley back in 1748. The series ends on 27 September with a Bath Life Business Surgery with Bath Spa University, which aims to answer the question: how can the university and Bath businesses help this current cohort of students grappling with loss of opportunity as a result of the pandemic? In other, education-related news, there will

Kingswood School will join host Greg Ingham for a discussion about value systems in education

also be a Bath Life Business Surgery with the University of Bath’s School of Management covering the retail sector on 6 September. For more information and links to sign up, visit Bath Life’s social media. For more: Instagram and Twitter @bathlifemag

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

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BATHWORKS

“I WOULD SPEND DAYS PICKING NETTLES TO CREATE THE NETTLE CORDIAL” the end and I couldn’t be happier with the results – we’ve created some beautiful drinks using some pretty fun and quirky ingredients.

Hugo Morrissey enjoying a glass of Nuisance

BIZ Q&A

Hugo Morrissey

How ‘nuisance’ plants like nettles and brambles have become the basis for a brand new range of botanical-based sofa mixers Tell us a more about Nuisance – what is it you do? We make premium, botanical-based soda mixers inspired by the British countryside. Each drink is designed to stand up strong on its own or offer an exciting and alternative mixer to accompany the finest spirits in the world. We have three flavours: Mint, Cucumber & Chilli, Wild Nettle, and Wild Bramble & Rosemary. How and when did the company get started? Madly enough, I registered Nuisance at the end of February 2020, so it was a pretty tough start to things. In about July last year we launched our first drink, which at the time was called our ‘Sparkling Nettle Presse’. I had to wait until April for nettles to grow (a phrase I never thought I would be saying) in order to start producing. I would spend days picking nettles to create the nettle cordial, before delivering it to our manufacturers for them to dilute, carbonate and bottle for us. Picking nettles? Ouch! Have you always been enthusiastic about foraging plants? To be honest, not really. My mother

used to make nettle cordial for me and my sisters when we were growing up so she was the real inspiration for the business. But I have always loved the countryside and this definitely inspired me to build a business which had embedded into it a deep love for nature. Having grown up in the Cotswolds and been to school in Somerset at Downside School, I have always been surrounded by amazing countryside and I have always loved spending time in the great outdoors. How did that manifest into turning nettles into a business? I always loved elderflower but it had been done and so I thought nettles would carve out a nice niche for us. It amazed me that nettles, which grow all around us and are full of nutritional goodness, are utilised so rarely and so I thought it would be pretty exciting to try and make use of a plant so frequently considered a ‘nuisance’. What have been some of the challenges in creating Nuisance? Firstly, we had made this delicious drink which we were really pleased with but the business model at the

time (foraging all our nettles) made it almost impossible to scale up. We had produced a limited supply of our drinks (about 10,000 bottles) which meant that we couldn’t really push our sales efforts for fear of running out of stock. And how did you deal with the problem? We made the decision to go to recipe developers in order to develop our drink using a natural nettle extract, which we now have supplied to us by a botanical farm. What was the recipe testing process like? To be honest, it was relatively quick, but it was made all the more difficult by lockdown – we weren’t able to do a development day in the lab.

What’s your own favourite way to drink Nuisance? I’m a big fan of our nettle soda mixer mixed with a dry vermouth. Our bramble mixer goes really nicely with either a dry sherry or a sloe gin, and I think the first time I’ve ever enjoyed tequila is mixed with our Mint, Cucumber & Chilli drink! What would you say has been the biggest business lesson learned along the way? I initially started Nuisance using my own savings, but I quickly discovered that building a business and developing a brand requires significant investment. This resulted in us doing our first investment raise, which has enabled us to develop and launch our range of drinks, carry out a rebrand and invest in our sales and marketing strategy. For more: www.nuisancedrinks.co.uk

The bramble mixer goes really well with a dry sherry or a sloe gin

How did you make it work without time in the lab? Our recipe developers would create samples for us, send them in the post, we would then provide our feedback before more samples were developed and sent our way. It certainly wasn’t the easiest process, sending bottles back and forth, but we got there in

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

SPONSORED BY:

BATHWORKS

he big night is in sight. In just a few days time we’ll be rolling out the red carpet at The Assembly Rooms for the return of the Bath Life Awards. Outfits are ready, make up looks planned, that new thing you’re trying with your hair perfected – all that’s left now is the excitement of anticipation. In the last couple of weeks a small number of extra tables have been released, so if you

AWARDS The uberglam Bath Life Awards will be held on 9 September 2021 at Bath Assembly Rooms, sponsored by Headliners The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa. The night kicks off at 6.30pm with a drinks reception sponsored by Juice Recruitment, followed by the dinner and the Awards. DRESSCODE As utterly uber-glamorous as you wish. Be sure to get your photo taken as Cover Star, sponsored by Freestyle Designs. AFTER PARTY Sponsored and hosted by Sub 13 – from 10.30pm onwards… SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for all updates. And look out for our Media Wall on the evening,

missed out on tickets in the first round there are a limited few up for grabs – but when they’re gone, they’re gone. The Bath Life Awards are all about celebrating the creativity, innovation and resilience of our city, and we can’t wait to present the coveted awards to exceptional businesses across all sectors, from retail to property, creative to charity. “This year’s Awards will be a much needed occasion for friends and colleagues to come

sponsored by Triangle Networks. HOW DO I BOOK A TICKET? Due to demand tickets are on sale to finalists only, please get in touch with info@mediaclash. co.uk if you wish to check availability. ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO KNOW? You can book tickets and tables with confidence for our Awards. Here’s our guarantee: If the government’s venue restrictions due to the pandemic mean that we cannot accommodate your booking this year, you will have the option of either: • A full refund; or • You can defer your tickets or tables until next year’s event We take our responsibility to our attendees, our partners’ teams and our own teams

