Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property
A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE CITY
ISSUE 217 / SEPTEMBER 2016 / £3
ISSUE 217 / SEPTEMBER 2016 / INTERIOR MONOLOGUES
COAL MINER’S
QUARTER R E S TO R ATI O N D R A M A I N PE N S FO R D
RUC K’N ’RO LL Robbo on Bristol Rugby Close Encounters with David Nicholls AND
INTERIOR MONOLOGUES All the trends and all the tips from the Bristol home front
DO I N G TH I N G S D I FFE R E NTLY Bristol’s most inclusive festival
S W E L L E G A N C E AT T H E I V Y / A A R D M A N ’ S T O P 10 / P L A C E , T I M E + A R C H I T E C T U R E
EDITOR’S LETTER / ISSUE 217 / SEPTEMBER 2016
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DIVINE CONVERSION . . . honestly, it really truly is: and wait until you see the price . .
Nice threads Yes, I look a little different this month – thanks for noticing. Harriet Riddell, the featured artist at this autumn’s Affordable Art Fair, created this portrait live on her bike-powered sewing machine; did you spot her outside Watershed this month? If so, you may well find yourself included in an unique sewn installation of Bristol, to be unveiled at Arnolfini on 9 September – which, by careful planning/total coincidence, is when this issue comes out. There must be something in the water, as our friend Colin Moody has embarked on a similar project: to combine the faces of every Bristolian (or as many as he can photograph) in one image (p 44). This is also the first in a two-part interiors special – lots more in the next issue – along with the usual smörgåsbord of food, culture and property. Oh, and an interview with Bristol Rugby director, Robbo. Oh, and one with that nice David Nicholls. Oh look, I’m out of column space again. Deri Robins, editor Twitter @BristolLifeMag Instagram:@bristollifemag
FEATURES / ISSUE 217 / SEPTEMBER 2016
54
THIS PLACE WE CALL BRISTOL
Our favourite (OK, our only) Architecture Centre celebrates its birthday with a special exhibition
90
Education
Bristol’s top seats of learning
REGULARS / ISSUE 217 / SEPTEMBER 2016
INTERIORS
M EET T H E T EAM
20 Magnificent Seven
Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk
Seven interiors gurus share inspiration for the home front
Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors: Mal Rogers, Seb Barrett, Katie Darling
THE ARTS 35 Arts Intro
Advertising manager Steve Grigg steve.grigg@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager Emma Stroud emma.stroud@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager James Morgan james.morgan@mediaclash.co.uk Commercial director Steve Hawkins steve.hawkins@mediaclash.co.uk
One of our favourite artists has a new exhibition
38 What’s On It’s really hotting up in the arts now that the cooler weather’s here
44 Art Colin Moody is going to take a photo of every living Bristolian, or die in the attempt
48 Festivals
50
The most inclusive fest of the year
50 Film A brilliant double-whammy: why David Nicholls is our new literary crush, and two Aardman heroes chose their top 10 moments from 40 years of animation wondrousness
SHOPPING
A MAN’S WORLD
63 Shopping Intro
77 Seb Barrett
114 Property Showcase
Wall flowers
The one in which Baz succumbs to retrospective school trip envy
The small but perfectly (re)formed Perry Cottage
Bristol’s top shops show off their favourite wares
SPORT
DEPARTMENTS
80 The Big Interview
FOOD
Mal meets Andy Robinson of Bristol Rugby
7 Spotlight 130 Bristol Lives
64 Editor’s Choice
68 Restaurants How the swellegant, elegant Ivy Clifton Brasserie brushed the chip off our shoulder as deftly as if it was a ciabatta crumb
74 Christmas parties Yes, you’re laughing now, but honestly, you’ll thank us later
BUSINESS
PROPERT Y
Production and distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager Christina West christina.west@mediaclash.co.uk Production designer 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, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.
About MediaClash We’re a Bath-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrates the best of local living: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter and Salisbury. We also publish foodie mag Crumbs. (www.crumbsmag.com, @CrumbsMag) and wedding title Vow (@VowMag). Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help. Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk
107 Business Insider More about our BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS (you know about these, yes?) and two takes on the fitness game
On the cover Perry Cottage in Pensford; more on page 114
Claim up to ÂŁ500 when purchasing either, a selected single or double oven, along with any FOUR additional current NEFF appliances, as part of your overall kitchen purchase. www.neff.co.uk *The Promotion is the offer by the Promoter of up to ÂŁ500 Cashback to purchasers in respect of selected NEFF appliances that are purchased as part of an overall kitchen purchase between 1st August 2016 and 30th November 2016 and for which the Promoter has received a completed and valid claim before midnight on 31st March 2017. For full Terms and Conditions including participating appliances please visit www.neffpromotions.co.uk
102-104 Henleaze Road, Henleaze, Bristol BS9 4JZ T: 0117 9629669 E: connect@boulevardkitchens.co.uk www.boulevardkitchens.co.uk
ARCHITECTURE
COLOUR US HAPPY Is Bristol the colour capital of the UK? And if not, what would it take to get us there? And why is this important? Bristol Colour Capital is a collaboration between architects Stride Treglown, photographer Jessica Siggers and Bristol City Council. The aim is to increase the number of colourful houses in the city; by encouraging the installation of external insulated render at the same time, homes could become more energy efficient, too. A win-win! The team also propose colour maps, walking trails, exhibitions and much more, both for locals and tourists. There’s already a lot of support – we’ve already been Green Capital of Europe; so now let’s be Colour Capital. If this makes as much sense to you as it does to us, get involved – you can make a start by filling out the questionnaire on the link below. For more: www.bristolcolourcapital.org
PHOTO BY SAM ASTELL
A typically colourful capture by @porthjess
FESTIVAL
HOT AIR, HIGH WINDS Admittedly, it was looking a bit dodgy there, for a while. Between Thursday and Saturday morning of the 2016 Balloon Fiesta there were no mass ascents, and no manner of ill-natured grumbling on social media could do anything about the high winds. Finally the weather agreed to play nicely, and three successful mass ascents took place, as well as two nightglows on Thursday and Saturday. In all, 267 balloons took flight, putting on a glorious show for the thousands of visitors in Ashton Court Estate, Bristol and the surrounding areas. The first mass ascent took place on a beautiful Saturday evening, when the
balloons took off to a crowd who cheered the loudest for the Team GB balloon (which we’re sure at least partly explains Britain’s unprecedented success in Rio). The skies were alive with colour again on Sunday morning and evening, ending the event on a high with an engagement, a wedding celebration – and Aardman’s very own Morph’s first balloon flight. Props to the Fiesta’s PR team Plaster for keeping spirits up when the balloons were resolutely down – though a Spitfire flypast, displays by the Pitts Special biplane, performances by the Parabatix Flying Display team and jumps into the arena by the Exit Parachute team did their bit, too. For more: www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk
SPOTLIGHT Q&A
MY BRISTOL Bristol Fashion Week presenter and TV stylist Mark Heyes gives us the lowdown on his favourite Bristol haunts
Places to eat My absolute favourite is Casamia. Dean Edwards, the chef on ITV’s Lorraine show, told me about it and I love it. The food is just off-thecharts good, and the team there are so creative and brilliant; I can’t wait to try their new pizzaria, Pi Shop. If I want to eat something really dirty, I go to Plead the 5th on Park Row. They do all the naughty stuff like burgers and deep-fried macaroni – I don’t usually do a lot of carbs but I make an exception when I’m there. Plus, the staff are very friendly, although that’s true of everywhere in Bristol. Places to relax In between shows, when I’m here, I like to keep fit, so I often go running on the Downs. Often people will stop and say hello if they’ve been to the shows, which is nice. I sometimes run to Clifton Village, which is a lovely
A snapshot of three weeks in the city on instagram. Follow us on @bristollifemag tol’s @igersbris angle from esta Fi A dynamic on llo Ba at the @antimitch
Here are some of the shots that caught our imagination last month, from the Balloon Fiesta to the Giant Water Fight and a cheeky urban fox cub
part of town to have brunch in. I heard they’ve just opened an Ivy Brasserie there, so I am looking forward to trying that when I’m back in town. Places to shop I do end up shopping a lot when I’m in town; you’d think I’d be shopping for fashion all the time, and I do, but funnily enough, I also always end up in kitchen shops; I just can’t resist buying gadgets and contraptions. But I also like Hoko in Clifton Village, a really lovely small shop selling menswear. They are so creative with their buying, and sell a lot of lesser known brands, which I love. Mark will be presenting Bristol Fashion Week alongside British fashion designer Henry Holland from 28 September – 2 October at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway. Tickets are available to buy online at mallcribbs.com
@moo dy phone colin319 ris ke wet at the Gia d getting his nt Wate r Fight
mosphere
e at ly nailed th les absolute er evening @richjknow m m su a et on of King Stre
Look out for @sam hobsonphoto’s Bri stol fox in the next Wildlife Photo grapher of the Yea r selection
@newmumonline took the kids on a street art tour; Liska definitely has an unfair advant age, with cute Aaron as a ready-made model
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 15
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Interior motives Today, the choice in interior design is wide open; it seems that anything goes. We tracked down seven of Bristol’s top designers and shop owners in their lairs, and asked: so, what’s rocking your world? By DE R I ROBI NS Por t ra it s by JON C R A IG (Tw it ter @JonC ra ig _ Photo s)
I
f you were furnishing your home in the 1950s and didn’t like, say, Ercol, or a 1970s homeowner who loathed paper-lantern lightshades, you were pretty much stuck; fashion in interiors was prescriptive, and the choice very limited. But today we live in the most eclectic of times. Whatever your style – calm, muted Scandi, cool, rigorous minimalism, exuberant florals, industrial, or vintage – getting the look you love is a cinch; and as a bonus you’ll be on trend whatever you do. Everything, it seems, is both in and out. This being the case, we asked a bunch of local experts to tell us what they’re loving right now, so that you can pick’n’mix from their best ideas. So: meet our Magnificent Seven . . .
INTERIORS
Pretty in pink: Little Green’s blush pinks would bring warmth to any room; opposite, the uncluttered perfection of a minimalist Ripples bathroom
ALISON BRACEY Bracey Interiors Interior design and shop
What new trends are you seeing? Interiors, like clothes, are becoming more colourful and vibrant, with a eclectic mix of geometric patterns, florals and colour. William Morris is once again becoming popular, and you can see his design influence everywhere. What’s your current go-to colour? Any shade of blue would be my immediate first pick if we were not talking about neutral shades. Little Greene are also just launching a collection of subtle pinks, which will add warmth to a room. I’m either a fan of strong
but neutral colours, or tonal shades; while I love bright, vivid colour, you have to be careful that a combination of strong hues and bold patterns don’t overpower a room. Describe your fantasy room My fantasy room would consist of textures and simple tonal shades, in which wonderful artwork and sculpture would become the focal points. Simplicity, and depth of textures, would be my ambition; a room without clutter but having enough to give it a personality. I would, of course, have to have a couple of totally outlandish fabrics used for the odd chair or cushions, to add some humour. 15 Waterloo Street Clifton; www.braceyinteriors.co.uk w
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INTERIORS
Alison at Bracey Interiors
JESS DAVIS AND ROBYN KNIBB Fawn Interiors Interior designers and bespoke furniture creators
What is inspiring you right now? We love fantastic and fun wall coverings and wallpapers, which are now in abundance from various suppliers. There is a vast array of options, including metallic finishes, 3D textures, beautiful patterns and pops of colour. What new trends are you seeing? We have seen a steady increase in demand for luxury dressing rooms and walk-in wardrobes. What’s your current go-to colour? Glamorous dark blues have been a feature of
Jess and Robyn at Fawn Interiors
many of our recent designs, giving a dramatic yet sophisticated colour palette teamed with metallic accents. We have also frequently been reaching for green, too, which is beautiful when paired with a plant-patterned fabric or wallpaper. Describe your fantasy room This dream fantasy room is the social hub of any home; maybe open-plan style living in a period Victorian house. A beautiful traditional kitchen would adorn one side of the space, with a Victorian glass orangery on the other. With natural light in the room, there is a warm glow of colour flowing into the elegant kitchen, which is hand-painted in a beautiful shade of pale blue and finished with highly polished Carrara marble work surfaces. The kitchen portion of the room is perfectly complemented by brightly coloured upholstery on the banquette seating in the orangery, and luxurious sweeping curtains perfectly finished with an abundance of flowers adorning the table. With parquet herringbone flooring throughout and subtle mood lighting,
22 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
but discovering some exciting new colours with Conran’s Pastures New with Cherry Beginnings, lovely blues like Copse, or greens like New Sap, with copper accessories. Describe your fantasy room . . . Lots of glass and amazing views, with the opportunity to bring the outside in with an inspiring garden/terrace; fur throws, sumptuous seating and cushions, fire pit, cosy mood lighting, an array of hidden state-of-the-art audio and cinema systems with a sophisticated hidden bar. A beautiful, sophisticated, luxurious look, but with all the home comforts. www.sjpinteriordesign.co.uk Left and top: Ben Argent kitchens exude a cool, almost Oriental cool; inset above: Sarah Bailey of SJP Interiors
this room is a place of happiness and relaxation as well as being the room to which you bring your family and friends. For more www.fawninteriors.co.uk
sarah bailey SJP Interior Design Interior designer
How would you describe your design style? Sophisticated, luxurious, yet cosy and inviting. What is inspiring you right now? Interesting lighting, beautiful wallpapers, clever carpentry and storage solutions. What new trends are you seeing? Stronger paint colours, as people tire of the array of greys we’ve all come to love. What’s your current go-to colour? I’m still loving the variation of greys and taupes,
We aim to
Ben Argent
Ben Argent Design Bespoke contemporary kitchens What is inspiring you right now? We’ve taken influences from Japanese design and architecture, in particular the work of Tadao Ando. We aim to harness some of the qualities seen in his architecture, his minimalist aesthetic and love of natural materials.
harness some of the qualities
What new trends are you seeing? As our lives become increasingly integrated with technology, I think there is a drive to amalgamate this into the kitchen space, especially with stateof-the-art appliances and smart devices such as wireless charging stations hidden within the kitchen worktop.
