Bristol Life - Issue 232

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property

ISSUE 232 / AUGUST 2017 / THE ONLY WAY IS UPFEST

LOOK UP! A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE CITY

SPRAY FOR BS3: THE URBAN ART FEST'S BACK ...

SOME LIKE IT HOTWELLS HOUSE SHIZZLE IN DOWRY SQUARE

ISSUE 232 / AUGUST 2017 / £3

LOOKS FAMILIAR?

BRISTOL’S FAMOUS 50

PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST

THE HIGH-DEF WORLD OF JODY THOMAS

SIMPLY REDLAND FROM CHANDOS TO COTHAM

EDITOR’S LETTER / ISSUE 232 / AUGUST 2017

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THE ONLY WAY IS UP This year’s Urban Art fest – coming to a wall near you over the last weekend in July

Notorious In March 1989, in the police bust known as Operation Anderson, the homes of 72 suspected graffiti writers across the West Country were raided.

Unsurprisingly, some of the most infamous artists were in Bristol.

Times change, along with attitudes. Twenty-eight years later, in a glamorous marquee on Harbourside, a panel of judges drawn from the most respected sectors of society presented the Bristol Life Best Event Award to Upfest, the annual street-art shindig that sees hundreds of walls in BS3 transformed by everything from rootsy graf to high-def photorealism. On page 28 we take a brief look at the evolution of street art, discover who we should look out for at this year’s fest, and chat to top Bristol artist Jody Thomas.

Also in this issue, for no good reason other than we thought you might enjoy it – who doesn’t like a list thing? – we’ve identified the 50 most famous Bristol faces alive today.

OK, you can all get back to your Bristol summer now.

Deri Robins, editor Twitter @BristolLifeMag Instagram:@bristollifemag

REGULARS / ISSUE 232 / AUGUST 2017

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SPOTLIGHT 9 News and views Luke Jerram (again) and Don Cameron (it’s that time of year)

THE ARTS 13 Famous 50 Our ever-so slightly subjective list of Bristol’s most famous faces

23 Art page Upfest’s art lasts 12 months, but photos of street art are forever

24 What’s on

M EET T H E T EAM Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors: Rachel Ifans, Seb Barrett, Lauren Ellis, Josh Eggleton 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 Production and distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager and production designer Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk

High summer in the city

28 Upfest A look back at the culture and the pick of this year’s fest

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

34 One to one Up on the cherrypicker with Bristol artist Jody

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

SHOPPING 38 Ed’s choice

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

The heat is on. Maybe

40 Street life Simply Redland: from Chandos Road to Cotham Hill

FOOD 46 Restaurant Speaking of Redland, we dine at Wilsons

49 Josh Eggleton An update from the food world from one who knows it best

A MAN’S WORLD

SNAPPED

70 Kitchens

53 Business and pleasure

Top tips for the heart of the home

Two Bristol Life business club lunches in one issue? You’re spoiling us, ambassador!

74 Property showcase

BUSINESS

THE BACK PAGE

55 Business Insider

82 Bristol lives

Pros at sport and other ventures

51 Seb Barrett

PROPERT Y

Game, set, match, and sundry other tennis puns

65 Real homes Ever wondered what the Dig Haushizzle duo’s home looked like?

What’s in a name?

The accidental entrepreneur

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 Jody’s giant hand dominates this stride-by, though if you look closely at the bottom right you can see a piece by Pahnl – this year’s Upfest Festival Artists. Piece on left by Dr Love. Photo by D7606

Spot the new balloon

PUBLIC ART

PLAY TIME As confidently (OK, optimistically) predicted by this journal back in March, the return of Play Me, I’m Yours – Luke Jerram’s installation of decorated street pianos placed around the city – has now been confirmed.

It’s the first time that the project has been funded through the sponsorship of individual pianos; Arts Council England match-funded the project, after £20,000 was raised via a crowd-funder, as part of a national scheme to encourage wider funding of the arts.

Locations will include the ss Great Britain, the Tobacco Factory, At-Bristol, Paintworks, St Nick’s Market, Wapping Wharf, Cribbs Causeway and the Bearpit; more will definitely follow.

The trail is due to run from 17 August – 7 September, so there’s plenty of time to brush up on your Chopsticks.

For more: www.streetpianos.com

EVENTS

HIGH ENERGY Historic scenes on College Green on 10 July, as the Bristol Belle, Europe’s first modern hot-air balloon, celebrated 50 years in the flying biz.

The Belle was developed by the members of the Bristol Gliding Club, including Don Cameron, the founder of Cameron’s Balloons and Bristol’s Balloon Fiesta. And while it’s safe to say she’s unlikely to take off ever again, she was sufficiently patched up to

manage a tethered inflation for an hour.

And her shiny silver neighbour? Why, that’ll be the Bristol Energy balloon, also made by Cameron – the first balloon in the world to be powered by the sun.

