Bath Life - Issue 477 by MediaClash

ISSUE 477 / 26 AUGUST – 8 SEPTEMBER 2022 / £3 A ENCHANTINGMEETWONDERLANDWIDCOMBETHESTARSOFTHEENCLAVE ONLAURELRETURN!TRIUMPHANTDALLEYSMITHCOMINGHOMECLASHHOWATTRACTOPPOSITESTOCOLOURYOURSTYLE A KEEPINGTHEEFFORTSUSTAINEDBATHBUSINESSESITGREEN THE BEAUTIFUL SKETCHES OF BIL DONOVAN ILLUSTRIOUSILLUSTRATIONS + RHASHAN STONE THE ETHICURIAN REBECCA DENNIS ONCAUGHTCAMERAALLTHEACTIONFROMOUR20THBIRTHDAYPARTY

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ABOVE: The illustrious fashion illustration work of Bil Donovan (page 39); BELOW: No more matchy matchy style for us (page 54)

Normally it’s a season change that causes sartorial anguish. Going from wellies to woollies to cardigans and spring frocks over the space of a few months, is trying enough and comes with the quarter-annual wail of ‘I have nothing to wear! I’m sure there was something in this wardrobe last year – that hasn’t frayed, dated, or *ahem* shrunk.’ But this summer has really tested my already limited ability to dress with conﬁdence and panache. I’m sure May was freezing, June patchy, July was all over the place, and August was a heatwave, until it wasn’t. If I was 12 I would wear shorts, t-shirt and a hoodie, but I’m not so I can’t. Instead I’ll look to our fashion writer Marianne Cantelo’s always sage and on point style advice (page 54) to get me through even the worst of my wardrobe worries. We raise the fashion stakes even further on our cover and over again on page 39 with the accomplished work of one of the world’s most leading fashion illustrators Bil Donovan, who exhibits through the Gray M.C.A gallery in Bath and is coming to the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa in September to share the secrets behind his seemingly eﬀortless artistic ability to capture the essence of glamour, luxury and style. We visit the wonderful businesses of Widcombe over on page 30, explore the Newbridge art trail on page 49, look at sustainability in local businesses on page 62 and starting on page 15 we have all the gorgeous action from the recent Bath Life 20th birthday party at Queen Square. There were speeches, a band, dancing, a Bath Life cover photo booth, food stalls, birthday cake, cocktails, friends reunited, new pals made, and Radio 6 Music DJ Huey Morgan and his fab wife Becky rocked up to help us celebrate. It was a night to remember – and I’m very glad I didn’t wear my hoodie.

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 Marianne Cantelo, David Flatman, Jessie Hudson-Meyers, Deri Robins and Matilda Walton Group commercial manager Pat White pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Annabel North annabel.north@mediaclash. co.uk Business development manager Dan Nichols dan.nichols@mediaclash.co.uk Business development executive Kyra Hardy kyra.hardy@mediaclash.co.uk Production and distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Production designer Matt Gynn matt.gynn@mediaclash.co.uk / Gemma Bourne gemma.bourne@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Bath Life MediaClash, Carriage Court, 22 Circus Mews, Bath, BA1 2PW. tel: 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 158656 BATH LIFE 20 15 FABULOUS TWENTIETH Recapping our epic 20th birthday celebrations in Queen Square THE ARTS 39 ARTS INTRO Fashion illustrator Bil Donavan is sharing his artistic secrets live at the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa 40 WHAT’S ON Theatre, music, comedy, and art in the city 47 FILM A witty whodunnit, a deadly getaway and a rom-com romp this month at The Little SHOPPING 30 WIDCOMBE The little street with a big community spirit 49 SHOPPING INTRO Ann Hines’ Black Sunhat is the perfect summertime vibe 50 EDITOR’S CHOICE Highlights from the Newbridge Arts Trail 54 FASHION Opposites attract and colours clash FOOD&DRINK 57 FOOD & DRINK NEWS Food columnist Verity shares why sweetcorn will always be the ultimate crowd pleaser 58 TAKE 5 Sarah Helliwell, Eight Stony Street’s resident wine expert 60 RESTAURANT REVIEW Food with purpose at The Ethicurian BUSINESS 62 SUSTAINABILITY The Bath-based businesses making their eco-friendly credentials a priority 71 BATHWORKS Local business news, views, and interviews 74 BATH LIFE AWARDS Q&A Precision Pilates’ year of big moves 75 BIZ Q&A Rebecca Dennis lifts the curtain on life at the Bar PROPERTY 83 PROPERTY LEAD Don’t miss out on a chance to win a Bath Property Award 84 PROPERTY NEWS Updates from the market 86 SHOWCASE An historic Jacobean manor house DEPARTMENTS 8 SPOTLIGHT Tom Dean becomes the most decorated athlete at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games 11 INSTAS Making the most of al fresco season 13 FLATLINE The results are in but Flats is not to be seen 25 SOCIETY Raising funds for The Hair Project at Bandook 90 BATH LIVES From Bath to New York, and back again with Laurel Dalley Smith Issue 477 / 26 August – 8 September 2022 COVER International fashion illustrator Bil Donovan is coming to Bath to talk about his illustrious career (page 39) 6 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk HUDSON-MYERSJESSIE©MEDIASOUL©

Bathscape has launched a 20.5-mile waymarked route of the Circuit of Bath. The walking trail takes in many of the Instagram-beloved local landmarks like Little Solsbury Hill, Beckford’s Tower, Dundas Aqueduct, the Kennet and Avon Canal, Millennium viewpoint and the Wansdyke. This is a signiﬁcant milestone in our pro ect and one of which we are very proud,” says project manager Dan Merrett. “Through our project partner, Cotswolds National Landscape, we have made physical improvements to the route including installing waymarkers and we now have trail guides ready to use, splitting the route into four sections. Walkers can really challenge themselves whilst experiencing the best of Bath as a landscape city. We’re grateful to the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens and Bath Ramblers for all their work and to the players of the National Lottery, which are funding the project.”

For more: www.longleat.co.uk

SPOTLIGHT 8 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

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SPLASH Longleat KOALAFIED

For more: www.bathscape.co.uk

University of Bath Bill Whiteley Sporting Scholar Tom Dean became Team England’s most decorated athlete at a single Commonwealth Games at the Birmingham 2022 event. The Olympic medal-winner won six silver medals and a gold in the 4x100 medley relay featuring Bath teammates Brodie Williams and James Guy. University of Bath-based swimmers Ben Proud, Luke Turley, Freya Anderson and Ed Mildred also won two golds, four silvers and four bronze medals between them.

Medals were won across a wide range of sports including a ﬁrst ever athletics medal for Guernsey from Sports Performance alumnus Alastair Chalmers; two brilliant judo medals for Team Bath’s Rhys Thompson and Sports & Exercise Science alumna Gemma Howell; and an incredible 27-medal haul in the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, 25 of them for British Swimming Performance Centre Bath athletes coached by David McNulty.

ENGLANDTEAM©

Athletes who train, study or studied at the University of Bath enjoyed success across the Games, ﬁnishing with a spectacular medals.

Beckford’s Tower features on the Circuit of Bath route

Tom Dean became Team England’s most decorated athlete at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

“This isn’t just a big day for Hazel, it’s also an incredibly special one for the whole team here at Longleat,” says lead keeper Jon Ovens. “It’s not easy to come up with a special treat for a koala as their diet is entirely made up of eucalyptus leaves, but we ensured both her and Violet had a nice selection of fresh leaves from a variety of diﬀerent types of trees grown on a special plantation here at Longleat.”

Longleat keeper Jon Ovens with southern koala Hazel and mum Violet to celebrate her ﬁrst birthday WINTERSLLOYD© BURROWSTOM©

“We’re very proud of the athletes’ achievements,” says Stephen Baddeley, director of sport at the University of Bath. “The swimmers did exceptionally well, which was expected after their achievements at the Tokyo Olympics, and there were impressive medals in judo and for Alastair in athletics. Well done to all who competed.”

For more: www.teambath.com Ha el the baby oala celebrated her first birthday at ongleat with a special party. Ha el’s birth was a ma or milestone for ongleat, where she was a first not ust for the iltshire safari par , but the first southern oala to have been born anywhere in Europe.

Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games A TO PARTY

Walking CIRCUIT BREAKERS

@andy.hartup@lovietale @casadetapasbathOUTSIDE FAVOURITES @batheats@tshegomahlatji@duffers102 @doughpizza_ @dunkablebath@_eat_sleep_travel_repeat SPOTLIGHT The al fresco vibes are strong in thiswww.mediaclash.co.ukcity I BATH LIFE I 11

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Another

“I turned up to my English Literature exam without the three booksstudied”we’d at the gym. Now, I’m not trying to be too cool for school here, but it’s actually true. In fairness, I wasn’t down the local leisure centre with my mates Dean and Terry. No, I was, by that point, well into my first pre season as a professional rugby player. So I was at the gym, but I was also technically at work. My parents asked me if I’d be going to school with all the other lads, and my answer was very swift indeed. I was absolutely not willing to miss a single session and if somebody else wanted to go and get them and let me know by phone that was fine. I genuinely have no recollection of how or when I got my grades. I would never tell my kids this (they won’t read this as it isn’t about Dior Lip Oil or the incoming iPhone 14 so we’re safe), but I properly, properly didn’t care. Not in a nonchalant, spoiled way, just an apathy towards academia so real that I turned up to my English Literature exam without the three books we’d studied. The other boys had the heavily annotated classics on hand, I’d never even read them. I’m not at all proud of this –and I’ve read and enjoyed them since – but I simply was not interested. Said beleaguered parents tried their best, but all I wanted to do was play rugby, train and eat. My whole week centred around the game, and every day was preparation for that game. No balance. No perspective. Flat out obsession. I am than ful beyond words that my efforts resulted in the contract I so desired, because I’d otherwise have been knackered. I never had to worry about what direction my life might take, I never had to decide what to do. My purpose was inbuilt. My direction already mapped out. Lucky indeed. Something else I’ll never tell my daughters is that I really don’t mind if their results days aren’t epic celebrations. I won’t tell them this directly because to them it would immediately become the ultimate permission slip to do nothing at all ever again. I want them to do well, of course, but I want them to have a wicked time just as much. I want them to finish school with great mates, funny stories, su ciently decent grades that they have at least some choice in what they might do next, and an appetite for fun. I won’t push university as an automatic next step, but they can go if they like. This isn’t a column written to rail against those parents who take it all rather more seriously. I hope that every year old and every parent and guardian reading this got what they wanted. I think ensuring my girls actually read the books on which they will be tested is a reasonable first goal for me as a father. If we manage that, I’ll be both happy and somewhat amazed.

Flats reﬂects on

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I BATH LIFE I 13 WWW.BETTYBHANDARIBRANDPHOTOGRAPHY.COMPHOTOGRAPHY;BRANDBHANDARIBETTY©

FLAT FLATMANDAVIDLINE

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 level those testing times of exam results

Idon’t know how the kids collect their A evel and GCS results these days. Do they get a text? Or is there a dedicated app that needs a username and a password and that therefore locks you out on the big day before sending you into the reset your password hellscape? Or do they go to school (looking rebelliously casual) and clamber over and through one another like a posse of paparazzi to get to the printed results sheet on the wall? Whatever they do, there will always now presumably be at least one aspiring creative/social media addict videoing the whole thing, publicly hoping for scenes of uncaged joy, privately hoping to spice up said content with some simple disaster and devastation.Whatever the mechanism, I feel sorry for the lot of them. Nervous times indeed, and I hope they all got A’s. I didn’t go to get my A level results as I was

Explore Milsom Place to discover peaceful courtyards, winding corridors and tranquil terraces alongside stylish retailers, prestigious brands and exclusive art installations... Milsom Place, Milsom Street & Broad Street, Bath BA1 1BZ 01225 789040 milsomplace.co.uk

The night was sponsored by Citrus HR, Freestyle Designs, Goughs Solicitors, Marlin Communications, Revolution Bath and our friends Soul Media, who caught all the fun on camera. Sarah Moolla, Ivy Haddon Silver and Harriette Dixon

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There were speeches from Bath Life’s editor, Sarah Moolla, our commercial director Pat White, and Greg Ingham, chief exec of MediaClash, Bath Life’s publisher, plus a video-link message from an Aussie-bound Flats. After that, The 13-piece and brilliant Soul Destroyers took the stage to get us dancing, before heading up the road to the afterparty at Revolution.

Rosa Park and Deri Robins

BATH LIFE’S BIG BIRTHDAY BASH

Kalvin Simmons and Declan Gray

Jessie Hudson-Meyers, Oscar Delves, Elliot Cotterell and Gaby Adams

SCENETHELATESTADVENTURESINPARTY-GOINGACROSSBATHPhotosbySoulMedia;www.soul-media.co.uk

We posed for photos in the booth sponsored by Freestyle Designs and ate delicious party food including a spectacular brownie cake from Good Day Café and sweet treats from Sugarcane Studio and Sweet Little Things to the sountrack of Bath Life 20th birthday party specially compiled for us by Radio 6 Music’s Huey Morgan, who also swung by to say hello. We also had food from the likes of Burgerlish Catering, Tapas Valencia, and Goodness Grazers –necessary to soa up the ﬁ drin s from Honey’s Cider and low Bar’s mobile bar, Florence serving, among other things, a bespoke birthday cocktail for Bath Life called Sex on the Square.

We celebrated our 20th year in style in July with a packed Queen Square birthday party. Bath Life’s friends and partners came along to raise a glass – to us, sure – but also to the businesses, charities, community projects and creatives that make up the thriving community we celebrate every fortnight.

