Bristol Life – Issue 366

PARR AND THE MADDING CROWD

Fancy a road trip with this famous photographer?

+Star treatment: Oscar-worthy interiors (+ those Aardman BAFTA wins!) / Mother’s Day: the self-gifting edit / T he chaatering classes: return to Bandook / Good clay sunshine: sustainable ceramics by Alice Watkins / Girls, uninterrupted: Julia Grogan’s Playfight / Hail the unsung hero: Bristol Old Vic’s Mike Elliott

And the award goes to...

Never mind who won Best Actor or Best Film. Which of the current crop of Oscarnominated movies floats your interiors boat?

Relentless and largely tedious though they are, it’s hard not to get caught up in the big movie awards ceremonies. Will the bookies’ favourites win, or will a surprise outsider be crowned? Who will keep it mercifully short and sweet on the podium, and who will bore us into a stupor? Who among the non-winners will manage to look like a good sport, and who will be caught by the camera in an unguarded snarl?

From 1960s Greenwich Village to post-war Pennsylvania, from the sacred halls of the Vatican to the fantastical world of Emerald City, this year’s contenders ran a wide and tantalising gamut of scenic styles. It got us thinking: how much do fashions in interiors reflect, or even influence, the aesthetics in the movies? We decided that this was as good an angle as any on which to hang our spring interiors feature, so we did; see page 10.

Of course, if your ideal home features vintage design, with mismatched mid-century furniture and floral William Morris-esque wallpaper, you need look no further for inspiration than 62 West Wallaby Street, the home of Wallace & Gromit – which links us seamlessly to Aardman’s double-BAFTA win for Vengeance Most Fowl. We hail our gongbearing homecoming heroes on page 6.

As a long-time Martin Parr fan – cue thinly veiled excuse to dig out the above photo, taken by Martin in 2017 – I was fascinated by Lee Shulman’s new documentary, in which he takes a road trip with the inimitable Bristolbased photographer. Turn to page 38 to learn more about the film, and what makes Martin’s work so special.

That’s just the headline news for this issue; there’s plenty more good stuff where that came from. It’s not going to read itself, so go ahead and delve in,

DERI ROBINS Bristol Life editor @BristolLifeMag

Issue 366 / Spring 2025

ON THE COVER

New documentary I Am Martin Parr goes behind the scenes with the revered Bristol-based photographer meet the film’s director Lee Schulman on page 38

INTERIORS

10 STAR TREATMENT Which Oscar interior are you?

ARTS

30 WHAT’S ON The cultural scene is busting out all over 38 PHOTOGRAPHY He is Martin Parr

44 ART The sustainable ceramics of Alice Watkins

48 BRISTOL HEROES Psychogeographic heroes

52 THEATRE Girls, uninterrupted

57 BOOKS Nugget-lit

FOOD & DRINK

60 RESTAURANT Spice, spice baby

65 CAFÉ SOCIETY Stan fancies himself as a man of mystery

67 WINE Sisters are doing it for themselves

SHOPPING

70 ED’S CHOICE We’re not leaving Mother’s ay to chance this year

EDUCATION

73 ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS What does school-ready’ really mean?

NETWORK

77 BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS The preview!

87 JOURNEY TO THE JOB Zoe Colosimo

PROPERTY

94 SHOWCASE Return to Pembroke Road

REGULARS

6 SPOTLIGHT BAFTAs and record-breakers

9 BRIZZOGRAM

106 BRISTOL LIVES Mike Elliott

Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors Colin Moody, Stan Cullimore, Storysmith Books, Charlie Taylor Commercial manager Neil Snow neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Tony Robinson tony.robinson@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Charlotte Mace-Pettittcharlotte.mace-pettitt@mediaclash.co.uk Production/operations manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Bristol Life MediaClash, Media House, 1 Widcombe Parade, Bath, BA2 4JT. tel: 01225 475800; www.mediaclash.co.uk. @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

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SAFE FROM HARM

If you were in the crowd at Massive Attack’s Act 1.5 gig on the Downs last August, you witnessed a world record being broken.

According to lead producer Mark Donne, the show was the “cleanest, greenest festival event ever staged” – a claim that’s just been backed up by prof Carly McLachlan of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. Praising the gig for its 100% battery-powered energy, full focus on vegan food, and incentives to travel by rail, Carly said she hoped this “proof-of-concept show could change the landscape for outdoor festivals”.

The biggest problem was caused by the of fans who flew to the show, generating 64% of the event’s overall greenhouse gases; something that’s likely to be an ongoing problem for eco-conscious promoters staging bigger events at fewer locations.

Animation FEATS OF CLAY

Clean, green machine: Act 1.5 on the Downs

“There’s a huge question now for tour planning, but also for media and promoter marketing campaigns high on the glitz of epic summer tours that normalise leisure aviation,” said Massive Attack’s Rob Del Naja.

A very good clay day at the BAFTAs for Aardman, with Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl winning Best Children & Family Film and Best Animation. They were also nominated for Best British Film; the Conclave team took that one home, but as Aardman’s Merlin Crossingham said, for an animation to be considered in this category at all was “quite special”.

“It’s remarkable that our very Britishness is embraced in America,” said Merlin. “There are some jokes, like Anton Deck, which are very British. In the American screenings there was complete silence apart from one rit guffawing in the corner ut apart from one or two very specific gags, it seems to be embraced And even if they’re laughing at us, not with us, we’re still happy.”

Aardman co-founder Peter Lord elaborated further in a chat with Joe Sims on BBC Bristol. he films work everywhere in the world there’s something genuine about them ome films seem a bit formulaic, they’re just doing what they think the public wants. But Nick Park is a genius; he’s just sincere. He does what he wants. He puts these silly puns into the film because he loves them, and that simple enthusiasm somehow shines through.”

Which leads to the obvious question: will there be another instalment of Wallace and Gromit?

While there’s nothing planned, said Pete, “We’ve all of us been so delighted with the success of this movie that yes, we want to do it again; not because it’s good business, although it is, but because it’s just such fun to bring these characters to the world.”

Aardman didn’t score this time at the Oscars, though. It was probably that Anton Deck gag that done ’em in. For more: www.aardman.com

The band will spread the eco love during two major UK dates this year; they’re set to play Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena on 5 June and London’s new LIDO festival on the 6th. For more: www.massiveattack.co.uk

ABOVE: Nobody wanted to party with Feathers at the BAFTAs BELOW: The glamour! Directors Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham (far left and right) with producer Richard Beek and presenter Camila Cabello

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BACK TO BLACK

It’s quite the colour blast of an issue, what with Martin Parr and our Oscars-themed interiors feature. Let’s dial it down a bit with some classic black and white

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THE STAR TREATMENT

THE DEEP, CARDINAL REDS OF CONCLAVE

THE EMERALD ART-DECO MAGIC OF WICKED

THE MID-CENTURY NOSTALGIA OF A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

THE MONO MINIMALISM OF THE BRUTALIST

THE DESERT HUES OF DUNE: PART 2

THE MEXICAN MAXIMALISM OF EMILIA PEREZ

AND THE BRISTOL LIFE INTERIORS OSCAR GOES TO…

Everyone – or at least everyone who cares about such matters – knows there’s a strong synergy between fashion in clothes and interiors. Brown dominating the catwalk? Be sure that you’ll be seeing it in the smartest homes this year. 1970s revival? Sure, buy the crochet-knot waistcoat and wide flares, but stock up on rattan while you’re at it.

It’s slightly less easy to discern a crossover into movies – after all, they come in so many different genres, and are set in a wide variety of periods. The funny thing is, though, with a few decades of hindsight all films, whatever their setting, tend to feel very much of their era. Take the classic 1967 John Schlesinger movie Far from the Madding Crowd: there’s never been a better or more faithful Hardy adaptation, and yet today it feels as much a part of the Swinging Sixties as Carnaby Street. Terry meets Julie, but make it 1860s Wessex.

And if films unwittingly reflect the eras in which they are made, can the era also inspire the style of the films This idea prompted us to take a look at some of the contenders for this year’s best film at the scars

Did the current nostalgia for all things 1960s and ’70s rekindle our interest in early Dylan? Do Conclave’s reds and golds echo the way that rich, punchy colours are dominating interiors at the moment? What could be more inviting than the warm desert neutrals of Dune: Part 2? Is Wicked tapping in to our newly discovered love for both Art Deco and rich, emerald greens? , it’s slightly a tenuous premise, but as good a one as any on which to hang our spring interiors feature. The question was, would our local experts embrace the fun of it, or would they roll their eyes and pass? Thankfully, it turned out to be the former.

P he scar, of course, ultimately went to Anora, but neither Ani’s strip club nor Vanya’s soulless mansion were really giving us ideal-home vibes.

“Does the colour palette of Conclave tap in to our love for rich reds and luxe golds?”

Divine Savages’ Deco Martini: opulent enough to please the most sybaritic of bishops

CONCLAVE: Vatican chic, baby!

Deep cardinal reds and burgundies, golds and dark greens; ornate details and patterns, opulence and tradition: the award for the most luxe interior goes to Conclave

Handily for this feature, red is also very much a hue du jour…

Get the look

Jamie Watkins of Divine Savages likes to pair different shades of red together, then use varied textures to keep the balance. “Combine, for example, the soft sheen of wallpaper that has subtle metallic highlights with the plush richness of velvet curtains and patterned cushions” he says. “Opulent designs with ornate or intricate patterns work especially well with a red colour palette, due to its richness and depth.”

And if Vatican purity is too stark, how about interpreting the colourways through glamorous Art Deco? “Our Deco Martini wallpaper features a sultry mix of deep burgundy, black, and gold which brings Gatsby glamour and a touch of the Paris cabaret to your home. We recommend styling it with luxurious red velvet, opulent drapes, and touches of gold and marble.”

“Dramatic reds serve as a focal point, drawing visual attention, making a bold statement and creating a sense of drama and depth,” says Ruth Mottershead of Little Greene.

“A colour-drenched space featuring a bold true red will feel intensely cocooning, but can be a little overwhelming. By incorporating red in a ‘double drenching’ scheme combined with other related hues you can create a grounding contrast that emphasises the complex nature of a bold red. This subtle contrast can highlight architectural features or one-specific areas of a room without it feeling overpowering, allowing for differentiation while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic.”

And don’t limit the style to living spaces; after a long day of voting in the conclave, nine out of ten bishops said they like to take a long and relaxing bath in a luxurious marbled room.

“Bathrooms have become an opportunity for creativity and bravery, with chequerboard tiles, colourful walls and statement furniture,” says Laura Reynolds of Fifteen Twelve.

“Rich oxblood tones take the spotlight, paired with deep burgundies, warm browns and dark, earthy greens, which draw inspiration from nature’s most dramatic elements.

“Bold, veined marbles introduce a touch of luxury, while dark wood furniture enhances the palette with warmth and depth.”

For full-on ornate glamour, “Hampton mbroidery by offany is an e quisite blend of pattern paying homage to Jacobean embroidery,” says Alison Bracey of Bracey Interiors. “Teamed with ornate silk tassels, is there a better way to celebrate opulence?”

“A colour-drenched space featuring a bold true red will feel intensely cocooning, but can be a little overwhelming”

Alison also loves Watts of Westminster: “An iconic British company renowned for its opulent and classic damask designs, often in luxurious rich colours of silk. Their range of trimmings is exquisite, with many being custom-designed to complement fabrics.”

And how could we leave out a sofa named Oscar? “This red sofa leads our nominations for a bold design statement”, says Annie Blackledge of Holloways. “We love it in this ruby red Maison Raspberry velvet, paired with a statement rug, textured scatter cushions and contemporary lighting. Move the chaise to the left or right, or leave it in the centre, and the Oscar is the most versatile of seating options. And as it’s as easy on the wallet as it’s punchy on style, it’d be a cardinal sin not to.”

1. Zinc Textiles’ Superstars at Romo; 2 & 3 Opulent damask from Watts of Westminster (Bracey Interiors); 4. Decadent silk lighting from David Hunt; 5. Ornate trimmings from Samuel & Sons; 6. No need to invest in classical statuary: Mind the Gap’s wallpaper offers a simpler solution; 7. How could we leave out Holloways’ Oscar sofa?

Get the look

WICKED: It’s easy being green

For a fantasy movie, Wicked is remarkably on-trend. Of course, there are the primary pops of Munchkinland – very now! – but let’s focus here on the sheer glamour of Emerald City.

“The release of Wicked has helped to influence interior design trends, leading to a surge in the popularity of emerald green,” says Jamie of Divine Savages. “This phenomenon, which we’ve seen referred to as Wickedcore, draws inspiration from the film’s Emerald City. Emerald green in turn is perfect for Art Decoinspired interiors as it really embodies the era’s opulence and drama. Its rich, jewel-like tone contrasts beautifully with gold and black, adding depth and luxury to any space.”

“Emerald City vibes abound in the opulent curves of the Monique collection,” says Annie

1. Holloways’ Monique sofa; 2. Divine Savages’ Gershwing (no, not Gerwig, we’re not talking Barbiecore here); 3. Paint & Paper’s magical malachite; 4. Lamp by David Hunt; 5. Please pour us a glass of Divine Savages’ Deco Martini

of Holloways. “Wickedly comfortable and just as glamorous; choose from rich velvets in jewel shades from emerald to jade and sapphire. Pair with opulently patterned Italian velvet scatter cushions, Art Deco furniture and dazzling lighting for the full-on Hollywood vibe.”

Or, how about Park Furnishings’ Casa Viscount sofa? “This statement piece radiates glamour and comfort, making every evening feel like a trip to the theatre”, says Rhian Griffiths. “Bold, beautiful, and irresistibly plush, it’s pure magic for your living room.”

“The captivating and sumptuous new ‘Malachite’ green joining our colour palette has been directly inspired by an exemplary piece of velvet malachite, formed in caves, in sculptural and even stalagmitic forms”, says Andy Greenall of Paint & Paper Library.

“It’s a colour we’re used to seeing in highgloss, lacquer-like finishes, but the natural, unpolished malachite we sourced when developing this intense colour possessed an otherworldly velvety matt finish; by using on all four walls in the flattest emulsion paint available, you can achieve an exquisite, powdery effect that elevates this opulent tone.”

Sheer magic.

“Emerald is perfect for Art Deco-inspired interiors as it really embodies the era’s opulence and glamour”

INTERIORS

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN: 20th-century boy

Charting the career rise of a certain Robert Allen immerman, the film is set in the first half of the 1960s – an era whose aesthetic and philosophy hugely influenced the decade that followed.

The Sixties were a wild ride in every sense, marked by cultural revolution, artistic innovation and a rebellious departure from tradition. Homes become canvases for bold expression, with vibrantly coloured and daringly patterned rooms reflecting the optimism and creativity of the time.

As interiors tipped into the ’70s, designers took this spirit of experimentation and energy and made it more relaxed and individualised. Both decades embraced bright, vibrant colours, though while the ’60s leant towards psychedelic hues, the ’70s incorporated deeper, earthier tones like mustard yellow, browns, burnt orange and forest green.

Large-scale patterns like paisley, geometric shapes, and optical illusions were popular in both eras, and while the ’60s hippie/folk movement influenced design with its boho elements, the ’70s embraced a more mature version with natural materials like wood and wicker, adding a grounded feel.

Get the look

“We love to spice up interiors with warmer earthy neutrals, from soft terracotta to punchier yellows,” says Jamie Watkins of Divine Savages. “We are always drawn to deep, bold colours, mainly nature-based shades which are packed full of beautiful earthy tones, and it’s those reminiscent of the 1970s that we’re particularly loving at the moment – mixing these with occasional pops of colour keeps a room scheme unique, but with a hint of heritage.”

Rhian at Park Furnishers invites us to step into the 1970s with Orla Kiely. “With A Complete Unknown capturing hearts on the big screen, it’s time to bring that ’70s glow into your everyday. Orla Kiely’s signature prints, drenched in sun-soaked yellows and deep, earthy browns, evoke nostalgia with a fresh flair Perfect for those who love a pattern as bold as they are, and a home that tells a story.”

And from Hollywood to Holloways!

“Get into a New York state of mind with the Trasimeno – a heady mix of Italian leather and loft apartment styling,” suggests Annie Blackledge. “Think loft apartments with herringbone floors, e posed brick walls, industrial furniture and minimalist metallics. Park your Triumph outside and settle down on the fibre-wrapped cushions with a guitar and a vintage copy of Dylan Goes Electric.”