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

There’s no greater team building exercise than winning an Award

together and celebrate how amazing Bath really is,” says Annie Miekus, events and brand manager at MediaClash, organisers of the Awards. “We can’t wait to see everyone glammed up and ready to celebrate this wonderful city.” For more: www.bathlifeawards.co.uk © SOUL MEDIA

Only a matter of days remain until the biggest night of the year

very seriously, so that we can all have a safe and enjoyable experience. SPONSORS We thank our 2021 sponsors, led from the front by Headline Sponsor The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa. Plus Apex City of Bath Hotel, Bath Audi, Bath Life, Bath Rugby, Clearly PR, Freestyle Designs, Hotel Indigo, Juice Recruitment, Marsh Commercial, Minuteman Press, Novia, Savills, Spaces, Stone King, Sub 13, Triangle Networks and Truespeed. SILVER SPONSORS Cassia, Curious Universe, Digital Samurai, The Ivy, Kelly Marie Kitchens, Mostly Media, SBS Design and Build, Transform Communications, Unividual and Winkworth.

The countdown is on…

Jo Stoaling and Lucy Beattie from Three Ways School

The Bath Life Awards celebrates the best of Bath’s businesses, from professional services to cafés, retail to charity

TESTIMONIAL

“We both felt really emotional. It was so lovely to see everyone’s reactions and to be recognised for the work we do and the contribution we make to our community.” Jo Stoaling and Lucy Beattie of Three Ways School, Education and Platinum Award winners, 2020

#BATH TOGETHER GREG INGHAM

Night vision Greg finds a whole new world awakes while the rest of us sleep

ne night during the heat, I slept out. The burblehum of background Bath was receding, leaving peace, serenity, stillness. No tent, because it wasn’t needed with that sultriness; also because I don’t really have one, bar a loanedand-unreturned affair that I’d forgotten about until deep into that starred night. Instead, openness. Light air brushing past. Bath experienced differently. Garden full of the whisper and scurry of small lives. Those late, late hours are less experienced outdoors for most as we get older. Who bar the drunk, the homeless and the night-shifter early workers are up and about then? Turns out certainly the former. Happy, slurred singing. The silence of everything else means

even the lightest of voices carries further, like shorelines made visible by a receding tide. The carousing ebbed, forgetting itself and disappearing into the darkness, leaving the flying, crawling things of the night in aural ascendancy. Shy scurriers, busy on foraging, eating, staying safe, rarely perhaps never able to relax. A fox bark-howls. Another world of Bath. Louder night sounds ordinarily prompt minor resentment when they intrude on my space in my room in my world; there could nor should be any thought of resentment when I’m in their world on their terms. A singular lived experience in the democracy of a dark garden; the succour of nature, enveloping, chirping, crawling, living. Whatever they were, we shared the night. Night creatures, night thinking. Felt like experiential insomnia, woozily jetlagging in

“The silence of everything else means even the lightest of voices carries further”

and out of the darkness. Sleeping in batches. Top slicing. More tapas than full course. Stately trees have seen it all. Warmth of night gives way to cool washing air and the lightest dew. With dawn looming, the natural soundtrack starts up of infinite unknown birds chirping, talking; wood pigeons crawcrawing, clearing their throats for their same pulsing four- or five-note on brand aural logos. Do birds dream? Is that what they’re taking about first thing, an effulgence of jibber-jabbering, trying to make sense of their nights’ experience? Drift again. Watertabling: once an excess of thinking is reached, all flows out. The stranded rock pools of an ordinary day’s thinking have natural pauses before they wash through, but here became a night’s tumble of musings, remembrances, hopes, plans, beliefs, reimaginings; of conversations restated and replayed and rescripted and spiralling off at tangents. Somewhere somehow there’s a food chain being linked up around me. Things eating or being eaten. It’s a bug eat bug’s world. One by-product of being vegetarian: you’re not a player in this food chain, not even eventually. Even the smallest of scrabbling carnivores in time eat something that’s eaten one of

these small noises. More drift. A squirrel jumped on the garden bed; saw me and jumped off as though scalded. Light grows. Bluebottles buzz idly by; the bees are still asleep. Stately, unhurried, engorged, faintly bizarre balloons wander by to say hello, greeting with the contours of a big-faced adult peering into a pram. The day is slowly growing up, putting on its diurnal lights and sounds, preparing for the adulthood of human activity. It’s a better, gentler experience than the abrupt eructation of an alarm clock. It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day and yes, I’m feeling good. Nights are wasted on the young, the drunks and the insomniacs. Won’t repeat it, mind – well, not too quickly. Next night? Repeated. Groundhog Night.