Japanese
What’s your current go-to colour? RAL 7012. It’s a dark desaturated blue. We’re in the process of fitting a bespoke kitchen in a converted barn in Cornwall, and this is the colour we’ve chosen to complement the surrounding granite floor and high-level oak-veneered units.
seen in Tadao Ando’s architecture Ben Argent
Describe your fantasy room… A cutting-edge floating kitchen display juxtaposed with exposed weathered brickwork, wrought iron window frames and rustic oak floor boards. For more: www.benargentdesign.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 23
INTERIORS
BEN GILKS
Nailsea Electrical Award-winning showroom on Gloucester Road
A dream bathroom from Ripples; the aim is to recreate the best boutique hotel experience in your own home
What trends are you seeing right now? Gloss finish doors are becoming less desirable and matt is now becoming much more popular, as it creates a much more high-end feel for the same money. (Fifty shades of ) grey is currently one of the most popular colours. What kitchen appliance could you simply not live without? My Lacanche range cooker; secondly, my Liebherr wine cooler, for obvious reasons. Current go-to colour? I love the dark charcoal greys with a combination of light and natural colours. Describe your fantasy kitchen My fantasy kitchen is my own one. It’s dark charcoal and light grey with white marble worktops, a rustic oak island and state-of-theart appliances. It’s a large open plan space and perfect for entertaining, which happens a lot in our house. For more www.nailseaelectricalonline.co.uk
MICHAEL MARCER Ripples Luxury bathroom designers
What new trends are you seeing? Hotel-inspired designs and clever lighting designs are big news in bathrooms. With the right designer working on your space, lighting can help to create the perfect relaxation zones with a touch of theatrical drama. Special finishes on products and bespoke painted baths continue to excite our customers, and metallics (for the magpies among us) are huge this year, too. Current go-to colour? Greys mixed with a touch of soft cactus green. Grey is a wonderful staple, but the touch of green brings it up to date. Describe your fantasy bathroom When it comes to my own home, I like to think more ‘spa’ than bathroom. It would need to have a large steam shower with heated slabs and walls, incorporating different shower heads to give different experiences. I’d like a large bathing/plunge pool, heaps of storage around the vanity area and heated mirrors. Finally, the room would have to have heated floors throughout, to ensure the room dries fast and is comfortable at all times. www.ripplesbathrooms.com
METALLICS, FOR THE MAGPIES AMONG US, ARE HUGE THIS YEAR MICHAEL MARCER, RIPPLES
w
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INTERIORS
RYAN WHITTAKER AND PETE EASTWOOD Whittaker Wells ‘The boys who sew’
Who’s inspiring you right now? You know, designs come and go, but what always inspires us is great people to work with. As interior designers we are the end of a British manufacturing industry, and for us at least, there is nothing more inspiring than that. What new trends are you seeing ? Over the last couple of years we’ve seen a move away from safe backgrounds and neutrals to more narrative designs. People are increasingly happy to tell a story through their interiors, from places they have been to memories they want to share. Spaces are becoming less controlled, less obviously ‘designed’, becoming more personal and sometimes even visually challenging. It wasn’t long ago that aspiring for a show-house feel was often a goal; now it seems like a bit of a fail. Copper, as a colour and a surface, combined with industrial design, is everywhere – especially here in Bristol; but if you look at the top designers you will see it being slowly replaced with brass and gold, as a more luxurious, even slightly decadent, period is coming in. What’s your current go-to colour? For quite a while you haven’t been able to go 26 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
IT WASN’T
LONG AGO THAT A SHOW -HOUSE FEEL WAS OFTEN A GOAL; NOW IT SEEMS LIKE A BIT OF A FAIL PETE EASTWOOD, WHITTAKER WELLS
wrong with navy, and as a background it works brilliantly, but just lately we’ve noticed the appearance of orange as a key accent colour. Describe your fantasy room… I love a secret, and any room that has surprises wins for me, from a piece of furniture that rewards you with a velvet interior or a corner with a hidden wallpaper panel. It’s all well to be showy and impress your guests, but I like nothing more than something made for me to enjoy. For more www.whittakerwells.com
INTERIORS
Little Greene wallpapers (Bracey Interiors) cover the soothing blue spectrum, from cornflower to cerulean, while their range of florals work beautifully with moody shades of mauve and indigo (inset, opposite)
INTERIORS
THE LIST Names for your little black book
ABLECTRICS
131 Gloucester Road www.electricsandlighting.co.uk
ALNO
1 Bond Street Street South www.alnokitchens.co.uk
ATLAS INTERIORS Clifton, Bristol www.atlas-interiors.co.uk
BATH ROOMS BY RIPPLES
88 Whiteladies Road, Clifton www.ripplesbathrooms.com
BEAUFORT BESPOKE KITCHENS & CABINET MAKERS Pixash Lane, Keynsham www.beaufortkitchens.co.uk
BEN ARGENT DESIGNS www.benargentdesign.com
BESPOKE FRAMELESS GLASS
Avondale Business Centre, Woodland Way, Kingswood www.bespokeframelessglass.com
BISHOPSTON TILES 219 Gloucester Road www.bishopstontiles.co.uk
BRACEY INTERIORS 15 Waterloo Street, Clifton www.braceyinteriors.co.uk
CLIFTON BRISTOL DECORATORS
Clifton Down Road, Clifton www.cliftonbristoldecorators.co.uk
CLIFTON FIREPLACES 54 Princess Victoria Street, www.cliftonfireplaces.co.uk
DESIGN FLOORING
5A Regent Street, Clifton www.designflooringltd.co.uk
DESIGNS FOR LIVING 07989 854295
FAWN INTERIORS www.fawninteriors.com
GARDINER HASKINS Straight Street, Bristol www.gardinerhoskins.co.uk
GREENER DESIGNS
68 Bromley Road, Bristol www.greenerdesigns.co.uk
HARVEY JONES KITCHENS 18 Princess Victoria Street, www.harveyjones.com
INTOTO KITCHENS 102 Whiteladies Road www.intoto.co.uk/bristol
JAKS PAINTING AND DECORATING
2b Iveywell Road, Bristol www.jaksdecorationanddesign. co.uk
KENTS BUILDING PLASTICS Stover Trading Estate, Yate, Bristol, www.kentsdirect.com
RAFT FURNITURE
KITCHENS COOKS SHOP
RIPPLES BATHROOMS
167 Whiteladies Road www.kitchenscookshop.co.uk
MARBLE SUPREME
Unit 8, Bridge Road Kingswood, Bristol www.marblesupreme.com
NAILSEA ELECTRICAL
102 Gloucester Road www.nailseaelectricalonline.co.uk
OSKAR FURNITURE 47 Whiteladies Road www.oskarfurniture.co.uk
PARK FURNISHERS
Willway Street, Bedminster www.parkfurnishers.co.uk
PANORAMIC WINDOWS
2 Richmond Road, Mangotsfield www.panoramicwindows.co.uk
68 Whiteladies Road www.raftfurniture.co.uk
88 Whiteladies Road www.ripplesbathrooms.com
SHUTTERCRAFT BRISTOL
www.shuttercraft-bristol.co.uk
SJP INTERIOR DESIGN
THE LIGHTING STUDIO Unit 2, Bedminster Retail Park www.thelightingstudiobristol. co.uk
THE SOFA LIBRARY 56/60 Whiteladies Road www.sofalibrary.co.uk
TIMBER WINDOWS OF CLIFTON
36 The Mall,Clifton Village, www.sjpinteriordesign.co.uk
29 The Mall, Clifton www.timberwindowsclifton.com
SOFA MAGIC
WESLEY BARRELL
119 Coldharbour Road Westbury Park www.sofamagic.co.uk
SOUTHWEST UPHOLSTERY
www.swupholstery.co.uk
THE KITCHEN MAN 4b Waterloo Street 0117 9731062
www.wesley-barrell.co.uk
WHITTACKER WELLS 105 Glenfrome Road, Bristol www.whittackerwells.com
WREN KITCHENS
Cribbs Causeway BS34 5DU www.wrenkitchens.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 31
Music/theatre/film/more
GULL POWER
Sorry, all you gull-haters – we’re big fans of these bovver-boys of the avian world, strutting about the place with buckets of attitude and cop-on. And yes, their insistent ha-ha-ha may not be everyone’s idea of the ideal wake-up call, but it makes us feel we’re by the seaside, and for that we forgive them everything. Artist Alex Lucas clearly likes them too, since she’s made them the poster boys for her new solo exhibition, Polarodds. “The paintings are inspired by the great photographer Martin Parr, and are meant to resemble Polaroid photos, but they’re also a bit odd, so I stuck the two words together,” she says, quirkily. We love that. And we love this picture. If Hitchcock had filmed The Birds for Pixar instead of Universal, it might well have ended up like this. Polarodds by Alex Lucas, in association with Clifton Fine Art, is at Gallery Twenty Two in Stokes Croft until 24 September; www.gallerytwentytwo.co.uk
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a d v ertising feature T R AV E L
New leaves Exeter makes the perfect city-break destination all year round, but as the nights draw in, the city becomes especially alluring . . . Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival
15-18 September www.budlitfest.org.uk Festival president Hilary Mantel presents top book world names at various venues around the city.
French Without Tears
Northcott Theatre September 16-24 www.exeternorthcott.co.uk A sparkling comedy that first established Terence Rattigan as one of the supreme dramatists of the 20th century.
Powderham Food Festival
1-2 October wwwpowderhamfoodfestival.com The food festival returns for its mouthwatering fifth outing; new for this year is a special ‘Eat Well, Live Well’ focus, with vegetable experts from Riverford promoting healthy eating and natural produce.
Exeter's Fine Art Collection: SUMMER AND
AUTUMN (until 20 October); www.exeter.gov.uk/ramm Works from the collection, inspired by the seasons. Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Queen Street.
E
xeter is one of those rare places: it's a year-round city. The pubs, cafés and restaurants ranged round Cathedral Green are going full throttle throughout the year, while even spoiled Bristol foodies will be impressed by Queen Street, the city's dining quarter, which serves the finest fare from local food heroes and unique cuisines, in cool casual dining destinations. Autumn is the time to wrap up warm (the independent boutiques along Fore Street will sort you out with the latest AW16 fashions), and admire the city's most famous skyline feature, the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter at Exeter, standing conveniently beside those cafés. Not only has this place been forgiving the sinners of Exeter since the year 1400, it’s also the venue for some top folk, rock and classical concerts Nearby Princesshay, with its outré architecture, maze of covered and outdoor concourses, and its battalions of buskers and bands can provide endless diversion. For the latest in drama, Northcott Theatre located on the Streatham campus of the University of Exeter is one of relatively few provincial English theatres to maintain its own repertory company. A full programme runs throughout the year. If you want to make a cultural day of it, there are few better places. The Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Queen Street, holds significant and diverse collections in areas such as zoology, fine art, local archaeology and history; it's acclaimed as one of
Europe’s finest museums. The historic Quayside area, a trading centre from as early as the Middle Ages has been redeveloped to within an inch of its life. Today it is home to craft shops, cafés and pub. The area hosts special Street Food Night Markets throughout the year (the next one is 6 October). Spacex, on Preston Street, is a contemporary art organisation with a programme spanning installations, performance, photography, sculpture, painting, film and video. In short, this autumn Exeter offers just about something for everyone. Falcon coaches run 24/7 and drop you at either Honiton Road or Sowton Park & Ride. Here, you can use your Falcon ticket to take you straight to the heart of the city in around 15 minutes. Connections are available back to the Park & Ride sites until late into the evening. And if you're planning to make a weekend of it, Falcon return fares are valid for up to 28 days from the date of issue.
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9 September – 9 October 2016
O U R T O P S U GGES TI ON S FOR YOU R MON TH
It’s Bingo, but not as you know it at Motion; punk isn’t dead at Arnolfini; intimate opera at Tobacco Factory Theatres
Exhibitions UNTIL 11 SEPTEMBER
JAMAICAN PULSE Exhibition bringing both classic and Jamaican art to the city; at RWA; rwa.org.uk MOVING TARGETS In punk’s 40th anniversary year, a new exhibition at Arnolfini explores an attitude that has more than one history and meaning; arnolfini.org.uk
STUART WHIPPS: ISLE OF SLINGERS Exhibition drawing together the multiple strands of this artist and photographer’s work; at spikeisland.org.uk UNTIL 24 SEPTEMBER
ALEX LUCAS: POLARODDS The Bristol Life fave has a solo exhibition; expect lots of colourful anthropomorphic pieces that will make you smile. At Gallery Twenty Two; gallerytwentytwo.co.uk (See also page 35)
UNTIL 14 SEPTEMBER
ALLEZ! ALLEZ! To celebrate the Tour of Britain coming to Bristol, Clifton Contemporary Art shows a selection of Lisa Takahashi’s linocut prints depicting cyclists; cliftoncontemporaryart.co.uk UNTIL 18 SEPTEMBER
XAVIER ANTIN: THE ETERNAL NETWORK The first solo UK exhibition of the French artist, with works based on the publishing house Beau Geste; spikeisland.org.uk
UNTIL 25 SEPTEMBER
THE STORY OF CHILDREN’S TV FROM 1946 TO TODAY Your inner seven-year-old can wallow in nostalgia while your actual seven-year-old looks at Little Weed and asks, Dad, seriously, wtf? At M Shed; bristolmuseums.org.uk UNTIL 1 OCTOBER
NATASHA CLUTTERBUCK The artist-in-residence at Yeo Valley Organic Garden
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presents her gorgeous largescale drawings of vegetables; room212.co.uk
Choose life; choose to sit as far away from the onstage toilet as humanly possible. tobaccofactory.com
9-11 SEPTEMBER
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR You know the drill: three days; lots of hugely collectible artists, down at Brunel’s Old Station. affordableartfair.com/bristol 30 SEPTEMBER-31 DECEMBER
DAPHNE WRIGHT: EMOTIONAL ARCHAEOLOGY Major solo exhibition of an artist who has pursued, with relentless curiosity, the ways in which materials can express our unspoken human preoccupations. Arnolfini, at Tyntesfied; arnolfini.org.uk
Plays/Shows UNTIL 24 SEPTEMBER
TRAINSPOTTING It’s back! The production of the other Scottish play that blew our tiny little minds earlier this year returns to Loco Klub.
9 SEPTEMBER-2 OCTOBER
THE RIVALS Sheridan’s enduring 18thcentury comedy of manners (it’s set in posh Bath) in a major new production directed by Dominic Hill; top cast includes Maggie Steed and Desmond Barrit; bristololdvic.org.uk 12-17 SEPTEMBER
THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ Following previous hits such as Dick Tracy, physical comedy company Le Navet Bete offer a spin on the classic tale that’s a long, long way from Kansas. tobaccofactory.com 14-17 SEPTEMBER
GHOST The timeless story of love, despair, hope and sexy potthrowing; At The Hippodrome; atgtickets.com
W H AT ’ S O N 22 SEPTEMBER-1 OCTOBER
BLUE HEART A major revival of visionary playwright Caryl Churchill’s double-bill: Heart’s Desire and Blue Kettle is a stirring yet truthful exploration of family and relationships. One of the big hitters for the autumn season at TFT: tobaccofactory.com
gap between the traditional and the contemporary – thrillingly, apparently. colstonhall.org 22 SEPTEMBER
PEGGY SEEGER One of the leading figures of the British folk revival and one of the finest interpreters of AngloAmerican songs; colstonhall.org
29 SEPTEMBER-1 OCTOBER
27 SEPTEMBER
5-22 OCTOBER
5 OCTOBER
THE TERRIBLE THINGS I’VE DONE Invisible Ink explore the darker side of human nature, from lying to your boss to breaking your mum’s heart, and everything in between; bristololdvic.org.uk DON GIOVANNI Opera Project and TFT return to Mozart and (some say) the greatest opera ever written; tobaccofactory.com
Music 10 SEPTEMBER
HOT CHOCOLATE Expect all the velour-smooth hits – though not, sadly, original frontman Erroll Brown. At The Hippodrome; atgtickets.com SIMON AND GARFUNKEL THROUGH THE YEARS A journey through the music of the greatest ever folk-rock duo; interviews with Paul and Art, original movie footage and live performances of the hits; redgravetheatre.com 11 SEPTEMBER
RONAN KEATING The boy-band pin-up has come of age, and he reckons his new material is his best yet, with an acoustic folk sound. Remember kids: life is a roller-coaster, just gotta roide it. colstonhall.org 16 SEPTEMBER
JESU/SUN KIL MOON The transatlantic partnership between American folk-rock artist Sun Kil Moon and innovative British act Jesu produced one of the standout albums of the year. Now they hit the road for a handful of intimate shows; colstonhall.org 21 SEPTEMBER
THE GLOAMING The experimental IrishAmerican supergroup bridge the
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GRAHAM PARKER & BRINSLEY SCHWARZ The founder members of prepunk pioneers Graham Parker & The Rumour are still playing together, and coming to Colston Hall; colstonhall.org PETULA CLARK The indomitable Pet is the bestselling British female artist in recording history, with a career now in its seventh decade; the phrase ‘pop royalty’ springs to mind: colstonhall.org KEITH TIPPETT The former guest member of King Crimson, cross-genre band-leader and virtuoso pianist comes to The Lantern; colstonhall.org
Comedy 14 SEPTEMBER
STAND OUT STAND UP FOR SLAPSTICK Headliners for the autumn fundraiser are Jack Dee, Richard Herring, Susan Calman and Jason Manford; at Colston Hall; colstonhall.org 28-29 SEPTEMBER
JAMES ACASTER: RESET The Mock The Week and Have I Got News for You stalwart brings his latest show back to Bristol; colstonhall.org 29 SEPTEMBER
JOHN CLEESE, RORY BREMNER AND FRIENDS The above-named are raising yet more funds for Slapstick; ‘friends;’ include Neil Innes, Tim Vine and Barry Cryer. Again, at Colston Hall; colstonhall.org 2 OCTOBER
JO CAULFIELD: THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS WRONG From the minefields of dating to booking a holiday, nothing w
Pet’s still doing it at Colston Hall; fabulous Foozie bonkersness on board the Sushi Bus; unmissable family drama in Caryl Churchill’s Blue Heart
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THE WINTER SHOW 7TH OCTOBER - 23RD DECEMBER 2016
A collective of artists focusing on interior decor accents
We welcome fellow art enthusiasts for an afternoon of Art Banter at Justnanco Fine Art Gallery, on the first and last Sunday of every month, 1pm-4pm OPENING TIMES: Mondays Pre-booked Private viewings, Tuesday - Saturday: 10.00 - 19.00. Sundays 11.00 - 16.00 100 Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol. BS8 1NF Telephone: 0117 973 0907 | Mob: 07964 243979
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A seriously major new exhibition by Daphne Wright at Tyntesfield; Al breaking hearts all over again in The Godfather, this time with full live orchestra
is ever as straightforward as it should be on Planet Caulfield; colstonhall.org
Film
the Brizz; at Motion Warehouse; depot.eventcube.