Samantha Ricketts Party time... Flow On The Go took care of the guests

Nina Edwards and Alana Small Feeling the CharlieloveCole and Oscar DelvesThe night was well documented on Instagram Ivy Haddon Silver and Sophie Speakman Elliot Cotterell and Philippa May Catherine Arnold and Alicia Sharpe 16 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Patrick Brady We packed out Queen Square The Soul Destroyers performed Nathan Sheppard and Pat White www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 17 SOCIETY Zara Perry, Lea Burgess and Les Redwood

Simon DavisSeb Kedzierski SOCIETY 18 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk Nikki Portman and Polly Jackson

Pat White www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 19 Greg Ingham Elliot WillOliviaCotterell,EvansandMaslinThe crowd gathered for speeches from the Bath Life team Flow Bar’s special Bath Life cocktail ‘Sex on the Square’ proved popular

Amanda

Allerton, Andrea Harris and Kate CrossHelen Rich

Pictures or it didn’t happen Pat White, Ben Rodd, Matt Bielby and Lisa RoddHana Whittington Friends of Bath Life all came along to celebrate our big birthday 20 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk The photobooth from Freestyle Designs was a big hit

We danced the night away The Soul Destroyers played all the hits Festival vibesLaura RobinsonNoyaPawlyn was one of the illustrious party attendeesMixology maestros from Flow Bar kept us hydrated www.mediaclash.co.ukSOCIETY I BATH LIFE I 21 SOCIETY

middle row: Gregg Brown and Johanna Davies; John Rose and Emma Rose; Marlon Communications team; Hana Whittington, Jessie Meyers and Marcus Whittington

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top row:

Dilek Koroglu and Serpil Awdry; Dulcie Selby and Les Redwood; Greg and Jane Ingham; Jasmine Barker, Kate Abbey and Vicky Cheadle

bottom row: Nathan Rollins and Pascale Maroney; Jae Frederick; Jude Samuel and Kyra Hardy; Nikki Portman, Philippa May and Polly Jackson

Zac Fennell, Moe Rahman and Simon Miah

Keziah Trump, Helena Trump, Harvey Cartwright and Maddie Keiller

A CUT ABOVE

Katie Gould Hitchcock and Tessa Found Danny Sacco, Shirley Sacco, Danielle Mears and Lee

Charlotte McGuinness, Liam McGuinness, Dominic Jones and Natali Jones Adel Manhi, Phillip Thompson, Jane Thompson and Sharon Manhi

SCENEMearsTHELATESTADVENTURESINPARTY-GOINGACROSSBATH

Joy Grosjean, Tanya Zabihi, Penny Laver and Belinda Moir

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Zac Fennell and the team from BA1 Hair recently hosted a special charity dinner at Bandook in support of The Hair Project, Bangalore. Guests enjoyed a sumptuous three-course feast at the Indian street food-inspired restaurant in Milsom Place, with 100 per cent of the ticket sales donated to the charity. Zac runs The Hair Project, a UK-based charity using the art of hair cutting and styling as a springboard to empower women affected by trafficking, prostitution and extreme poverty. So far they have taught over 150 women in India, with centres in Mumbai and Chennai. The Bandook dinner was part of fundraising efforts to open a third centre in Bangalore. Photos by Vranch Visuals; www.vranchvisuals.co.uk

Aaron Flagg, Oli Hill, Gabriella CurtisJuliaandHill

Steve Skinner and Mary Coath Marcus Still, Clive Willcox and Steve Sayers

June Player and Trish HillFARM FRESH

Amy Coulthard and Jo Southwell

Karen Codman and Dine Romero

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

Helen Fisher, Kevin Guy and Brendan Tate Wistreich

George Holladay, Nicky Pressey, Gina Caddick and Sue Townley

The new community café at Bath City Farm launched with a celebratory ribbon cutting. About 100 guests attended the recent event, including many who helped plan, design, fundraise and build the ne ca . he menu is lled ith delicious produce grown and reared on site, and all o its pro ts ill go right back into the farm, including funding its volunteer projects.

David Medlock, Gitte Dawson and Stephen Dawson

Photos by Ian www.ianjefferyphotography.co.ukJeffery; Rachel Poulton and Thomas Sheppard

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Chris Stephens and Trevor Osborne

HighleyLyndsey

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Ingram and Morgan Long

I BATH LIFE I 29 SOCIETY

Nancy Connolly and Marie Postles

Bruno Wollheim, Alex Fyjis-Walker and Anna Shelley John Barneby and Ali Barneby

Richard Bull, Matthew Dennis, Hannah Mills and Anna-Louise

www.garethhoskinsphotography.comHoskins;Julian Blades, Tracy Foster and Matthew Jeanes

Earlier in the summer the Holburne Museum celebrated the launch of its David Hockney exhibition, Love Life David Hockney Drawings 1963 to 1977. In 2017, prior to the opening of a retrospective at Centre Pompidou in Paris, David Hockney painted the ords o e i e on the nal all of the show. It’s a refrain he now repeats often, and this exhibition at the Holburne, previewed by over 250 invited guests, demonstrates how this simple dictum has underpinned his art since the 1960s. Photos by Gareth

LOVE LIFE

Nina Harrison-Leins, Vanessa Wells and Katie Jenkins

Monserrat Pis Marcos and Olivia Mason

WONDERTHE WIDCOMBEOF The many charms of this corner of Bath by those who know Words by Sarah Moolla Pictures by Jessie Hudson-Myers 30 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk AREA FEATURE Nick Steel, founder of Bath Comedy and Widcombe Social Club

“One of my favourite ‘secret’ spaces is the almost hidden beer garden at The White Hart – it has long been my surrogate outdoor living space and has a microclimate all of its own, groaning with ora such as passion fruit, grape vines and ginko tree – it’s like a pocket of Tuscany or the south of France right next door. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard people exclaiming “Wow, I never knew it was here!”; and if that’s full, there’s now a new and even more secret beer garden behind the Ring O Bells. Then just a short walk down the canal, the river or up any hill there are so many places to explore – here’s a good tip – check out Rainbow Wood Farm just past the top of Widcombe Hill – a working farm but also incredible farm shop and lovely B&B for visitors to stay.”

“We are very proud of the Widcombe Traders Association, where we meet and discuss pertinent issues affecting local businesses. During loc down lots of shops diversified, for e ample, Bath Spa lorists now also stock fruit and veg, and the Ring O Bells pub sold takeaway drinks and had a fish and chip delivery service. At The Bath roperty Shop, we kept in touch with all our tenants to help where needed, even doing a spot of grocery shopping and deliveries for some of those who were more vulnerable. It was a bizarre time for certain, but seeing other traders making the best of things and keep working where possible, really helped lift the spirits.”

Nick Steel, founder of Bath Comedy and Widcombe Social Club; www.widcombesocialclub.co.ukwww.bathcomedy.com;

“Widcombe is known for its many independent shops and eateries, but is small enough to retain a community feel. The friendliness of the locals and the traders keeps Widcombe a popular place to visit. I don’t think Widcombe’s strengths are something that can be manufactured – it’s evolved over time, developing a rich history. If you look at old photos of the Parade, it really hasn’t changed that much.

“Myself and Anna both live very close to here and have both grown up in Widcombe. My children also attended Widcombe schools. As Widcombe traders we all have a great relationship in the area, and help each other out when needed. At the beginning of lockdown, we adapted the shop to support the local community by oﬀering a range of fresh fruit and vegetables, along with eggs and bakery items, (and toilet roll!). Since then we have continued to sell the fruit and veg as it is so popular and people deﬁnitely prefer pac age free items.

“There’s a wonderful sense ofcommunity, and a feeling thatthings can still happen here”

“Widcombe has everything – pubs, bars, restaurants, independent shops, even a gin distillery. These days, since the removal of through tra c, a lively caf society now thrives, handy for city centre and station but also a gateway to glorious countryside. The revamped social club is now more of an arts centre, home to comedy and music galore, but also a unique party venue, with plenty more potential still to be tapped. Occasional sightings of the Widcombebased Natural Theatre Company trying out a bizarre new street theatre scenario would cause a sensation anywhere else but is normal for round here.

“It’s a village within the city, more central than most other ‘suburbs’ of Bath yet somehow psychologically removed from the mainstream which exists just through the taxi tunnels on the other side of the river and railway tracks. There’s a wonderful sense of community, and a feeling that things can still happen here, bucking the sometimes depressing trends that seem to exist elsewhere.

Ben Tilling, director of The Bath Property Shop, 7 Sussex Place, Widcombe; www.bathpropshop.co.uk

DirectorArtus of the Bath Property Shop Ben Tilling on the left, with team member Ceri Thompson

Widcombe is one of those areas that probably shouldn’t be the success it is. It’s within throwing distance of the city centre and is a whisper away from the bus station and Bath Spa train station and yet it’s managed to cultivate its own identity with an almost village-like feel. Here we speak to 13 Widcombe businesses who share their love for the enchanting enclave.

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Bath Spa Florists owner Tasha Nolan-Kemp, on the right, with Zoe

“We have been established for nearly 50 years, originally based at Bath Bus Station before the new SouthGate development was built. As a small independent ower shop we deal with everything from weddings to funerals, and from birthdays to anniversaries. This means we get to know our customers, many of whom have stayed loyal to us over the years, with many families using us through the generations.

Tasha Nolan-Kemp, owner of Bath Spa Florists, 6 Sussex Place, Widcombe; www.bathspaflorists.co.uk

ABOVE: Kayleigh and Kieran of the Colombian Company; BELOW: Melanie Eyles, co-owner of the Curtain Exchange

“There are no empty shops hereand that says a lot about the area”

“Widcombe is like a small village yet it feels trendy, vibrant and alive. There are no empty shops here, and that says a lot about the area. It has an amazing mix of truly independent shops, that makes it that little bit more special. I also think Widcombe is made special by the residents and local traders. People really care about the area and are very proud of it.”

“The Curtain Exchange, which I co-own with Kate Barker, has been in Widcombe for nearly 25 years and has an amazing loyal customer base not just in Bath but nationwide too. It’s such a unique street – tucked away from the throng of the centre of town but a gem to visit, and even for every day shopping there is no need to go anywhere else. We all have our own sense of identity but as a group of shops together we have a community feel. “All the shops are friendly, welcoming, and a pleasure to visit. The Deli is vital for us traders especially when we are busy and we can direct our customers over for a cuppa so they can come back to us when we can give them more of our time. We would never choose to leave Widcombe and hope our business remains here long into the future.”

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Veronica Ganan Burgoa, owner of The Colombian Company, 9a Claverton Buildings, www.thecolombiancompany.comWidcombe;

Melanie Eyles, co-owner of the Curtain Exchange, 11 Widcombe Parade, Widcombe; www.curtainexchangebath.co.uk

“One of my favourite ‘secret Widcombe spots’ to visit is the Baptist burial ground on Lyncombe Hill, which has local bee hives on it and a number of unusual trees.”

“There’s a real community spirit here, plus Widcombe is located right by the city centre, has immediate and simple access to the train station, there’s the beautiful canal and riverside situation, plus of course the amazing variety of shops and businesses. Widcombe covers it all –the Prior Park Garden Centre is renowned and people travel far and wide to visit our specialist shops like AGA and The Curtain Exchange. There is deﬁnitely a trader camaraderie we support and welcome each other along ‘the strip’.

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Traditionally Lansdown was seen as the jewel in Bath’s crown – but now Widcombe, Lyncombe Vale, Bear Flat, Combe Down and the borders on the beautiful countryside of the Midford Valley, are all fast taking that accolade.

ABOVE: The team at Widcombe Deli left to right Nicky Ison, Harry Karkut, Noah Crisp and Ella Charlton; BELOW: Designer and owner of Flamingo, Amanda Brown

“Our indie gift and art shop has been here for seven years now and in that time, the changes to the tra c scheme, while disruptive at the time, are of huge beneﬁt now the arade is a calmer and more peaceful place. idcombe is full of creative people who appreciate what we oﬀer and enjoy supporting local businesses, and we also look to support each other. We couldn’t open during lockdown but the amazing Larkhall Butchers kindly stocked our cards during this period.”

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Amanda Brown, designer and owner of Flamingo, Widcombe arade; www.flami obath.co.uk

“Widcombe is known as a village where the city meets the countryside. It’s the place I both live and work – I don’t even have to cross a road on myThere’scommute.agreat sense of community in this area and it’s a fascinating place to take a wander, with lots of interesting nooks and crannies – even a quick walk to the wonderful Prior Park Garden Centre can surprise and delight.

ick so ow er o Widcombe e i a erto ui di s Widcombe; www.jjbeanos.com

“I live 100 yards from the Parade with my husband Jon and our daughter Daisy, and there’s a true sense of belonging here. We lived on Lansdown for 15 years before ‘making a break for it’ across the river.

8 Pulteney Terrace, Bath, BA2 4HJ Email: kelly@kellymariekitchens.com Showroom: 01225 481881 Mobile: 07796 554466 www.kellymariekitchens.com @kellymariekitcheninteriors | Supplier: www.haecker-kuechen.de It’s all about the little details… Newly refurbished and under new management (owners of The Bridge Tea Rooms in Bradford on Avon) Now offering a newly created all-day menu, including a range of meals, light bites, children’s menu, Bertinet French pastries, homemade cakes, and cream teas. One of the best drinks menus in Bath offering award-winning coffees and loose-leaf teas. The perfect place to meet up with family and friends. The Secret Garden Café Prior Park Garden Centre Cafe Opening Times 8.30am – 5pm Mon to Sat, 10.30am – 4pm Sunday To book a table call 01225 789788 Secret Garden Cafe, Prior Park Road, Bath, BA2 4NF

HAIRDRESSINGB©

John Wright, retail manager of AGA, 12 Widcombe Parade, Bath; www.agaliving.com www.agacookshop.co.uk/ “Widcombe Parade is easy to get to from Bath Spa train station and is only a short wal along the river from the centre of town. It has a unique collection of independent shops, and as a quiet one way street, is a nice place to en oy lunch outdoors at one of the caf s or pubs. ith three pubs, two coﬀee shops, a convenience store, a dentist, a butcher and a orist, you don’t even need to go north of the river.

“We have great local support and many regular customers, but what also makes Widcombe so special is things like the beautiful ower arrangements here. The local traders were so welcoming when we opened up and there’s a real community spirit here. I love all the shops and the variety they can oﬀer, and particularly en oy visiting the hite Hart.

Harriet Barber owner and hairstylist at B Hairdressing, 11 Claverton Buildings, Widcombe; www.bhairdressing.co.uk I feel idcombe’s identity comes from the lovely residents; it’s a really vibrant area and there’s a lot of creative and colourful people. As a gender neutral and vegan hair and beauty salon, we attract a lot of clients that don’t conform to social norms and I thin that spea s volumes about the area.