Greg Ingham was a journalist back in the day and runs MediaClash jointly with Jane Ingham. He chairs Creative Bath, and can be found @gregingh

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

HOMESTAY HOSTS IN BATH to host both short-term and long-term students. We teach adults and teenagers, and need both single and twin-room accommodation. For further details, including rates of payment, please contact our Accommodation Manager: Sarah Wringer, Kaplan International Languages Bath, 5 Trim Street, Bath, BA1 1HB Direct Line (01225) 473502, Email: sarah.wringer@kaplan.com

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The pros and cons of electric company cars

Matthew Rutter from Bath-based chartered accountants and tax advisers PEARSON MAY asks whether electric cars are now a more viable option for businesses…

espite the potentially high personal tax charge, many employees still enjoy and prefer the convenience of being offered the use of a company car by their employer and this can also be the case for owner managed businesses where the directors choose to run their cars through their companies. Those familiar with the benefit-in-kind tax rules will be aware that the tax impact on the employee/ director is much lower for those that choose lower-emission cars. On 6 April 2020, new benefit-in-kind percentage bands were introduced which took into account very low-emission cars and electric cars, favouring fully electric cars more. There is no doubt that electric cars are becoming more mainstream. With more options on the market and with better infrastructure, they are now a much more viable option for businesses looking to provide an employee/director with a taxefficient company car and there are also many financial reasons why both the employer and employee might wish to make the switch.

ADVANTAGES When assessing whether a company-provided electric car is tax-efficient, you need to consider this from both the employer and employee perspective. When providing a company car to an employee/director, a tax charge is assessed on the individual based on the benefit-in-kind and this is subject to income tax at the employee/ director’s marginal rate. The employer will also be assessed on Class 1A National Insurance contributions (NICs) at 13.8 per cent on the benefit-in-kind’s value. Therefore, both parties have an interest in the assessed benefit-in-kind being as low as possible. The lower the car’s emissions, the lower the benefit-in-kind.

“FROM A TAX PERSPECTIVE, THERE IS A CLEAR FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO BOTH EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE TO OPT FOR AN ELECTRIC CAR”

To calculate the benefit-in-kind, a percentage is applied to the car value (UK list price) based on the car’s CO2 emissions in grams per kilometre (g/km). This is probably best illustrated by way of an example. Let us say that Tom is a higher-rate (40 per cent) taxpayer who has a company car with a list price of £40,000, which will be available to him for the whole of the 2021/22 tax year. The CO2 emissions are 198g/km so the relevant benefit-in-kind percentage is the maximum of 37 per cent. He will be assessed on a benefit-in-kind charge of £14,800 resulting in a tax liability for him of £5,920 (40 per cent of £14,800) for the year. The employer will have a Class 1A NICs liability of £2,042.40 (13.8 per cent of £14,800). If Tom’s car was fully electric with zero emissions, the relevant percentage to apply to the list price of £40,000 is now just 1 per cent, resulting in a benefit-in-kind charge of £400. At 40 per cent, his tax charge for 2021/22 would be just £160 and the cost to his employer for Class 1A NICs is £55.20. From a tax perspective, there is a clear financial incentive to both employer and employee to opt for an electric car. But this is just one way that taking this option could save both money. As part of its push to encourage the switch to electric, the government intends to provide more than £532 million for consumer incentives for ultra-low emission vehicles. Around £403m of this is earmarked for the extension of the plug-in car grant (PICG) to 2022/23. From 12 March 2020, those making the switch to electric cars were eligible to apply for a grant of up to £3,000 towards the purchase of a new electric car. In order to maximise the number of consumers who can benefit from this grant as the uptake increases, the Government reduced the available PICG and capped the value of cars on which it could be claimed. Currently, the PICG grant stands at £2,500 and cars costing more than £35,000 are excluded. As well as grants supporting car purchase, the government has put in place a voucher-based workplace charging scheme. This provides eligible employers with support towards the upfront costs of buying and installing electric vehicle charge points at the workplace. The provision of such charge point facilities can also often be a tax-free benefitin-kind to employees making use of them (and even potentially for directors installing similar charge points at their homes). For those employees using a company car for

business journeys, the employer can pay a fuelonly mileage rate to reimburse fuel costs. The advisory rate set by HMRC depends on the car fuel type and engine size. For a petrol car with an engine size of over 2000cc, the advisory fuel rate is currently 19p per mile. In contrast, the rate for a fully electric car is just 4p per mile. Furthermore, from the company’s Corporation Tax point of view, if the electric company car has CO2 emissions of 0g/km, the company should be able to deduct 100 per cent of the cost of the vehicle against its taxable profits for the year of purchase. This ‘First Year Capital Allowance’ only applies if the electric car is brand new and unused.