10-11 SEPTEMBER
DOORS OPEN DAY A once-a-year chance to look behind closed doors – 81 of them, this year. bristoldoorsopenday.org.
24 SEPTEMBER
ONGOING
EDWARD WAITE Artist Edward Waite creates 3D cityscapes using ketchup bottles; he has a huge following in the South West, and is now holding his first solo exhibition in Bristol. Edward will be producing a pair of framed sketches of local scenes for sale/auction at the exhibition to raise money and awareness for BUST, a local charity dedicated to raising money for specialist breast cancer care equipment, whose work and fundraising led to the creation of The Southmead Breast Care Centre. The exhibition will be at Fizz Gallery 1-8 October; Edward will be in the gallery all day on 1 October with a live painting demonstration between 2-4pm www.fizzgallery.co.uk
BRISTOL SUNSET CINEMA Outdoor cinema; when the sun goes down, the stars come out. At Ashton Court Mansion; Lego Movie on 23 September; Starship Troopers on 25 September; facebook.com/ BristolSunsetCinema 18 SEPTEMBER
THE GODFATHER LIVE Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece, with Manchester Camerata providing a live orchestral accompaniment; colstonhall.org
11 SEPTEMBER
5X15 Five people offer 15-minute talks on an eclectic range of topics, in an atmosphere more saloon than salon; for the last event this year it’s poet Hollie McNish, architectural historian Dan Cruickshank, Guardian games editor Keith Stuart, feminist powerhouse Nimco Ali and author Nikesh Shukla; tobaccofactory.com 17 SEPTEMBER
THE TINKERING SPACE/ MEET THE ROBOTS At-Bristol’s latest hands-on exhibitions; at-bristol.org.uk
DOUBLE-DECKER SUSHI BUS The latest event from those crazy Foozie guys sees passengers on a double-decker bus being served a five-course sushi meal while taking in the scenic sights; www.foozie.co.uk
UNTIL 13 NOVEMBER
20 SEPTEMBER
Other ONGOING
PLACE, TIME + ARCHITECTURE The Architecture Centre’s retrospective exhibition (See page 54)
BINGO LINGO This ‘chaotic and ironic’ version of the game, complete with rave intervals and competitive dance-offs, has been a big hit in the ‘Diff and now it’s coming to
SOFT PLAY APOCALYPSE One of those ‘why should the kids have all the fun?’ events: Regression Sessions brings an ‘immersive interactive nightlife’ in which you will “join the fight for survival in a partying experience that forces you to question morality, and makes you choose your fate. Dance and live, or die trying.” With a soft play centre... regressionsessions.com 28 SEPTEMBER-2 OCTOBER
BRISTOL FASHION WEEK A/W16 Fashion Week at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway – 17 fashion shows, latest high street trends and style advice; mallcribbs.com
Booking now for 16 FEBRUARY-6 MAY 2017
SHAKESPEARE AT THE TOBACCO FACTORY . . . or as they’re calling it more accurately these days, The Shakespeare & Classic Drama Season; next year’s dynamic duo is Othello and Tartuffe; tobaccofactory.com
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we are one We’ve heard some ambitious ideas in our time – but taking a composite photograph of everyone living and working in Bristol today? Cheerfully unfazed, Colin Moody has already made a start . . . By DE R I ROBI NS
44 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
PHOTOGRAPHY
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T THE AIM WAS DOING SOMETHING POSITIVE, THEMED AROUND UNITY AND Opposite page, clockwise from top left: The Other Art Fair production team; dancers and models at Desy Thai multi cultural festival; the ITV West Country news team; the MediaClash city editors; the Niche Frames staff (complete with ghostly frames); the One Love Breakfast Show team This page, from top: Ben, Tom, Nell and Deri – four members of the Robins clan; the chiaroscuro and mystery of this composite of the Bitter Suite performers reminds us of an Old Master
DIVERSITY
V presenter and photojournalist Colin Moody is a man on a mission: to photograph every single person in Bristol, in order to create one composite portrait. But hang on Colin – there’s a lot of us living here, right? “Well, yes, that’s true,” he says. “But my idea was to at least attempt this, in reaction to world events, with the aim of doing something positive themed around unity, while celebrating our city’s wonderful diversity. I call it We Are One.” Colin began by making a composite portrait out of his BCFM radio colleagues on One Love Breakfast show. Each individual portrait was made to merge with the ones above and below it on the computer in an even way, and was locked in place by the position of the eyes. Colin asks his sitters to be relaxed, with their eyes open, and not to smile, as this creates smaller eyes and disrupts the eye-to-eye contact between them and the photo. Clearly wearing shades on top of your head is fine, though. . . “The many hair styles and other facial features dance about, but the eyes are resolutely fixed and focused on you, the viewer. They really start to stare into you. An average skin tone is found. A ‘one’ face reveals itself.” Blue Mink’s Melting Pot song springs irresistibly to mind. . . Over the next two years, Colin plans to visit and photograph groups working with every demographic in the city. “I need you to step forward and become part of this art project. I look forward to meeting some incredible groups from all backgrounds. It’s already started and some results are shown here. “If you want to be photographed – maybe you are part of a community group, a band, workers in a restaurant, a body of volunteers; maybe you are running an event or charity – if you are a member of any group, email me and I will come to photograph you and add you to this project. You’ll get your own digital copy of your composite portrait, as well.” In 2018, Colin will display the resulting plethora of groups to the public and reveal the ‘We Are One’ face, the overall male and female faces, and many groups and events that have come forward and been photographed. In the gallery on the left you can see a small selection, ranging from the One Love Breakfast team to the editors at MediaClash (that’s us!); Colin is also very happy to make composite family groups (that’s us too!). He also loves a bit of background – take a look at the Niche Frames shot opposite. Fancy being next? Email Colin at the address below, or find him on Twitter. Contact Colin on Twitter @moodycolin or email colin@streetworksfilms.com and he will come to photograph you and add you to this project.
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T H E AT R E
Vive la DIFFERENCE A new performance festival for Bristol aims to entertain, thought-provoke, and most importantly – show the world the way it really is
C
By LISA WARREN laire Hodgson is a theatre/dance director and artist. She’s also the co-artistic director of Extraordinary Bodies, a circus company of disabled and non-disabled performers, and joint artistic director of Diverse City, which has partnered with the culture team at Bristol City Council to deliver the festival Doing Things Differently. “Essentially I am an artist – a theatre and circus director who is committed to social justice and equality,” says Claire. Disabled people, she says, make up 20 per cent of the population – “so every organisation should have 20 per cent of its employees who are disabled, and every production should have disabled artists as 20 per cent of the cast in order to reflect society as it actually is.” That’s in an ideal world; but we don’t happen to live in one of those. “Diverse City is often described as ‘integrated’ – I just hope that within 10 years that word becomes a useless term, because every company will be integrated,” says Claire. And it’s not just about disability. “People are many things – their ethnicity, age, sexuality, gender, disability. I think it’s useful to look at a definition of diversity which involves all these aspects simultaneously, and not in isolation. “The creative industries have been modelled on people who don’t have any kind of difficulties or barriers to participation. Many, many people don’t fit this out-of-datemodel and so are unable to fully contribute. We just feel that many great people are underused. It is a waste of talent. Doing Things Differently is about changing that. We all need to start conversations with a collection of lively minds who will excite new thinking, new approaches and new partnerships.” So which partnerships are we talking here? Which Bristol venues are getting on board with Doing Things Differently? “The festival is presented by Diverse City, Cirque Bijou and Bristol City Council. We’ve also got incredible support from Bristol’s leading arts organisations and venues, including Bristol Old Vic, Colston Hall, Bristol Library, ACTA Centre, M Shed, Trinity, Circomedia, Wyldwood Arts, SPACE Gallery (The Island), Bristol Plays Music and Theatre Bristol.” Claire feels that Bristol is uniquely poised to shine in this area. “Both Extraordinary Bodies and Charles Hazelwood’s Paraorchestra are based here, with other companies such as Open Up Music and Ujima. I think Bristol has the potential to be a national centre of
Clockwise from top left: David Ellington performs in the headlining circus spectacle, Weighting; Black Swan, in exhibition 11 Million Reasons, by photographer Sean Goldthorpe; Falling in Love with Frida; Nelly Orford in Weighting; political puppetry in Meet Fred
excellence in the arts in terms of integration of disabled artists and diversity in general. “There’s a secret revolution going on here. The Paraorchestra are changing the music world one concert at a time both in terms of demanding that venues become accessible and changing who we see in all orchestras. We are their allies, and we really admire their work; they are achieving in music what we aim to achieve in circus.” If you’re wondering how to choose a show to see in this year’s DTD programme, Claire has a few suggestions: “Meet Fred has been an Edinburgh hit; it’s puppetry that is political, funny and deeply moving, focused around Fred, a cloth puppet who fights prejudice every day. On The Edge of Me, performed by rising star Yolanda Mercy, is a solo show that captures being young now in these uncertain times. TouCan Inclusive Theatre is a show for early years; this is high quality theatre, an interactive interpretation of the story Two Can Toucan, by David McKee. “We’re also delighted to have Caroline Bowditch performing her show Falling in Love with Frida [Kahlo] – frank, unconventional and feminist, it’ll be a great evening out that will leave you chatting into the night over a pint. “We hope that people will come along to see work that is good, precisely because of the diversity of performers and viewpoints. “We want to encourage arts and culture to include all people in society – onstage, behind the scenes and in the audience. We want audiences to be excited by the range of companies and artists moving forward to a fairer society where all people are seen and heard. We want people to recognise that our vibrant cultural life will only flourish if everyone feels valued and they are seen and included on stage and in the audience. “We want to touch audiences and get them along to see shows that might change their ideas about who the arts are for, but we also want to affect artists and people who decide what work gets made by whom. In these difficult times it is worth keeping the faith; we’ve achieved so much over the last 30 years and equality is within our grasp. Basically, of course, we want to change the world.”
WANT TO SHOW THE WORLD AS IT ACTUALLY IS WE
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Doing Things Differently takes place across a variety of venues throughout September; www.doingthingsdifferently.org.uk
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author, author He’s just had an honorary degree bestowed on him by Bristol Uni, to add to his original BA, so when he appears at Encounters Festival this month we’ll be welcoming Dr David Nicholls back to town . . . By de r i robi ns
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D
avid is one of the most popular novelists of his generation, thanks to Starter for Ten, One Day and Us – massively readable page-turners, populated by characters with whom readers strongly identify. After graduating from Bristol Uni, David trained as an actor before cutting his writer’s teeth on TV screenplays; this month, he returns to the city for a special ‘In Conversation’ at Encounters Festival. We had a feeling he’d be nice; since this interview, he’s become our new literary crush . . . Hello David! Are you a big film fan, and what’s the first film you ever saw and loved? At the risk of sounding older than I am, the business of finding a film to watch was much harder when I was a kid – the local cinema was a fleapit and mum and dad were in charge of the TV, so we had to watch what we were given. Often this meant Carry On films and bad sitcom movies – I remember going to see On The Buses 2 for my birthday, and, even then, finding it almost unbearably bleak. Occasionally there’d be something great on TV. Some Like it Hot, when I finally got to see it, made a huge impression, as did Oliver!, Spartacus and the David Lean movies, Lawrence and Zhivago.
F I L M F E S T I VA L
Your books have been made into movies and TV series – what makes them so easy to adapt? I’m not sure if they are easy – I’ve always found the process pretty gruelling, and the books are never written with the film in mind. Certain things are terribly hard to put on screen – first-person points of view in particular, because all the best jokes are in the character’s head and our inner monologues rarely, if ever, match what we say and do. Stories which use flashbacks or take place over a long period of time are very hard too, because the passage of time is much harder to convey on screen than on the page. On the page a child can grow seamlessly from a baby to an adult. Put that on screen and you either have to cast multiple actors – never ideal – or film for 30 years. That said, movies have always influenced my novel-writing, particularly in terms of structure – I tend to think of novels in terms of scenes, set-pieces, three acts – and dialogue, which is the thing I love writing most of all. Which adaptation are you happiest with? Anything that in hindsight you’d change? I’d change nearly every moment of every film or TV project I’ve ever worked on, and every page of every novel too, but sadly they won’t let me. Of the screenplays that I’ve written, I think Far From the Madding Crowd is the one with the least glaring errors. I’ve become quite fond of Starter for Ten, though we cut some wonderful scenes, which I’ll always regret. What are the pros and cons of novelists adapting their own work for the screen? I could write about the cons all day, but the primary frustration is a loss of control. The novelist is also the director, designer, editor, costume-designer, location scout and casting director. On a film, much more so than in television, you sacrifice that God-like power to become part of a team. If the team are good, and all have the same film in mind, that can be wonderful. But the process is full of compromise and confrontation. The best thing about making a film is that it’s collaborative, and the worst thing about making a film is that it’s collaborative. Also a book takes between six and nine hours to read, and most films come in a little under 100 minutes. Making those cuts, or having others make them, is just awful.