Charlotte Rogers, owner of Widcombe Laundry Company, 22 Claverton Buildings, Widcombe Parade, Widcombe; tel: 07988 637382

TOP: Charlotte Rogers, owner of Widcombe Laundry Company;

MIDDLE: John Wright, retail manager of AGA;

BOTTOM: Harriet Barber, owner of B Hairdressing

I BATH LIFE I 35 AREA FEATURE

“People also love how within 200 yards you have everything you need, and each shop along here wor s in a really harmonious way. The team at the salon all have a bit of a sweet tooth and a little caffeine addiction so The Deli is a must for its ama ing vegan ca es, and The Columbian Company do a fantastic chai latte and great coffee. rior Park Garden Centre has a wonderful farm shop, and another gem I thin more people should now about is the escape room called Tempo, ust off St Mar s Road, which is a lot of fun.

“Within 200 yards you haveeverything you need, and eachshop along here works in a reallyharmonious way”

www.mediaclash.co.uk

“Widcombe is also so prettyand uplifting just to look at”

Kelly Marie, creative director and founder of Kelly Marie Kitchen Interiors, 8 Pulteney Terrace, Widcombe; www.kellymariekitchens.com

Amy Cuckoo, practice coordinator at Widcombe Dental Practice, 4a Sussex Place Widcombe & 15 Widcombe Parade, Widcombe; www.widcombedentalpractice.co.uk

“Widcombe almost feels like a village community where everyone looks after each other, but with the per s of being ﬁve minutes from a city centre with everything you could want and ﬁve minutes in the other direction, having the most wonderful countryside wal s. I actually live on idcombe arade myself so living and wor ing in idcombe, it’s handy for the commute. idcombe Dental recently e panded to idcombe Dental Solutions and the trader community is strong here. e’re wor ing with other businesses on the arade to create a idcombe High Street oucher’ for business referrals.

MIDDLE: Left to right Georgie Hughes, Daisy Turner, Amy Cuckoo, Lily Knight, and Harriet Stradling of Widcombe Dental Practice;

LEFT: Kelly Marie, creative director and founder of Kelly Marie Kitchen Interiors

“I’ve lived in Bath 25 years and through all this time – Widcombe has remained my favourite area of Bath. ou’ll regularly find me escaping for 30 minutes and having my lunch by the canal or in the meadows that ma e up part of the S yline wal these areas are perfect to e plore and reset. ou often see herons, and even ingfishers if you’re luc y. I love being near the water and when I can, I en oy aya ing and finishing off in the evening with a well deserved glass of wine at the Ring Bells. or wise I reap the rewards of being in idcombe by having patients who are both local or come from further afield. My treatment rooms are a five minute wal from the train and bus station, and also have par ing right outside.

PRACTICEDENTALWIDCOMBE©KEIGHTLEYRICHARD©

TOP: Dr Lucy Middlefell, founder of Dr Lucy Facial Aesthetics;

INTERIORSKITCHENMARIEKELLY©

“Everybody is so welcoming in Widcombe and absolutely wants each other to do well. It’s important to local businesses to support each other and see each other do well as this eeps the sense of community alive. I regularly pop in and see ucy at uca and ig, who always has helpful advice and ideas as well as fab gifts, cards, and the loveliest capsule collection of clothes. idcombe Deli helps eep my caﬀeine habit alive, and Bath Spa lorists supply the owers for my treatment rooms.

36 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk AREA FEATURE Dr Lucy Middlefell, founder of Dr Lucy Facial Aesthetics, 10 Rossiter Road, Bath; www.doctorlucy.co.uk

“The secret of Widcombe’s success is all about its connections –between the people, the places they live in, and the culture that surrounds it it helps bring the whole area to life. idcombe is also so pretty and uplifting ust to loo at but whatever you need is never more than a few minutes away. It oﬀers everything within easy reach, whether that’s the everyday conveniences to eep the household running or beautiful gifts, a decent ta eaway, fabulous owers, great pubs, proper coﬀee stops right through to a specialist retailer li e mine where you can plan a whole new itchen.

Open Tuesday – Sunday . Closed Tuesday & Wednesday lunchtimes THE WHITE HART, WIDCOMBE, BATH, BA2 6AA 01225 338053 | WWW.WHITEHARTBATH.CO.UK Established in 2004, The White Hart Inn is now one of the longest running independent restaurants in Bath and a rm favourite on the Bath food scene. Consistently recognised by the Michelin Guide, Good Food Guide, Sawdays, Hardens and e Good Pub Guide In addition to the main dining room, the large walled garden is one of bath’s best beer gardens and an upstairs dining room, perfect for parties seats 30. Still a local pub at heart, but with a heavy emphasis on good restaurant quality food, friendly knowledgeable service, good wine and local ales. WHITEHART • widcombe • Bringing you the very best of Colombia! 9a Claverton Buildings, Widcombe, Bath BA2 4LD 07534 391 992  www.thecolombiancompany.comwidcombebath@thecolombiancompany.com Bikano's takes pride in serving authentic Indian cuisine. Our chefs have deep roots with Indian (especially Rajasthan) and its culinary heritage. This is our humble attempt to bring flavours from different parts of India to Bath. Indian food served at Bikano’s is honest inspiration from recipes and flavours experienced in several parts of India. We also support local suppliers for all our meat and vegetable supplies, so every bit at Bikano’s you enjoy feels more fresh and promising to satisfy all your gastronomical senses. 25 Claverton Buildings, Bath BA2 4LD | 01225 533591 | info@bikanos.co.uk www.bikanos.co.uk

SNAPSHOTS OF BATH’S CULTURAL LIFE

I BATH LIFE I 39

International fashion illustrator Bil Donovan’s roots lie in traditional ﬁne art painting and watercolour techniques where he embodies a unique creative language that oozes glamour, luxury and style. His instantly recognisable illustrative style has led to an enviable list of clients, including the likes of Vogue, Vanity Fair, St. Regis Hotels, Saks Fifth Avenue and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. For the last 12 years, Donovan has also held the esteemed title of Artist-in-Residence for Christian Dior. On 22 September Bil will be giving a live talk and demonstration at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, in collaboration with Gray M.C.A, the Bath gallery based in Margaret’s Buildings. The 2pm event, which costs £95 per person, also includes champagne afternoon tea and is limited to 40 guests.

THE ARTS IN AFASHIONSTRIKING

For more: www.royalcrescent.co.uk / www.graymca.com www.mediaclash.co.uk

MARY SIMPLEFEDDEN:PLEASURES

ONWHAT’S 40 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk 26 August –22 September

Until 11 September RAISED EMBROIDERY FROM THE 17TH CENTURY

This remarkable hands-on exhibition at the American Museum oﬀers an astounding array of dinosaur eggs and nests collected from all over the globe, with focus on the importance of American fossil sites in our understanding of dinosaurs. www.americanmuseum.org

Until 10 September (OF) BATH, MMXXII This is a ‘dialogue’ exhibition especially created for the Francis Gallery between Rich Stapleton’s single edition photographs of Bath and JAMESPLUMB’s wall mounted works and freestanding sculptures – all made in Bath stone. www.francisgallery.co

There’s still time to catch this beautiful exhibition with more than 40 of David Hockney’s drawings on loan from private collections. The pieces demonstrate the artist’s incredible and varied talent. Works on display from the book of the same name include Ossie Wearing a Fairisle Sweater, and Celia in Black, drawn in Marrakesh in 1971 Holburne Museum; www.holburne.org

Over 110 paintings and works on paper, covering the career of Mary Fedden (1915-2012), have been drawn from private and public collections, including Tate and the Government Art Collection. The exhibition sheds new light on the artist’s working practices by including her easel in the installation, as well some of the ‘simple pleasure’ still life objects she found inspirational. Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk Until 30 October YOU CHOOSE

Brilliant Beasties on 13 September at the American Museum & Gardens celebrates the wonderful world of little beasties

Until 8 October LINE AND TEXTURE: THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF NANCY SHEUNG Nancy Sheung’s (1914-1979) work is often focused on the female, with a strong emphasis on patterns and lines, and still remains relevant and contemporary to viewers today. Look out for events surrounding the exhibition including a talk from Dr Michael Pritchard of the Royal Photographic Society on 21 September, a Japanese tea ceremony demo on 22 September, and on 5 October, Nancy’s granddaughter Tiﬀany ai ing Beres on the signiﬁcance and longevity of her grandmother’s work. www.meaa.org.uk

HATCHING THE PAST: AMERICAN EXPLORERSDINOSAUR

Until 31 December

Until 18 September LOVE LIFE: DAVID HOCKNEY DRAWINGS 1963-1977

Regardless of their social status, most women were expected to be competent at needlework during the 17th-century, but only a privileged few were able to aﬀord the time or materials to make decorative embroidered pictures. This focussed loan exhibition in the Wirth Gallery allows visitors to look closely at these exceptional and intricate works. www.holburne.org

Until 16 October

EXHIBITIONS

This is a community-led exhibition with the pieces selected by seven local residents, Bath Spa University fashion design students, and children from ldﬁeld ar Junior School. The 11 displays tell the stories of their personal appreciation and interpretation of the fashion works, and include a 1750s man’s worsted wool banyan and an 1881 beetle wing embroidered day dress, along with designs from Kenzo, Ossie Clark, Junya Watanabe and Gareth Pugh. This is the last display by the Fashion Museum in its Assembly Room home, before it moves to a proposed new Milsom Place location. www.fashionmuseum.co.uk

THE DOCTOR Award-winning actress Juliet Stevenson reunites with criticallyacclaimed director Robert Icke for their latest collaboration The Doctor, based on Austrian playwright Arthur Schnitzler’s Professor Bernhardi. When decorated Jewish doctor Ruth olﬀ refuses a Catholic priest admission to her dying patient’s bedside, she unwittingly ignites a ﬁerce debate about science, religion, and ethics. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

WOODLAND TALES WITH GRANDAD A beautiful piece of puppet theatre about a heroic grandad who tries to save the woods and its inhabitants who include Laura the ladybird, Jeﬀrey the spider, and elda the i en. The egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Until 31 December

13 –

CHILDREN 27 – 29 August WILD WONDER AT WESTONBIRT

WHAT’S ON

Since its creation in 2020, the Bath Life Award-winning BCAF has exhibited over 400 artists across a range of ﬁne art, photography, sculpture, and textiles. Just some of the artists taking part in the eclectic exhibition in Green Park Station include Georgia Cox, David Northcott, Kate Marshall, Emma Rose, Emma Lacon, Kat Parkin and Charles Minty. www.bcaf.co.uk

17 September

MUSIC Until 17 September

THEATRE / CINEMA Until 10 September INTO THE WOODS

11 September

8 September THE REMEDY CLUB Husband and wife duo The Remedy Club, comprising KJ McEvoy and singer Aileen Mythen, have been described by the music website Hotpress as, “a marriage of folk and country with a hint of the blues with delicious harmonies and nimble guitar playing’’ and also as “Ireland’s best kept musical secret.” Chapel Arts; www.chapelarts.org

This imaginative and delightfully playful new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s elaborate fairytale Into the Woods gathers a talented ensemble cast, including Julian Bleach, Audrey Brisson, and Nicola Hughes, and is led by the legendary stage and ﬁlm director, Terry Gilliam. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

CROCKETTMATT©

To commemorate the bicentenary of the death of Bath-based astronomer William Herschel (1738-1822), a major exhibition at his former home on New King Street, the garden of which is the very place Uranus was discovered, highlights the hugely important contributions he and his sister Caroline made to the world’s understanding of space. www.herschelmuseum.org.uk

TOP: Lauren Conroy plays a slightly more menacing that usual Little Red Riding Hood in Into The Woods at Theatre Royal Bath until 10 September; MIDDLE: On the Beach Cavalaire by David Northcott who regularly exhibits with the Bath Contemporary Artists Fair which is next appearing at Green Park on 11 September; BELOW: Works from Love Life David Hockney Drawings 1963-1977 are on display at the Holburne until 18 September www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 41 theatre company as they stumble their way through the ﬁctional farce, Nothing On. Stars Theatre Royal fave Felicity Kendal and is directed by Lindsay Posner. Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

HERSCHEL 200 EXHIBITION

13 September BRILLIANT BEASTIES

17 – 18 September

IF OPERA Continuing the If Opera season in the beautiful grounds of Belcombe Court are thrilling and emotional productions of La Rondine, Rita and Il segreto di Susanna; an interactive family production of The Man in the Moon; Tales from Chez Bullier, featuring music by Puccini, erdi and ehar and ending the event on 17 September is Dido and Aaneas with guest conductor Christian Curnyn. www.ifopera.com

NOISES OFF Michael Frayn’s celebrated playwithin-a-play hurtles along at breakneck speed following the on and oﬀ stage antics of a touring

Some of the big names taking part in this brand new children’s literature festival include Michael Morpurgo, Waterstones Children’s Laureate Cressida Cowell, Wild Child author and naturalist Dara McAnulty. www.forestryengland.uk

BATH ARTISTSCONTEMPORARYFAIR

The American Museum & Gardens is hosting monthly sessions for preschoolers and their carers – with songs, stories, sharing rhymes and creative activities – all celebrating the world of the wonderful animal kingdom. www.americanmuseum.org

21 September – 1 October

COMEDY

A special participatory singing event in the glorious open space of Bath Abbey led by Jane Harris, director of the joyous local choir groups Songways. www.songways.co.uk

Most days of the week the welcoming and upbeat LGBTQIA+ Mandalyns bar has always got something upbeat, fun, and groovy happening, and Sunday nights are no exception. Their drag karaoke nights are in fact so darn good, Sunday is the new Saturday. Mind you, their Boogie Night Saturdays are pretty much the bomb as well. www.facebook.com/mandalynsbath

24 September SOUL SOUNDINGS AT THE ABBEY

OTHER Every Friday and Saturday KROWD KEEPERS

Every Saturday

9 – 18 September

The legendary and awesome spectacle of the Grand Regency Costumed romenade ic s oﬀ the weekend proceedings, which also includes more than 70 events, with hundreds of the mutton-chopped, bustled, and bonneted retracing Austen’s footsteps and parading through the city. www.janeausten.co.uk