1

1 & 3. The cheerful, nostalgic design and hues of these Orla Kiela chair at Park Furnishings effortlessly bring the nostalgic ’70s feels; 2. Holloways: just add acoustic guitars and a scattering of vinyl; 4.Where did all the flowers go? To Divine Savages, clearly

3 2

4

“Spice up interiors with warm, earthy neutrals”

INTERIORS

THE BRUTALIST:

Any colour as long as it’s mono he film’s name refers to a style of architecture known for its raw, e posed concrete surfaces, geometric shapes, and its focus on functionality over decorative elements

bviously, few people want to live in a home resembling an underpass, but if stark, angular forms with sparse, minimal furnishings and a restrained mono colour palette sounds good – and to us, this doesn’t sound a million miles away from the popular apandi trend – there may be inspiration here for you

Get the look

ur take on the minimalu e interior trend emphasises simplicity while incorporating elements of opulence , says amie of ivine avages With its clean, uncluttered aesthetic comes a sophisticated colour palette of neutral tones and tactile te tures such as velvet, flocked paper and metallic finishes Incorporating wallpaper can add depth, sophistication and te ture without overwhelming the space een on the vibe but craving tactile softness underfoot rucial rading’s Invictus range offers lu ury vinyl flooring in a stone design to cement the look

ortunately, all of the above took our e perts considerably less time to e plain than Adrian rody’s interminable scar speech

“Nobody wants to live in a home resembling a concrete underpass”

1. Mono minimalism from David Hunt; 2. The most industrial-looking tieback you ever did see, by Samuel and Sons; 3 & 4. Arte’s Corbusier and LesThermes wallpapers embrace the Brutalist vibe; 4. Zinc Textiles keep it soft with Allure at Romo

INTERIORS

DUNE: PART 2: Warm neutrals forever

We may not aspire to live in the harsh, arid environment of Arrakis with its sweeping desert landscape and unrelenting sun; however, all those earthy, sandy beiges, ochres and muted greys are both on-trend and highly liveable.

Get the look

“You can’t go wrong with a neutral to create a calm and cooling atmosphere”, says Jamie of Divine Savages. “Metallic accents add sophistication, while shades like taupe, warm greys and ivory exude understated elegance. We suggest introducing plenty of texture to bring a neutral scheme to life and stop it from being boring.”

And while we admittedly didn’t spot any dogs in Dune: Part 2, in the original David Lynch movie there’s at least one pooch in House Atreides. So (look, we said this theme was tenuous) how about Divine Savages’ Poochi wallpaper? “A cheeky twist on a traditional flocked wallpaper in which fluffy, tactile dog motifs dance across a textured base. This is a warm, neutral wallpaper just begging to be stroked.”

“Soft neutrals are still present within all spaces, however more as a part of the structure, as opposed to soft furnishings,” says Laura Reynolds of Fifteen Twelve. “Kitchen cabinets are a mix of darker colours paired with softer wooden tones, striking marbles and antique brass mechanics.”

And while sand underfoot is neither pleasant nor practical, the pale neutrals and desert hues of seagrass are a delight. Tailored Flooring suggests eagrass Panama natural fibre flooring, whose fine, panama and herringbone designs bring texture and warmth to every room. “Fragrant, golden and exotic, seagrass effortlessly uplifts and creates atmosphere in any room,” they say, persuasively.

1. Warm, natural plaster by FifteenTwelve; 2.Divine Savages Drunken Monkey fabric (are there monkeys in Dune? Possibly not, but we feel as if there should be); 3 & 4. Arte wallcoverings nailing the textured neutral vibe

EMILIA PEREZ:

When you’re in the cantina at 6pm but on the red carpet at 7pm inally – well, not finally, but we struggled to extract much inspiration from Nickel Boys, Anora and I’m Still Here – we have the vibrant world of Emila Perez with its strong emphasis on colour, Mexican culture and operatic, maximalist aesthetic.

Get the look

Alison Bracey points us towards the Mexicaninspired culture of Colefax & Fowler’s Manuel Canovas Koti range, with its bold solar wheels surrounded by distinctive flowers, embroidered on cloth.

“Koti is a spectacular folk style embroidery in vivid colours, she says It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted, but what a wonderful way to create impact in a room, either as cushions or a simple blind.”

It’s a look embraced by Divine Savages, too. “As a brand we fully embrace our love for witty maximalism and our wallpaper and fabric designs are unapologetically eccentric while being uniquely sophisticated,” says Jamie. At home, we’re definitely ma imalist and certainly don’t shy away from bold pattern or colour. Our mantra is to decorate with whatever brings you joy, and to weave a tapestry of happiness and luxury throughout your home. One of the easiest ways to achieve this is through curating a cherished mix of old and new within your décor and styling, combining modern artwork and sculpture with antique furniture and classical styling.” n

1. Armalu by Arte; 2. Koti by Colefax & Fowler; 3.Lamp by SKK; 4. Pixie Table by Kent Design; 5. Divine Savages’ fabulous carnival of feathered friends brings a burst of tropical colour to the home

MEET DESIGN SEVEN

A new interior design studio based in Bristol

In the ever-evolving world of interior design, fresh talent and innovative approaches keep the industry moving forward. Enter Design Seven, a dynamic new studio based in Wick, Bristol, bringing over 30 years of combined experience to the table. With a professional yet refreshingly friendly team, Design Seven is making waves in both residential interiors and showhome design.

DESIGNING WITH HEART AND VISION

There’s something special about a new studio that moves with the confidence of an established firm. Design Seven doesn’t just design interiors –it creates spaces that transform how you feel the moment you walk in. From homes that reflect your personality to show homes that captivate buyers, its approach blends creativity with meticulous attention to detail.

“Great design isn’t just about how a space looks – it’s about how it makes you feel,” says the team at Design Seven. “Our goal is to craft interiors that are both visually stunning and perfectly suited to real life.”

WHAT MAKES DESIGN SEVEN DIFFERENT?

Design Seven balances timeless elegance with fresh innovation. Their residential work is deeply personal, ensuring your home reflects you – not just trends. With extensive showhome experience, they know how to make any space

feel instantly inviting. What sets them apart is their warm, collaborative approach. Whether working with developers, estate agents or homeowners, they listen first – then transform those conversations into spaces where every detail feels just right.

INTERIORS THAT EVOLVE WITH YOU: INSIGHTS FROM PAUL, CREATIVE DIRECTOR

“The way we live is always evolving, and great design evolves with us,” says Paul. “Today, people want more than beauty – they want homes that support wellbeing, reflect who the owners are, and adapt to change. What excites me most is how we’re blending sustainability with smart solutions, from eco-friendly materials to technology that enhances daily life.

“At Design Seven, we welcome these possibilities. Whether it’s bringing nature indoors, designing multifunctional spaces or creating interiors that feel both current and timeless, our passion is making homes you love coming back to.”

A COMPLETE INTERIOR DESIGN SERVICE

From the first conversation, Design Seven stands out. With fresh ideas, a focus on sustainability, and a keen eye for emerging trends, it designs spaces that enhance everyday life. Combining expertise with a warm, down-to-earth approach, Design Seven isn’t just a name to know – it’s a team you can trust. n

“ DESIGN SEVEN DOESN’T JUST DESIGN INTERIORS – IT CREATES SPACES THAT TRANSFORM HOW YOU FEEL THE MOMENT YOU WALK IN ”

Want to chat about your space? Give us a call at 01174 506 707 – we’d love to hear from you!

12B Greenway Farm, Bath Road, Wick, Bristol, BS30 5RL; info@designseven.co.uk; www.designseven.co.uk;  design7interiors

CABINET DECISIONS

A dream kitchen makeover with GARDINER HASKINS INTERIORS

After 25 years in their charming converted 18th-century barn, Mark and Val decided it was time for a major kitchen revamp. Their vision? A stylish, highquality space that honoured their home’s character while offering modern functionality. Now their oak kitchen finally needed replacing they decided to knock through and remodel the adjoining space at the same time. This would create seating with a garden view, and a separate utility room.

Their search led them to Gardiner Haskins Interiors, where they found not only premium products but also exceptional expertise and personal service. Browsing the Gardiner Haskins website, the couple discovered Stoneham Kitchens, renowned for bespoke British craftsmanship and holder of a Royal Warrant. Intrigued, they visited the showroom and met up with designer Alec Yull, who immediately impressed them with his hands-on approach. Rather than working from photos, Alec visited their home to understand the space and its potential.

With Alec’s guidance, Mark and Val selected Stoneham’s elegant painted Cudham furniture, opting for a sophisticated mix of dark and pale grey cabinetry, complemented by white marble-effect quartz worktops. Concerned about staining, Val rigorously tested a sample with turmeric, tea, and red wine – her fears were put to rest when it emerged unscathed.

Though the couple originally planned to retain their kitchen layout, Alec’s expert eye suggested improvements. He recommended relocating their new range cooker for better balance and replacing the gas hob with a sleek induction alternative. Sceptical at first, Val now loves the ease of cleaning and modern efficiency of the induction cooktop.

A standout feature in their new kitchen is a custom bar pantry. Initially drawn to its elegant, mirrored doors and stylish oak bottle storage in the showroom, Mark wasn’t sure it would fit. Alec worked his magic, adjusting the design to seamlessly integrate it alongside a new, larger fridge and freezer. Now, it’s a stunning centrepiece, perfect for entertaining.

Beyond aesthetics, functionality was key. The new kitchen has deep drawers, hidden recycling bins, a corner carousel, and underisland storage, ensuring clutter-free countertops. Meanwhile, the revamped utility room includes a tall cupboard with built-in vacuum charging points and a storage bench for coats, boots, and dog essentials for their spaniel, Poppy.

Throughout the process, Alec provided invaluable support, offering computergenerated visuals and sample materials to help the couple make confident choices. The expert fitting team navigated the challenges of the barn’s thick, uneven walls with precision, delivering a flawless finish.

“We’re absolutely thrilled”, says Val. “The transformation is incredible – I can’t believe we managed before!” n

For those considering a kitchen or bathroom upgrade, visit Gardiner Haskins Interiors in Bristol at 1 Straight Street, Bristol or explore their offerings at www.gardinerhaskins.co.uk. With their expert team, your dream space is just a design away.

FREE TO MOVE

Kitchens that incorporate freestanding elements into their design create a character-rich and timeless environment. Discover NEPTUNE’S new freestanding pieces, crafted to complement any kitchen

The most interesting kitchens blend fitted and freestanding cabinets, combine vintage and contemporary elements and balance colour with tranquillity. It’s an approach that harks back to the very beginnings of Neptune’s kitchen collections, when co-founder, John SimsHilditch, designed his family kitchen featuring a freestanding dresser, chopping block and potboard for his Wiltshire home. It was this versatile, English country-style kitchen that went on to inspire the Chichester collection, which began with similar freestanding pieces, complemented with individually built cabinets.

Now, with nearly 20 years’ experience in designing and crafting solid timber kitchens, Neptune has returned to those roots, reimagining and refining traditional standalone designs. The result is a collection of freestanding furniture which integrates effortlessly with fitted kitchens, offering not only timeless style but also the freedom to move – either around the kitchen or with you from home to home. Whether it’s a neat butcher’s block maximising space in a Shakerstyle fitted Suffolk kitchen or an exposed oak Henley design that balances freestanding and built-in elements, the possibilities for flexible, beautiful kitchens are endless.

Meet the new freestanding heroes...

BOURTON ISLAND

This freestanding, marble-topped island makes a great centerpiece for those who don’t have the floor space for a more permanent statement island. Crafted from natural oak, and gently softened at each corner, its sleek, slimline design allows for effortless versatility, seamlessly adapting to the style and flow of any kitchen. Complete the look by tucking a pair of the new Tilbury’s woven bar stools underneath.

BOURTON CHOPPING BLOCK

The traditional yet refined Bourton chopping block is perfectly proportioned to add extra work surface at the end of a row of cabinetry or serve as a mini-island in a smaller kitchen. Its robust, end-grain oak surface allows you to treat it as a functional chopping board, creating a lived-in look that will enhance its enduring appeal.

SUFFOLK DOUBLE LARDER

Previously only available as part of a fitted kitchen, the Suffolk double larder is now available for the first time as a standalone design. Thanks to its pared-back, Shaker-inspired aesthetic, the cavernous, freestanding Suffolk larder will fit seamlessly into any kitchen style, showcasing quality craftsmanship and the enduring beauty of solid wood. With deep drawers, useful door racks and flexible shelving, it is a beautifully functional design, built to last a lifetime. n

INTERIORS

THE LIST

BATHROOMS & KITCHENS

Kutchenhaus Bristol Clifton Down Shopping Centre, Whiteladies Road www.uk.kutchenhaus.com

Ripples 88 Whiteladies Road www.ripplesbathrooms.com

Schmidt Bristol 170-172 Whiteladies Road www.home-design-schmidt.uk

BUILDING CONTRACTORS

Airsat Construction

336 Gloucester Road www.airsat.co.uk

JAS Building Services www.jasbuildingservices.co.uk

Missiato Design & Build 369-373 Gloucester Road www.missiatodesignandbuild.com

Urbane Eco 15 Avon Valley Business Park www.urbane-eco.co.uk

CARPETS, FLOORING & TILES

Atlas Interiors 11 Portland Street, Clifton www.moroccanencaustictiles.com

Chauncey’s Timber Flooring Unit 1 St Philips Trade Park, Albert Road www.chauncey.co.uk

Natural Born Flooring 203 Gloucester Road www.naturalbornflooring.com

OneTile

Unit 5, Eco Studios, Clanage Road www.onetile.co.uk

Tailored Flooring 80 Alma Road wwww.tailoredflooring.co.uk

HOME FURNISHINGS

Bo Concept 76-78 Whiteladies Road www.boconcept.com

Haskins Furniture 64 High Street, Shepton Mallet www.haskinsfurniture.co.uk

Holloways Suckley, Worcester www.holloways.co.uk

Park Furnishers Eastgate Retail Park www.parkfurnishers.co.uk

Sofa Magic 119 Coldharbour Road www.sofamagic.co.uk

Sprouts of Bristol 2 Kingsdown Parade www.sproutsofbristol.co.uk

HOME INTERIORS

Divine Savages 5 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath www.divinesavages.com

Farrow & Ball 16 Princess Victoria Street www.farrow-ball.com

Gardiner Haskins Interiors Brunel Rooms, Straight Street www.gardinerhaskins.co.uk

Neptune 98B/C Whiteladies Road www.neptune.com

Nola Interiors 168 Gloucester Road www.nolainteriors-bristol.co.uk

INTERIOR DESIGNERS

Bracey Interiors Waterloo Street; www.braceyinteriors.co.uk

Design Seven 12B Greenway Farm, Wick www.designseven.co.uk

Emily Rickard Design 74 Colston Street www.emily-rickard.com

Fifteen Twelve Bristol www.fifteentwelve.co.uk

Marta Rossato Interiors www.martarossato.net

WINDOWS & DOORS

Mitchell & Dickinson www.mitchellanddickinson.co.uk

RH Windows

Unit 5 Farrington Fields, Farrington Gurney www.rhwindowsltd.co.uk

The Window Hub

72-74 High Street, Staple Hill www.thewindowhub.co.uk

Timber Windows

29 The Mall, Clifton www.timberwindows.com

Divine Savages

Little Greene (Nola Interiors)

W A ’S

14 March4 April 2025

EXHIBITIONS

Until 27 April

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

he M’s touring e hibition of award-winning, thought-provoking images, at ristol Museum and Art allery bristolmuseums.org.uk

PAPER WORKS

WA’s biennial e hibition celebrates paper as a surface for drawing and printmaking and as a sculptural material rwa.org.uk

PAULE VÉZELAY: LIVING LINES

lifton’s forgotten art pioneer, one of the ’s first abstract artists, is celebrated in a ma or retrospective at WA rwa.org.uk

Until 11 May

DANIELLE DEAN: THIS COULD ALL BE YOURS! anielle draws on archival records, film and advertising to interrogate the way in which individuals are shaped by commercial narratives At pike Island spikeisland.org.uk

DAN GUTHRIE: EMPTY

ALCOVE / ROTTING FIGURE an works primarily with moving

image to e plore presentations and misrepresentations of lack ritishness, particularly in rural areas pike Island spikeisland.org.uk

Until 25 May

BARBARA WALKER: BEING HERE

Intensely observed and empathetic figurative work which creates space for lack power and belonging At Arnolfini arnolfini.org.uk

3 April-22 June

JON TONKS: A FISH CALLED JULIE

ceans have nourished us for thousands of years, but the bounties of our blue planet are ebbing o highlight the issue, MP is collaborating with photographer on onks and We eed he to share stories of those trying to fish sustainably in waters off ornwall and the Isles of cilly At MP martinparrfoundation.org

SHOWS

Until 22 March

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

o-go-go oseph X-Factor winner oe Mc lderry steps into Pharaoh’s shoes for the current tour of the ice Lloyd-Webber evergreen

reat toe-tapping tunes, of course ippodrome, atgtickets.com

Until 29 March

THE WINTER’S TALE

eidi aughan directs the ard’s story of ealousy and redemption at the tobaccofactorytheatres.com

