Bath Life – Issue 457 by MediaClash

ES AG TH P 9 BA TY OF PER DS O PR WAR 1 A 202

IS SU E 45 7 /1 9 N O V EM B ER – 2 D EC EM B ER 20 21 /£ 3

ISSUE 457 / 19 NOVEMBER – 2 DECEMBER 2021 / HEAVYWEIGHT HAPPINESS

MULTI LAYERED

DRESSING YOUR HOME FROM FLOOR TO WINDOW

NATURAL PERFORMERS

50 YEARS OF THE WIDCOMBE THEATRE COMPANY

LIVING LA VIDA LOCAL

IT’S PITCHER PERFECT AT THE NEW CASA DE TAPAS

GOLD DIGGERS

R THE A T OF GIVING CHRISTMAS GIFTING MADE KINDER, MORE THOUGHTFUL

THE YEO VALLEY ORGANIC GARDEN RHS WINNERS

ELECTRIC DREAMS

TEST DRIVING THE NEW AUDI Q4

PLUS SUPPER AT SIMIʼS KITCHEN / SCHOOL OPEN DAYS WITH VICTORIA BOND / MATTHEW BOURNEʼS THE MIDNIGHT BELL

EDITOR’S LETTER

ABOVE: How to choose the perfect

Christmas gift (page 17) BELOW: We’ve got soft furnishings covered (page 88)

e’re always here to help at Bath Life so this midNovember issue is bringing you Christmas planning slightly earlier than usual. We’re taking you by the hand and leading you past the Christmas past mineﬁeld of unwanted, wasted, and unloved piles of seasonal consumerism, and into the world of experience gifting. In these mindful, connected times, these 15 locally sourced activities and indulgences will be the gifts that just keep on giving (page 17). Whether it’s paddle-boarding down the River Avon, luxe hot tubbing at Homewood House, fudge making in the city centre, looking for ghosts in Victoria Park, or shaking up cocktails like a pro, who isn’t going to be happy on receipt, hashtagging in the moment, and hugging the memories long after the event has passed? We’ve got a local and indie voucher round-up, based on pretty much the same concept of keeping last minute panic-buying at bay, and keeping our Bath indies busy, beautiful, and in business. Enjoy and see you in two weeks.

SARAH MOOLLA

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

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POWERVIEW®

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Explore our carefully curated collection of stylish independents alongside prestigious brands and discover a haven of Christmas gifts, pop-ups and eateries in the heart of Bath… Milsom Place, Milsom Street & Broad Street, Bath BA1 1BZ 01225 789040 milsomplace.co.uk

Issue 457 / 19 November – 2 December 2021 COVER The Girl and the Balloon by Jaco Putker, available in a limited edition print from Modern ArtBuyer; www.modernartbuyer.com

10 73

THE GIFT OF EXPERIENCE

17 GIFT GUIDE Experiences – pamperings, adventures, classes,

culture – that last a lifetime, not just for Christmas

THE ARTS

33 ARTS INTRO Explore the seedy pubs and bars of 1930s Soho

with Matthew Bourne’s production The Midnight Bell

34 WHAT’S ON Theatre, music, family stuff, comedy and art in

Bath and beyond

42 NATURAL THEATRE COMPANY Celebrate 50 years of fun 47 BOOKS Adventurers, alien life forms and dynamic duos as

recommended by Mr B

FOOD&DRINK

51 FOOD & DRINK A brand new art café and bar, a green pledge

and the most decadent Christmas menu in town

52 RESTAURANT A little bit of everything at Casa De Tapas 55 TAKE 5 Simi Rezai takes her supper club IRL

LIFESTYLE

62 GARDENS Yeo Valley proves that organic is best at the RHS

Chelsea Flower Show

66 MOTORING We take the Audi Q4 e-Tron for a test drive

BUSINESS

73 BATHWORKS Business news, views, and interviews 76 BIZ Q&A Darrin Christan, director of Coopers Stores 78 AWARDS Q&A Emma Rose waited a long time for her Bath Life

Awards triumph

PROPERTY

82 SHOWCASE Georgian excellence at 1 Laura Place 88 FLOOR TO CEILING Re-do your interiors from the ground up 99 BATH PROPERTY AWARDS Catch up with all the best

moments from the 2021 ceremony

DEPARTMENTS

9 SPOTLIGHT The biggest Christmas tree we’ve ever seen 10 INSTAGRAM Don’t forget to look up 15 FLATLINE Flats’ renovation woes 71 EDUCATION How to spot a good school at twenty paces 114 LIVES Landscape architect and poet Win Phyo

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 Matt Bielby, Victoria Bond, Nic Bottomley, Katharine Dever, David Flatman, Sophie Phipson and Matilda Walton Group advertising manager Pat White pat.white@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

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 7

SPOTLIGHT Longleat

SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS Intrepid Longleat staff took decorating for Christmas to a whole new level with this year’s 20-metre-tall Christmas tree. With the help of a cherry picker, staff adorned the tree with more than 88,000 lights – by hand – and fitted four snow-making machines to create the festive display. “With so many lights, so much cable and decorations to put up it has been a massive undertaking, but to see the tree in place and working is amazing,” says Longleat’s Steve Mytton. “It manages to combine a host of Christmas traditions into one package; a seasonal tree, twinkling lights as well as carols, festive songs and even snow! There can’t be too many other experiences like it.” The tree took a team of 15 four days to complete, has 14 different sections and used an extraordinary 12km of lighting tables. It was created by British craftsmen and is the only one of its kind in Europe. For more: www.longleat.co.uk Local musicians are invited to get involved in next year’s Bath Festival The 20-metre Christmas tree features more than 88,000 lights

Party In The City

AN OPEN INVITATION Bath Festivals have put out an open call to musicians to take part in the 2022 Party In The City, part of the Bath Festival celebrations next May. Party In The City is Bath’s largest free arts event, and organisers are inviting musicians of all genres of music to take part. It all takes place on Friday 13 May, and includes over 1,000 performers in more than 30 venues – plus two outside stages – regularly drawing crowds of up to 20,000 to the city centre. Applications are open until 31 December, and can be found on Bath Festivals’ social media, @TheBathFestival. For more: www.bathfestivals.org.uk

Lucknam Park

CHILD’S PLAY

Lucknam Park has won an award for its offering for children

Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa has been named the UK’s best family hotel in the Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence. Voted for by guests and local experts, it was recognised for the strength of oﬀerings like its Equestrian Centre, and the activities available, which include everything from duck herding and falconry to archery and cookery classes. Lucknam Park also has four private country cottages in the estate perfect for families with children. “We are very proud to be named the UK’s best hotel for families in the Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence,” says Sakis Dinas, general manager at the hotel. “The category is always full of inspirational and deserving properties, so it is a true honour. We would like to send a huge thank you to everyone who voted for us. Our skilled and devoted team look forward to welcoming returning and new guests, and will continue to provide personalised service to families, who choose to make memories at Lucknam Park.” For more: www.lucknampark.co.uk

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SPOTLIGHT

LOOK UP

From spectacular skies to thrilling architecture, make sure you raise your gaze from the pavement to enjoy the dreamy views around every corner

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

38-41 Broad Street, Bath. BA1 5LP Tel. 01225 462227 www.rossitersofbath.com

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FLAT LINE DAVID FLATMAN

My Guy

Flats on the hell of home improvements offset by the heavenly joy of having a project manager

“Guy returns to clean the whole lot every evening. I would oﬀer to help, but he seems to really enjoy it”

hen I was 20 years old I was earning very little indeed as a professional rugby player. I’d made the mistake of signing a long deal when I left school so, despite having played for England by this time, I was at the mercy of the overlords (actually lovely people) who controlled the money, having to be very grateful indeed when my pitiful salary was increased by over two hundred percent, and was still roughly bugger all. Then I was selected to tour South Africa with the England team, and that represented a bumper pay day. I recall some of the senior players bemoaning the paltry fee for three weeks’ work in the sun, not knowing that it was significantly more then my annual salary. With this loot in the bank, I bought a flat in Stoke Newington in London. Now a trendy spot full of vegan eateries and people with scruffy-looking jumpers that actually cost £600, it was then a bit rough. But I loved my flat, and I loved the area (I didn’t, I’m just trying to appear grounded. Parts of it were so rough that you literally wouldn’t drive through them, let alone walk. I was once chased down the road in my car in Hackney by a load of blokes and had to jump a red light to escape them, and was twice the victim of attempted car jackings. Good memories…). The flat didn’t need much as it was pretty new and done to a fair standard, but the bathroom was a little ropey, so I got some quotes to do it up. My monthly mortgage payment on that place, from memory, was about £900, and the quote I remember most clearly was £1,800 to make the bathroom less grubby and more grown up. “That’s twice my mortgage payment, mate,” I said to my flatmate, “absolutely no chance!” Had I known then that 20 years later I’d be employing a

project manager (Guy Mercer of Camden Mews Construction Co. and coincidentally a former rugby teammate of mine – he’s doing a very nice job indeed but remains rather handsome, which grates somewhat) to run the various phases of a house renovation, I’d have given it all up and taken to the seas in search of a simpler life lived alongside a relaxed buffoonery of orangutans. As it is, things are kicking off a bit at home. With no side or rear access, and with a good amount of rain floating about, the removal and replacement of the patio in the back garden is proving a rather internally muddy experience. We’re tiptoeing and frog-hopping across hallways, we’re dodging wheelbarrows full of muck and rubble, we’re living in two rooms packed with the furniture and coats and shoes and general flotsam and jetsam from two others, and we’re making lots of lots of tea and coffee. But every night, we hear the front door open and a small but scratchy ceremony begins in said hallway. Yes, Guy returns to clean the whole lot every evening, just so the kids don’t get dirty feet before school. I would offer to help, but he seems to really enjoy it … I always thought that having a project manager was only for the rich, and only for the biggest projects. Not true. Guy is out there getting his (tight) jeans dirty, but he is also scheduling everyone and everything and coordinating deliveries of rubble and stone and tree stump grinders. Soon enough, the platform will be there and the crew from Boniti will arrive ready to lay said new patio, and it will all have been worth it. In the meantime, though, I’m off for a working weekend in London, and I’m staying in a hotel where there’s no mud whatsoever. David Flatman is an ex-Bath and England rugby star turned TV pundit and rent-o-mic. Follow him on Twitter @davidflatman and Insta @dflatman www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 15

CHRISTMAS GIFTS Interior No. 80 by Jaco Putker, etching in a limited edition of 25. Unframed. 28 x 38cm, £350, available from www.modernartbuyer.com

GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT How to make your Christmas gifting that little bit more special this year By Katharine Dever

e are learning more than ever about the detrimental effects of excessive and thoughtless consumerism but hey, we still love gifts and gifting. Just how can we reconcile the desire to share and give, with the need to curb pointless and panicked purchasing? For specialist advice we turn to Frome-based wellness expert Katharine Dever who founded the Eden Room with Bath-based Rebecca Morgan, which is a curated online edit of wellness practices and real-life events. She says, “There’s nothing wrong with getting that gorgeous item you know is perfect, but when we just throw money at purchases to solve a problem in haste, we unwittingly create waste – and a much bigger problem, both for the weary ‘regifter’ and the planet. “More than ever before we need to put thought into what we buy. We know Christmas is often about gifts that will delight the receiver, so it’s right that we start thinkingly differently now that we know most people have more than enough ‘stuff’. Perhaps we could give someone busy a gift of

time? Someone stressed a gift of wellbeing or peace of mind? What if we shared an experience that we know someone wouldn’t buy for themselves but would love to receive? “Mindful gifting is the antidote to the ‘panic buying’ culture that is responsible for so much waste as well as long queues in high street chains returning unwanted items in the January sales. After the few years we’ve had, and the realisation that while we cant single-handedly stop climate change, we can stop being part of the problem. “This year we should be looking to give gifts that bring happiness, wellness and are kinder to Mother Earth, whilst supporting our beloved independent shops, artisans and creatives in our wonderful community right here in Bath. That’s got to be a yuletide win/win/win.” To help with ideas and inspiration for mindful gifting we are going to be looking at three gift guides supporting local, lovely and indie, starting with experiences and vouchers overleaf. For more: www.theedenroom.com

“More than ever before, we need to put thought into what we buy”

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 17

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

IN OUR EXPERIENCE Give gifts to help create memories that will last a lifetime 1HOT TUB HEAVEN

COMPILED BY SOPHIE PHIPSON

Homewood, Abbey Lane, Freshford; www.homewoodbath.co.uk Know a couple in love? Maybe they’ve had to Covid-wait to get married and this stay could be the ideal Christmas gift to lift their spirits. Homewood’s grounds and country house are filled with creative artworks and ultra-modern indulgences including a spa and heated outdoor swimming pool. The Hot Tub Heaven package is an indulgent night away and includes a bottle of Taittinger Champagne, a bespoke bouquet in the private hot tub suite on arrival, use of the pool and spa plus a three-course dinner in the restaurant Olio. Prices start at £695 for two adults.

2AMAZING AFTERNOON TEA

The Bath Priory, Weston Road, Bath; www.thebathpriory.co.uk Looking for an indulgent treat to give someone, and play your cards right, get invited along to as well. The Bath Priory is always special. Explore the lawns, spectacular trees, rock garden, wild-flower meadow, sunken pool and kitchen garden before heading inside for time in the spa, perhaps an afternoon tea by an open fire, or a sensational threecourse dinner in the restaurant or simply to settle down for the night in one of the luxurious rooms. Full afternoon tea is £40 per person and spa days start from £110.

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

3MARVELLOUS MASSAGE

Whatley Manor, Easton Grey, Malmesbury; www.whatleymanor.com For those who need to unwind, the hotel’s Aquarias Spa is the only spa in the UK to have the gold accreditation and was recently voted Best Sustainable Spa by the Good Spa Guide. The Gaia Complete Wellness Ritual is two-anda-half hours of an ultimate top-to-toe treatment including an invigorating full body brush, a Gaia detoxifying mud mask, plus a combination of Raindrop Therapy and advanced relaxation techniques, all designed so this healing massage releases tension and stress, bringing the mind and body into harmonious balance. Prices start from £140 for an essential escape spa stay

POTTY 5PERFECTLY

Crockadoodledo, 2 Beaufort Place, Larkhall; www.crockadoodledo.co.uk For all those creatives in your crowd, with this visit they can settle down in the cosy Larkhall studio with a cup of tea, choose from a selection of unpainted pottery, and personalise with their own designs and names. Prices are £5 for booking (£4 if child or pensioner) and between £4.50 – £40 for the piece of pottery

4GIN-SPIRATION

The Bath Distillery, 2-3 Queen Street Bath; www.thebathgincompany.co.uk Got a pal who likes gin, and likes to party? Here they can learn how to bartend like a pro with a gin cocktail masterclass experience with three bespoke recipes. These spirited practical skills will ensure party hosting is elevated to whole new level. Costs £35per person

6GIDDY UP!