JANE AUSTEN FESTIVAL

The two-week programme includes events to suit walkers of all abilities. I LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

BATH FARMERS’ MARKET

BETH ROWLEY + IZZIE YARDLEY Enjoy an evening of ‘Garden Grooves’ at the American Museum with blues-inspired Beth Rowley and folk singer Izzie Yardley. www.americanmuseum.org

A night of laughs with Michael Fabbri and Liam Mullone with MC Sally Anne Hayward. Komedia Bath; www.komedia.co.uk

The artist formerly known as Hugo Boss brings his More, More, More! How Do You Lycett?How Do You Lycett? tour to the Bath Forum. He’ll be doing what he does best – talking at a room of people in a queer and comedic fashion, bringing with him more jokes, more comedy anecdotes and, hopefully, more inappropriate and arguably disturbing paintings. www.bathforum.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

BATH

9 September

10 – 25 September

1 – 3 September JOE LYCETT

10 September KRATER COMEDY CLUB

BATHSCAPE WALKING FESTIVAL

Between 9am and 1.30pm a whole array of foodie traders from Bath and surrounds gather together under the Green Park roof, including Bath Soft Cheese, Janifa’s Kitchen, Seven Hills Chocolate, Botanica Studios, Pullins Bakery, and the Thoroughly Wild Meat Co. www.bathfarmersmarket.co.uk

Every Sunday DRAG KARAOKE AT MANDALYNS

Upstairs at The Ale House on York Street every Friday and Saturday night, some of the world’s best and most innovative magicians take to the stage. The intimate 35-seat venue run by resident magician Billy Kidd promises award-winning performers who have featured on the stages of Hollywood’s Magic Castle, Penn & Teller’s Fool Us and Wizard Wars, amongst others. www.krowdkeepers.com

ABOVE: The Grand Regency Costumed Promenade kicks off the Jane Austen Festival week on 9 September; RIGHT: Davina McCall is at the Bath Forum on 17 September to share her own menopause story

Summer Of Soul stands as a testament to the healing power of music during a difficult period of unrest. A film I could watch over and over again… The Lion King. I will never tire of this film. I saw this in the cinema when it first opened and was blown away. If I’m working in schools and the kids tell me they don’t like Shakespeare, I quietly point out that this animation is, in fact, based on Hamlet

As part of the national Heritage Open Days event, residents of Bath will have the opportunity to discover the artefacts saved during the city’s £154m stabilisation project and, explore the visual records created by archaeologists to preserve the heritage of the Combe Down Stone Mines. www.museumofbathstone.org

Nature lovers can sign up to join a bat walk, learn about the trees in the Royal Victoria Park or wildlife at Newton Park. Plus there are rural hikes, informative historical tours, and also returning are tours exploring the LGBTQ+ history of Bath, and Haile Selassie’s time in the city. www.bathscape.co.uk

A painting that means something to me

In order to sit for an artist you do have to be able to sit still, which she ﬁnds impossible. People who come to the house often comment on how calm and serene she looks in the painting. The truth is Diarmuid got so fed up with her ﬁdgeting he told her to lie down. She immediately fell fast asleep… but Diarmuid painted her anyway.

11 September

17 September

BRENNERMARC©

18 September MUSEUM OF BATH STONE OPEN DAY

It’s a painting of my wife by the artist Diarmuid Kelly. It was actually a piece that he rejected as he was unhappy with his initial pass, but my wife had it framed anyway and it’s hanging at home.

Best TV show ever… Battlestar Galactica. I’m a huge sci-fi fan and when this came out I binged the whole thing over the course of a month. The whole thing was updated from the original 1970s series. Robots, called Cylons, are taking over the world. The trouble is they are so sophisticated that we can no longer tell who is human and who is an imposter. The book I could happily re-read I’ve just read A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin. I was unfamiliar with the novelist Ira Levin. He’s most famous for Rosemary’s Baby, The Boys From Brazil and The Stepford Wives but I just stumbled across a real gem. A Kiss Before Dying is the sort of book you can finish in a couple of days, but it has stayed with me for months. The writing is exquisite and the story is utterly gripping. I wish I could tell you more but it’s impossible without giving away spoilers. First rate thriller with a killer twist. Last live music gig I went to Ella Hughes live in Brixton. She’s the daughter of my friend Pip Broughton, who produced and directed the BBC drama Keeping Faith. Ella has only just embarked on a music career – writing and producing her own material – and I was so happy to go and support her. My desert island disc I’m a huge Prince fan and was lucky enough to see him live three times. Choosing which album to take would be difficult but I think I would settle for Sign Of The Times as it’s the album that first brought him to my attention. I love artists who can actually play an instrument. Prince played a whopping 27. For www.theatreroyal.org.ukmore:

DAVINA MCCALL Presenter Davina McCall is talking at the Bath Forum to tell her own menopause story and introduce her new book Menopausing that aims to explore and explain the science of the menopause, debunk myths, and smash taboos. Joining her to share their knowledge and experiences are menopause expert Dr Naomi Potter, and the presenter Angellica Bell. www.bathforum.co.uk

My lockdown boxset Brooklyn 99. Each episode is 30 minutes of unadulterated joy and there are so many seasons. It’s set in the 99th precinct and features a ragtag team of detectives and cops who are deliciously inept. Comedy gold.

CULTURE CLUB …with Rhashan Stone Rhashan Stone stars as the Baker in a brand-new staging of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, directed by Terry Gilliam and Leah Hausman, which is performing at Theatre Royal Bath until 10 September. He has starred in many TV shows including Finding Alice, Hollington Drive, Keeping Faith, Carters Get Rich and was recently in Bath filming McDonald & Dodds. Theatre credits range from productions at the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company to All About Eve and Five Guys Named Moe in the West End. My favourite arts place in Bath The 44AD Arts Space. I had a day off from filming McDonald & Dodds and got a tip off from one of the cast members. I was so glad I went. Beautiful building with a series of really lovely rooms. Such a nice feel to the place and it was very welcoming. I like the diversity of artists and exhibitions that this place attracts. I’m really looking forward to returning there. The last great film I saw Summer Of Soul. I was born in New Jersey, USA in 1969. That same year, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed. The footage was largely ignored until recently. It has been lovingly restored and the result is a powerful documentary featuring live performances from Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, BB King, Nina Simone and many, many more.

The exhibition (Of) Bath, MMXXII by Rich Stapleton and James Plumb can be seen at the Francis Gallery until 10 September Rhashan Stone in rehearsal for Into The Woods

SYDNEY GARDENS GALA Sydney Gardens will be alive with performances and activities in the true tradition of Regency Pleasure Gardens with music and entertainment from the Rainbow Steel Band, Chalguh Chengi, Sparklin’ Sorcha, and Juggling Jim. www.bathnes.gov.uk

*Fixtures are subject to change. DATEK.O.COMPETITIONOPPONENTHOME/AWAY 27 Aug 15:00 Friendly Coventry RugbyAway 2 Sept 19:15 Friendly Jersey Reds Away 9 Sept 19:45Gallagher Premiership Bristol Bears Away 17 Sept 15:00Gallagher PremiershipSale Sharks Home 23 Sept 19:45Gallagher PremiershipWasps Home 1 Oct 15:00Gallagher PremiershipLondon IrishAway 8 Oct 15:00Gallagher PremiershipGloucester RugbyHome 15 Oct 15:00Gallagher PremiershipSaracens Away 22 Oct 15:00Gallagher Premiership Northampton Saints Home 29 Oct 15:00Gallagher PremiershipWorcester WarriorsAway 5 Nov 15:00Gallagher Premiership Newcastle Falcons Away 11 Nov 19:45Gallagher PremiershipLeicester TigersHome 2 – 4 DecTBCGallagher PremiershipHarlequins Home BATHFIXTURESRUGBY22/23 18 YORK STREET, BATH BA1 1NG CALL 01225 308529 for reservations @casadetapasbath www.casadetapas.co.uk 01225 460 240 | www.joyarestaurant.co.uk Sales: 01225 471144 Lettings: 01225 303870 Email: bath@theapartmentcompany.co.uk 100% of our buyers & tenants are looking for apartments Yoga sustainabletheway,withBullfrog. Check out our full yoga collections in-store: 10 Kingsmead Square Bath, BA1 2AB BSc MRICS Chartered 1-07,07922mark@mvsurveying.co.ukSurveyor55710001225581591www.mvsurveying.co.uk3EdgarBuildings,GeorgeStreet,BathBA12FJIt’sallaboutpeaceofmind…Bathbasedsince1992 01225 459352 www.bathremovalcompany.co.uk 

See www.bathrugby.com for latest information or email info@bathrugby.com The Recreation Ground Spring Gardens, Bath, BA2 4DS *Fixtures are subject to change. DATEK.O.COMPETITIONOPPONENTHOME/AWAY 24 Dec 15:00Gallagher PremiershipExeter ChiefsAway 30 Dec – 1 JanTBCGallagher Premiership Newcastle Falcons Home 6 – 8 JanTBCGallagher PremiershipGloucester RugbyAway 27 – 29 JanTBCGallagher PremiershipSaracens Home 3 – 5 FebTBCGallagher Premiership Northampton Saints Away 10 – 12 FebTBCGallagher PremiershipExeter ChiefsHome 17 – 19 FebTBCGallagher PremiershipWasps Away 3 – 5 MarTBCGallagher PremiershipLondon IrishHome 10 – 12 MarTBCGallagher PremiershipSale Sharks Away 17 – 19 Mar TBCGallagher PremiershipLeicester TigersAway 24 – 26 MarTBCGallagher Premiership Bristol Bears Home 22 April15:00Gallagher PremiershipHarlequins Away 5 –7 MayTBCGallagher PremiershipWorcester WarriorsHome FOLLOW THE HERD @herdrestaurant www.herdrestaurant.com To Book Call 01225 330 121 16 York Street, Bath BA1 1NG www.realitalianpizza.co.uk Bath’s ﬁnest bespoke tailoring and 0122525servicealterationsforladiesandgentlemanMilsomStreet,Bath,BA11DG920263|info@citytailors.co.uk www.citytailors.co.uk CHAMPAGNE & FINE WINE www.dawewines.co.ukMERCHANTS A sanctuary of relaxation in Bradford-on-Avon 01225 309 book@vitalitydayspa.co.ukwww.vitalitydayspa.co.uk356 BATH’S PREMIER MORTGAGE BROKER 6 & 7 Trim Street, Bath, BA1 1HB www.lansdownfs.co.uk | 01225 459515 NEW COCKTAIL MENU! DJ s | WWW.MANDALYNS.CO.UKKARAOKE Friendly atmosphere Open: Wed – Mon

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Mr Malcolm’s List Release date 26 August Mr. Malcolm’s List is a charming Regency rom-com romance starring Zawe Ashton, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Freida Pinto, that feels like John Tucker Must Die meets Bridgerton. Rejected by Mr Malcolm after an embarrassing night at the opera, Ms Julia Thistleswaite (Zawe Ashton, Fresh Meat) is out for revenge. Julia discovers that Mr Malcolm carries with him a list of all the requirements he needs for a future wife. She convinces her naive childhood friend from the country, Ms. Selina Dalton (Freida Pinto, Slumdog Millionaire), to pose as Mr Malcolm’s perfect match so that she may subsequently reject him and humiliate him in turn. The script is written by Suzanne Allain – who also wrote the original novel and the ﬁlm is ﬁlled with all the original charm, humour and romance that made the book such a success.

The Forgiven Release date 2 September

I BATH LIFE I 47

A biting satire from the author behind the viral short story Cat Person, Bodies Bodies Bodies follows a social media obsessed friend group on a deadly getaway. As a hurricane rages outside, a group of pals gather inside their friend’s family mansion to party away from the storm. They decide to play murder with their favourite game ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’ but soon the stakes of the game become deadly serious as their friends begin to die around them. Turning on each other, issues of privilege, in uencer culture and our own selﬁsh ways begin to come to the surface whilst the murderer remains at large. With a cast full of Hollywood’s most exciting new names including Rachel Sennott (Shiva Baby), Amandla Stenberg (The Hate You Give) and Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Movie Film), Bodies Bodies Bodies is morbid comedy sure to darkly delight.

CLOCKWISEFROMTOP: See How They Run is a witty whodunnit set in London’s West End during the1950s; Bodies Bodies Bodies follows a social media obsessed friend group on a deadly getaway; There’s just more than a touch of Bridgerton to the rom-com Mr Malcolm’s List; The Forgiven starring Ralph Fiennes and Jessica Chastain is a thrilling drama set in Morocco www.mediaclash.co.uk

This tragedy exacerbates the gulf between the wealthy European tourists and the impoverished locals, all set along the backdrop of the High Atlas mountains of Morocco. Fiennes and Chastain deliver nuanced and electrifying performances as the central couple who begin to descend, maybe all too easily, into a terrifying arc of corruption and immorality over the weekend.

See How They Run Release date 9 September

THE INGLEDEWEMMATHINGREEL

Ralph Fiennes and Jessica Chastain star in this exploration of guilt, remorse and privilege in the heat of the Moroccan desert. The two portray a wealthy couple who, on the way to a grand party, accidentally hit and kill a young Moroccan man who was selling fossils on the roadside.