DISADVANTAGES Car range is still an important issue, particularly for employees/directors who are expected to travel large distances over the course of one day. More planning may be required in terms of planning the route taken and the location of charging points, plus charging time may need to be built into the time schedule. Although the network infrastructure of charging points has improved significantly over recent years, it is still not comprehensive and the number and speed of charging points can vary considerably depending on where you are travelling. Cost might also remain a barrier for some businesses. Despite the grants available, electric cars are still generally more expensive than their fuel-based counterparts. Over time these drawbacks are expected to lessen, but until then – despite the financial incentives to make the change – some employers and employees may be reluctant to make the switch to fully electric just yet. ■ *The above is for general guidance only and no action should be taken without obtaining specific advice.

Matthew Rutter BSc(Hons) FCA CTA Pearson May Chartered Accountants & Chartered Tax Advisers Bath, Chippenham and Trowbridge 37 Great Pulteney Street, Bath BA2 4DA 01225 460491; mail@pearsonmay.co.uk www.pearsonmay.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 67

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INHERITANCE TAX BASICS Local legal expert HELEN STARKIE tells you what you need to know about lifetime gifts

ifts made during the seven years immediately preceding your death will in certain cases be added back in to the value of your estate when you die for the purpose of calculating the inheritance tax payable then, so it is worth knowing the basic principles of how the tax works if you are planning to make any gifts and/ or mitigate Inheritance Tax liability on your estate at the end of the day. First things first – what constitutes a gift? Most are obvious – cash, land and household or personal items, for example. But the value of an item over and above what you sell it for will also be treated as a gift for Inheritance Tax purposes (eg, selling an investment flat valued at £300,000 to one of your children for £100,000 means you are gifting £200,000 to the child in question). If you transfer something in which you retain an interest yourself (eg. a gift of your home to your children, whilst you continue to live there, a holiday home which you still use yourself, art which you retain in your home) this will not qualify as an Inheritance Tax-free gift. The value of the item(s) will be added back into the value of your estate when you die and Inheritance Tax will potentially be payable on it accordingly. Some gifts are exempt from Inheritance Tax – a gift to charity or between spouses or civil partners, for example. But note, gifts between partners who are not married or in a civil partnership will not be exempt. In any one tax year (6 April – 5 April the following year) you may give away £3,000 without the amount being added back into the value of your estate when you die. (You may carry one year’s unused £3,000 allowance forward to the next year – but only once). You may pay the amount to one recipient or divide it between a number of them. Again, in any tax year you may make as many gifts of up to £250 to as many recipients as you like – provided that you have not used another allowance on a gift to the same person that year. Proportionate gifts from your income of Christmas and birthday presents are exempt. Tax-free gifts can be made on the occasion of a wedding or civil partnership. You can give up to £5,000 to a child of yours, £2,500 to a grandchild and £1,000 to any other person when they marry. You can combine your £3,000 allowance with this so, for example, a gift of £8,000 to your child when they marry would be tax-free provided that you have not used the £3,000 allowance elsewhere. (But confusingly, you cannot combine a £250 allowance with another).

“THE CONCESSION WHICH IS MOST OFTEN OVERLOOKED IS THAT RELATING TO EXPENDITURE OUT OF INCOME” The concession which is, in my experience, often overlooked, although it is a particularly useful – and more generous – one, is that relating to ‘gifts out of income’. There is no ceiling on the amount which can be given here – provided that (1) you can afford the payments out of your own income, after paying your own usual outgoings, without needing to dip into your capital to support yourself or reduce your standard of living and (2) you set the payments up as regular ones. Classic examples of exempt gifts of this type are termly payment of school fees for grandchildren, payment of accommodation charges for your child, paying into a savings account for a child aged under 18 – or paying or contributing towards the care

costs of an elderly person. But a scheme where payments of surplus income are made annually are entirely acceptable. You need to be careful to ensure that ‘income’ is as defined in the relevant statutes. Pensions, income from rentals, dividends etc are classed as ‘income’ here – but regular withdrawals from a life assurance bond and parts of an annuity purchased other than through a pension fund are not. In any of these cases – but particularly important in this last exemption, it is important that you keep a proper paper trail of gifts made. This is a thumbnail sketch of the basic rules. The overriding rule is to seek professional advice from your lawyer before gifting. ■

Helen Starkie Solicitor 38 Gay Street, Bath, BA1 2NT; 01225 442353; www.helenstarkie.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 69

PROPERTY P L A C E S T O L I V E , W O R K A N D P L AY

This four-bed apartment on Lansdown Place is being marketed through Hamptons for £800,000

Market growth

FOLLOW THE NUMBERS

A new report reveals a record amount of interest in Bath property from residential buyers Over the last year a record 70 per cent of would-be buyers registering to move to Bath, came from outside the area. This is according to a new report published by estate agents Hamptons. The report, which was put together by Hamptons research, goes on to say that 60 per cent of Bath buyers moved from elsewhere in the South West, while the next single group at 22 per cent were purchasers from London. The report highlights how properties in the city are selling faster than at any time in the last four years and how buyers are prepared to pay more to secure their next home. Aneisha Beveridge, head of research at Hamptons,