Lucknam Park, Colerne, Chippenham; www.lucknampark. co.uk Animal lovers are going to love this. Groups of 2 to 6 come to learn about horses and how to communicate with them through body language. Horses are known to help alleviate stress, and this restful activity promotes mutual respect and openness. Costs £150 per person

8WATCH THE BIRDIE

Bath Shooting Grounds, Wellow Trekking Centre, Ford Road, Wellow, Bath; www.bathshootingground.co.uk Clay pigeon shooting is a great way to enjoy shooting in an open environment with moving targets. Everything is provided including shotguns, cartridges, clays, and safety gear, along with guidance and tuition from an experienced instructor, helping them hone their skills and get the most out of the day. Priced between £45 and £75

7GOOD FOR THE SOUL

The Soul Spa, 2 Hetling Court, Bath; www.thesoulspa.co.uk Want to give your loved one a little me time? This hour-long guided relaxation in the spa’s meditation space, the Quantum Chill Lounge, uses sound, breath, and thoughts to release all the tension. As the body relaxes so does the mind, in turn releasing the healing hormones serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin. Costs £20 per person

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 19

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

ENGAGEMENT AND WEDDING RINGS HANDMADE BESPOKE JEWELLERY REPAIRS AND REMODELLING

9 Abbey Churchyard, Bath, BA1 1LY 01225 460072 jody@jodycory.co.uk | www.jodycory.co.uk

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

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

9FUDGE THE ISSUE

The Family Fudge Making Experience For the family with a sweet tooth they’ll get to participate in a fudge making demonstration with a fudge expert who will explain the delicious fudge’s production process. Plus there’s the opportunity to actually taste the flavours on offer and select two 4 slice boxes. Costs £95 which includes 2 adults, and up to two children age 9-12yrs included free of charge

THE MONSTER MASH

House of Frankenstein, 37 Gay Street, Bath; www.houseoffrankenstein.com If they love a challenge and a laugh, send them to Victor’s Lair Escape Room where the mad Doctor Frankenstein reveals he wants their organs and in order to escape intact they have to solve the puzzles. Costs £25 per person

10SCENT FROM ABOVE

The Perfume Studio’s Perfume Making Workshops are held at The Francis Hotel, Queen Square, Bath; www.theperfumestudio.com Want to give them more than just a bottle of scent? Platinum Fragrance Experience is afternoon tea at the hotel along with a Perfume Studio stylist who provides detailed insight into the wonderful world of perfumery and expertly guides on how to blend their own signature perfume, which can then be taken home in a luxury gift box. Prices £84 per person

12GHOST HUNTERS

Bath Ghost Tours; www.bathghosttours.com For the ghostbuster in your life, this extensive and informative tour of Bath reveals the spooks lurking in the corners including the hopelessly romantic and violent haunting in Theatre Royal Bath, the city centre’s pubs’ ghouls and ghosts, and the scary sightings in Victoria Park. Prices start at £10 per person

14WEIGH TO GO

Paperweight Making, Bath Aqua Glass 105-107 Walcot Street Bath; www.bathaquaglass.com Not just the gift of an extraordinary Bath Aqua Glass paperweight but the opportunity to choose their own style and colours, and make it themselves, under the tutorage of a professional glassmaker. Cost: £125 with a minimum for two people

WORDS 15BUZZ

13STREAMING SERVICE

Stand Up Paddleboarding; www.originalwild.com If they’ve admired those gently paddling down the River Avon now is your chance to stick your oar in. Instructors guide from the easy ‘on-the-knees’ paddling through to standing up, with simple step-bystep instructions and before you know they’ll be enjoying Bath from a completely different, riverside, perspective. Private tours at £46 per person and public at £36

Introduction to beekeeping, Park Farm, Newton-St-Loe, Bath; www.bathbeekeepers.com For your honey, this course is three consecutive weekends learning about the history and science of bees as well as practical sessions of inspecting bees. This is a gift that will not only fascinate but deepens the connection to nature and sustainability. Costs £60 for the whole course

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 21

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

WE CAN VOUCH FOR YOU You can show the way, but with gift vouchers the choice is theirs

1FACE TIME

Skin Stories; www.skinstories.co.uk Founded in 2019, Skin Stories has just opened a beauty salon on Broad Street offering a wide range treatments including medi facials using cosmeceuticals and medical grade active ingredients.

2SHOW’N’TELL

Bath Box Office; www.bathboxoffice.org.uk Vouchers are available in any denomination over £5 and can be used against the myriad of events hosted through Bath Box Office including regular events like Krowd Keepers Magic Theatre at the Bath Ale House every weekend; one-offs such as Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco happening at the Bath Forum on 9 March 2022; and comedian visits including Sarah Millican, pictured right, who is performing at Bath Forum on 6 and 7 April next year.

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

COT TON VELVET JACKET £550. SHOES BY CHANNII B, PANTS BY OSK A BATH, ST YLING BY SAR AH BAKER AND PHOTO BY EGLE VASI

4OH GOODIE!

Taste of Bath; www.taste-of.co.uk Not sure what they’re tastes are? They can put together their own luxe hamper choosing from the best local produce created by artisans within 25 miles of Bath using a gift voucher.

3DRESS TO IMPRESS

Carole Waller; www.carolewaller.co.uk These can be purchased in denominations of £50 and redeemable against her beautiful handpainted clothes. They also come in a handmade collaged silk gift card, a thing of beauty in itself.

5IN FASHION

Sassy & Boo; www.luellafashion.com As well as selling the full Luella collection, Sassy & Boo also stocks a beautiful range of guest clothing, footwear, and accessory brands and the vouchers, which can be tailored to any amount, can be used in any of the seven Sassy and Boo boutiques: Bath, Bradford on Avon, Cirencester, Tetbury, Frome, Malmsbury and Woodstock.

BUBBLES 7FOREVER

6HEART & SOLE

Channi B; www.chaniibshoes.com Let them choose from this luxury shoe brand based in Milsom Place, founded by internationally renowned designer Chantal Pilon.

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

Le Vignoble; www.levignoble.co.uk A voucher from the awardwinning wine merchant, wine lounge and wine tasting venue found in Milsom Place is the perfect way to say cheers this Christmas.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

9CARD CARRYING

The Bath Gift Card; www.bathgiftcard.com Accepted at over 200 local businesses in the city, including shops and restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, museums, manicurists, jewellers, clothes stores, shoe shops, and more, this is a shopper’s delight. Prices start at £10.

8WAFFLE ON

Bev’s Waffle Workshop; www.bevswaffleworkshop.co.uk Give someone the gift of a waffle workshop. £30 voucher provides two-and-a-half hours of delicious waffle making along with soft drinks and eating time.

11FLEX IT

Robyn’s Yoga; www.robynsyoga.co.uk £45 will give a 5 class pass, and £80, 10 classes, in the new hub for Bath’s yoga community at Number Twenty Seven, which also happens to be a gorgeous ﬂoral shop and perfumery.

BABY LOVE

Fox & Kit Café; www.foxandkitcafe.com This child-friendly Corridor-based café serves delicious toasties, sarnies, salads and most importantly cake, and with vouchers starting at just £5 this is the perfect pickme-up treat for exhausted parents of little ones.

12BUY THE BOOK

Mr B’s Emporium; www.mrbsemporium.com Starting at £10 your recipient can enjoy browsing this gorgeous John Street bookshop. There is also no expiry date so time can be taken to select the perfect read. (Turn to page 47 for a few children’s book suggestions from our resident book columnist, Mr B himself.)

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REDISCOVER THE MAGIC OF BATH THIS CHRISTMAS There really is no better place to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year than Bath…

very year at Christmas, Bath sparkles with glittering lights and the streets are filled with festive spirit. This year will see the return of some of the Christmas activities we know and love, as well as some exciting new additions.

DISCOVER MAGICAL ILLUMINATIONS Some of Bath’s most iconic streets and buildings will be brought to life with magical illuminations from 25 November to 31 December, as part of the Bath Christmas Light Trail. The illuminations will begin at the official Bath Christmas Light Trail Switch-On event in Milsom Street at 5pm on 25 November, which will also see the launch of Thursday evening late-night Christmas shopping. Count down to the moment the wonderful lights switch on and enjoy the all-new rainbow illuminations in Milsom Street, with community heroes attending to help celebrate the start of the festive season in Bath. From 19 November to 26 December, Bath Abbey will be glowing with the addition of Luke Jerram’s popular Museum of the Moon, with Christmas carols, storytelling and moon-gazing with Bath Astronomers taking place with the stunning seven-metre moon as a backdrop. A world of enchantment, magic and good cheer awaits you at the American Museum & Gardens from 9-31 December. Go on a magical after-dark adventure through spectacular light displays which will emblazon the entire house, gardens and woodland in glorious seasonal colour.

“A WORLD OF ENCHANTMENT, MAGIC AND GOOD CHEER AWAITS YOU…” their adults, with family tickets available for a maximum of three children.

HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CHRISTMAS

EXPLORE MARVELLOUS MARKETS

Father Christmas and his elves have joined the upcycling revolution. This year, they invite children to visit the fascinating Elves’ Swapshop at 5 Old Bond Street, where they are training the Share and Repair volunteers how to refurbish toys and give them a new, loving home. Children are welcomed along to see the fabulous Elf-O-Matic toy upcycler in action by bringing a toy to be gifted to another lucky child. Children will be invited to see the machine in action and take home a toy of their choice. Tickets are available for a workshop demo and a jolly singalong with the elves for children and

There will be plenty of opportunity to meet and buy from local makers in Bath this Christmas. After a break of nearly two years, Bath Artisan Market is back and running every day from 20 November to 19 December – head to Queen Square to join the festivities. From Friday 26 November to Sunday 19 December, a selection of local Artisan Makers will be on show in Bath’s iconic Abbey Quarter, displaying their unique crafts. From blankets and Christmas decorations to brownies and jewellery, there will be plenty of wonderful gifts to choose from.

GET YOUR SKATES ON After a year away, Bath on Ice is back. Head to Royal Victoria Park from 12 November to 3 January for some festive fun. Bath on Ice’s Moguls Bar will be serving delicious food, spicy mulled wine and hot chocolate; ideal to warm you up after a spin around the rink.

BE WOWED BY A FESTIVE FAVOURITE The best-loved pantomime of them all returns to the Theatre Royal Bath this Christmas. With a brand-new joke-filled script by Bath’s own award-winning writer and all-round pantomime legend Jon Monie, Cinderella will offer family fun and festive frivolity from 16 December to 19 January. ■

Browse all Christmas events and activities at welcometobath.co.uk/christmas www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 27

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INTO THE LIGHT

With a new collection of cattle paintings available in December, Bath artist JOANNE COPE describes her working process

rouching ankle-deep in mud, sketchbook in hand, cattle painter Joanne Cope carefully observes a herd of Hereford in an autumn field. Sketching their form with thick graphite pencils, Joanne pauses as a horned cow approaches to tentatively sniff the pages of her book. The cow’s temperament remains calm and docile, enabling the artist to continue the swift pencil studies at close quarters. The sun emerges, illuminating the Hereford’s coat, intensifying the range of reds, russets, browns, and off-white hues. Parts of the animals’ physique fall into shadow, heightening the contrast between light and shade. Joanne captures this play of light with her camera, taking many photos from different angles. It is this chiaroscuro (or dramatic light) that Cope uses to direct focus and heighten emotional tension within her paintings. After a few hours in the field, sketching, taking reference photos and being amongst the cattle, she already knows which herd members she will immortalise and what sort of compositions she may produce. Working from her studio in Bath, Cope pays homage to the humble cow endeavouring to bring these gentle yet impressive animals to life on canvas. Shelves line the studio walls, brimming with books on inspiring artists, such as Lucien Freud and William Turner, next to others on life drawing and animal anatomy. In one

corner, the smell of fresh paint emanates from an oil-splattered desk strewn with illustrations, palette knives, brushes and half-squeezed tubes of oil paint. Dotted around the room, the painterly herd expands onto large canvases: imposing wellmuscled bulls and soft ruminating cows that seem to demand introspection. “My work attempts to challenge the views that people have of cattle, elevating them to something more special, says Joanne.” Experimenting with the ideas of conventional portraiture, she strives to show the subject’s internal qualities. “By placing the cows in a traditional pose, some looking directly at the viewer, I’m trying to suggest a sentient being and evoke an emotional response,” she explains. “I hope the viewer will be captivated long enough to feel a new appreciation for these animals and look at them differently.” Joanne employs the wet-on-wet oil or alla prima painting technique. “I work on a particular piece over a day or two while the surface is wet, then revisit the painting once it is dry to avoid muddying my colours,” she explains. “Once I feel the image is starting to resolve itself and has the right energy, I use a glaze to unify the colours.” Working in this way, most pieces take Joanne between four to six weeks to complete. This new body of work includes striking studies of cattle emerging from darkened

backgrounds, light shimmering across their features, alongside delightful depictions of cows lazing in the afternoon sun. They are rendered with tenderness and careful attention to detail, offering an insight into the artist’s deep-set affinity with these animals. ■

Joanne will release her new collection online at www.joannecope.com on December 1. For preview images, contact Joanne via her website or call 07958 703 438. Studio viewings by appointment. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 29

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

BELL OF THE BALL

Step inside The inside The Midnight Bell, Bell, a tavern where one particular lonelyhearts club gather to play out their lovelorn affairs and poignant and painful tales of longing, frustration, betrayal and redemption. Master storyteller Matthew Bourne with his ground-breaking dance-theatre company New Adventures, explores the underbelly of 1930s London life through the pubs and bars of fog-bound Soho and Fitzrovia in a production that challenges, excites and reveals the darker reaches of the human heart. The Midnight Bell is performing at Theatre Royal Bath 23 – 27 November; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

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WHAT’S ON 20 November – 16 December

A squirrel can’t find its acorns in the Christmas play for tots coming to The Egg on 27 November

EXHIBITIONS Until 28 November

GOLD An exhibition of ceramics by Gary Wood, jewellery by Annie Beardsley, and painted clothes and scarves by Carole Waller in their Box studio. Waller & Wood; www.wallerandwood.co.uk

Until 30 November

H2O The Bath Photographic Society online exhibition features more than 30 photographers getting creative with water in its various guises including frost, ice, snow, mist and clouds, as well as water as found in rain and lakes. www.bathphotographicsociety.org.uk

Until 24 December

MUSEUM OF THE MOON There’s a host of exhibitions, activities and concerts at Bath Abbey in the run up to Christmas including the chance to stargaze with the Bath Astronomers, a Cosmic Wonder Trail, Mindful Art Workshops led by Stephen Magrath,

