Bristol Life - Issue 229

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property ISSUE 229 / AWARDS SPECIAL / £3

A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE CITY

OUR BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS WINNERS IN ALL THEIR GLORY

ISSUE 229 / AWARDS SPECIAL / IT’S THE WIN-WIN ISSUE

GLITTERING

PRIZES A CLIFTON A-Z / BRISTOL’S INDIE CINEMAS / DINING AL FRESCO DIG FOR VICTORY (OR AT THE VERY LEAST, LAY A NEW PATIO)

EDITOR’S LETTER / ISSUE 229 / AWARDS SPECIAL 2017

15 RAZZLE DAZZLE

You dazzled all right, Bristol; turn to our Awards photo souvenir to see how it all went down . . .

The party’s over...

PHOTO BY PAOLO FERLA

…It’s time to wind up the masquerade, etc, etc. We held our first Bristol Life Awards in a big marquee on Harbourside, and it was immense! Überglam!

(Whatever that is). Big thanks to compère Mark Watson and the Bristol Reggae Orchestra; more thanks to our sponsors, and congratulations to all the winners and also to the finalists – there were no tears, there was no sulking, just a hugely generous ‘well done everybody!’ vibe, because that’s how Bristol rolls, and that’s why we love it.

SAM FM kindly ran the aftershow party at Bordeaux Quay; Downsy had hoped to be tucked up in bed by midnight, but the guests just kept demanding more tunes, always more tunes… I’m pretty sure we ended up with one of Kam Kelly’s blow-up comedy mics in the taxi home, but have absolutely no idea what became of it.

If you were there, you can relive the night on pages 15.

If you weren’t, maybe see you there next year?

Somehow we managed to calm down sufficiently to write a few more features for you in this issue. We have al fresco dining.

We have garden design. And we have a little A-Z of Clifton Village – our first Bristol love, and still one of the most special areas of the city.

I’m handing the editorship of the next two issues over to the excellent Rachel Ifans; see you all again in July. Be good, Bristol!

Deri Robins, editor Twitter @BristolLifeMag Instagram:@bristollifemag

REGULARS / ISSUE 229 / AWARDS SPECIAL 2017

56

SNAPPED 15 Party going It’s the photos you’ve all been waiting for, hopefully . . .

THE ARTS 37 Arts Intro The thought-provoking and rather witty Basim Magdy

40 What’s On A month’s worth of Bristol goodness Why you need never set foot in a multiplex again

SHOPPING A rather charming opening in sunny Clevedon We return, with little persuasion, to Bristol’s most elegant enclave

© All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

GARDENS 64 Gardens Remember that outdoorsy thing at the back of the house? It’s time to reclaim it

FOOD

Five minutes with Riverford’s Guy, and the tastiest new openings

74 Al fresco Maximise those watery Bristol sunrays

Advertising manager and commercial director Steve Hawkins steve.hawkins@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager Emma Stroud emma.stroud@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager James Morgan james.morgan@mediaclash.co.uk Production and distribution manager

Bristol Life, MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash

56 A-Z of Clifton

74 Food & drink

Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors: Rachel Ifans

Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk

53 Shopping Intro

It’s lovely, at Shop 3 Bistro

Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk

Production and distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager and production designer Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk

48 Cinemas

72 Restaurant

M EET T H E T EAM

MOTORING

PROPERT Y

84 Scandi modern

108 Property Showcase

Baby, when you’re at the wheel: driving the new V90

It’s really turned into quite the Clifton issue, no?

BUSINESS

THE BACK PAGE

91 Business Insider

114 Bristol Lives

Aston Martins, and some style counsel

Meet the guy who brought us Pink Mist and Medea

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

On the cover Our glittering award, captured

by Paolo Ferla

LE SA N G O IN R OW SP N Premium, Sleek, German Engineered Luxury Kitchens at competitive prices!

Why choose Kutchenhaus? We are the largest retailer of quality German engineered kitchens, delivering pre-built luxury kitchens at a competitive price. Manufactured in Germany, our kitchens come to you directly from the factory. Visit our showroom to start designing your dream kitchen

Free Designs • Free Quotations • All Kitchens delivered Pre-built

Contact Email: BR.sales@kutchenhaus.co.uk Tel: 0117 213 0680

Opening times Monday - Saturday: 9.30am - 5.30pm Sunday: 10.00am - 4.00pm

Clifton Down Shopping Centre, Whiteladies Road, Clifton BS8 2NN

Manchester . York . Sutton Coldfield . Bristol . Farnborough . Brentwood . Aberdeen . Tunbridge Wells . Beverley . Exeter

NATURE

D’YOU THINK HE SAURUS?

CARNIVAL

WHISTLEBLOWERS No, it’s not happening for 2017, which is disappointing, but we’re promised that St Paul’s Carnival will return next year, to celebrate its 50th birthday.

“I know how carnival influenced my sense of identity growing up and I want my children and future generations to be able to share in that experience too,” said Apuuli, chair of the newly created St Pauls Carnival Community Interest Company.

“In 2018 we will deliver a carnival which returns to its roots and does justice to carnival’s rich history, in a way that is safe and family-friendly.”

Twitter @StPaulsCRNVL, Facebook @StPaulsCRNVL

Did you know that The Bristol Dinosaur – or Thecodontosaurus, as he’s known on formal occasions, Theco to close friends – was the fourth species of dinosaur ever to be discovered? This and many more dinofacts will be revealed at The Festival of Nature 8-25 June, which sees lorryloads of prehistoric fossils and skeletons heading to the city. Bristol Zoo will also be at the festival with a wide range of hands-on dino activities. And there’s more: Bristol is set to be invaded by life-sized dinosaurs between 17-25 June when Jurassic Kingdom visits the city. Castle Park will be overrun with animatronic dinosaurs, bringing visitors about as close as they are ever likely to come to a real life Jurassic World experience. Better practise that ironic Jeff Goldblum grin. www.festivalofnature.org.uk; www.jurassickingdom.uk

COMMUNITY

FLY LEAF The Get The Easton Look Facebook page was founded by Nick Raistrick, to simultaneously spoof the pretentiousness of modern art while ironically commenting on the council’s failure to contain fly-tipping.

“GTEL was a visual archive of Easton’s aesthetic ephemera, particularly guerrilla recycling and site-specific community art installations using found objects since approximately 2014, and has generated confusion and debate ever since. Now there’s a book,” said Nick.

“It was going to be a coffee table book, but the people spoke, and they wanted something that cost not much more than a tenner, so for reasons of unit

cost we had to take some production short cuts.

I’d describe it as more of a thinking person’s toilet book.

“We’ll be selling it out of the back of a van during Arts Trail weekend, and there will be Easton’s first ever book launch: expect fun and games and free postcards (but not free Tyskie) and an auction of some limited edition prints for the 2015 Christmas Charity appeal, which has still not met its target. It will be cheaper if bought in Easton, but available elsewhere. Possibly Waterstones even, although they seemed a bit suspicious.”

GTEL the Book costs £12.35 Buy it at www.blurb.co.uk/b/7923021get-the-easton-look

SPOTLIGHT The city’s street art ranges from the pretty to the politcal to the poignant. All we know is that Bristol wouldn’t be Bristol without it

Hello George; in the Bearpit @bristollifemag

Stokes Croft angel @bristolpictures

Legacy of Pichiavo, Upfest 2016; The Masonic; @bristolpictures

DJ Derek remembered in Montpelier @spray.bristol

From last year’s Upfest; now with added poignancy; @melbeehat

Sounding out the warning on Cheltenham Road; @bristolpictures

Because street art looks even better with a strideby; @bristolpictures

St Pauls, from @igersbristol’s Glo Road instameet; @richimal_bristol

Great new perspective of a familiar scene, Chris; @chill1983

Lovely bit of Paul Monsters at The Old Bookshop; @gemmacompton

New piece on Carriage Works @spray.bristol

When Cheo saw a hand by Jody, and cheekily added a bee; @cheograff

Lawrence Hill @bristolpictures

Probably the cutest street art in Bristol; Montpelier; @doctortoctor

Nelson Street @richmccluskey_photography

Whoever stencilled Prufrock on Uni Road, we love you! @bristolpictures

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PHOTO BY PAOLO FERLA

BRISTOL LIFE AWA R D S

AWARD WINNERS

2017 Nothing beats being there. See you in 2018...

HEADLINE SPONSOR

SPONSORS

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 15

Adventures in party-going

CONGRATULATIONS! TO A L L T H E W I N N ER S O F T H E 2 017 B R I S TO L L I FE AWA R DS

Photos by Jon Craig

In April something remarkable happened in Bristol. An event took place down on the harbourside which celebrated, for the first time, the VERY best of what Bristol has to offer It takes something special to become a well-loved regular from launch day, but we think the Bristol Life Awards have done just that. (One question: why did we wait so long?).

We knew from the buzz over the past few months that this new event was going to bring something to the city that it had been crying out for.

And we’re so very proud of it.

We sold 600 tickets in a flash, with a further 70 people clamouring to join the waiting list. We chose 10 independent judges to decide who, from over 400 entries, should lift one of the glittering Brunel-esque golden arches on the night in the massive marquee at the Lloyds Amphitheatre.

With 21 awards categories spanning sectors from the Arts to Technology, we hoped to catch the elements that make the city special.

And, although it took time, to be locked in a room judging the pile of worthy entries was totally inspiring rather than punishing.

The outfits were glam, the host hilarious (props to local boy and comedian Mark Watson), the music utterly fantastic (courtesy of the Bristol Reggae Orchestra), the food and drink were delicious and, of course, it being Briz, the room was a hubbub of fun and joie de vivre.

Thanks to everyone who sponsored, photographed and organised the event and most of all, thanks to you guys who turned up in your droves to laugh, clap, dance and celebrate all things Bristol.

See you next year!

Jane, Greg and the Bristol Life team 16 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

ARTS WINNER:

BRAVE BOLD DRAMA

BUSINESS SERVICES

Sponsored by

WINNER:

KINNEIR DUFORT

CAFÉ/ COFFEE SHOP WINNER:

THE EATING ROOM

CHARITY Sponsored by WINNER:

EMPIRE FIGHTING CHANCE

COCKTAIL / BAR

CREATIVE Sponsored by

WINNER:

THE OLD BOOKSHOP

WINNER:

MILLINERS’ GUILD

EDUCATION

WINNER:

FLAMINGO CHICKS

Steve Glover, the Severn Project, who couldn’t be there on the night

EVENT

Sponsored by

WINNER:

UPFEST

FOOD/DRINK PRODUCER

JOINT WINNERS:

PIEMINISTER AND SEVERN PROJECT www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 17

BRISTOL LIFE AWA R D S

GASTROPUB Sponsored by

WINNER:

THE GREENBANK

HAIR & BEAUTY

Sponsored by

WINNER:

HOBBS

HEALTH

Sponsored by

WINNER:

BRISTOL NORDIC WALKING INTERIORS Sponsored by

LEGAL & FINANCIAL Sponsored by

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

JOINT WINNERS:

WINNER:

SUSTAINABLE KITCHENS

FORREST BROWN AND VEALE WASBROUGH VIZARDS

LEISURE & TOURISM Sponsored by

WINNER:

GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB

NEW BUSINESS

PROPERTY Sponsored by

WINNER:

WAPPING WHARF

PHOTO BY PAOLO FERLA

Sponsored by

Sponsored by

RETAILER

Sponsored by

WINNER:

YELLOWDOG

BRISTOL ENERGY

Jess Carter from Crumbs magazine accepted the Best Restaurant award on behalf of Casamia

RESTAURANT

TECHNOLOGY/INNOVATION

WINNER:

WINNER:

CASAMIA

WINNER:

NICHOLAS WYLDE

PLATINUM AWARD

WINNER:

BRISTOL ENERGY

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BRISTOL LIFE AWA R D S

FINALISTS Arts • Brave Bold Drama • Bristol Old Vic • Colston Hall • Royal West of England Academy of Art • The Wardrobe Theatre Business Services • Almeda • Amarelle Ltd • Dribuild • Echo Managed Services • ForrestBrown • Kinneir Dufort • PureComms • Solution IP Café/Coffee Shop • The Arts House • Bakers & Co • Chance & Counters • Cox & Baloney • The Eating Room • Grounded Cafe Bars Charity • Above & Beyond • Bristol Dogs and Cats Home • Children’s Hospice South West • Empire Fighting Chance • Grand Appeal • Home-Start Bristol • One25 • Penny Brohn UK Cocktail/Bar • Hyde & Co • The Milk Thistle • The Old Bookshop • The Strawberry Thief Ltd • The Volley • Zerodegrees Micro-brewery

Creative • Milliners’ Guild • Bristol Blue Glass • Bristol Film Festival • Bristol Upholstery Collective • The Cosmic Shed • DHV Architects • Just Design • McCann Bristol • Purplefish • Room 212 • Vivid Content Marketing Education • Brave Bold Drama • Clifton College • Festival of Nature • Flamingo Chicks • International House Bristol • Simpact Event • Bristol Film Festival • Christmas at the Spiegeltent • Festival of Nature • Great Weston Ride • Massive Attack: The Downs Festival • Upfest • Valley Fest Food/Drink Producer • Bradley’s Juice • The Chilli Alchemist • The Community Farm • GingerBeard’s Preserves • The Jolly Hog • Moor Beer Co • Pieminister • The Severn Project • Zara’s Chocolates Gastropub • The Grace • The Greenbank

• The Hollybush • The Knowle • Nettle & Rye • The Old Bookshop • The Victoria Park Hair & Beauty • Atelier Clifton • Bonomini • Bristol Style Collective • Daniel Rymer • The Hampton Clinic • Hobbs Hair • Nuala Morey Hair & Beauty Health • Bristol Nordic Walking • The Chiropractic Centre: Bristol • Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, the Chesterfield • Simon Lee’s Aesthetic Medical Clinic • South Bristol Osteopaths • Soul Pilates • Willow Chiropractic • The Whiteley Clinic (Bristol) Interiors • Amarelle • Berkeley Suites by Quarter • Bracey Interiors • Bristol Upholstery Collective • Oskar Furniture • Sustainable Kitchens • Whittaker Wells • Zoe Hewett Legal & Financial • AMD Solicitors • Barcan+Kirby • Bond Dickinson • Canada Life Group

Insurance • ForrestBrown • Fox Davidson • Harbour Family Law Limited • Hargreaves Lansdown • Irwin Mitchell Private Wealth • KPMG • Milsted Langdon LLP • Smith & Williamson • Veale Wasbrough Vizards Leisure & Tourism • Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust • Bailey Balloons • Brooks Guesthouse Bristol • Clevedon Hall • Doubletree by Hilton, Cadbury House • Everyone Active Bristol Contract • Gloucestershire County Cricket Club • Mojo Active • Quarter • SS Great Britain New Business • Bambalan • Bristol Energy • Bristol Symphony Orchestra • Bristol Upholstery Collective • Chance & Counters • Eatchu • Hidden • Movement Boutique • Smoke Catering

• Dribuild • Fleurets • Number One Bristol • Savills • The General by City & Country • Urban Creation • Wapping Wharf Phase 1 Restaurant • Hattusa at Berwick Lodge • Bambalan • Bravas Tapas Bar • Casamia • Old Market Assembly • Nutmeg • The Ox restaurants • Pata Negra Retailer • Amulet Boutique • Guy Salmon Jaguar/ Land Rover • Hidden • Home Leisure Direct • Milliners’ Guild • Movement Boutique • Nicholas Wylde Goldsmith & Jeweller • Park Furnishers • Weber & Tring’s Technology & Innovation • Avon Data Systems • Fresh-range • Kinneir Dufort • Simpleweb • Triangle Networks • YellowDog • Zenstores

Property • Brownfield Green • Build Bristol • Burston Cook

THE 2017 JUDGES Alison Bracey Owner of Bracey Interiors

Dominic Davis Partner at Burges Salmon

George Cardale Graham Brown Emma Managing Head of Stenning Director of Residential Chief Executive Plaster Development of Bristol Old Vic and Theatre Sales at Savills Royal Trust

20 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Josh Eggleton Chef Patron at The Pony & Trap

Monika Radclyffe Centre Director at The Bristol SETsquared centre

Sarah Mead Director at Yeo Valley

Sarah Robertson Head of Marketing at Colston Hall

Tim Greene Headmaster at Clifton College

Adventures in party-going

snapped!