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draw attention to the more neglected authors. Nothing would be more enjoyable than to spend the next two years re-reading Bleak House, but it also feels like copying someone else’s homework and I don’t want to get lazy. Next up, though, are the Melrose novels by Edward St Aubyn, which I’ve turned into a five-part series. Who knows if they’ll ever get made – it’s quite an epic, hugely expensive and very, very dark, which is a tricky combination. But the books are modern classics that really should be better known, and I hope we can bring them to a bigger audience. Your books are a massive popular hit – how important is it to you that literary critics like you, too? Both are wonderful, though it’s a mistake to strive for either. It would be disastrous, I think, to sit down at my desk and think ‘right, this one’s for the critics’, and just as bad to think ‘I want this one to sell – better not make it too smart.’ The only real method is to write what you feel passionate about. Generally speaking, the projects that I’ve loved writing are the ones that have succeeded. One Day reduced strong men (and oh, OK, women) to tears – what films or books have moved you the most? Every year or so I read Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night, my favourite novel, and that always breaks my heart. The last few pages of Salinger’s Franny and Zooey, too. On screen, Billy Wilder’s The Apartment makes me a little bleary, likewise The Philadelphia Story. I watched Kes with my children recently and we were all in pieces at the end, and I often get something in my eye at the end of The Railway Children too. ‘Daddy! My daddy!’ It’s frankly embarrassing.
I REMEMBER GOING TO SEE
ON THE BUSES 2 FOR MY BIRTHDAY, AND FINDING IT ALMOST UNBEARABLY BLEAK
Both Starter and One Day are partly set at university. Why are you drawn back to that setting? I’ve always felt that university was the central event of my life. I’d never really expected to get there, didn’t even understand what it would be like, how it worked or what it was for, but for all the terrible mistakes I made there, I did feel like I belonged there. Starter for Ten was about the thrill of arriving, and that strange relationship between class and education, as well as being a silly comedy. One Day was about the terror of leaving and of facing up to the real world. That time of life – no longer a child, not quite grown-up – can be extremely emotional, and it’s a wonderful setting to explore love, friendship, class, politics, aspiration, disappointment, success and failure.
Do you have a set working method? With an adaptation, yes. I learn the source material, either by reading again and again, or walking all day and listening to the audiobook. Then, when I think I know it, I read it again. After that, selection begins – what makes the book special, what are the highlights and where does my attention start to wander? What does the dialogue sound like when spoken out loud? Does it flow and bounce nicely? Are there events that take place off-the-page that we really need to see? What has stayed with me, and what sections am I inclined to skip? Once those decisions are made, I work fairly steadily and chronologically until it’s done. With fiction, I have no set working method at all and am amazed that I’ve ever finished anything at all.
We see you’re talking about a selection of your favourite films at Encounters – can you tell us about a few of them and why they’re important to you? The list isn’t quite complete yet, but I suspect there’ll be something from Billy Wilder, Preston Sturges, Wes Anderson and Francois Truffaut, and I’ll be talking a lot about movie dialogue and performance. I think we’ll also be making comparisons between John Schlesinger’s Far From The Madding Crowd (script by Frederick Raphael) and our recent version, not to decide which is best – the Schlesinger version is wonderful – but to share how the same story can be told in wildly different ways.
We know you’ve adapted Hardy; any other classic books that you’d love to adapt as screenplays? I’ve actually made a decision not to adapt any more 19th-century classics. The best have been done too many times, and I’d rather
Dr David Nicholls talks about his work and introduces a selection of his own favourite films on 21 September as part of Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival; www.encounters-festival.org.uk w
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F I L M F E S T I VA L
Another HUGE highlight of this year’s Encounters is The Aardman 40th Birthday Special. We asked cofounder Dave Sproxton to pick out his top memories . . .
1
Being able to design and build our own HQ building in Bristol. The time we first entered the lovely new building, the sun was streaming in, and the world felt full of amazing possibilities.
2
The night when we first pitched the idea of Chicken Run to Steven Spielberg. Our pitch was short and sweet: “We’re going to do The Great Escape – with chickens”. It went down really well; Steven said that The Great Escape was one of his all-time favourite movies and what’s more he had hundreds of chickens on his Californian ranch. At the time we were all eating chicken . . .
3
One summer we worked in New York on a wacky show called Pee Wee’s Playhouse. As far as everyone else was concerned, we were just shy Brit animators. Then one night, we were in a pool-room bar in Manhattan, when somebody announced, “these are the guys who made Sledgehammer’ – and suddenly we were celebrities.
4
The press screening of The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists in Leicester Square. Admittedly, these sort of shows usually go down pretty well – it’s an easy audience, as they say – but the reaction was so warm and celebratory – we loved it.
5
I’ve enjoyed every Aardman party. Some of the best have been at Halloween because the model-makers come up with some spectacular costumes. Last time I had a bit of trouble in my goat-mask,
in so far as I couldn’t see, hear, drink or breathe; otherwise, all good.
6
Winning a Silver Boomerang Award from the Melbourne Film Festival in 1979 for Down and Out. It was our very first award. Later we got to take it to the Zagreb Animation Festival, which was the first time we realised there was a whole world of animation out there.
7
The Wrong Trousers getting a standing ovation at its premier screening at Venice Film Festival.
8
When we were still at school, Pete [Lord] and I were invited to the annual get-together of contributors and crew for the BBC TV programme Vision On. Tony Hart was there, of course, and loads of other grown-ups. And the best bit, a few months later, was seeing our names appear on the credits on Vision On for the first time.
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9
I’ve had the pleasure and honour to meet lots of my heroes. One day I went to tea at the house of Ray Harryhausen. He was a genius, and a gentleman, and upstairs in his house he had an astonishing collection of models and puppets.
10
We won our first Oscar for Nick [Park]’s Creature Comforts. It was an extraordinary night. Just being there is great, but to win is something else. We were so naïve at the time that we didn’t go to any of the fancy parties – we didn’t even know about them. But it was a special, special evening. And I found myself standing next to Jack Nicholson in the gents. Dave and Pete discuss many other Aardman milestones on 20 September, as part of Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival; www.encounters-festival.org.uk
Planet Aardman: from top, Morph and fellow clay superstar friends; bottom, Chicke n Run and Sledgeham mer
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this place that we call bristol Happy 20th birthday, Bristol’s Architecture Centre! So – how are you planning to celebrate, exactly? By K AT I E DA R L I NG
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n 1996, the Architecture Centre opened its doors onto Narrow Quay as the UK’s first purpose-built centre of its kind; for the past two decades it’s inspired, informed and involved people in shaping better places in the city and beyond. This September, the Architecture Centre celebrates its 20th anniversary with a three-month retrospective exhibition called Place, Time + Architecture, using the passage of time to reflect on the nature of this place that we call Bristol. The exhibition explores Bristol’s buildings, people and places over the past 20 years. What has been achieved? Who or what shaped the city? And what sort of city do we want our future generations to inherit? These are the questions Rob Gregory, programme manager of the Architecture Centre has tackled through Place, Time + Architecture. w
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ARCHITECTURE
“As an independent architecture centre, reaching 20 years is a colossal feat and one the team is hugely proud of,” he says. “We wanted to celebrate this with a review of all we have achieved. Each year we look at the physical and social zeitgeist of the city, and produce programmes that engage with, challenge and debate the current issues and opportunities. “Reflecting back on our work, it was really exciting to see the visible correlation between our programme archive and the developments of the city. As a result, our exhibition timeline traces the Centre’s work in conjunction with the architectural and urban design developments of Bristol, alongside its political and social changes.” Rob continues to talk through the five themes of the exhibition that, arguably, are the components of what makes a ‘place’. Through the themes of Landscape, Footprint, Identity, Efficiency and Change, the exhibition attempts the (near impossible) task of encapsulating 20 years of development in the city, covering issues such as the changing landscape of development in the city, the regeneration of Harbourside, the revived focus on education and school programmes, sustainability in its broadest sense, and adaptability of a city to change. Delving further into what ‘makes’ Bristol, the Architecture Centre will host a day-long symposium at M Shed on 23 September. With recollections from those who helped shape our city, a provocative debate about future opportunities on sites such as Castle Park, and a key note presentation by Ivan Harbour of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, the day will further
Reimagining the city: artist Luke Jerram ran a giant waterslide down Park Street, while the Eat Drink Festival tipis took over Queen Square in the heart of the business quarter (photos Jon Craig)
EACH YEAR WE LOOK AT THE
PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL ZEITGEIST OF THE CITY AND PRODUCE PROGRAMMES THAT
ENGAGE
WITH IT
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examine the exhibition’s portrayal of Bristol’s past 20 years and what it can hope to achieve in the next 20. Opening on 9 September, Place, Time + Architecture kicks off the Architecture Centre’s month-long anniversary celebrations. Next up in the diary is a citywide celebration through the Centre’s flagship festival, Bristol Doors Open Day (10-11 September). More ambitious than ever before, the festival opens 81 intriguing spaces and places of the city for us to peer into and explore their architectural merits. The birthday festivities reach their finale during a weekender event on 24-25 September. Inviting us to their Harbourside home, the Architecture Centre will run city tours with design-and-build environment experts on Saturday, and host their birthday ‘Our Place’ party on Sunday. Transforming Narrow Quay into a kind of waterside village green, the party begins with the Lord Mayor of Bristol cutting the birthday cake, following an architectural cake competition (think marzipan M Sheds and tiffin Tobacco Factories). Alongside installations and creations, a bandstand provides the music, with artist Jennie Savage presenting her musical commission Sounding City. With 20 years under its belt, the Architecture Centre continues to champion the wonderful relationship that architecture orchestrates between buildings, people and places. Place, Time + Architecture runs from 9 September-13 November. For more details on the Architecture Centre’s anniversary activity visit www.architecturecentre.co.uk
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 57
Treat yourself to a free consultation and meet my friendly, knowledgeable team. Dr Simon Lee MBBS MSc FRCS FRCS(plastics)
Talk in confidence with my registered nurses
Set in our beautiful Clifton clinic, we offer the world’s best technologies and treatments, including: ● Ultrasound face lifting ● Fat removal by freezing Skin rejuvenation by radiofrequency ● Laser skin resurfacing ● Pain-free laser hair removal ● Injectable relaxants and fillers ● Medical micro-dermabrasion ● Skin peels ● Micropeels ● A range of skin care products
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Simon Lee, Aesthetic Medical Clinic 3 Whiteladies Gate, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2PH Telephone 01173 292027
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20% OFF YOUR TOTAL BILL FOR NEW CUSTOMERS AT ATELIERS STYLISH SALON OR SUBTERRANEAN SPA*
*selected stylists/ therapists and only valid month of September
www.atelierclifton.com 14 Regent Street, Clifton Village, BS84HG | T: 01179 734 142 | E: info@atelierclifton.co.uk Instagram : @atelierclifton_ | Facebook:@atelierclifton | Pinterest:@atelierclifton
M
dles
Organic, Handmade, Original Moodles stocks a unique range of handmade and British manufactured childrenswear and gifts.
Gloucester Road’s only independent baby and children’s store. Stockist of: Vintage Childrenswear Organic Clothing School Uniform Personalised toys and gifts. Visit the shop or order online Visit: 208 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol, BS7 8NU. Tel: 0117 944 5353 Visit the store and LIKE us on Facebook.
www.facebook.com/Moodles.biz
Fashion/gifts/stores/more
WALLFLOWER We get it, honey. With wallpaper this sugar-sweet and old-school, we’d need some badass trainers and a gurt big tattoo to balance it out, as well. Swedish brand Sandberg’s fresh, new ‘Familj’ range of wallpapers aims to capture the joy and security of being a little kid in the family home – and we’d rather like to paper our entire lives with this ‘Lotte’ variety. Who’s for a Polar Pop? ‘Lotte’ wallpaper by Sandberg, part of the new ‘Familj’ range, available at Bracey Interiors, Waterloo Street, Clifton; www.braceyinteriors.co.uk
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 63
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1. THE MIGHTY FIN
2. HOUND OF LOVE
3. INGONYAMA. . .
4. CAPITAL IDEA
5. HAPPY GLAZE
Emily & Fin dress, £14 (reduced from £28) Emily & Fin’s pretty, colourful, feminine prints are synonymous with Amulet – snap up this ever-so-pretty Missi Mesh skater dress at half-price! From Amulet Boutique, 39A Cotham Hill; www. amuletboutique.co.uk
‘Arnie’ necklace, £120 Jane & Gavin Strange sell beautifully crafted goods from their new online shop; Jane chose this lovely oxidised solid silver necklace, inspired by their rescue greyhound, Arnie, as their favourite item. From STRANGE www.strangebristol.com
‘Circle of life’ necklace £52 This design is very hot right now, for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with the Lion King – and this turquoise version is a lovely variation. From Pod, 24 The Mall, Clifton; www.thepod company.co.uk
Lost in Berlin, £7.50 Our favourite stationers say: “These guides explore each city with a local perspective, meaning you get the most creative and unique recommendations for your trip.” From Papersmiths, 6A Boyces Avenue; www.papersmiths.co.uk
Shropshire costrel, £110 “Isatu Hyde is one of the best young potters that we’ve come across, creating wonderfully muted ceramics, which are a joy to use every day,” says Seamus Green. From Midgley Green www.midgleygreen.com
64 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
ED’S CHOICE
7
SHOPPING
8
LIVE STOCK WHAT ARE OUR FAVOURITE BRISTOL SHOPKEEPERS MOST EXCITED ABOUT RIGHT NOW?
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6. WATCHED POT
7. PRICKLY PAIR*
8. METAL GURU
9. GOOD CHAIR DAY
10. THE WHEEL DEAL
Stelton kettle, £119
Cactus storage jars, £13.95-£26.95 Trust Cat How to choose such a fun, colourful item from her current stock; these storage jars would look wonderful in either a modern or retro kitchen. From Howkapow; www.howkapow.com (*Oh OK, trio)
Copper wire bowl, £29 Anna from Mon Pote loves this bowl, which as well as just sitting there and looking beautiful, actually keeps fruit fresher for far longer (then you can throw it out and eat a Mars Bar). From Mon Pote, 177 North Street; www.monpote.co.uk
Stix chairs, £700-£720 Ian Archer’s bentwood chairs are a modern take on the Windsor classic; the cage-like structure embraces the cushions, giving a luxurious feel From Archer & Company 24 Alma Vale Road www.archerandcompany. co.uk
Rule 9 print by Spencer Wilson, £55 “Inspired by the Velominati Rules, ‘Rule 9’ typifies the badass rider who cycles whatever the weather,” says Soma Gallery owner Fiona Hamilton From Soma Gallery, 4 Boyce’s Avenue; www.soma.gallery
The Scandi design and lovely mixture of materials, including the wooden handle, makes this a top pick from Marie Harz; it comes in very pale blue or anthracite. From Oskar Furniture, 47 Whiteladies Road; www.oskarfurniture.co.uk
www.mediaclash.co.uk II CLIFTON BRISTOL LIFE LIFE II 65 www.mediaclash.co.uk 69
A cut above...