See How They Run is a witty whodunnit loosely based on the hit West End show The Mousetrap Set in 1950s London, it stars Sam Rockwell as a weary and intellectual detective, and Saoirse Ronan as his over-eager rookie constable, and follows the pair as they investigate the mysterious killing of a cast member and as they do so, uncover the glamorous and sordid world of the West End theatre. As they attempt to unravel the mystery, they encounter a host of interesting characters along the way, played by what seems to be a UK who’s who of acting including David Oyelowo, Adrien Brody, Reece Shearsmith, Ruth Wilson, and Charlie Cooper. Emma Ingledew is manager at The Little Theatre Cinema, 1–2 St Michael’s www.picturehouses.co.ukPlace; This September The Little Theatre Bath is toying with some romance, a little murder, with some laughs thrown in

Bodies Bodies Bodies Previews 6 September and release date is 9 September

Designing and transforming your interior space for you and your lifestyle, celebrating & supporting local artists and UK makers. 07894 342063 | contact@louisenichole.co.uk www.louisenichole.co.uk

LIVE WELL, BUY BETTER

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Local artist Ann Hines is just one of the 36 creatives and makers appearing as part of the Newbridge Arts Trail happening the weekend of 17 – 18 September. Her acrylic paintings and linocut prints, which can be seen at trail venue 9 Evelyn Road, Newbridge, depict scenes from everyday life, often featuring people at work or play. Intrigued by contrasts in light and texture, she tries to capture a mood or tell a story. See overleaf for more work from just a few of the contributing Newbridge artists. Black sunhat by Ann Hines costs limited edition linocut, £40 framed, £25 www.newbridgeartstrail.orgunframed; www.mediaclash.co.uk

SHOPPING OFF!HATS

AS GOOD

BOY IN UDAIPUR BY SUSAN BOLAM, £190 Susan will be showing a variety of paintings and drawings covering her travels and her more recent interest in portraiture. Trail venue: 9 Evelyn Road

MELODY BY KELLY TYNDALE, £300 Kelly describes her art using the Japanese concept wabi sabi’ ﬁnding beauty in imperfection. She loves the fragility of cracks, layers and natural form and tries to showcase them in her work. Trail venue: 1 Rosslyn Road; Instagram: @kellytyndale_art

£315 Kathryn paints in oils and aims to capture the light in her work. She’s fascinated by s ies and the eﬀect of light on the landscape or seascape. A moody sky often inspires and excites her.

Trail venue: Weston Methodist Church Hall, Kennington Road; www.pollygough.com

TRUMPET VINE PERGOLA BY CHRIS PEECOCK, £35 FRAMED, £25 UNFRAMED Chris will be showing kaleidoscopic digital inkjet prints, papier-mâché jewellery, 3D shadow boxes, and experimental decorative 2D prints, using a technique from the 1960s that he has revived and modernised. Trail venue: Weston Methodist Church Hall, Kennington Road; Instagram: @chris.peecock.549

artcreatives17TheNEWBRIDGEASNewbridgeArtsTrailreturns–18Septemberbringing36initswakesellingoriginalintheirhomes

Trail venue: 4 Homelea Park www.kathrynscaldwell.comWest; I www.mediaclash.co.uk

50 I BATH LIFE

DANCING WITH THE WIND BY POLLY GOUGH, £110 Polly is an artist printmaker specialising in collagraphs and is inspired by love of animals and myths. Underpinning her work is a passion for experimentation and colour. Prints are individually inked and produced in small limited editions.

CRAB FISHING BY SCALDWELL,KATHRYN

SHIELD BUG BY ELIZABETHBELL,£120 Combining her love of colour, texture and the natural Elizabethworld,uses a mixture of media to create works that complement home and work space. Trail venue: Weston Methodist Church Hall, Kennington Road; elizabethbellcolours.comwww.

ED’S www.mediaclash.co.ukCHOICE I BATH LIFE I 51

CERAMICS BY SALLY MACDONELL, PRICES RANGE £150 – £450 Sally’s fascination with people is re ected in her ﬁgurative ceramics sculpture. She explores the human condition by modelling the female form from clay, changing the mood by the positioning of a shoulder or a hand. Trail venue: 2 Kennington Road; www.macdonell-ceramics.co.uk

Trail venue: Weston Methodist Church Hall, Kennington www.heidilaughton.comRoad;

ROYAL CRESCENT THROUGH THE TREES BY PAULO BAIGENT, £75 Paulo has been revisiting watercolours and will be showing recent paintings of landscapes and birds. His wor s are fresh and aﬀordable, using a colour palette ranging from vibrant to muted. Trail venue: Newbridge Primary School, Charmouth Road; www.speaktomegabriel.co.uk

I THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW BY MARK THOMAS, £475 Mark creates contemporary paintings in acrylics on paper or canvas. He will be showing a mix of ﬁgurative and abstract wor with a retro propaganda pop art in uence. Trail venue: 4 Foxcombe www.emptywords.co.ukRoad;

VANCOUVER IN AUTUMN BY HEIDI LAUGHTON, £500 Heidi’s paintings of abstract landscapes lend a continuallystyleHeidi’softheycolourspaces.presencecalmingtointeriorUsingsoftpalettes,createasensetranquillity.paintingisintuitiveandevolving.

“Will and I both had Covid in January 2021, just before we were due for an embryo transfer. The virus knocked us for six, and we had to delay treatment until the end of March. “And then, finally, there was the positive pregnancy test.

fter welcoming baby Olivia into the world on 10 December 2021, Emily posted on Instagram ‘Nothing worth having comes easy,’ together with a touching tribute to the team at BCRM, who worked so hard to enable her and Will to have a baby of their own: ‘Thank you, Bristol Centre For Reproductive Medicine, from the bottom of our hearts.’

Having waited nine years for their IVF baby to arrive, Sky News editor Emily Deeker and husband, BBC Points West’s Will Glennon, are urging other couples with fertility issues to be patient and keep trying if they can.

THE NINE YEAR WAIT FOR BABY OLIVIA SPONSORED www.mediaclash.co.ukCONTENTIBATHLIFEI 53

“We trusted and believed in them. Their research is second-to-none –look at Valentine Akande’s work - and we had faith in their knowledge, their reputation and the amazing care they gave us throughout.

“It says a huge amount about the team at BCRM that we decided to stay with them throughout our entire IVF journey, all nine years of it.

“Will and I fell into the huge group of people who have ‘unexplained’ fertility issues,” explained Emily. “We had 11 rounds of IVF, and a lot of exploratory procedures in between. “Olivia was our next-to-last chance. We had 12 frozen embryos available to us, and she was number 11, so on paper she was not the strongest embryo.

BCRM www.fertilitybristol.com is the longest established fertility clinic in Bristol, helping people from throughout the South West and Wales with fertility treatment for both private and NHS patients. The clinic is involved in innovative research and has one of the best success rates with IVF and other fertility treatments in the UK

“Let’s be honest - you don’t want to be going to a fertility clinic in the first place but if you have to go to one you want to have faith in them, and we did have faith in ours.

“To us, Valentine is peerless, and we owe him so much. “And it was genuinely freeing to walk into the nurse’s room and have a good cry if I wanted to, while she held my hand. I know they were doing their job, but it always felt so much more personal and human than that.”

Contrasting texture also is key – mixing leather with demure dresses in lace and taﬀeta for example. Think classic noughties Kate Moss in a sweetly feminine dress paired with a cropped leather jacket, or even leopard coat. It’s also fun to play with traditional fabrics – a Chanel-esque boucle ac et with denim, or a tweed over si ed bla er over a oral ma i dress. A loo I will never get tired of is metallics layered with knitwear - the two together creating a visual paradox of softness and glamour.

Location:

CONTRASTING TEXTURES

JUXTA POSE

Photographer: Egle Vasi; www.eglevasi.com Angelica Baines Chantelle Moody; Instagram @chantellemoody Eleanor Tasker and Marianne Cantelo Ichiro’s Art Café; Instagram @ichirosbath

Makeup:

SUITED NOT BOOTED How could I not mention the impact of accessories in ﬁnishing an inspiring loo A chunky boot is the yin to the yang of a super feminine dress. A strappy high heel is the olive in the martini of a pair of well cut jeans. The espadrille, popularised by Yves St Laurent, is continuously worn by the Paris fashion set, even though they originated in the mountains of the Pyrenees. The contrast of the traditional and sophisticated, makes them an appealing choice paired with tea dresses and even light suiting in the summer. Similarly, think about the combination of the suit and a trainer – what was a rebellious choice, has become almost normal – but the endless combinations of tailoring and kicks is still exciting. The eyes just love to be surprised, don’t they? Next time you get dressed, think about the ‘opposites’ in your wardrobe, push them together and see what happens – it just could be a lifelong romance.

Model:

CLASHING HUES Like chilli and jam, high heels and racecourses, and caviar and champagne, opposites always have the potential to attract. Take colour for example – have you ever combined pink and green? The pink winks, the green takes on a sheen, and together they look more sophisticated. Colour-blocking this dramatic pair, perhaps letting the green take the lead in a swirling skirt, with a simple camisole or light knit in a rosy tint, is joyous. Another of my favourites is the combination of tomato red and turquoise a sharp ﬁtted bla er that might otherwise appear a little bit ‘Butlins’ is elevated in combination with this clashing hue, a satin blouse with a deep neckline, or even a pair of aquamarine heels punctuating the red perfectly. Orange and sky blue, navy and mustard and of course, black and white – play with these combinations and you’ll be putting together something that is head turning, but in the right way. ach opposite colour has the eﬀect of intensifying the other, creating a look that is rich and saturated.

JUXTAPOSED STYLE

“A chunky boot is theyin to the yang of asuper feminine dress”

W hat makes great style fascinating to the beholder? Is it the ability to loo eﬀortlessly put together? Is it something that ignites our imagination? When you break it down, often it’s the bringing together of things that shouldn’t be as one, that makes fashion magnetic and romantic. It’s a fabulous fashion fusion when opposites attract

Styling:

Marianne Cantelo is the business development project manager for Dorothy House Hospice Care. The charity has 25 high street shops across the region selling fantastic pre-loved items which provides a large part of their income, plus it also has an online shop. For more: www.dorothyhouse.org.uk

STRIKE A

Words by Marianne Cantelo

Obviously it isn’t just colour opposites that creates chic. Playing with proportion can make an ensemble of a single colour, eye-catching and exciting. When someone dresses ‘simply’, observation shows that it’s actually all a lot more considered. Choosing a voluminous and sculptured top and pairing it with a slim trouser or skirt is instantly sophisticated-classic Balenciaga. it and are is another e ample of an age old recipe of opposites. Chosen by dancers for a reason, the opportunity for the ow and movement of fabric but also seeing the body too, is beautiful. It also explains the repeated popularity of wide leg trousers and ares, u taposed with corsets and cropped tops (the current Y2K trend, Year Two Thousand tribute style for those of you who aren’t already feeling ancient). The width of a wide leg accentuates the hips and the waist and creates curves that the eye loves to see. You’ll notice the return of the lower-waisted trouser and if you don’t want to dare to bare your belly, don’t forget that a body suit is a great way to wear something ﬁgure s imming without showing esh.

5. Compania Fantastica high waisted orange cropped trousers, £59, from Gaff Clothing, 29 Upper Borough Walls, Bath; www.gaffclothing.co.uk 6. Valencia dress in yellow seersucker, £319.20, from Cabbages & Roses 3 West End, Bruton; www.cabbagesandroses.com

10 3 6 9 8

WALKERCHARLOTTEBYCOMPILED

1. Bellerose Sevia t-shirt in yellow and white, £69, from Maze, 19 Green Street, Bath; www.mazeclothing.co.uk

2. Vintage pleated midi skirt in royal blue, size 10, £8.99, from www.dorothyhouse.shop 3. 1388 square sunglasses in orchid crystal, £325, from Cutler and Gross, 9 Bridge Street, Bath; www.cutlerandgross.com 4. Acne Studios large print cotton sweatshirt in green, £349, from John Anthony, 26-28 High Street, Bath; www.john-anthony.com

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

7. Metallic elastic belt in green, silver and gold, £22, from Sassy & Boo, 9 Bartlett Street, Bath; www.luellafashion.com 8. Paul Smith Tilly socks in pink, £19, from Grace & Mabel, 3 George Street, Bath; www.graceandmabel.co.uk 9. Pailette Kelly green heels, £235, from Chanii B, 9 Milsom Place, Bath; www.chaniibshoes.com 10. Bubblegum pink square Italian leather rucksack, £85, from Portman, 28 Milsom Street, Bath; www.nickieportman.co.uk 5

SHOPPING LIST

2 4 7

NEVER MISS AN ISSUE TODAYSUBSCRIBENevermissanissueof Bath Life – get your own copy posted to you on the Friday the magazine comes out Get yours for £40 for UK subscriptions (26 issues) www.mediaclash.co.uk/subscribe £4026ISSUESFOR

Verity Genco is a food stylist, cook, baker and aterer e ind Insta ram @ ort eflavo r w ere she creates recipes inspired by the seasons

RAISE A GLASS

Marshfest will return on September to Broadleys, Marshﬁeld Cric et Club grounds. The family music and food festival is returning for its fourth event with the goal of raising , for local good causes. The one-day festival will host seven musical acts, a battle of the bands competition, and locally sourced food and drink from the likes of Pizza Folk, Chai Walla, Konnikra and Marshﬁeld Ice Cream.

With every bite, the crisp and succulent ernels e plode with avour. Just boiled corn on the cob, a y sea salt, speckled ground black pepper, all rolled in melted butter, as a child, for me was simply one of the greatest vegetable-eating experiences. To prepare and cook corn on the cob, remove the green corn husks and the silks. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the corn for threeto ﬁve minutes. If you fancy being creative, there are some easy-to-make avoured butter ideas to melt over your corn: mustard and jalapeño, garlic and herb, lemon and chive, basil, parmesan and sun-dried tomato. I enjoy shredded corn in a salad, or on tacos. If September’s weather is kind to us, steamed or boiled corn charred on the barbecue with any one of the above avoured butter suggestions oﬀers a pleasant way to draw a close to al fresco dining season.

FIELD NOTES

SNAPSHOTS OF BATH’S FOOD SCENE FOOD & DRINK

Chec my forthe avour Instagram page to see new ways to enjoy Sweetcorn in September.

BEST SEASONIN Sweetcorn is for September, says VERITY GENCO September is a turning point in the year, we see a gradual change in season, and autumn colours appear. Farmers start the new cycle of ploughing, planting andFreshcultivation.produce from our British ﬁelds is at its peak at this time of year. As the season progresses, crab apples, globe artichokes, Swiss chard, pears, ﬁgs, pump ins, and courgettes are in abundance – along with this month’s seasonal produce pick, sweetcorn. Although sweetcorn hasn’t been farmed seriously in the UK for very long due to its need for a hot climate, hotter summers in the UK have led to a resurgence in growing the colourful crop. If this year’s heatwave is anything to go by, we should expect a good harvest of British maize to hit our local farmers’ markets and greengrocers soon. Kids love it, making it one of the most popular vegetables in the UK – the vibrant colourful corns visually appeal, and its juicy, sweet taste is acceptable to their developing tastebuds. It may be tasty to eat canned or frozen corn – after all preserving it this way means it’s available all year round – but it’s no match for corn eaten straight from the cob.