Ph o t o s b y Pa o l o Fe r l a , T i m Wo o l f a n d Jo n C r a i g

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF BRISTOL It wasn’t one of those Awards evenings when you’re itching to slope off as soon as the last winner has been called, your mind awash with superlatives and exaggeration. The guests really went to town, letting their hair down and toasting their hard-working teams; those who didn’t win could not have been more supportive or generous with their

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

congratulations. The Awards spilled over into an energetic after party at Bordeaux Quay and showed no sign of letting up as we tiptoed back to our beds in the early hours – big thanks to DJ Downsy who just played hit after hit of dancefloor fillers.

Once again a big thank you from the Bristol Life team – we’re already planning 2018’s event, but how will we top this?

with thanks to our partners

CityFibre First Wines Direct UK Bonomoni

BRISTOL LIFE AWA R D S

Mark Watson

Dusk falls on the huge marquee.

The calm before the storming night

Brunel would have approved of this glorious award

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BRISTOL LIFE AWA R D S Ph o t o s b y Pa o l o Fe r l a

Jess Siggers and Mitch Bacholer from Igers Bristol

Neil Allinson and Julie O’Sullivan

Hemali Modha of Amulet

PHOTO BY JON CRAIG

Victoria and Guy Siddall, Eatchu; and Karen Daly, Hyde & Co

Elin Rhian, Charlotte Harrison and Harriet Page, Bristol Upholstery Collective

Gemma and Emma!

SweetPea Boutique

Iona Martin from KPMG and Simon Cooper

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BRISTOL LIFE AWA R D S

Charlotte Raynes, Amarelle

Ph o t o s b y Pa o l o Fe r l a

Benjamin Gatt, The Old Bookshop

Jonathon O’Shea, Alternative Board Chloe Burston and guest

Hannah Walkiewicz from Build Bristol; Lucy Eastment, Styled by Lucy

PHOTO BY TIM WOOLF

Bristol Reggae Orchestra, yo!

28 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

BRISTOL LIFE AWA R D S

Steve and Emma Hayles of Upfest

PHOTO BY JON CRAIG

Lisa Chambers from HGEM and guests

R-L Triangle Network, Pail Anslow, Bob Irwin and Nick Gray

Vicky Kingston, Juice Recruitment

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BRISTOL LIFE AWA R D S

Jess Siggers of Igers Bristol and Deri Robins, editor Ph o t o s b y Pa o l o Fe r l a

Mark Watson

Julian Cook from Burston Cook

Tim Green, Clifton College

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Ph o t o s b y T i m Wo o l f

Mark Watson; Merle Hall, Kinneir Dufort; Gareth Edwards, Veale Wasborough Vizards Robert Sinclair, Bristol Airport

Rosalyn Ingleby, Bristol Nordic Walking

Helene Cook and Liz Pitt, DriBuild

The team from Quarter

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Zoe Hewett from Zoe Hewett Interiors

BRISTOL LIFE AWA R D S Downsy on the after-party decks!

PHOTO BY JON CRAIG

Gail Simmons (front) and Rachael Moon from Brave Bold Drama

Vikki Robertson, Guest, Peter Haigh and Guest, Bristol Energy

PHOTO BY PAOLO FERLA

PHOTO BY JON CRAIG

Left: Sam Shaw from Sustainable Kitchens

Simon Crane (Guy Salmon, Upfest Winner, Upfest Winner and Mark Watson

Richard Osborne from Fresh Range

Sarah Tring from Weber and Tring’s

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BRISTOL LIFE AWA R D S

Paul Lawless and Rachael Moon from Bold Brave Design

Ph o t o s b y T i m Wo o l f

Zoe Hewett, Zoe Hewett Interiors; Sarah Tring, Weber and Tring’s

The team from Wapping Wharf Unberslade

Mark Watson

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BRISTOL LIFE AWA R D S

Arriving at the after-show party in Bordeaux Quay

Tim Chapman (top) and David Richardson from South Bristol Osteopaths

The Plaster cast: Graham Brown, Beryl, Dzambo, Simon Boddy and Kellie Hasbury, with Conal Dodds of Bristol Sounds

Deri Robins, editor, and Tom Morris OBE, Bristol Old Vic

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

£25 OFF* HIDDEN

Contemporary art from Bristol and beyond alongside design-led homeware, gifts and interesting artefacts

HIDDEN RARE

Lithographs, prints and original hand-signed work by some of the 20th and 21st century greats Picasso, Warhol, Matisse, Banksy, Miro, Huw Richards Evans, Feona Ness, Chitra Merchant Units 8, 10 & 11 The Clifton Arcade, Boyce’s Avenue, Bristol BS8 4AA www.myhiddenworld.co.uk | hello@myhiddenworld.co.uk | Telephone: 0117 279 6402

*Valid on production of this ad, & on purchases exceeding £150. One discount per transaction.

Music/theatre/film/more

STAR MAN

Judging by every other meme on social media, the message above could be spot-on . . .

Egyptian artist Basim Magdy’s work is rooted in dreams, science and mostly failed utopian ambitions. Full of humour and quiet melancholy, his text-heavy works, on paper and in film, photography and slide projection, reflect on the present social and political climate and our collective failure as we repeat the same mistakes over and over again in a recurring cycle of aspiration, action and defeat. Oh, well . . .

The Stars Were Aligned For a Century of New Beginnings is Basim’s first UK solo show; it’s unlike anything else you’re likely to see this year, and entry ‘s free. Call in, why don’t you, and have your thoughts thoroughly provoked.

The Stars Were Aligned For a Century of New Beginnings runs until 18 June at Arnolfini; www.arnolfini.org.uk

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

19 May – 19 June 2017

J U ST A F EW S U GGES TI ON S FOR YOU R MON TH

Greek myth as compelling feminist drama at Bristol Old Vic; Russell’s had a baby and wants to talk about it, at Colston Hall; lush lyricism and epic drinking; Dylan at TFT

Exhibitions UNTIL 4 JUNE

DRAWN RWA’s biennial open-submission drawing exhibition, exploring the boundaries of drawing and celebrating it as both an autonomous discipline and an interdisciplinary tool; rwa.org.uk UNTIL 18 JUNE

COMMON GROUND Andrea Luka Zimmerman explores the impact of globalisation, militarism and denied histories, mostly through the medium of film; spikeisland.org.uk THEY BOW. CURTAIN. NO APPLAUSE Giles Round’s multi-disciplinary show addresses the relationship between art, design and functionality. At Spike Island; spikeisland.org.uk THE STARS WERE ALIGNED FOR A CENTURY OF NEW BEGINNINGS

Major solo exhibition by Egypt’s Basim Magdy – part of Deutsche Bank’s Artist of the Year programme; arnolfini.org.uk.

10-11 JUNE

BS9 ARTS TRAIL The fourth outing for this popular open-doors event in north Bristol; bs9arts.co.uk

UNTIL 4 SEPTEMBER

GLASS MICROBIOLOGY Luke Jerram’s extraordinary, jewel-like glass sculptures of eight deadly viruses; at The Box; at-bristol.org.uk

23-27 MAY 16-18 JUNE

JAMAICA STREET ARTISTS The popular Stokes Croft community of artists opens its doors for a weekend; jamaicastreetartists.co.uk

26 MAY

AFROMETROPOLIS The first in Arnolfini’s ‘Lates’ events is a futuristic funkadelic new city curated by Come the Revolution and The Last Blues Song of a Lost Afronaut.

Through live audiovisual mash-ups, projections, spoken word, debate and a music jam, they create the soul of a new city. arnolfini.org.uk 3-4 JUNE

EASTON ARTS TRAIL The annual event that celebrates the quality and diversity of creativity in Easton; eastonartstrail.co.uk.

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mother’s fight for the custody of her children; performed by an all-woman cast; bristololdvic.org. uk (see also page 114).

Plays/Shows UNTIL 20 MAY

A BRIMFUL OF ASHA Asha is intent on getting her son Ravi married, but who will get to pick his wife? Acclaimed Canadian company Why Not Theatre bring their true (and very Canadian) story of generational and cultural clash to Tobacco Factory; tobaccofactorytheatres.com UNTIL 27 MAY

MEDEA Euripides’ classic becomes a modern-day story of a single

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES Drama, hilarity and drag at The Hippodrome; atgtickets.com THE ISLAND A life-affirming drama of friendship, defiance and survival, set on Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was held prisoner. At Factory Theatre; tobaccofactorytheatres.com CRAVE A typically bleak and compelling Sarah Kane tale of love, loss and need, in the author’s most rhythmic, form-defying text. thewardrobetheatre.com 30 MAY

PARADISE LOST A one man staging of Milton’s epic Paradise Lost – and not like whatever came into your head when you read the first bit of that sentence. Combining theatre,

comedy and movement this is a journey through the story of the creation of everything condensed into 75 minutes. At Theatre Tropicana in Weston; tropicanaweston.co.uk 31 MAY-2 JUNE

SAID AND DONE Two women sit at a table at a wedding. They hate everyone at this wedding. They hate themselves. And, although they are the best of friends, they probably hate each other. A darkly comic snapshot into the lives of two women who are far too close; by Sugarscratch Theatre. thewardrobetheatre.com 31 MAY-3 JUNE

GOLEM Like a giant graphic novel burst into life, a dark and fantastical tale of an extraordinary ordinary man, blending animation, claymation, live music and performance in a dystopian fable which explores one of the great questions of the modern world – who or what is in control of our technologies? At Bristol Old Vic; bristololdvic.org.uk 1 & 3 JUNE

SIRENS Belgian company Ontroerend Goed’s brave, critically-acclaimed show about six women getting to the core of what it is to be female in the western world at the start of the 21st century; tobaccofactorytheatres.com 5-10 JUNE

GREASE He’s the one that you wanted: Tom Parker from The Wanted stars in his first theatrical role as Danny; at The Hippodrome. atgtickets.com

6-8 JUNE

DYLAN THOMAS: RETURN JOURNEY Playing a man who wrestled with the psychological conflict between creative talent and self-destructive impulse, Bob Kingdom’s remarkable portrayal of his bardic countryman is heartfelt and authentic; audiences have sworn it was the poet himself on stage. tobaccofactorytheatres.com 9 & 10 JUNE

WHILE WE’RE HERE Eddie and Carol were lovers once, but their lives went in different directions. Now they meet again on a park bench in a town full of memories, and find something still burns between them . . . tobaccofactorytheatres.com 9 JUNE-1 JULY

JULIUS CAESAR Theatre legends Julian Glover and Lynn Farleigh perform with the hottest new talent from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in this contemporary production of Shakespeare’s most famous political drama; bristololdvic.org.uk 13-17 JUNE

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME 15-year-old Christopher has an extraordinary brain – exceptional at maths while ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When he falls under the suspicion of killing Mrs Shears’ dog, it takes him on a journey that upturns his world.

The NT’s critically acclaimed hit comes to the Hippodrome; atgtickets.com

They’re charging their batteries; they’re full of energy: Kraftwerk at Colston Hall 14-17 JUNE

EUROHOUSE A playful vision of complicated relationships within the EU; tobaccofactorytheatres.com

Music 22 MAY

THE CRANBERRIES Long before the Rubber Bandits, the dreamy Celtic posters featuring Dolores O’Riordan’s distinctive vocals put Limerick on the map; now they’re bringing their Greatest Hits tour to Colston Hall; colstonhall.org 25 MAY

ANASTACIA The mezzo-soprano mega-voice behind belters such as I’m Outta Love and Left Outside Alone brings her Ultimate Collection tour to Colston; colstonhall.org 28 MAY

L’ORFEO The third in the Monteverdi 450

operas at Colston Hall, conducted

by Sir John Eliot Gardiner; colstonhall.org 29 MAY

SIMPLE MINDS The Scottish rockers bring their Acoustics tour to Colston Hall.