Try our Tasting Menu 12-16 Clifton Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1AF Tel: 01173 291300 Longmead Gospel Hall, Lower Bristol Road, Bath BA2 3EB Tel: 01225 446656 Email: info@themintroom.co.uk www.themintroom.co.uk
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68 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
R E S TA U R A N T
FOOD
The Ivy Clifton Brasserie
Don’t call it ‘The Ivy’, but do go and see what all the fuss is about; Bristol’s swankiest new opening brings a little touch of W8 to BS8 By DE R I ROBI NS
‘‘D
o you want milk with your coffee, Madam?” asks our waiter. He is considerably better dressed than we are. Think Anthony Hopkins in Remains of the Day, but much more immaculate. “No, thanks,” I said. “Sugar?” “No, thanks.” “Then I’ll ask no more silly questions and leave you in peace,” he said, with a disarming smile. The staff are all like this at The Ivy Clifton Brasserie (don’t call it ‘The Ivy’, it’s not a branch of the exclusive London restaurant, but one of their more accessible brasserie offshoots). The team here have been minutely trained to provide the most polished service imaginable, to be attentive without intrusive, and to carry out their duties with humour and aplomb. They’ll even nod you the wink about any celebs that might be in that day (Michelle Fairley from Game of Thrones, since you ask, looking remarkably unscathed despite her ordeal at the Red Wedding). Cards on the table. We’d turned up with a bit of an indie chip on our shoulders: what could any posh chain up from London offer Bristol, stuffed to the gills as it is with every conceivable form of top-notch dining? Bit by bit, however, we were completely seduced, by the ambience (buzzing), the food (flawless), and the service (see above) from the local staff. A relaxed yet very immensely luxurious space has been created within the old Nat West bank on The Mall. The Georgian building provided an impressive portico and huge arched windows, and the designers did the rest: brass chandeliers, sinfully plush banquettes and oak panelling all lend a grandiloquent, fin-de-siècle air (the 19th-century one) to proceedings. Prints of the ssGB and the Suspension Bridge politely acknowledge Bristol’s industrial heritage. We’d guessed it would be stylish and swellegant, but vaguely expected that the food would be highly competent but forgettable. Wrong-footed again; it was beyond criticism.
THE PLACE OFFERS FIRST
CLASS TUCKER WITH LAYERS OF COMPLEXITY BEYOND STANDARD FARE
In the comfort-food spirit that defines both The Ivy and its brasserie sisters, the menu features dishes such as Shepherd’s Pie and mushrooms on toast, and Your Man – a simple soul at heart – went for the latter. Seasoned with marjoram, the earthy-tasting mushrooms were tossed in a silkily indulgent cream sauce and served on toasted brioche. I’m a sucker for a chicken liver parfait, and the ICB rings the changes with an imaginative, crunchy topping of caramelised hazelnut, pear, stem ginger and toasted ciabatta. It was a hefty serving, too; we realised early doors that chef Dominik Malecki doesn’t stint on the portions. This isn’t the sort of gaff to place a solitary mussel on a slate the size of a roof tile; the ICB is all about generous helpings served on matching plates with linen napkins – which sometimes is precisely what you fancy. I’ve never seen any point in messing about too much with a lobster, and the ICB keeps it simple. The great big brute on my plate (I’ve rarely seen a chunkier claw) was simply grilled and doused in herby garlicky butter, and served with the best thick-cut chips we may ever have had. Your Man’s sea trout fillet – also unfeasibly fat – was enhanced by a memorably creamy brown shrimp and dill velouté. Who said that sauce is the one infallible sign of civilisation and enlightenment? It was probably a sous chef at one of the Ivys. For side dishes we ordered the zucchini fritti and buttered kale and spinach. We’d recommend the former no matter what you order. Even if it’s just a pudding. Apropos, while neither of us are major pud-fanciers, we both rose to the occasion on this respect. The strawberry sundae placed before Your Man caused his left eyebrow to shoot up in a manner rarely seen outside a Roger Moore movie; poached strawberries, vanilla ice cream, shortcake, crème Chantilly and baked meringue, it was like the best English picnic you could ever imagine – the kind you might get at Glyndebourne, possibly – in a dish. The Ivy will undoubtedly become a major landmark on Bristol’s culinary map. The place offers first class tucker with layers of complexity beyond standard fare. There’s a sense of occasion, but also a deft feeling of fun and enjoyment. The staff are proactive and engaging, and the surroundings luxurious. Although there is no dress code, most of the customers turn out as if they’re dining somewhere a bit special. And they’re right to.
DINING DETAILS The Ivy Clifton Brasserie, 42-44 Caledonia Place, BS8 4DN; 0117 203 4555 Opening hours open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner MondayFriday 8am-11pm; Saturday 8am-midnight; Sunday 9am-10.30pm We visited Wednesday evening Prices starters £5.50; main courses from £12.50; desserts from £5.25 Vegetarian choice limited Disabled access fully accessible on the main dining room Drinks the wine list accommodates many temperaments and budgets, with bottles from £19.50 for a Grenache Rouge from the Languedoc to £200 for a Chateau La Lagune 2011 Bordeaux Service exemplary, bringing a real sense of occasion to proceedings Atmosphere opulent but relaxed. A hard trick to pull off, but they’ve gone and done it
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 69
M E E T T H E C H E F a d v ertisin g feat u re
THREE OF THE BEST We asked three local chefs for their suggestions for making the most of the seasonal harvest
Ricsi Bozsik
Alma Tavern 18-20 Alma Vale Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2HY; 0117 973 5171; www.almatavern andtheatre.co.uk
Pan-seared red mullet with aromatic quinoa salad Ingredients 6 small fillets of red mullet 20g butter 2 garlic cloves 170g quinoa 50g olive oil 2 tbsp cherry or calamansi vinegar 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced 2 celery stick, finely diced l/2 cucumber, seeded and fine diced 10 leaves mint, finely sliced julienne-style 8 leaves coriander, finely sliced julienne-style 1 lemon zest 1 lime zest salt and pepper Method 1. Bring water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add quinoa, stir once. Cook uncovered, over medium heal for 12-15 minutes. Strain and rinse well with cold water, shaking the sieve well to remove all moisture. 2. When dry, transfer the quinoa to a large bowl. Add all the diced vegetables, herbs and zest, and toss well. 3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sea salt and black pepper. 4. Pour dressing over the quinoa salad and toss. 5. Now we can cook our fish. Season the mullet fillets and pan fry in a little olive oil, skin side down. Once the skin has started to crisp, add a little butter and a couple of crushed garlic cloves, skin on. When the butter turns to a golden brown colour, remove the pan from the heat. Turn the fillets over, and let them finish cooking in the cooling butter. 6. To serve, put a medium-sized ring in the middle of a serving dish, then spoon in quinoa salad. Remove the ring and place one fillet of red mullet on top and drizzle the plate with some of the remaining butter to garnish.
70 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
Takvor Terlemezyan New Moon Cafe 9 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4DP 0117 239 3858 www.newmooncafe. co.uk
SEARED WOOD PIGEON BREASTS Spicy chocolate cream sauce & Jerusalem artichoke purée Ingredients: 2 wood pigeon breasts 100g unsalted butter 80ml chicken or vegetable stock 50g dark chocolate 80ml double cream Few drops tabasco sauce 1 banana shallot, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, finely diced 50 ml white wine 50 ml red wine 300g Jerusalem artichokes, finely diced 200ml water Salt, black pepper Vegetable oil Method: For the artichoke purée: 1. Peel Jerusalem artichokes and place in a bowl of lemon juice and water to stop them discolouring and oxidising. 2. In large saucepan place knob of butter (20g)
and cook shallots until transparent. Next, add garlic, and drained and finely diced artichokes. 3. Fry for few minutes stirring occasionally and then add 50ml of white wine. After another 2 mins add the water just so it covers all your ingredients and leave it to cook for around 15 mins stirring occasionally. After cooking time, your artichokes should be soft, and there should be no water left in the saucepan. 4. Add 60ml of cream and cook for further 5 mins. Place all the ingredients in a food processor, or by using a hand blender, blend it all to a smooth purée. For the pigeon breasts and chocolate sauce: 1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a heavybottomed frying pan over a medium to high heat 2. Season both sides of the pigeon breasts with salt.
3. Once the pan is hot, add the pigeon breasts skin-side down and cook until golden brown – this will take 2–3 minutes each side 4. Add a knob of butter and baste the breasts when it melts, then add red wine, more salt and pepper to your taste. 5. Remove the breasts from the pan and leave to rest for approximately 5 minutes. For well-done meat, transfer to the oven for a few minutes to cook through. 6. While your meat is resting, on the same pan you seared your pigeon, add stock, dark chocolate, and tabasco and stir well for a few seconds so all the ingredients combine together. 7. When your sauce is smooth add 50ml drops of cream, stirring all the time. 8. Place artichoke purée on the plate, cut pigeon breasts in half, add the chocolate sauce and serve with buttery asparagus.
Pramaul Suna Koh Thai Tapas 7-9 Triangle South, Bristol BS8 1EY 0117 922 6699 www.koh-thai.co.uk
Phad Thai Ingredients 2 Large handfuls of flat rice noodles 1 small sliced red onion 1 egg 2 tbsp sugar 3 tbsp fish sauce 3 tbsp lemon juice 2 sliced spring onions Handful of bean sprouts Your choice of meat/veg 5 tbsp chopped peanuts 1 lemon wedge
Method 1. Put noodles in a bowl with boiling water and cover for 10 mins. Then drain with cold water. 2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wok until hot, and add egg, noodles and your choice of meat or veg. Make sure to keep stirring. 3. Once cooked, add the red onion, sugar, fish sauce, lemon juice and bean sprouts and mix together well. 4. Serve on a plate with the chopped peanuts and lemon wedge on the side.
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 71
A NEW SLURPPYY... PLACE IN GLOUCESTER ROAD
ADDRESS: 61, GLOUCESTER ROAD BRISTOL BS7 8AD. TELEPHONE: 0117-9446826 OPENING HOURS: 12 NOON TO 3PM, 5.30PM TO 10PM TUES-SUN ONLINE: FACEBOOK/RAMEN YA
sleighbells ring... . . . very, very distantly. We hate ourselves for broaching the subject, but if you want to be sure of booking the perfect festive party, now is the time to do it. Yes – it’s beginning to look a teeny, tiny bit like Christmas . . . By L I SA WA R R E N
CHRISTMAS PA R T I E S
true to their passion for great-tasting, freshly prepared food, with an alternative menu that’s perfect for sharing. Guests can enjoy a selection of Bambalan’s homemade dips, flatbreads and small plates, followed by warming tagines or grilled meat and fish, finished off with a round of mini-desserts for those who still have room. With space for up to 200 people Bambalan can cater for everything from private parties to team lunches – ideal for anyone looking for something a bit different this Christmas.
IF YOU
STILL HAVE GLITTER
IN YOUR HAIR FROM THE LAST SUMMER
FESTIVAL, YOU’LL NEED THE FOLLOWING TO GET YOU IN THE
MOOD
Opposite page, clockwise from top left: alternative festive fare at Bambalan; an ambitious idea of what Christmas in Lapland might look like; toast the season at Hyde & Co; private dining at Milk Thistle; Christmas Spiegeltent. This page, Tracy Park is hoping for snow . . .
D
on’t unpack the tinsel just yet. Don’t uncork the sherry. Maybe hold back Fairytale of New York for a little longer. Stay calm, and picture the scene, It’s December, you’re feeling full-on festive – but when you ring to book up your ideal Christmas dinner party you discover that they’ve been booked solid since September. “You muppet!” you murmur (to yourself, not the nice girl at The Ox) and wonder if there’s any space at The Lodekka. Don’t be that person. Book now – and if you still have glitter in your hair from the last summer festival, let the following get you in the mood. For big parties and a great show, there are really two main options; the Spiegeltent on Harbourside and the annual Hype bash at the Passenger Shed. The Spiegeltent (www.christmasspiegeltent. co.uk) returns for its fifth and finest Christmas season yet of wild and decadent parties, world-class live music, kids’ shows and special events. Inside the glorious wooden tent, filled with sparking mirrors and ornately carved wood, you’re genuinely transported to a bygone era. Their legendary Christmas parties are booking now, and tickets for all other shows go on sale midSeptember. From a journey back in time to a trip to the Arctic Circle, Christmas in Lapland comes to the Passenger Shed. At the entrance, a canopy of glistening stars will lead you through a dusting of snowflakes into a snow-laden forest, and an enchanted evening full of magical sights, with snow underfoot, vast expanses of white drapes and glittering fir trees; while you tuck into dinner, festive characters will entertain you. The team at Hyde & Co have got the festive season sewn up at their excellent, varied venues. Opening in May, Bambalan (www.bambalan.co.uk) became an instant favourite, thanks to its vibrant décor and imaginative, affordable food and drink, and for their first Christmas the team are staying
At Hyde & Co (www.hydeand.co) on the Triangle, Bristol’s most famous speakeasy offers the perfect retreat for anyone wanting to duck away from the festive craziness. Warmly lit, with cosy nooks and space for just 60 people, a Christmas night out at Hyde is guaranteed to be a memorable affair; with one of the best bar teams in town you can expect expertly crafted cocktails served up in a laidback, Prohibition style atmosphere – perfect for those looking to celebrate the season is style. Hidden in plain sight on Colston Avenue, The Milk Thistle (www.milkthistlebristol.com) is equally famed for its outstanding cocktails and eclectic interior; spread across four floors, with several different spaces for private parties, it can offer everything from dinner parties to fabulous vintage-style cocktail parties for up to 120 people. Meanwhile, on Corn Street and Whiteladies Road, The Ox steak restaurants (www.theoxbristol. com) are taking festive indulgence to the next level this Christmas, with not a turkey in sight; instead brace yourself for a three-course menu featuring butter-poached lobster, seared and confit duck and charcoal roasted sirloin. With options for private hire for groups of up to 80, The Ox is perfect for work parties and romantic festive treats alike. Finally from these guys, bringing a little slice of Spain to the Old City, Pata Negra (www. patanegrabristol.com ) has two private spaces, both holding up to 120 people and complete with their own private cocktail bars; there are tapas buffets and a Spanish-inspired tapas feast and (naturally) an array of sherries. Still not exotic enough? You’re a tough house tonight. Fortunately, Clifton’s sophisticated fineIndian-dining restaurant The Mint Room (www. themintroom.co.uk/bristol) is serving a Christmas menu with a spicy twist; three starters and two main courses are available, including the newly introduced ‘Soft Shell Crab with red pepper sauce’. Mains feature local Somerset turkey with a southern Indian spice, and Wiltshire lamb. And if Downton style is more your thing, the elegance and grandeur of the Jacobean Manor House at Tracy Park in Wick (www.tracypark. co.uk) offers pure country hotel magic – with the added and considerable bonus of 42 bedrooms just a (sweeping, elegant) staircase away. While you ponder all of the above, can we be the first to, with as straight a face as we can muster, wish you a very merry Christmas? www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 75
WORLD TAPAS EXPERIENCE STARTS WITH EVERY NEW MOON
COME AND ENJOY YOUR CULTURAL CUISINE TOUR AND EXPLORE THE WORLD FLAVOUR BY FLAVOUR!
9 THE MALL CLIFTON BRISTOL BS8 4DP | WWW.NEWMOONCAFE.CO.UK | TRIPADVISOR
A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E F O O D & D R I N K
DINING in BRISTOL A selection of the best places to eat out in Bristol and the surrounding area JAPANESE BENTO BOSS Unit 6, Clifton Down Station, Whiteladies Rd, Bristol; 0117 973 6132; www.bentoboss.co.uk Pan Asian freshly made sushi in the heart of Whiteladies Road.
TAPAS NEW MOON CAFÉ 9 The Mall, Clifton BS8 4DP; 0117 239 3858; www.newmooncafe.co.uk Quality drinks, soulful food and regular live music evenings in the heart of Clifton.