The balloon first flew in 2015 as part of the UK’s first European Green Capital; and if the idea of relying on sunshine in Bristol strikes you as being a tad alarming, note that it’s a hybrid – ie it comes with propane

burners, in case – god forbid – the sun fails to get its hat on, or becomes blocked mid-flight by another balloon – as happened at the 2015 Fiesta, when Stuart the Minion came between it and the sun. Oh Stuart . . .

Bristol Energy are offering three couples a chance to fly in the solar balloon during this year’s Fiesta – enter via the website: www.bristol-energy.co.uk

SPOTLIGHT

SAIL ON It’s time for Bristol Harbourfest 2017! In honour of the city’s biggest annual event, we doff a nautical hat to some of the best boat photos we’ve seen on instagram

@sjtanton

@jongodfreyphotos

@almostgingr

@richimal_bristol

@carolyn.eaton

@sichan.he

@I_bzn

@kris.avery

@gertie.photography

@bristolpictures

@thehistoryb0yphotography

@neiljamesb

@bristolpictures

@bristol_lens

@piccypeds

@mr.olly

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BRISTOL HEROES

BRISTOL’S

FAMOUS 50 Banksy. Wallace and Gromit. Those Skins kids, the Casualty medics – they’ve all helped to put Bristol on the map. And that’s even before you get started on the Bristol dead . . . w

By DE R I ROBI NS

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ummer’s famously the silly season for the national press. With half the country holidaying abroad and the rest sitting in a field chanting ‘Oh, Jeremy Corbyn’, news-starved editors rush to fill their columns any which-way they can.

In solidarity, we haven’t gone silly, precisely – but we have gone a bit frivolous.

Just for the craic, we’ve drawn up a list of the most famous faces to have come out of Bristol. Some were born and bred here, and to this day are rarely spotted east of Keynsham; some left the city in their youth, or when they achieved stardom.

Others have moved to Bristol and made it their permanent home. The only essential criteria for the list was that they should still be alive in 2017.

It’s not a comprehensive list; how could it ever be? It may even be a bit subjective. We’ve even cheated a bit, and lumped groups together. So shoot us. It still has to be better than 700 words on killer chipmunks, crop circles or Somerset’s best groomed otters.

FILM, THEATRE AND TV

Along with music, film and TV is the most accessible global franchise, so let’s kick off with some of the faces who have put Bristol on the international map.

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MAISIE WILLIAMS Ah, Maisie. This Bristol-born actor uses her very considerable fame for good, endlessly campaigning for animal rights, feminism and anti-bullying. When she’s not playing vengeful assasin Arya Stark in Game of Thrones, this 20-year-old has appeared in carefully chosen indie films. She’s a fabulous role model, she instagrams pics of her pet tortoise Barney, and we can hardly bear how adorable she is.

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HANNAH MURRAY Sweetly vulnerable as Cassie Ainsworth in the first (and best) two seasons of Skins, Hannah’s become even more famous as wildling Gilly in Game of Thrones. Hannah studied for an English degree at Cambridge, in case the acting thing didn’t work out; an unnecessary precaution, it would seem.

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TRISTAN STURROCK Don’t be fooled by those whiskers and baggy miner’s garb; Poldark’s Zacky Martin is no less buff than Ross himself, as anyone who’s ever seen him dangling from a crucifix in Tom Morris’s Messiah or swinging on a rope as the eponymous hero in Kneehigh’s Tristan & Yseult, will attest.

A Bristol-based family man, he prefers TV to touring these days, but we hope to see him back on the Bristol Old Vic stage before too long.

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PAUL MCGANN Often spotted at the bar during Bristol Old Vic press nights. Paul’s career has never quite eclipsed his performance as ‘I’ in cult movie Withnail and I; each autumn he has to brace himself, as a fresh intake of University students spots him for the first time on Park Street.

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TOM HOLLANDER In an industry that favours tall leading men, it was perhaps inevitable that 5ft 5in Tom Hollander would become best-known as a character actor. A kind of Ian Holm for the current generation, he starred as the eponymous Rev in the highly rated BBC2 sitcom – but we like him best when he’s playing it dark and sardonic, as he did in The Night Manager and Taboo.

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TIMOTHY WEST This revered thesp may have made his name in classical theatre, but he’s not above taking guest roles in TV soaps – he’s done stints in both Corrie and Stenders. Last year his King Lear was one of the many standouts in Bristol Old Vic’s 250th birthday celebrations.

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JULIAN GLOVER Yet another Bristol-born Game of Throneser, Julian’s recently been lavished with five-star reviews for his Julius Caesar at Bristol Old Vic.

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5 WILD, WILD WESTEROS

With the almost unbearable excitement of Season Seven now upon us, here are FIVE Bristol Game of Thrones connections: Maisie Williams Arya Stark Hannah Murray Gilly Julian Glover Grand Maester Pycelle Jacob Anderson Grey Worm Joe Dempsie Gendry (OK, Joe’s not from Bristol, but his character Chris was most people’s favourite from the first two series of Skins. By the way – what has happened to Gendry??)

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DAVID PROWSE Dispensing advice as the The Green Cross Code man, David helped to save countless lives. That was before he went over to the dark side; he became even better-known for playing Darth Vader in Star Wars.