explains, “A shortage of properties for sale has meant that purchasers have had to move fast. In the first half of 2021, it took an average of 56 days for a seller to find a buyer – half the time it took in 2020. Meanwhile, the average home sold in the city this year achieved 96.8 per cent of its asking price.” She added, “Over the last year house price growth in Bath, at 6.5 per cent, has outpaced London at 4.1 per cent.” Neal Wood, head of sales at Hamptons Bath branch, says, “Bath, while always a popular choice for buyers and frequently tops the league table as one of the most desirable places in the country to live, has seen a particularly busy housing market over the last 18 months. The last year has focussed people’s attention on where they want to live and what they want from their home. “A practical living space which can accommodate a home working area is a must-have for our buyers at the moment. As is good outside space. Interestingly, less need to commute has pushed train and road links down the wish-list, but access to good local

amenities has been pushed up.” But it’s not just the sales market that has been outperforming in the designated UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bath, the rental market has too. The Hamptons report states that across the South West, rents have been rising faster than in any other region of the country. A lack of rental stock has driven prices which in spring resulted in double-digit rental growth. This has been good news for investors who have seen average yields in Bath rise by 6.2 per cent, up from 5.5 per cent in 2019. “For buyers, the stamp duty holiday, the first part of which came to an end in June, undoubtedly helped,” says Neal. “As we progress towards the end of the year we expect the market to slow. That said, the desire for space, together with flexible working which means people are no longer tied to the office five days a week, are longer-term shifts which we believe will help support the city’s housing market over the months to come.” For more: www.hamptons.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 71

PROPERTY NEWS Appointments

MOVING IN Crest Nicholson has announced the appointment of Clare Brimble as the new sales and marketing director for its South West division. Clare brings with her a wealth of experience in sales and marketing following a high profile career with some of the country’s largest developers. Previous to her new role, Clare spent six and a half years at Taylor Wimpey, where she moved from sales director to UK sales and marketing director. Prior to this, she worked as a sales and marketing manager for David Wilson Homes and Strongvox, and in estate agency for a period. “It is exciting to join Crest Nicholson at a time when a strong housing market has bolstered business confidence to advance the company’s offerings,” says Clare. “The pandemic has led the industry to learn to work in different ways and showed us what we can achieve with a more flexible and digital perspective, to cater to both our customers and employees. I’m very much looking forward to exploring how Crest Nicholson can continue to build on this over the coming years.” For more: www.crestnicholson.com

above: Langley Point in Chippenham is just one of the new developments marketed by Crest Nicholson; left: Clare Brimble is the new sales and marketing director for Crest Nicholson’s South West division

left: All the properties have now sold at Riverside View; below: The development by the B&NES property company Aequus Construction is up for an award

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

Awards

IN THE RUNNING Bath & North East Somerset Council’s property company Aequus Construction is up for a prestigious award for its exemplary redevelopment of the council’s former offices in Keynsham. Aequus has been shortlisted in the annual LGC Awards for its redevelopment of the 1960s civic centre building to deliver modern, affordable, sustainable homes. Nintey-five spacious contemporary studio, one and two bedroom apartments were created, at the renamed Riverside View, with all properties now sold. Councillor Richard Samuel, deputy leader and cabinet member for Resources and Economic Development, says, “We’re incredibly proud of Aequus’ work on the Riverside View development which forms a key part of Keynsham’s regeneration. It was the company’s first major development and has created a new community and breathed new life into a previously empty office building. “The development exemplifies the aims and values of the council in providing affordable energy efficient sustainable homes. It’s no wonder Riverside View has already won a host of awards and I wish the Aequus team every success as they make their final pitch to the judges on 24 September.” For more: www.aequusdevelopments.co.uk

FINALIST

THE RANCH HOUSE & COTTAGE

£2 million

Matthew Leonard Director

Lucy McIlroy Director

Denise Latham Lettings Manager

SION HILL PLACE One of Bath’s most exclusive addresses has come to market Words by Matilda Walton Photos by INIGO

PROPERTY Sion Hill Place is generally considered John Pinch The Elder’s finest work

“It’s a peaceful place” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 75

PROPERTY

amed by The Times one of the six best streets to live on in the UK, Sion Hill Place holds an enviable position among a city filled with prominent and historic addresses. Generally considered John Pinch The Elder’s finest work (the Bath architect also designed Cavendish Crescent), it’s the northernmost of Bath’s urban set pieces, and enjoys a level of seclusion and peace unique to a spot only a 20-minute walk from town. There is a quiet harmony about the property, from the symmetry of the honey-hued palace front to the gentle balance of rustic elegance throughout all five floors of its meticulously restored interior. The cornicing is exquisite; a rosette and waterleaf pattern is supported by intricate dentil projection (toothlike mouldings decorating the cornice) underneath, with ornate door architraves punctuated by mouldings that draw on the style of the plasterwork throughout the rest of the house. Meanwhile in the kitchen and dining rooms

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

the eye is drawn upward by the remarkable strapwork plaster ceilings, crafted with the simplistic grandeur of neoclassicism. Emphasised in a chalky off-white, it all exudes the sort of weighty refinement unique to Georgian architecture. Rather than go full period opulence however, the property is set apart by its rustic edge. Aged flagstones and Russian pine boards enriched with earthy natural fibres of the woven stair runner and chunky wooden furniture lend the property an alluring warmth and softness. Elements like the spectacular chimney piece at the heart of the dining room and the working fire in the magnificent drawing room upstairs add to the cosy feel, and offer visions of late-night murmured conversations over wine with friends. The house is flooded with natural light from tall sash windows and original shutters, and enjoys views across Sion Hill’s exclusive communal gardens, and its own private garden to the rear. Landscaped to perfection with a series of tiers and deep herbaceous planting formed around a central lawn, it also has a top paved terrace for alfresco dining, morning stretches, or reading in the sunshine. It’s a peaceful place, with secluded conservation woods beyond owned by Kingswood School and known locally as The Secret Garden.