“Don’t be fooled by the acoustic tag! These shows will be as energetic and passionate as ever,” says frontman Jim. colstonhall.org 14-17 JUNE

CLIFTON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF MUSIC With the South West’s brightest musical talent and some of classical music’s biggest names, at Clifton Cathedral; cliftonfestival.com 17 JUNE

KRAFTWERK The German electronic music pioneers and ’80s icons show sold out in minutes when the ticket lines opened; don’t shoot the messenger. colstonhall.org w

CLIFTON CERAMICS & FINE JEWELLERY

20% off

uring lamps dy Ma

Open Tuesday to Saturday | 58 The Mall, Clifton Village, BS84JG moorcroft@cliftonceramics.co.uk | 01173 730256 | www.cliftonceramics.co.uk

W H AT ’ S O N

Fat Freddy’s Drop on Sunday’s bill; lovesavestheday.org

19 JUNE

CHAS & DAVE Gertcha; etc. The Danny Dyers of the music circuit come to Hippodrome; atgtickets.com

29 MAY

BRISTOL OPEN STAGE 2017 Remember Bristol Old Vic’s 250th birthday last year, when they invited anyone to apply to perform on their stage? They’re doing it again; you need to apply by 24 May; bristololdvic.org.uk

Comedy 20 MAY

JIMMY CARR 2017 The quick-fire-gag maestro with the smackable face collates the best jokes from his nine sell-out tours; at Colston Hall; colstonhall. org 29 MAY, 12 JUNE

CLOSER EACH DAY As we hope we don’t still need to explain to you, this is the world’s longest-running improvised soap; fortnightly at the Wardrobe for the past five years, and still going strong; thewardrobetheatre.com 31 MAY & 20 JUNE

RUSSELL BRAND: RE: BIRTH Another male stand-up has a baby and wants to tell us about it.

Ye gods. colstonhall.org 14-18 JUNE

COMEDY GARDEN Hooray, the best comedy event on the Bristol calendar is back in Queen Square, this year with (deep breath) Ross Noble, Greg Davies, Adam Hills, Nina Conti Rich Hall, Sara Pascoe, David O’Doherty, Mark Watson and many more; bristolcomedygarden.co.uk

Other 20-21 MAY

VEGFEST The UK’s biggest vegan fest returns to Harbourside for the 15th year; bristol.vegfest.co.uk.

3 JUNE

Bogart, Bergman and some very fine wines: Casablanca at Avery’s 21 MAY

NICHOLAS HYTNER: BALANCING ACTS Nicholas tells the story of 12 years at the helm of the National Theatre; expect insights into the perennial challenge of reconciling art and commerce as well as lots of entirely forgivable namedropping; bristololdvic.org.uk 26 MAY

CASABLANCA Yes, that Casablanca, the play it, Sam one, the hill of beans one.

Part of Bristol Film Festival’s Vintage Screenings series, pairing classic films with great wines. But no beans. Bristol Film Festival, at Avery’s; bristolfilmfestival.com THE POWER OF BUDDHISM Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, a principal teacher within the Sakya tradition, offers a rare opportunity to receive teachings from one of the most important of the younger generation of Buddhist teachers living today; at Sakya Buddhist Centre; sakyabristol.org

Run down to our store for all your sports goods this season!

PROFESSIONAL SPORT AND FITNESS, 1&2 Gordon Road, Whitehall, Bristol BS5 7DL. Tel 01179 619999. www.psfshop.com Cricket specialists and stockist of:

ARTS

27 MAY

HARRIET HARMAN: A WOMAN’S WORK Why does the political representation of women matter?

And which hurdles have been faced, fought and sometimes overcome in the past 30 years?

If anyone knows, Harriet does.

Part of Festival of Ideas, at AtBristol; ideasfestival.co.uk I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO In 1979, James Baldwin proposed a revolutionary, personal account about the lives and assassinations of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr; he completed just 30 pages before his death. Raoul Peck directs the book Baldwin never finished, in a radical, up-to-the-minute examination of race in America.

Part of Festival of Ideas, at Watershed; ideasfestival.co.uk

BERNIE SANDERS: OUR REVOLUTION The respected US social democrat offers a unique insight into the campaign that galvanised a movement, sharing experiences and the ideas and strategies that shaped it; part of Festival of Ideas; at St George’s; ideasfestival.co.uk 4 JUNE

5X5 The eclectic mini-talks event returns, with guest speakers Sali Hughes, Dr Kate Lister, Vashi Seth, Dr Julian Baggini and Clover Stroud; tobaccofactorytheatres.com 8-25 JUNE

FESTIVAL OF NATURE Spread over three consecutive weekends, the Festival of Nature is the UK’s largest free celebration of the natural world, with talks, art, performance, music, literature, photography etc; bnhc.org.uk 9-11 JUNE

27-28 MAY

LOVE SAVES THE DAY Back at Eastville Park for its sixth year, LSTD promises a lovefuelled Bank Holiday weekend of music, glitter and frolics. Little Dragon headlines Saturday, with

BRISTOL VOLKSFEST The largest grassroots VW festival in the South West is celebrating its 25th birthday; at Birches Farm, with a vaudeville/circus theme; bristolvolksfest.co.uk

Visit our Massive Professional Sport & Fitness Superstore -

open 6 days a week!

FREE england rugby mug when you spend £20+

Bath Rugby and British Lion shirts now in stock!

CACI facials available now at Simon Lee’s Aesthetic Medical Clinic.

T PERFEC special e r fo e b events!

Enjoy our Hydratone Facial for ÂŁ20 per session Simon Lee, Aesthetic Medical Clinic 3 Whiteladies Gate, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2PH Telephone 01173 292027

Bristol Style Collective is a group of stylists collaborating to support and enhance each other’s work, whilst giving clients a bespoke experience. We are now looking to expand our team with hairstylists, beauticians and designers.

The team is led by Lukas Szejka, we have already been finalists in the Bristol Life Awards and L’Oreal Colour Trophy, involved in London Fashion Week, Women in Science Awards in collaboration with UNESCO and L’Oreal Foundation, and a wide range of published editorial photoshoots. We also have huge plans to host events, seminars and wedding packages.

All stylists, whether hair, wellbeing, beauty, fashion or photography share the same desire to work creatively with others. With a cool, modern and openplan space in Paintworks, we can have up to four styling stations as well as a dedicated, private room for a resident beautician or therapist.

We have a range of positions available, so if you are interested in joining our dedicated, focussed and professional team, please get in touch. hello@bristolstylecollective.com | www.bristolstylecollective.com

F E AT U R E

INTERIORS SPECIAL

THE REEL DEAL

Despite sterling efforts by HBO to glue us to our sofas, the number of UK filmgoers is on the rise. From the downright luxurious to the community-runquirky, to cinemas that serve tea in a proper china mug, Bristol’s indies offer you a chance to get your cine-fix without ever having to take a step inside a multiplex

By T HOM A S W H I T E H E A D

W

hich year saw the highest number of tickets sold in British cinemas?

Fancy taking a punt? Clue: in this same year, Juan Perón was elected president of Argentina, the bikini was first modelled in Paris, Keith Moon and Marianne Faithful were born, Slimbridge Wetland Reserve opened, and the Academy Award for Best Movie went to the The Lost Weekend.

Damn right: it was 1946. A record 1.64 billion tickets were sold, with streams of Brits pouring into their local picture palaces to marvel at the likes of It’s A Wonderful Life and Great Expectations.

By 1984, the number of admissions had dropped to an all-time low of 54 million. Orwell never predicted that. But just look at the stats for last year, when it was back up to 168 million – against everyone’s best bet, the trend for movie going is creeping ever so steadily upward again.

Despite the rise of the DVD and the lure of HBO, our appetite for a proper cinema 48 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

CINEMA

Clockwise from above: Everyman, Orpheus and Watershed

experience hasn’t waned, despite the best efforts of the Marvel universe to bore us all witless with their seemingly uniform offerings; if anything, it’s increased. What’s more, where the consumer once only had the choice of visiting a standard multiplex, they now have a whole range of different venues to choose from.

From apocalyptic disaster movies to Scandi arthouse to locally-produced documentaries or an epic 1920s silent movie with full orchestra, the choice is vast, and a creative city such as Bristol is home to some great venues to watch these films.

We’ve put together a list of some of these diverse and excellent places for your viewing pleasure.

WATERSHED

WATERSHED

BRAVELY OPENED IN 1982, WHEN UK MOVIEGOING FIGURES WERE ALMOST AT THEIR

LOWEST

Bristol’s most respected indie cinema opened in 1982 – which when you look at the stats above was a pretty brave move. It was a really groundbreaking concept at the time, not least because it chose to locate itself in the then-semi-derelict docks – it may seem the perfect spot today, but it really was one of the pioneers of Harbourside regeneration. As well as its bang-up to date and eclectic movie offering, there’s a lively programme of events and festivals; even the choice of food is really good here.

Showing in May: Lady Macbeth; Heal the Living; the Cinema of the Revolution series.

1 Canon’s Road, Harbourside www.watershed.co.uk

EVERYMAN BRISTOL

It may be the newest kid on the block, at least in its latest incarnation, but this lovely Art Deco cinema on Whiteladies Road has a history that dates back to the early 20th century, when it was known as the Whiteladies Picture House.

It was acquired last year by the Everyman group, who have lovingly maintained the period glamour while adding some witty cineaste nods of their own; they’ve recreated the carpet from

ARTS

The Shining, for example. It screens the kind of mainstream movies you’d find in a multiplex, but in positively plush surroundings, and you can have pizza, ice-cream, and cocktails delivered to your seat, ensuring that you may never leave – just like Jack Torrance.

Showing in May: Mindhorn, Alien: Covenant, Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge 44 Whiteladies Road, Clifton www.everymancinema.com

CUBE CINEMA

A bijou, left-field ‘microplex’ presenting cult and world movies, plus live indie bands and cabaret.

Channelling the spirit of Stokes Croft, it’s run by volunteers; like the Watershed, it has parent-andbaby-friendly screenings. Eclectic is the name of the game, from obscure black-and-white indie offerings to current Hollywood flicks, all at a fraction of the normal price.

Showing in May: Neruda, Free Fire, Blue Screen series (locally filmed shorts)

Dove Street South, Kingdsown www.cubecinema.com

THE ORPHEUS

You could easily walk past this unflashy-looking indie in Henleaze if you weren’t specifically looking for it. Many shoppers in the adjoining Waitrose may never know of its existence, but their loss is your gain. The recently refurbished cinema might be small, but it still squeezes in three screens and a bar, while the programming alternates blockbusters like Guardian of The Galaxy with National Theatre Lives.

Family-friendly, affordable and friendly – and they serve tea served in a proper china mug.

Showing in May: Guardians of the Galaxy 2, NT Live - Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf; NT Live Obsession 51 Northumbria Drive, Westbury Park www.bristol.scottcinemas.co.uk w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 49

4 Whiteladies Road Clifton, BS8 1PD Tel: 01179 292281

“A name you can trust for specialist legal services” • Accident Claims • Attorneyships & Court of Protection • B usiness Sales & Purchases • Commercial Property • Conveyancing • Debt Recovery

• Dispute Resolution • Divorce, Family & Children • E mployment Advice • P robate & Estate Services • W ills, Trusts & Tax Planning

Call free for a no obligation consultation

0800 097 8611 www.johnhodge.co.uk | email: mailbox@johnhodge.co.uk

BRISTOL | CLEVEDON | WEDMORE | WESTON-SUPER-MARE | YATTON

Bespoke handmade kitchens and furniture in Bristol and the Southwest

Call us to arrange a free home visit to discuss your project: 0117 403 7698 or Joseph Irving 07985525294. info@irvingsykes.co.uk | www.irvingsykes.co.uk | Find us on xba

CINEMA

ARTS

HORTS

At the back of this traditional city pub (it’s a Youngs) in Old Street, the luxurious Director’s Cut Cinema has large leather lounger seats with footstools in which to view their weekly movie nights. A new director or theme is chosen every month, and the film is free to patrons every Wednesday; on Sundays you can park the kiddies in front of a free family flick while you devour one of their roasts in peace. It’s also available for private hire for parties, sports nights, etc.

49 Broad Street, Old City www.hortsbristol.com

BRISTOL BAD FILM CLUB (BBFC)

BBFC HAS BECOME A LOCAL

INSTITUTION DUE TO ITS UNSWERVING

PASSION

FOR DEEPLY DREADFUL

MOVIES

Bad films, good times. It may not have a permanent home, but Ti Singh’s BBFC club has become a local institution due to its unswerving passion for deeply dreadful movies. Every month it hosts an evening devoted to some classic shark-jumper or other; it may be Tommy Wiseau tearing himself apart, Cynthia Rothrock fighting with towels, or any other film scene that should probably never have made it onto celluloid. All profits go to various good causes.

Coming up in May: Space Mutiny, at Bristol Improv Theatre www.bristolbadfilmclub.co.uk

BRISTOL SUNSET CLUB

In summer, Ti and co venture bravely al fresco, screening popular classics on outdoor screens; they also hold one-off events, such as The Day the Earth Stood Still in Bristol Planetarium last December. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for this year’s offerings. www.facebook.com/BristolSunsetCinema

THE CURZON CLEVEDON

One of the country’s oldest cinemas, the Curzon has been in continuous operation since April 1912 and was saved by the local community and a bunch of celebrity supporters in 1996. As well as movies, it’s a destination for comedy, music, and other live performances, and has a

historic collection of cinema equipment on show, including the mighty 1931 Christie organ, which you can book for a session to tickle the ivories.

Sample from May: One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Mulholland Drive, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 46 Old Church Road, Clevedon www.curzon.org.uk

20TH-CENTURY FLICKS

The Netflix generation may never know the joy of hitting up the video shop for a flick to rent on a Saturday night; for us oldies, 20th-Century Flicks continues to fly the flag for physical rentals from their quirky, historic shop on Christmas Steps.

Aside from their delectable collection of DVDs, they have their own bijou cinema-ette that can fit up 20 people; available to rent for as little as £25.

18-19 Christmas Steps, City Centre www.20thcenturyflicks.co.uk

THE FESTIVALS

Bristol has any number of annual and one-off specialist film fests, from Encounters to Afrikan Eye, Bristol Radical Film Fest to Surf Fest, BANFF and Cary Comes Home. Since 2016, it’s had a full-on, across-the-board film fest – it’s USP is to show movies in location-appropriate settings (horror in the Redcliffe Caves, art films at RWA etc) while supporting new local film talent. The main event’s in March, but screenings take place all throughout the year www.bristolfilmfestival.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 51

Beautiful Gifts, Jewellery, Candles, Scarves, Home Accessories, Hand Finished Cards & Baby Clothes

Now in stock!

Open Mon-Sat, 10-6pm & Sun 10-4pm.

44a-46 Cotham Hill, Bristol, BS6 6LA. Visit us online www.soukous.co.uk

Fashion/gifts/stores/more

GREEN DAYS

We’ve been championing Midgley Green since Seamus and Katherine launched their online shop – we just knew, Bristol, that you’d go a bundle on their carefully curated craft products, ranging from ceramics by the region’s best potters to woven baskets to lovingly carved woodwork. And you clearly did, as they’ve now opened a physical shop in Clevedon, on leafy Alexandra Road; they’d love to see you if you’re in the area. We can’t promise anything, but Bailey the Cocker Spaniel may be there to give you a suitably effusive welcome, too . . .