TOM MORRIS The charismatic artistic director of Bristol Old Vic was awarded an OBE last year for services to theatre, perhaps most famously for War Horse at The National. During his eightyear tenure at BOV he’s either directed or programmed everything from classic drama such as Lear and The Crucible to critically acclaimed new productions Pink Mist, Jane Eyre and The Grinning Man.

CAROL VORDERMAN Vorders is often patronisingly described as a ‘beauty with brains’, as if such qualities are mutually exclusive. She’s an engineer with a degree from Cambridge whose mathematical skills led to her most famous role as a co-host on Countdown. We wouldn’t dream of mentioning that she was also winner of Rear of the Year. Twice.

DERREN BROWN Derren studied law at Bristol Uni, but got sidetracked when he attended a hypnotist’s show; he soon began performing close-up magic in bars and restaurants all over Bristol, with his very first public show being at the Tobacco Factory.

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EMMA RICE The former joint artistic director of Kneehigh Theatre has given us more unforgettable nights in the theatre (and brilliant interviews) than we can count. After a season as AD at The Globe, Emma’s back in Bristol and will be directing the Bristol Old Vic’s Christmas show this year. Can’t wait, Emma.

FEET OF CLAY

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THE AARDMAN GANG

Directors Peter Lord, David Sproxton and Nick Park are almost as well-known as their clay creations – but not quite. So let’s hear it for Bristol’s clay superstars: Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, and the little guy who kicked the whole thing off – Morph. w

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CLASS ACTS Not only did Timothy West, Julian Glover and David Prowse all attend Bristol Grammar school – they were in the SAME CLASS.

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FUNNY GUYS

Comedy is a very odd pursuit — it’s the only job in which if you mess up, people don’t laugh. Bristol has produced some titans of the humour game, from Avonmouth’s now-retired Norman Wisdom tribute act Lee Evans to the much-missed John Fortune.

Those still very much in the funny-bone-tickling biz include:

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MARK WATSON The daily challenge of being a human being is a mainstay of this Henleaze boy’s act, in which he examines all his flaws and foibles (well, maybe not all). In between touring and broadcasting, Mark has found time to write six novels and host the inaugural Bristol Life Awards –a career highlight, we’re pretty sure.

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RUSSELL HOWARD Best-known for TV show Russell Howard’s Good News and his appearances on Mock the Week, handsome Russell’s also a decent footballer, having turned out for Basingstoke Town FC before turning to comedy. Despite being from Bristol he’s a Liverpool fan. Boo, etc.

BRISTOL DEAD

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STEPHEN MERCHANT We only have to hear his Hanham accent to start smiling. Stephen admits that, at 6ft 7ins, he’s probably too tall; that said, he’s been most people’s height at some point in his life, and reckons that 6ft 4ins is the best. We hope that his rather unexpected appearance in the Marvel universe this year, playing Caliban in Logan, earns him better luck with the ladies than he claims to have had so far; see panel, right.

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JOHN CLEESE Born in Weston-super-Mare, the former Python and Fawlty Towers proprietor is often asked the tedious question, “Where do your ideas come from?” “I get mine from a retired colonel in Hampshire, and he gets them from a lady who runs a post office in north Devon. Where she gets them from I haven’t the faintest idea,” he responded on one occasion.

The most hands-down famous Bristolian of all time began life in Horfield with the unpromising name of Archie Leach.

Archie worked behind the scenes at the Hippodrome before travelling to America with a travelling showman and his troupe. He was spotted

by Hollywood, changed his name to Cary Grant, starred in some of the greatest movies ever made and became an international byword for suavity and style. Surprisingly, it wasn’t until 2014 that a bunch of enthusiasts launched a festival to Bristol’s most famous son; Cary Comes Home For the Weekend is now biannual, and will be back for 2018.

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Three things that Stephen Merchant said about dating:

“Things don’t get better when you become well known or go on TV. I’m just being rejected by a better class of women.”

“I have experienced bad dating and ineptitude with women all across the globe, from Vietnam to Paris” “I was trying for years to woo people through humour, but it seems flash cars are much easier.”

Five more Bristolians who are gone but not forgotten: Derek Serpell-Morris – aka DJ Derek, hugely respected DJ and Bristol icon.

Tony Benn – the former Honourable Member for Bristol South East.

Thomas Chatterton – “The marvellous boy” – Romantic poet, killed himself at 17. His former home on Redcliffe Way is now, rather incongruously, a café.

Bob Hope – the ultimate allAmerican entertainer was actually the son of a stonemason from Weston-super- Mare; he spent his early life in St George.

Sir Michael Redgrave – one of the great English acting knights, and head of a family whose scions include Vanessa, Corin, Lynn and Jemma Redgrave, and Joely and Natasha Richardson.

A Clifton College boy; the school named its theatre in his honour.