On 7 September, Corkage is hosting a tasting with Sussex Sparkling Wine. The restaurant on Chapel Row will welcome Richard James from Rathfinny Estate in Sussex for a tasting of some of the worldclass portfolio of wines produced in the Rathfinny vineyard. Rathfinny’s acre vineyard was established bac in , and its climate, chal , soil and aspect – only a few short miles from the sea – makes it the perfect location. Sussex Sparkling Wines are produced with a low intervention, traditional method, with hand-harvested grapes that are whole-bunch pressed and patiently matured to preserve the wonderful natural avours. The tasting wines will be matched with delicious plates from Corkage’s Jay Raynor-approved kitchen. or more www or a e at om

“We’re back, bigger and better in , and we’re een to keep things fresh with live Zumba for the ﬁrst time and a Graﬀarty gra ti art workshop alongside bands and entertainment,” says James Wood, one of the festival’s organisers. “Our Battle of the Bands response has been phenomenal and six live bands are battling it out on the day for a prime spot on the main stage.” or more www mars est o Sweetcorn is a crowd pleaser for all ages Corkage is hosting a wine tasting with Sussex Sparkling Wine www.mediaclash.co.uk

I BATH LIFE I 57

What about producers?

exotic notes on the nose and a wonderfully fresh ﬁnish, I don’t know anyone that doesn’t like it.

I was always really fascinated with vineyards from holidays as a child. After I left university, I moved to France without much of a plan, but ended up working with wineries and I got hooked. Now I can’t imagine doing anything else, but I didn’t even know this was a job when I was starting out. What are some of the common mistakes people make when ordering wine? I think we are all guilty of sticking to what we know, rather than trying new things – that often means you are paying more for a recognisable name rather than a far better quality wine that you might not have heard of. I really try to get our staff confident enough to recommend new things to customers. What’s your favourite wine and food pairing? Fish and chips with a good grower champagne or English sparkling –always on the beach. The acidity cuts through any oiliness. It’s become a birthday tradition in my family. Talk to us about how you curate a wine menu I try to showcase delicious wines that offer great value and a real diversity of profiles. I am also very demanding on how the producers are making their wines, so that we are offering wines made in the most gentle and sustainable way from vineyard to bottle. What makes wine sustainable – or not?

perfectwineEightHELLIWELLSARAHStonyStreet’sheadofshareshowtomakethechoice

Eight Stony Street’s philosophy is simple: celebrating the symbiosis of food and wine. The restaurant and wine shop in Frome is stocked with over 400 bottles from around the world, including 50 varieties available on tap. The diverse wine library is Sarah’s domain. Here, she tells us more... What does it mean to be head of wine, Sarah? It is really a bit of everything, but my main responsibilities are sourcing and curating the wine lists in the shops and restaurants (I also work for our sister restaurant, Wilding in Salisbury) running all the training for our staﬀ, and of course the tastings we hold for customers.

TAKE 5

For more: Eight Stony Street, 8 Stony Street, Frome; www.eightstonystreet.com Sounds like fun! How did you get into this industry?

Speaking of courses, could we join one with you? es I am running our ﬁrst si week introductory wine course in rome from mid September. I want it to be very informative but also fun and never too serious. It’ll be on Monday evenings through September and October – tickets on our website.

I have started to list more from a wonderful female winemaker in Burgundy called Fanny Sabre – she makes the most delicious and elegant Beaune which I think delivers so much more than other, much more expensive wines. What’s one misconception about the wine world you’d like to dispel? That it is some sort of club that you need to have lots of knowledge about to participate in. Grapes are grown in muddy vineyards and picked into plastic buckets. If you think about that side of the industry, I think it makes it a lot more relatable than a grand château and dusty cellars. Any tips for newbies who want to learn more about the world of wine? Trying new things and getting a better idea of what it is that you like is the only way to get more enjoyment out of what you drink. Everyone’s taste is valid so ask questions, even if you think they are silly – anyone who really loves wine will only be delighted to answer. Use your local wine shops – they are full of people eager to share their knowledge – or join in a course designed to teach you more.

For me a very holistic approach is the most sustainable way to make wine. You can be very conscious in the vineyard, but this needs to feed into real social responsibility towards the workforce and community – and sympathetic packaging and transportation too. I really believe that producers who care deeply about growing the best healthy grapes with lots of eﬀort and little chemical interference have the best chance of making a truly great wine in the glass. What are some of the most popular wines you serve? We have a Lambrusco (sparkling red) that I love, and its always a great conversation starter once people see one table ordering it. For summer, I have just put on a chilled Austrian Zweigelt, which is the perfect summer red and really popular once people taste it. Bride Valley Cremant from Dorset is also incredibly popular, and still one of the best made English sparklings I have tried. What’s your personal favourite wine at the restaurant? It really changes all the time, depending on my mood, the weather and what I am eating, but there are a couple of wines I always ﬁnd myself recommending to anyone. The San Vincenzo from Anselmi in Veneto is the most intense and surprising white. Full of tropical

“I didn’t even know this was a job when I wasstarting out”

MCKAYCHARLIE© 58 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SUGAR CANE STUDIO A cafe serving tasty anpatisseriefrenchwithAsiantwist! All of our patisserie is made on site, we brew tea from Taiwan, matcha and hojicha from Japan, and have a selection of art and homeware, bringing what we love to Bath! 1 Grove Street, Bath, BA2 6PJ www.sugarcanestudio.co.uk

You can’t just be a restaurant these days,” says The Ethicurean’s co-owner and founder Matthew Pennington. “There has to be a bigger purpose.” We’re hearing this kind of thing a lot. It’s not just about restaurants having to become more agile in their offering, although it’s true that they need to do that too, in order to survive. It’s about taking responsibility: for local producers, for staff, for local charities, for the planet. Matthew says, “Our restaurant is trying to lead the way to prove that a sustainable model of hospitality can work in terms of environment and staff welfare. or e ample we have abolished the service charge and that is included in the cost, but any tips we get, we all choose a charity each month, usually food related, and during July and August it’s the Bath ood Ban .

ou won’t find more invested staff anywhere, but they wear their knowledge lightly; nobody pins you with glittery-eyed fervour as you sit, knife poised in mid-air over your rapidly cooling food while they reel off the life cycle of your duc , or e plain how chef foraged the hedgerows at dawn for the elder ower in your sprit .

Sure, if you have any questions – and The Ethicurean, about an hour’s drive from Bath, tends to attract guests who are interested in such things – they’ll be thrilled to answer them, but if all you want is to get stuck into that duck before it starts quacking in indignation, they’ll leave you to Sinceit.the lockdowns, there’s been an even bigger emphasis on using ingredients straight from the garden, while the dining has somehow become... even ﬁner. It was never e actly rustic, but the delicacy and presentation of the dishes seems to have been honed still further. The pace of service has also become more rela ed you’re actively encouraged to stroll among the herbs and brassicas before dinner, drink in hand, to take in the view

Words by Deri Robins

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

The Ethicurean has been leading the sustainable pack for a decade, earning a Michelin green star for its thoughtful practices. Long before any climate emergency was declared, ﬁeld to for was ey to its ethos. ow it’s upped its game still further; but if you assume this means you’ll be in for an intolerably self-righteous dining e perience, thin again.

THE ETHICUREAN ot ust a ﬁrst class tasting menu, but also an ethical, thoughtful and delightful e perience

encouraged“You’reactivelytostrollamongtheherbsandbrassicasbeforedinner”

www.mediaclash.co.uk

Hours The

run Wed-Saturday; Saturday

Sunday lunch Prices Tasting menu £150 pp; wine ﬂight £65. Lunch £75 Drinks Natural and biodynamic wines, cocktails and imaginative 'no & low' drinks Atmosphere Chilled and friendly Service Knowledgeable,

RESTAURANT and chat to the gardeners. Arriving on a balmy July evening for the full tasting menu, which runs every day between Wednesday and Saturday, we’re met halfway up the kitchen garden by head chef Mark McCabe. Over the world’s tiniest barbecue, Mark is cooking fresh lovage tacos for each guest, topping them with leaves, herbs and petals and sauces before ceremoniously rolling them up. They taste like a little slice of Eden, and make us reconsider a life choice that does not feature an allotment.

Further snacks are served over cocktails in the lounge, in full view of the open kitchen, where the chefs genuinely look as if they’re having fun. A caring, supportive culture is encouraged here, with a fair wage, decent work-life balance and inspirational training.

fermented mushroom powder – as complex yet subtle as that Woolleysounds.Park duck comes roasted on the crown, blushing and tender beneath its glaze of parsnip and apple. Pickled magnolia, a preserve which seems to be having a bit of a moment, teams with sweet beets, salty blackcurrant paste and vinegary chard, while savoury little towers of offal sausage are sharply offset by sour cabbage. Of the puds, our favourite is a light, subtly smoked buttermil parfait with delicate sheets of fig meringue, though the yoghurt and honey sponge buried in a Barbiepink beetroot mousse is a total showstopper. Through a skill verging on alchemy, the homeliest of ingredients are transformed by the kitchen into astonishingly inventive and assured dishes that brim withThenourishment.Ethicurean is a good deed in a naughty world, but eating ethically has rarely felt so enjoyable.

I BATH LIFE I 61

DINING DETAILS

The Ethicurean, Barley Wood Walled Garden, Wrington. tel: 01934 245888; www.theethicurean.com ExperienceEthicureantastingmenus and but not remotely

preachy

A chilled cucumber consommé infused with lemondrop chilli is a little sharp and acidic; more indulgent are a pair of celeriac tarts ﬁlled with coriander sour cream, cured trout and tomato concentrate, which dissolve on the tongue in an e citing party of avours and te tures.

There’s a further melting mouthful, this time in the form of new potatoes layered with celtuce – this, we learn, is a ind of nutty tasting lettuce. I ﬁnd myself nodding knowingly at descriptions of the dishes, before surreptitiously Googling under the table. Next, we move into the dining room, housed within the kind of former Victorian glasshouse fawned over by Pinterest. Rustic-industrial furniture is softened by sheepskins, fairy lights and artless bunches of lavender; large windows gaze across the garden and over to the Mendip hills. As the evening sets in, we watch the mist pool romantically in the valley. The next three courses are still fully rooted, pun intended, in fresh veggie produce from the walled garden. No less carefully considered, and probably deserving of its own review, is the accompanying wine ight, the pride and joy of excellent GM Emily. My designated driver stares wistfully at my Puglian moscatello selvatico, but he’s not too shortchanged; a lot of care has gone into the non-alcoholic spritzes and gimlets, which are playfully assembled to resemble cocktails. Next up, creamy ricotta with a fragrant smoky hit of burned bayleaf comes with a radish, the size and juiciness of which would make Peter Rabbit’s eyes pop out. A ind of ohl rabi ravioli is ﬁlled with apple and shallot relish, while a whole Florence onion is grilled in its skin, with the sweet-sharpness of plum and boskiness of

THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Marcus Still, project architect at Hetreed Ross Architects, Attika Workspace, Bath Brewery, Toll Bridge Road, Bath; www.hetreedross.com

These days, we’re more considerate shoppers. From the clothes we buy and trips to the salon to large-scale, long-term projects like home renovation – big or small, we want our purchases to have a positive impact on the environment. Here, Bath businesses from across a range of sectors show how we can make sustainable choices across our lives.

Bath-based businesses with an eye for sustainability share their tips for working the eco-friendly way

What’s the ﬁrst stage of creating a sustainable design?

Daniel Lugsden, RIBA, partner at Nash Partnership, 23a Sydney Buildings, Bath; www.nashpartnership.com

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

First of all, do you need to build it? – or all of it? Don’t consume that space or material if you don’t need to – and the right orientation, use of levels, and any existing buildings need to be thought through properly. Design passively, meaning in a way that works with local climate to maintain a comfortable temperature. Due to our extensive portfolio of re-using existing buildings, including many listed assets, our expertise in re use and retro t has gro n immensely. the stats are right, and 80 per cent of the houses we will live in in 2050 already exist, we should give this some serious attention. So, we know working with existing buildings is a sustainable option. Talk us through what the process might look like.

By Matilda Walton

t aries enormously and needs to be care ully tailored to the indi idual pro ects and our clients there is no one si e ts all approach. t a recent pro ect, ill ouse a rade listed armhouse that had been stripped out by previous owners in pursuit of ‘modernisation’, which prompted spot listing to protect what then remained of its historic interior features – not only did we work within the context

TO MADELAST

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 63 At Nash Partnership, their sustainability policy is to only build when they have toWWW.PETEHELME.CO.UKHELMEPETE©

ABOVE: Nash Partnership has an extensive history of re-using existing buildings; BELOW: Noi Salon uses recycled and re-purposed ﬁxtures and ﬁttings

Are there any particular sustainability credentials we should look for when choosing an architect?

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

Jonathan Crossley, associate architect at SRA Architects, Station House, Ashley Avenue, Bath; www.sra-architects.co.uk

We are members of Future Leap, one of the largest green business networks in the UK, based in Bristol, and as part of this we have begun working with several sustainable businesses in the network. Business on Purpose have helped us review our current business structures and practices and helped us on our journey to submit our application to become B orp certi ed. longside this e ha e orked ith o limate ositi e and rees to assess and oﬀset our carbon ootprint and develop our carbon reduction plan. We enjoy working with local, ethical and sustainable businesses who are part of this community.

of an existing building, we also used a lot of natural materials perfect or a historic building. e orked closely ith a listed building oﬃcer both dedicated to the conservation of the house and pragmatic about the changes made in the past and how these could allow for improved sustainability. his included super insulated heated concrete oor slabs here ground oors had already been replaced ith concrete, high performance double-glazed timber mullioned windows where originals had been replaced and secondary double-glazing to the few original windows surviving and – most crucially to the energy strategy– full external wall insulation using ‘breathable’ cork slabs and lime render to replace the modern cement render. The opportunity was taken to insulate over the original roof structure, both increasing thermal performance and exposing the beautiful historic rafters that remained. nstallation o a ush photo oltaic array solar panels on a roo slope that had previously been retiled with concrete tiles was also part of the energy strategy, along with heating and hot water provided by air source heat pumps, backed up by high eﬃciency ood sto es ith insulated ues to supplement the heating should it be re uired.