For more www.midgleygreen.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 53

The Clifton Club offers Members a unique experience.

A tranquil oasis in the heart of Clifton village where each Member is recognised and treated as an individual, the Clifton Club also offers modern facilities, high quality food and exceptional customer service.

Open Tues - Sat 10am - 6pm and Sunday 11am - 4pm

www.thecliftonclub.co.uk

T @CliftonClub Village Green is a boutique where ladies can buy beautiful pre-loved designer labels at affordable prices.

From Prada, Gucci and Joseph to Reiss, Hobbs and LK Bennett.

5 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4DP Tel:0117 970 6776

www.villagegreenboutique.co.uk t Villagegreen5 f villagegreenboutique

Member beneďŹ ts include: Active games section and numerous interest groups Full schedule of social events to suit all tastes Various sports tournaments Access to a global network of reciprocal clubs in more than 40 countries For further details about Club Membership, please contact us.

T: 0117 9745039 – F: 0117 9743910 E: sonia@thecliftonclub.co.uk The Clifton Club, 22 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4DS

A could also be for ‘Arch’...

VILLAGE PEOPLE

BACK in the VILLAGE Bristol is positively heaving with up-and-coming postcodes stuffed with cool little indie businesses. But perched up in its dizzy eyrie on the Gorge, one little patch continues to rule over all . . .

W

By DE R I ROBI NS M a i n photo s by A L E X A N DE R JA M E S

hen we launched this magazine in 2004, Clifton Village was the place to live.

In 2017, thanks to regeneration right across the city, it now has a fair few rivals – Harbourside, Southville, Cotham and the Gloucester Road have all improved beyond recognition – but there’s still something incredibly special about this spectacular Georgian-heavy enclave perched high above the city on the edge of the Gorge. Clifton itself is a fairly large area; but for our A-Z we’re zeroing in on the Village itself, and the roads up to the Downs.

We needed Z is for Zoo, after all . . ,

AIS FOR ARCADE

If we had a pound for every time we heard someone say: “I’ve lived in Bristol my whole life, and I never knew it was there!”, we could almost afford lunch at The Ivy. And yet the eclectic range of businesses trading from tiny shops in the beautiful Victorian arcade that links Boyce’s Avenue with Kings’ Road offer some of the most unique wares in the city; there’s a French deli, homeware stores, vintage and jewellery emporiums, and two of the most distinctive shops in Bristol; Otomi, a sunshiny corner of Mexico (Frida Kahlo bags for a tenner!), and the aptly-named Hidden, a gallery whose range of mid-20th-century, turn-of-the-19th-century and modern artwork is, quite frankly, mind-blowing.

WALK ( BIS FOR BIRDCAGE BRUNEL’S BRIDGE) ALSO FOR

AND

CIS FOR CAFÉS

When Boyce’s Avenue was pedestrianised, there were a few negative mutterings from local businesses, but it’s hard to deny that it’s created one of the most charming spots for alfrescoing in all of Bristol, when tables and chairs spill out onto the street.

Queen of them all is, of course, Primrose Café, cited by many locals as their favourite café. Spicer + Cole takes its coffee very seriously indeed, while on the city-centre fringes of Clifton, on Queen’s Road, Italian-style newbie Rosarios is already attracting a host of loyal regulars.

IF WE HAD A POUND FOR EVERY TIME SOMEONE SAID THEY’D NEVER HEARD OF THE

You’d expect somewhere as chi-chi as Clifton to have a decent smattering of delis, and so it does, from the local branch of Chandos to The Mall, Divino and the awardwinning Arch House. Just close your eyes, and inhale that foodie goodness.

EIS FOR EATING OUT

You could eat out each night at a different restaurant in Clifton for at least a fortnight.

One of the best-loved and longest established is Italian Rosemarino – a sleek affair, worlds removed from traditional trat tat, that’s famed as much for its leisurely Sunday brunches as it is for its romantic evening dining. It regularly features in top-ten restaurant lists across the city.

Clifton is also impressively spiced with superior offerings from the sub continent.

The Mint Room serves the most refined Indian dining in the city; recent opening Nutmeg strives for an authentic, more relaxed approach to Indian cuisine, while Clifton has acquired its own branch of Bristol’s beloved, affordable Thali chain.

Wallfish, on the old Keith Floyd site on Princess Victoria, feels like a little bit of Kensington transposed to Clifton, and is highly rated by Bristol’s chef cognoscenti.

Speaking of Kensington, The Ivy is one of the slickest foodie destinations in Bristol, and knows it, while Shop 3 is an adorable new bistro that just happens to be the subject of our restaurant review on page 72. w

ARCADE, WE COULD ALMOST AFFORD LUNCH AT THE IVY

There’s probably not a lot new we can tell you about the Bridge, but Birdcage Walk is one of those ‘you need to know it’s there’ charmers. A shady tree-tunnel, it’s flanked by a graveyard which dates back to the late 1150s; since then it’s been destroyed, rebuilt and Blitzed in typical Bristol fashion. Look out for it on the cover of Bristol author Helen Dunmore’s new novel, Birdcage Walk – an atmospheric thriller/romance which offers a fascinating insight into the vagaries of the 18th-century Clifton building trade.

DIS FOR DELIS

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

VILLAGE PEOPLE

FIS FOR FASHION

Clifton has long been a fashionista’s destination, its upmarket indie shops being a far cry from the endless queues at Zara. Grace & Mabel stocks high-end brands such as Baum und Pferdgarten, Malene Birger and Ilse Jacobsen; Maze offers the likes of French Connection and Maison Scotch, while family-run South West chain Mint Velvet sources clothing from 50 of the finest international collections. And don’t forget the Arcade, where small boutiques offer new and vintage clothes and accessories. If you subscribe to the excellent philosophy of never buying a new piece of clothing until you’ve got rid of an old one, preloved emporium Village Green on the Mall will sort you out on both counts. Even the charity shops in Clifton are upmarket; St Peter’s Hospice on Boyce’s Avenue is invariably worth checking out.

F is also for florist, particularly Lisa Elliott, whose fragrant displays flow out from her Waterloo Street shop onto the pavement.

In addition to the mighty Hidden, selling everything from Banskys to Picassos (they even had a signed Renoir print last time we checked), there’s charming Soma, selling limited-edition prints; Clifton Contemporary Art, with its emphasis on West Country artists, and Sky, which has grown from a quirky card and poster shop into a self-respecting little gallery that also handles all your framing needs. Don’t go looking for Clifton Fine Art in Clifton, though; it’s back down town, on the Christmas Steps.

HIS FOR HAIR AND BEAUTY

Regent Street is Hairdresser Central; we love Atelier, which will take the pampering to stratospheric levels if you also book in for a treatment in the spa. There’s a good sprinkling of barbers, while more serious medical beautifying is covered at the Whiteley Clinic, specialising in vein treatment

B is for Birdcage Walk

IIS FOR INTERIORS

All those gorgeous Georgian homes don’t furnish themselves, you know, so no wonder it’s busy at Bracey Interiors on Waterloo Street; if Alison and her team don’t stock a brand of wallpaper or material, it’s probably not worth having, and they have a strong reputation for interior design to complement the offering.

Core and Ore stock beautiful stone and ceramic tiling, while if you’re the type to perve over Pantones, Farrow & Ball on Princess Victoria offers richly pigmented paints and artisanal wallpaper; the experienced staff also offer an in-home colour consultancy.

JIS FOR JEWELLERS

PHOTO BY CAROLYN EATON

Sometimes it seems that every other shop along the Mall sparkles with precious gems. Bristol Life Award-winner Nicholas Wylde is a superb boutiquey designer and goldsmith: look out for the beautiful trademarked Wylde Flower Diamond. Friendly Clifton Rocks carries an eclectic contemporary range from over 30 designers, in a wide range of materials, and is a popular choice for brides and grooms seeking something truly bespoke. Ceramicfanciers should check out Clifton Ceramics and Fine Jewellery, for pieces you won’t anywhere else, including many by William Moorcroft; their jewellery is preloved, refashioned or handcrafted.

You may even spot a vintage Cartier, if you’re lucky.

KIS FOR KITCHENS

Those shelling out a few mill on a house on Sion Hill probably don’t head to IKEA. The Kitchen Man team has 20 years experience in kitchen design, both classic or contemporary, while Harvey Jones builds quality kitchens to last, using traditional framed construction. w

58 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

PHOTO BY RICHARD FORD

GIS FOR GALLERIES

Those

spending a few mill on a house on Sion Hill

probably

don’t just head to

IKEA

VILLAGE PEOPLE

LIS FOR LIDO

Clifton’s own, tucked-away, beautifully restored Victorian outdoor pool and indoor spa is made doubly irresistible by Freddy Bird’s award-winning cuisine. Our favourite summertime treat.

MIS FOR THE MALL

Not to be confused with the Cribbs Causeway retail metropolis of the same name, The Mall is Clifton’s high street. We defy you to walk its length and not buy some trinket or other.

NIS FOR NEWS

Obviously, we try to bring you the very latest news about Bristol, but the experts are BID Clifton Village (www. bidcliftonvillage.co.uk) – this is your go-to for info on parking, special events, and open days for Clifton Rocks Railway (the unused underground track linking Clifton to Hotwells); there’s also a handy pictorial map of the Village on the home page.

OIS FOR OLD-SCHOOL

Because Clifton isn’t just about boutiquery and gastropubs; it’s full of really useful places, too – see panel, right

PIS FOR PUBS AND BARS

Whatever your watering-hole criteria, you won’t go thirsty.

There’s The Coronation Tap – the oldest cider house in Bristol – and Nettle & Rye for craft beers and (some say) the best Sunday roast in the village. Formerly an old 17th century coaching inn, The Albion was one of the first in Bristol to put ‘gastro’ into gastropub, a tradition admirably continued at the likes of Somerset House with its vintage radios and bare brick walls. We could go on. . . and on . . .and on . . .

QIS FOR QUIZ

Of the firm opinion that a pub’s not a pub without a pub quiz?

We’ve been directed towards Wednesday night at The Clifton on Regent Street, which, according to one Trip Advisor reviewer, “is usually frequented by posh public school types, and as there are more books than brains in the aristocracy, the quiz is quite easy to win.” Controversial! Sister pub the Mall runs Thursday-night quizzes too, and The Brass Pig’s are on Tuesdays – it costs just one of your Earth pounds to enter.

RIS FOR REG THE VEG

As much a local institution as a greengrocer, everyone loves Reg the Veg on Boyce’s Avenue. See also Really Useful panel below.

SIS FOR SHOPS

Pod, the Village’s most tempting gift shop on The Mall, is overflowing with temptation: leaf-emblazoned homeware by Orla Kiely, colourful Bristol-scene ceramics by Emmeline Simpson, unguents by Cowshed and Bath House, jewellery by Rodgers w

REALLY USEFUL CLIFTON Q: Do I ever have to leave Clifton Village?

A: No. A bit like Patrick McGoohan in The Prisoner, Clifton residents have absolutely no reason to leave the Village at all.

Unlike the Prisoner, though, nobody will technically prevent you from leaving – there’s no huge white ball waiting to squish you if you attempt to flee – but when you have everything you need on your doorstep, and the living is just so damn easy, why would you want to?

It’s not one of those over-chintzy places where all you can buy are handbags and health foods; there’s useful stuff too: a cobbler’s, a (posh, admittedly) paint shop, a chemist and a hardware store, Westcom for your mobile tech; there’s a flourishing library, dressmakers, a fruit & veg shop, a butchers and a bakers. There’s the elegant Clifton Club, and top estate agents such as Savills and Roderick Thomas to help you put down permanent roots. Like we said – there’s no reason to ever leave at all.* * But if you do, Miles Morgan travel agents may be able to help.

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

‘SERATA SPECIALE’ Don’t fancy cooking midweek?

Need a little treat to tide you over till the weekend?

Each week we choose some of our favorite regional Italian dishes, give them a little twist and offer them to you at the special price of £12.50 for 2 courses or £15 for 3 courses.

Available 6pm -7.45pm Tuesday-Thursday.

Full a la carte menu also available.

For more details visit www.rosemarino.co.uk

VACANCY Westcom are looking to add a new member to the team, due to our continued growth. This position would ideally suit a school leaver who is looking to join a successful family run business, with room to grow.

Mobile Calls, Texts and Data at home and in Europe, what could be more simple?

SIM ONLY OFFERS

Main roles include:

Private Customer £24.99 per month Unlimited Mins | Unlimited Texts | 4GB Data

Offering fantastic customer service to our forever growing customer base.

OR Business Customer £24 per month Unlimited Mins | Unlimited Texts | 6GB Data

Transferring customers data from their old phone to their new phone.

The inclusive benefits of these plans are: - Our Fastest 4G Data Speeds - Up to 90Mbps - WiFi Calling - Data Usage Alerts - Unlimited Calls & Texts - Inclusive EU Calls & Texts - Use Your Data In The EU

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If this sounds like you, email your CV and cover letter to justin.rouse@westcomltd.co.uk 33 Regent Street, Clifton Village, Bristol, BS8 4HR. (opposite Tesco Express) Tel 01179 850383 Email: info@westcomltd.co.uk or visit www.westcomltd.co.uk

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VILLAGE PEOPLE DID YOU KNOW? Musician Ian Andersen (not the Jethro Tull one) assures us that ‘Clifton Village’ was a name he coined back in the 1960s and 70s. Clifton was a folk music mecca back then, with many of the biggest names of the day regularly lugging their fiddles, pipes and bodhruns to the Troubadour Club on Waterloo Street. While drafting a poster for a gig, Ian came up with the idea of trying to evoke the atmosphere of New York’s Greenwich Village, by referring to the area as ‘Clifton Village’.

And lo, the name stuck…

& Rodgers, Origami and Bill Skinner, and about a thousand other things we don’t have space to cover here. A few doors up, Shy Mimosa represents Clifton shopping at its best – a unique boutique perfumery whose service is as far removed from being attacked with a spray of Beyoncé Midnight Heat by an over-zealous assistant at Debenhams as it’s possible to get.

TIS FOR TAPAS

Ten years ago, you’d struggle to find decent tapas in Bristol.