The property has remarkably well maintained mouldings and plasterwork throughout

“It all exudes the sort of weighty refinement unique to Georgian architecture”

PROPERTY

“There’s an almost fairytale feel to the aesthetics of the place”

Sion Hill Place is flooded with natural light

The lower ground floor currently houses a twobedroom apartment with a style distinct from the rest of the property. Whether an Airbnb, a granny annexe or a spot for the adult offspring yet to fly the nest, it’s a gorgeous and boldly decorated space, with pops of colour and a kitschy feel in contrast with the more rustic elements of the primary property. Vibrant wallpaper by Colefax & Fowler only adds to the distinct personality of the apartment, which includes fun original features like a glass-paned butler’s pantry and dumb waiter, original in-built dresser and a claw-foot bath in a domical vault, once used as a cold store for meats. There’s almost a fairytale feel to aesthetics of the place, as though it were the setting for the beginning of a great story. From top to bottom, it’s the sort of home to inspire envy in the hearts of all who visit it.

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

HOUSE NUMBERS Price £2.4m Sq ft Bedrooms

3,920 6

Bathrooms 6 Floors 5 For more: INIGO; www.inigo.com

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We happily take on domestic, commercial and industrial contracts; from a simple home redecoration through to a large scale business renovation. It is our company policy to ensure that every project is dealt with in a high quality professional manner and we are happy to make recommendations regarding materials to suit your needs and budget. We use all varieties of paint and wallpaper from all of the major brands, including; Farrow & Ball | Dulux Trade Crown Trade | Neptune | Little Greene

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Bath Life team 01225 475800

STYLE COUNSEL PHILIPPA MAY

REDEFINING DESIGN Old fashioned quality and a touch of upcycling ensures Philippa finds her own interior style

’m by no means an interior designer, although I’m often mistaken for one. I love interiors, architecture, art, and of course design. I’m a trained designer but just not in interiors. Yet, as any originator knows, you’re always encouraged to get your inspiration from – well anything other than what you’re actually creating. Great design is all about innovation, problem solving, and thinking laterally. You can’t come up with anything particularly inspirational if you look at it head on. A lot of my inspiration comes from the textures and shapes around me. I show this interior infatuation off on my social media, but I’m far from the actual avant garde interior elite that have been specifically trained in spatial scale and harmony. Those skills

are what makes you truly in awe of a well designed space, you can see and feel that kind of talent in a millisecond. The lines of each design discipline have blurred over recent years. I think a lot of this comes from the sense that with creative flair and innovation comes the ability to transcend traditional design structures. Artists are beginning to create pieces that go beyond form into function, and with that furniture designers have gone beyond function to create pieces more akin to art, think Fred Rigby – perfectly at home and indistinguishable amongst the artwork at The Francis Gallery. We have reached the inevitable opinion that form and function are increasingly indistinguishable and well that’s a good thing really isn’t it? For years we have bought

“Because they’re not brand new – we’re also not afraid to drill a hole for cables”

Philippa’s upcycled sideboard

furniture that was top quality joinery, beautiful and timeless only to fall into decades of throwaway trends that culminated in flat pack pieces that were cheap to buy, hard to assemble, rarely functional and not particularly beautiful either. But this resurgence in interior appreciation has brought with it the mass market desire for pieces to incorporate into your home that aren’t just functional, they’re investments that enrich your craving for that interior, architectural feel. You can be fortunate enough to afford an interior designer to transform your home, yet for many they crave the same effect but on a budget. You want to have the feeling that your space, your home, has been well thought out, that it is purposeful and yet beguiling and I think that’s more attainable than ever with the inspiration of online DIYs. With the past year seeing physical furniture shops close, and online – impossible to receive any piece delivered under a six month wait, social media was inundated with upcycles. And

anyway – why pay for a mass produced sideboard that everyone is lusting over when you can pick up a marketplace bargain and transform it into something so perfectly personal and unique. I’ve been hit by this exact bug, and it’s fun. We’ve managed to create pieces of furniture to fit odd spaces, and because they’re not brand new – we’re also not afraid to drill a hole for cables etc. making them more functional and discreet as ever. I’ve discovered a personal style, much like an artist. Mostly, because I’m time strapped with work and a small child so minimal and fuss free (as well as easy to clean) lends itself to only a few variations… but there’s nothing quite like a friend admiring your new collection of furniture, knowing – I did that. That and the small smug knowledge that you’ve saved it from a messy end at the tip. Philippa May is an interiors enthusiast and is director of a branding and marketing company Mayd Studio. Follow her on Instagram @_philippamay_ www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 81