BRISTOL HEROES WRITERS

ART

What do JK Rowling, Helen Dunmore and Julie Burchill have in common? Not a lot, style-wise – but they were either born or came to live in Bristol…

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JK ROWLING Joanne Rowling was born in Yate, moved to Winterbourne at the age of four, and is undeniably the greatest Bristolian since Brunel. Her Harry Potter books turned a whole generation of kids onto reading; despite her vast fame she makes as much time as possible for young fans on Twitter. She’s also the first billionaire in history to give so much of her money away that she’s not a billionaire anymore.

Bristol’s one of the street art capitals of the world, so it’s unsurprising that so many of its famous creatives have emerged from that scene. Today, many of them now make a very nice living from prints and art galleries, which is just as well, as they’re probably a bit too old to flee from police in underpasses.

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HELEN DUNMORE Very sadly, this most subtle and sensitive of novelists and poets died this June, soon after the publication of her last novel Birdcage Walk. Yes, that Birdcage Walk; the book’s set in 18th-century Clifton. Famously generous to other writers, Helen set up a Bristol poetry group, worked for the Society of Authors and was a trustee of the Royal Literary Fund.

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£111,000,000 In 2008 Damien Hirst shattered the world record for an auction sale dedicated to a single artist, with his two-day Sotheby’s extravaganza making more than £111 million.

er and y Pott one r r a H s that rejected; her f time s ber o Stone wa “not to quit ly m u n s ’s The cerer o Rowling she famou fés r o S the ld J um, ovel in ca to m r e le h publis b.” A sing s of the n g for once day jo rge chunk pt – provin ury bird t la sb le wrote her baby s osh Bloom r claim tha e while r all that p wrong in h fiction she and fo oolf was an to write r own he ia W om ir V gin er for a w a room of to d y r e … o n e “In mo hav must d enough rself ”. e an h rt suppo

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INKIE Possibly the second best-known Bristol street artist after Banksy, Tom Bingle’s Ink Nouveau style – a little bit Mucha, a little bit William Morris, a little bit punk – is unmistakeable. Ink may be successful and in demand, but as all gallery owners know to their cost, the little tinker can be just as elusive as he was in the Andersen raids days.

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JULIE BURCHILL From the sublime to Julie Burchill.

If Marmite was a journalist, it would be this Brislington Comp girl who abandoned her A Levels in favour of a job at NME, having applied to an advert seeking “hip young gunslingers” to write about the new punk scene.

Never less than controversial, Julie describes her career as “the writing equivalent of screaming and throwing things”.

BANSKY Let’s get this out of the way. If you know who he is (and naturally, everyone else in this section of the list does) then you’re not telling. Next!

DAMIEN HIRST Born in Bristol, Damien Hirst would become synonymous with the YBA (Young British Artist) movement. Damien’s mother, Mrs Brennan, wasn’t too fond of her son’s rebellious streak. On one occasion she heated one of his Sex Pistols vinyl records on the cooker and turned it into a fruit bowl. w

85 In Channel 4’s 2003 poll of 100 Worst Britons, Julie Burchill was ranked at number 85.

Three Bristol Old Vic Theatre School graduates who have played Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond movies:

Samantha Bond Naomie Harris Caroline Bliss

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PORTISHEAD

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Geoff Barrow named his band after his home town in a spirit of irony rather than nostalgia.

“It’s a place you go to die,” he said. Obviously, that was before Portishead’s new 21st-century reinvention. Don’t write in, Portisheaders.

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MUSIC

Although Bristol gave birth to the occasional big name in the 20th century, there was no internationally-recognised Bristol music scene until the roots tradition of dub/reggae climbed out of the clubs and evolved into the accessible Trip-Hop of the 1990s, most notably in the hands of Massive Attack, Tricky and Portishead. Bristol had found its sound…

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PORTISHEAD Formed in Bristol in 1991, Portishead – Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons and Adrian Utley – created one of the major soundtracks of the era.

Those yuppie lawyers in TV series This Life never had Dummy off the turntable.

BANANARAMA Together with Dublin’s Siobhan Fahey, Bristol’s Sara Dullin and Keren Woodward gave us some of the most hummable pop tunes of the 1980s. Rejoice, all ye who danced around to Robert de Niro, Cruel Summer and Really Saying Something – Bananarama have recently reformed, and will be touring from November this year, with a Colston Hall date on 22 November.

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MASSIVE ATTACK There was so much love for Grant Marshall and Robert del Naja on the Downs last year, when Bristol’s most famous musical sons played their first home gig in 12 years. Rob, aka 3D, also hits the news every now and again when somebody ‘proves’ or ‘lets slip’ that he’s Bansky.

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COKE HEADS

What links a pair of Fishponds-born songwriters with the final scene of Mad Men? Roger Cook & Roger Greenaway, aka David & Jonathan, wrote and recorded a number of hit pop tunes (as we called them in the 1970s).

They also penned the hippie-tastic I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing, later harnessed by Coke in one of the most famous ad jingles of all time. Was this on Don’s mind as he sat mediating in a field in the final scene of the final season? Oh, we do hope so.

ANDY SHEPPARD One of the best-know sax players around, Andy’s in demand worldwide, but his Quartet frequently plays locally at venues such as St George’s and Alma Tavern.