WALTERS’S ON THE SQUARE Bristol Marriot Royal Hotel; College Green; 01179 255 100; www.waltersbristolroyal.co.uk The perfect rendezvous spot to enjoy tasty West Country tapas, refreshing handcrafted summer cocktails and local flavoured craft beers.
BURGERS MEAT LIQUOR Stokes Croft, Bristol; 0117 402 0000; www.meatliqour.com Burgers and beer; fried chicken and cocktails. Enough said!
KOH THAI TAPAS 7-9 Triangle South, Bristol; 0117 922 6699; www.koh-thai.co.uk Award-winning Thai tapas, small plates and cocktails.
PI SHOP The General, Lower Guinea St, Bristol; 0117 925 6872 www.thepishop.co.uk With their open-plan kitchen and wood fired oven, they create stripped back ‘Napoli meets Bristol’ pizzas.
PIE PIEMINISTER 24 Stokes Croft, Avon, Bristol; 0117 942 3322; www.pieminister.co.uk Pieminister are Bristol’s awardwinning pie manufacturers, with a pie (well, several pies) for all seasons.
GASTRO PUB ALMA TAVERN 18-20 Alma Vale Rd, Avon, Bristol; 0117 973 5171; www.almatavernandtheatre.co.uk New chef Alert! Massive pub with regular jazz pianists, an intimate theatre upstairs and an art space downstairs.
BAMBALAN Colston Tower, Colston Street, Bristol; 0117 922 1880; www.bambalan.co.uk Fresh, healthy and exciting all-day dining with unrivalled views over the city centre.
PIZZAROVA 289 Gloucester Rd, Bristol; 0117 942 7770; www.pizzarova.com Handmade sourdough and glutenfree sourdough pizzas from our Gloucester Road, Bristol shop.
THE GLOUCESTER OLD SPOT 138 Kellaway Ave, Bristol; 0117 924 7693; www.thegloucesteroldspot.co.uk Light-filled gastropub with covered terrace and garden, menu made from locally sourced produce.
INDIAN MINT ROOM DINING 12-16 Clifton Rd, Bristol; 0117 329 1300; www.themintroom.co.uk Creative and classic Indian cuisine in a contemporary setting.
MIDDLE EASTERN
POLPO 50 Whiteladies Road, Bristol; 0117 973 3100; www.polpo.co.uk POLPO is a 'bàcaro' – the Venetian word that describes a humble restaurant serving simple food and good, young Italian wines. ROSEMARINO 1 York Place, Clifton, Bristol; 0117 973 6677; www.rosemarino.co.uk Rosemarino is a little gem to enjoy anytime, whether it be the full Italian feast or simply for a coffee while reading the papers. VEENO CO. 1 Glass Wharf, Temple Way, Bristol; 0117 941 4181; www.theveenocompany.com Italian wine café in the UK serving family-produced Sicilian wines and authentic Italian spuntini.
PATA NEGRA 30 Clare Street, Bristol; 0117 927 6762; www.patanegrabristol.com Airy Spanish restaurant with table and counter stools – hams, tapas and an upstairs cocktail bar.
ITALIAN
STEAK
PASTA LOCO 37A Cotham Hill, Bristol; 0117 973 3000; www.pastaloco.co.uk Opened by cousins Ben and Dominic; freshly made pastas, a range of antipasti and daily specials.
THE OX 43 Corn Street, Bristol; 0117 922 1001; www.theoxbristol.com Stylish steak restaurant and cocktail bar in a basement bank vault, with a cool, speakeasy vibe.
BIBLOS ON THE HILL 225 Gloucester Road, Bristol; 0117 942 5671; www.biblos.co.uk Delicious fast-food fusion of Middle Eastern and Caribbean cuisine.
FINE DINING BULLRUSH 21 Cotham Road South, Bristol; 0117 329 0990; www.bulrushrestaurant.co.uk Their menus reflect the seasons, and include a variety of foraged ingredients from common hedgerow to sea vegetables. CASAMIA The General, Guinea St, Bristol; 0117 959 2884; www.casamiarestaurant.co.uk Michelin-starred restaurant with a menu that changes with the seasons whilst focusing on using the very best British produce available.
OUTSIDE OF BRISTOL LUCKNAM PARK Colerne, Chippenham; 01225 742777; www.lucknampark.co.uk The perfect place to enjoy fine dining at the Michelin-starred restaurant.
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 77
The new Harold’s Club will be hosting a series of events open to the public throughout the year. Giving you the rare opportunity to try out the fabulous facilities at Clevedon Hall.
Special Events The Four Cuisineers Sat 29th October
New Years Eve 31st December
Valentines Day* 14th February 2017
A Delicious Party Event. Four of the Regions Best Chefs each take charge of a specific dish. Canapes Reception with mini cocktails. Stunning 3 Course Meal including pairing wines for starter and main. Special Launch Event price £45. Bedrooms Available.
Roaring 1920s Theme. Dazzling 5 Course Taster Menu. Amazing Live Band. Surprise Entertainment. Evening Snack (if you can squeeze it in!) Fireworks at Midnight. Tickets £105. Bedrooms Available.
An Event for Couples. Arrival Drink. Fabulous 4 Course Meal Live Entertainment. Tickets from £59.
*Details to be confirmed
at For more details please call 01275 795895 or visit us at: www.clevedonhall.co.uk/haroldsclub
A MAN’S WORLD
BY THE TIME YOU REACH THE SUMMIT, YOU’LL FEEL LIKE YOU’VE GOT A FULLYSTOCKED FRIDGE ON YOUR BACK
SEB BARRETT
WHERE EAGLES* DARE The one in which Baz suffers from retrospective school-trip envy
W
hen it comes to filling what Rudyard Kipling called ‘the unforgiving minute’, a person can sometimes get so wrapped up in their usual routine – cinema, shopping, competitive cat grooming – that they fail to see the glories in their back yard. You’ll remember that the Bank Holiday Monday just gone was a scorcher, but still my first thought was to grab a coffee and some shade in Clifton. Yes, a boiling coffee, on a day when it was so hot you weren’t sure if you’d forgotten to wear pants or if they’d just melted down your legs. Luckily for me, my girlfriend is a bit of a go-getter: rather than indulge my café culture flâneur ways, she packed me into the car and took us to a magical place by the name of – whisper it gently – ‘Cheddar Gorge’.
The road that snakes through the town is a West Countrified version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s barony of Vulgaria, all coloured wood and sweet sellers. While this part of the area is utterly pleasant, the same cannot be said for Jacob’s Ladder: the 274 steps that lead you to the start of the Cheddar Gorge cliff walk. By the time you reach the summit of this vertiginous route, you’ll feel like you’ve got a fully-stocked fridge on your back. Pain is fleeting when you can enjoy the fruits of your labour. The view from the Lookout Tower, one of the first things you see after those thigh-burning 274 steps, is like being handed a day pass to marvel at God’s playground (although I’m sure that would cost considerably more than the £12 I paid to walk up Jacob’s Ladder). This eagle’s view of Cheddar Gorge Valley itself, the Mendip Hills and the Somerset Levels will make you see this expanse of the West Country in a whole new way. Some parts of the Cheddar Gorge walk are
treacherous, and I began to wonder what would happen if I made one false step near the edge; or, if it was a bad day, how long it would take somebody to find me if I’d broken my leg trying to be clever as I jumped from rock to rock like a woodland ballerina. I was disconcerted, too, to find a group of middle-aged women strolling nimbly by as we wheezed our way down a rocky hillface, chatting away like they were just popping down to the shops. “So our Kathy is thinking about buying a house in Portishead,” said one, as I fought for the oxygen that would calm my trembling legs and, more helpfully, keep me alive as we descended the north face of Cheddar Gorge. If you’re from the West Country, this will all be old news to you. You might lament the fact that you went to Cheddar Gorge on school trips every year, but such visits shouldn’t be considered a bad thing. In stark contrast, our days out at school involved us being carted off to a massive coal mine, in what now seems like an unintentional recreation of the old days when miners got bused to and from their dreary shifts every day. You Cheddar Gorgers got beautiful views of the countryside and a nice bit of exercise; we got sent underground and, if you were particularly unlucky, the black lung. (But seriously, go and visit the Big Pit - it’s great.) We treated ourselves to a pasty and ice cream after we arrived back in town, relieved at finally hearing the familiarly unfamiliar chatter of tourists after three hours of hiking, and marvelled at Lion’s Rock. If there is anything of equal delight out there, in Bristol and beyond, please tell me now. Seb Barrett works in sports communications. Follow him on Twitter @bazzbarrett (* and sports comms boyos from Cardiff)
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 79
Ruck ‘n roll
ONE TO ONE
As Bristol prepares to square up against the might of British rugby, everybody wants to talk to Andy ‘Robbo’ Robinson . . . By M A L ROGE R S
R
ugby union is that odd shotgun wedding between athleticism, artistry and brute force. Despite its rugged image, the game is riddled with complex rules and tactics, making it arguably the most strategic of all
team sports. You may doubt this when you see two teams rucking for a ball in scenes more reminiscent of a pub brawl than an international sport, but rugby is a highly structured game. Keen, calculating brains are required, and arguably a team coach in rugby is more influential than any high profile soccer manager such as Arsene Wenger or Pep Guardiola. The Director of Rugby at Bristol Rugby is one such figure. Andy Robinson has a huge tactical brain — in fact he was once a maths teacher, so is likely to be one of the few people you’d bump into in a scrum who could quote the proof to Fermat’s Last Theorem. But of course you need more than tactics to face the physical and mental challenges of this hard game. Robinson, generally known in the game as Robbo, has proved he can do that in spades. As a player, the Somerset man turned out for both England and the British Lions, and during his 12-year stint as an openside flanker at Bath scored 37 tries during his 249 appearances for the first team. His subsequent coaching career saw him in charge at Bath and Edinburgh, and in the international arena being gaffer with both England and Scotland. Andy thus arrived at Bristol Rugby in 2013 with gilt-edged experience, a formidable reputation and a clutch of honours and trophies. He has now overseen Bristol’s move from the RFU Championship league to the top tier of British rugby, the Aviva Premiership. One of the toughest leagues in the world, the Premiership will provide stern challenges for Robbo, and for the Bristol side. As Director of Rugby, he knows he has to front up week in, week out. “I’m in charge of everything. There’s nobody else to blame but me if things go wrong,” he says, knowing only too well: the day a coach is hired he’s fired. The date just hasn’t been filled in yet. Unless he is empirically, and regularly, successful. Robbo is further aware that any flourishing rugby club is more than a one-man band. “What’s important to me is to get really good people in place. We’ve now got a great coaching team. I believe they can truly make the difference.” He’s probably right, given that he has managed to meld experience with youth and innovation. The new Bristol forwards coach is New Zealander Mark Bakewell. This is a crucial appointment, because, as the old saying goes — it’s the forwards who win a game; the backs merely decide by w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 81
ONE TO ONE
Gratuitous shot of Ashton Gate, the Suspension Bridge and some balloons
C V I N A N UT S H ELL:
ANDY ‘ROBBO’ ROBINSON Born: Taunton, Somerset Position: Director of Rugby, Bristol Position as a player: Flanker Teams as a player: Bath, England, British and Irish Lions Coaching jobs: Bath, Edinburgh Rugby, England, Scotland, Bristol Rugby
how much. Bakewell is in charge of teaching the Bristol lads how to handle those two most arcane but pivotal rugby set-pieces: the scrum and the line-out. In case you’re not a hardened rugby fan, in a scrum the 16 forwards bind together in a crouched huddle to settle an infringement of the laws. They push against each other, while the two hookers (please, every conceivable joke has already been made) square up to each other and attempt to win the ball with their feet. So ferocious is this struggle that it might seem reasonable to expect to see someone trundling a wooden cart onto the pitch after a particularly brutal scrum intoning, Python-style, “Bring out yer dead . . . bring out yer dead. . .” The other forwards set-piece that Bakewell and Robbo will be keenly interested in is the lineout. Rugby union’s answer to football’s throw-in, it is vastly more entertaining. One particularly large player is elected to jump for the ball — someone who can be heaved into the air by his fellow forwards. This is probably the closest that men with exceptionally high body mass indexes come to performing a grande arabesque from ballet. Needless to say it requires a great degree of skill and strength, as well as intensive choreography. You may be sure that Robbo and Bakewell are all over it. As Director, Robbo chooses the coaches and the training staff — and in a rugby team there are many — forwards coach, backs coach, defence coach, place-kicking coach — as well as overseeing the choice of squad. And he’s out on the pitch with them too on training days. “Over the summer we’ve had an intensive training schedule. Full-on Monday, lighter Tuesday, Wednesday hard at it all day . . . and so on. I see my job as inspiring the team, the coaches; but also empowering them. That’s a very deep belief for me. I need to inspire people to be the best they can be. I’m passionate about that. The players
have to be inspired. No coach ever won a match; no director of rugby ever won a championship. Empowerment is the key.” The current Bristol squad is a cosmopolitan group with players drawn from across the great rugby superpowers of the world. The team squad includes young players as well as experienced campaigners such as Argentine international Gaston Cortes, former British Lion Gavin Henson, and the latest signing from Samoa, Tusi Pisi. But although Robbo has strode the world stage both as a player and as part of the coaching team that saw England bring back the World Cup in 2003 (for which he received an OBE), he’s the sort of guy who gets on with the job in hand. “I’ve had many, many big moments in the game. Of course representing your country is a great honour. And being involved in Scotland’s back-toback wins against Australia was incredible.” Being a coach in any professional sport is a position that could best be described as precarious. Robbo has had his share of setbacks, but is philosophical about them. “I’m a great believer in all your highs and lows balancing out. I do whatever comes up and I like doing it. I can honestly say I’ve loved every role I’ve taken on — from being Scotland coach to taking over as England boss.” And when Andy Robinson says he’s as happy at Bristol as he’s ever been, you know it’s straight. “I’m delighted and proud of the growth of Bristol Rugby. We’ve a great squad, a wonderful team spirit and a passionate support. As a group we don’t give up. I know — we all know — there is no magic formula. But we go into a game on the understanding that we’re going to win.” It’s that resolve which has brought the Bristol team into the premiership. “We’ve always had a great team spirit. The players have put in a huge effort, the coaching staff have done the same, and here we are. And I think Bristol will be good for the Premiership. Other teams are going to enjoy the special atmosphere at Ashton Gate.” The obvious question was left to last. It’s the one where managers can choose to employ hubris, or its strange bedfellow, complacency. They can also use false humility to try to deceive other teams, or downright triumphalism to wind up them up. None of these for Andy Robinson. The question is, naturally enough: have you a minimum target for your team’s performance in this season’s Premiership? “Yes,” he says. “And the team know what that target is? You’ve told them?” He nods. Then silence. “But you’re not going to tell me?” I ask. He smiles, says nothing, then nods again. “That’s right.”