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

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

and the Melody Makers performing Mission to the Moon. Taking centre stage is the breath-taking Museum of the Moon by Luke Jerram – an inflatable installation artwork that is a near exact spherical replica of the Moon, with a diameter of 7 metres. Bath Abbey; www.bathabbey.org

Until 3 January

HORNET, HAILSTONE, CRAB EYE, AERODROME… (ETC.) Hornet, hailstone, crab eye, aerodrome… (etc.) presents the fruits of a recent anagama kiln firing by Aaron Angell and Steven Claydon. These two leading British artists share an anachronistic approach to historical influence, in this instance in the vernacular of ceramics from late-medieval rural Japan from where anagama kilns originate. Holburne Museum; www.holburne.org

Until 9 January

ROSSETTI’S PORTRAITS A unique show devoted to one of the giants of Victorian art – the

first ever exhibition dedicated to Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s portraits featuring some of his most celebrated artworks including The Blue Silk Dress and The Blue Bower. The exhibition also explores the artist’s intimate relationship with his muses and their influence on his depiction of beauty. Holburne Museum; www.holburne.org

Until 9 January

SUNIL GUPTA: THE NEW PRE-RAPHAELITES The ten images on display by Sunil Gupta reference the struggle against Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code instigated during British rule in the 1860s which criminalised gay sex. Holburne Museum; www.holburne.org

Until 2022

SHOEPHORIA! Discover the fascinating evolution 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

24 November – 5 December

MODERN ART BUYER POP-UP Visit Milsom Place and explore some exciting new collections. Alongside collage queen’s Maria Rivan’s new works, you’ll see fresh screenprints by London-based Chris Keegan and the latest urban prints by muchloved Bonnie and Clyde, and one of the gallery’s newest artists, Andrew Lansley. www.modernartbuyer.com

27 November – 27 February 2022

MYTHS AND MONSTERS A colourful celebration of children’s book illustration featuring the art work of family favourites such as The Gruffalo, Iron Man, Little Ogre, and Monsters in Underpants, along with 3D models and interactive craft activities. Alongside are the paintings

WHAT’S ON

of Victoria Topping representing the mythological aspects with her depictions of Midas, Pan, Pegasus, Phoenix and Poseidon. Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk

miniature masterpieces performed by Siân Phillips and Charlotte Emmerson, Samuel Beckett explores his obsessions with age, memory, and the passing of time. Ustinov; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

4 December

29 November – 11 December

BEAR FLAT ARTISTS A Christmas Art Fair & Market showcasing local creativity at the Methodist Church Hall in Bear Flat. The event features the best of local art and craft, with the chance buy originals. Artists include Yvonne Elston, Clare Hubble, Josie Phillips, Chris Watters, Karen Parker, Georgia Phillip, Robyn Pound and Milliner Jo Willis and mosaics by Lorelei Hunt. www.bearflatartists.co.uk

4 December

EMMA ROSE Artist Emma Rose is exhibiting a wide range of her work including cards, cushions, limited edition giclée prints, canvas giclée prints, and original paintings at her artist studio in Wellow. www.emmaroseartworks.com

12 December

top:

Singer Liza Pulman will be at Chapel Arts on 3 December reimagining timeless classics; middle: History gets a retelling when the wives of Henry VIII take to the mic in Six the Musical coming to Theatre Royal Bath; bottom: The work of Victoria Topping at the Victoria Art Gallery from 27 November depicting myths and monsters such as Pan seen here

BATH CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS’ FAIR Visit Green Park Station to see a wealth of local talent exhibiting and selling their work. Artists who belong to the collective include Melissa Wishart, Georgina Peters and Francis Cooley. www.bcaf.co.uk

THEATRE / CINEMA 23 – 27 November

THE MIDNIGHT BELL Matthew Bourne’s new world première for New Adventures productions explores the underbelly of 1930s London life where ordinary people emerge from cheap boarding houses nightly to pour out their passions, hopes and dreams in the pubs and bars of fog-bound Soho and Fitzrovia. Step inside The Midnight Bell, a tavern where one particular lonely-hearts club gather to play out their lovelorn affairs of the heart; bitter comedies of longing, frustration, betrayal and redemption. Turn to page 33 for more. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

24 November – 4 December

FOOTFALLS AND ROCKABY A rocking chair creaks. Footsteps echo down a corridor, tracing and retracing the same path. An old woman hears a voice from beyond – a voice that sounds eerily like her own. In this pair of

SIX THE MUSICAL From Tudor queens to pop princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII finally take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a 75-minute celebration of 21st century girl power. These Queens may have green sleeves but their lipstick is rebellious red in this sell-out smash hit. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

11 December

UNTAMED BURLESQUE Featuring the rawest and wildest burlesque and cabaret stars on the UK, including headliner Foo Foo LaBelle, winner of Tallulah Blue’s Circus and Tattoo Convention 2016 Miss Ana Kiss, award-winning international songwriter and cabaret performer Laurie Black; and the mistress of inelegance and of being a little bit weird Hadria Hellbound. Chapel Arts; www.chapelarts.org

CHILDREN 27 November – 24 December

SQUIRREL Under the light of the winter sun, between the houses and the offices, and the rivers and the factories, Squirrel has buried their favourite acorn collection. It’s easy to remember where; it’s under the third tree from the left. Or was it the right? This is an enchanting story of new growth, with a sprinkling of snowy magic and puppetry mayhem suitable for 6 months to 4 years. The Egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

5 December

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS The annual CBeebies Christmas Show screening is an adaptation of the classic poem, The Night Before Christmas, and follows the adventures of Holly and her brother Jack on Christmas Eve, as they send their wishes to Father Christmas. But then they have to deal with the mischievous Wish Taker who steals their wishes, leading Holly to travel far and wide in search of them. Will she succeed and ensure Father Christmas has all the wishes in time for Christmas Day? The Little Theatre Cinema; www.picturehouses.com

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

WHAT’S ON

MUSIC

25 November

EMMA STEVENS Bringing a refreshing glimmer of hope and an abundance of heart and positivity is singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist folk singer, Emma. She has achieved four consecutive play-listed singles on BBC Radio 2, and supported Take That, Wet Wet Wet, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Train, Albert Lee and Simply Red. Chapel Arts; www.chapelarts.org

27 November

BATH CANTATA GROUP Handel’s Messiah tops the bill in a celebration of music from the Bath Cantana Group who, with 60 years of singing under their belt, are Bath’s longest running choral chamber group. They are a non-auditioned choir and are happy to hear from anybody interested joining. St Stephen’s Church; www.bathboxoffice.org.uk

1 December

JASON DONOVAN This Even More Good Reasons tour sees Jason accompanied by a full live band and delivering his legendary chart toppers such as Too Many Broken Hearts, Especially For You plus songs from his extensive musical stage career including Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, The Rocky Horror Show, and Priscilla Queen Of The Desert. Bath Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

1 December

A FESTIVAL OF CAROLS A celebration of carols and other festive music at Bath Abbey with the mixed-voice choir Lucis. They will be joined by children from the Mead Community Primary School and there will be a new commission written by the musical director, Francis Faux. www.lucischoir.com

3 December

LIZA PULMAN Liza, who as well as an acclaimed singer, is a comedian and one third of the satirical comedy trio Fascinating Aida, rediscovers and reimagines timeless classics and lost gems with a diverse and eclectic range of influences including, Irving Berlin, Randy Newman, and Judy Collins. Chapel Arts; www.chapelarts.org

3 December

BATHTUB ORCHESTRA The friendly, mixed ability community orchestra will be playing everything Christmassy from pop

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

songs through to classical carolling favourites at the Bath Salvation Army Citadel Centre on Green Park Road. www.bathtuborchestra.com

8 December

PARAORCHESTRA SYMPHONY OF SORROWFUL SONGS Cathartic and hauntingly beautiful, Henryk Górecki’s Symphony of Sorrowful Songs is an astonishing meditation on loss and transcendence. Performed by Paraorchestra, with acclaimed soprano Victoria Oruwari, Charles Hazlewood conducts this harmonic ‘spiritual minimalist’ composition in the deep, vast, and dark splendour of Bath Abbey. www.bathfestivals.org.uk

10 December

BOYZLIFE A brand-new show fronted by Brian McFadden (Westlife) and Keith Duffy (Boyzone), backed with a full live band the 90s boyband superstars bring you all of the hits of both bands in one evening. Expect classics including Picture Of You, World Of Our Own, Flying Without Wings, and You Raise Me Up. Bath Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

10 December

CLYVE – FUNKY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Clyve, is back at Chapel Arts for his 7th Christmas Special, delivering an upbeat evening of soul, funk, Motown, disco specials, seasonal favourites and a smattering of Beyoncé. Chapel Arts; www.chapelarts.org

COMEDY 27 November

RACHEL PARRIS The BAFTA-nominated comedian Rachel Parris delivers a brand-new show (rescheduled from the Bath Festival) about big life changes. The star of BBC’s The Mash Report, she performs stand-up and songs about sudden love, the highs and lows of relationships, family, weddings, kids, going viral, going mental, and the baffling state of play in society right now. Komedia Bath; www.komedia.co.uk

3 December

JESS ROBINSON Fresh from her role as the lead impressionist on Spitting Image, Jess, who also happens to be a classically trained singer, will treat audiences to a glut of immediately recognisable voices with her human jukebox of celebrity impressions which include Adele, Greta Thunberg, Meghan

above:

Spitting Image impressionist Jess Robinson, pictured her with a latex Greta Thurnberg, is mimicking the famous at Widcombe Social Club right: The Bear Flat Artists including Loreli Hunt are holding a Christmas fair on 4 December below: Andrew Lansley is one of the Modern Art Buyer’s latest artists and can be seen at the Milsom Street pop up

WHAT’S ON

Markle, Judy Garland, Britney, and Her Majesty The Queen. Widcombe Social Club;www.widcombesocialclub.co.uk

8 December

ED BYRNE Join Irish actor and stand-up comedian Ed in his new show If I’m Honest, as he takes a long hard look at himself and tries to decide if he has any decent traits that are worth passing on to his children. Bath Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

OTHER

Until 3 January

BATH ON ICE Get your skates on and head to Royal Victoria Park for some festive fun on the specially installed ice rink. The Bath on Ice Moguls Bar will be serving delicious food, spicy mulled wine and hot chocolate; ideal to warm up and get into the festive spirit. Located right next door is the Glow Golf with its twinkling fairy light displays and lit-up mini-putts. www.bathonice.com

Until 3 January

CHRISTMAS AT LONGLEAT Journey through a mesmerising tunnel of light and sound, and wander through 100 twinkling Christmas trees. There’s a trail of illuminated sculptured flowers dotted alongside the snowy paths, the Hedge Maze is adorned with fairy lights, and the 20 metre enchanted singing Christmas Tree will be performing carols in the Square. Plus, along with storytelling in the Flight Before Christmas show happening in the Longbarn, the Santa Train will be calling in at Father Christmas’s Grotto. www.longleat.co.uk

20 November – 19 December

BATH ARTISAN MARKET Bath’s biggest and favourite independent artisan market is back and running every day in the heart of the city in Queen Square. Different local creators, food producers and street food vendors will be joining each week and weekend so there will always be something different to see and plenty of ways to shop local and support small businesses. www.bathartisanmarket.com

25 November

AN EVENING WITH NIGELLA LAWSON Spend an evening with the scrumptious Nigella at the Bath Pavilion as she shares the rhythms and rituals of her kitchen to celebrate her latest book Cook, Eat, Repeat – a delicious and delightful combination of recipes

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

intertwined with narrative essays about food, all written in Nigella’s engaging and insightful prose. For those who cannot attend the live show, the event will be live-streamed via Fane Online. www.fane.co.uk

26 November

BRADFORD ON AVON CHRISTMAS GIFT FAIR Alongside the chance to shop at the local and artisan gift fair, there is the traditional Christmas lights switchon, Christmas carols plus bungee trampolines, bumper cars, a merry-goround, live music, and Santa’s Grotto. www.bradfordonavontowncouncil.gov.uk

26 November – 2 January

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AT STOURHEAD This family-friendly magical festive trail in the Warminster countryside will be flooded with enchanting illuminations, all choreographed to a soundtrack of much-loved seasonal music from Sony Music. There will be neon strings stretched between towering trees, a walk through a tunnel of hearts and onto largerthan-life mistletoe, a flotilla of festive, brightly coloured boats bobbing on the lake, and a giant, colour-changing flora. Stourhead; www.nationaltrust.org.uk

27 November

THE BATH CHARITY AND COMMUNITY FAIR Get ahead for Christmas, and explore a treasure trove of gift ideas, and help raise money for good causes at the same time at Widcombe Social Club. The local organisations involved include Cleveland Pools Trust, Friends of Bath Life Group, Research Institute for The Care of Older People, Achieve Together Educational Day Services, Wheels for All Bath and West, Genesis Trust, The Urban Gardener and The Peggy Dodd Centre. www.widcombesocialclub.co.uk

9 – 31 December

THE ENCHANTED GARDEN OF LIGHT Sparkling reindeer will guide your way as you enter mesmerising tunnels of light and are greeted with the delightful sights, smells and tastes of this wonderful season. You’ll keep warm under the stars with hot spiced apple drink, seasonal mulled wine and luxurious hot chocolate, and feast on a banquet of delicious treats from homemade mince pies and roasted chestnuts to mouth-watering hotdogs and gourmet burgers. American Museum; www.americanmuseum.org n

above: Along with skating at Bath on Ice, the Royal Victoria Park is also the home of Glow in the Dark mini-golf until 3 January; below: Irish actor and stand-up comedian Ed Byrne will be at the Bath Forum on 8 December

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ARTS

NATURAL BORN THRILLERS Bath’s most intrepid immersive theatre company, the Natural Theatre Company is 50 years old and as fearless as ever

By Sarah Moolla

he Widcombe-based Natural Theatre Company is celebrating an incredible 50 years of writing, producing, and performing. Founded in 1970 as an offshoot of Bath Arts Workshop, the arts and entertainment charity has a seriously impressive portfolio of work including immersive shows, interactive improvisation, and community projects as well as a theatre school and workshops. The company’s performers will take their art to the streets, to ships, to festivals, around the country, overseas, and even a stage or two, having recently performed The Truth About Harry Beck at the Ustinov. To learn more about these adaptable artists and fearless creatives, here we speak to the company’s artistic and executive director, Andy Burden. Tell us a little about the beginnings of Natural Theatre Company

Who are the founding members? Are they still a part of it?

Phil Shepherd set up Bath Arts Workshop, and Ralph Oswick was the first artistic director. I am the second, and I replaced him in 2014. How many productions are there to date?