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NIK KERSHAW “Wasn’t he the one in the Levis ad?” an intern just asked. Wash your mouth out with soap, young person! Nik may have been as handsome as laundromat-botherer Nick Kamen, but this rated Bristol-born singer-songwriter was so much more than a pretty face; he was called “the best songwriter of a generation” by Elton John, who should know. We’re now humming The Riddle . . .

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TRICKY Knowle West’s most famous son (his Twitter handle is @KnowleWestboy), Adrian Thaws began his career with Massive, but went on to collaborate with musicians across many genres, from Bjork to Terry Hall to Grace Jones.

He gigged twice in Bristol last year; at BBC6 Festival at Colston Hall, and guesting with 3D and Daddy G on The Downs.

RALEIGH RITCHIE Rejoicing in the birth name of Jacob Basil Anderson, this Bristol boy is rapidly making a name for himself under the name of Raleigh Ritchie; his album You’re a Man Now, Boy has been critically acclaimed, and Bristol crowds go mad for his gigs. He’s even better-known internationally as the Unsullied leader Grey Worm in Game of Thrones.

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GEORGE EZRA “Bristol, I’m coming home to play Summer Series this June!” tweeted George in 2014. The most attractive and likeable of the current generation of troubadours, George moved to Bristol in 2011 to study at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute; from playing open mics on the Glo Road to Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage was the work of but a few years. He looks like a teen idol and sings like a venerable blues singer smoking 30 a day.

In the early 1960s, George Melly reflected that Britain’s only international cultural export was “a cider-drinking, belching, West Country contemporary, dressed as an Edwardian musichall ‘Lion Comique’.” He was referring to Acker Bilk, who with Stranger on the Shore, became the second British artist to score a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

BRISTOL HEROES FOOD HEROES

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It’s a truism that the Bristol food scene is the best outside London, and that’s down to a wide range of chefs, growers and restaurateurs. Picking just a handful feels a bit invidious, and we just hope all the heroes that we haven’t managed to shoehorn into this feature don’t spit in our soup.

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PETER SANCHEZ IGLESIAS Peter and his brother Jonray first attracted national attention for their innovative culinary genius at Westbury on Trym’s Michelinstarred Casamia. It’s been a bittersweet few years for the family; Jonray died tragically young from cancer in 2015, but building on the brothers’ work, Pete has taken Casamia to new awardwinning heights, transposing it to chic new premises at The General, and opening pizzeria Pi Shop and superior tapas bar Paco’s right next door. We can’t even begin to list the national awards they’ve won, and there wasn’t a raised eyebrow in the house when they were awarded the first Bristol Life Award for best restaurant.

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THE PIEMINISTER BOYS Pieminister are another of our favourite local success stories, and another Bristol Life Award winner. The genial Jon Simon and Tristan Hogg opened the first Pieminster in Stokes Croft in 2003; within a year they were selling at Glastonbury and now have branches from London to Manchester; a triumph of great sourcing, fabulous cooking and endlessly witty and inventive marketing.

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Three Bristol University graduates who have been invited back to the city to receive an honorary degree: David Nicholls, author Matt Lucas, comedian James Blunt, singer/ songwriter and Twitter ninja

BARNY HAUGHTON The godfather of Bristol’s eco food scene, Barny launched pioneering organic Bristol restaurants Rocinantes, Quartier Vert and Bordeaux Quay; he has an absolute passion for educating people about food, through his Knowle-based Square Foundation cookery school.

Brother Phil founded the Better Food Company, while sister Liz runs the Folk House and Spike Island cafés.

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LUKE HASELL Half of Eat Drink Bristol Fashion, farmer Luke manages 500 acres and The Story Group Ltd, who specialise in providing organic food direct to the public. He also loves a good party; it’s on his land that Valley Fest – a bit like Glasto used to be in the early days – takes place. It’s probably the only time you’ll see the sign ‘get on our land’ in a rural field. w

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5 BRISTOL CHEFS ON THE BOX 1 Josh Eggleton, Pony & Trap – Great British Menu 2 Freddy Bird, Lido – Hidden Restaurants; Hairy Bikers’ Comfort Food 3 Peter Sanchez Iglesias – Great British Menu (also winner in Ramsay’s Best Restaurants)

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JOSH EGGLETON Bristol Life’s food columnist (though we’re never quite sure when he’ll file copy), Josh is one of the busiest chefs in Bristol.

Family-run the Pony & Trap is one of only three Michelin starred restaurants in the area; he now also oversees two Salt & Malts, co-owns the Kensington Arms with Guy Newell of Butcombe Brewery, and as one half of Eat Drink Bristol Fashion, with pal Luke Hassell, runs Yurt Lush, Chicken Shed, and the Eat Drink Bristol Fashion festival in Queen Square, which is about as regular as his column.

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GRILLSTOCK From its first makeshift affair on Harbourside in 2010, Grillstock has become the biggest and best celebration of BBQ and music in the UK; what Jon Finch and Ben Merrington don’t know about bourbon-infused slow-woodsmoked ribs isn’t worth knowing. Jon’s top tip?