Bristol’s first home match at Ashton Gate is against Northampton Saints, 11 September For more, bristolrugby.co.uk
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 83
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E D U C AT I O N
TOP of the CLASS When a city has as many good schools as Bristol, how do you pick the one that’s just right for your children? We’ve been doing our homework…
W
hat makes one school perfect for one child may not suit another; word of mouth recommendations are valuable, but not the be-all and end-all. So by all means, ask every parent you know for their opinion – but keep an open mind. Here, we ask some of Bristol’s top schools what makes them special.
dance to textiles and swimming, while sixth-form students have a choice of activities from yoga to community volunteering and robotics. Famous alumni: Jeremy Northam (actor and singer), Michael Coady (rugby player). They say: “We are a school that values our sense of community. Our students learn to be accountable for themselves, responsible for others and empowered to have a voice and a role in the many activities and endeavours that make our school such a unique and exciting place.” (Roderick MacKinnon, Head)
BADMINTON SCHOOL
With a strong academic record, the focus at Badminton is on nurturing their girls’ natural curiosity and fuelling their passion for learning, preparing them for the wider world and establishing lifelong friendships. Above all, girls leave Badminton confident to make a difference in a challenging and changing world. The curriculum: Badminton offers a broad curriculum, the core subjects being complemented by a wide range of STEM subjects, humanities, creative arts and languages. Extra-curricular activities: Pupils have opportunities to get involved in a diverse extra-curricular programme including sports, performing arts, enterprise and wider social activities, along with foreign exchanges. Famous alumni: Dame Iris Murdoch (writer), Rosamund Pike (actress), Mary Fedden (artist). They say: “Badminton is a strong community; small enough to ensure no one is anonymous but big enough to enable a real breadth of experience. There’s an openness of thought and a passion to do things which draws everyone together.” (Rebecca Tear, Head) Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS9 3BA; 0117 905 5271; www.badmintonschool.co.uk
BRISTOL GRAMMAR
The previously all-boys school started admitting girls in 1980, becoming a fully co-ed school; classes from infants to sixth form. The curriculum: Bristol Grammar School offers a range of various curriculums from year 9 onwards including Ancient Greek, and in sixth form, Russian and economics. In 2014 they placed as the highest ranking day school in Bristol in both the GCSE league table and the Daily Telegraph’s ‘A’ level league table. Extra-curricular activities: Exercise and hobbies are important at Bristol Grammar. Many different extra curricular activities are available; years 7-8 can enjoy a wealth of activities from 90 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
University Road, Bristol BS8 1SR; www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk
BRISTOL STEINER Above: Badminton School girls; Opposite, clockwise from top, first two pics: Colston’s School; Sidcot; Redmaids’ High School
THERE’S AN
OPENNESS
OF THOUGHT AND A PASSION TO DO THINGS WHICH
DRAWS EVERYONE TOGETHER REBECCA TEAR, BADMINTON SCHOOL
Bristol Steiner prides itself on working for all children irrespective of academic ability, sex, class, ethnicity or religion. They aim to help every pupil achieve their full potential by encouraging and mentoring them. The curriculum: The curriculum is based on the Steiner Waldorf Curriculum, which encourages a creative learning environment in which students can actively enjoy education. Extra-curricular activities: Kindergarten activities include baking, sewing, weaving, modelling, drawing, painting and woodwork. Upper school students engage in a number of crafts from painting, woodwork and pottery to forge work, felting and basket making. An important element of the Upper School is project work undertaken on field trips away from school. They say: “Education is a journey, not a race. Play is the serious work of early childhood. Learning takes place with hands, heart and head. By protecting the right to childhood we are creating abilities for life.” (Rudolf Steiner, Founder) Redland Hill House, Redland Hill, Bristol BS6 6UX; www.bristolsteinerschool.org
CLIFTON COLLEGE
One of the 26 original English public schools, co-ed Clifton College aims to retain a broad curriculum geared to educating the whole child. The curriculum: Pupils are provided with a core curriculum, but are also encouraged to pursue their own interests through subjects at GCSE and A Level. Extra-curricular activities: Believing that activities outside of the classroom complement and enhance the learning that goes on within, the w
E D U C AT I O N
school offers everything from DJ clubs to animation. The school is also renowned for its sports, and offers excellent facilities. Famous alumni: Three Nobel Prizewinners and eight Victoria Cross holders. Actors John Cleese and Trevor Howard, and cricketer W.G. Grace. They say: “What makes a good school? The short answer is happy, successful and fulfilled pupils who are ready for the challenges of adult life. Clifton College is exactly that kind of school, offering pupils an all-round education, pastoral care, the opportunity for true self-discovery, awakening their sense of duty and a thirst for excellence in all that they do, especially in the classroom.” (Dr Tim Greene, Head of College) 32 College Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3JH; 0117 315 7000; www.cliftoncollegeuk.com
CLIFTON HIGH SCHOOL
Clifton High prides itself on excellent relationships between staff and pupils, leading to high levels of motivation and success. The curriculum: Pupils benefit greatly from the small classes enabled by the Diamond Edge model in years 7-9, when pupils are taught in single-sex classes in core subjects, and from the way that teaching is adapted throughout the school to meet the differing needs of boys and girls. A wide range of GCSE and A level courses are on offer Extra-curricular activities: Clubs for sport, music, languages, science and art are available to all pupils. Older pupils are encouraged to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Famous alumni: Jo Durie (tennis player), Margaret Irwin (author). They say: “Our philosophy is simple – to provide an environment that fosters curiosity, creativity and confidence, delivers first class teaching that inspires and challenges, and celebrates each boy and girl for who they are and what they do.” (Dr Alison Neill, Head) College Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3JD; 0117 933 9087; www.cliftonhigh.bristol.sch.uk
COLSTON’S SCHOOL
Independent co-ed school, from nursery to sixth form. Personal development is central to the Colston’s experience, and is secured through a wide range of activities and opportunities. Pupils are taught to display initiative and independence. The curriculum: Lower School pupils enjoy the full range of academic subjects including languages, design technology, ICT, art and music. From the ages of 11 to 16, all pupils follow a broad and balanced curriculum in keeping with national policy. In the sixth form, students can follow three A Level courses or a mixture of A Level and BTEC courses and take part in their careers and employability programme, Future Leaders. Extra-curricular activities: More than 50 clubs and activities are offered each term as well as the Combined Cadet Force, Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, ski trips, international sports tours, and cultural and language trips to various European countries, while students’ achievements in 92 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
Top: Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital School; above: Badminton School; Opposite page: The Downs
public examinations are consistently impressive. Famous alumni: Lots of former pupils have made successes of their rugby careers, most recently a number of female Old Colstonians, including a couple of World Cup winners, who are now representing their countries. They say: “Colston’s approach is holistic and we don’t just talk the talk. Our students arrive with a breadth of abilities from a range of backgrounds, and we celebrate the successes, no matter how big or small, of each individual, no matter how big or how small! This ethos leads to a happy, grounded school where students and teachers work together towards being the best they can be.” (Jeremy McCullough, Head) Bell Hill, Stapleton, Bristol, BS16 5RW; 0117 965 5207; www.colstons.org
THE DOWNS
Co-ed The Downs enjoys a national reputation as a leading prep school in the country. In a beautiful rural setting just four miles from Bristol
E D U C AT I O N
it provides a vibrant all-round education that is stimulating and exciting. Individual children are challenged but carefully nurtured, their personal development being described as ‘excellent’ by inspectors. The curriculum: The curriculum is diverse, creative and balanced. Reception children begin French immediately, pre-prep children learn recorder, ukulele, violin and clarinet. Year 4 take etiquette, chess and old-fashioned woodwork (“we have more bird boxes than any other school!”). The theory of music is compulsory in years 5 and 6; the sciences are taught as three disciplines from year 5, Spanish is introduced in year 6. Teaching is class-based until year 5. Extra-curricular activities: Hugely successful on the sport field but inclusive – a team for everyone. Masses of music: over 80 per cent play a musical instrument, and there’s a wonderful chamber choir. Drama is very popular and standards high; there are seven productions a year and over 50 per cent children attend speech and drama lessons. Art is “everywhere”, while Arts Week offers an entire week of creativity off the curriculum timetable. This is a busy school. They say: “We cherish childhood, we applaud gentleness and humility, we appreciate unaffected good manners and we respect traditional values. We nurture confidence in contrast to arrogance and expect consideration, respect and tolerance of others. We are ultimately a close, very happy, supportive community.” (Marcus Gunn, Head) Charlton House, Charlton Drive, Bristol BS48 1PF; 01275 852008; www.thedownsschool.co.uk
QUEEN ELIZABETH’S HOSPITAL SCHOOL
WE CHERISH CHILDHOOD, WE
APPLAUD GENTLENESS AND HUMILITY,
WE APPRECIATE UNAFFECTED
GOOD MANNERS AND WE RESPECT TRADITIONAL VALUES MARCUS GUNN, THE DOWNS
With a royal charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I and housed within a Grade-II building, QEH’s mission is simply to provide a first-class education for boys aged 7-18 and, from September 2017, to girls aged 16-18. They also offer a high standard of pastoral care, so pupils feel secure in exploring and expanding a wide range of skills and abilities. The curriculum: QEH offers a broad and balanced curriculum taught through interesting and exciting methods. The curriculum offers the chance to study subjects in depth, aiming to meet the wide range of academic needs and interests of the pupils. Extra-curricular activities: QEH prides itself on the choice of activities it provides, and students are encouraged to take part in a number of extracurricular activities through the introduction of an activities slot on the timetable. Famous alumni: Hugo Weaving (actor), Jack Cuthbert (rugby player), Sir Ivor Jennings (lawyer and academic), Ben Starr (actor), Alex Davis (rugby sevens player). They say: “Academic excellence at QEH directly benefits from momentum and enthusiasm created in broader areas of school life. It is considered cool to join in, to develop your own interests and to be an individual.” (Stephen Holliday, Head) Berkeley Place, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1JX; 0117 930 3040; www.qehbristol.co.uk w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 93
E D U C AT I O N
Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital School
REDMAIDS’ HIGH SCHOOL
This new school has been formed through the merger of two of Bristol’s most well-known and popular girls’ schools – Red Maids’ and Redland High. The outcome is a stronger school with outstanding facilities, high quality teaching and an exceptional range of subjects. The curriculum: Junior school girls enjoy a rich curriculum, achieving excellent results in national exams for music, speech and drama. In the senior school, the curriculum is enriched through an even greater choice of subjects at GCSE and the sixth form, including the option of A Levels or the world-class International Baccalaureate. Extra-curricular activities: Taking part in clubs and societies helps to nurture talent, instill leadership, teamwork and independent thought. Famous alumni: Sally Beauman (author); Alice Roberts (anthropologist, author, TV presenter). They say: “Redmaids’ High provides the best opportunities in Bristol and beyond for academically able girls who aspire to achieve their full personal, social and academic potential. Our exciting new Performing Arts Centre will open in Autumn 2017 and further improvements in science, technology and creative arts are planned.” (Isabel Tobias, Head) Westbury Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS9 3AW; 0117 962 2641; www.redmaidshigh.co.uk
SIDCOT
An independent boarding school for boys and girls aged 3-18 years, set in beautiful rural surroundings. The philosophy: A Quaker school that welcomes students and staff ‘from all faiths and none’, it espouses an approach to teaching that encourages individual thought, questioning and exploration.
WE PROVIDE THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES IN BRISTOL AND BEYOND FOR ACADEMICALLY ABLE GIRLS WHO ASPIRE TO
ACHIEVE
THEIR FULL PERSONAL,
SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC POTENTIAL ISABEL TOBIAS, REDMAIDS’ HIGH
Clifton High School
Extra-curricular facilities: There’s a superb sports centre with a 25m indoor pool, hall with a sprung floor and multi gym; a beautiful arts centre with galleries that can be used in a variety of configurations for exhibitions and installations, and a theatre for dance, music and drama. They say: “At Sidcot School, equal emphasis is placed on the development of life skills alongside the rigorous pursuit of academic achievement. This ensures students are grounded and prepared for what lies ahead of them and are equipped with theoretical knowledge and aptitude as well as the personal and social qualities that are needed in the real world.” (Iain Kilpatrick, Head) Oakridge Lane Winscombe BS25 1PD; 01934 843102; www.sidcot.org.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 95
Albert Einstein would have recommended the Bristol Steiner School education. Here’s why: The Bristol Steiner School is a unique independent school for children aged 3 - 14, providing an holistic education which nurtures the child’s thinking, feeling and willing. The Steiner approach addresses the child’s intellectual, spiritual, emotional and practical development whilst nourishing their innate curiosity and love of learning through a balance of academic, artistic and practical activities. We have places available at our Kindergarten in Cotham and our main school in Redland. To find out more about a Steiner education for your child why not attend one of our forthcoming open events. Kindergarten Autumn Fair 1st October 2016 11am - 3pm Main School Open Evening 22nd September 2016 6.30pm - 8pm
Come visit us on our OPEN DAYS
a d v e r t i s i n g f e at u r e L E G A L
Settlement Agreements Dr. Eva plays a blinder! By Matthew Watts at Metcalfes Solicitors
D
r Eva Caniero’s dispute about her employment with Chelsea Football Club and former manager Jose Mourinho is perhaps the most infamous example of an employment dispute in recent months. Minutes before the parties were due to stand in front the Employment Tribunal and give evidence, an Agreement was reached to bring it all to an end without having to roll the dice in front of the Judge. But why would an employer want to go down this route? Firstly, an employer will be looking to minimise their cash loss. If they lose on the day then they not only have to pay the value of the employees’ claim, which is often substantial, but also their legal team’s fees. Secondly, an often overlooked aspect of defending a claim is the actual day-to-day disruption caused to the business by the time and effort needed to defend a claim by an employee. Also, Tribunals are not private hearings so the dispute plays out in public sphere which can be damaging for the employer. The employee’s legal team will paint the
employer in the worst possible light. Even if the employer is successful, the negative press that can flow from an employment tribunal will cause damage to reputation and ultimately loss of business. A properly drawn up Settlement Agreement can avoid the expense and disruption that a Tribunal creates. If undertaken at an early stage, they can provide a vehicle through which both parties can walk away from a dispute without damage to reputation and without having taken the risk and expense of going to Court. You must make sure the agreement contains all the requirements of the law to make it enforceable. It cannot be a “one size fits all” position nor can it be written “on the back of an envelope.” This is why Metcalfes invite you to come into the office to talk about the background of the dispute. We enable you to ask any questions you may have. We then work closely with you to ensure your Agreement is bespoke to your business. Both employees and employers can take advantage of our service. We can review your employment contract, discuss with you what
your own expectations are and ultimately if you are happy with the proposal put forward. At any stage of an employment claim, it is crucial that proper legal advice is sought as soon as possible to protect your position and to ensure the best possible deal is being advocated on your behalf. Metcalfes have a wealth of employment experience to draw on and would be happy to assist you. BL
For more information or advice, please contact Matthew Watts on 0117 929 0451, or visit www.metcalfes.co.uk
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 101
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LONDON
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AMSTERDAM
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MUNICH
Shake-ups/launches/intel/promotions
B R IS TO L G E T S S ER I O US BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS KEY DATES
Bristol’s finest to be revealed in April 2017
Earlybird ticket sales: 28 October 2016 Nominations: from 24 November 2016 Finalists revealed: 7 March 2017 Finalists’ Reception: 20 March 2017 Awards: 24 April 2017 Winners’ Dinner: May 2017 (date TBC)
QUOTE OF THE ISSUE
BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS
“FIRST AND FOREMOST, DO NO HARM”
THE ULTIMATE ACCOLADE Planning, and indeed excitement, mounts as we hurtle ever-closer to the inaugural Bristol Life Awards next spring Key dates and details have been revealed for the glamorous Bristol Life Awards as planning ramps up, and a new category sponsor has been lined up: the Clifton Marquee Company. The Awards are free to enter and are open to any Bristol company or organisation. Nominations are made via the new website www.bristollifeawards. co.uk and the Awards will be decided by a panel of impeccably independent judges. The categories are: Arts, Interiors, Retailer, Legal and Financial, Charity, Health, Property, Education, New Business, Café/Coffee shop, Creative, Cocktail bar, Technology and Innovation, Hair & Beauty, Gastropub, Leisure & Tourism, Business Services, Food/drink producer, Event and Restaurant. For the crème de la crème, best individual category winner, there is a special Platinum Award. There are two free shoulder events: a Finalists’ Reception and Winners’ Dinner. “We’re delighted to have Clifton Marquee Company on board as a sponsor,” commented event manager Steph Dodd. “There are many ways companies can
be involved with the Awards: entering, sponsoring a category, offering a service, partnering, buying tickets or an Associates’ table. “We are working hard to create a distinctive, memorable event that does justice to the range and quality of Bristol businesses.” The Awards are promoted by a long-term marketing campaign across multiple media, from ads in Bristol Life (of course!), to an extensive email and social media campaign, PR and radio. Steph added, “We already run superb Awards in Bath, Cardiff and Exeter showcasing some of the region’s finest companies. Nothing beats the drama of the night or the excitement of being a finalist, let alone winning. We just can’t wait!” For sponsorship enquiries, please contact steve. grigg@mediaclash.co.uk. To be involved on the night, it’s stephanie.dodd@mediaclash.co.uk.