Until 5 April

ROMEO & JULIET

he usual erona shi le – rich, feuding families, intense, forbidden passion, the violence that tears young love apart – but with rap, soul and bristololdvic.org.uk

14-29 March

PLAYFIGHT

irls, uninterrupted ulia rogan’s play about adolescent desire comes to page 2 bristololdvic.org.uk

15 March

DEGENERATE

A comedy-horror show that e plores the e perience of being a woman in a youth-obsessed culture Maria’s nightly vampire kills are a battle cry for decaying defiantly All sounds a bit The Substance Alma avern almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

18-19 March

BREECHES

In ing ames’ paranoid ngland,

four misfits can’t coe ist he question is, who will be squashed out first At Alma avern almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

18-20 March

FUNERAL TEETH

A queer, autobiographical feelgood tragic-comedy’ about grief that puts the fun in funeral What and who are we allowed to grieve And does it really matter At the Wardrobe thewardrobetheatre.com

18-21 March

THE WORKHOUSE

tep into edminster’s nion Workhouse in 1 with an immersive play brought to life by two acta groups as you move between locations you’ll uncover stories of hardship, resilience, and humanity, culminating in a gripping re-enactment of the investigation that shocked ristol and shone a light on life in workhouses up and down the country acta-bristol.com

20-21 March

WATCH ME DIE

his twisted and absurd one-woman comedy about online shaming promises to leave you squirming at the way ik- ok masquerades as authenticity Alma avern almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

Ocean-to-plate fishing heroes: Jon Tonks at Martin Parr Foundation

22 March

STABLE

A ourney through the slow and dangerous collapse of a therapist’s internal compass ow does power operate in the therapy room an our humanness’ always be e cused And is the misuse of power ever forgiveable Alma avern almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

23-26 March

THREE’S A COVEN hree women adopt two more in this slightly witchy play As they navigate passing the echdel est, they find their path blocked time and time again by loud voices heir aim o conquer the world he result All will presumably be revealed at Alma avern almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

31 March-2 April

SCRAPS

A bold satire e ploring the struggles of being an artist in the cost of living crisis Mia and aisy have looked deep into the issues of today’s world and have created a solution a good play At the Wardrobe thewardrobetheatre.com

COMEDY

Ongoing

CLOSER EACH DAY

All the drama of Succession he grit of EastEnders he rumpy-pumpy of Sex Education ot remotely like Slow Horses the world’s longest-running improvised comedy soap continues at Wardrobe thewardrobetheatre.com

BRISTOL IMPROV THEATRE

For the full programme see improvtheatre.co.uk

Until 30 May

BRISTOL COMEDY CAVE

aces off the telly, local legends, club classics and big names play asement in the city centre thebristolcomedyclub.com

14 March

DAVID O’DOHERTY: TINY PIANO MAN

he dishevelled Irish prince of cheap e ay keyboards tries to make you feel alive with a new pageant of laughter, song and occasionally getting up from a chair at ristol eacon, bristolbeacon.org

ALEX MITCHELL: TICS TOWARDS PUFFECTION

The Britain’s Got Talent finalist is an autistic comic who uses selfdeprecating humour to reflect on life’s most di cult sub ects ome and help him be the best version of himself edgrave, redgravetheatre.com

15 March

JOE KENT-WALTERS IS FRANKIE MONROE

orkshire’s biggest bastard is in town for si nights only oin the owner and M of he Misty Moon working men’s club in otherham portal to hell for a slap-up feast of laughs, tricks and mucky bitter an rankie save showbi an he protect his club from demonic ruin an you touch his special trowel o way At Wardrobe thewardrobetheatre.com

16 March

STEF DAG & GABBY BRYAN oin the gals as they get into the minds and personal lives of their audience members to create a demented sleepover vibe It’s a show It’s a party It’s good old-fashioned fun Wardrobe thewardrobetheatre.com

19 March

JOHN SHUTTLEWORTH: RAISE THE OOF adio comedy legend, and the 2nd best reason to love ritain’ (The Telegraph brings a new bunch of stories and his trusty amaha organ to edgrave redgravetheatre.com

20 March

DEIRDRE O’KANE: O’KANING IT eirdre mercilessly mines hilarity from the human condition Will

she conquer the chaos or revel in it? Tame the mayhem or O’Kane it? A night of warped personal insights at Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com

22 March

AURIE STYLA: THE AURATOR TOUR

Head to Redgrave to hear Aurie talk about this wild world, and his journey to make sense of it; redgravetheatre.com

23 March

KERRY GODLIMAN: BANDWIDTH

While parenting teenagers, bogged down with knicker admin and considering dealing HRT on the black market, Kerry’s lost her mumbag but can’t remember what was in it as she’s outsourced her memory to her phone. The life of a middleaged woman who hasn’t got the bandwidth for any of this. BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk

MOTHERS OF THE BRIDES

A sketch-packed, gag-fuelled trip through the marital maze of getting your offspring to the altar while navigating deadlock over wedlock; Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com

28 March

CATHERINE BOHART: AGAIN, WITH FEELINGS

Expect a twisted second-comingof-age saga as Catherine reckons with death-obsessed parents, queer reproduction and how adulthood, frankly, isn’t living up to her expectations. At Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

30 March

LOU SANDERS

A show about being human – can you relate? Just like Tom Cruise does all his own stunts, Lou is going to do all her own jokes, in a deep, dumb show for the masses at BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk

W0NDERHAUS

The return of the brightest and bravest in live performance, comedy, clowning, circus, music and miscellany, freshly mined from the depths of the collective subconscious; at Wardrobe, where else; thewardrobetheatre.com

3 April

JOHN TOTHILL: THANK GOD

THIS LASTS FOREVER

There’s a lot to catch up on. Pour yourself six glasses of wine and settle in for an evening that, god-

willing, won’t end. Maybe even the tiniest cigarette? Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

3-5 April

ROSALIE MINNITT: CLEMENTINE

Lady Clementine is seeking The One. With neither sense nor sensibility, will our romantic heroine find love Bridgerton-meets-GenZ-Jane-Austen-on-Adderall”, chortled Fringebiscuit. Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

GIGS

Ongoing

BRISTOL BEACON

Daily gigs, encompassing orchestral, folk, world, indie, jazz and less easily classifiable shi le for full programme see bristolbeacon.org

ST GEORGE’S BRISTOL

Classical, world, folk, talks, more, at St George’s; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

14 March

NIEVE ELLA

The West Midlands singersongwriter brings her wit and electrifying stage presence to Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

BADLY DRAWN BOY

Damon Gough returns to perform his Mercury Prize-winning record

The Hour of Bewilderbeast in its entirety, in celebration of the album’s 25th anniversary; O2, academymusicgroup.com

15 March

MIRACLE OF SOUND

The project of Irish producer/ songwriter/singer Gavin Dunne, whose songs span a vast range of genres from dark folk to symphonic metal and sea shanties; at Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

16 March

KIM WILDE

Kim holds the record for the most charted British female artist of the 1980s, with 17 top 40 singles; count on hearing a fair few of them at Beacon. Who’d be a kid in America these days, though? bristolbeacon.org

18 March

KEVIN MONTGOMERY

Sat hi to Nashville singer-songwriter Kevin Montgomery: a hardcore troubadour who’s just completed four 50 States in 50 Days tours. Hen & Chicken; henandchicken.com

HOCKEY DAD

What do Aussie surfers do when there aren’t any waves? Make like Zach Stephenson and Billy Fleming, perhaps, who started jamming in their parent’s garage. Hear the result at Trinity – extra points for knowing the name comes from a Simpsons episode. trinitybristol.org.uk

21 March

THE WAEVE

Blur’s Graham Coxon and The Pipettes’ Rose Elinor Dougall have formed a new sonic identity: an ‘elixir’, no less. of ‘cinematic

British folk-rock, post-punk, organic songwriting and freefall jamming’. At Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

21 March

STIFF LITTLE FINGERS

The Norn Irn rigid digits bring their Flame in the Heart tour to O2, academymusicgroup.com

22 March

BEANS ON TOAST

The songwriter known for his DIY approach of combining traditional folk with modern-day issues, serving up a blend of political protest, love, and humour with no-holds-barred honesty and quick wit, comes to Beacon; bristolbeacon.org

24 March

THE DARKNESS

More than 20 years after The Darkness exploded with the big bang that changed the face of British rock music, their cheeky, spandex-clad anthems continue to capture hearts; if you’re among their many fans, head to Beacon; bristolbeacon.org

29 March

SUNGAZER

Originally formed in Brooklyn, Sungazer has brought its blend of hard-hitting jazz fusion, 8-bit, progressive rock and EDM to audiences across the world; next up, Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

LAMBERT

Berlin’s enigmatic masked musician brings his unique, genre-crossing

LEFT: Kerry Godliman, smiling despite absolutely everything; RIGHT: Colin: so much prettier in Bruges than in Gotham

CULTURE CLUB with Xahnaa Adlam

Romeo and Juliet arrives at BOV this month, blending Shakespeare’s words with rap and original R’n’B songs. BOV’s Young SixSix company have been working on a special pre-show performance inspired by the beef between the Montagues and Capulets to welcome audiences into the theatre for the final weekend of the run. We take five with Xahnaa Adlam, co-director of SixSix.

A film I could watch over and over again

All ’90s Adam Sandler movies, particularly Water Boy.

A painting that means something to me

There is an artist on Instagram called Art by Ruth Nj @artbyruth_ nj and her work is amazing. I look forward to hanging some in my future home.

Favourite TV show

I am currently a big fan of Reacher and Monk

The book that changed my life

The Defining Decade: Why your Twenties Matter by Meg Jay.

A book that I could read again and again

The Chimp Paradox by Prof Steve Peters.

My desert island disc

John P Kee and New Life: Life and Favor / or Potter Payper: Thanks for Waiting.

My go-to karaoke track

Tina Turner: Private Dancer.

Favourite podcast

Here is where I insert another album as I don’t really listen to podcasts! Carl Thomas: Emotions.

Favourite app Spotify.

Guilty pleasure

We love a nap over here.

For more: www.bristololdvic.org.uk/takepart/young-sixsix

compositions, spanning serene piano, jazz, and electronica music, alongside stories from his turbulent filming e perience for abandoned TV series The Stranger, to Beacon; bristolbeacon.org

30 March

ANTONY SZMIEREK

The spoken word and indie hip-hop artist from Manchester has a distinctive way of mi ing introspective and poetic lyrics with some cool nostalgic beats; Bristol Folk House, bristolfolkhouse.co.uk

31 March

PRIMAL SCREAM

The legendary Scottish band led by Bobby Gillespie brings its groundbreaking fusion of rock, electronica, and psychedelia to Beacon; bristolbeacon.org

THE FUREYS

Meanwhile in the Lantern, one of Ireland’s all-time most acclaimed and influential folk and traditional bands brings us all the classic ballads; bristolbeacon.org

1 April

SKUNK ANANSIE

The British rockers rose to fame with their fusion of alternative rock, punk, and dub, highlighted by frontwoman Skin’s bold stage presence and activism. Come and hear tracks like Weak and Hedonism live at Beacon; bristolbeacon.org

2 April

DEACON BLUE

The real gone kids are marking their 40th anniversary with the launch of new album The Great Western Road; come and help them celebrate at Beacon; bristolbeacon.org

OTHER

Ongoing

BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL

The year-round fest continues to bring crowd-pleasing delights; bri tolfilmfe tival.com

22-23 March

BATH & WEST FOOD FESTIVAL

A new food fest at Shepton Mallet showground, featuring the British Cheese Awards. bathandwest.com

26-27 March

MINIMA: NOSFERATU

Spine-tingling multi-instrumental live music from Minima to accompany FW Murnau’s classic 1 22 silent vampire flick Wardrobe thewardrobetheatre.com

27 March

HAY FESTIVAL: AFTER HOURS

The festival known as ‘The Woodstock of the mind’ is live at Beacon for a night of readings, performances and provocations to celebrate a world of different’ a chance to e perience all the highs of the world-famous event in one magical evening; bristolbeacon.org n

Vampires: not quite as hot as Buffy would have us believe. Nosferatu at the BFF

Xahnaa,far right

PARR EXCELLENCE

Photographer Martin Parr has captured some of the most extraordinary images of our times. Now, a new documentary by Lee Schulman trains the lens back onto Martin himself

Words by Deri Robins

Martin has always liked to be beside the seaside

Presumably Martin Parr could choose to live anywhere he likes, but he’s settled on Bristol. The city is not just his home, but the location for the extraordinary HQ – it seems too stuffy to call it a museum – which houses his incredible archive of photography.

Opened in 2017, the Martin Parr Foundation at Paintworks has become one of the city’s great cultural treasures. Along with Martin’s own prints – around threequarters of a million of them – you’ll find work by other photographers and a changing programme of exhibitions and events. It’s also here that Martin’s keeps his cabinets of curios: his collection of Saddam Hussein watches, space-dog memorabilia, cards left by prostitutes in phone boxes.

Currently in remission for cancer, Martin still takes tens of thousands of pictures a year, of which he reckons a mere dozen or so are worth keeping – hence one of the maxims in his Ten Rules of Photography, which you can read in a handwritten sheet stuck to one of the cabinets at the Foundation, which urges keen snappers to “keep shooting more images”. He’s also been busy collaborating on his biography, Utterly Lazy and Inattentive, a title taken from his teenage school report; it’s out in September.

You only have to look at one of his photos, especially those taken after the mid-1980s, to know that you’re in Parrland. It’s partly the bright colours, but mostly it’s the subject matter; while he’s taken photos in many other countries, it’s the British public at work and play which seems to exert the biggest fascination. His pictures are often humorous, even absurd; they’re always accessible.

Martin’s earliest work was in black-and-white, once regarded as the only serious form for documentary photography. His move to colour, and deeply saturated colour at that, elicited stern disapproval from the establishment, and there was initial resistance to his joining the revered Magnum Photos co-operative.

Equally contentious is his treatment of his subjects; is Martin’s lens cruel, or benign? His view of the UK affectionate or censorious Is he deliberately political Who is Martin Parr anyway, when he’s at home?

In his new documentary I am Martin Parr, director Lee hulman attempts to find out he fact that we were friends and liked each other’s work made [the project] an

When people refer to

they’re probably

photos such as

“Martin’s photos are like comedy; it will always o end omeone

easy choice,” Lee tells me. “I came up with the idea of structuring the film around a road trip, revisiting locations Martin had made famous through his work.”

Lee says one extraordinary aspect of Martin’s images is the way they manage to balance humour and tragedy. “It’s not an easy task. I guess there is an aesthetic that we all now recognise, with the saturated colours and scenes of everyday life but there is so much more to it.

“If Martin’s taking a portrait, he will engage and talk to the sub ects e will even direct them, often asking them not to smile. therwise he is an observer of life Like most good photographers he spends more time looking around, waiting for something to happen than taking the shot.”

As for the politics: “I get it”, says Lee, even though it’s not on the surface. Martin sees all the craziness in the world and wants to document it e is not overtly trying to send a message, but just asks people to consider the world we live in It’s an open dialogue; you can take what you want from it. There’s nothing more serious than humour. He tells us the uncomfortable truths about ourselves

qually, Lee doesn’t find the approach cruel or condescending. “I don’t see it. It’s not like he’s making up these scenarios; he’s just pointing the camera and capturing what is going on. I guess it’s like comedy, it will always offend someone, but generally he loves people and wants to tell their stories and reflect the world we live in

The collection that most famously polarised opinion was The Last Resort 1 , Martin’s first colour photobook, which observed working-class holidaymakers at ew righton Interestingly, while the Liverpool exhibition was regarded by locals as humorous and fond, offering a rare tableau of working class people rarely shown in art photography, the middle-class London critics found it voyeuristic and patronising The British Journal of Photography was especially appalled, seeing little other than “A clammy claustrophobic nightmare world where people lie knee-deep in chip papers and stare at a bleak horizon of urban dereliction”.

Today, The Last Resort offers a fascinating homage to a largely vanished world I guess it documents the final breaths of what we would have been considered the working class in the UK before the middle classes engulfed that,’ says Lee. “It shows all the contradictions of society in the UK. We don’t know whether to laugh or cry; it’s tender and critical at the same time.