Now, like artisan pizzas, you can barely move without falling over the things. New Moon Tapas serves an international range of small plates (the culinary influence changes with each new moon, get it?); Giggling Squid goes for Asian flavours, and Quadrant is a tapas bar by day, wine cellar by night.

UIS FOR UNDERGROUND CAR PARK

No, there isn’t one, but we keep hearing how much local businesses would love it if there was. The RPZ is less than popular round these here parts, you see.

VIS FOR VIEWS

They come as standard in Clifton, from the windows of the grand curving terraces clinging to the side of the Gorge, from the Bridge and the Observatory, and the huge terrace of the White Lion Bar in The Avon Gorge Hotel – which is about to morph into a Malmaison, making Clifton even chic-er.

WIS FOR WINE

We’re big fans of Davis Bell McCraith, aka Richard, Aidan and Susan (a Master of Wine, no less), who know everything there is to know about growers and the grape; find them on King’s Road.

The Clifton Cellars is in Clifton; it’s on the Mall, but the Clifton Wine Club isn’t; it’s down at Broad Quay.

XIS FOR XMAS

Because Clifton has the tallest, biggest and best Christmas tree of any village in the UK – and that’s official.

YIS FOR ROYAL YORK CRESCENT

Said to be the longest crescent in Europe, and easily one of the most beautiful; due to the hilly topography, the groundfloor doors open to a railed promenade raised high above the hoi polloi at street level. It’s mostly been converted into flats, many occupied by Bristol’s famously affluent students. It featured in the film adaption of David Nicholls’ Starter For Ten; if you’re stuck for holiday reading, by the way, buy all four books by this affable ex-Bristol Uni-graduate novelist instantly. They’re hilarious.

ZIS FOR ZOO

What else? It’s the fifth oldest in the world, with an impressive track record in conservation; the penguin and seal enclosures and the gorilla house are especially impressive. Look out for brand-new restaurant The Hide, too. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 63

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The SECRET GARDEN

We’ve sidled up to them at the compost bin, warmed our hands around their fire pit and shared a cuppa in their garden offices.

Yes, we’ve stopped at nothing to unearth 2017’s best tips from Bristol’s expert gardeners. Trowels at the ready!

By R AC H E L I FA NS 66 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

GARDENS

WE GROW PLANTS IN OUR

GARDENS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, FROM THE HIMALAYA FOOTHILLS TO THE DESERTS OF THE

MIDDLE EAST

O

ur gardens are such an intrinsic part of British life and it’s perhaps not surprising when you think that our very early perceptions of nature come from a proliferation of children’s books set in gardens: Winnie the Pooh, Peter Rabbit, Tom’s Midnight Garden and Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden to name but a few.

The garden is often the scene of our favourite childhood memories, playing host as it did to birthday parties; Dads-bent-double over spades in the veg patch; lilos and slideaways. But things have changed in the last decade or so and the humble lawned garden has upped its game. It’s now not only a play space and somewhere to stick your whirligig washing line. It’s grown-up and effortfully designed, an outside room which gets used for months of the year instead of just weeks.

WHETHER THE WEATHER BE GOOD OR…

Let’s get this out of the way at the outset. The British weather is distinctly average. Perhaps poor. And perhaps would lead one to wonder why on earth you should invest in your garden if you’re barely ever out there. While outside kitchens pools are a must in Barcelona, they aren’t top priority in Bristol, right? Well, yes and no.

Think of the bones of your garden at the start. What do you want to do in there? Play? Entertain? Relax?

Katherine Roper, landscape and garden designer, is in defensive mood: “Our average temperate climate is in fact a huge advantage to gardeners as we can grow a large variety of fruit, vegetables and plant species in our gardens from all over the world, from the foothills of the Himalaya to the deserts of the Middle East.”

If your garden looks great, you’ll want to use it all year round, she says. “I have a client for whom we built an outdoor kitchen and now he cooks outside throughout the year including Christmas Day!” (Yes he lives in Bristol – I checked.)

Our other experts agree, suggesting all-weather options for four-season fun. Rattan and metal furniture drains more quickly than wood or stone, so pick well and you could be sitting outside reading this when the clouds part, and running for cover when they roll together. Shelter from wind is an important consideration as well. Lesley Hegarty, of the Hegarty Webber Partnership, says that well-sited fencing, trees or hedges can raise the ambient temperature of a garden significantly.

Most important, says gardener Lucy Foat, is designing with the full 12 months in mind: “Every garden should have year-round interest. During the warm summer months it’s easy to achieve interest and colour but a garden needs to be able to capture your attention even throughout the bleak winter months.

“The first flowers appearing on Sarcococca Confusa in December offer an amazing scent, w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 67

GARDENS

Hellebores appear in February when we really are at our wits’ end with winter and of course snowdrops are a happy sight, constantly reminding us that there is life outside and nature is still going strong, with spring on the way.”

SO HOT RIGHT NOW

Another way to extend the usable life of your garden is to provide heat when nature ain’t coming up with the goods. Not the gas-guzzling patio heaters of yesteryear, but the outsidey-vibey fire pits or outside fireplaces of today. Firepits are so now for all our experts’ clients. I have an image spring to mind of a glowing fire surrounded with hay bales draped in tartan blankets. It’s rather like the camping feel with the comforts of home thrown in.

Also on trend, if you have a bit of space that needs filling with laid-back beauty, is the use of meadow turf. Katherine says, “The demand has been so high that suppliers haven’t been able to keep up! I think its popularity is very much a knock-on effect from the Olympic Park meadows and the work of Nigel Dunnett at Sheffield University that wowed the public back in 2012.”

Wild flower meadows have a romance to them that is easy to establish and maintain.

Lydia Niven from MOSSPods is in something of a purple patch at the moment as more and more people are exploiting the ability to extend living and working space into units in the garden, often without the need for planning permission.

“MOSSpods,” Lydia explains, “were created in order to provide high-quality modular timber buildings for a variety of uses. They use the best natural materials, exquisite joinery and contemporary aesthetics to achieve a striking sustainable structure.”

NATURE FIRST

Another thing common to all our gardeners was the emphasis on nature and the environment in 2017. Many of Lesley’s clients have expressed an interest in eco, natural and locally-sourced materials this year.

And Lucy admits, “In general more and more of my clients want a natural feel to their garden design with one eye on locally sourced materials and the other on native planting. Gardens are feeling more authentic, sustainable and organic these days.”

And if you love the natural look but not the price tag that comes with it, Laura from Kellaway has some suggestions – “Natural paving is still extremely popular and most options provide a rich tapestry of colour with natural variations w

The trend for naturals is still in full swing so get planting. A wild-flower meadow is great for gardens with breathing space

MORE AND MORE

CLIENTS WANT A NATURAL FEEL TO THEIR GARDEN DESIGN, WITH ONE EYE ON

LOCALLY SOURCED MATERIALS AND THE

OTHER

ON NATIVE PLANTING

68 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

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GARDENS

white-washed materials and minimalist design to tiny urban pockets of luxury, and glass-front contemporary summerhouses, 2017 has a garden trend for everyone.

SMALL BUT PERFECTLY FORMED

Don’t be afraid of larger structure in smaller gardens

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in stone. And think about composite decking. It may not be natural wood but it is a great modern alternative to traditional decking with all the visual characteristics of natural timber, but none of the drawbacks; it has anti-slip properties, is maintenance free and environmentally friendly. It will never warp, rot, splinter or require staining or painting either.”

From Scandinavian design with its blowsy planting schemes with soft colour palettes,

Bristol is a very special place in which to live and whether your tiny sun-drenched terrace in Clifton Wood looks right over to the A38 or your roof terrace by the docks is constantly buzzing with the squawk of seagulls, you can have acres of fun in a small garden. What were our experts’ tips for small gardens?

Katherine kicks off with some great advice for dinky dwellings. “Don’t be afraid to rip out plants that have outgrown the area. Optimise space with hidden storage, built-in seating, and smaller paving stone sizes so the patio feels bigger. Use large pots in small gardens to add drama and add height and feel more enclosed with overhead canopies, like big tree leaves or a small sail.”

And Lucy wades in with more good advice here,“If space is limited, growing vertically is a great option. Living walls and vertical vegetable gardens can solve the problem of space and there are some ingenious nonexpensive options available.”

Just before we let our green-fingered army back into the wild, we asked them what’s the one thing every garden should have? “Light!” says Laura from Kellaway. “A relaxing space,” says Lesley Hegarty. And from Katherine: “Enough patio space in which to entertain. To have a space to sit outside and eat with family and friends on a summer’s evening is priceless.”

Agreed. Now pass the rosé.

Gardens can mix structured, clean lines, with more chaotic planting schemes

Jamie Innes innesgardendesign.com 07789 113 268 Katherine Roper katherineroper.co.uk 07930 565 999 info@katherineroper.co.uk Kellaway kellaway.co.uk 0117 906 3060 Lucy Foat facebook.com/LucySaraGardens lucysaragardens@gmail.com MOSSPods mosspods.com 01173 790505 info@mosspods.com

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

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

R E S TA U R A N T

FOOD

Shop 3 Bistro The team behind this new bistro may have only recently moved to Bristol, but their seasonal, foraging foodie philosophy fits the city like a glove

By DE R I ROBI NS

I

f you had to sum up Shop 3 on Regent Street in just one word, it would probably be ‘lovely’. If you were allowed two, they would be ‘totally lovely’.

The loveliness begins with co-owner Kathryn, who offers a genuinely sweet front-of-house welcome. It continues with the interior, which is simple, rustic and, well, lovely; the craft brews and Lily wines from Devon are lovely, the typed menu is lovely, with idiosyncratic (but not too wacky) descriptions set out on a page that looks as if it’s just been pulled out of an old Olivetti. And as for the food . . .

Shop 3 Bistro describes its menu as ‘local, rustic, foraged’. Katheryn and chef Steve Gilchrist may be newly arrived in Bristol (Steve’s a Kiwi), but their foodie philosophy fits the city like a glove. And some of the best restaurants are run by couples, after all – one in the kitchen, one looking after the customers – it’s a formula that tends to work a treat.

Even for forage-fancying Bristol, the menu is lavishly festooned with ingredients such as lichens, moss, fungi and herbs. Local seasonal produce is very much to the fore, ranging from Grow Bristol veg to fresh meat from Devon’s best farms.

WE DO TRY TO ADHERE TO GILES COREN’S ADVICE NOT TO FALL ON THE BREAD LIKE A FOX ON A DUSTBIN, BUT THIS WAS WAY TOO GOOD TO PASS ON

The good impressions start from the get-go, with freshly-baked bread, flecked with almonds and served with a beurre noisette. We do try to adhere to Giles Coren’s advice to save your appetite for the starter, and not to fall on the bread ‘like a fox on a f*****g dustbin’, but this was way too good to pass on.

My starter of four different rock oysters was arrayed in a little wooden box, the shells attractively placed on a bed of sea lettuce, beach herbs, shells and pebbles. I’ll take a good, fresh oyster any which-way, any day, but I especially liked the Oyster Kilpatrick — a creation that includes cheese, Worcestershire sauce and bacon. Another favourite was the panko-coated offering, the Japanese bread crumb giving an airy, crispy crust to the silky mollusc within.

Across the table, Your Man was tucking with considerable relish into gently smoked chunks of sea trout. Laid out with an artist’s eye on a beautiful plate, the ingredients glowed like jewels.

The succinct mains list offered a veggie and fish option, but I’d settled on assiette of Dartmoor lamb, mediumcooked and as tender as the night, served with a densely flavoured chorizo bonbon, Grow Bristol pea shoots and goes-without-saying home-made mint sauce (as if these guys would ever resort to a jar of Colman’s).

Your Man went for the ‘secret cut’ of ‘pig’; the ‘secret’ apparently refers to the shoulder flank, which is well larded with fat, creating maximum juiciness; this was another exceedingly pretty dish, with orange and yellow heirloom carrots and a stickily caramelised, tart-tatinstyle base, and dots of ‘very fresh cheese’. We also bagged ourselves a bowl of hispi cabbage cooked with bacon and goose fat – as good as it sounds, and ‘proper chips’ – ditto.

The menu continued to intrigue with the puds. While conservative eaters will do perfectly well at Shop 3 (there’s a steak and chips option, affogato for pud, etc) – it’s the off-the-wall dishes that make it such a standout.

Behold, for example, the chocolate and mushroom dessert. You heard us. Dark and white chocolate mousse, vanilla ice cream, cookies ‘soil’, mushroom sponge, moss and morels; their inclusion, we were told, to allow the dish to allow the fifth taste, umami, to flourish.

Did it work? It really did. At first we thought the ’shrooms were undetectable, and that they were really only there for the surprise factor and the texture, but the funghi flavour does come through, and it’s unusual, but in a good way, as opposed to the doomed combos served by Tim Spall’s Aubrey at The Regret Rien, in Mike Leigh’s Life is Sweet - remember the ‘saveloy on a bed of lychees’?

Shop 3 Bistro opened without a huge amount of fanfare, yet on a Thursday evening its nooks and crannies — the restaurant occupies three squeezed-in floors — was completely full, with hopeful punters sniffing at the door. No surprise at all. This is a splendid new bistro, with sophisticated, exciting, assured cooking, belied by a laidback bistro ambience, friendly service and that indefinable happy buzz that either happens naturally or it doesn’t. It’s – well, it’s lovely.

DINING DETAILS Shop 3 Bistro, 3A Regent Street, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4HW; 0117 382 2235 Opening hours lunch Friday and Saturday Midday-2.30pm; Sunday midday-3.30pm; dinner: Wednesday – Saturday from 6pm We visited Thursday evening Atmosphere relaxed, casual Service friendly, knowledgeable Prices starters £2.50-£10, mains £14.90-£19, desserts £6.50-£9 Vegetarian choice limited choice Wine list wide range, (including some fine English whites) £23-£69; available by the glass from £5.50 Children kids welcome

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 73

FOOD & DRINK W H AT ’ S M A K I N G T H E G O U R M E T N E W S I N B R I S T O L

TAKE FIVE So, Guy, how and why did your business begin?

It all began in 1987, when I left a successful career in London and returned to my parents’ farm with a determination to produce something genuinely useful.

I started growing organic vegetables, and a few years later was delivering to 30 local homes out of the back of my 2CV. And where are you now?

We’ve evolved into a network of farmers with four UK farms, and we deliver around 47,000 boxes a week of seasonal veg, fruit, meat and more to homes nationwide.