Do numbers go that high? We do about 75 street performances a year, 363 days a year at the Roman Baths, and just this year alone we have produced six shows. I met the company on William Tell, before that was the Scarlatti performances. Our brilliant Austen Undone! has been running for six years, Shakespeare Undone! for four years, Dirty Bath will return next year, and we hope to announce an exciting future for The Truth About Harry Beck. However, the Panto and the Pea, our next production is of course, one with current significance.

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

We have performed at many world expos, festivals all around the world, events from Greek Islands to Ice Palaces, and private parties in most countries. I’m sure the Coneheads, our alien tourists, also performed on Mars! Have there been many collaborations with the other Bath theatre groups?

We work extensively with Bath Fringe for their community projects, our outreach projects have also worked with Theatre Royal Engage. Our performers often work with other companies such as Kilter, and New Old Friends grew out of the Natural Theatre Company.

“We’ve been banned on Facebook for putting up a photo of the Nude Suits”

It started as part of the Bath Arts Workshop, which was an artistic endeavour to think of the world differently. It quickly became apparent that a theatre company should come out of it and The Natural Theatre Company was founded in 1970 with the purpose of creating surprising performance in surprising places. It was originally housed above a second-hand clothes shop in Bath.

And some of its most significant productions..?

The company has also performed overseas

With the street and interactive performances, how do the cast know when to approach someone and when not to?

Ah now that’s the big secret ingredient! It’s a carefully honed skill, over many years of rehearsal, passed down in the DNA of the company. Like the recipe for Coca Cola, it is a closely guarded secret!

Has there ever been an extreme or hostile reaction by a member of the public?

Most people love what we’re doing, and these days we try not to shock people too much. But we have made people leap out of their skin in surprise or cry laughing. What about controversy over any of the performances?

We’ve been banned on Facebook for putting up a photo of the Nude Suits as the algorithm thought it was the real thing. And we’ve been arrested by the police. They arrested us mid-performance because, again, we were in the Nude Suits. They cause the most controversy. How do you recruit? Is it just actors, or do you have behind the scenes as well?

We audition people to join our pool of performers. Then they get clockwise opposite from top left: The Jobsworths are not impressed with the

Glastonbury bins; on walkabout with Shakespeare Undone!; Pigeon Poo People are either the luckiest or unluckiest people ever; the Chromatics standing out on Walcot Street; The Truth About Harry Beck performed at the Ustinov earlier this year; the censored Nude Suits; a dream gardener at Westbury Gardens in Bradford on Avon

ARTS

lots of work over many years. We use freelance costume, set and prop makers. The majority the work is done by our performers. Have there been any ‘famous’ names along the way?

I think we’re famous for our work, and our actors are brilliant at what they do. But that doesn’t necessarily translate to the world of TV and film. However, many of our actors have appeared on screen. How much of the costumes and sets get reused?

Our costumes, some of which we’ve had for 50 years, are reused and mended until they are no longer fit for purpose. We are excellent at recycling sets and props, which take up a large space in our building in Widcombe.

The British League of Pessimists are no laughing matter; the A La Carte Waiters serving the city’s streets; the Red Chromatics take over Bath; the whimsically wonderful Flowerpots; that’s one way celebrate the Jane Austen Festival; the Coneheads have travelled as far afield as Nigeria, Hong Kong, and Egypt; below: Andy Burden, the Natural Theatre Company’s artistic and executive director

fashionable to say, but we hunkered down, and planned for a raft of bounce back projects as soon as we were able to interact with the public again. A very carefully considered financial and management strategy got us through. Having said that, many of our performers suffered with very little income, all office staff were put on furlough, and we sadly had to reduce our staff base, so we should also be mindful of the sacrifices people made. But this year we have been out there performing pretty much non-stop since lockdown ended.

“We do about 75 street performances a year”

The Natural Theatre Company is not just about the performances, there is also the education, adult learning and training isn’t there? Talk us through that aspect...

Participation and education has become vitally important to the company. We offer our theatre school classes as well as education classes to community centres, schools, colleges and universities. The major development has been big community participation projects. What are the larger community projects?

We have money from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a project called Hidden Heroes, that will create performances based on the lives of some influential but unknown people in Bath and Bristol. This has been sadly delayed due to Covid but will be starting in earnest very soon. What do you think it is that has meant the survival of this remarkable theatre company through the pandemic when so many other companies haven’t made it?

Controversially, we didn’t move everything online. I know that’s not

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above: The Cromatics at Coventry’s Party on the Green; clockwise opposite:

What are the future plans for the Natural Theatre Company?

We developed lots of new projects this year, so we are going to try and give those projects extra life. We want to extend our partnerships with other festivals, arts organisations and arts centres. Hopefully, we will build more work within the local community. We have to do this with careful consideration with being sustainable and care for the environment, as well as becoming more diverse and inclusive. We will be opening up enrolment for the spring term of our theatre school in November. Oh, and we intend to be in Bath for at least another 50 years. n For more: www.naturaltheatre.co.uk

BOOKS NIC BOTTOMLEY

Child mind

From a clever penguin to an axe wielding warrior, Nic suggests four thought-provoking books for the younger reader

“Maggie and Hoagy ﬁnd themselves in an unbalanced and dangerous world… where the friendship is more crucial than ever”

here are no two more petrifying words to see in an email title from our esteemed Bath Life editor than ‘Xmas Deadlines’. Apart, possibly, from ‘Forgotten Column?’ or ‘Column Overdue!’ but of course, dutiful and punctual columnist that I am, those are inbox howlers I will never receive. But ‘Xmas Deadlines’, well, there’s no escaping that. Every early November, just when you’re doing your best, professionally, to gear up for Christmas and, personally, to continue denying its existence, comes the reminder that you’d better get sharpish about those next five columns if they’re going to make it to print before everyone at Bath Life Towers heads off into mince pied oblivion. And that means these next few columns better be straight up Christmas gift recommendations. So let’s start with some of the fabulous stories for younger readers we’re going to be shouting about this season. You have to go a long way to find a more dramatic locale for a novel (whether children’s or adult) than the one for Fireborn by Aisling Fowler (Harper Collins, £12.99). The story begins at the Lodge located in a vast swathe of icy Northern forests. This is where the Huntlings are trained to fight the array of monsters that frequent those forests – living away from their homes and with their identities reduced to just a number as they focus on learning the skills to defend the seven clans. The acerbic and socially combative Twelve is the remarkable heroine of Fireborn. Better at making friends with her squirrel Widge than she is with her fellow students, Twelve is a brooding fur-clad axe-wielding warrior-in-themaking with that burning sense of moral justice that always tends to get the best characters in trouble. And trouble, in this case, soon comes around when the Lodge is attacked by a band of ogres, goblins and more, and a girl goes missing – leaving Twelve to embark on a dangerous rescue mission alongside the Lodge’s huge stone guard dog. Space Oddity by Christopher Edge (Chicken House, £6.99) was actually published early in 2021 but as bookshop floors were closed back then we’re keen to make sure this autumn that no one misses such an epic space odyssey

for readers aged seven and above. That ‘and above’ is important here, because there’s plenty of classic sci-fi referencing and other snippets in this funny and exhilarating adventure that will appeal to adults who might find themselves reading this alongside their kids. On the one hand it is an overblown story of space adventure full of drama, out of control robots, UFOs and all manner of disgusting alien life forms. But on the other hand it’s also a relatable tale of a young boy, Jake, who is navigating the kind of questions that all young boys face – such as ‘Why is my dad so embarrassing?’ It’s fair to say that Jake is a less punchy and more reluctant hero than Twelve, but he’s certainly no less entertaining. Maggie Blue and the Dark World by Anna Goodall (Guppy Books, £7.99) is another incredibly imaginative novel for young readers from an independent publisher. The tale begins as the eponymous heroine is shipped off to Aunt Esme’s house as her mum can no longer look after her. Feeling herself to be a burden and devoid of friends, Maggie ends up relying heavily on the talking stray cat Hoagy, even if he proves a somewhat cantankerous companion. Maggie’s world soon develops peculiarities far beyond chatty felines, when she sees her frenemy Ida get dragged through a window portal by their teacher-turned-wolf. Following on and determining to rescue Ida despite their better instincts, Maggie and Hoagy find themselves in an unbalanced and dangerous world where happiness is the most prized and thus threatened commodity, and where the friendship is going to be more crucial than ever. And finally, to complete a quartet of brilliant new heroes of young person’s literature, keep an eye out for the soon-to-be-released Einstein the Penguin by Iona Rangeley (Harper Collins, £12.99). Just as the Brown’s once welcomed in a Peruvian bear, so the Stewart family end up accidentally adopting a small fishloving resident of London Zoo, who becomes an avid friend and assistant to amateur-sleuth Imogen. Einstein is a charming comedy character who’s going to be much-loved by readers of almost any age. Nic Bottomley is the general manager of Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights, 14/15 John Street, Bath; tel: 01225 331155; www.mrbsemporium.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 47

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THRINGS MEETS… Shakeup Cosmetics

Shane Carnell-Xu and Jake Xu, founders of SHAKEUP COSMETICS tell Gavin Smith, senior associate solicitor at THRINGS, all about the growth of their skincare brand for men Gavin Smith: What is Shakeup – when was it first created and why? Shane Carnell-Xu: Shakeup Cosmetics, which we launched in 2019, is a range of hybrid skincare and makeup products designed specifically for men. The ethos behind Shakeup is to challenge the gender stereotype of what masculinity should look like. And we want to provide for the growing number of male consumers who want high quality skincare products. Jake Xu: The whole idea has been a personal journey for us; we both suffered from rosacea when we were teenagers and we used products to cover up our skin flare-ups to help us feel more confident. But we both really struggled to find products we could relate to as men – it was all aimed at women. GS: So, you discovered there was a gap in the market, but what experience did you have in this highly competitive beauty world? SC-X: Prior to Shakeup, we ran a marketing agency in Bath called Ready. We were lucky enough to work with some big beauty brands, which gave us an insight and some contacts into the industry. But it was hard work nonetheless – from our initial research to launch took us two years. GS: What was your starting point? JX: As British Asians, we knew that Asia was ahead of the UK in men’s cosmetics, so our journey started there. We saw how the influence of K-Pop (Korean pop music and culture) meant that boys and men wanted to look good and that the Asian beauty industry understood the importance of male skincare products. What we didn’t know, of course, was whether it would translate here in the UK. GS: And did it? What has been the response from the UK?

GS: Why do you think that launching product targeted for men has been so important – couldn’t men simply use the same products as women? JX: Our research led us to identify the differences between male and female skin – our skin is thicker with bigger pores. And we shave more, taking off the top layers of our skin each time. Taking all this into account means that the formulation of male skincare has to be different from that for women. GS: So, what’s next for Shakeup? SC-X: We’ve listened to our customers, so we are broadening our product range. And we are also looking to expand into other territories as the demand from other countries grows.

towards the charity Look Good Feel Better, an organisation helping people to feel more confident after cancer treatment. SC-X: And we are very proud that we are growing this brand from Bath. This is our home and we are so pleased that we didn’t need to move elsewhere to make it a success. GS: And what would you say to those men out there who haven’t yet tried male skincare products? JX: Men are much savvier now about taking care of their skin. We would encourage more men to try products not simply to enhance their looks and increase their confidence but as part of a healthy lifestyle routine. We would say… try it and you won’t look back. n

GS: What are you both most proud of? SC-X: The response has been incredible, which shows us how important it was to bring the brand to market. And, the other interesting thing has been how popular our brand has been in Asia. British brands have real kudos in Asia and, as all our products are made in the UK, they are seen as having retail prestige.

SC-X: We are immensely proud of building a brand which is disruptive – not following the market but creating a challenger brand. JX: We are proud that we have a purpose to the brand; a percentage of our profits goes

2 Queen Square, Bath BA1 2HQ 01225 340000; solicitors@thrings.com www.thrings.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 49

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 Local artists sell and display their works at The Artery

ART OF THE COMMUNITY

The Artery is a new family-run café, bar and art gallery in the site of the old Richmond Arms on Richmond Place in Lansdown. Run by Rob, Grace and Calum Horton, it’s a flexible and casual space fit for popping in for a cuppa and a cake or a pastry, or brunch, lunch and light evening bites – not to mention a watering hole for the locals missing the old pub. “Having lived just around the corner for many years, we understand the importance of The Richmond to the local community and are seeking to create a versatile space to appeal to the local area and beyond,” says Calum Horton. “Local artists’ works adorn the walls and can be purchased, with all proceeds going to the artist.” In addition, The Artery hosts regular supper clubs (like the evening with Simi Rezai, which you can read about on page 55), quizzes, and live music events – you can find out more about what’s coming up on their website. For more: www.thearterybath.co.uk

The Artery will host regular supper clubs with guest chefs

The Marlborough Tavern has announced a commitment to net zero

ZERO HEROES

The Marlborough has partnered with Net Zero Now and the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) to begin the journey toward net zero emissions. Joe Cussens, managing director of Bath Pub Co, who own The Marlborough Tavern, was inspired to sign up after he saw a presentation from Net Zero Now at a conference. “They have developed a framework and support package to help pubs navigate the path to net zero,” Joe explains. “Firstly, they help you calculate your current total carbon footprint; you then undertake a comprehensive review of your business using a tool and guidance they’ve developed. “At this point, I don’t know how long it will take us to become carbon neutral, or how much it will cost us. I’m certainly not holding ourselves up as paragons of virtue – we are currently nowhere near where we need to be; but at least we’ve started that journey. The important part is to now follow through. Having support and guidance from Net Zero and SRA, is invaluable – it makes you believe that something you thought wasn’t possible, might be.” Joe hopes to take the lessons learned from The Marborough Tavern and apply them to the other pubs in his portfolio. For more: www.marlborough-tavern.com

SEASON OF FEAST

Do Christmas dinner in style for a seven-course tasting menu at The Elder

The Elder at The Hotel Indigo has launched a Christmas Day tasting menu. The seven-course set menu features a medley of the seasonal produce head chef Gavin Edney is known for, and includes festive dishes like whipped chicken liver parfait with ﬁgs, balsamic and duck fat granola, Fallow deer Wellington – and, of course, turkey, butter-poached with all the trimmings. There’s an additional feasting menu launching for the month of December, with family-style service like you’d enjoy at home – minus the washing up. For the feast, groups choose two mains from the selection to be enjoyed alongside classic Elder snacks and starters and crusty granary bread – in the backdrop of the gorgeously decorated and faultlessly festive surrounds of the South Parade hotel. For more: www.theelder.co.uk