INTERIORS

CLASSIC DESIGNS Looking at both style and longevity, Bath’s furniture experts share their favourite interior pieces By John Mather

hen you’re buying an interiors accessory, whether it be a lamp, a vase or even a tile or two, it’s fine and dandy to talk fashions, trends, and what’s hot. However when you’re investing in a piece of new, major furniture you’re going to want something with staying power. We asked a few of our Bath experts for their thoughts on a key piece or collection they consider both one of their favourites and also to have true style longevity. Key item The Ardingly cabinet Selected by Amber Greenman home designer at

Neptune Bath, One Tram Yard, Walcot Street, Bath; www.neptune.com “Ardingly is a piece worth highlighting, and one that I so often use in my design schemes here in Bath. Inspired by early 20th century design, with the subtly tapered darkened oak legs and paired-back silhouette, Ardingly is a drinks cabinet with a twist. It’s designed to stand the test of time, and really grow with its owners and their home. “As with our entire collection, our product design and manufacturing teams prioritised quality when making Ardingly, using only the most trustworthy of natural material, such as painted tulipwood, and Carrara marble. “I think what makes Ardingly really special is its adaptability to each home. With lots of variations available, including a mirrored back, a lower oak shelf, and dimmable lighting. As a designer, I’ve never come across anything quite like it. Not to mention it’s different uses for each space it sits in – be it a drinks cabinet, desk, dressing table, or TV cabinet. It can also be custom painted in any colour from our collection, so can be tailored to suit all spaces.”

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

Amber Greenman, home designer at Neptune Bath has selected the multi-functional Ardingly cabinet

“What makes Ardingly really special is its adaptability to each home”

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

INTERIORS The Lotte Larder Unit by Cox & Cox is a thing of beauty says Dani Taylor

Key item The Lotte Larder Unit Selected by Dani Taylor,

product and creative director of Cox & Cox, the Fromebased home décor experts; www.coxandcox.co.uk

“This unit is an organisation lover’s dream” 84 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

“Classic and transitional, our Lotte Larder cabinet complements many interior styles. Handcrafted in Europe from solid wood, this storage solution is a thing of beauty. Purely functional ﬁtted kitchens do not always prove aesthetically pleasing and there is a clear trend of moving away from this clinical look. This larder wholly complements this trend, combining both looks and practicality to amplify any space. “Mix with a lower-cost ﬁtted kitchen to add

a premium finish, or indeed with a premium kitchen to break up continuous colours by adding a new point of interest or to simply add more great storage. What’s more, in a world of renting adding the Lotte unit allows you to put your personal stamp on a house and maximise storage without great expense. The best part is you can take it with you if and when you move. “The unique grey wash paint effect is hand applied in layers to let the natural colour and grain of the wood come through. A layer of varnish is applied to fix the patina and to confer resistance for long use. With six main shelves plus an extra four inside each of the doors, this unit is an organisation lover’s dream. Inside the cabinet, the middle shelf is fixed but the other shelves are adjustable, giving you the flexibility to make it work best for you.”

Key item Cooksbridge range from Sofas & Stuﬀ Selected by Andrew Cussins, founder of Sofas &

Stuff, manufacturer of sofas handmade in Britain, with showrooms in Stroud and Bristol; www.sofasandstuff.com “The Cooksbridge was designed around the time that I created Cloth 21, a beautiful classic English fabric inspired by the woods and the stunning Sussex coastline where I live. With its understated traditional shape, these furniture pieces show off the fabric to its very best effect, offering supreme comfort and style. The Cloth 21 and Cooksbridge combination is already one of our bestsellers. “At Sofas & Stuff we work collaboratively, so at our design

workshops, we played around with a few styles and prototypes before landing on the best choice: high-backed with scroll arms for ease and quality. As with all our pieces, this is a for-life sofa. We always go the extra mile, with ultra-solid frames to last a generation. What’s more, you can choose any fabric in the world to suit your style. Built from hardwood – mostly beech and birch – we work closely with suppliers that are Forest Stewardship Council accredited, and who share our sustainability commitment. “Our new standard cushion interiors for the Cooksbridge, as with all our bespoke models, are 50 per cent made up of recycled plastic bottles. That’s about 200 in each cushion, all collected from coastal communities in the Far East and the Philippines.”

The Cooksbridge is the design choice of Sofas & Stuff founder Andrew Cussins

Key item Lewes 2 Seat Grand Sofa – Upholstered in Warwick, Anthropology Denim Selected by Simon Walker, store manager for the luxury furniture and accessories specialists, India Jane, 20 Milsom Street Bath; www.indiajane.co.uk

“We love mixing the old with the new, and here an enduring classic, the Lewes sofa, takes on a whole new character when upholstered in colourful, contemporary and popular kilim inspired fabric. The Lewes is also available in other colours and is perfectly complimented by the Romsey ottoman, a useful combination of footstool and storage. “Adapting timeless designs and inspiration from the past, mixing in elements of individuality and essential practicality and using beautiful fabrics to create unusual sofas that are designed for quality, comfort and style. “Our sofas are manufactured in the UK using skilled craftsmen and traditional methods passed down through the generations alongside the best of modern techniques and a wide selection of British designed fabrics to choose from.”