We also have two extremely veg-centric restaurants; one on our Devon farm and one in the heart of London.

Anything you’re especially proud of?

Never compromising on our founding principles and ethics. Looking after the land, our growers and running a sustainable business with minimal environmental impact is very important to us. In 2015 our efforts were rewarded when we won Ethical Product of the Decade at the Observer Ethical Awards.

74 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Anyone still wondering whether to turn fully organic should try ordering a Riverford box – we’ve never, ever had better fruit, veg or meat. Founder Guy Watson takes five minutes out to tell us about his extremely carotty carrots . . .

What makes you different?

We are unashamed veg nerds. With 30 years’ experience we really are obsessed with the stuff. We are farmers ourselves, which gives customers a real connection with the farm, which they are welcome to come and visit. We give a consistently fair deal to growers and producers, and work with them in the long term, agreeing prices and amounts often more than a year in advance. This is far from how

many supermarkets operate, and offers farmers a security and the chance to invest in their business.

What’s your favourite vegetable?

We’re very well known for our extremely carroty carrots – customers often comment on tasting the difference. In fact, they are so iconic we even use one as our logo. My own favourites are my beloved cardoons, though the bitter taste isn’t for everyone.

Why is being organic important to you?

To us, organic is all about farming with nature; looking after the soil, the environment, and the welfare of animals is at the heart of what we do. Farming organically is not about doing things the easy way, but about doing things the right way, and working towards a sustainable food system. We grow our organic vegetables for flavour rather than cosmetic perfection, and they are left to grow naturally, at their own pace, resulting in wonderful flavour and food you can feel good about eating.

To order, go to www.riverford.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK

MORE TASTY BITES FOOD FOR LIFE

LITTLE ITALY Yes, we do have a slightly conflicted relationship with chain restaurants that come down from London. We love our indies, you see. But some small chains are just too good not to embrace. Just like Polpo, Spuntini comes from the estimable Russell Norman stable; while Bristol was only the 7th UK city to get a Polpo, it’s the first place outside Soho in which Sputino has opened, in Cargo 2, with a menu of Italian-inspired New York comfort food – think Truffle Egg Toast, Lobster Mac’n’Cheese; and puds including Spuntino’s renowned Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwich.

Presumably she could live in an LA mansion if she wanted to – but Joan Collins’ daughter, Tara Newley Arkle, prefers the rural life near Weston-super-Mare.

Tara’s a staunch healthy-eating advocate, creating nutritious, immune-system-boosting meals; an interest inspired by her father, singer Anthony Newley, and her aunt, author Jackie Collins, both of whom died of cancer.

Jackie had heard inspiring stories about how Penny Brohn offers support to cancer-stricken families, and named the Bristol-based charity as her UK beneficiary, in lieu of flowers.

“Cancer devastates,” says Tara. “We all know someone touched by it. I greatly miss my amazing dad and aunt. Their passing has galvanised me to live healthily and do my bit to fight the disease, so I started researching Penny Brohn, and became a patron. I love healthy food, so thought I’d share some favourites, to help this exceptional charity.”

For more see www.pennybrohn.org.uk

www.spuntino.co.uk

HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT A new, interactive and (obviously) family-friendly restaurant has opened at Bristol Zoo Gardens, offering breakfasts, lunch and afternoon tea; it’s also available for evening functions. Inside the snazzy white-glazed brick and copper exterior, the attractive galleried dining room was designed by Levy Restaurants, Bristol Zoo’s official catering partner; the dining style is relaxed, but with table service, and represents a significant upgrade to the former Coral Café, which first started welcoming diners in the 1930s.

The Hide can fit in around 300 diners, offering dishes cooked to order, from bubble and squeak and pancakes through to sharing platters, gourmet burgers, pizzas, salads and a children’s menu throughout the day. All meals are made using local, sustainable and seasonal ingredients, and there’s an unusual USP in the form of interactive elements, such as augmented reality screens, binoculars and nature sounds, to create the feeling of being among animals. www.bristolzoo.org.uk

YES, CHEFS! The nationwide accolades for Bristol’s chefs just keep on coming. Three of the city’s finest are up for an Estrella Damm National Restaurant Award: (l-r below) young guns Elliott Lidstone from Box-E and Jamie Randall of Adelina Yard are both on the shortlist for Chef to Watch, while Peter SanchezIglesias of Casamia is shortlisted for the hugely prestigious Chefs’ Chef of the Year – up against Heston Blumenthal, among others. Good luck for 12 June, guys! www.nationalrestaurantawards.co.uk

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FOOD

AL FRESCO

The GREAT OUTDOOR In this al fresco dining feature, we’ve hunted out everything from the brand spanking new terrace, to the cosy suburban pub garden and sun-drenched gastro-caff…

By R AC H E L I FA NS

Bambalan has a jaw-dropping roof terrace. It’s huge, central, sunny and busy. Top marks all round 76 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

AL FRESCO

THIS SUMMER BRISTOL IS OFFERING MORE MOUTH-WATERING AL FRESCO DINING OPTIONS THAN EVER

BEFORE

FOOD

I

t’s the end of May, the wind is dropping, the temperature is rising and our appetites are at an all-time high. If you’re dubious about my first two proclamations, fine, but you can’t deny that this summer – with Cargo 2 opening just as this issue hits the streets – Bristol is offering more mouth-watering al fresco dining options than ever before.

It’s about eating outside, in the sun, on a chair (mostly). And it’s only the most hard-hearted son-of-a-gun who doesn’t love that. Grab your sun hat or a bit of factor 50 for that bald spot and head out. w

Xxxxx

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 77

FOOD

AL FRESCO

THE ATHENIAN

What is it? It only opened at the end of May, and we were poised to pounce on this new Greek joint in Cargo 2. 80 per cent takeaway it may be, but there are seats inside and if you’re lucky enough to grab one of the dining benches outside, you’ll be in seventh heaven.

Claim to foodie fame? Everything sourced from independent, small producers in Greece and the UK. Our tip: The pita bread and dips are handmade.

As a vice, it’s not a bad one, but beware… they’ll have you running back for more.

The feel of it: Clean, minimal and inviting. www.theathenian.co.uk

BETTER FOOD CAFÉ

What is it? A beautiful shop and café on Gaol Ferry Steps. The lower terrace gets the afternoon sun, folks.

Claim to foodie fame: Its organicicity (and its talent for inventing new words). Better Food was the first company in England to get a 4-star Organic Served Here award from the Soil Association. And for good reason – the foodie offering is 93 per cent organic!

Our tip: Salad or cake? Salad or cake? Salad or cake? Oh, have both, before we both get old. By the way, the amazing fruit juices make you tingle!

The feel of it: Buzzing. www.betterfood.co.uk

Box-E is a combination of a big dream and a sh&t-hot stove, according to founders Tess and Elliott

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

BOX-E

IN A NUT SHELL, OR A CHICKEN BASKET, IT’S ONE OF THE FEW FRIED

CHICKEN

SHOPS TO ONLY USE

ORGANIC AND FREERANGE

MEAT

What is it? Homegrown restaurant serving modern British cooking, it’s a shipping container with a sun terrace and a view.

Claim to foodie fame: A regularly changing seasonal menu and a lovely wine list. Oh, and the small matter of Elliott Lidstone at the helm.

Our tip: The murderously good blood orange Moscato slush – perfect for drinking on the terrace in the sun. And readers, no reservations for tables on the terrace, okay?

The feel of it: Utter joyfulness. The owners say, “There’s something amazing about people coming to eat our food in a restaurant we’ve created!” www.boxebristol.com

THE CHICKEN SHED

What is it? In a nutshell, or a chicken basket, it’s one of the few fried chicken shops to only use organic and free-range meat. It has a biiiiig westfacing terrace which gets a clucking good view of the city skyline in the evening.

Claim to foodie fame: Guilty food doesn’t have to be bad food. The menu uses the best local ingredients around.

Our tip: The southern-fried crumb is gluten free.

No reservations ever. Never. No siree.

The feel of it: Healthy and cool. A great place to be with all Bristol’s sights in near distance. Apart from the Suspension Bridge. Hey ho, you can’t have it all. www.boxebristol.com

AL FRESCO

FOOD

KATE’S CAFÉ AT ARNOS VALE What is it? It’s a café in a cemetery. Sounds weird, I know, but in a classically Briz was, it rocks on all levels. An escape from the city, atmospheric, a sun trap – and utterly different.

Foodie claim to fame: Food is homecooked, seasonal, local and organic where possible. All done with passion and panache.

Our tip: It will be busy on weekends, school holidays and when the sun is shining. We challenge anyone not to love this place in any weather though, so why not drop in when it’s raining cats and dogs?

The feel of it: Atmospheric, peaceful and… sshhhhhh… really special. www.kateskitchenbristol.co.uk/ kates-kitchen-at-arnos-vale

PIGSTY

CLIFTON LIDO

What is it? If you don’t know already, I’m not going to tell you. Oh what, that’s what I’m paid for? Okay, it’s a wonderful lido with a bar restaurant in the old viewing gallery. Huge doors slide away to amplify splash noises from swimmers while you dine on gorgeous food.

(Cheering isn’t allowed and neither is holding up score cards.)

Claim to foodie fame: Head chef Freddy Bird is inspired by the outdoors and his menu often involves cooking over fire.

Our tip: This is a real treat. All the pieces of your life jigsaw must be in place before you go here – so you can make the very most of it.

The feel of it: Chilled and happy-go-lucky - just like Bristol.

Above: The world-famous Clifton Lido. Dip your toes while you dine Below: Pigsty - no-one leaves hungry

What is it? It’s the Home of the Hog of course.

A porcine delight right at the end of the cargo units with a great view of the harbour.

Foodie claim to fame: Ahem. They only went and had Jay Raynor (off’telly) in a few weekends ago and he said in The Guardian that ‘they serve a killer sandwich made with their impeccable black treacle-cured bacon’. Nice.

Our tip: The virgin visitor to Pigsty must have a Pig Board. All the best bits, including pulled pork hoggetts, scotch egg, three flavours of awardwinning Jolly Hog sausages plus homemade apple chutney, baconnaise, raw slaw. Oink!

The feel of it: No-one leaves hungry. Just saying. www.jollyhoguk.com/pigsty w

www.lidobristol.com

GLOUCESTER OLD SPOT

What is it? A pub-to-hub kind of story. Old pub on a busy road from the outside, thriving community hub on the inside. The GOS is a gem with its huge, enclosed garden, attracting locals and families to relax and fill their bellies.

Claim to foodie fame: Award-winning.

Breakfast, burgers, bangers, baps, BBQ, and loads of other dishes not beginning with B. Our tip: Not with the kids? Grab a quiet corner or go after 7pm. With the kids? The garden is a huge sun trap during the day, with artificial grass and a Wendy House. Just chill…

The feel of it: It’s got family written all over it. www.theoldspotbristol.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 79

AL FRESCO

SPOTTED COW

What is it? A popular pub in Southville, recently named the (Best Pub in Bristol at the Bristol Life Awards) with a great big south-facing garden.

Foodie claim to fame: They only go and source all ingredients locally and support local farmers as well as having rooftop garden where they grow herbs and veg.

Our tip: Busier days are sometimes the best days.

The 100-seat garden takes on a festival feel on sunny days.

The feel of it: Fun in the sun.

Above left: Three Brothers. Barge, burgers, beer. Bingo!

Above right: Warmley Waiting Room is one of those places that pulls on the heart strings

THREE BROTHERS

www.threebrothersburgers.co.uk

WARMLEY WAITING ROOM

What is it? It’s a disused-railway-station-cumcafé on the Bristol-to-Bath Cycle Path. An utter gem. Put down the mag and go now.

Foodie claim to fame: Good coffee and cakes.

It’s a café. It’s not Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons.

Our tip: Chairs and tables on the old platform, or sit on it and dangle your legs. Eight reclaimed lamp posts from Weston Super Mere pier, a vintage horse box/ice cream van. And the Tardis loo of course. No really, I haven’t had too much Vitamin D, it’s true.

The feel of it: Old-school, quirky, fun.

Love love love. www.facebook.com/WarmleyWaitingRoom

WESTBURY PARK

What is it? A pub in the centre of Henleaze with a patio garden that is so twinkly when the lights go down.

Foodie claim to fame: The Sunday roast is apparently better than my mum’s, your mum’s. All of our mums’ put together.

Our tip: This place is new but already thriving.

Book to be sure.

The feel of it: Already a magnet for locals.

www.thespottedcowbristol.com

What is it? Oh-so-lovely burgers served on a boat. Yep, one of Bristol’s finest fantasies is a thriving reality. Get yourself along there. Follow the cobbles down to the waterfront terrace.

Foodie claim to fame: Great burgers and an ever-changing extensive range of craft beers and ciders. Job’s a good ‘un.

Our tips: Try a topping or two. Also there’s a £5-burger-and-fries deal every day until 5pm.

The feel of it: Protein-packed and vibrant.

FOOD

www.westburyparkpub.co.uk

OTHER BRISTOL HOTSPOTS

out for Spuntino in Cargo 2 too. www.polpo.co.uk

Bristol has so much to offer in summer, we couldn’t fit them all in. We didn’t want to miss these guys out so here’s the best of the rest...

Primrose Café A stalwart of Clifton. www.primrosecafe.co.uk

Bambalam Achingly great terrace and atmosphere. www.bambalan.co.uk Gallimaufry Small plates of delish food and sunny seating.

Cool as. www.thegallimaufry.co.uk Grain Barge Top deck for you in this bon-vivant boat. www.grainbarge.co.uk Polpo Venetian bacaro style on Whiteladies. Watch

Salt and Malt Another new cod on the Cargo 2 block (sorry). www.saltmalt.com/wappingwharf Steam Pub with banging burgers and beers. www.steambristol.co.uk St Werburgh’s Farm Great food from the most local of suppliers (even neighbouring allotmenteers provide ingredients) in a quirky setting. www.swcityfarm.co.uk/the-farm-cafe Yurt Lush Festival vibe, tasty food. Near the train station. www.eatdrinkbristolfashion.co.uk/yurtlush

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A cut above...