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RESTAURANT

CASA DE TAPAS

Sarah Moolla is living la vida local at Bath’s newest tapas bar

ecession, depression, businesses closing, restaurants failing – we hear this so much and of course so much of this is true. But when we hear a new tapas restaurant is taking up a prime city centre spot, previously occupied by Café Retro, it can feel at times Bath is in a rarefied, glorious and positive little bubble of growth and evolution. Even more so when, on the way there, you take in the triumphant expansion of England’s largest ever independent bookshop for decades, Toppings just across the road. Opened by Tim Coffey and Francesca Addabbo (who already have a very tasty Bath portfolio with The Real Italian Pizza Co, The Real Italian Ice Cream Co, Joya Italian Steakhouse and The Herd) Casa de Tapas, which serves authentic Spanish tapas and sangria, wine and cocktails from its extensive bar, is already making a name for itself. There’s no website, no Twitter, no Insta, not even a Facebook page – what there is though, in its few short weeks of being part of the blossoming Bath foodie scene, is 24 out of 24 rave five-star reviews on Trip Advisor. After our visit, you can make that 25. The menu, which offers mainly little plates in proper tapas style, combines modern and traditional Spanish flavours and techniques, and seasonally-influenced dishes based on quality Spanish and locally-sourced ingredients. It all sounds lip-smackingly delicious, and thankfully the tricky task of choosing is magicked away when chef Jon Ichim offers to

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

select for us. We nod eagerly, and our nodding becomes even more earnest when front of house manager Pietro then suggests he makes us a sparkling tropical sangria made with cava, pineapple, watermelon and lime while we wait. It’s a jug of fruity, refreshing Spanish sunshine that is totally, and dangerously, yummy. Luckily the food starts to arrive before we convince ourselves we’re on holiday (not a Sunday, school tomorrow, night) and of course we should have another jug. Jon has chosen wisely, each dish demonstrating his skill, his passion and his commitment to serving tapas as if we were in the Basque country and not York Street, Bath. Dish after dish starts to land and before you can say EasyJet, the table is groaning under the weight of sizzling, garlicky, alioli drizzled delights. The large, thin hoops of deep fried crispy squid are crunchy and not so battered you can’t taste the soft white calamari inside, but firm enough to hold their shape when dragged through the creamy, pungent alioli. There’s a lot of alioli going on with the dishes – dribbled, dropped, globuled, spotted, and served in deep bowls for serious dredging. I love this – tight with alioli, tight with life – is my (relatively new) motto. The large triangular slabs of 12-month matured Manchengo ewe’s milk work beautifully when nibbled with smidgens of the accompanying firm, aromatic, slightly citrussy quince jelly, with a candy crunch provided by the honey coated nuggets of baked walnuts, so sweet and brittle as to almost be toffee. Devoured along with finger torn strips of the salty, translucent acorn-fed, 24-month dry-aged,

Iberian ham, and you’re probably looking at the holy trinity of tapas. Presentation is also as much a part of Jon’s art as the food itself with the uniform spheres of the crisped and earthy wild mushroom croquettes, served on a coin of alioli, each atop with a dollop of punchy alioli, and a single blade of chive are testament. The hefty slab of traditional de patatos tortilla is made with free-range eggs, onions, and potatoes, that all softly meld together with each gratifying bite. My dining companion insists they have an A level in Patatas Bravas and declares Casa De Tapas’s to be the finest they’ve ever had. The crispy fried cubes, coated in a light paprika-spiced sauce, are all crusty, rustling, and soft inside. Plump curls of garlic and chilli marinated spicy prawns come sizzling and spitting and garnished with snipped chives in a terracotta dish. Even the oil is flavoursome, and long after the prawns are gone, I find myself picking out the slivers of garlic to eat. So what, I’m on my holidays. (Sort of). A word of warning, the spicy sauce that accompanies the marinated beef skewers is not a gentle tickle of heat – it’s an explosion of fire and totally blows my head off – but then I did greedily plunge and coat and gobble. After that I eat the kebab as it comes and it is all the better for it – the seasoned, peppery meat is so tender it slips off the skewer and melts on the tongue. Hard to pick a favourite but if we were to yield to the Spanish inquisition, it would be the steamed, fat, silky mussels in their shells and smothered in a luxurious, rich and creamy white wine and cream sauce. We slide our little fingers around the shells and dish to ensure we don’t leave a single lick behind. Chef Jon’s choices have all been spot on (maybe only the salad gets a little neglected in the face of such carby wonderment) but I later find out from Tim, it hasn’t all been plain sailing for the launch of this Spanish Armada. “We have suffered from the ‘Brexit effect’ of nearly everything, from kitchen equipment to beer glasses, being initially out of stock or taking forever to arrive. For example, we have been waiting for months for the correct colour material for the blinds to arrive in the UK from France. “But one of our biggest highs was the arrival and firing up our imported churro machine and cooking the first batch of crispy sweet churros!” Having tasted them I can confirm the high is real. Fried a light golden, heavily dusted with icing sugar and scattered with slices fresh, ripe strawberries, one bite and it’s like all is right with world, and Bath in particular. n

“One bite and it’s like all is right with world” DINING DETAILS Casa De Tapas, 18 York Street, Bath, BA1 1NG. tel: 01225 308529; www.casadetapas.co.uk Open: 11am-11pm 7 days. Late night opening Thursday - Saturday coming soon. Owned by: Tim Coffey and Francesca Addabbo Chef: Jon Ichim

Outdoor space: Yes, in the summer months Recommendations: Homemade croquetas, albondigas and churros. Prices: Starters £3-£7.50, mains £6-£8.50, desserts all cost £6 Drinks: Homemade Sangria choices, extensive cocktail choice, Spanish wines and beer, and takes its tequila very seriously, with 10 to choose from

Established: October 2021

Vegetarian and vegan options: Well catered for

Type of food served: Authentic Spanish tapas

Disability access: Yes

Covers: 80

Atmosphere: A chilled laid back vibe, and on the planned live music and flamenco nights, this space is going to be one fab fiesta.

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TAKE 5 equipment if I needed to make food in bulk. The foodie business is very kind and caring. We like to not only share food but also our equipment and knowledge. How did you find your first experience cooking in a proper restaurant setting at The Artery?

It was very daunting indeed. With my weekly Friday night supper clubs, I put the food in containers and decorate the top in my own time for it to be heated later. However, in a restaurant setting suddenly 30 plates need to go out warmed at the same time in a consistent fashion. Fortunately, the team at the Artery were wonderful. We all worked very well together and the evening was a great success. What appealed to you about The Artery for your first club?

It is such a beautiful space and the Horton family, Grace, Rob and Calum seem to have similar take on food, its provenance and

SIMI REZAI

The founder of Simi’s Kitchen on her latest venture Simi Rezai, founder of Simi’s Kitchen, known for her Middle Eastern, Persian, Moorish, Silk Road, and Mughal Indian cookery classes, is now hosting themed supper clubs at venues around Bath every month, including at The Artery, a new café, bar and art gallery in Lansdown that you can read more about on page 51. Tell us about the origins of your supper club

It started as Simi’s Kitchen Lockdown Zoom Supper Club. After I delivered the food or it had been picked up, we had a Zoom meeting for everyone who was taking part in the supper club and there I explained what dishes I’d cooked and people

got a chance to see each other. I still create weekly suppers for takeaway and delivery every Friday – minus Zoom. We heard you were a bit resistant to the idea of your own supper club to begin with. Why was that?

At first I was quite nervous. I am a cookery teacher and demonstrator – I never wanted to have a restaurant, I had only cooked for friends. I didn’t know about portions, I didn’t know about food packing or delivery. I researched it all and found that it was relatively straightforward. Did you seek out support along the way? Demuths had some containers which they said I could use and also offered any of their

creating convivial get-togethers as I do. I look forward to our new foodie adventures. Storytelling is a big part of the experience – why is it important to you to do this?

I’m a cookery teacher and a bit of a geek. I have learned so much about the culture, history and geography of different countries through food. When it is unfamiliar food such as Persian, Azeri or the food of the Silk Road, it is nice to have some information about the dishes and how they are eaten. Also, I think the type of people who like to go to supper clubs are curious in nature and would enjoy getting to know the stories about the dishes. You can find out about the latest supper club events, sign up for Simi’s weekly takeaway supper clubs and learn more about her cookery classes on her website. Her next event at The Artery is a Moghul Indian night on 25 November. For more: www.simiskitchenblog. wordpress.com

AUTUMN HARVEST FEAST Lydia Tewkesbury enjoys supper with Simi at The Artery I was lucky enough to attend Simi’s Middle Eastern Harvest Feast – her very first ‘live’ supper club – at The Artery, which sold out within days. We enjoyed a set tasting menu, and between courses, Simi emerged from the kitchen to talk us through Simi talked guests through the culture, provenance each dish, from the and nutritional benefit behind each dish mouth-watering starter of batata harra – golden garlicky potatoes – with moutabel, an intense and creamy aubergine in a lemon and tahini sauce, served up with a beautiful salad of fresh, aromatic veggies and herbs topped with a luscious rose-scented yoghurt. For the mains, I enjoyed a rich, comforting plate of beautiful slow-cooked seasonal vegetables with preserved lemons and olives in a fragrant sauce, while my friend enjoyed the spicey harissa chicken, both served with a side of baghali polow. This traditional Iranian dish of basmati rice layered with broad beans and dill was a flavourful, textural experience all its own. We finished with a refreshing labna (Greek yoghurt) served with sweet fruit compote. Simi’s menus are driven by the seasonal produce she grows on her organic allotment, and this combined with the storytelling that accompanied each dish gave the night an intimate feel that (along with the delicious food, obviously) made for a memorable evening.

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Magical Christmas

Enjoy a festive party get-together in the beautiful setting of WOOLLEY GRANGE

here’s something rather magical about Woolley Grange over the festive period. As you drive through the gates you are greeted by the sight of this beautiful Jacobean manor house and gardens. Warm lights and cosy log fires draw you in from the cold and friendly staff welcome you as though you were an old friend come to visit. Here you can both feel at home and totally spoilt. This year the hotel is offering a choice of three festive menus for private groups. Priced at £25, £32 or £40 per person for a three-course lunch or dinner, they include sumptuous starters such as crispy Southview Farm egg, Cheddar cheese custard and smoked Wiltshire ham hock or wild mushroom, tarragon, hazelnut, black garlic, and truffle on sourdough; mouthwatering mains such as Kelly Bronze Springate turkey with apricot and chestnut stuffing and all the trimmings or barbequed gilt head sea bream, green beans, potato purée and brown shrimp with herb salsa; and delicious desserts, such as Christmas pudding parfait, orange and blackcurrant sorbet or 'XOCOL8' dark chocolate, blackberry and lemon mille-

feuille. There is a vegan option on each menu and, with prior notice, all special diets can be catered for. Dean Westcar is the new head chef. A semi-finalist on BBC Masterchef: The Professionals and a previous head chef at Restaurant Hywel Jones, Lucknam Park, he sure knows his onions. Using homegrown vegetables from the hotel’s extensive gardens where possible and other ingredients of local provenance, Dean’s menus offer freshness and finely balanced flavours. Select one of the hotel’s private dining rooms for groups of 8-22 people or, for smaller gatherings, eat in the hotel restaurant. ■

To book, please email events@woolleygrangehotel.co.uk or call 01225 864705 www.woolleygrangehotel.co.uk

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COSY

WINTER PUBS As the nights are draw in and the temperature drops, what better way to tackle the winter blues than a pint of beer or something stronger next to a roaring fire? Pick your spot to hole up for the season with the help of this guide to Bath’s cosiest spots for sweater season

THE HARE & HOUNDS

Lansdown Road, Bath BA1 5TJ 01225 482682; www.hareandhoundsbath.com The Hare & Hounds is a family-friendly gastro pub with stunning views over the Bath countryside, serving home-cooked seasonal food all day, every day. In winter, the open fire creates a cosy atmosphere, perfect for warming up after enjoying one of the many fabulous walks in the area – or simply for cosying up after a comforting meal from the winter menu. Come for the views, but stay for the friendly service and fabulous food.

THE GEORGE & DRAGON

High Street, Rowde, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 2PN 01380 723053; www.thegeorgeanddragonrowde.co.uk Are you a foodie that loves a bit of luxury? You need to visit the George & Dragon in Rowde near Devizes. The 16th century coaching inn and pub in the landlocked county of Wiltshire specialises in sparklingly fresh fish and seafood. Head chef Tom crafts an exceptional ever-changing menu depending on what has landed at the fish market in St Mawes, Cornwall, using a mix of beautiful Cornish fish and local, award-winning meats and vegetables. There is also a vegetarian and vegan menu. With everything we’ve been through this past year, why not come and spoil yourself with a night at The George & Dragon? Its three bedrooms are individually designed, and feature luxurious deep feather pillows and duvets. Room prices start from £75 a night... Bath Life readers can enjoy a special offer of Double Bed and Breakfast for £125, including three-course meal* for two people, bed and breakfast and two glasses of fizz on arrival (sorry all other drinks not included). *Ts&Cs apply

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

SPONSORED CONTENT

THE MARLBOROUGH TAVERN

THE OLD HAM TREE

Situated around the corner from the Royal Crescent, The Marlborough Tavern combines the friendly atmosphere of a local pub with the quality of a top restaurant. Its two AA rosettes, clutch of local and national awards, plus inclusions in The Michelin Guide and Good Food Guide reflect the quality of the food and service you will enjoy. When it comes to food, The Marlborough Tavern uses the best local produce to create great-tasting dishes where the quality speaks for itself. Above all, it’s about celebrating great British produce. Whether you’re thinking of dining, having a quick snack or just popping in for a pint, you’ll be welcomed with a smile.

The Old Ham Tree is a traditional 18th century village pub with letting rooms, where everyone is welcomed by our friendly staff. Serving Wadworth ales and tasty, homemade comfort food, you can order most mains in small portions (£7) as well as the regular size, and tasty, homemade desserts – also available in small (£4). Customers can benefit from our loyalty scheme, with members receiving points to use on future visits. Dogs are welcome in the bar area and the pretty beer garden, and you can enjoy a glass of mulled wine or a hot chocolate in front of the fireplaces in both the bar and restaurant, a cosy escape in the winter months. We serve a very popular traditional Sunday roast for £8.50/£12.95 catering for meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans. Separate menus avaliable for those with gluten-free and coeliac diets. Heated outside dining for up to 16 people is also available.