Martin was shooting on Agfa filmstock and using flash, and the result was saturated colours I think he liked the aesthetic as it added to that sense of the hyper-real, which was what he was focusing on. At the time hardly any photography was in colour, as it was the domain of commercial and fashion photography; bringing this aesthetic into documentary was new and controversial

The main locations chosen for the documentary were Hebden Bridge, where Martin photographed the

‘Martin Parr style’

picturing

these from his 1986 collection The Last Resort –a study of British workingclass holidaymakers in New Brighton

ARTS

chapel and farming communities in black-and-white; New Brighton; Blackpool, and towns and villages in the Black Country during the 2024 Coronation weekend. Lee deliberately set out to create a filming style that mirrored Martin’s photography – “an aesthetic which has influenced my own work I wanted to get close and show this crazy world we live in as if it was living portraits come to life I loved the idea of Martin walking through what could be his own photos A taste of his own medicine It wasn’t an easy task, but I’m pleased with the result

Music was another important element I think this is always overlooked in documentaries, except music ones, says Lee I wanted the music in the film to be as important as the images, with themes that would be playful and mischievous, like Martin, and I guess myself I told the producer that the film had to start with The Clash and end with Madness. That was my one condition I blew the budget on these

he film features contributions from friends and fellowartists, along with strangers at film locations Martin is all about people , says Lee I like mi ing up the more wellknown voices with those less known It was a democratic choice a slice of life I kept in those who I felt understood the work and his take on the world. Martin hates to talk about himself, so they were essential I love the interviews with his wife usie If you want to get to know him well, who better to ask

While the film has a broad appeal, it’s especially fascinating for photographers. What might they learn from seeing the master in action I guess that having a vision is the most important factor for any photographer , says Lee. “Forget about the equipment or technical aspects. What do you want to say? And work, work, work; it takes years to hone your craft

Some artists change the way we see the world. “Martin, for me, is that person, says Lee is vision and style

“Martin is the ultimate democratic photographer – there’s no judgment, u t infiniteattention”

have become a new language in the way photography has evolved e works totally outside the constraints of the photographic world and is an eternal rebel and outsider. e is his own master and his influence is undeniable is equal affection for sub ects, from Lords to workers globally, showcases him as the ultimate democratic photographer – no udgment, ust infinite attention I wanted this documentary to be part of his aesthetic and political legacy as the ‘people’s photographer’.

o one I have ever met is quite like Martin is interest in the human condition is insatiable. Despite being a bit bristly, his refusal to tolerate foolishness adds a liberating and entertaining quality to the movie

Lee tells me that Martin’s work has changed over the years I guess the world has changed, so the images have changed. Also, because he’s been ill, he can’t go as fast as he did I think there may be a little more tenderness in his choices, but that’s maybe ust me, as I always saw it

The change to digital has maybe muted the colours a little more, but in general the way he photographs the world hasn’t changed e’s right in the thick of it

So, did Lee manage to answer the question in the title?

Who, exactly, is Martin Parr?

Well, I don’t think he’s that complicated, he says I guess that’s what’s weird. People want their heroes and inspirations to be mysterious but Martin is as he seems.

e’s a olly good chap and fun to be with plus he can’t half take a good photo n

I am Martin Parr is currently showing in cinemas. www.martinparrfoundation.org

IN HIS OWN WORDS

Martin Parr speaking previously to Bristol Life

“Really first-class photography only emerges when you make a good connection to a subject. Part of the skill is to find the right subject and then get involved in a very thorough and meaningful way.”

“All photography involving people has an element of exploitation, and mine is no exception.”

“I feel I am part of a long tradition in the UK in employing irony as part of my work. I deal with serious subjects; these can be made more accessible with an element of irony thrown in. They are serious photographs disguised as entertainment.”

“I often don’t look at the people I photograph, I’m looking at the set. But when I want a photo I become somewhat fearless. Occasionally people object, at which point I move on.”

“I often think of my images as a soap opera, where I’m waiting for the right cast to fall into place.”

“In general, British photography is underrated, but things are improving, now that The Tate has started to embrace photography.”

“I still enjoy working. Maybe one reason why I try so many new challenges is to stop me going stale and keep me on my toes.”

Road trip photos by Lee Schulman

A COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP Martin speaking about Who is Martin Parr?

“My relationship with the UK is full of contradictions. I don’t like the intolerance, the snobbery, the Brexit, but I love Radio 4 more than anything, the cups of tea... Half of my archives are about the UK. I always spend June, July and August photographing my country, it’s like a real therapy for me.”

“I’ve always treated all social classes in the same way. In any case, after The Last Resort, I realised that the class least documented by photography in British society was the middle class. It was obviously less interesting than the poor and the rich. And then it was mine...”

WILD AT ART

ALICE WATKINS makes beautiful ceramics, from dinnerware to one-off sculptural pieces. And the best bit? Her creations are made from wild clay found in nature, along with waste from kitchens and construction sites

Having worked for 14 years in theatre, notably at ristol ld ic and the oyal hakespeare Company, Alice Watkins’s career as a scenic designer came to an abrupt end during Covid.

She’d found the path to scenic art after leaving art college and moving to Bristol, where she initially worked in the wardrobe department as a dresser. “It was during this time that I fell in love with theatre , she says he people, the atmosphere; it hooked me in, and I realised there was a career in painting the scenery for the shows. Being a scenic artist suited me perfectly; the very practical application of artistic skill combined with the ability for design interpretation and realisation

Even when she moved to the RSC, she continued to commute: “I loved Bristol so much that I didn’t want to leave and make the permanent move to Stratford-upon-Avon. After a few years of travelling back and forth I realised that, after having children, it was di cult to remain in the same situation ristol ld ic is where I started my career in theatre, so it was a very natural decision to come back to work there

And then, a year and a half later, the pandemic hit. Long Covid meant Alice was unable to continue her work as a scenic artist.

“I decided to change my professional focus to ceramics, which until that point had been a hobby, she says I found comfort in the slow, focused process. It began as a form of therapy, that has since blossomed into a career. Keeping my hands in clay was my way of making sense of what was happening to me. Having a creative outlet was absolutely essential; ceramics was absolutely this for me. It provided me with an outlet; a space where I could continue to create, and also for catharsis.

“Sculptural and 3D work was a big part of my work as a scenic artist, and many of my skills have been transferable to my ceramic work

It’s easy to see why top-end restaurants clamour for Alice’s tableware

– apart from the cutting corners aspect! In theatre, you are working at great speed with very tight deadlines. Your skill is to be able to reproduce something that will have originally taken many, many hours to create, and to interpret and replicate it in a tiny percentage of the time, and this skill unfortunately is not transferable to ceramics. There is absolutely no way of cutting corners and speeding up any of the processes It is definitely a humbling practice in patience

As well as being very beautiful, Alice’s pieces are enormously sustainable, with used materials being recycled into her work – hence the name of her brand, Wild and Wasted.

“My main aim is to replace unsustainable mined raw virgin materials in ceramic production with waste materials which have the same chemical compounds, to reduce the environmental impact of my practice. Waste is a valuable resource. Using waste can lead to a deep appreciation for materials and can contribute towards a socially and environmentally conscious practice

Alice’s ceramics were soon taken up by high-end Michelin restaurants looking for bespoke tableware to help deliver their artistic vision.

“Through working closely with the restaurant industry I realised I had to adopt a new approach to ensure a sustainable practice, in which I take waste products from the kitchens and incorporate it back to tableware.

“Waste seashells, eggshells, bones, glass bottles and charcoal go through a rigorous transformation in my studio before they are usable for ceramic production I also offer a service where I take broken crockery from restaurants to grind and incorporate back into the tableware as an addition to the clay body.

“The wild clay I use is either taken from farm-to-table restaurants’ market gardens, or sourced from construction waste and diverted from landfill his wild clay also has to go through rigorous testing and processing before I can use it.

“Every item of waste and wild clay has its own unique characteristics, almost like the terroir of wine”

“Every item of waste and wild clay has its own totally unique characteristics, almost like the terroir of wine, giving each material its own physical, chemical personality. This element is part of what makes this work so exciting, and the ability for it to be totally unique and bespoke. This work comes with its own challenges, but luckily my theatre work has given me the ability to be adaptable and willing to take risks with new and unknown materials

Wild & Wasted has a particularly symbiotic relationship with the newly Michelin-starred Wilson’s restaurant on Chandos Road.

“It was the ceramic bowls I’d made as a response to the pandemic, with the slogan k off ovid’ on the bottom that caught an stle and Mary Wilson’s eye. These bowls were pure catharsis; I was just getting the noise in my head out onto a physical object.

Wilson’s put in an order for these to use for their final dessert course The text was at the bottom of the bowl, to be intentionally covered with food, so that after eating the dessert you were left with the reveal of the slogan – needless to say they were a hit as it was a sentiment felt by so, so many. I had so many orders streaming in at this time for these bowls, from diners from Wilson’s, that I couldn’t keep up with demand. I have been making crockery regularly for Wilson’s ever since

Alice has also partnered with Bristol-based company Rose Kentish itchen, which offers bespoke catering for events including weddings “We’ve been developing a product in which I provide her newlyweds with a beautiful large serving bowl made from food waste from their wedding, incorporating it back into the gla e as a one-off bowl

She also works with Bristol garden company Tranquilo Landscapes, collaborating to divert and use construction byproducts, mostly by using local excavated clay.

Alice mostly makes functional tableware, but occasionally creates larger, more sculptural pieces such as side tables and large vessels.

“Larger pieces are always fun as they present with their own set of challenges – but there is also a humility in replicating the same shape over and over for, say, a restaurant order, where you can get into a state of flow through throwing and replicating hat rhythm of sitting at the wheel for hours, the muscle memory, the repetition. It can transpose you to another realm sometimes.”

Some of the decoration on Alice’s products is abstract while some – for example the Smileys – have a decided street-art feel. Is this the ristol influence coming through

“I’ve always been attracted to counter-culture,” Alice says, “through art, music, fashion, whatever form. It’s what drew me to move to Bristol in the early 2000s; I had a lot of fun here at free parties, the music scene and art scene, so using imagery associated with this feels so natural. It’s more than just an aesthetic; it’s part of my story.”

And as Alice’s story goes to show: pottery is good for you. “I use this term with caution, as it is used a lot these days, but pottery is such a mindful activity. It was one of the only things I could do when I was first unwell with ovid It had this e traordinary power of making a lot of my symptoms recede to the background for the time that I had my hands in clay. It’s almost like some kind of meditation. Your mind can drift in to stillness, and you are more connected to the present and what is actually in front of you.

“Many art practices can be very cerebral, but pottery is all in the body. It is such a somatic activity, which is stabilising and grounding, using clay – that is from the earth; it make us feel more connected with life and can help reduce feelings of disassociation.”

Alice now runs classes both for beginners and experienced ceramicists who have specific skills they would like to improve he

runs one-to-one sessions, tailored exactly to the needs of the pupil, and also group workshops, specifically to help with people’s mental health – “Using clay as a form of therapy; a communal shared creative experience in a supportive community where the sessions are just as much a social space as a creative one.

My group workshops are run using local wild clay his adds a beautiful additional layer of connection, which I find to be an even more grounding e perience o be using local clay that has come from a mile or two away gives you such a deep connection to a place. It’s a way of connecting through the earth, its texture and consistency.”

here are more ideas in the pipeline Alice wants to create a collective local waste material ecology extending to local artists, ceramicists and students, building a community of likeminded creatives to support each other, while running wild clay workshops further afield around the country using clay local to that area.

“We’re all feeling a bit lost and disillusioned with what’s happening in the world right now It sometimes feels hard to find purpose in what we’re doing among the chaos and disruption onnection, a sense of community and stress-management all feel very important, and I want to play a part in that and to facilitate in any way I can.

I’ve been offering a bespoke artwork commission service based on individual waste, too; I’m currently working on a project with a couple in Redland, who had some garden excavation works recently for a pond. I have taken some of that excavated clay, and am transforming it in to a large serving bowl for the couple ffering a service like this is a very beautiful thing to do o be able to offer items with such a sense of place and meaning I find increasingly important in my work n

For more: www.alipwmpottery.com

LESSONS IN PSYCHOGEOGRAPHY

Take the side roads, see the unseen, hear those sounds hidden among the traffic’s throng...

Words and pics by Colin Moody

“If our time here is so limited, surely now is the time to be more excellent to each other?”

L1

BRISTOL HEROES

et’s take a look at Bristol through the lens of the landscape photographer – but not sunsets over the bridge here, I’m looking for those places where evidence of us remains. Less foggy morning around the harbour, more urine sodium-lit sculptures in the centre.

I’ve always had a fascination with trees; they play the long game. They were here long before cities, and will be happy to lift and split tarmac with their roots long after they are gone. So let’s go exploring the city and consider how we live, what we build, and what’s the big idea.

There has been this black dark tree on the edge of Castle Park for years now; it hardly seems to grow, probably the pollution, but here it supports some prickly pop-up art from a few years ago. It’s had a makeover to show solidarity with Ukraine. I loved the cactus made out of plumbers’ pipe insulation and cable ties, and it got me thinking about what if our urban life was not good for us; what if it was prickly and we were just putting up with it?

2

There is a watchtower to the city at the harbour’s entrance. On foggy nights I imagine the future, when inevitably the city is once again at the centre of a great disturbance. Our Bristol history pages are full of stories of armies, of burning neighbourhoods… what, then, will this watchtower be purposed as? Who will keep guard here while the geological certainties that channel the sea up to the lock gates through the Gorge twice a day, become paralleled by some force that will come this way? Will they be able to hold the invasion here? Will they save us?

The shape of things, the feel, the vibe of them, can be invisible for now, hardly noticed, but become pivotal just like that.

Perhaps it’s a watchtower for the status quo. Making sure we all just trundle on, same old, same old. But I can see forces changing, and new purpose coming.

3

Somewhere in St Paul’s they drilled a hole in the wall to make a camera; well it’s the same principle, light travels from the estate opposite and through that hole is refracted larger to create a kind of ghost landscape. In every eye this is how we see, everything is upside down on the back of the eye and the brain flips it all the right way up again ut I see those flats hanging there above the sky, and our presence here feels less permanent.

Shower curtain giving us insight here.

So, if our time here is so limited, surely now is the time to be more

“Angels are moving among us. They came round the corner by the bins. It didn’t seem real”

4

Forgive me, the C word. Covid.

New landscapes presented themselves then, didn’t they? Locked down. If there was an internal landscape that we all had on Day 1 of Lockdown 1, may I suggest that an unimaginable metaphorical glacier cut right through that space, recarving new valleys of emotion, ripping apart whole mountains of certainty.

So when I saw this piece of work made from mannequins reaching for the heart, I stopped. I took a photo. And I could feel both the weight and burden of urban isolation fenced in within four walls, but I could also sense that silver lining that would come.

5

When it’s gone it’s gone. World’s smallest carousel. Between two big sheds somewhere a short drive from the city centre.

Could this win the Turner Prize? Maybe. It certainly doesn’t pull any punches as a contemporary piece. Don’t need to know who put it there, just grateful for that fuzzy feeling in my artistic mindset.

6

I’m cheating now. This is Wales. Nothing to do with Bristol. But I was looking for an image to show how impermanent our structures are. Cities viewed in a mega-timelapse of, say, a year a millisecond, would grow like lichen on the side of a tree, stretching out itself to its maximum as quickly as possible. But every road we go down will one day fall away.

As you wander around your city, try to appreciate its impermanence. Perhaps it will make you grow.

7Underfall Yard. There was a time when those buildings that you can now get a good coffee in now were empty, forgotten, falling apart

This photo was taken when they let me explore these industrial spaces before the refit A windowsill had rotted completely away, and a new landscape had appeared, rising up against the dust-curtained windows. The way these thin structures wound round each other reminded me of how people or tra c meander around a city

We have free will, and yet we adhere to ebbs and flows ust the same as these wandering weeds.

8Angels are moving among us. They came round the corner by the bins. It didn’t seem real.

o I’m offering a take-home from this issue’s eroes take not for granted the city you live in, be ready for change. From the conclave of certainty be ready for something extraordinary that changes your perceptions completely.

Accept nothing but transformative experiences. Some advice. Take those side roads, see the unseen, hear those sounds hidden among the tra c’s throng

And live in the city afresh every day.

Colin Moody: content creation, online images Twitter @moodycolin; Instagram @colinmoodyphotography www.colinmoodyphotography.wordpress.com

Playfight by Julia Grogan comes to Bristol Old Vic this month, brimming with girlhood swagger

GIRLS, UNINTERRUPTED

A‘funny brutal, joyful’ story, la fig t follows three young girls as they navigate love, desire and the sheer darkness of becoming a teenager. The play has been picked up five-star reviews ever since it premièred at Edinburgh; Phoebe WallerBridge called it “a blinding, sucker-punch of a play – honest, hilarious, heartfelt and the wittiest writing out there”.

Writer ulia rogan, who says the five-year-old play was inspired by her own experiences, says she hopes it translates into the even more perilous modern world.