Join us for our new all day Sunday Feast just £23, 1pm-9pm 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

fa

P UB • R ES TAUR A NT

The Ashville, 15 Leigh Street, Bristol BS3 1SN • Tel: 0117 939 6897 • Email: info@theashville.co.uk www.theashville.co.uk

MOTORING

CAR REVIEW

SCANDI MODERN The new V90 isn’t quite the load hauler that Volvos once were, but it’s still amongst the classiest of estate cars. Best of all, perhaps, it’s not German – and not as high as a Transit van

By M AT T BI E L BY

V

olvo is very much on a roll at the moment, and the new V90 is a stylish and likeable car that appeals to head and heart both: head, as it’s spacious, economical, well-made, well-priced, and heaves with safety kit, and heart, in that its sleek, minimalist cabin is a masterclass in Scandinavian chic. Long before huge SUVs stole the hearts of well-heeled middle England, Volvo estates – often in mustard, usually with a golden retriever in the back – were the sensible family workhorse of choice, and the V90 makes a great case for swerving the now-standard 4x4 for something a little more traditional.

Back in the day, big Volvos were styled along the lines of a shoebox – basically, a big yellow rectangle – but the first thing you notice about the V90 is that this is a much sleeker beast, with a surprisingly low roofline and a sharply raked rear screen. It makes 86 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk 56 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

this car much sexier than Lovejoy’s old wardrobe-carrier, though it simultaneously robs it of the ultimate load hauling kudos that used to be Volvo’s birthright. Equivalent offerings from Audi, BMW and (especially) Mercedes actually beat it for volume, though they don’t necessarily have the Volvo’s low boot lip, usefully rectangular load space and touch-of-a-button folding rear seats: all actually more useful day-to-day than a few extra cubic litres. Still, that the V90 cedes supremacy here is a shame.

Beyond this, though, the big Volvo barely puts a wheel wrong.

SWEDE DREAMS

For a start there are the engines. Time was, such a big car would almost certainly have had a 3.0 litre V6 or similar, but Volvo has a commitment to much smaller 2.0 turbocharged four-cylinder options, which are surprisingly punchy as well as economical, with

CAR REVIEW

Cool ‘Thor’s hammer’ headlights, sleek lines and a clean Scandi interior make this big Volvo most pleasing inside and out

especially refined diesel variants. (By far the most popular options.) Indeed, only the smooth but occasionally dithery eight-speed automatic gearbox lets things down a little.

Though handling isn’t quite as engaging as you’d get with the likes of BMW, the Volvo is never less than relaxed and pleasant to drive, and comes so crammed with useful features and smart thinking that it seems on a constant low-key mission to impress. This is a supremely quiet cruiser, but with power when you need it: you get a composed ride most of the time, and there’s no wind noise (and little road noise either).

Inside, seats and leg space are excellent for four – even if the guys in front have their seats pushed back – and still pretty good with five, while visibility is top-notch everywhere except to the direct rear (don’t worry, reversing sensors are standard). An almost tablet-sized portrait infotainment screen makes controlling the car’s many functions reasonably intuitive, while the 560 litre boot is – like we say – big but not classleading, growing to 1,526 with the 60/40 split rear seats folded seamlessly flat. The airy interior is all soft curves, brilliant materials and just-so design: it’s like being inside a quality Scandinavian box set, but without all that messy killing.

Where the car makes an undeniable case for itself is in its generous equipment, great

build quality, and sense of restrained style, not to mention its endless safety features, from a standard emergency braking system designed to recognise large animals (plus people, cyclists, whatever you got) to a function that automatically steers you back into your motorway lane should you wander. Using it all, you initially get alarming moments where the car’s bells and whistles kick off over something close, but non-threatening, on crowded city streets, but after a few hours with it we could already feel the car turning us into safer, more careful drivers.

The last Volvo we tried – the excellent XC90 SUV, more expensive than the V90 but a genuine rival – shares many underpinnings with this car (as, of course, does the less iconic S90 saloon), and the fact that there’s a mildly jacked up 4x4 Cross Country version of the V90 also blurs the lines between the company’s various offerings.

This, though, might just be our everyday choice: good to drive, great to be in, handsomebut-understated, and quietly very clever indeed.

It’s not so much the automative equivalent of that overplayed term ‘hyyge’ – though it did leave us with warm and cosy feelings – so much as its newer, cooler cousin, ‘lagom’. That’s the Swedish term for ‘just right’.

More info: www.volvocarsbristol.co.uk

IT’S ALL SOFT CURVES, BRILLIANT MATERIALS AND JUST-SO DESIGN

AT A GLANCE Volvo V90 Prices: From £35,865 on the road, rising to well over £50k for the most expensive models loaded with options. Under the bonnet: Three (surprisingly small) 2.0-litre, four-cylinder options: the entry level two-wheel-drive D4 diesel (187bhp), the more potent four-wheel-drive D5 diesel (232bhp), and a rarer 320bhp T6 petrol for the Cross Country Pro models. All come with an 8-speed auto. Equipment specs: Entry level Momentum spec is pretty generous (you still get heated leather seats and an electric tailgate, for instance), but posher trim levels include the sporty R-Design and the luxury Inscription spec, both loaded with kit. Performance: Even the slowest version will do 140mph, and though the popular D5 doesn’t improve on that much, it will get to 60mph in a nippy 6.9 seconds. Theoretically, the D4 manages an impressive combined fuel economy figure of 62.8mpg (think more like 50mpg in real life usage). In a nutshell: A handsome, classy and well-priced alternative to premium German estate cars or the ubiquitous 4x4 SUV, and packed with original thinking and cool features. Dealer: City Motors, Castle Court, St Philips Causeway, Bristol BS4 3AX; 0117 332 2566; www.carcogroup.co.uk

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a d v e r tisi n g f e atu r e f i n a n c e

Personal tax planning Mark Pooley of Chartered Accountants, Hollingdale Pooley discusses how individuals and families can save tax in 2017/18.

T

he UK tax system provides reliefs and allowances to encourage you to spend or invest in certain ways.

Using those reliefs as they are intended is the fiscal equivalent of obeying the Highway Code.

If you divert from that code, by parking incorrectly, you would expect a penalty.

The tax system also imposes penalties to discourage bad behaviour.

Tax planning involves making best use of tax reliefs while at the same time avoiding penalties for careless or unacceptable behaviour.

Thresholds

You will be taxed at a higher rate of income tax if your income exceeds certain thresholds and you may also lose part or all of an allowance. Savings and dividend income are subject to special allowances and, in the case of dividends, taxed at different rates to other income.

Savings income

A basic rate payer has a saving allowance of £1,000 and you pay no tax on interest up to £1,000. This allowance is reduced to £500 if your income is over £45,000, and to nil if your income is over £150,000. If your total income, ignoring dividends, is less than £16,500, you also have a savings rate band of up to £5,000. You pay no tax due on interest falling within your savings rate band or savings allowance. Savings within an individual savings account (ISA) are tax free. The maximum investment into all ISAs is £20,000 per adult per year.

Spouses

Transferring investments and properties between married couples and civil partners generally does not create tax charges. Income earning assets can be transferred to use up a spouse’s personal allowance and basic rate band. Advice should be sought before this is done. Also, where both spouses pay tax at no more than 20%, one of them can claim to transfer up to £1,150 of unused personal allowance to the other, saving up to £230 in tax in 2017/18.

Pension planning

Making pension contributions can be very tax efficient, especially for higher rate and additional rate taxpayers. This is a complex area and advice should be sought from your accountant in respect of the tax efficiency of any contributions made, and independent financial advice should also be taken in respect of a significant pension investment.

BL

Contact either Mark Pooley FCA, or Tom Ogden CTA at our offices on 0117 9733377 or by e-mail at enquiries@ hollingdalepooley.co.uk if you need advice on tax planning.

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Shake-ups/launches/intel/promotions

B R IS TO L G E T S S ER I O US

MOTORING

NO, MR BOND . . . . . . we expect you to drive

W

hat does the young Sean Connery, posing oh-so-suavely in what he clearly knew would become an iconic shot, have to do with a recent event at a Cribbs Causeway car showroom?

Do we really need to fill in the gaps? It was all down to Bristol Film Festival and founder Owen Franklin’s inexhaustible predilection for matching classic movies to a site-appropriate setting: in this case, by screening OO7’s Goldfinger at Aston Martin’s showroom at Cribbs Causeway. Guests were served glass of champagne or a vodka martini on arrival, surrounded by Aston Martin’s current range, as well as a couple of special inclusions.

Of all the Bonds, Goldfinger was considered to be the best, containing all the elements of the formula that the franchise would revisit again and again; it arguably has more recognisable images than any other title in the series.

It was also, most relevantly here, the beginning of 007’s enduring relationship with Aston Martin. www.bristolfilmfestival.com

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE

“OUR RESIDENTS DO NOT LIVE IN OUR WORKPLACE, WE WORK IN THEIR HOME” Which mountain goes to Muhammad? See page 92

50% THE BIG NUMBER

The amount that leading provider of investment management and pension products Hargreaves Lansdown plans to grow its marketing team, creating 35 new jobs at the Bristol office www.hl.co.uk

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BUSINESS INSIDER

CARE HOMES

WORKING IN THEIR HOME The leadership at a St Monica Trust care home has been rated as ‘outstanding’ by Care Quality Commission inspectors. So who better to talk to about what to look for in a nursing care home?

Can you briefly introduce yourself, and explain what your job is?

My name is Wendy Leaman and I am the registered manager of John Wills House care home with nursing, which is located at the St Monica Trust’s, Westbury Fields retirement Community in Westbury-on-Trym.

How long have you been with the St Monica Trust?

I’ve been with the Trust for more than 20 years in a variety of roles. I joined the St Monica Trust after becoming a mum and started working on night duty for a couple of nights a week at the Trust’s founding, Cote Lane site. When John Wills House opened in 2003 I joined the team as a night sister before managing the night team and then the short term care unit the Beeches.

What’s the best part of your job?

There’s something very satisfying about running a service, both from the residents’ and staffs’ point of view. The Trust is very good in that it allows its care home managers to have their own vision and lead the service in a way they feel is best for our residents and staff. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to sit down and say this is my vision. The benefits of this approach are here for all to see at John Wills House.

The ‘outstanding’ St Monica Trust team

Can you tell us what services John Wills House provides?

We have a general needs nursing unit, a residential dementia unit and 40 beds providing short term care. We offer a number of different options among our short term care units, including providing rehab, re-ablement, palliative care and private beds which you can book up to a year in advance for a loved-one to stay.

OUR RESIDENTS DO NOT LIVE IN OUR WORKPLACE, WE WORK IN THEIR HOME Tell us about the motto on the wall in reception?

When we were redecorating John Wills House, we needed something that reflected our philosophy of creating a service which is built around the people who live here. Our starting point for the redecorating process was that this is our residents’ home, so they and their loved-ones were involved in telling us what they wanted it to look like. To sum this up, we felt the motto: “Our residents do not live in our workplace, we work in their home,” was perfect.

What’s the best testimonial you’ve ever heard from a resident or their family?

We had lots of great testimony in our recent CQC report, but the one thing that always

92 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

makes me smile is the resident that said: ‘Staff are proficient and efficient, even the young ones, I feel very at ease with them.’

The fact that our younger members of staff fully embody the qualities associated with John Will House and are noticed by residents is one of the nicest compliments you could get.

What advice would you give to someone looking for a nursing care home for a relative or loved one?

Often people visiting a care home for the first time become very focused on how the building looks. Although it may look wonderful it’s important to look beyond that. For me it’s the feeling you get as you walk around. The people you meet should smile and say “hello.” The residents should look happy. There should be laughter in the corridors, especially from the residents – and there should always be a feeling of calm. I’d advise any visitor to look around and see what everyone is doing. Ask how many staff are on duty? How many agency staff do you use? How many staff have worked here for a long time? We have quite a few members of staff who have been at John Wills House since it opened 14 years ago. I think it speaks volumes for an organisation like the St Monica Trust that it manages to retain so many of its staff.

Whether you’re planning for the future or your needs are more urgent, we’d be pleased to arrange a viewing at any of our care homes for you or a loved one. For more information call 0117 949 4735 or email Vicky.Thorne@stmonicatrust.org.uk

BUSINESS INSIDER

BREAKING NEWS

FAB FOUR What’s making the local business news right now?

WYLDE AT HEART Jeweller Nicholas Wylde has launched a campaign to find a model for his new brochure of jewellery. “We’re looking for a fabulous female to become our Queen of the Wylde for one year, appearing in photo

shoots for the new brochure and subsequent advertisements, wearing our jewellery,” says Nicholas. “It’s open to all jewellerylovers – you could be an aspiring model with a view to furthering this as a career, a stay-at-home mum, business owner, office worker or even a fire-fighter! The main criteria is a love of sparkly things and an element of showmanship, to be happy being photographed wearing our jewellery.

“You don’t need to have previous modelling experience to enter, and we are looking for entries from all age groups above 20.”

Head to the website to upload a photo and explain why you feel you should be Queen of the Wylde; you have until 30 June to enter.

RABBIT, RABBIT

After several months in the pipeline, Rainmaker Gallery’s new website has gone live.

“We have expanded the artists section, which will continue to grow as we welcome more artists to the fold,” says co-owner Jo Prince.

“In addition, it will now be possible to buy artworks under £500 directly from the website – look out for new works coming soon!”

Currently showing at the popular Coldharbour Road gallery until 31 May is We Are Native Women, an exhibition marking the 400th anniversary of the death of Pocahontas and celebrating all Native Women through a selection of powerful portraits by indigenous artists.

Sometimes, you see a new furniture design and know at once that it has potential to become a modern classic. The Qeeboo rabbit chair is being touted by some of the biggest heavyweights on the South West interiors scene as the hottest design piece of the season, and Bracey Interiors is the first in the South West to stock it.

“In the world of interiors, it isn’t often that you see a new design piece that gets everyone so excited,” says Alison Bracey. “The mission behind the design is to break from convention and convey a sense of romance and adventure in everyday objects, and there is no doubt that these playful chairs do exactly that. We are excited to be the first in the region to home these rabbits – they are one off, truly unique, and a genuine style-statement.”

Available in a range of colours and made for hardwearing polythene, the chairs are totally durable, making them ideal for indoor or outdoor use. Designed in large and small sizes, they are suited to both adults and children alike.

They’re even available as a light.

www.rainmakerart.co.uk

www.braceyinteriors.co.uk

www.nicholaswylde.wishpond.com/wyldequeen

BEYOND POCAHONTAS

ALWAYS WORK WITH CHILDREN AND ANIMALS . . .

Sixty Year 4 children from St. Anne’s CE Primary School in Oldland Common visited Wild Place to help bury a time capsule at the Giraffe House that Dribuild has been constructing over the last few months. The children have been learning about wild animals this term, and the teachers were delighted to be able to include some of their work such as paintings and pieces of writing in the

time capsule. Dribuild and Bristol Zoo also placed memory sticks, newspaper pages and Wild Place souvenirs inside.