Never BBQ in flipflops.

4 Larkin Cen, Woky Ko – Masterchef

5 Dean Edwards – Masterchef, Lorraine, Saturday Cookbook

Just eight from the long, long roster of international stars who have graduated from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School: Jeremy Irons Patrick Stewart Naomie Harris Olivia Colman Daniel Day Lewis Tim Piggot Smith Greta Scacchi Gene Wilder

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. . .But not, as is sometimes erroneously claimed, Peter O’Toole and Alan Rickman, though both certainly put in a fair amount of time on the Bristol Old Vic theatre boards.

The latest BOVTS alumni making headlines is Pearl Mackie, currently playing Doctor Who’s new assistant, Bill Potts . . .

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SPORT

Bristol’s sporting profile is comparatively modest. A few Bristolians have graced the international stage, such as Gareth Chilcott and Kevin Maggs (rugby) and the footballing Mabutt family. In cricket, WG Grace, the bearded bowler and batter, basically turned cricket into what it is today (you’ll probably have your own opinion as to what that is). Overall, however, the city’s international sport influence has been unpresumptuous. Despite this relative dearth of golden moments, Bristol can still claim a handful of sporty notables:

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TONY BULLIMORE Bristol’s bold seafaring adventurer was rescued after capsizing not far from Antarctica during the 1996 Vendée Globe single-handed around-the-world race; for five days he clung to life in an air pocket in the capsized hull of his yacht.

Despite this, he’s still gaily sailing at the age of 78.

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DARRELL CLARKE The manager of Bristol Rovers and former midfielder for both Mansfield Town and Hartlepool United, Darrell has been in charge of The Gas since 2014 and has seen them rise to the heights of the EFL League One, the third tier of English football

45

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44

DON CAMERON Pioneer balloonist and founder of Cameron Balloons – still the world’s largest hot-air balloon manufacturer. The Bristol sklyline and a thousand Visit Bristol photos owes the Don bigtime.

1216

GEORGE FERGUSON Former Independent Party mayor George co-founded Ferguson Mann Architects in 1979 before turning to politics. His trousers are consistently red, his policies invariably green. But in the end, the one green thing he couldn’t do was re-cycle himself. He failed to be re-elected.

PEACHES GOLDING Peaches has said that as a girl, inspired

by British newsreels, she would mimic Queen Elizabeth, naming local bicycles and asking God to bless all who rode on them. Why a South Carolina girl would be so taken with the British monarchy is not clear, but it was remarkably prescient: in 2010 Peaches was appointed High Sheriff of Bristol, and has a long record of public service in the Bristol and Wiltshire area.

48

50

43

CLAUDIA FRANGAPANE In 2014, 17-year-old schoolgirl Claudia became the first Englishwoman to win four gold medals in the Commonwealth Games since 1930. (For homework, see if you can find out the identity of that 1930s Englishwoman). If putting Bristol street dance into a floor display wasn’t enough to earn her this entry, last year the pocket rocket flipped from Rio 2016 to the ballroom, winning hearts and coming a very respectable 4th with pro dance partner AJ Pritchard on Strictly Come Dancing.

MARVIN REES Our current Labour Party mayor’s roots are in Jamaica and Bristol, while his education was in Wales and Connecticut. He took his oath of office by quoting the vow of young men of Athens when they became citizens: “I shall not leave this city any less, but rather greater than I found it.” That’s fightin’ talk, Marv.

47

48

42

DINO ZAMPARELLI Racing driver Dino currently drives for ART Grand Prix in the GP3 Series, but is widely tipped to graduate to Formula One. Apparently he has everything a racing driver needs — he’s fearless and precise, and he has that other indispensable motor-racing quality – a good, memorable name.

Think Stirling Moss or Frome’s world champion Jensen Button.

45

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ROBIN COUSINS The 1980 Olympic figure-skating champion and four-time British national champion has since launched his own ice extravaganzas, setting battalions of grannies’ hearts a-fluttering. He is currently a judge on ITV’s Dancing on Ice.

41

Finally, a bit of a catch-all category, and one whose omissions are bound to irritate at least somebody.

The first mayor of Bristol was appointed 801 years ago in 1216. If you want to know who it was, pop along to the Conference Hall of Bristol City Hall. The names of all the mayors are cut into the stone wall.

40

THE STIG The identity of the helmeted star of Top Gear was only ever a half-hearted mystery, and The Stig was soon outed as racing driver Ben Collins. His company Collins Autosport Limited provides stunt-driving services. Should you require, let’s say, to arrive at your place of work in a James Bond-style car doing a handbrake turn, The Stig is definitely the man to put in charge.

LOCAL FACES

51

51

OK, we’re cheating – but we couldn’t leave out artist Luke Jerram, who’s brought so much fun to the city’s streets these past few years. Cheers, Luke!

ALASTAIR SAWDAY Alastair is almost as well known for his environmental and political campaigning as he is for his thriving publishing company Sawdays, the benchmark for independent travel books, and more recently for his glamping company Canopy & Stars (currently responsible for Crane@29 on Harbourside). He’s just launched his book of memoirs, Travelling Light.