“ la fig t traces the lives of three best friends from the ages of 15 to 24 as they grow up around the base of an oak tree [stage direction: bright pink stepladder]” says Julia. “We watch the evolution of their friendship as they navigate love, desire, and ambition, against the unsettling rise of violence in mainstream pornography.

“There are three killer performances from Lucy Mangan, Nina Cassells and Sophie Cox; they are so funny, so heartbreaking and so addictive to watch. Emma Callander has directed with playfulness, nuance and sharpness, Hazel Low has designed the most painfully accurate costumes which adapt as we watch the girls grow, and the atmospheric set genuinely transports you to an oak tree in a field he sound design from oly otha is stunning; audiences will just have a feast of the senses.”

, with all the bouquets duly distributed, let’s find out how it all came about. la fig t is the first play ulia wrote; she was just 21 at the time. What compelled her to tell this particular story, and why then?

“Back in 2019, it was in the news that a woman had been strangled to death by her Tinder date, and her killer had claimed it was just a ‘sex game gone wrong’”, says Julia. “The facts surrounding the case shook me to my core. After the murder, the man had watched porn in the hotel room, gone out and bought a suitcase and buried her in a nearby forest.

“In terms of consenting to her own murder, I’d never heard anything more outrageous in my life. I’d never written a play before but I felt so much anger, I suddenly had the urge to write. At the time I was working behind the bar at the oyal ourt heatre, and I applied to their Introduction to Playwriting course. When I got a place I knew exactly the story I wanted to tell.

n reflection I think la fig t really came from a place of wanting to try and make sense of, to unpick, the traumas I’d seen and experienced myself in my teenage years. How as kids we’re meant to digest ugly things like lack of consent, young deaths, toxicity of self-image, authority, power, ambition. I think we underestimate how hard those years are.

“For all the beauty and carefree times, there’s a darkness in the uncertainty of teen years. I particularly felt this around my relationship to sex. The characters, who I ended up calling Lucy, Zainab and Keira, really are three opposing corners of my mind wrestling with each other, trying to find some answers n a brighter note –with darkness comes extraordinary light, and I wanted to also explore love, joy and life between mates, around the base of a beautiful oak tree.”

Julia did a lot of research on the ‘sex game gone wrong’ defence. “I read heaps of articles on rising violence in mainstream porn, the dangers of BDSM

“For all the beauty and times,carefree there’s a darkness in the uncertainty of teenage years”

when it’s practised unsafely and the failure of current sex education. I also met up with Susan Edwards, a barrister and legal campaigner who is currently an expert witness in cases involving domestic abuse. Our conversation often meandered to our childhoods, and stories of friends and partners etc, and we made projections of what we thought might lead to this rise in violence. Susan was key to helping me realise that the story I wanted to tell wasn’t set in a courtroom, but a love story between friends.

“I also did a lot of research from the We Can’t Consent To This charity, a website dedicated to pushing the message: you can’t consent to your own murder. In 2021 a judge gave a manslaughter sentence, claiming the woman liked ‘risky sexual practice’. This was despite the fact that her previous boyfriends had said this wasn’t the case, and the killer’s ex-partner stated he had a history of strangling her against her will. He was sentenced to four years for her death.”

Julia drew on inspiration from her own friendship group to create the three main characters. “Some of the anecdotes are painfully true – I won’t name names, but one of my friends did once whip out a tampon and fling it, mid-boob grab.

“Writers are a bit creepy because we’re always absorbing and watching people around us. I watched my best friend experience love with women over the years;

Nina Cassells as Zainab, Lucy Mangan as Lucy and and Sophie Cox as Keira

the sheer heartbreak, tenderness, intensity of it. I was always so close to her love, because I was so close to her. So I think it’s no surprise that three of my plays have love between two women running through the centre of them, because the most colourful, vivid romances I witnessed were hers.

I did also get up to some cra y stuff at school, so the naughtiness definitely comes from my group of friends

Despite the tough subject matter, the play, says Julia, is joyful, with plenty of humour.

I’ve always liked to find the funny in the sad Maybe it’s a weird coping mechanism, but I struggle to be sincere and always laugh when I hear bad news. I have since I was small, so it’s always felt like a natural thing in my writing to hunt out the laughs in the sad.

“I think that’s what makes us human as well, when something’s so heightened, when we’re experiencing grief or horror, it leaves larger gaps for other strong emotions. It’s conflicting and confusing, so I always want my characters to wrestle with holding pain too, like me

ulia says it’s been really beautiful to hear how much audiences have connected with the play – “hearing people exclaim ‘Oh my god I have a Lucy in my life’, or ‘Shit, I was such a Keira!’

“Young people today are really thrown in at the deep end with what they’re exposed to. I mean, I got a mobile when I was like 14 and that just had little worm games on it hese guys have access to some pretty hardcore stuff at the age of about 10 now. I feel so protective of young people, and I think the audience does too.

“I hope the play gets people talking to their friends and challenging themselves to avoid being bystanders. We need to be active in our friends’ lives. To live partly in their skin too, so that if we notice something is wrong we’re having open conversations. If a young person can

“Writers are a bit creepy because we’re always absorbing and watching people around us”

come out of my play and feel seen, I’ve done my ob

However, she says, her biggest hope would be to see the law changed. “Further legal reforms are desperately needed in jurisdictions where the ‘rough sex’ defence is still allowed, ensuring that consent cannot be used to justify serious harm or death during sexual activity. That’s my biggest aim with the play.

“I’d also like there to be conversations in the classroom, as well as at home, about how the violent sex portrayed online shouldn’t be mistaken for what sex ‘should’ be. In my sex education lessons we never spoke about things like pleasure, safe and satisfying sex, consent, LGBTQIA+ inclusive sex, emotional wellbeing etc. I felt unprepared for healthy ways to explore desire. The lack of comprehensive discussions on digital safety, pornography, and online exploitation means many young people are left to navigate these complex issues alone.

“Stigma and shame around sex persist due to inadequate education, leading to misinformation, anxiety, and risky behaviour. The stakes are now higher, the material more extreme, and this needs to be understood by adults and spoken about more openly with young people at a much younger age. The conversation I want to steer away from is shaming or blaming people who safely practise consensual M or kink in the bedroom it’s not about that

At the moment Julia is working on a new musical with her theatre company Dirty Hare. “ I’ve also got a few TV projects in development and I’m writing a new play about an erotic poetry club... ooh, and a one-person show about a baby ballet teacher It’s a really e citing time n

Playfight is at Bristol Old Vic 14-29 March www.bristololdvic.org.uk

EMILY & DAN ROSS STORYSMITH BOOKS

Restore your appetite for reading –one tasty bite at a time

Bitesize morsels, we’re often told, are the key to consistent progress Little and often; long ourneys made with tiny steps countless other ma ims which celebrate incremental gains – you know the deal

Well, you might be surprised to discover that the same thing can apply to your reading habits ne of the most common requests we hear in the shop is for a book that might ease a lapsed reader back into the rhythm of consistent reading for pleasure, and in such cases we are always minded to recommend books which don’t tax the eye with their unreasonable page counts or their endless paragraphs books which might be read to rebuild the tolerance and rekindle the habit.

So for this issue we’ve collated some of our favourite recent books which fit this precise bill –short stories, a very short novel, and a hard-to-categorise hybrid of travel/memoir/adventure/ existentialism.

Ready for a tiny bite?

The Accidentals by Guadalupe Nettel

(trans. Rosalind Harvey)

Each of these delightfully strange and unsettling short stories is perfectly udged to leave the reader at the precisely calibrated point of thinking “but… what now?!”

That might sound a bit annoying, but believe us when we say it’s not – here, as with any good short story, the twists work best when they’re earned in the story that precedes them

The Visitor by Maeve Brennan

Anyone who read Nettel’s previously translated novel, Still Born, will recognise a certain seriousness underlying the playful structures here, but the entertainment value is also massive. Why has the hospital-bound uncle been ex-communicated? What’s haunting the bickering family in the woods What happens behind the pink door Answers to all these questions aren’t entirely forthcoming, and that’s why the stories are so good.

Our bookseller Tasha was utterly compelled by this gorgeously gloomy novelette, originally written back in the 1940s and lovingly republished this month by the independent stalwarts at Peninsula Press. After the death of her mother, Anastasia flees Paris for Dublin, seeking the solace of her paternal grandmother, Mrs ing pecting a warm embrace, Anastasia instead finds herself cruelly re ected by Mrs ing, who is reeling from the death of her only son – Anastasia’s estranged father – some months before Unrelenting in her desire for reconciliation, Anastasia goes beyond to tether herself to her grandmother, but, the more she yearns for affection, the more unreachable Mrs ing becomes If you need a short, sharp exercise in tension-building (with or without release), then The Visitor’s perfectly udged 107 pages will be ust the thing

Mountainish

by

Zsuzsanna Gahse (trans. Katy Derbyshire)

Perhaps the ultimate in what we’re hereby calling ‘nugget-lit’, this beguiling curio appealed directly to our bookseller Holly’s need for something simultaneously epic and accessible.

Written in 515 short vignettes (sometimes a sentence or two, sometimes a paragraph , this book plots ahse’s attempts to capture and categorise the alpine mountainscape around her, which she e plores with her faithful dog

u t becau e ou teeled our elf wit some short stories

doe n t mean ou are now dut bound to tackle nfinite e t

But the mountains themselves, the great whoppers’ as she calls them, are less sturdy and definitive than she thinks; they shift, grinding and groaning and splintering beneath her feet. What emerges is a brilliantly panoramic view of all things mountainish, of a world constantly shifting beneath our gaze.

If you find yourself sated by these, there is no pressure to graduate from a delicate taster menu to an entire oven dish of lasagne (if you’ll allow us to completely e haust this metaphor ust because you steeled yourself with some short stories doesn’t mean you are now duty-bound to tackle nfinite e t. ome of the most affecting and lasting reading e periences of our literary lives have come from books which don’t seem like incredible value in terms of pence per word

But as with the best meals, it’s the taste that you remember – not how long it took to eat.

Visit Storysmith at 36 North Street, Bedminster; 0117 953 7961 www.storysmithbooks.com

Housed in the Litfield House Medical Centre, Bristol Paediatric Clinic offers a wide range of services tailored to meet the unique healthcare needs of young patients, from newborns to adolescents. The clinic’s commitment to providing compassionate and expert care is making strides as a cornerstone in the community for families seeking the best possible medical attention for their children. From routine check-ups to complex medical conditions, the Bristol Paediatric Clinic team supports children’s health and wellbeing at every stage of their development.

DOING IT FOR THE KIDS

The BRISTOL PAEDIATRIC CLINIC stands as a new pillar of specialised private medical care for children.

At the heart of the clinic’s ethos is the idea that medical care for children should be both effective and compassionate. Children have unique healthcare needs that require more than just clinical expertise – they need to feel safe, supported, and understood. To this end, the Bristol Paediatric Clinic focuses on creating an environment where children are not only treated but also made to feel comfortable and reassured.

Meet the Bristol Paediatric Clinic co-directors

Dr Dan Magnus BMedSci, BMBS, MRCPCH, MSc

Established by Dr Dan Magnus and Dr Nick Sargant, two Bristol-based NHS Consultant paediatricians, the experienced team is dedicated to providing paediatric medical care that parents, families and children can trust. Dan and Nick were motivated to set up the clinic because the wait to see a paediatrician is unfortunately too long and parents want access to paediatric expertise, when they need it, with the very best doctors delivering personalised care for their child.

A SPECIALISED APPROACH TO PAEDIATRICS AND CHILDCENTERED CARE

The Bristol Paediatric Clinic is not just another general medical facility; it is a specialised clinic designed with the specific needs of children in mind. Paediatrics is a branch of medicine that focuses on the care of infants, children and adolescents, and the clinic takes a holistic approach to this field, addressing both physical and emotional well-being. What sets this clinic apart is its team of highly trained paediatricians and staff, all dedicated to providing the highest standard of care that puts children at the centre of everything it does.

“ FROM ROUTINE CHECK-UPS TO COMPLEX MEDICAL CONDITIONS, THE BRISTOL PAEDIATRIC CLINIC TEAM SUPPORTS CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND WELLBEING AT EVERY STAGE OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT.”

A TRUSTED RESOURCE FOR BRISTOL FAMILIES

The clinic’s team of skilled paediatricians offers specialised care in a range of paediatric specialist areas ensuring that children receive comprehensive treatment for both common and complex conditions. Whether it’s routine check-ups or managing chronic health issues, the clinic provides personalised care to suit each child’s individual needs.

For families in Bristol and further afield, the Bristol Paediatric Clinic is carving out a reputation as more than just a healthcare provider; it’s a place where children and their families are treated with care, compassion, and expertise. A beacon of hope and health for the youngest members of the community n

Dan is a consultant in paediatric emergency medicine in the children’s emergency department at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children where he has been clinical lead. He is also a consultant senior lecturer in global health at the University of Bristol. Dan trained in paediatrics and paediatric emergency medicine in Bath, Bristol and Toronto.

Dr Nick Sargant MBBS, MRCPCH, MSc (Allergy)

Nick is a consultant paediatrician at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and specialises in paediatric allergy and paediatric emergency medicine. He has been clinical lead for the children’s emergency department and governance lead for the Children’s Hospital. Nick trained in paediatrics, paediatric allergy and paediatric emergency medicine in London, Bristol, Bath, and Melbourne. He also has a Master of Science (MSc) degree in allergy from Southampton University.

itfiel ou e e ical ent e itfiel lace lifton o n i tol a min i tolpae iat ic com i tolpae iat ic com

BANDOOK

Let’s reacquaint ourselves with Cargo’s chaatering classes

Words by Deri Robins

Millennial hipsters didn’t invent street food, even if they think they did. It’s been around in one form or another for thousands of years. Even in the culinary wilderness of 20th-century Britain there was a version of it, but we didn’t call it street food back then we called it fish and chips’, or pudu-like’. The closest most of us got to an exotically flavoured takeaway in the 1 0s was a late-night kebab, devoured in drunken oblivion after the pubs closed. Who among us has never woken to a bleary new dawn and found globs of chilli sauce decorating their jacket? Regrets and doners; we’ve had a few.

Then, slowly, things began to change. Immigration, travel and social media broadened our culinary horizons, and we all fell hard for the casual regional food we’d encountered in faraway lands. People started serving it at festivals and markets, the more successful pop-ups turned into bricksand-mortar affairs, and even high-end chefs started to get in on the act

You could argue that serving street food in a smart restaurant kills the groove; it’s a bit like putting gra ti in a museum, or scoring The Great Rock ’n’ Roll Swindle for strings at the Royal Albert Hall. The authenticity can feel little lost in translation.

However, this is not an issue for Bristol’s Bandook, which serves its modern Indian street food in one of those teeny-tiny Cargo units, with six or so laminated tables and an open kitchen the size of a cockpit. It’s more boujie than, say, a dosa truck in downtown New Delhi, but still has a casual, unpretentious canteen vibe which suits the cuisine down to a tee.

equally high this time around Amor was the perfect host, even offering to turn the music down after I’d mildly grizzled about the volume. Look, I’m not grumpy or intolerant, I’m misophonic; allowances must be made.

The Bandook menu never seems to vary very much – I guess if it ain’t broke, etc – with a succinct choice of dishes described as ‘robust, potent, strident and powerful’. I’d add ‘generous’; one of the chaats alone would probably have done us. Oh and also ‘local’; you really can’t hold your head up at fiercely indie Wapping Wharf unless you source from your neighbours, and andook’s menu duly sets out its a liations weetmart for veg, Ruby & White for meat, Banyan Tree for spices. Fish comes from lifton eafood, so close they could probably haul the catch of the day up in a basket. When you have great ingredients like these going into the pot it would be a crime to overwhelm the flavours maybe that’s why the Bandook chefs have a fairly restrained hand with the spices, allowing them to bring a gentle warmth rather than volcanic Vindaloo-level heat.

DINING DETAILS

Bandook, Cargo 2, Wapping Wharf, 0117 336 2845; www.bandookkitchen.com

The drinks list comes in a nostalgic little booklet styled like an old-school British Indian passport. We book ourselves a one-way ticket to Konkan via a Bombay Margarita, which sweetens the standard recipe with pineapple. The glass rim is dipped in a spicy mix of masala salt if you’re hard enough to sip, there’s a straw if you’re not.