Now nearing its completion, the Giraffe House will be home to three of the World’s tallest animals later this year. Dribuild has been on site for 14 weeks creating their spectacular new abode. www.wildplace.org.uk

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BUSINESS INSIDER

PERSONAL STYLIST

STYLED BY LUCY After having children, Lucy Eastment restyled her career path to become a personal stylist offering wardrobe consultations, colour analysis and oneto-one shopping support Tell us a little about yourself and your work...

I’m a personal stylist based in Bristol and run my own business, Styled

By Lucy. I offer simple solutions for everyday style problems and aim to inspire my clients to look good and feel good, even when juggling family, work and social life. As well as one to one bespoke personal styling, I work with businesses for group workshops, photo shoot styling, guest blog posts, business styling and events like Bristol Fashion Week.

staff are friendly and helpful. Where I take my clients personal shopping really depends on their budget and style. After a wardrobe consultation my clients usually have bags of clothes and accessories to sell on or take to the charity shops. I recommend Village Green Boutique in Clifton Village for buying and selling preloved designer and high end high street items. I find listing items online and packaging and posting such a faff so having somewhere local to sell for you suits me.

What inspired your career choice?

I was often asked by friends, colleagues and even strangers in the street about my style and where I bought my clothes, so when I returned to work after maternity leave, I decided if I was going to be away from my gorgeous babies, I wanted to be doing a job I loved with hours that suited family life, so I trained with then Style Me Training Academy in London before launching Styled By Lucy in September 2016.

How important is social media to your business, and which platform do you find to be the most effective?

Social media has been hugely important in these first stages of building my business. I’ve found that clients look at my website for details on my services and prices, but they then check Facebook and Instagram to find out more about me. Instagram has been the most effective –I use it for style inspiration and to show my shopping finds but I’ve also connected with other stylists and other boss mummas who I’ve found a great support and motivation.

What is the first thing you do on meeting a client?

I offer a free 30 minute consultation so often I will first meet a new client for coffee and a chat or over the phone to discuss my services and how I can meet their requirements. I work with men and women of all ages, lifestyles, size and shapes. Last month in one week my clients varied from a professional rugby player, a stay at home mum and a mother of the bride.

Tell us a bit about the different kinds of advice you offer. Which is the most popular?

Many of my clients are keen to learn about their body shape, how to dress to flatter their figures and to find out their most suitable colour palette - and all are thrilled to see what a difference it can make. The main services that I offer are one-to-one personal styling, colour analysis, wardrobe consultation and personal shopping. Getting a group together for a style session is also a fun alternative to a night out, and I have recently been busy with style parties.

What do your charge for these services?

Full details of my services, what they involve and prices are on my website. I charge £60 for a colour analysis, which includes a colour swatch, wardrobe consultations and personal shopping. However services can often vary depending on the client’s requirements and can be charged on an hourly rate.

Which independent Bristol shops do you love? Personally I love Fox and Feather on Gloucester Road. I fall in love with a new piece every time I go in there. They have a great selection of menswear too and the

Who built your website?

My talented friend Jamie Roxburgh designed my logo and graphics as well as building my website.

How do you balance work and motherhood – what have you learned that you can pass on?

It’s a constant juggling act! Great childcare is the key so you don’t have quite as much mothers guilt when you know they are well looked after and having a fab time without you. My son is now school age and my daughter attends an amazing preschool but I am also very lucky to have their incredible grandparents around the corner.

Are you good at switching off the emails at weekends?

Emails yes, but social media no, although I am getting better!

What are the most common style mistakes you come across?

So many of my clients who are stuck in a style rut, actually have some amazing clothes in their wardrobe. People get so used to pulling on the same safe jumper and jeans and then panic buy if they have an event or a night out thinking they have nothing to wear which is when they make poor style choices. I recommend that everyone shops their own wardrobes first. Look at every item like it is new and experiment with what you can style it with. @styled_by_lucy and Facebook is Styled By Lucy

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 95

a d vertisin g feat u re P R O P E R T Y

View from one of the roof terraces at Royal View

SEEING BATH FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE Bath-bound househunters will be able to experience stunning views of the World Heritage City like never before with the unveiling of the upper floors of Royal View, the latest phase at CREST NICHOLSON’S Bath Riverside.

S

ituated in an exclusive and enviable location on the banks of the River Avon, the aspect afforded by the stunning selection of one and two-bedroom apartments and twobedroom, top-floor penthouses quite literally takes your breath away.

Those wanting to be part of this unique and iconic new building are now being advised to contact the sales team to book an appointment so they can see for themselves the views from the top of what has already become a major talking point with the city’s househunters.

Whether it’s from the comfort of their lounge, or enjoying the sun from the privacy of their balcony or roof terrace, owners will be able to see the Royal Crescent, Victoria Park, the city centre and surrounding countryside with a completely new outlook.

Being so close to the city centre, owners will also see Bath’s skyline like never before, while the comings and goings of people enjoying the River Avon which attracts a wealth of leisure cruisers, narrowboat enthusiasts and canoeists is always a relaxing way to spend your time.

Christine Hamilton, sales advisor at Crest Nicholson, said: “Looking out across the rooftops of Bath from the upper floors of Royal View makes it feel like you are right in the heart of the city and lets you see its historic splendour from a different perspective.

“We all know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the only way househunters will

be able to appreciate fully these magnificent views is by getting in touch as soon as possible. We are now making appointments to take people into the building to see the views for themselves.

“To help prospective buyers visualise what they can expect we now have a show apartment in the marketing suite which provides a fantastic idea of what the interiors will be like.

“Those who want to be part of this iconic new building need to act now, so they don’t miss out on what is a significant addition to the Bath city scene.” BL

Viewing is by appointment only. To arrange a visit please contact the sales and marketing team on 01225 979021 or visit www.bathriverside.co.uk The marketing suite on Victoria Bridge Road is open daily from 10am to 5pm.

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

Bristol & Clifton's premier Commercial Property Agents Keep up-to-date with our latest news, deals, testimonials and market comment at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk

(0117) 934 9977

EDEN LODGE STUDIOS

TRIANGLE WEST

❖ Superb modern offices

*Due to relocation*

❖E asy access to Clifton & M5 motorway

❖O ne of the best ‘agency’ locations in BS8

❖ 2,777 sq ft

❖ 975 sq ft A2 office to let

❖ Generous parking

OLD POLICE STATION

TO LET – 10 TEMPLEBACK

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KINGSWOOD, HIGH STREET

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3 WESTBURY MEWS, WESTBURY ON TRYM

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COTHAM HILL – A3

BEDMINSTER WORKSHOP TO LET

❖ A3 restaurant busy pitch in ❖V established location ❖ New lease ❖ Rent o/a

Julian Cook FRICS

Jayne Rixon MRICS

Charlie Kershaw MRICS

Finola Ingham MRICS

❖ Full B2 industrial use

❖ 3,061 sq ft

❖ Suit other commercial use

❖ New flexible lease

Tom Coyte BA Hons

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PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

108 112 II BRISTOL CLIFTON LIFE LIFE II www.mediaclash.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk

SHOWCASE

PROPERTY

PRIORY CONVICTION Gothic arches, Greek caryatids, Egyptian sphinxes: the original builder of St Vincent’s Priory clearly wanted it all – and with a Sion Hill location like that, who could have denied him anything?

By L I SA WA R R E N

www.mediaclash.co.uk II CLIFTON BRISTOL LIFE LIFE II 109 www.mediaclash.co.uk 113

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

A

nyone who has read Helen Dunmore’s excellent new novel Birdcage Walk will have been imbued with a lasting fascination for Clifton’s Georgian building trade. The investments, ambitions and vision that led to the creation of a village clinging to the steep sides of the Gorge; the entrepreneurs who were scuppered by the financial downturn following the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars; read it, and you’ll never walk the streets of Clifton again without the faint company of ghosts.

We’re assuming that the main terrace in the story was based on Royal York Crescent, but an equally prestigious row is Sion Hill, which arguably has even more going for it than its neighbour’s snow-white stucco curves. As far west as it’s possible to get without actually crossing the Suspension Bridge, it’s mere streets away from the heart of the Village, yet quietly set on its fringes.

Here you’ll find St Vincent’s Priory – a Grade-II Regency town house with more than a touch of the Gothic Revival, that dates back to the late 1820s, with the kind of views you’d expect from a home in this location.

In the spacious rooms spread over five floors, you’ll find ample decorative details from its elegant past, including the extraordinary bays, friezes and fireplaces. The interior could stand a gentle programme of refreshing, but it’s a comfortable and adaptable space with gorgeous proportions, with a separate annexe, with all the potential bonuses this suggests: a source of income, perhaps, or an office.

110 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

That’s not just a window, it’s a frame, for the best view in the city.

Also, loving that Gothic lettering over the portal . . .

HOUSE NUMBERS

1829

approx build date

5

storeys

£1.5M guide price

3-4

bedrooms

2

receptions

You’d be forgiven for lingering over the front facade, with its ornate pilasters and caryatid figurines topping the bays. The name of the house is inscribed in Gothic script over the portal, and there are two 18th-century sphinxes on the parapet. Nothing succeeds like excess, you can almost hear its original architect murmuring.

In classic Georgian style, the grandest room is at the front of the first floor, where the drawing room’s bay commands views over the Suspension Bridge. The tall windows have working shutters, there’s a plaster frieze with Grecian figurines, and a fireplace matching the one in the dining room. This latter occupies the front of the ground floor, where there are further friezes and Grecian figurines. Next to the dining room is a John Lewis of Hungerford kitchen; a roll-call of the remaining rooms include a study, three to four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a utility room.

The master bedroom is rather special; as well as an en-suite shower room there’s another curved bay, with a door opening on to an iron-railed balcony.

The lower-ground-floor flat is fitted out with a separate kitchen and bathroom, as well as a bedroom/sitting room; also on this level is the utility room, and access to the small and intimate courtyard.

The finishing glory of this distinctive home is the town garden, which is sunny and south-facing; decked out with water features, it’s been cleverly planted to provide perfume and year-round colour.

Savills Clifton, 20 The Mall, Clifton Village, Bristol BS8 4DR 0117 933 5800; www.savills.co.uk

BRISTOL LIVES

Q&A

I

‘‘

’ve been at Bristol Old Vic for two years now, and it’s been bloody brilliant,” says George. “I’ve learnt absolutely loads. I’ve worked on The Crucible with Tom Morris, Sleeping Beauty with Sally Cookson, and co-directed Pink Mist with John Retallack; I’ve had the chance to explore working in a way that I didn’t really with my own company, Theatre Ad Infinitum.

“I’ve tried to implement some of the learning into what I’m doing now, in the rehearsal room for Medea – it’s a really exciting, challenging piece.

It’s just been so brilliant working here – a lot of hard work, but really cool.”

What inspired your career in theatre?

It was a mix of things, really, from going to see amateur theatre when I was 10 – I just loved it so much. I loved the community element of it; it felt like a big sense of family in a room of people you don’t really know that well. There’s something very human and special about that.

What was it like to make the leap from the fringe to one of the world’s most venerable theatres?

It wasn’t as big a leap as I thought it was going to be; partly because we work internationally at Ad Infinitum, and funnily enough in other countries where you’re a foreign novelty you get put on big stages. Sometimes, in this country, you have this weird thing where you’re told, “oh no, this is definitely a small-scale show”, then you go to another country, and suddenly you’re on a huge stage – it’s a bit like, ‘woah!’.

But I had a lot to learn, and I learnt it. Pink Mist being performed in Bristol Old Vic was a happy accident – it was meant to be a small studio piece, but it kept upping in size and in audience.

I’ve learnt a lot from the producing department about what it takes to put a show on the main stage. About the reality of what it means to make this space commercially viable, and keep the building open. If we don’t meet certain objectives, then the building closes; I have to consider more than just what I would love to do.

How would you describe the Bristol audience? (Go on, George, flatter us) Bristol audiences are among the most generous, warm and open audiences in the UK. They really want to have a great time. You get a very real sense of community here; the feeling you have living, working and performing here in Bristol is so special.

114 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

GEORGE MANN George is currently Associate Director at Bristol Old Vic, courtesy of the Quercus Trust, which aims to propel talented fringe theatremakers into the mainstream. His new production of Medea, a contemporary, feminist take on the Greek myth, has been gathering universally rave reviews – so take your daughters . . .

What drew you to Medea?

I love working with a chorus, and that drew me immediately to the Greek texts – I ended up with Medea. What really stuck with me when I read it was that I didn’t see a monster or a psychopath, I saw a super-heroine. I saw a woman who fought for what she believed was justice, and her rights – maybe she went a bit too far – but it’s a myth.

The question then becomes, what do we draw from this myth? Why do Greek male heroes get away with doing so much that’s wrong? Take Odysseus for example; everybody loves him; but on his journey home, he raped and pillaged an entire island and was unfaithful to his wife, yet no one complains about that. Ancient Greek society was dominated by men, and it framed everything in a patriarchal way. We do it in modern society too, and it’s dangerous – it constantly oppresses the female, among other minority groups.

I felt that if you were to reframe Medea, maybe we could see something else in this myth. I thought it would be a good idea to create a new story [by Chino Odimba] that, rather than replacing the play, weaves in and out of the ancient text to give us a different perspective.

Does the tale have a personal resonance?

My parents divorced when I was 11. My mother had to fight a seven-year custody battle to get custody of me and my brother – fight to get a roof over her head, to get justice, and just enough money to survive. Watching her, I learnt, even

as an 11-year-old that as a woman she was at a disadvantage. To read Medea, and to see this horrible divorce situation, I totally relate to that.

Tell us about one standout moment at BOV Pink Mist press night.

How would you describe working with Tom Morris in five words?

Generous, supportive, giving, understanding, patient Where do you live, and what’s great about it?

I live in St George; where I live is really quiet, so I love it. The high street is lovely – it’s really starting to come to life.

Favourite restaurant and watering hole?

I live in Spicer+Cole off Queen Square at the moment – such good coffee, and the staff are so nice. No12 in Easton is really good for breakfast.

What’s your most regrettable habit?

Doubting myself.

And a secret talent?

I can write songs and play the guitar. Not a secret. anymore!

Medea plays at Bristol Old Vic until 27 May www.bristololdvic.org.uk

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