49

DARYN CARTER The director and programmer of Bristol Pride; it’s easy to spot Daryn even in the rainbow-coloured processions of the annual Pride festival, thanks to his bright blue fringe.

50

JONATHAN DIMBLEBY One of Richard Dimbleby’s two illustrious sons, Jonathan began his broadcasting career in Bristol, and has recently moved back to the city from Devon with his family. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 21

马生拍卖

Ma San Auction in Bath

S P E C I A L I S I N G I N C H I N E S E A N D A S I A N WO R K S O F A R T

A 15th-17th century bronze Thai standing Buddha with original purchase receipt dated 1965 SOLD £5280

A Chinese gilt bronze seal with 4 character seal mark mounted with a resting goat SOLD £3360 Magnificent 19th century hardwood (Xuanji) screen with fine embroidery ‘one hundred birds’ scene, 210cm tall SOLD £24,600

A 19th century cloisonné dragon dish with Buddhist symbols and six character mark of Wanli SOLD £1200

now We are g t accep in s for ment consign tember e S our p 17 sale 20

A Song dynasty Ding type bowl with a dark glazed exterior and white interior finish. SOLD £2160

Free valuations and home visits • Over 30 years experience • Competitive commission rates Direct contacts in Hong Kong and China • Sales every two months Kelso Villa, Upper Bristol Road, Bath BA1 3AU www.masanauction.com

Tel. 01225 318587

Music/theatre/film/more

BROTHER LOUIS

Oh look, here’s artist Louis Masai – taking a supremely nonchalant break from painting his mural The Last Unicorn (which is, in fact, a rhino) at last year’s Upfest. Louis’ work has been described as a form of environmental activism: “I paint about endangered animals to raise awareness for the beings without a voice,” he says.

Given that the BS3 canvas changes each July, with new work being painted over the old, photos of the festival provide an essential archive.

Few are greater than this one, taken by Neil James Brain.

You may think you’re cool, but you’ll never be street-artist-up-on-acherrypicker-tossing-a-spraycan-while-taking-a-phonecall cool. www.upfest.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 23

21 July - 20 August

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

Whoopi! Sister Act is coming to the Hippodrome; more than the bear essentials in BOV’s Jungle Book; and Morph - still naughty at 40, an exhibition and nostalgia trip

Exhibitions

gruesome injuries! M Shed; www. bristolmuseums.org.uk/m-shed

U N TI L 6 AUG US T

U N TI L 4 SE PT

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. Note: this exhibition was due to finish in June but has been extended to August.

Arnolfini; www.arnolfini.org.uk U N TI L 3 S E PT

SKELETONS: OUR BURIED BONES See how Bristolians lived thousands of years ago.

Skeletons discovered in Bristol are on display alongside some from the Museum of London.

Uncover 2,000 years of history and fascinating stories of fairly

GLASS MICROBIOLOGY Luke Jerram’s extraordinary, jewel-like glass sculptures of eight deadly viruses; at The Box; www.at-bristol.org.uk U N TI L 5 SE PT

MORPH, NAUGHTY AT 40 See 20 original Morph sculptures designed by Morph’s creator Peter Lord in this exhibition at Cribbs Causeway to celebrate Morph’s big birthday, with all proceeds going towards Bristol Children’s Hospital. www.grandappeal.org.uk U N TI L 1 0 SE PT

MURDERED WITH STRAIGHT LINES: GARTH ENGLAND’S DRAWINGS OF BRISTOL

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

First ever exhibition of Garth England’s drawings. Offers a rare glimpse into the mind of England, the milkman (1935-2014); www.architecturecentre.org.uk UNTIL 7 J ANUAR Y 2018

THE JURASSIC GIANTS It’s 150 million years ago... and Bristol is a Jurassic ocean teeming with huge and terrifying creatures. The biggest and fiercest of them all was the pliosaur – now you can see one of the world’s most complete pliosaur fossils.

Bristol Museum and Art Gallery; www.bristolmuseums.org.uk

Theatre 19 – 22 J ULY

LEGO BEACH BOV’s Made in Bristol project, now in its seventh year, is

a 12-strong group of young people aged 18-25 from across the South West. This year’s group, INKBLOC ensemble, will perform a brand-new piece of theatre at 1532 Performing Arts Centre this July. www.bristololdvic.org.uk 20 – 28 J U LY

GOLDILOCK, STOCK AND THREE SMOKING BEARS Another returner for the summer season, this is a mashup of the most famous porridge stealer of all time and Guy Ritchie’s 1998 gun-toting cockney classic.

A Wardrobe original. www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com 24 – 29 J U LY

DREAMBOATS AND PETTICOATS The music from seven eponymous and award-winning

W H AT ’ S O N

albums has now been adapted for a stageshow and features a plot set in 1961. Think nostalgia and hit after hit! www.atgtickets.com/venues/ bristol-hippodrome/ 2 7 – 2 9 JULY

JUNGLE BOOK Critically acclaimed and fantastic fun – you don’t see that too often!