Opening hours Monday-Friday noon2.30pm & 5.30-10 pm; Saturday noon-11 pm; Sunday noon-9 pm

Price Chaats and small plates £6.50-7.50; curry/biryani £13.50-£16.50; puds £5-£7.50

Veggie? Good choice

Drinks Excellent cocktails, small wine list Service Friendly and helpful Atmosphere Cosy and casual

andook is the casual arm of the Indian finedining Mint oom group When it first opened it was called holay after the classic ollywood crime flick , then changed its name to andook after the classic ollywood crime flick Apparently there was a copyright problem with the former but not the latter ust as there was a Mint oom in ath and ristol the latter has now closed , there’s a andook in each city, too he ath one’s larger and smarter, with proper loos, whereas in Cargo, of course, you have to trot back down the stairs in all weathers to use the communal ones, chanting the entry code under your breath like a mantra. Despite this mild inconvenience we much prefer ristol’s version, finding it more characterful and fun than the plusher Bath one; which, thinking about it, neatly sums up our feelings about the two cities in general.

There are a few outdoor tables, which must be lovely when it’s warm and sunny, although it never is when we visit; we always seem to be blown up the stairway by a brisk gale. On the plus side this makes the dining room feel extra warm and cosy, especially as there’s always a friendly welcome. We were charmed by the staff during our last visit, and the standard was

Ms A and I order up a random pile of things, which all come out at exactly the same time, meaning that we gobble them down far too quickly. First to arrive is a chaat – a kind of deconstructed Punjabi vegetable samosa. It’s soft and chewy in all the right places, topped with a pile of curried chickpeas and cooled down with a minty raita – so often used as a fire e tinguisher in curry houses, but here elevated to a delicate sauce.

Pun abi style also characterises the Amritsari fish fritters, a simple-enough looking dish but one that’s bursting with herby flavours he fish is fresh and flaky A gobi of deep-fried cauliflower florets is described as “a vegan take on the infamous chicken 65 from Hotel Buhari”, though the reason for this infamy is not explained; anyway, they’re very good, and have a pleasing bite. A chilli paneer makes a soft, fruity and indulgent contrast to the above, while Grandma’s Chicken Curry comes in a lightweight, aromatic sauce that tastes properly home-made; the tenderness of the chicken suggests hours of dedicated marination.

Bandook knows what it does best, and doesn’t mess too much with the mo o – and that’s fine After all, nobody wants their favourite ew elhi dosa vendor to suddenly go off piste and start dabbling in pan-Asian fusion ometimes – often – after a long day toiling at the coalface, the reassuring comfort blanket of a familiar and sensibly-priced menu is exactly what you need. Cargo’s restaurants come and go; Bandook is not only still standing but thriving; and there’s generally a good reason for that.

TA TRULY UNIQUE DESTINATION

What began as a vision in 2011 has transformed into a thriving enterprise for entrepreneurial couple Robbie and Tracy Williams

he duo met whilst working in the structured cabling industry, but it wasn’t until six years later that they both found themselves unemployed. With a house, two children and a single car, they decided it was now or never; it was time to take a leap of faith and launch their own business from the ground up.

Eighteen months later, the couple enjoyed a much-needed two-night getaway at a boutique hotel near Bath and it was there that they fell in love with the idea of moving to the country and creating a similar business, somewhere that stressed out business owners could switch off and relax. From the converted pig shed they were staying in, they started to create a strategic plan for growth. Fast forward to 2019, nearly a

“ GUEST FEEDBACK HAS BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE, HIGHLIGHTING THE METICULOUS ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND SOPHISTICATED ATMOSPHERE”

decade after they embarked on their journey, they sold up and fully exited the IT industry. Mission accomplished!

This journey led to the creation of Everards Farm – a 17th century Grade II listed farm estate in the Mendip Hills. The exquisite property boasts 18 acres of landscaped grounds, luxury accommodation, a stunning indoor pool, a sauna, steam room, cold-water bucket shower and a fully equipped gym. Everards Farm offers an exclusive experience with a maximum of 18 guests staying on-site and is designed to create an intimate and private retreat just 30 minutes from Bath and close to the historic City of Wells.

The accommodation consists of ‘The Cottage’ a two-bedroom contemporary cottage with wet room, in-room bath by Catchpole & Rye, exposed beams and stone walls and a fully fitted modern kitchen with a country twist. The ‘Parlour’ and ‘Pigsty’ are two individual accommodations that can also be interconnecting. Both properties feature luxurious interiors and amazing private outdoor spaces with wood fired bathtubs, pizza ovens and Corten log burners. The ‘Threshing Barn’ is a duplex one bedroom converted barn with beautifully appointed hand-built kitchen, vaulted ceilings upstairs with a square bathtub and wet room shower.

The two stand out properties are ‘Fika’ and ‘Hygge’, detached Scandinavian inspired lodges in a private field with huge, covered verandas,

outdoor copper bathtub, log burner and seating. Inside, each property has a fully fitted kitchen, lounge diner with double sofa bed and king-size bed with view. The wet rooms are the real wow with double rain showers looking at the view through one way glass, so you truly feel like you’re outside!

Beyond being a secluded getaway, Everards Farm hosts numerous events throughout the year and has recently become a luxury wedding venue. An upcoming wedding fair is planned for April 13th to showcase their offerings. Guest feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the meticulous attention to detail and sophisticated atmosphere that has made Everards Farm a truly unique destination. n

Everards Farm, Nedge Lane, BA3 4LR. tel: 01749 233222; hello@everardsfarm.com; www.everardsfarm.com

CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE Chain reaction

Boston Tea Party: it’s definitely not

a Costa

This week’s coffee shop of choice is the hugely wonderful, and wonderfully welcoming Whiteladies Road branch of Boston Tea Party. Or, BTP, as it is known to friends, fans and long-time admirers, which includes the whole of the SC crew.

Now, before going any further, I should probably address the elephant in the coffee cup Is it, or is it not, a chain? Hmm. Reason I ask, is because a mate muttered in my ear that BTP is so spectacularly successful, with something like 23 branches

“Imagine if McDonalds, Waitrose and a farm shop had a one night stand and the result was the most gorgeous and glorious love child ever”

all over the south western semisphere, that it should be considered a chain. And I should shun their fine food in favour of single unit, solitary, standalone cafés, with which Bristol is blessed most mightily. Hmm.

Here’s my thinking. This homegrown, family-run business, started in the Bristol area, is absolutely brilliant at delivering top-notch coffee shop and foodie hotspots. So, my reasoning is simple If P is, indeed, a coffee shop chain, then why on earth aren’t the rest of the big boys out there anything like as good as this one? Because, I have to say – spoiler alert – this particular place is absolutely fabulous. As are all the BTP cafés I have ever popped in to.

Take the Whiteladies Road branch, for instance. We walked through the door one morning, just in time for a spot of brunch. We were in search of something savoury with coffee to cheer us up. To be honest, just being inside the building did that. It’s a real delight, all in itself. The interior is one of those spaces that gladdens the heart just by existing.

After sitting down at a table, we went all 21st century and used a QR code to order. The menu on offer is broad, covering most of the main, mouth-pleasing bases you would expect, with everything from bacon baps,

buns and pancakes up to toasted tasty heaven.

In short, in the unlikely event that you have never been in one of their establishments, you really should do so, ahora. Until then, let me paint a picture in words for you.

Imagine a homespun, Bristolian version of the quintessential American diner, all warm vibes, comforting food and friendly staff, with wall-towall contented customers as far as the eye could see. If that doesn’t e plain its caf genius su ciently, imagine McDonalds, Waitrose and a farm shop had a one-night stand and the result was the most gorgeous and glorious love child ever. Well, in café terms, this would be this place.

But for now, let’s get back to reality. Just as you might expect, with such a fine venue, the food was e quisite, the coffees were spot on and oy was unconfined After which, we spent a happy hour or two watching the world go by, ordering top-up drinks and the occasional slice of cake so big we had to take some home.

BTP – it’s the one for me! n

Former The Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer; @stancullimore on instagram Google up Stan’s daily substack blog: Diary of an Urban Grandad

CHARLIE TAYLOR KASK WINE

Should an event celebrating women winemakers be a thing? Funny you should ask . . .

You’re reading this shortly after International Women’s Day (IWD). This means that KASK, and many other wine bars throughout the world, will have recently hosted a Women in Wine tasting event

When we hosted a tasting as part of International Women’s Day last year, a customer questioned us on this. Why should this be a thing? Doesn’t it risk reinforcing a prejudice? Shouldn’t we just be saying ‘winemakers’?

When Barbe Nicole Cliquot Ponsardin was widowed at the age of 27, she dared to take on running the wine company founded by her father-in-law and faced huge amounts of sexism and associated barriers. But her creativity and innovations transformed the industry and earned her the nickname ‘la grande dame of Champagne’.

This was way back at the turn of the 19thcentury and to this day erve liquot is known

throughout the world. So why, 225 years on, are we still spending one day a year singling out wines that happen to be made by women?

This year’s IWD theme is ‘Accelerate Action’, highlighting the fact that at the current rate of progress, it will take until 21 five generations from now) to reach full gender parity I have no idea how that translates into the wine industry but as one barometer of change, over the last 10 years of new Masters of Wine (the Jedis of the industry have been female – a significant increase on the previous ten

In an article in 202 , iona Morrison, a Master of Wine based in Bordeaux, asserted that great strides towards equality have been made over the last 0 years, suggesting three contributing factors.

irstly, a generational change where the sons and daughters of winemakers in the ’ 0s and ’70s naturally succeeded their parents in taking on their vineyards, whereas in previous generations it had largely been the male line who inherited the grapes.

Secondly, the internet making information much more accessible, creating anonymity during the first steps of getting into the industry (rather than requiring an ‘old boys’ club’ to open the doors).

And thirdly, the rise of women students in many subjects previously reserved for men – such as engineering and biochemistry – bleeding into studies of enology (the science of wine).

owever, we still hear stories of female winemakers having to bust their way through the (wine) glass ceiling. Constantina Sotelo, for example, who makes wines in Rias Baixis on the Galician coast. When Constantina was starting out, the wine industry of the area was very much an male preserve his, combined with Constantina’s aptitude for experimentation (she makes around 20 different wines all from the Albarino grape, experimenting with different vessels and techniques), led other (male) winemakers in the area to call her he Witch’ ut with two fingers firmly in the air, onstantina embraced this, featuring iconography on her labels such as a witch on a broomstick, a black cat and a cauldron.

When picking bottles for our IWD tasting, there were plenty to pick from on our shelves, including a number that I didn’t know were made by women until I looked up who the head winemakers were.

With so many amazing wines, how can we possibly restrict ourselves to celebrating them for one day a year? This is why throughout March our by-theglass list will be composed entirely of wines made by women, and why we’ll have to change it each week just to scratch the surface of

featuring some of our favourite female winemakers. And it’s why, regardless of their gender; these winemakers wines will be on our shelves all year round

Three to try Pelicas, Constantina Sotelo

One of Constantina’s experiments with the Albarino grape from Galicia on Spain’s Atlantic coast. This is an orange wine with the juice soaking on the grape skins in earthenware amphorae (big clay pots). A saline and mineral background with notes of peach and apricot.

Wunderland, Pia Strehn

Pia Strehn is Austria’s queen of rosé and when you taste this wine made from the native Blaufrankisch grape, you’ll see why ne for lovers of a Provencestyle rosé packed with red berry flavours, but it’s the hint of lime that sets it apart

SP68 Bianco, Arianna Occhipinti

Arianna is the niece of legendary Sicilian winemaker Guisto Occhipinti, so winemaking is in her blood. But this is no nepobaby; Arianna’s biodynamic and minimal intervention wines are now rivalling her uncle’s for quality his is her entry level, but the quality shines through. Ama ing with fish, this blend of Muscat and Albanella has notes of white flowers, lychee, pink grapefruit and fresh oregano, finishing with a green olive note Delicious.

Visit KASK Wine at 51 North Street, Bedminster 07522 198081 www.kaskwine.co.uk

JOIN OUR CLUB

Supporting CHILDREN’S HOSPICE SOUTH WEST brings many benefits – along with the chance to attend special events such as this recent one at Wake the Tiger

Children’s Hospice South West provides vital care and support to babies, children and young people across the South West. Charlton Farm is our Bristol hospice supporting over 230 families from the Bristol and Bath area. We provide short breaks, specialist play, a dedicated sibling support team, emergency and end-of-life care and bereavement support, available 24/7, 365 days a year.

Charlton Farm costs £4.5 million a year to provide exceptional care to families going through the most challenging times. With less than fundin fro the overn ent, we rely heavily on support from local businesses.

The CHSW Business Club

Over 70 companies are part of this exclusive network across ristol and the South est, including Wessex Garages, Albert Goodman, shton ate ospitality and ones uildin roup.

Our last business club event took place at the extraordinary Wake the Tiger Amazement Park, in Bristol; a venue unlike any other. With its magical creatures and interactive spaces it offered the ideal setting for our members to connect, network and for new relationships.

“I loved the event and had a great time. It was y far the est so far and really played on the creative side of my brain! The other events have all een fantastic ut this was on another level”, said Richard Batten, director of Move on Removals and Storage Limited.

What are the benefits of joining CHSW’s Business Club?   aise your co pany profile ake connections with new and like inded usinesses oost staff orale

• Stand out from the competition ... and crucially, help make a difference to a ies, children and youn people with life limiting conditions and their families, all for less than a day

How can I get involved?

Your membership helps ensure that CHSW can continue providing vital care to families going through the unimaginable. We love to work with co panies in a variety of ways from choosing us as your charity partner or taking on a challenge, volunteering or event sponsorship. owever you choose to support us you will e akin a hu e difference.

When is the next event?

ur ne t networkin event is kindly ein hosted by The Village Hotel, Filton on 2 April from 5.30pm-7.30pm. Come along and meet some of the CHSW team and Business Club e ers to find out why you should e part of this special network.

You can book your complimentary space here www.chsw.or .uk usiness clu april n

Join us today and help make a difference. For more information or to become a member, please email amanda.gallagher@chsw.org.uk or visit www.chsw.org.uk/businessclub

Staff from CAB IT, Move On Removals And Storage, MediaClash and Ashton Gate Hospitality

Marriott Hotels Bristol, Bristol Rose Mortages and Ta Baylis Electrical

SH&P and Major Event Boss

Wessex Garages

ALPHA MUM

We’re not leaving Mother’s Day to chance this year; kids have been known to forget. Instead, we’re making like Lucy Punch in Amandaland and self-gifting these classy fits

FRAME LE PALAZZO JEANS, £280

Jeans, but make them designer –ideally with a flattering high-rise, fitted hip and a subtle wide-leg flare

From Grace & Mabel, 32 The Mall www.graceandmabel.co.uk

SECOND FEMALE

AMANI SHAGGY JACKET, £194

Amanda knows that a shaggy jacket adds an essential layer of glam, both to casual outfits and dressy evening wear

From John Lewis, Cribbs Causeway www.johnlewis,com

SELECTED FEMME MALINE LILIANA SWEATER, £45

From Maze, 26-28 The Mall www.mazeclothing.co.uk

Amanda s style includes several renchgirl staples; she’d probably pair these Breton stripes with a navy blazer

ROSEMUNDE BILLIE TOP, £58

Rock this lace-trimmed top Amanda-style by wearing it under a sharp jacket

From Grace & Mabel

32 The Mall www.graceandmabel.co.uk

TIMBERLAND

ALLINGTON BOOTS, £94.99 (FROM £130)

Gone camping by mistake? In Amandaland even practical boots must come with heels

From Schuh, Cabot Circus www.schuh.co.uk

RAINS LOHJA SHORT JACKET, £179

This trans-seasonal jacket is waterproof and windproof, but never mind the practicals, because far more importantly it has a supremely stylish cropped silhouette

From Maze, 26-28 The Mall www.mazeclothing.co.uk

TEXTURED LINK

YELLOW GOLD CHAIN

NECKLACE, £3,962

Amanda probably isn’t quite cool enough to have heard of Diana Porter, but as a fan of a linked chain she’d covet this lovely textured one, which comes with an optional T-bar pendant

From Diana Porter 33 Park Street www.dianaporter.co.uk

WEEKEND MAXMARA PEIRAK

BLAZER, £210 (FROM £420)

Amanda sticks to neutrals, creams and navy to ensure she always looks polished; we see her pairing this houndstooth linen number with wide trousers and high-heeled boots

SELF-PORTRAIT

TWEED JACKET £460; SKIRT £260

Very much in a similar ballpark to the SelfPortrait mini-suit worn by Amanda in episode four; you’re welcome

From Harvey Nichols 27 Philadelphia Street www.harveynichols.com

From Grace & Mabel, 32 The Mall www.graceandmabel.co.uk

KATE SHERIDAN LEATHER

HULL BAG, £265

ust the right si e to fit all the essentials – sunnies, keys to the Lexus, Johnny’s Amex card From Maze, 26-28 The Mall www.mazeclothing.co.uk

STRIPED SHIRT, £79

Every alpha female’s wardrobe needs at least one boyfriend shirt; we’re picturing this one under a denim waistcoat

KHAKI PADDED

If you absolutely have to spend Saturday afternoon cheering on the kids at the school soccer field, you may as well look the biz From Mint Velvet www.mintvelvet.com

From Mint Velvet, 44 Regent Street www.mintvelvet.com

WHITE LACE DETAIL MINI DRESS, £150

We can easily see o a’s finest rocking this on a date night –with vertiginous heels, obviously From Mint Velvet, 44 Regent Street; www.mintvelvet.com

GILET, £155

SCHOOL GUIDE VICTORIA BOND

Absolute beginners

What does being schoolready really mean?