When it comes to retail, it’s all about choosing brands with a sustainable ethos. Can you tell us about some sustainable brands to look out for?

“Often by changing, shiftingand updating items we cancreate a whole new look”

Aery Living are a Bristol-based brand that create a beautifully packaged and wonderfully aromatic range of home fragrances. They

www.mediaclash.co.uk

We work with quite a number of wonderful small British brands that are all eco-conscious and sustainable – three I love are The Basket Room, Nkuku, and Aery Living.

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RETAIL

Vanessa Clark, owner of Homefront Interiors, 10 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath; www.homefrontinteriors.co.uk

Nkuku work closely with artisans from around the world and in particular India, where they produce beautifully designed and handmade homewares, often made using traditional techniques and recycled or sustainably sourced materials. Their ethos is ethical, eco-friendly, and handmade. Their products are always beautifully designed, on trend and eﬀortlessly stylish.

ABOVE: Chest of drawers painted in the new Annie Sloan Satin Paint ‘Athenian Black’ by The Marmalade House; BELOW: Sometimes, the most sustainable option is to work with a building that already exists as in the Hetreed Ross project Mill House

The Basket Room creates beautifully designed baskets from natural materials such as sisal and banana bre, and ork ith small cra t collectives in Africa. They follow ethical and fair-trade practices and have forged long-term collaborations with communities – their orders give much needed additional income to the weavers.

Our sustainability started with our renovations when setting up the salon by upcycling and re-purposing furniture and materials – even old mirrors, frames, clocks and chairs. Giuseppe, my partner, is an amazing DIYer. Our joint vision and his family’s know-how meant we re-used and recycled whenever we could. Talk us through sustainable haircare. What are some brands we should look out for? o strong actors in uence us uality and sustainability. sing brands that have clear sustainability plans such as Moroccan Oil, and/or can boast being carbon zero such as Olaplex, but which also give our clients what they are seeking in terms of hair health, is key. However, our primary hair care brand is Davines. We chose Davines because not only do we see them as leaders of sustainability in hair and beauty products, but also because they are simply fantastic. Once tried, our clients never go back. From their very beginning (25 years ago), the whole ethos of the Davines brand has been, and continues to be, manufacturing and distribution in a sustainable ay. hey are actually a certi ed B orporation. B orporation is not something that you can pay to join; you have to prove that your ethics and business practices are truly sustainable across all levels. We choose Davines because the brand is not simply jumping on the bandwagon, it’s been sustainable since conception. It’s a win-win – products being kind to the environment and your hair.

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Vanessa Sayce, owner of The Marmalade House, Kelston, Bath; www.themarmaladehouse.co.uk

The ethos of our business since we began in 2011 has always been to help our clients and customers create something new and beautiful out of something they already have. When we founded Marmalade House, the idea of recycling furniture by repainting and therefore renewing it was a relatively new concept, and we developed a model for people to either learn how to paint with us, to do the work themselves, or for us to take on their specialist commissions. Our signature house style is beauti ul rench and usta ian nishes ith a so t colour palette, but e do also create modern at nishes or more contemporary pieces. We have helped thousands of people re-love their old furniture and look at what is already in their homes in a new way. The interior design arm of our business also helps bring fresh eyes to tired interiors, and often by changing, shifting and updating items we can create a whole new look with existing elements in the home.

When it comes to home renovation, what sort of sustainability efforts should we look out for in a company?

Lee Shellard, owner of S&J Roofing, 130 Walcot Street, Bath; www.sandjbath.co.uk At S&J our main goals based around sustainability include making sure our aste is recycled eﬃciently and making sure e ha e a proacti e approach to recycling on-site construction waste. Another goal of ours is to examine every property and building we work on to design solutions to prevent environmental loss – including things like reducing thermal breaks so that heat loss is pre ented. t e use high uality materials to increase the lifespan of a roof, and we give a guarantee for a full roof renewal of 25 years, which is much more sustainable than using products hich aren t o as high uality.

“Don’t consume space ormaterial if you don’t need to”

Kellie Moody, beauty and make up artist and co-director of Noi Salon, 20 Milsom Place, Bath; www.noisalon.co.uk

ABOVE: Reclaimed panels washed and aged in Atelier Ellis ‘Khadi’ and put together to create a headboard, Marmalade House style; BELOW: Nkuku products, available from Homefront Interiors are eco-friendly, ethical and handmade

are all made in the UK using sustainable ingredients, they use 100 per cent plant based ax and carrier oils that are ree rom paraﬃn and palm. They are proudly vegan and cruelty-free, and as an ecoconscious brand all their candles, diﬀusers, candle holders and paper are plastic-free and recyclable.

66 I BATH LIFE I SUSTAINABILTYwww.mediaclash.co.uk

How can we redecorate in a sustainable way?

BEAUTY How do you make hairdressing sustainable?

10 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath BA1 2LP T: 01225 571711 E: Ethical,www.homefrontinteriors.co.ukinfo@homefrontinteriors.co.ukSustainable&HandmadeHomewaresandGifts Interiors & Homewares | Prints, Cards & Gifts Work from local artists and makers Successful, well-established year-round language school in the centre of Bath requires HOMESTAY HOSTS IN BATH to host both short-term and long-term students. We teach adults and teenagers, and need both single and twin-room accommodation. For further details, including rates of payment, please contact our Accommodation Manager: Sarah Wringer, Kaplan International Languages Bath, 5 Trim Street, Bath, BA1 1HB Direct Line (01225) 473502, Email: sarah.wringer@kaplan.com

A love of the singing, dancing and acting – and that is all. We are an all inclusive theatre school that welcomes all ages and abilities.

Tristan Carter VANESSA SAYCE THE MARMALADE HOUSE 01225 445855; www.themarmaladehouse.co.uk

I lead Songways choirs in two fabulous venues –Wednesday evenings in St Swithin’s Church, Bath and Friday mornings in Holy Trinity, Bradford on Avon. I’m passionate about the music we sing… harmonies that lift us up, powerful songs that draw us together and go straight to the heart, and songs that create a sense of stillness and peace. What’s special about Songways?

Thinking of taking up a new skill? These experts have got your

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MEET THE CLASS INSTRUCTOR

Tell about your classes/courses

Curtain Up Theatre School provides children of all ages with training in drama, dance and singing every week throughout the school term in the Bath area, with three schools divided by age group. We create a full-scale musical production with each of our three schools every year and a fully staged and costumed showcase with all three schools combined – plus lots of small presentations and performances. We also offer separate, exam-based singing or acting lessons for young people to extend their performance skills. What makes your courses/classes different from similar ones out there? We believe in a sense of family and community, having always referred to Curtain Up as our family. When we opened in 2004 and our own children were younger, we were determined to follow the premise that ‘if it works for our children it will work at Curtain Up’ so we have always treated the students like our own – we have a lot of kids! What do your students need to have before enrolling?

We have a very exciting new range of courses which we are about to introduce online, that specialise in furniture painting to professional standards – both beginners and advanced levels – and in interior design. Looking at using colour in the home, creating moodboards and planning new designs for interior spaces. What led you to teach your classes/courses?

Tell us about your classes I’m experienced in many disciplines of ﬁtness, which I combine to match the client’s needs following a thorough free consultation. Sessions last an hour, either ad hoc or courses speciﬁcally built for them. Fully mobile with my own equipment means I can go to the client, train outside or at Pettermides gym, Batheaston.

Yes, at Bath Abbey on Saturday 15 October at 1pm, and St Luke’s Church on Saturday 10 December at 7:30pm with award-winning multi-instrumentalist Anna Tam. Do you also lead singing workshops? I’m excited to be leading Soul Soundings in the amazing open space of Bath Abbey on Saturday 24 September at 7:30pm.

I started teaching in 2011 when I began using Annie Sloan Chalkpaint professionally. It is such a versatile artisan paint, that I wanted to share with as many like-minded people as possible. How many people are there on your course/class? We keep them small, with a maximun of seven people to enable us to give as direct and personal a service as possible. We are shortly moving our courses online too, which will reach many more. What do your students need to have before enrolling? A love of interiors, colour, painting and a willingness to learn and get involved! What sums up the ethos of your courses/class? They are friendly, extremely informative, relaxed and with the intention to share our skills and help people make the very most of their furniture and interiors. Vanessa Sayce

Tell us about your classes/courses

What makes your classes different from similar ones out there? It’s all about you and ﬁnding out what makes you motivated and happy. Being qualiﬁed as not only a personal trainer but nutrition advisor and life coach, I listen, consult and plan a bespoke journey with you to meet your needs, wants and goals.

LUCY MAIN FITNESS, NUTRITION & LIFE COACHING 07919 523109; coach@lucymain.com

Lucy Main CARTER CURTAIN UP THEATRE SCHOOL 014490; www.curtainup.org.uk

07974

Tell us about your choirs

What should participants expect to achieve through your classes?

Jane Harris

I’d say the energy, vibrancy and variety of songs, and the way the harmonies take us into different sound worlds. We perform rich South African choruses, beautiful folk songs, uplifting American harmony songs and vibrant Balkan music along with my own original compositions. Songways offers a chance to develop your voice, increase range and resonance, release tension and explore new singing styles. Are there opportunities to perform?

JANE HARRIS DIRECTOR OF SONGWAYS 07894 205255; www.songways.co.uk

I am passionate about helping others who may dislike exercise and being unhappy with their weight, to absolutely loving it and losing it! Their goals may also be conquering the menopause, mental health, hypertrophy, strength, endurance, food planning, body transformation, tackling minor injuries, or just getting ﬁtter. I love discovering what motivates somebody together with what may be preventing them reaching their goals.

TRISTAN

THIS ISSUE >>ENTRECONF DINNER (72) >>BATH LIFE AWARDS PRECISION PILATES (74) >>BIZ Q&A REBECCA DENNIS (75) It’s the city’s business

BATH WORKS

appointedhasSaddiqohammedbeen the new TheforLieutenantLord-Somerset.executive director of operations at Wessex Water will take over from Annie Maw CVO when she retires at the end of MohammedOctober.isknown for his sustainability and environmental concerns, and in 2020 received an honorary degree of Doctor of Science from the University of West of England for enhancing sustainable development locally. He is an avid supporter of local community projects, and holds roles with many organisations and charities including the Bristol Future Talent project, which works with local businesses to provide work experience and mentoring support to students from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, and also holds the role of trustee with cancer charity Penny Brohn UK. His mentoring also extends to the workplace, where he set up a partnership between Wessex Water and The Prince’s Trust to mentor young people. Mohammed, who now lives in Midford his family, with credits his work today to his parents, who moved to England from Pakistan in the “They1960s.came here with virtually nothing but they had such a strong work ethic,” he says. “I was born in Leeds and my parents were always encouraging me to do well at school, to help create a good life for myself. I became the ﬁrst member of our family to go to university. “It is a tremendous honour for me. I’ve always thought it is important to remember where you’ve come from. I’m in a privileged position now and it’s important for me to give something back to the community and the country which has given me so much.”

For more: www.bathnes.gov.uk

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New Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset Mohammed Saddiq is known for his green credentials and his mentoring work with young people Meet Somerset’s new Lord-Lieutenant

BY:SPONSORED

Somerset’s current Lord-Lieutenant Annie Maw CVO, who will have held the position for nearly eight years when she retires in October, says, “It’s been the greatest honour of my life to serve as Somerset’s Lord-Lieutenant. I know Mohammed thinks the same and I know he will do a tremendous job. I couldn’t be more delighted by his appointment. With his business background he will bring a new skillset to the role, which will be invaluable.”

Lording it

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

FORWARD PLANNING BY:SPONSORED

GOODS

RUHX is willslong-termencouragingplanningwithatareducedfee

The professional will writing service costs for a standard single will, or for a standard oint will.

Martin Bysh will appear for a live interview at the EntreConf dinner

Hubooalone.founder

The Wag Walk is coming up in September at Bath Cats and Dogs Home

Throughout September, R H , the o cial HS charity for the Royal nited Hospitals Bath is oﬀering families the chance to ma e or update their will for a reduced fee. In collaboration with R H ill month, solicitors across Bath, Somerset and iltshire are donating per cent of their fees to the hospital to highlight the importance of planning for the future and so the charity can continue to provide e traordinary care.

For more: www.ruhx.org.uk

MOVE PAWPOSEWITH

Bath Cats and Dogs Home’s BCDH annual ag al is coming up on September. The fundraising challenge is open to all een wal ers with or without their dogs in tow. The event sponsored by Bath ets raises funds for unwanted cats and dogs cared for by the BCDH, and oﬀers two routes a two mile at route or a more strenuous ﬁve mile wal along the ational Trust Bath S yline. e love seeing wal ers and dogs having fun on the ag al and raising money for the animals in our care, says Rachel Jones, C at Bath Cats and Dogs Home. very animal deserves their best shot at a happy ending and every step of this process is reliant on donations so any sponsorship you’re able to raise is very much appreciated. ur aim is for all our rescue pets to have a bright future with a new family of their own so please adopt if you can. The wag wal costs per person and all entrants are encouraged to raise sponsorships to donate to the charity there are even pri es up for grabs for the top fundraisers on the day. For more: www.bathcatsanddogshome.org.uk

The ne t ntreConf dinner is coming up on September, with guest spea er Martin Bysh, C and co founder of Huboo. Huboo helps online businesses grow by providing e commerce order fulﬁlment services, with operations across four countries and has recently announced it’ll be launching in Germany. The multi award winning company has grown signiﬁcantly in recent times, and too on a remar able new starters in Martin will share his e perience of rapidly scaling e commerce, touching on growth strategy, maintaining culture, how funding can up your game, managing a rapid growth business, and what he’s learned along the way. The ntreConf dinner is at the Avon Gorge Hotel in Clifton, and begins with an informal networ ing session at pm, followed by dinner and Martin’s live interview with plenty of opportunities to as him questions along the way. For more: www.entreconf.com THE

DELIVER

AFTER A FASHION

Clearly PR’s associate director, James Gwinnett featured as a recruit on series four of SAS: Who Dares Wins, and worked with Ollie to publicise the launch of his app, Battle Ready 360. “James has proven his knowledge of the media landscape in the past and, with the support of a leading PR agency that oﬀers the complete pac age, we are delighted to be working with him again,” says Ollie. “With his experience on SASWDW, James understands the BreakPoint mindset and what we are looking to achieve for the business –which is ultimately to get the best out of our corporate and individual clients.”