Full details are on the site www.bristollifeawards.co.uk with updates on twitter @BristolLifeAwd
It’s best-known as the medic’s oath; but who else buys into this mantra? Turn to page 111
20k THE BIG NUMBER
The cost of Pepper, the new walking, talking robot employee at Bristol’s GWS Media. See him at Watershed on 13 September www.watershed.co.uk/ whatson/7442/humans-androbots-in-public-space
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BUSINESS INSIDER
HEALTH AND BEAUTY
WITNESS THE FITNESS
Meet Peter Faulkner, director of FKPro – functional suspension training at its best, for improving your body for everyday living or turning in the performance of your life
W No jokes about the suspense killing them, please – they’ve heard them all
hen we first tried to get hold of Peter, he was busy working with English Rugby. Impressive! “Yes – we do days on suspension training for the head physio, Phil Pask, whenever he needs them,” says Peter. Otherwise, he says, he’s mainly focused on the work he does with the English Institute of Sport, who looked after 93 per cent of the GB medallists. “FKPro is the Official Supplier of Suspended Bodyweight Training to EIS. We have currently put together 26 training programmes for each of the sports they look after, which will be launched very soon.” Of course, if you don’t happen to be a member of English Rugby or EIS, you can still take advantage of Peter’s expertise . . .
What other services and advice do your clients have access to? Health screens; lifestyle assessments; biomechanical assessment; life-balance training; vision training; sleep training; respiratory training, and body coaching.
So, Peter, how did it all begin? As a fitness consultant for the Bristol Academy of Sport, I was looking for something other than Olympic lifting for young athletes, and started looking at what the gymnasts were doing. They were doing a lot of bodyweight exercises, and looking at them on the Olympic rings, something clicked, and along with Mark Hammond I started coming up with more and more exercises. There are currently hundreds of exercises, and for most people it is everything you need to get fit and healthy, alongside good nutrition.
Where would you like to see the business in five years time? It’s all about quality. I want the company to be regarded that way around the world. In five years time, I want to be established as an international company.
Presumably you train all ages and capabilities? Yes we do; the beauty of the training system is that a world champion can use it next to a child doing the same exercise, just at a different level. Pat Gallagher, who l train, has come back from injury and being unable to run, to become British and European champion at the age of 70. A true inspiration.
What are your most important marketing tools, and your most important form of social media? This is a tough one; the message needs to get out there consistently, which we’re just starting to work on for FKPro. As for trainers, word of mouth is always the best, and then social media really helps to support that. Facebook, Twitter and Instragram are strong tools. With Executive Life Fitness, we use no social media; it’s just about the client.
Best piece of business advice you’d pass on to anyone setting up a fitness business? Have belief in what you’re doing; it will get tough, and without belief, you will give up. Remember, you’ll be working a lot of unsocial hours. The first part is personal: build relationships with your clients and potential clients, give advice when they are in the gym. Don’t hard-sell it. You have a chance to change people’s lives; make it positive change. We had a quote from Tony Strudwick at Man Utd F.C. which stands today: “First and foremost, do no harm.” For more www.fkpro.co.uk
AMD are an award winning firm www.fkpro.co.uk
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BUSINESS INSIDER
What kind of prices can we expect? Classes start at £18 per class and just £149 per month for unlimited classes. We also have two introductory offers of two classes for £30 or two weeks unlimited for £75. Both are a great way to see what barrecore is all about. Your website is excellent! Thanks! I believe a good website is key for any business, especially a fitness business as, for most people, where they work out is very personal. Clients want to feel good about where they train, and a website should invoke a feeling of inspiration and aspiration for the consumer. HEALTH AND BEAUTY
BARRE TENDER Barrecore students, making it all look terribly easy
Barrecore, the dance-based fitness classes that Londoners have gone crazy over, has now come to Bristol – and founder Niki Rein is here to give us the lowdown
‘‘B
arrecore aims to help people achieve healthy, strong, long and lean bodies in a positive and unintimidating environment, using body weight as resistance in a dance based format,” says Niki Rein. “Every body part is targeted in our 55-minute classes. We aim to get to know clients personally in order to push and challenge each individual to reach their health and wellness goals.” Yes – even lazy exercise refuseniks like us, apparently.
A WEBSITE What can barre achieve that other exercise can’t? Barre is an amazing form of exercise for people of all SHOULD fitness levels, as well as those who are suffering from minor injuries. Whether you are a fitness bunny, new INVOKE A to training or don’t generally like to work out, you will FEELING OF be pushed to your maximum level in each class while about your body. The beauty of barre is not INSPIRATION learning only the number of calories you burn (around 500600), it’s more about the hormone response that keeps AND melting, and metabolism fired, for days afterwards, ASPIRATION fat providing the incredibly fast results of leaner legs, whittled waistlines and improved confidence. FOR THE The added bonus is that barrecore workouts are very CONSUMER time-efficient, as there is very little sweating, so quickly changing and going to the office or out to lunch is easy. How many branches of barrecore are there? We have six locations in London and one in Alderley Edge. Bristol has been a desired location for barrecore for a couple years now as we often get requests from people wanting barrecore classes in the area. The community-oriented nature of Bristol is right in line with the ethos of our studios.
What’s your own business background? I had my own business in personal training, and running barrecore classes out of a small house before opening barrecoreCHELSEA in 2011. Prior to that, I worked for Tracey Anderson Method and worked in the spa industry in Southern California. How did you grow the business? There was such a demand for dance-based training that word-of-mouth from my clients spread rapidly without the need to market. I guess it was just great timing! Any regrets, or things you’d do differently? None per se, but I would tell my ‘old self’ not to worry so much. I have always had the tendency to worry about not having the skillset needed along the way, but the right person or people always turned up at exactly the right time. What are your plans for the future? We are still in growth mode, which is hugely exciting. We plan to open more studios across the UK. Ideally, we would like to have a presence in Europe in the next few years as well. What have you found to be the best tools for growth in your business? Simple. Good customer service, so that clients bring in more clients. How much time do you spend on marketing in comparison to practical? I used to spend at least 50 per cent of my time on marketing but now we have a small team of amazing marketers (far, far better than I ever was) to drive our marketing function. Marketing is such an important and ever-changing aspect of the business, so it is very important for it to be as robust yet malleable as possible. What advice would you give to other businesses who want to reach the same level of success? Heart and persistence are the keys to success, in my opinion. If you are true to the ethos of what you do first and foremost, and follow with commercial sense and undying persistence, there is no way you will not be a success in whatever ‘success’ means to you.
For more www.barrecore.co.uk
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BRISTOL | CLEVEDON | WEDMORE | WESTON-SUPER-MARE | YATTON
PROPERTY
SHOWCASE
DIVINE
CONVERSION
Think this kitchen looks pretty special? The rest of Perry Cottage is equally lovely – and wait until you see the price. No, you don’t need to thank us . . . By L I SA WA R R E N
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SHOWCASE
PROPERTY
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PROPERTY
SHOWCASE
T
o be quite honest, we hesitated before showing you this Pensford property: we seriously considered making an offer ourselves. Even now, we’re not entirely sure we want to share its charms. Because while all the homes that we feature in this section of the magazine are gorgeous, we have never before unearthed one that was just as affordable as it was covetable; we still can’t believe that offers are invited from only £300,000. Anyway, here, slightly grudgingly, are the details. Back in the 18th century, Perry Cottage (also known as Miner’s Cottage II) was – as you might guess – once a humble miner’s abode. Tiny, dark rooms were crammed into the little building; at one time there were seven doors from the front door to the back garden, hiding what turns out to be a wonderful view. That was before developers DesignStorey got their talented hands on it. First, the architects removed the doors and walls in the centre of the cottage, in order to improve the flow, to allow light in from the south-facing garden, and take advantage of the fabulous views over the viaduct and across the Chew Valley. Now, when you arrive at the front door, you can see right through to the back garden and lush valley beyond, connecting the cottage with its unique rural landscape. Next, an industrial-inspired extension was added, featuring coal-black kitchen units and blackened larch cladding. DesignStorey believe that you should never throw anything away, and reclaimed bricks from the old lean-to extension were duly reused in the new kitchen/ diner. The floor is made from polished concrete, which connects it visually with the original flagstones in the old cottage, and the silvered larch on the deck. The doors were salvaged from the original house, too, and rescued from under layers of 1960s wallpaper and 116 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
The modest little frontage belies the property-porn glory of the interior conversion
HOUSE NUMBERS
7
miles from Bristol
2
double bedrooms
£300K guide price
2
bath/shower rooms
18TH century origins
hardboard. An understairs cupboard was found under years of wallpaper; its original elm door had been rather eerily boarded up. Later 20th-century additions, such as the vestibule, the cupboards either side of the fireplace and the Bakelite door handles were all retained, as they evoked the different eras and ownership of the cottage. The flagstones were discovered almost completely intact under a later concrete topping, and are a rare survival of an original 18th-century floor. Upstairs, the ceilings were raised in order to provide a new structural floor for the attic; the original elm joists were retained as a memory of the original ceiling (and also, presumably, because they look amazing). The oak and elm floorboards were cleaned and oiled, and a piece of original lime plaster was retained in the office. Wherever possible, original materials were salvaged and reused, such as the old workshop sink which now graces the master bathroom. In a nutshell, what Perry Cottage now has to offer is a compact yet deceptively spacious home consisting of a living room, bathroom and shower room, kitchen/ diner with bi-fold doors opening up on to a private south-west facing deck, two double bedrooms and a shower room. It’s a satisfying blend of period features and contemporary cool, with eco features and mod cons that include underfloor heating. It’s been shortlisted for a 2016 Daily Telegraph Homebuilding and Renovating Award (feel free to vote). At that price, it could easily appeal to someone looking for a holiday let, but we can’t help feeling that such a labour of love deserves a full-time resident who’d be thrilled to call it home. Actually, on second thoughts – we’ve decided not to publish this after all. For more design-storey.co.uk/index.php/portfolio/masters
SHOWCASE
PROPERTY
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Q&A
oe Perkins is a solo musician, session guitarist, mix engineer and entertainment journalist. In other words,“if there’s music involved, I usually try sticking my nose in somewhere”. He may be only 26, but he’s rarely out of double-denim, loves classic rock, and is about to release his first album. He’s also pretty funny.
So Joe, what can we expect from the album? It’s entirely instrumental, but has just as much in common with pop music as it does with the typical instrumental guitarists. It’s very varied in terms of genre too, so just as you’re starting to get comfortable with big rock songs, it’ll throw some bluegrass at you. And it’s called Double Denim because . . . I’m probably the last person alive who doesn’t consider the look to be a complete fashion apocalypse. Plus, I’m more inspired by classic rock music than anything else – Quo, Lizzy, AC/DC – and those guys certainly weren’t shy about their love of the blue stuff. It was practically a uniform. How long did it take you to put Double Denim together? From starting recording to releasing, about 10 months. I recorded and mixed it myself in a dining room so it took a bit of time to get things sounding as I wanted them to. You say that you’ve never had much interest in making life easy for yourself – example . . . ? It’s very easy nowadays to cheat with computers when making records by chopping things to pieces and using software to make yourself sound better than you are. It drives me crazy how clinically ‘perfect’ most pop music has become. My production style is very old-school – I try to capture performances by human musicians and get great sounds out of guitar amplifiers stuffed full of valves rather than relying on digital technologies too much. I think we should be proud of our imperfections – they define us. What is it about ’70s music that calls to you? Honesty. Musicians in a room all playing together; speeding up and slowing down; things going wrong; using noisy analogue equipment; etc. It was real and organic. Things started to become more electronic and digital after that – still tonnes of great music of course, but that raw ’70s humanity is what really appeals to me. Plus, no amount of denim is too much denim.
JOE PERKINS He may only be 26, but this Bristol boy is old-school, from his double-denim threads to his production techniques What are your biggest musical influences? I listen to a tonne of very varied music as there’s always something to learn. Aside from the classic rock guys, I’m a big fan of Mike Oldfield and his elaborate productions – he’s probably my biggest influence. Muse have always had some very interesting ideas, and Adam from The War On Drugs is one of my new favourite guitarists. The Wurzels definitely need to be on my list too . . . Are you Brizzle born-and-bred? I sure am, my luvver! Born in Southmead 26 years ago. It wasn’t until I moved away for a while that I realised just how special and friendly Bristol is. Now I’m back and never want to leave. It’s a wonderfully quirky place with a unique atmosphere that likes to have a laugh. It’s definitely a city that creates characters, too – you rarely really meet a boring Bristolian. How has being a Bristol musician influenced your musical taste and style? I’ve never wanted to confine myself within a single genre; I’ve always tried to develop my own unique sound; and I’ve also never wanted to make my music super-serious. I think those are all very Bristolian traits. The album definitely has a musical sense of humour about it. It’s not a comedy record, but if it makes you smile then I’ve done my job. Where do you like to eat out in Bristol? Matina, the middle eastern food outlet in St Nick’s Market for a grilled veggie wrap, followed by a strong black coffee at Small St. Espresso and some caramel chocolate buttons from Guilbert’s. Bristol really does have fantastic food.
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Best place to hear music in Bristol? The Fleece – I finally got to play there this year too. Thekla is also great. I’ve heard that the Cori Tap in Clifton has live music sometimes though, and their Exhibition Cider makes everything in life better, so I’m open to a change of opinion. What would you do if you hit the big time? I’d build myself a proper vintage recording studio – tape machines, a huge mixing console, old amplifiers, the lot. Starting a record label for Bristol artists could also be pretty fun seeing as there’s so much talent here. Maybe I could combine the two and become the hipster Simon Cowell. Finest hour? Playing the Isle of Wight Festival; also a show I did in Amsterdam a few years ago for their Queen’s Day. I was in a Status Quo tribute band – they love their classic rock over there too, so walking out on stage and hammering out the intro to Caroline in front of 500 drunk Dutch people was pretty special. And complete mayhem. Apart from music, what else are you good at? I love karting, so I go to the track in Avonmouth quite a lot – I don’t know that I’m any good, though. I’m hugely obsessed with the Formula 1 so that’s about as close as I’ll ever get to single-seater racing. Finally, tell us something surprising… I live with three sheep (one is called Chris) and a Great Dane. Will that do? Double Denim is released on 2 September 2016 as a download from www.joeperkins.co.uk
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