Arecent report by an early-years charity found that pupils in reception class are losing, on average, a third of their learning time each day due to teachers needing to support children who are not school-ready ne in four school starters this academic year were not toilet-trained o what does school-readiness really mean? Some parents take the term literally, thinking of it as a sort of shopping list for what a child needs to attend school (ie shiny shoes, lunch bo or even what they need to know in terms of basic letters or numbers owever, being schoolready refers to the set of skills, behaviours and attitudes that help a child successfully transition into school life and set them up

to learn. These include physical (holding a pen or sitting still), social following basic rules and routines , emotional e pressing preferences and co-operating , cognitive being able to focus on a task for a short period and independent self-care eating and going to the toilet by themselves).

It’s a list that isn’t really a list, and it’s important not to worry if there is a development bo or two that isn’t ticked by the time you are packing the bookbag for them and tissues for you on the first day of term eachers recognise that being school-ready is a very broad band taff are professionally trained to recognise and support each child from their different starting points, says mma Lewry a former primary school headteacher who now runs an education consultancy

SCHOOL STARTING AGE UK v EUROPE

Our children start school in the September after they turn four and are among the youngest in Europe to enter formal education and be expected to sit still and learn. Countries including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Norway and Finland (often cited as an exemplar in modern teaching), hold off formal education until the age of six. Some children don’t even fully develop 20/20 vision until they are five so we are expecting A LOT of our littlest human beings.

specialising in early years In fact, the uniqueness of the children is often the favourite part of the ob If you have any concerns, share these with the class teacher who will then support your child to do well and learn at their own pace.” Once they enter the classroom, school starters also get the opportunity to learn from some of the best teachers on the planet – their peers. Nothing like a little healthy copying to kickstart their school-ready skills.

one fine motor skills with Play-Doh and crayons”

Reception pupils are also measured for some elements of school-readiness during informal, one-to-one classroom-based checks in the first si weeks of school. These were introduced in eptember 2021 and focus on early maths, communication, language and literacy skills. There is no pass or fail and these are absolutely not, as one Mumsnet forum branded the eception Baseline Assessments recently, intelligent tests for four year olds”. The data is used as a starting point to measure progress by the end of ear As such, it’s more of a test for the school than for the child, and no family needs to worry about how their child will perform o, what should you focus on if your child is due to start

school this year? Preparing our children through active play and relishing the final free-range’ months is vital. Think about ways to develop their ability to take risks, ask questions, take turns and vocalise choices. Talk, sing, dance, jump, and point at things and say, Look at that brown dog for no other reason than you are communicating and sharing knowledge. Hone fine motor skills with Play- oh and crayons; boost gross motor skills with a trip to a local climbing frame o relish reading together, but don’t forget that spending small amounts of time apart to prepare them for being separated from you five days a week is educational too. Oh, and make elcro your best friend in terms of shoe straps and buttonless top that will quickly increase their sense of independence – and no, it doesn’t mean they’ll head off to university wearing daps. Slow everything down and you will see school-readiness is full to the brim with magic.

Victoria Bond is the founder and CEO of School Guide, an easy-to-use website that helps parents explore the best schools in the area, including catchment maps and parent reviews. For more: www.schoolguide.co.uk

Mum! I’m school ready!

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS 2025

WHO FANCIES SOME GIN AND A SPOT OF BRIDGE?

…AND WE’RE BACK!

The

Bristol Life Awards 2025 are almost upon us. Prepare to party…

AWARDS 2025

When: The Bristol Life Awards 2025 takes place on Thursday 20 March

Where: Ashton Gate, with the afterparty downstairs in the Sports Bar

Categories: There are 22 award categories to be won

Tickets: Last ones available on our website now, and selling out fast with huge demand

The Bristol Life Awards is the absolute highlight of the local business calendar. Every season, the calibre of the nominees and the inventiveness, originality, and perseverance of the companies, initiatives, and people who contribute to the vibrant and diverse city’s success astound us even more.

Every year, we celebrate the quality displayed by seasoned Bristol professionals and remarkable up-andcoming talent from all sectors of our business ecosystem, all the while forging deep new relationships. The judging process is laborious as always; with each nomination examined, analysed, and discussed until we are left with simply the best.

A new set of impartial judges chosen afresh each year determines who the worthy winners are, from nominees selected by the Bristol Life team from a variety of local industries. You can read more about our judges on the

next page, while on page 91 you can discover all you need to know about this year’s finalists

Collectively, they serve as a microcosm of the best that the city has to offer and are at the forefront of its blossoming excellence. Glamour is the name of the game on the big night, with everyone dressed up and ready to party at Ashton Gate.

CL Prop Hire has provided the classic Hollywoodstyle writing from Bristol Life for all those Insta-or-itdidn’t-happen moments. Ashton Gate will also be providing dinner, which is served at tables exquisitely decorated with centrepieces created by Giant Cards.

The bold and brilliant Straysparks create the actual Awards, while 6 O’Clock Gin are providing bottles for deserving winners After we’re finished or the o cial Awards afterparty, head downstairs to the Sports Bar. ollow proceedings on social media if your tickets are not yet in your possession verybody else We’ll see you on 20 March. Be sure to scrub up.

For more: www.bristollifeawards.co.uk

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS

THE JUDGES WILL DECIDE…

Every year, there’s a fresh panel of impeccably impartial and independent judges for the Bristol Life Awards. It’s a diverse and knowledgeable group from a wide variety of sectors and sizes of business. They, and they alone, decide who the winners will be…

BEN GAY, general manager, Harbour Hotel Bristol

Ben has worked in the hospitality industry for over 24 years at various locations and styles of venues. Prior to this he studied at City of Bristol College undertaking a HNC qualification in business studies. During this time he developed a passion for business hospitality, which led him to his first position in Jury’s Doyle hotel group.

MERCEDES OSBOURNE, founder, Pointers

Financial

After gaining experience across multiple firms, Mercedes founded her own mortgage advice company, offering the very best customer experience for her clients. Outside work she likes to be involved in the local community, and among other roles acts as a trustee for the local rugby club.

DARYN CARTER, co-founder, Bristol Pride

Daryn has been at the helm of the festival for 16 years. He was awarded an MBE by the Queen is 2020 for services to the LGBT+ community and the Freedom of The City of Bristol in 2021.

ASWIN DOEKHIE, co-founder and CTO, EnsiliTech

Aswin brings his diverse background in chemistry (PhD, University of Bath) and biology (BSc, MSc) to further the research and development the Ensilication™ technology. Aswin is passionate about his work on vaccine development with over a decade of experience in this field. Outside of work he enjoys 3D printing and has a strong interest in coding.

LOUISE NDIBWIRENDE, trustee, Watershed Louise is a TEDx speaker, aspiring CEO, and multiaward-winning equality specialist with 13+ years of driving culture change. Passionate about race equity, LGBT+ inclusion, and mental health, she mentors with Just Like Us and serves as a trustee at Watershed. As a film director, her debut documentary Speak Little One unveils the unspoken realities of adoptees.

BECKY GALLAGHER, head of MBA recruitment and admissions, The University of Bath, Executive MBA

Becky has worked at the The University of Bath, Executive MBA for over 20 years. She began in the students’ union, helping students recognise skills gained through extracurricular activities. This involved working with the Entrepreneur Society and sports and activities leaders. Her role bridges academia and industry, ensuring students gain practical experience while companies benefit from fresh insights.

MARIA BERRYMAN, Programme director, YTKO

Maria brings over 20 years of industry experience, while in her current role she specialises in delivering structured, efficient, and impactful projects across sectors including youth empowerment, IT recruitment, hospitality, and business development.

REBECCA ISAAC, director, AMD Solicitors

Rebecca is head of the AMD Clifton Village office and specialises in high-quality conveyancing services, which include sales, purchases and transfers of equity for both freehold and leasehold property. Rebecca practised for many years in family law and has considerable experience in cases concerning children, divorce and financial arrangements.

SARAH WOODHOUSE, director and owner, AMBITIOUS

Sarah is passionate about social values. Ambitious partners with several local community-based clients including The Grand Appeal, Young Bristol and Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. Sarah started her career in London and then moved to Hong Kong where she sold her first agency in 2011 to WPP.

TOM BRIGHT, founder, Bright Evolve

Tom has over 20 years B2B sales experience and currently works with earlystage businesses to help them achieve profitable growth. Tom has worked across the world, with experience in Europe, APAC and the US, but as a proud Bristolian he’s passionate about supporting the local economy.

PHOTOS BY NARRATED FRAMES

STARRY

On 25 February, the 2025 Bristol Life Awards finalists and sponsors headed to a special reception at The Square Club to celebrate their selection and meet up with fellow nominees. We’ll see them all again at Ashton Gate for the Awards on 20 March... For more: www.bristollfeawards.co.uk

JON CRAIG

Photographer

JOURNEY TO THE JOB

ZOE COLOSIMO

The COO at Bristol-based giving platform, Neighbourly has quite the varied CV

I’ve had a really varied career, which I hadn’t appreciated the significance of until recently, but largely focused on marketing and product development, says oe I left school at the earliest opportunity and started out as a builder working for my wonderful dad, but realised that was a bad career move when he didn’t pay me ut it opened up the perfect ne t step working at an architect’s practice It was a sign I like creating things and it led to a rich career focused on building things from teams to campaigns, departments and companies, across multiple industries and eventually to eighbourly

Tell us about Neighbourly eighbourly is a brilliant and unique concept It’s the only platform which helps businesses make a positive and measurable impact in their communities through volunteering, local fundraising, grants and surplus product redistribution – all in one place It’s a free space for charities to sign up and unlock access to corporate partners

We operate across the and Ireland but in ristol alone we’ve

facilitated , million meals,1 ,000 volunteer hours and 1,2 1m in funding, with a total social impact of 20,2 2,000 for the city And across the whole network, 0,000 good causes have registered on the site and we’ve facilitated the donation of m, 2 k volunteer hours, , 7t of products and 2 1 million meals spanning every postcode, worth nearly 1 billion in social value

What’s the culture like at Neighbourly?

he team are some of the most fearless, passionate people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing hey strike the comple balance of ambition and heart we are a founding orp, which keeps us focused on social and environmental impact, alongside building a profitable business hey really emulate a core belief that anything is possible I’m genuinely grateful for their creative thinking, problem-solving, passion and commitment

What have been some of your biggest career highlights?

hat’s a big question – there are so many, but thinking about the eighbourly ourney, we were lucky enough to have Marks

pencer as a founding client and that’s impressive given we were ust a piece of paper at the time hey were the first company we navigated the comple system of distributing surplus food with, along with connecting every store to a local charity fundraising partner

We also delivered our first mass volunteer campaign with M – 2 in 2 It was a bit like I 2 in 2 hours for community charities, but I hadn’t engaged with the fact it meant staying up all night volunteering oanna Lumley was a brilliantly chosen ambassador eing part of Microsoft’s Positive Impact Accelerator in 202 was another highlight, participating in a global hackathon to embed AI in the platform and really unlock thinking about what AI will do to our communities positive and negative the world over

How have you seen the importance placed on corporate giving and social responsibility change in Bristol and beyond?

We are a poor nation with a few very rich people In the last ten years we’ve seen company strategies go from the edge of business to

NETWORK

“BRISTOL IS AN EXTRAORDINARY PLACE – CREATIVE, WELCOMING AND PROGRESSIVE”

their heart, as companies appreciate the need to take care of the planet and to support the communities they serve to meet employee and customer e pectations his really did accelerate after the height of the pandemic here are also appro imately 1 million people over the age of 1 who are e periencing some form of digital poverty I don’t think we can overestimate the change that AI will bring, and how it will e acerbate the digital divide, so we’ve oined forces with Microsoft to deliver an AI skilling campaign, training charity leaders and services users to help close the gap ome great eighbourly partners have come to the table with their workforce to build an army of volunteer trainers – urrys and irgin Media 2 to name a couple – to help upskill 100k people by the end of une We also see a need for funding here, so let us know if you want to come and help

What do you think sets Bristol’s professional community apart? ristol is an e traordinary place –creative, welcoming and progressive We have high standards when it comes to equity and inclusion and environmental impact We are also proud leaders in tech ech ation reported that the ristol and ath area was the third largest hub for tech investment in 2021

What would be your best advice for someone looking to move to the city?

Look up all the local talent the city is ammed with it And whoever you work for, get your company to sign up to eighbourly ow a business shows up in their community has an enormous bearing on brand perception We all want companies to be good neighbours

For more www.neighbourly.com

KINDRED SPIRITS

Owner Hannah Chapman held a party for clients, friends and colleagues at her KinDRed Clinic in Westbury Park. One of the only independent high street clinics in Bristol to be founded by a female doctor, it’s now also home to a range of other female entrepreneurs. “Together, we offer a truly holistic approach to wellness, including nutrition, skin and aesthetic treatments”, says Hannah. They are also finalists in the Aesthetics Awards 2025 for Best New Clinic UK & Ireland.

www.kindredclinic.co.uk

ARTS & CREATIVE

Sponsored by SLX

• The Bristol Improv Theatre

• Happy Hour Productions

• IMPERMANENCE

• JonesMillbank

• Many Minds

• Misfits Theatre Company UK

• Rhombus

• Studio 74 Contemporary Art

• Sycamore Communications

• Wake The Tiger

• The Wardrobe Theatre

BAR & PUB

Sponsored by Thatchers

• Alma Tavern & Theatre

• The Bootlegger Bristol

• The Gloucester Old Spot

• The Granary Club

• Queens Chew Magna

• Westbury Park Pub & Kitchen

BUSINESS SERVICES

Sponsored by Mytton Williams

• Changing Social

• CL Electrical Controls

• DATA3

• DeskLodge

• Gillards

• Global Bay Design

• Nebula

• New Icon

• Squarebird

• Square Works

• Wilkinsons Removals & Storage of Bristol

• ZiaBia Events Consultancy

CHARITY

• 2wish

• Ablaze

• Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity

• CCS Adoption

Bristol Life Awards 2025 Finalists

• Migrateful

• Operation Community Hamper

• St Werburghs City Farm

CIVIC & COMMUNITY

Sponsored by Hawkins Insolvency

• Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

• Bristol Pride

• Energised Performance

• Greenhouse Learning

• Inclusive Futures

• Made for Impact

• National Centre for Integrative Medicine

• Noble Performs

• Tobacco Factory Market

• Wilkinsons Removals & Storage of Bristol

EMPLOYER

• AMD Solicitors

• Business Show Media

• Catering Services International

• Core3

• Flagship Consulting

• Kingston Barnes

• Nebula

• Parmenion Capital Partners

• Reflections Hair Group

• ZiaBia Events Consultancy

EVENT

• A Christmas Carol: The Drone Light Show

• Ashton Gate Presents BS3

• Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

• Bristol Northern Soul Club

• Bristol Pride

• Festival of Nature

FINANCIAL

• The Aspire Partnership

• Beewise FS

HAIR & BEAUTY

• Bertie and Belle

• Dudes & Dolls

• GlamSquad Bristol & GlamSquad in the Village

• KinDRed Clinic

• Lori Lori

• Nuala Morey Salon

• Reflections Hair Group

• Sacred Willow

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Sponsored by The Wave

• Comfort Health

• Empire Fighting Chance

• Energised Performance

• Nailsea Physio

• National Centre for Integrative Medicine

• Ripples Wellbeing

• Talk Club

HOMES & INTERIORS

LEISURE & TOURISM

Sponsored by Alliance

Wales & West

• Adventure Bristol

• Ashton Gate Stadium

• Be Weird Be Wild Be Wonderful Playhub

• Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

• Bristol Pride

• Clifton Hotels

• De Vere Tortworth Court

• Mojo Active

• The Mount Without

• Wake The Tiger

• The Wave Bristol

NEW BUSINESS

Sponsored by EntreConf

• CreativMoves

• Distortion Studios

• The Granary

• Image Angel

• The Jolly Sailor

• Noah’s

• OTHER

• Pizza on the Park

RETAILER

• Avo Activewear

• The Bristol Cheesemonger

• Edgie Eats

• Gardiner Haskins

• Hullabaloos Drinks

• ILO Clothing

SMALL BUSINESS

• Adventure Bristol

• Avo Activewear

• Bright Sprout

• BrisTechTonic

• Duchess Media

• Edgie Eats

• Global Bay Design

• H2R Selection

• Hey! What?