35 Marlborough Buildings, Bath, BA1 2LY 01225 423731; www.marlborough-tavern.com

Ham Green, Holt, Trowbridge, BA14 6PY 01225 782581; www.theoldhamtree.com

THE CATHERINE WHEEL

The High Street, Marshfield, SN14 8LR 01225 892220; www.thecatherinewheel.co.uk Eight miles north of Bath, The Catherine Wheel is a 17th century coaching inn in the historic village of Marshfield. With the front and façade dating back to 1680, the building first became an inn around 1740 and was originally known as The Star, changing its name to The Catherine Wheel in the 1780s. The Catherine Wheel is a great place to visit before or after taking one of the many fantastic walks in the countryside close by, including the Cotswold Way and Limestone Link, as well as being a great base for nearby attractions such as Castle Combe and Westonbirt Arboretum Along with first-class accommodation, The Catherine Wheel is known for its real ales and wholesome food freshly prepared by the highly regarded kitchen team using local produce. Bookings are now being taken for Christmas, with a festive menu available.

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THE BULL AT HINTON

Bull Inn, Hinton, South Glos, SN14 8HG

0117 937 2332; www.thebullathinton.co.uk The Bull at Hinton is a quintessential family-friendly pub delivering traditional, quality food, all from locally-sourced or homegrown ingredients. This December, The Bull will host the Apres Ski Bar & Kitchen in the garden stretch tent, serving hot wintery food and a full bar service, with steins of beer, mulled wine and cider, and, of course, winter cocktails – all with a backdrop of great music playing and blankets to keep you warm. The Bull is a 17th century old English pub, situated just off J18 on the M4. Nestled behind Dyrham Park, it boasts a perfect countryside location, cosy warm fires inside and a tempting seasonal menu.

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THE LOCKSBROOK INN

103 Locksbrook Rd, Bath, BA1 3EN 01225 427119; www.thelocksbrookinn.com Located on the bank of the canal in Lower Weston, The Locksbrook Inn is a picturesque, cosy spot to while away an entire afternoon. Winter offers the perfect opportunity to hunker down next to the wood-burning stove with friends. Offering a range of quality food, from small plates through to hearty portions, The Locksbrook is a classic gastro pub dining experience, with an emphasis on fresh, flavoursome, homecooked dishes. The wine list is comprehensive, and they have a great range of beers, ales, gins and cocktails.

THE COEUR DE LION

17 Northumberland Place, Bath BA1 5AR 01225 463568; www.coeur-de-lion.co.uk One of Bath’s hidden gems, the Coeur De Lion is a cosy traditional pub full of period features located in the heart of the city in the pedestrianised Northumberland Place opposite the Guildhall. It enjoys the distinction of being Bath’s smallest pub, with signs above the seating reminding customers to ‘budge up’ and is almost, as far as the owners know, the only pub of this name in the country. Attracting both friendly locals and adventurous tourists drawn to the fantastic Abbey Ales beer, diverse mix of conversation and traditional classic pub food – bangers and mash, fish and chips and locally made Celtic Pies – The Coeur De Lion particularly comes alive on Bath Rugby days both before and after games.

THE STAR INN

23 Vineyards, Bath BA1 5NA 01225 425072; www.star-inn-bath.co.uk

THE MOORFIELDS

Situated on Vineyards (The Paragon), The Star Inn is Abbey Ales brewery tap and remains a classic example of an untouched multi-roomed English public house, where beer is still served from the jug. First licensed in 1760, The Star Inn retains many of its original features including 19th century bar fittings and wooden benches. Described by CAMRA (The Campaign for Real Ale) as a ‘rare and unspoiled pub interior of outstanding historic interest’, The Star Inn is listed on the National Inventory of Heritage Pubs. The pub features four separate drinking areas. The smaller bar, used by many of the regulars, features a long single bench known as ‘death row’ where a complimentary pinch of snuff can still be found in tins on the ledge above the wall panelling. Uninterrupted by juke boxes or gaming machines, chat amongst the locals is the theme along with dominoes, cribbage, shove halfpenny and live music.

73 Third Avenue, Bath, BA2 3NZ 01225 982102; www.themoorfields.com Located in Oldfield Park, The Moorfields is a welcoming, contemporary gastro pub, perfect for relaxing in whilst enjoying good food and drink, seven days a week. The seasonal menu offers a range of crowd-pleasing favourites, from full English breakfasts in the morning, through to modern British classics with a twist for lunch and dinner. In the winter, enjoy a cosy and friendly atmosphere with some fabulous comfort food.

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Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HH Tel: 01225 424 105 | enquiries@francishotel.com francishotel.com | www.mgaller y.com

NATURE FIRST

In September, Yeo Valley Organic Farm created its first garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It only went and won a Gold…

ou’ll have heard of Yeo Valley, the family-run organic dairy farm just down the road in Blagdon. It’s famed for its superior yoghurts, and also for its gardens, which are open to the public. It also came to national attention ten years ago, when its witty rap TV ad became the number one download in the UK, securing ‘most-viewed’ status on Facebook and YouTube. But we’re not here to talk about Yeo Valley’s yoghurt or its rapping farmers. We’re here to talk about the garden’s triumph at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which this year, for the first time in its 108-year history, because of Covid, was held in September. The grounds were filled with late-summer blooms, the sun shone all week, there was a genuine sense of joy that the world’s greatest flower show was back, and one of the highlights was the Yeo Valley Organic Garden, which received the double honour of a Gold Medal from the RHS judges and the BBC/RHS People’s Choice Award. The garden was created by awardwinning designer Tom Massey, with support from Yeo Valley’s Sarah Mead. As the first organic show garden approved by the Soil Association to appear at Chelsea, its principal aim was to highlight the importance of looking after nature. Both Tom and Sarah are passionate about encouraging people to take an organic approach in their own gardens, and wanted to show that taking small steps to work with nature can make a positive impact on wildlife and plant biodiversity. “The experience of being part of Chelsea surpassed anything I expected, and we were so pleased to share our little slice of Somerset with the world,” says Sarah. “We know the huge benefits it has for the environment – and now it seems that the public interest in organic is growing. If our moment in the spotlight has helped to inspire people to think about choosing organic, then

that’s a huge win for nature, our soil and our environment.” Yeo Valley Organic is Britain’s largest organic brand, with the 6.5 acre garden around the family farmhouse being one of the UK’s largest ornamental gardens with Soil Association certification. Sarah has been quietly farming and growing organically for a quarter of a century now, seeing first-hand the benefits of this approach on wildlife and pollinators. It was key that this ethos was maintained in the show garden; no chemical fertilisers or pesticides were used on its plants, all grown in peat-free compost, within compostable pots. At Chelsea, the show garden reflected the range of habitats and plants found at Yeo Valley HQ , including a perennial meadow brimming with flowers and a glade of silver birch. The planting was a skilled tapestry of late summer perennials such as rudbeckia, kniphofia and heleniums, and a gauzy haze of ornamental grasses. Blackened, charred logs were an eye-catching feature, representing the importance of soil health and returning carbon to the earth. The focal point was a steam-bent wooden hide shaped like an egg, created by Cornish sculptor Tom Raffield. This now takes pride of place at Blagdon, while all of the plants, trees, hard landscaping and all elements of the garden have been transported back to Somerset to be incorporated back into the garden and farmland. “What we achieved at Chelsea is testament to Yeo Valley’s commitment to sustainable farming and growing,” says Tom Massey. “We were particularly delighted to receive the People’s Choice Award. I think that in recent times, when we’ve all been spending more time in our own gardens and appreciating the value of nature, our message really connected with everyone.”

“If our moment in the spotlight has inspired people to go organic, it’s a huge win for nature”

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

For more: www.yeovalley.co.uk

GARDENS

Sarah and Tom at Yeo Valley; INSET: the design for the show garden, including the egg-shaped hide (LEFT) – now installed in the gardens at Blagdon

THE NEW NORMAL

Combining understated luxury with remarkable range, Audi’s new Q4 sees the electric car come of age Words and pictures by Matt Bielby

A chunky, handsome, well-equipped family-size SUV

ny new tech can feel not-quiteready-forprime-time in its earliest incarnations, and that’s certainly been the case with electric cars. But they’ve been developing at an astonishing pace – and the new Audi Q4 e-Tron makes perhaps the most convincing case yet for why we all need one in our lives. This slick iteration of the VW Group’s MEB electric platform poses an intriguing question. Not ‘why should I buy it?’ but ‘why should I buy anything else?’ A chunky, handsome, well-equipped familysize SUV with a solid infotainment system and impressive real world range, the Q4 isn’t exactly cheap – realistically think around £50k – but it’s probably all the car you’ll ever need. Since it does so much so well it’s hard to know where to start, but let’s begin with the fact that it’s a doddle to drive – indeed, I’ve found few recent cars as easy to park without

MOTORING relying on cameras or warning pings. It’s quiet, smooth and well-balanced, and though the mid-range 40 model we tried quotes a sluggishsounding 0-62mph of 8.5 seconds, it actually feels much pokier, surging forward the moment you put your foot down. No need to turn on the engine or mess around with handbrakes, by the way: just unlock, get in, foot on the brake, slip the lever into Drive and you’re away.

“Not ‘why should I buy it?’ but ‘why should I buy anything else?’” Physically, the Q4 takes up little more room than the Q3 – Audi’s entry level SUV – but has interior space to rival the larger Q5; in fact, the overall feel is notably spacious and uncluttered, with all the top notch fit and quality surfaces Audi is known for. The doors open nice and wide, the floor is flat, and there are plenty of storage bins. There’s good headroom too, and a 520-litre boot, making it a genuine

proposition for five people and their kit, as long as they’re not the most prolific of packers. Seats are comfortable and the tech intuitive, much of it revolving around an impressive 10.1 inch touch screen. A head-up display projects essential info onto the windscreen itself (a novelty that soon starts to feel nearessential), but in general this is not a flashy car, instead giving off a vibe of restrained, relaxed practicality. (It does, however, have its eccentricities, not least a bizarre squaredoff steering wheel, oddly reminiscent of the much-mocked ‘quartic’ wheel of early Austin Allegros – if much more pleasant to use.) Most relaxing of all, of course, is that this is the rare electric car where you won’t be fretting about your range the entire time. I wasn’t able to check the claimed 316 mile maximum, but driving around all day only knocked 10 miles or so off the computer’s projected range. A handy fast-charging capability (under 40 minutes to get back up to 80 per cent) cuts most of the planning and paranoia out of lengthy trips, and if you’re almost there (but not quite) you can add an extra 80 miles in about ten minutes. Stick the gear lever in B rather than D, by the way, and you’ll effectively be driving using

This is not a flashy car, instead giving off a vibe of restrained, relaxed practicality

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MOTORING only one pedal 90 per cent of the time – the moment you take your foot off the gas, the car immediately begins to brake, automatically recuperating electricity as it does so. What’s wrong with the Q4? Very little, I’d say, though getting your head around which power set-up to go for is a bit of a melontwister. With its smaller batteries, the entry level 35 is slower and lacks range, but would be a great commuter car. The 50 quattro is fastest, but prohibitively expensive. Which leaves the mid range 40 as, like Baby Bear’s porridge,

just right, more than quick enough and with the most impressive range of the three. Oddly enough, the 35 and 40 are both rear wheel drive cars – a common layout for BMWs, but unheard of on recent Audis – and even boast a form of drum brakes at the rear, necessary for that regenerative braking. Strange how this most futuristic of cars can also seem unexpectedly old-fashioned – at least on paper – in the details. This is not your daddy’s electric car, then – it’s far, far better. Earlier efforts have often shown off with eerie silence and neck-snapping acceleration while remaining hopelessly impractical for everyday living, but the Q4 spearheads a generation in which the technology has come of age, prioritising range over muscle, charging speed over top speed, and the extra interior space that electric allows over flashy design. Cars like this will soon stop feeling like the niche choice and start to become the new normal. Motoring is in safe hands – even if there’s no traditional motor at all. n

AT A GLANCE Audi Q4 e-Tron Prices From just over £40,000 to around £65,000; ours was right in the middle. Under the floor Assorted electric motors, from the 35 model with its 52kWh battery and single, rear-mounted 168bhp motor to the mid-range 40 variant (77kWh battery/201bhp) and the 50 quattro, with its extra motor at the front and 295bhp. Equipment specs Trim levels rise from Sport through S line and Edition 1 to the very fancy Vorsprung, but even the cheapest Sport 35 gets 19-inch alloys, a 10.1-inch touchscreen and that Virtual Cockpit display. Performance These aren’t rocketships (the cheapest model reaches 62mph in 9 seconds and has a 99mph max speed), but the Q4 40 certainly feels more lively than the stats suggest. In a nutshell Immensely practical and typically well screwed together premium family SUV, its immense range the icing on the cake. Model tested Audi Q4 e-Tron 40 Dealer Bath Audi, Bath Business Park, Roman Way, Peasedown St John, Bath BA2 8SG; tel: 01761 438300 More info www.audi.co.uk

below: The handy fast-charging capability

cuts most of the paranoia out of lengthy trips; inset: A squared-off steering wheel is one of the design eccentricities

“The Q4 spearheads a generation in which the technology has come of age” 68 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

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SCHOOL GUIDE VICTORIA BOND

Remote learning How do you choose a school when open days are limited or even cancelled?

hoosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions of family life. I’ve spoken to thousands of parents on the brink of submitting a school application and the most frequently asked question is, ‘How do you know it’s The One?’ After weighing up all the exam data and Ofsted information (head), it usually comes down to a feeling (heart). The lightbulb moment often comes when you visit the school. But how do you get to seal the deal on your ﬁrst choice when you can’t visit the school in person? While the majority of school open days have returned this academic year, you may have missed an important one due to having to

TIMETABLES

Primary school application deadline on 15 January 2022 for September 2022 admissions. Secondary school applications for state schools closed on 31 October 2021 for September 2022 admissions. Private school applications close mid-November and entrance exams are usually scheduled for January.

self-isolate or find yourself diverted to an online open day if restrictions tighten again this winter. Can you pick and (not) mix? The good news is that it is very doable. In some ways, schlepping around open days can be the equivalent of tidying your bedroom when you should be revising for an exam. Yes, you are busy popping in and out of classrooms but, ultimately, you are being spoon-fed one version of the school and a more wide-angle lens approach will be better. An online open day is a good place to start. School marketing budgets vary wildly, so don’t be swayed by the 360-degree walk-through video – or put off if one doesn’t exist. Not all schools are able to prioritise fancyschmancy tech. All schools have a website, however, and it’s surprising how much a collection of pixels can convey emotion and give you a sense of the everyday mood of the school. Look at the images they have selected to represent the pupils: are they mud-splattered at Forest School or doing something serious with a Bunsen burner? Does it look corporate with an accountancy firm colour palette or are the pages light and bright with an effusive use of

exclamation marks? Certain styles will instinctively appeal: you should feel at home on the homepage. Next, visit the ‘ordinary’ pages of the website. The head’s welcome and the vision and values section are important but also check out the canteen menu and the extra-curricular activities calendar. See what achievements do they celebrate on their blog. Download their latest newsletter as this oﬀers a brilliant window into the pupils’ working world.

your learner. The best school may not be the right school. Catchment is also critical. Look online for maps that show the latest admission trends and reveal your likelihood of getting in. Then take a deep dive into local authority ‘last distanced oﬀered’ tables; these are an important reminder than catchment areas can, and do, change every year. Finally, once you are armed with a shortlist of schools, use hyperlocal parenting sites to read about the ﬁrst-hand experiences of current mums and dads. There can be a lot of 5-star and 1-star reviews – without much in the middle – but it’s helpful to see what the cheerleaders are championing and learn about potential areas of weakness. Jot down words that stand out to create a little word cloud, and it will give you a sense of being at the school gates – without actually leaving your house. So, go forth, friends. Do your homework with an open mind and make notes with a pencil not a Sharpie. It’s a journey; and as a parent who knows your child better than anyone else, one you are perfectly placed to ace.