MOVERS DARESHAKERSANDETCTOWIN

After trading online for six years, the ﬁrst irtuoso looring showroom has opened on Moorland Road. The new space showcases a selection of Virtuoso’s ethically and sustainably sourced ooring options including wood, luxury vinyl tiles, carpet, sheet vinyl and natural oor many made in the TheUK.new showroom comes with a brand refresh that’ll see Virtuoso moving towards the residential market with a brand-new website and fresh blue branding, while the well-known Virtuoso red – including their bright red vans – will now represent the company’s commercial business.

DHI is encouraging supporters to hold clothes swaps to raise awareness and funds for the charity

SAS: Who Dares Wins star Ollie Ollerton has joined Clearly PR as a client. The Bath-based PR company is working with llie to promote his corporate oﬀering Brea oint, a company which oﬀers businesses and individuals training and performance courses centred around changing limited beliefs, and also Ollie’s motivational talks.

www.mediaclash.co.uk

I BATH LIFE I 73

“Our hope is to encourage many people to hold an event and raise money and much needed awareness for the charity,” says Katie Rawlings at DHI. “Essentially it will be a really fun get together for friends, help to prevent clothes going into landﬁll m worth of clothing each year) and will give people a much-needed lift.”

For more: www.artatruh.org

For more: www.clearlypr.co.uk DOWN TO A FINE ART pARTicipate at the RUH has returned as the hospital adjusts to the new, post-Covid normal. While group activities were restricted, Art at the Heart, the RUH Patient Experience Team, and Friends of the RUH collaborated to provide arts and crafts activity bags to individual patients, with over 250 distributed to date. Artsparks Virtual also launched, which is comprised of six workshops using the items in the arts and crafts activity bags on themes li e ﬁmo clay modelling and paper sculpture. In real life Artsparks workshops for young patients and their families/carers are back, and the hospital’s two resident artists, Edwina Bridgeman and Charlotte Stowell, are able to run socially distanced workshops on the children’s ward.

“No job is too big or small as we’re open to all projects and budget requirements,” says Lois Reed at Virtuoso Flooring. “Examples of our work include Bath Abbey, Dyrham Park, NHS covid wards, The Empire, The Paragon, as well as many beautiful homes within and around Bath.” or more www virt osofloorin o

Developing Health and Independence (DHI) has developed a new initiative that means we can fundraise and update our wardrobes at the same time. The charity, which supports disadvantaged and socially excluded people, is encouraging supporters to hold clothes swaps to raise funds. The idea is simple – invite over a group of friends, ask them to bring a couple of pre loved items, en oy a coﬀee or even a glass of wine swap and choose clothes and ma e a donation to DHI. Any leftover clothes can be oﬀered to DHI service users.

Virtuoso has opened its very ﬁrst showroom on Moorland Road

HIT FLOORTHE

Ollie Ollerton has signed with Clearly PR

For more: www.dhi-online.org.uk

WINNERAmberEdenbrow, studio owner/founder, with Natalie Uff, studio teacher and marketing assistant

JOIN THE FUN

a year teaching classes online, our clients have been extremely loyal and have thoroughly loved being back doing face-to-face classes once again.

Tell us more about the Corsham community I have lived in Corsham for 10 years and when I was looking for a suitable property for the business, I was determined for it to be in the centre of Corsham. We are so lucky with

WELLBEING

BATHWORKS 74 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk SPONSORED BY

What do you really love about your work?

Was there one moment when you realised Precision Pilates was on the right track? All the positive feedback and testimonials that we get from our clients. A wife of one of our clients has just thanked us for all of the Pilates teaching we have given to her husband over this past year. They have just come back from a skiing holiday and because of all of the Pilates instruction, this client managed to get through a week of skiing with no in ury and no bac pain a ﬁrst. It’s testimonials like this that remind us the ways our job really does improve people’s mental and physical well-being.

For 2023, the Bath Life Awards has a brand-new look – and a brandnew headline sponsor. Alongside the new vibrant pink and purple branding on the website, you’ll spot Doubletree by Hilton’s logo front and centre. Sponsorship is a great way to get involved with the Bath Life Awards. There are a range of options and price points for sponsors, with beneﬁts like presenting an Award, getting a specially dressed table for your company and exclusive association with a particular category – among other beneﬁts.

HEALTH

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given? First, to believe in your product or service. Second, it’s okay to make mistakes – use them and learn by them.

BATH LIFE AWARDS 2022

An award-winning Pilates and well-being studio, Corsham-based recision ilates oﬀers ilates, reformer, barre, yoga and Power Pilates classes, and workshops. Founder Amber Edenbrow tells us more... So, how did it feel to win a Bath Life Award?

As the business owner, I have a fantastic team of teachers working with me. We all work together to support each other and share ideas. I am passionate about the way the body moves, and I absolutely love teaching. One of the most rewarding things about my job is seeing the improvements each of our clients make, whether that be improvements in posture, e ibility, mobility or general wellness. Seeing how Pilates changes people’s lives is incredible.

AMAZING. We are over the moon and as proud as punch. Is the Award on display? Of course – in the studio. Pride of place for everyone to see. We have a shelf! Why do you think the judges chose you for this year’s well-being Award? We have worked so hard to grow the business over the past ﬁve years, in May we opened up our very own Precision Pilates studio in the heart of Corsham. ithin months of opening, we have doubled both our teaching team and the number of classes that we oﬀer. Having spent

For more information about sponsorship contact head of partnerships Annie annie.kelly@mediaclash.co.ukKelly and commercial director Pat pat.white@mediaclash.co.ukWhite the wonderful businesses here – it really is a community where we all know each other. I wanted clients to come and enjoy a class and then be able to pop into town to do some shopping, buy locally and perhaps meet up with friends. Having two hours free par ing oﬀered by the council is a great advantage too, and really helps to eep the High Street alive.

For more: Precision Pilates Studio, 4 Abacus House, Newlands Road, Corsham; www.precisionpilatesstudio.co.uk

What are some of the frustrations in your industry? I don’t think I have any! I love the industry that I work in – I am very lucky. One thing we have noticed is a huge increase in male clients attending our classes within the past year. I would like to see more GPs referring clients to Pilates for injury rehab and I would like to see more people take part in Pilates before they get injured.

More than that, casual sexist remarks and irtation ere routine. he day when I was slapped on the bum in a tribunal by a professional colleague – it was a sex discrimination case, ironically –always make me ho l ith laughter. o times have changed. Why did you leave? My son was born in 2014. I was keen to get back to work and hired a full-time nanny. As a feminist, I genuinely thought I had it all but sadly I knew something had to change for me, my husband and our son, and that meant leaving my belo ed rst legal career. What did you do next? I took some extended leave and then joined an international employment consultancy. This was a perfect way to use my skills and ensure that I could still participate properly in my family life. And now Goughs... I lead the DepartmentEmploymenthere.Asthe public face of this department and its lead lawyer, this means that I can control the direction that the department takes and develop the people and the workload to provide the best possible service for our clients. What kinds of things are you tackling day to day? We deal with contentious and WE WERE NOT

“BACK THEN

For more: Goughs, Greenways Business Park, Chippenham; www.goughs.co.uk

Goughs’ lead lawyer on life at the Bar, having it all, and The Friday FAQ

What was the Bar like back then? It makes me laugh when I think of life as a female barrister in the early days. There were not that many of us – and did you know that back then we were not even allowed to wear trousers?

BATHWORKS

me, those months in pupillage were hugely enjoyable and challenging. I had two Pupil Masters and they were both massi ely in uential in the ay I developed as a lawyer. Tell us about life in Chambers Chambers was always a thrilling place to be with lots of bright minds and brilliant conversations. I remember thinking in the early days that I needed to be interesting or amusing, and failing that, to keep quiet and listen. Was it everything you hoped? There was so much to learn and genuinely lo ed it. appily, it all worked out for me and I became a tenant in Chambers – a combination of luck and ability. Life at the Bar was never dull. My practice was always extremely busy and I got used to working long hours and always working at weekends. Work/life balance had yet to be invented!

Rebecca Dennis R ebecca Dennis leads the AGoughsDepartmentEmploymentatSolicitors.formerbarrister, she now works as the department’s lead lawyer, based in Goughs’ hippenham office. ere, she shares how her experience at the Bar equipped her for her role today. Talk us through the early days of your career… So, after my post-grad degree, nished the Bar ocational ourse at the Inns of Court School of Law in London in 1993 and started my pupillage at Queen Square Chambers in Bristol. That feels simultaneously like yesterday and a million years ago. he competition as absolutely erce and I felt a huge sense of relief that I was settled. That being said I was still not completely uali ed and had to pass my 12 months pupillage and then to be taken on by Chambers in order to be able to work as a barrister. What’s pupillage like? I was acutely aware that once all the hurdles had been jumped, there was absolutely no guarantee that I would be successful as a barrister. There is simply no certainty for members of the Bar who are self-employed. This role is not for the faint hearted. For non-contentious matters, which means that some of our work is my familiar litigation territory and some is technical and revolves around our commercial department and drafting. I am also an industrial relations specialist, which means that I give practical assistance with tricky employer-employee issues and avoiding litigation risk. Have you made any changes to how the department runs? Yes, plenty! My favourite change has to be the practical development of my personal philosophy which is ‘share the knowledge’. I have developed a really useful bi-monthly Teams event – absolutely free to corporate clients. I decided to call it ‘The Friday FAQ’. The title amuses me! The format is really friendly and practical. Either I will give a short update on topical issues and provoke a debate, or more often, the participants will ask me thorny questions in advance that need an expert view. Who tends to come along? The audience usually comprises senior managers and it is abulous to see a group of people exchanging ideas and experience. It is always hugely entertaining and we all leave better informed. I love it. I have also developed a subscription service for our commercial client base which means that e can offer the absolute best value, something especially useful for start-ups and SMEs who need to control expenditure. What are the key qualities that make you good at your job? Being unafraid to tell the truth and una raid to ha e a difference o opinion. I am always mindful that clients may not always want to hear or heed the ad ice on offer, ust as judges may not like a particular argument. It is hugely important that all our clients are left in no doubt about the prevailing law in any particular situation, and their options. I pride myself on really useful communication skills and patience. And compassion. Always.

EVEN ALLOWED TO TROUSERS”WEAR BY:SPONSORED www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 75

BIZ Q&A

You may want to give some thought as to whether any capital losses can be realised prior to the sale of the property, in order to reduce the CGT payable after 60 days of the sale of the residential property.

Jacqui Bowden BSc (Hons) ACA May Chartered Accountants

Pearson

60 days isn’t very long! Funds will need to be put in place to cover the CGT liability arising as soon as the sale is completed.

As you will appreciate, 60 days is not long to consider the position, prepare any necessary computations, report the gain to HMRC and pay the tax liability arising. If the deadline for ﬁling the CGT UK Property Return is missed, an automatic £100 penalty can be charged with potential further penalties of £10 per day if the Return is still outstanding after three months. Additional penalties and interest may also apply for failure to make the capital gains tax payment on time.

There are similar but different 60-day reporting rules for non-UK residents, covering both residential and non-residential property disposals, but these are beyond the scope of this article. What disposals are caught?

M any Capitalreportingregime’awareindividualsproperty-owningarestillnotofthe’60-dayinrelationtotheandpayingofGainsTax(CGT) in connection with disposals of UK residential property by UK residents. If you have recently sold a property, or are planning to, then you may need to take urgent action.

Capital losses brought forward from earlier years or made in the same year as the gains (but prior to the date of sale) can be offset if desired.

over and above the provisional payment by the usual Self-Assessment deadlines.

The 60-day reporting regime catches any disposals of UK residential properties that result in a gain on which CGT is payable. Therefore, disposals of overseas residential properties are not caught (although there will almost certainly be requirements in the overseas jurisdiction and the disposal still needs to be reported on your UK Self-Assessment Tax Return). The regime also does not apply to UK residential property disposals that result in a loss or which do not give rise to a CGT charge e.g. because the gain is covered by the CGT Annual Exemption (£12,300 per individual for the current tax year). These disposals may still need to be reported on annual Self-Assessment Tax Returns. This also means that if the gain is fully covered by a CGT relief, it is not usually caught. An example of this might be a disposal of your main home, which is fully covered by principal private residence relief. However, it would apply to the disposal of a UK second home, a property you have never lived in (or only lived in for part of the ownership period) or a UK let property, whether or not you lived in that property at some point. It would also, for example, apply to an inherited property sold for more than its probate valuation. It is important to understand that the rules do not just apply to sales of property, they apply equally if you were to gift a property (e.g. to an adult child) even though you may not have received any money in exchange. A gift constitutes a disposal for CGT purposes with the deemed proceeds being the market value. This is an area which is frequently overlooked. If the disposal of the property is to a spouse or civil partner then special rules apply, so no CGT liability arises and no 60-day CGT Return is required as a result.

The changes brought in on 6 April 2020 mean that where the disposal of the residential property results in a gain on which CGT is payable, this must be reported to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) within 60 days following the date of completion, and the tax due must be paid over by the same date. The original rules stipulated a 30-day deadline, but this was extended to 60 days in the 2021 Autumn Budget (for completions on or after 27 October 2021). This is a signiﬁcant timing difference compared to the old rules, as previously the gain would have been reported on an individual’s annual Tax Return and the tax paid over to HMRC by 31 January following the end of the tax year in which the disposal occurred. The change in law did not change any of the rules in relation to which gains are taxable or the rate of tax that is payable.

Who do these rules apply to? The following UK tax resident persons are within the scope of the 60-day CGT rules:

TAX