• Hullabaloos Drinks

• Rhombus

• Sense Risk Solutions

SUSTAINABILITY

• Children’s Hospice South West –Charlton Farm

• EveryFAMILY

• Great Western Air Ambulance Charity

• The Harbour

• Jessie May – Hospice at Home

• Cotterell and Cotterell • Commercial Finance

• Hartsfield

• Integrity365

• Mortgage Style

• Ovation Finance

• Parmenion Capital Partners

• ViFi

• Emily Rickard Design

• Gardiner Haskins

• Gemma Wright Design

• Hannah Redden Interiors

• Ivywell Interiors

• Kutchenhaus Kitchens Bristol

• Nola Interiors

LEGAL

• AMD Solicitors

• Lunax Digital

• Mint HS

• Noah’s

• The Pancake Man

• Rothley Law

• Silver & Steel

• Viridis Talent

PEOPLE SERVICES

• Core3

• Greenhouse Learning

• H2R Selection

• HUM4NS

• Kingston Barnes

• Matthew Olivers

• ELM Legal Services

• GS Verde Group

• Kidwells Law Solicitors

• Rothley Law

• Rubric Law

• Watkins Solicitors

LEGENDS

• AMD Solicitors

• Ashton Gate Stadium

• Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

• Burston Cook

• Clifton Hotels

• Gardiner Haskins

• Gillards

• Happy Hour Productions

• Ovation Finance

• Reflections Hair Group

• PANDEK Group

• Race Ahead – Train the Trainer

PROPERTY

Sponsored by Bristol

Property Awards

• Airsat Construction

• Autograph Homes

• Burston Cook

• Cotswold Design

• Host360

• JAS Building Services

• Mode Consult

RESTAURANT

• The Canteen

• COR Restaurant

• The Curious Kitchen, Aztec Hotel & Spa

• De Vere Tortworth Court

• The Granary

• Harbour House

• LOKI POKÉ

• Autograph Homes

• Building Energy Experts

• The Canteen

• Core3

• Festival of Nature

• Gillards

• Nola Interiors

• Vattenfall Heat UK

• The Wave Bristol

TECHNOLOGY

• CL Electrical Controls

• DATA3

• EnsiliTech

• Exacta Technologies

• Nebula

• New Icon

• Signable

• Sora Aviation

• Techmodal

LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY –APPOINTMENT OF ATTORNEYS

Hermione Farmer of AMD SOLICITORS discusses the appointment of attorneys under a Lasting Power of Attorney.

ALasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal form that gives authority to those appointed as attorneys to make decisions on behalf of the donor (the person who has created the LPA). There are separate LPAs for property and financial affairs and for health and welfare.

Attorneys appointed under an LPA are able to make decisions that the donor could make if they still had the ability to do so themselves. You can therefore appreciate the power that these documents have and the importance of appointing an attorney or attorneys who you trust to look after your best interests.

Some people think that the decision over who to appoint to is a simple one. Perhaps they have a spouse who they trust to look after their best interests and they know would be willing to make decisions for them, a child or children who are financially knowledgeable and manage their own finances well, or siblings who they think would get along and act well together. However, there is more to the consideration of who to appoint than meets the eye. For example:-

1. SOLE ATTORNEYS

If a solely appointed attorney is unable to act (perhaps they have died before the donor or lost capacity themselves), their appointment would fail and the donor would be left with no attorney to make decisions for them and the LPA would be invalid. You should consider someone else

who could act alongside your attorney or who could step in as a replacement.

2.MULTIPLE ATTORNEYS

How they should make decisions: you can appoint attorneys to make decisions jointly and severally (they can make decisions either together or separately), jointly (they must make decisions together), or they can make some decisions jointly and separately, and some jointly

Each option requires very careful consideration. For example, appointing attorneys to make decisions jointly could mean that if one of them dies before you, the remaining attorney cannot make those decisions that they had to make jointly with the other attorney.

3.BANKRUPTCY OR DEBT RELIEF ORDERS

An attorney cannot be appointed if they are currently bankrupt, an undischarged bankrupt or are subject to a debt relief order. If this happens after they are appointed, they can no longer act. If an attorney has previously been bankrupt etc., are they a suitable choice of attorney? These are just some of the issues to consider when thinking of who to appoint as your attorney and it is best to seek professional advice to ensure the best possible decision is made. n

“ THERE IS MORE TO THE CONSIDERATION OF WHO TO APPOINT THAN MEETS THE EYE”

For further advice on Lasting Powers of Attorney, the administration of estates, wills and other private client matters, contact AMD’s Private Client Department on 0117 962 1205 or by email to info@amdsolicitors.com.

100 Henleaze Road, Henleaze, BS9 4JZ 15 The Mall, Clifton, BS8 4DS 139 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, BS8 2PL 2 Station Road, Shirehampton, BS11 9TT www.amdsolicitors.com

PEMBROKE A

Spacious, versatile, drowning in Georgian elegance: no wonder the homes on this Clifton street are a perennial favourite

Words by Ursula Cole

Over the past 365 issues of Bristol Life – one for every day in the year! – we’ve showcased hundreds of desirable homes, set on elegant, beautiful thoroughfares. There are certain streets we find ourselves visiting again and again, though, and if we had to place a bet on the one we’ve featured most frequently it would be Pembroke Road.

There are many resons why homes here are so sought-after. Firstly, it’s a firm bo -ticker in the locationlocation stakes, along with the best-of-both-worlds scenarios. That BS8 postcode stakes a claim to being within the coveted Clifton ’hood, while it’s halfway-tothe-Village, halfway-toWhiteladies position means it’s just a few hundred purposeful strides to the delights of both. Can’t cook, won’t cook? You’ll never need to, with some of the city’s best restaurants handily on your doorstep.

And when the boujie delights of the former pale, and the bustle of the latter feels too much, just head north and you’ll be surrounded by the green e panse of the owns in no time Open your windows in late August, and you’ll probably get a free audio pass to Forwards festival.

Our numerous privileged glimpses into the homes along this street – and they are nearly always outstandingly lovely, spacious golden-stone Grade-II Georgian villas, containing a spotters’ guide’s worth of period details – have revealed that there are myriad ways of interpreting the interiors.

While some homes adopt a more traditional approach, the current owners of number 7 have taken a cheerfully colourful and eclectic route to enhance their gorgeous, high-ceilinged rooms; like all the best renovations this has been achieved without removing all those cherishable shutters, fireplaces, cornices and ceiling roses, so many of which were brutally ripped out of 19th- and 18thcentury homes during less enlightened times.

It’s an interiors design which their successors can either gratefully embrace, or replace with less lively neutrals according to taste; there’s nothing here that a few pots of Cornforth White couldn’t transform in a few brushstrokes. Whatever your taste, all the expensive, messy, boring work has been done, because over the past few years the house has been meticulously refurbished in order to create a highly e cient family home

A pillared entrance frames the plentiful off-street parking and a flagstone path which leads up to the grand side porch. A gate opens to the back garden, and steps lead down to the self-contained lower-ground-floor flat

Beyond the front porch, with its stained-glass door, the entrance hall sets out its design ethos, in which the refreshed style of the house blends with the original features. Here, stripped and distressed wooden floorboards which run throughout the house mi with the retained plasterwork and shuttered sash windows.

An arch opens up into the open-plan kitchen, dining room and sitting room; an L-shaped and wonderfully sociable space stretching over 38ft. Overlooking the

garden, the recently fitted e ol kitchen has a ert May tiled splashback and verhot range cooker there’s plenty of space for a large central island and a family dining table here’s also a snugger family room fitted with a 1 0s fire-surround and a clatter of useful small rooms – the kind that make you wonder how you ever lived without them – such as a boot room, cloakroom and laundry

A stone staircase rises to the first floor, which is given over entirely to a no-e pense-spared suite there’s a sitting room with a woodburning stove, bedroom, dressing room, bathroom and home o ce ou’d probably never leave it unless you absolutely had to hree more bedrooms, a study and shower room are on the second floor, while back down at basement level the self-contained three-bedroomed flat offers the usual potential rental, guest overspill, somewhere to stash recalcitrant teens, aged relations or staff

Almost unfairly spacious for a town house, the southfacing walled garden has pleached holly trees for e tra privacy A mature apple tree is sure to guilt-trip you into baking crumbles and pies in autumn, wisteria climbs up the back walls in spring, and there’s a tree house, climbing frame and a standalone wooden summer house It’s currently a gym, but to the romantic in us it screams idyllic writing bothy’ Working out what use you might put it to is ust one of the pleasurable considerations facing you if you become this lovely home’s new owner

HOUSE NUMBERS

Guide price £2.25m

Receptions 38ft kitchen/ sitting room, family room and study in main house

Bedrooms 5 in main house

More? Garden-floor three-bed flat

Outside Generous parking; large back garden with gym

Call my agent: Rupert Oliver 0117 452 3555 www.rupertoliver.co.uk

Solar Panel Bird Proofing Specialists

Bird Hygiene Cleaning And Total Proofing Specialists

Loft Clearance And Bulk Waste Removal

Rodent Hygiene And Disinfectant Services

Full Loft Insulating/Top Up Services To Retain Warmth

Gutter Cleaning/Roof Moss Removal With Biodegradable Roof Treatment

All completed Works are emailed with photo evidence

We load and clear all your unwanted waste, cheap and fast

Garden Services include:

Other

BRISTOL & CLIFTON’S PREMIER COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AGENTS

Keep up-to-date with our latest news, deals, testimonials and market comment at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk

Queen Square, BS1 FOR SALE - POA

2,751 sq ft (255.57 sq m)

An attractive, self-contained office building situated on the prestigious Queen Square with a courtyard gardenen befitting from 4 car parking spaces.

Horseshoe Lane, Thornbury TO LET - £17,500 pa

1,032 sq ft (95.87 sq m)

A bright and airy ground floor commercial unit with glazed frontage at St Mary's Shopping Centre in Thornbury. New lease terms available.

Whiteladies Road, Clifton FOR SALE – £625,000

1,897 sq ft (176.23 sq m)

Freehold mixed use investment opportunity located in the affluent suburb of Clifton. Three bed HMO and large retail unit.

High Street, Portishead TO LET – POA

1,226 sq ft (113.9 sq m)

A high-quality self-contained corner pitched retail unit over ground and first floor, with stores and W.C’s. There is a rear car park with space for three vehicles as well as external bike storage.

Whiteladies Road, BS8 TO LET – POA

693 - 1,010 – 1,703 sq ft (64.4 – 93.7 – 158.10 sq m)

Attractive offices, refurbished to a contemporary standard. Car parking also available by separate negotiation. New flexible lease terms available.

Eden Office Park, Pill FOR SALE / TO LET – POA

1,735 – 3,611 sq ft (161.18 – 335.46 sq m)

A self-contained office building recently refurbished to a high standard, with 16 allocated car parking spaces and excellent access with Junction 19 of the M5 Motorway approximately 2 miles.

Whiteladies Road, Clifton TO LET – POA

712–3,032 sq ft (66.14–281.67 sq m)

A prominent high quality, contemporary refurbished office accommodation over 4 floors. Large forecourt for parking for up to 5 cars. New lease to be agreed.

Clare Street, BS1 TO LET – POA

1,193 sq ft (110.83 sq m)

A stunning period office building designed by Alfred Waterhouse offering a light and airy office at ground floor level, with excellent floor to ceiling height and additional useful storage space.

Whitefriars, BS1 TO LET – £17.50 psf

5,554 sq ft (515.97 sq m)

Providing modern, yet affordable office accommodation, which is fully fitted with meeting rooms, a/c and large break out area/ kitchen and an onsite gym and coffee shop!

East Street, Bedminster TO LET - POA

4,025 sq ft (373.93 sq m)

Large retail unit to let, with strong passing footfall on East Street. Class E-suitable for a variety of commercial uses.

PROVIDING AN EXQUISITE FAMILY HOME IN c13 ACRES

BACKWELL HOUSE – JUST 15 MINUTES DRIVE FROM CLIFTON,

The main living accommodation is principally arranged over two floors and would ideally suit a growing family.

The ground floor provides 4 beautiful reception rooms plus conservatory and kitchen/utility around a stunning central staircase leading to the first floor which provides 7 ensuite bedrooms, each with beautiful views over the grounds.

The second floor currently provides a further 2 ensuite bedrooms, which could be readily adapted for other uses within this family home. The property

Burston Cook: Julian@burstoncook.co.uk

Tom@burstoncook.co.uk

0117 934 9977

also benefits from a good sized basement, partially fitted out and ideal for a variety of ancillary uses.

The house is approached via a sweeping driveway and sits within approximately 13 acres, comprising front lawn, a rear private garden and surrounding paddocks. There is an outdoor swimming pool which can be readily recommissioned along with a former tennis court.

In addition, further outbuildings and three estate cottages can be purchased subject to separate negotiation.

Knight Frank robin.engley@knightfrank.com

sarah.ka.brown@knightfrank.com 0117 317 1996 / 0207 590 2451 Guide Price £2,995,000

MIKE ELLIOTT

The longest-serving staff member at Bristol Old Vic has just been named Unsung Hero at the 2025 Stage Awards

Mike is Bristol Old Vic’s maintenance supervisor – “I’m not sure who I’m supervising, apart from the odd contractor, but that’s my job title!” he says. “I basically keep the building in working order and fit for purpose.”

Never mind the visiting luvvies or the award-winning directors, “We couldn’t do any of our jobs without Mike”, say his colleagues. ”He is the total embodiment of ‘behind the scenes’. Everyone repeats the mantra when he goes on holiday: ‘Mike’s away, don’t break anything’. We have no idea what we’ll do without him when he finally hangs up his tool belt, as the idiosyncracies of this place are truly mysterious.”

“I believe there’s a ghost here. I haven’t seen it, but I’ve felt it”

and also theatre is a tough job to financially stay in for any length of time at the moment.

The theatre also feels more open to the public now. There’s a different type of vibe since the refurbishment. People are more inclined to just come in for a coffee – it’s definitely more welcoming and diverse today.

A few highlights have included chatting to people like Jeremy Irons, Ian McKellen and Mark ylance, and finding out they’re just the same as every other human being on the planet – they all had a really good sense of humour, too. Also, of course, witnessing the refurbishment.

I met my wife Rieko at BOV but we both had different commitments at the time; also she was in Japan and I wasn’t. I never stopped thinking of her though, so when she came back in 2019, we arranged to meet up, and within five months we were married

Our son Alex was bullied at school when he was 11. At 14 he joined the BOV Young Company and it completely changed him. He went from being introverted to a lovely well-rounded person.

I believe there is a ghost here –I haven’t seen it, but I’ve felt it.

I joined Bristol Old Vic in 1986 when I was 26, when someone I knew here told me there was a job going driving the theatre van. I had plans to go to Australia to emigrate, so this was going to be just a short-term job until everything was sorted out. But then I met a girl and stayed – the rest is history!

The real mix of people here is something I love, but there’s also a real variety in the work I do. One day I could be doing the electrics, then carpentry or plumbing and set-building. But I’m still driving the van too!

The theatre has changed a lot since I began. People don’t stay as long anymore. Theatre in the past was more of a community than a business, and technical people would stay for many years. It’s less likely now because of the opportunities in and film,

There have been a few crises to manage down the years: floods, storm damage, electrical power cuts, directors putting their fists through doors it was a while ago though! Not Nancy!) One epic fail was the sewage pumps we use to pump sewage out of the building. They stopped one day this was before the refurb) so the basement was completely flooded by sewage

Times I’ve worked outside the job description? I was once asked to mime my job to a group of kids, and so I mimed how to unblock a toilet. Filling in as a flyman for one of the shows – I dropped the scenery with such a bang I was never asked again. This interview is also a bit outside my JD.

The refurb took up a lot of my time, helping with the technical parts of the building. It was really interesting watching the redevelopment transform an old building with a lot of problems to a modern one we have today, while keeping the old character of the theatre.

I see most of the shows – I love them all. Both Reiko and I usher on Boxing Day together each year – that’s how much we love it!

The Unsung Hero award was a total surprise. A certain person Amanda told me she had a pair of free tickets for an awards ceremony in London. Reiko took me shopping for some new clothes, which I thought was strange. Five minutes before the ceremony started I learned I was up for an award, but I didn’t know I was the only person in the category. It was a complete shock. I had to do a random speech I now can’t remember, but it made a few people laugh. It was a really great evening. The best part of the reward was getting back to Bristol and being given four litres of ice-cream from Marshfield, who were sponsoring the event. I’ve got quite a sweet tooth.

I do have a few more secret skills: I have 4th dan black belt in karate – comes in handy – and I’m finally learning apanese

For more: www.bristololdvic.org.uk