“It’s surprising how much a collection of pixels can give a sense of the everyday mood of the school” In terms of the head teacher, try to get to know them by ﬁnding interviews and articles in local magazines. Their attitude and aspirations will trickle down into every area of school life. You don’t have to like them – as in want to go to the pub with them for a pint – but you need to feel you can trust them and they speak your language. Digging out oﬃcial performance data is key but make sure you look beyond the big hitters. Checking out the progress scores, for example, will tell you how far a school moves a pupil on from point A to B, and can reveal a lot more about the teaching than pure As and Bs. Likewise with Ofsted, an ‘outstanding’ school that pushes every class, might not suit

Victoria Bond is founder of School Guide, a website that has helped 10 million parents ﬁnd the best school for their child. For more: www.schoolguide.co.uk

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

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SPONSORED CONTENT

HOME-MADE WILLS – BEWARE! Local legal expert HELEN STARKIE offers some words of advice…

our Will is likely to be the only document you sign during your lifetime which deals with absolutely everything you own. It is important that you should get it right, so it is not an exercise on which to cut costs. This is the sort of thing we sometimes see when someone dies and which makes our hearts sink: THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT of me Mary B Smith of Bath 1. I HEREBY REVOKE all former Wills and Codicils made by me. 2. I APPOINT my husband Gordon to be the executor of my Will 3. IF Gordon dies before me I give my house to my children AARON and COLIN. 4. IF AARON and COLIN have died before me I give my estate to my grandchildren – one quarter to SUSAN, one quarter to ADAM, one quarter to PETER and one quarter to CLARE. Dated Signed by the said MARY B SMITH As and for her last Will and by us in her presence and in the presence of each other. Mary Smith has filled in a pro-forma Will which she has found online. At least the form is an English one and not American or Australian as is often the case, but what a mess. Mary has not fully identified herself in the first line of the document. She should have filled in her full name to ensure that there is no confusion, when she dies as to who she was. For the same reason she should give her full address. Mary names her husband to be her executor. That is fine (although she should have filled in his full name as in her own case), but she has omitted to leave him anything. If she dies before him the Will will therefore fail as her sons only inherit under its terms if Gordon dies before her. Mary fails to say who is to be her executor if Gordon dies before her. In that situation one or more of her children would need to make an application to the Probate registry for a Grant of Letters of Administration with the Will annexed. If Gordon does die before her and Mary is the sole owner of it at the time of her death, the house will go to her two children (although she

“THIS IS THE SORT OF THING WE SOMETIMES SEE WHEN SOMEONE DIES AND WHICH MAKES OUR HEARTS SINK” does not say in what proportions). She does not say what is to happen to her other possessions, so those will pass, not under the terms of the Will, but under the laws of intestacy. Mary then sets out what is to happen if her sons die before her. But what if only one of them predeceases her? She does not cover that. Mary has four grandchildren. But what if she has five or more by the time she dies? Only the four named grandchildren will receive anything and if one of the original four has died before Mary, the deceased grandchild’s quarter share will pass, not under the terms of the Will but again under the laws of intestacy. How old are the grandchildren? Those under the age of 18 cannot own bricks and mortar. And does Mary not want the youngsters to wait until they are old enough to use her money wisely before they receive their share?

The Will is not dated. When Mary dies there will have to be evidence produced to the Probate Registry by the witnesses to her signature as to when the Will was signed. But what about the witnesses? It seems that Aaron may have witnessed his grandmother’s signature to the Will. By doing that he has ruled himself out of receiving anything under its terms. These are very basic pitfalls, but there are endless others. What for example, if Mary had left everything to Gordon when she died, but at the same time he was in residential care? She’s missed an opportunity to ring-fence her interest in the family home against means-testing for and depletion in payment of Gordon’s care fees. What if Mary had left everything to Gordon and he were to remarry after Mary’s death? Does she mind if Gordon’s new wife inherits everything instead of her own family? ■

Helen Starkie Solicitor 38 Gay Street, Bath, BA1 2NT; 01225 442353; www.helenstarkie.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 81

1 LAURA PLACE Matilda Walton explores a town house primed and ready for its new owner’s arrival

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

PROPERTY

re you the roll up your sleeves and get to work type, or would you rather move into a space that’s already practically perfect in every way? If you subscribe to the latter philosophy, then we present 1 Laura Place for your consideration. The central Bath address occupies the greater part of the property – with the exception of the basement – and has undergone extensive remodelling and redecoration by the current owner. Curated with effortless chic and luxury by famed Bath interior designers at Woodhouse & Law, the house feels utterly pristine; a warm, inviting escape just waiting for the next seeker in need of refuge. There’s nothing like arriving into a new situation primed and ready for you

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

FINALIST

RICHMOND PLACE

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BATH, BA1 A beautifully presented Grade II Listed terraced townhouse in the heart of Lansdown. The light and spacious accommodation is arranged over three floors with views across to Solsbury Hill. Entrance Hall | Sitting room | 3 double bedrooms | Shower room | Cloakroom | Kitchen | Dining area | Laundry. Gated front garden rear garden with delightful summer house/studio.

Matthew Leonard Director

Lucy McIlroy Director

Denise Latham Lettings Manager

PROPERTY – and with property (and, let’s face it, especially period homes) it is exceptionally rare. It is a lovely, light home, with the drawing room in particular benefiting from three expansive floor-toceiling sash windows, through which you can see the famous Laura Place fountain. Upstairs, light floods through a spectacular lantern roof – it’ll stop anyone climbing the stairs in their tracks – and can be opened during the warmer months for additional ventilation. The windows also make the most of the views in one of the most iconic areas of the city, mere moments from Pulteney Bridge – and in the master bedroom there are three huge sash windows with a view all the way up Great Pulteney Street to the Holburne Museum beyond. The decoration is exquisite – warm neutrals give way to a smattering of striking details, all amongst sought-after period features of intricate cornicing, and a spectacular fireplace surround that’ll have you warming yourself in front of the embers like a true Georgian. The dining room is crafted with enviable style: the impressive suite includes an arresting feature wall of hand-painted silk wallpaper in a brave pattern of dark tones over the mantel.

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

PROPERTY

But 1 Laura Place isn’t all style without substance – everything is exactly where you need it to be. Woodhouse & Law have designed a beautifully constructed kitchen, made by McCarron & Co. Central to the space is a long marble island that gives the space a weighty, luxe feel. It comes with floor units, an inset sink and breakfast bar. Home-cooks rejoice – in here you’ll also find a Neff double wall oven complete with induction hob, a built in fridge-freezer and plenty of storage to boot. Between this and that spectacular dining room, you’ll be the go-to dinner party host in HOUSE NUMBERS the friend group for sure. Price £2.5m The style, central 3,465 Square foot location and reputation Reception rooms 3 of the address give No 1 Laura Place the feel of 4 Bedrooms whole life, set up, ready Winkworth Bath Estate and waiting for its new Agents, 13 Argyle Street, owner to appear. Bath; www.winkworth.co.uk

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FLOOR TO CEILING INTERIORS

Give your home a complete overhaul from the floor up with a little help from Bath’s interiors experts Words Lydia Tewkesbury

Parquet is always a favourite at Broadleaf Timber

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

Rossiters offers an in-house design service to set you up for success

is the season… we start thinking about sprucing up the place. It’s chilly, it’s dark, and with the extra hours spent in the home our thoughts inevitably turn to how we might refresh our interior style – if not dive in for a full overhaul. Here, interiors experts from around the city share their thoughts on easy updates – there’s nothing like a new set of cushions or a nice throw to give a space a fresh feel – to starting from the foundations and redesigning the place from the floor up.

ALL IN THE PLANNING

Creating the space of your dreams requires a solid plan, so take a hard pause before heading out to the shops – with so many options available it’s easy to fall into a scattergun approach unlikely to reap the results you’re looking for. Some stores, like Rossiters of Bath, offer a design consultant service if you want an expert to cast an eye across the space in the early stages of planning. “The most common mistake is to upgrade your room or house on a piecemeal basis, doing one thing at a time,” says Peter James, managing director at Rossiters. “For example, just replacing your sofas without thinking that in a little while you will probably want to change the look of the whole room. So even if you do not want to do the whole redesign in one go, or you can’t afford to, create a holistic plan and implement it in stages. This way your investments in new pieces will not be wasted.” He advises creating a mood board for the space – fill it with cuttings of whatever appeals to you, whether that’s a particular colour palette, furniture, accessory, or even just a mood. This is your starting point, something you can reference throughout the decoration process.

“Creating the space of your dreams requires a solid plan”

INTERIORS

“Create a holistic plan”

INVEST IN QUALITY

It is wise to allocate a large portion of budget to flooring – perhaps the least front-of-mind but most intensely used part of any home. If flooring isn’t high quality, it’s the first place where the cracks will start to show. “Flooring can be an expensive finishing touch,” says Steve White, director at Bath Contract Flooring. “But if you spend wisely you can usually redecorate or accessorise around the flooring finish and colour in the future to avoid replacing. With flooring you get what you pay for.” He advises caution against too-good-to-be-true prices – there is more to flooring than the finished product we see, and it’s usually the finer details that are sacrificed for lower prices. “If the materials are the same from shop to shop but final costs differ, ask why,” he says. “One may be using a higher grade underlay, using different widths to avoid joins or costing on a higher weight specification.”

HIGH TECH

above: According to Bath Contract Flooring, where flooring is concerned you get what you pay for; below: Velvet Geisha cushion, £75 from Homefront Interiors

In flooring, you pay for durability as much as aesthetic. Invest in technology with a flawless look that’ll last, like engineered timber. “Engineered timber is a multi-layered material, with the chosen wood surface bonded on top,” says Peggy Braybrook, design centre manager for Tile & Floor. “This gives the appearance of a solid wood floor but is more stable. It’s less likely to bow or warp as a result of seasonal changes and varying room temperatures. There are many woods to choose from but oak has an enduring popularity. “Whether you choose tiles or timber, picking the right finish is vital for durability, as is on-going maintenance. Our new oak range, for example, is finished with a zero volatile organic compounds oil which is dried under UV light. This is the latest technology and makes wood very hard-wearing, even in high traffic areas such as a kitchen or hall. It can also be maintained easily with oil to nourish and protect the wood.”

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

INTERIORS CLASSIC COOL

Trends come and go, but some looks are timeless. Flooring is a commitment, so make sure you find a look you’re happy to spend your life with – often, that means opting for a classic look, like parquet. “Parquet is arguably the ultimate patterned floor,” says Vanessa Garrett, founding director of Broadleaf Timber. “A perennial favourite since its introduction in the 17th century, it has an elegant, classic feel that won’t date and works in almost any space. Pre-finished options like our Nuances Collection, or aged options like our Vintage Collection, offer a wide range of styles that are easier to fit and more versatile than more formal, traditional parquet floors. They can be laid in all sorts of different designs, in a single colour or a mix, with borders, without, in combination with planks or alone. Parquet is a brilliant way to create a feature in rooms where there is little space for furniture like hallways, or for open plan rooms that have lots of floor area on show that needs to be interesting but not overwhelming.”

BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL

Home accessories like cushions, throws and upholstery are the perfect zones to implement a bright pop of colour. Even a single bold piece can transform the feel of a room by adding warmth, drama or a bit of quirk – without the need for a complete redesign. “I live by the rule that anything that is stuck down should be kept neutral – so think carpets and wall colours,” says Dani Taylor, product and creative director at Cox & Cox. “And, for anything that can be moved around, then make them colourful, illustrative and embrace bold prints.” Emma Rose, the abstract artist known for her atmospheric, evocative pieces now uses her artworks to create bold statement cushions that feature exotic colours and textures that reflect her love of colour, form, texture and patina. “We’re becoming braver with darker hues,” says Emma. “We’re not afraid of making a brighter statement, either. There is a way of using related tones to create a layered and sophisticated interior, whether that’s through painting ceilings or decorating all four walls the same colour. I simply advocate using my bright, beautiful luxury art cushions to make a splash, and pull all the colours of the room together.”

“Trends come and go, but some looks are timeless” 92 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

above: Add a pop of colour with a cushion from Emma Rose;

below: Opt for high tech options at Tile & Floor for longevity

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IN BATH

11 Widcombe Parade, Bath, BA2 4JT | Tel: 01225 422078 | Email: curtainexchange@live.co.uk www.curtainexchangebath.co.uk

INTERIORS THE CENTRAL THEME

We’re never short of options when it comes to our soft furnishings – there’s something in every colour, texture, shape and size we can imagine. This obviously makes the shopping great fun, but, if we’re not careful, it can result in a space that looks hectic, rather than curated and chic. The way to avoid this? Pick a theme, and stick to it absolutely. “Pick out one colour that features in your soft furnishings and art work, etc and then use that as a starting point,” says Katherine Fraser, a designer-weaver who creates beautiful interior pieces using traditional weaving looms. “It doesn’t even need to be the predominant colour, just make sure it’s there somewhere. That way different textures and patterns can sit together more harmoniously.” “Having a cohesive colour palette is a must,” agrees Alexandra Henry, interior designer at I Love Colours Studio. “Start with the ‘hero fabric’, ideally a pattern that has all the colours you want for your room and work around it by choosing plain or patterned fabrics that tie in with it.”