The Lewes Sofa offers a great mix of old and new styles, says Simon Walker www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 84

INTERIORS Key item Ecol Forli corner chaise sofa Selected Richard Hayes, company director of

Bath’s largest furniture store, TR Hayes, 15-18 London Street, Walcot, Bath; www.trhayes.co.uk “The Forli collection from Ercol was designed with the more compact home environment in mind. So many sofas these days are enormous; even with open-plan living you would still need a pretty big house to accommodate some of the designs available. Another issue is that these large sofas don’t always look quite so spectacular when you go for the more modestly sized two-seater version. The designers at Ercol have looked at these problems and come up with a beautifully scaled down design that exudes mid-century style. “Forli’s slim profiles, coupled with the contemporary fabrics on offer, create a dramatic backdrop for the elegantly turned solid oak leg details. The corner chaise is the hero piece in the collection and chimes well with current trends, sitting particularly well within an open-plan space. “Ercol is a well-known, long-established British brand, and in fact last year they celebrated their 100th anniversary. They have a talented in-house design team at their headquarters in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, where you will also find their experienced furniture technicians who create and develop the designs. They also have a strong sustainability ethos and the distinctive wooden frame used in the Forli collection is made from timber that complies with European Timber Regulations, and there is also a re-cover service meaning you don’t have to throw away an old sofa, you can just get it recovered by Ercol.” n

“The corner chaise is the hero piece in the collection and chimes well with current trends”

Richard Hayes of TR Hayes has picked Ercol Forli Collection as his key furniture piece

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

Producing only the finest architectural joinery, furniture and kitchens. T: 01225 459247 | M: 07896 809349 clayton@claytondavidson.co.uk | www.claytondavidson.co.uk

The Bespoke Furniture, Upholstery & Soft Furnishings Experts A family run independent business born and bred in Bristol since 1999. Offering a wide range of services; - Made to measure curtains - Bespoke furniture - Upholstery - Replacement cushions - Homeware from Nkuku Our workshops are open for business. Open Monday - Saturday 196 North Street, Bristol, BS3 1JF 01173 702745 | sales@swupholstery.co.uk

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BATH LIVES

“An honour and a pleasure to be a part of their journey” STARTING OVER The Syrian refugee families and their new life in Bath

they feel part of their communities and are very grateful for all the support, kindness and compassion they have received throughout the resettlement programme.

One of the parents has trained as a teaching assistant and

One parent said: “You have done so much for us. I’m

now works full-time in a school. Another gained qualifications in British Sign Language to be able to communicate with their child who is hearing impaired, which along with a cochlear implant and a place at a specialist school has made the child happier and less frustrated.

Five refugee families from Syria who settled in Bath five years ago have chosen to remain

Some parents have been successful in securing jobs in retail and voluntary work,

A celebratory event was held for the families on 2 August at

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

The families have told Connecting Families that they love their life here in the UK,

Parade Gardens in Bath to mark their completion of the programme and all they have achieved over the past five years.

Normally this page is dedicated to chatting with an individual who lives in Bath, either since birth or someone who has moved here. However when Bath Life learned of the five Syrian refugees families who have made this city their home, and how they were helped by B&NES Council’s Connecting Families team to make a new and positive start after fleeing Syria, well, how could we not run this as a celebration of lives in Bath?

living in the city after having been granted indefinite leave to remain. The families were the first to be welcomed to Bath in February 2016 as part of the Syrian refugee resettlement programme supported by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Connecting Families team.

children having begun their early years education at local nurseries.

with one attending university to complete a degree in business management. All of the families attend Bath College for English classes

and four out of the five no longer need support through a translator. The children who are old enough to attend school are all fluent in English and achieving their academic targets, with the younger

very sad you are going now. My children will miss you; you are family to us and always will be.”

Another added: “We have had lots of help to get everything we need, and you kept on helping,

never stopped. I didn’t know what to expect and without you it would have been difficult. We didn’t know what was here in England, but we are safe and very happy, our new home now.”

One parent said of their keyworker: “Paul has worked hard for us. He always listens to

us and we have valued the help and support received by him and everyone at Connecting Families. We would have struggled with things like benefits, housing, schools, etc. without you. Thank you for everything!”

Councillor Dine Romero, cabinet member for Children and Young People, Communities and Culture, says: “I am so pleased

that our five families who came to the UK in 2016 now enjoy a safe and happy life and have gained their indefinite leave to remain. It was a joy to meet them and hear first-hand of their achievements. “They have accomplished so much since they arrived in Bath and I’m delighted to hear

that they all want to stay within our community.

“In 2015 the council had discussions with the Home Office about our willingness to

help resettle Syrian refugees who greatly need our support. Thanks to the help of our local partners and volunteers, the resettlement programme has been a huge success for our five families. I know our Connecting Families team has found it an honour and a pleasure to be a part of their journey. I wish the families all the very best for a happy future.” n

The Connecting Families team co-ordinates local services to help meet the complex needs of individual families so they can make positive changes. For more: www.bathnes.gov.uk