IT’S A TEXTURE THING

It’s not just colours that can create interest. Get creative with different textures, materials and shapes. Create contrasts by using different fabrics, for example rough, tufted cushions on smooth linen or velvet upholstery. This offers a great option for breaking up a neutral colour scheme without resorting to brights if that’s not your style. “It’s key to add colour and texture through different fabrics, or your scheme will fall flat,” says Kathryn Bristow, sales administrator at Homefront Interiors. “If you find yourself choosing two of the same cushions for each end of your sofa…stop! Find a few different shapes of cushion and mix them up with a couple of smaller, detailed or patterned cushions. For your bedroom, add a bedspread of chunky knit or quilted velvet to layer over your plain covers.” n

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above: A cohesive colour palette like this space by I Love Colours is a must;

below: Build your interiors around a central colour theme, says Katherine Fraser

YOU HAVE BEEN READING

Rossiters of Bath, 38-41 Broad Street, Bath; www.rossitersofbath.com Bath Contract Flooring, 4 Kingsmead Street, Bath; www.bathcontractflooring.co.uk Broadleaf Timber, 134 Walcot Street, Bath; www.broadleaftimber.com Tile & Floor, 1 Mile End, London Road, Bath; www.tileandfloor.co.uk Cox & Cox; www.coxandcox.co.uk Emma Rose, The Art Studio, Knight’s Barn, Wellow; www.emmaroseartworks.com Homefront Interiors, 10 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath; www.homefrontinteriors.co.uk Katherine Fraser; www.katherinefraser.co.uk

Use different textures to create interest, like with this Cox & Cox cushion

“I live by the rule that anything that is stuck down should be kept neutral”

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SPONSORED CONTENT

CHOOSING A TIMBER FLOOR: TRENDS, TONES & TECH Peggy Braybrook, design centre manager at Bath-based TILE & FLOOR, talks timber – trends, tones and the technical details that will give you a beautifully finished floor.

here is a warmth and texture to wood that is timeless and, with the right care, it will last a lifetime. But where to start when choosing? Here we share some top tips, and Peggy tells us about a new range of affordable UK-finished engineered oak that her clients love and, unlike so many products, is available now.

ENGINEERED WOODS Engineered timber is a multi-layered material, with the chosen wood surface bonded on top. This gives the appearance of a solid wood floor but, as well as being easier to install and more economical, it is also more stable. So it’s less likely to bow or warp as a result of seasonal changes and varied room temperatures. There are many woods to choose from but oak has an enduring popularity.

COLOUR & TONE The new range of engineered oak at Tile & Floor is available in 12 core colours covering a palette of whites, nudes, greys and rich browns to suit a classic, Scandi or contemporary design. A rustic grade oak will have more knots and graining, while a prime grade board has much smaller knots and less colour variation. As the raw material is finished in the UK, the client has complete control over colour choice; so if one of the 12 tones isn’t quite right, the oak can be colour-matched, much as you would personalise paint.

FORMAT & LAYOUT Whether you choose a traditional plank, modern chevron or classic

herringbone with block boarder edge, there are multiple formats and patterns to choose from, and all can be laid over underfloor heating. Some layouts work best in large spaces, while others compliment smaller rooms but all will add the wow factor.

FINISH & MAINTENANCE This is key. The new oak range is finished with a zero VOC oil which is dried under UV light. This makes it very hard wearing, even in high traffic areas such as a kitchen or hall, and it can be maintained easily with oil to nourish and protect the wood. For installation, Kerakoll supply a certified organic mineral adhesive that, as well as being green, is also very reliable.

Call Peggy and the team at Tile & Floor’s Design Centre or pop in to talk through your project details. The new engineered oak range can be entirely bespoke and is available now, as are many other stone, porcelain, carpet and patterned tile samples.

01225 310561; www.tileandfloor.co.uk Quote BL1121 for your 15% discount on materials*. *Terms and conditions apply, not to be used in conjunction with other offers. Valid until December 2021.

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

BATH PROPERTY AWARDS

RAISE THE ROOF!

It was the triumphant return of the Bath Property Awards on 22 October at the city’s Apex hotel, an event that recognises and celebrates our local construction industry

e were all ready and waiting for this most celebratory of events in the construction industry’s diary. Around midday on Friday 22 October, 300 of Bath’s finest property people, all in the best of spirits, descended on Apex City of Bath Hotel. The Bath Property Awards, now in their 4th year, are about so much more than just the reading out of a shortlist and the announcement of a winner. The coveted Bath Property Awards were triumphantly claimed of course, but also introductions are made, job opportunities explored, deals discussed, partnerships sounded out and vital, glorious insider gossip shared. In short, this is where business, networking and friendships happen. It was thrilling to see the array of participants, from the coolest of Bath’s indies to the largest of the sector’s corporates; from local to regional to national. The sector was applauded and

celebrated. This was the chance to say that Bath property matters: commercially, practically, aesthetically. The three speakers were William Bertram (founder of what is now Watson, Bertram & Fell), Geoff Rich (Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios) and Anji Henderson (The Egg theatre), and the proceedings were held together perfectly by host Declan Curry, the BBC Breakfast presenter, aided by MediaClash’s chief exec Greg Ingham. And when so many contribute, so many benefit. We thank all who backed these Awards, enabling this occasion to happen and for value to be created for all. We hope you got benefit from the event and its marketing, and the organisers of the Bath Property Awards have plans for it to have a yet bigger impact on the sector in 2022. On the following pages you will see the coverage received through your support of the Awards. And keep reading Bath Life’s regular property pages to be ahead of the game for next year’s Awards happening 4 November at the Apex, and join us for a splendid celebration of all things property, business, and Bath.

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BATH PROPERTY AWARDS

CATEGORY WINNERS

The judges faced some incredibly hard decisions, but after much debate, here are their choices . . . Photos by Soul Media

ARCHITECT

CONSULTANCY

WINNER:

AARON EVAN ARCHITECTS

WINNER:

WESTERN BUILDING CONSULTANTS

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT Sponsored by

CONTRACTOR Sponsored by

WINNER:

3-4 EDGAR MEWS, ARENA GLOBAL MANAGEMENT

WINNER:

SBS DESIGN & BUILD www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 101

BATH PROPERTY AWARDS

DEVELOPER

SPONSORED CONTENT

FIBRE-UP FOR SUCCESS:

HOW TO STAY RELEVANT IN THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MARKET By Bob Irwin, TRIANGLE NETWORKS ust a few weeks ago, myself and the Triangle team had the pleasure of attending the 2021 Bath Property Awards. The event had such a great and worthy shortlist, from wellestablished firms doing fantastic work during lockdown, through to businesses which only started trading in 2020 and have done amazingly to come so far in such circumstances. I briefly took to the stage for a chat with Greg Ingham. For those of you who were in attendance, I’ll forgive you if you don’t remember every fine detail of that conversation. But it is such an important one, I feel like it must be discussed once more. This time in writing. The world of commercial property must adapt to the current climate to stay relevant. And right now, the market is faced with some stark realties. If companies are feeling as though their investments in office spaces aren’t paying dividends, they will leave. This presents a challenge for property professionals to make their portfolios as commercially viable as possible. There are all kinds of thought pieces and predictions being made around purchasing strategies, the benefits of four-day weeks and the amalgamation of multiple spaces into joint collaborative spaces. But what I find interesting, is that people aren’t talking about connectivity. Connectivity is a fool proof way of ensuring the commercial viability of a space for years to come. You can have the finest building, in the most buzzing part of town and all the free tea, coffee and networking sessions in the world. But if that building isn’t pre-wired with a bulletproof internet connection, then who’s going to want to work there? Increased virtual collaboration puts massive strain on internet usage. If 110 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

you can market your property as gigabit ready, you’re already adding value for potential tenants – while significantly upping the value for your existing ones. Happy tenants mean long-term rentals. Pre-wiring also keeps ‘landlord’ costs down, too. Meaning reduced solicitor costs for wayleaves and there’s no monthly cost until the service goes live – so landlords don’t have to pay for empty units. This means that when your tenants arrive, the infrastructure is there waiting for them – they can just move in and get on with things. The ability to perform their day-to-day completely uninterrupted – this is the ultimate freedom for any workforce. Whether that’s in a permanent office, a shared space or a collaboration hub – if your building gives people the means to get to work seamlessly, without hassle or interruption, that’s the golden ticket. ■

Find out more on how to fibre-up your property at www.trianglenetworks.co.uk/for-property or get in touch with me at bob.irwin@trianglenetworks.co.uk

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FOR THE HOME Our local businesses are poised and ready to help with all your home needs for Winter

CLAIR STRONG INTERIOR DESIGN

Clair Strong Interior Design is a small, creative company based in Bath, providing a wide range of services for both residential and commercial clients. Her portfolio of projects includes the design, project coordination and sourcing for some of Bath’s most beautiful residences, as well as sports clubs, offices and other commercial venues. Contact Clair on 01225 426906 or 07855 79731 www.clairstrong.co.uk

ETONS OF BATH

KUTCHENHAUS

Bath’s leading fireplace, wood burner, gas fire, chimney and flue specialist. From classic to contemporary, concept to completion, their team of experts can work with you to achieve your perfect interior. Brands include Chesney’s, Barbas Belfires, Hwam, Stuv and Jetmaster. Get in touch or visit the showroom. Mendip Fireplaces, Monkton Combe, Bath BA2 7HD. info@mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk, Tel: 01225 722706; www.mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk

BATH KITCHEN COMPANY

CHEVERELL

www.bathkitchencompany.co.uk

www.cheverell.co.uk

Founded in 2006, Etons of Bath is the UK’s only specialist interior design practice focussed on refurbishing, renovating and reinvigorating Georgian and Regency homes and hotels. Their team of 12 interior designers, planners and project managers can help you design and deliver classically inspired interiors that add value, turn heads and improve the use of space. Tel: 01225 639002; www.etonsofbath.com

Based in the heart of Bath and specialising in bespoke, handmade kitchens, Bath Kitchen Company become personally invested in every kitchen they design and build. It’s about attention to detail at every stage – creating a beautiful space that enhances the way you live. 7-9 North Parade Buildings, Bath BA1 1NS; Tel: 01225 312003

WESTSIDE DESIGN

FLOORING BATH LTD

Westside Design is a family-run Bath based company offering a tailored design, manufacturing and installation service for all aspects of cabinet making and joinery. Specialising in contemporary bespoke kitchens and interiors. Contact Michael on 01225 330843 or 07976 268458 or email info@westsidedesign.co.uk www.westsidedesign.co.uk

MENDIP FIREPLACES

Kutchenhaus have opened a brand new showroom in the heart of Bath bringing their beautifully designed and highly engineered German kitchens to the city. Owner Rob Cash and his experienced and talented team look after every customer through the journey from enquiry to completion, creating kitchens of the highest standard at affordable prices. 5 Saracen St, Bath BA1 5BR; Tel: 01225 634025; www.kutchenhaus.co.uk/showroom/bath

Flooring Bath Ltd has decided to bring a flooring show home to you. They will visit the space that requires flooring (commercial or residential), measure it, go through samples and work out your best option. They pride themselves on sourcing quality products and the ability to work with all trades and conditions with a can-do attitude. Call James or Nick on 07761 663492 /07704 062181 info@flooring-bath.com; www.flooring-bath.com

Cheverell is set in the heart of Wiltshire with a stunning showroom and workshop, offering a full bespoke design, manufacturing and installation service in kitchens, bedrooms, and interiors. Established in 1989 it has over 30 years of experience to guide you through the whole process. Cheverell, Waller Road, Hopton Park, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 2GH; Tel: 01380 722722;

BONITI

Boniti is based on the outskirts of Bath and offers a wide range of quality interior and exterior products: natural stone and timber flooring, Everhot range cookers, garden furniture and Kadai firebowls. As well as the vast selection of products on offer, a friendly and personal service is at the heart of all that they do. Dunsdon Barn, West Littleton,Wiltshire SN14 8JA; Tel: 01225 892 200; www.boniti.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 113

BATH LIVES

“Knowing that my grandparents’ creative expression carried through to my generation makes me feel very connected to them” I still have the dream of one day becoming Jessica Fletcher,

WIN PHYO Born in Burma, the landscape architect by day and poet by night, reveals how she made Bath her home As well as working for Greenhalgh Landscape Architecture by day, and painting and writing poetry by night, Win is also an ambassador for Mindvalley, one of the world’s top online personal development platforms. She was born in Burma, and at the age of seven, her family moved to Wigan. I was born in Yangon, Burma, and I moved to England when I was around seven years old.

My family held onto our Burmese traditions with the food, the religion and continued to speak to us in Burmese, so in some ways, although my upbringing for the remainder of my formative years was in the UK, my sister and I have always felt connected to our first home in Burma. We had the kind of upbringing that I’m sure other people from immigrant families can relate to. I was very studious and a lot of

my time was spent at home either

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studying or spending time with my family. I appreciate this time because I learned the values and importance of working hard for what I want, and how to take the time to develop my skills. Just before we left Burma, my father cut our hair very, very short. On our first day at

school in England, my sister and I wore skirts and everyone was so confused. Both of us could have easily passed as a boy or a girl. I remember answering this question quite often throughout the day: “Are you a boy or a girl?”

My passion was in the arts but I knew also that I wanted to do something stable and practical.

Landscape architecture is a great blend of the arts and the sciences. In the construction industry, you quickly learn that most of the time, things do not go according to plan so because of that, I’ve learned to be a lot more flexible and understanding in other areas of my life too.

from the TV series Murder, She Wrote. I used to watch it with my mother, and I wanted to be just like her – a mystery novel writer, who basically travels around different parts of the country, visiting her friends, solving crimes, and writing along the way. I think it is possible to work a 9-5 job, and to work towards your dreams, as well as

continuing to develop skills in your hobbies. That’s basically what I am doing right now…I love that my day job allows me to express my leadership and practical skills. Then, when I am painting or writing poetry, I can really allow myself to get outside of time limits and deadlines and be in another world of my imagination where there are no constraints. I have started to regularly share my poetry on Instagram

and create videos that document my musings. It’s like an online time lapse of my work and the creative process. I spend a lot of my spare time writing or painting murals on the walls of my home. I recently found out I come from a family who were artists and painters. My uncle used

to create endless paintings of large pagodas and other religious imageries. Both my grandparents (from my mum’s side) wrote poetry and about philosophy. I wish they had published them when they were still alive but knowing that their creative expression carried through to my generation makes me feel very connected to them.

I moved to Bath towards the end of 2016 for the job at Greenhalgh, shortly after

I graduated from University of Sheffield. I remember coming here, and the beauty of the buildings and the landscape just blew me away. I live in Batheaston with views of Little Solsbury Hill

and in a village that has a great communal atmosphere. My neighbours and other community members have recently set up Grow Batheaston, that allows all of us to initiate and come together to do activities with people on like-minded subjects such as wellbeing, food growing, and the arts. My biggest achievement is knowing how to feel at home in my own body and mind.

I used to be all over the place and had a lot of self doubt. I began meditating and spending regular time with monks in a monastery in Oxford and in the Forest of Dean when I moved to Bath. These experiences have really influenced and shaped the way I live my life. I’m currently working on a fiction book – it’s part fantasy

– I think of it like a mix between the Disney film Moana and Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. I’m still toying with the idea of a poetry book as well. I write new poems almost every day so I’m still clarifying the themes I’d like to weave into a book. n

For more: Instagram @creativitybythemoonlight