This adaptation which come fresh from an international tour is full spectacular street-dance, breathtaking circus and modern zing! Kipling’s classic tale in the 21st Century. www.bristololdvic.org.uk

ARTS

2 8 – 2 9 JU LY

CLOSE TO YOU Why do birds suddenly appear?

Well, sometimes it’s because you’ve just filled up the feeder thing in the front garden. Other times, though, it could be because one of The Carpenters are nearby. This Edinburgh fringe is a hoot: virtuoso singing combines with dark humour in this comedy written by Matthew Floyd Jones. www.thewardrobetheatre.com

Music 2 1 JU LY

2 – 5 AUG US T

T***K YOU As Kurt Cobain said, “The duty of youth is to challenge corruption”.

Bristol Old Vic Young Company explores the relationship between youth and power in the world today with this new show, which works with St. Brendan’s Sixth Form College Performing Arts Academy. www.bristololdvic.org.uk 7 – 1 2 AUG US T

SISTER ACT Literally can’t wait to see this new adaptation which has been choreographed and directed by Craig Revel Horwood and stars Alexandra Burke (from X Factor and The Bodyguard). Fab story, fab music and fab dancing. www.atgtickets.com/venues/ bristol-hippodrome/ 9 – 1 2 AUG US T

FLYING LOVERS OF VITEBK Perhaps you’ve seen them floating over a Russian village, asks the blurb? Or perhaps you’ve seen her toppling forward, arms full of wild flowers, as he arches above her head and steals a kiss. Meet Marc and Bella Chagall - the flying lovers of Vitebsk! Daniel Jamieson’s love-struck production is back in Bristol – don’t miss it! www.bristololdvic.org.uk 2 3 – 2 5 JULY

EMERALD BOY So says the info on this preEdinburgh show: Three friends, a police officer and an alien walk into a bar. Not in that particular order though. Chaos ensues. It’s performed by UWE Drama Society so expect strong performances. www.thewardrobetheatre.com

THE OUTLOOK ORCHESTRA + ROOTS MANUVA (LIVE SET) To celebrate its 150th anniversary, Colston Hall presents a very special outdoor performance from The Outlook Orchestra, featuring some of the UK’s best musicians and a string of special guests live at the Lloyds Amphitheatre on Bristol Harbourside. This performance launches the Harbour Festival for 2017. www.colstonhall.org 2 6 JU LY

SPOOKY MEN’S CHORALE Famed around the world for their raw vocal power, a dab touch of deadpan, improbable facial hair and an ill-matched set of hats, they have been wooing audiences throughout Australia, New Zealand and the UK for 15 years. “Highly theatrical, they veer from weird to touching and back again. Grown-up entertainment in the best, most infantile way. Don’t miss an opportunity to see them,” says the Daily Telegraph; www.colstonhall.org 2 5 JU LY

BSO CLASSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA The BSO (that’s Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, not Bristol) wraps the very best bouquet of classical music crowd-pleasers in a spectacular ribbon of lasers, lights and indoor fireworks.

Pieces include Boléro (oh, the memories!), West Side Story, and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture (boom!) among others. A great night out for young and old.

At Colston Hall; www.colstonhall.org

Top to bottom: BSO orchestral manoeuvres in the dark (and not so dark); blooming Moomin fun at Colston Hall

Kids

15 AUG U S T

UNTIL 3 SEP T

DINOMANIA The dinosaurs, which roamed the earth 85 million years ago, will be on show at Bristol Zoo. Yes, 11 life-size animatronic dinosaurs have come to Briz from Texas to entertain y’all. www.dinomania.org.uk 15 AUG UST

MISCHIEF AND MYSTERIES IN MOOMINVALLEY Snow in August – just one of the surprises in store in Momminvalley! An interactive storytelling event with puppetry and music and a big dose of nostalgia for the parents.

Three performances start at 10am, 12pm and 2pm. www.colstonhall.org

DICK AND DOM LIVE! As part of the Hoo Ha! Festival, the award-winning buffoons from the BBC come to the Colston.

A fast-paced and pie-throwing live show. Two shows in one day, 11am and then 2pm. www.colstonhall.org 17 AUG U S T

COLSTON HALL’S NIFTY 150 BIRTHDAY BASH Andy Day from CBeebies (it’s often been said him and Fatima Whitbread bear a striking resemblance but I’m saying nothing) will be there, as will DJ Cheeba to celebrate 150 years of the Colston Hall. This celebration is specially for kids (from aged 2 up) and will include disco, party games and fun. Midday kick-off. www.colstonhall.org w

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ARTS

W H AT ’ S O N

23 – 2 5 J ULY

SUMMER SCHOOL THEATRE CHALLENGE Running for five days during which time a production will be rehearsed and performed, this TFT annual course is fantastic.

There are two schools running – one for 8-12 and one for 13-17 year olds – and the finished productions will be performed on 28 July at 5pm. www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com 22 JULY – 6 AUG UST

FESTIVAL OF WHAT IF? At-Bristol is running a special series of What If? events over the school holidays, designed to get kids thinking beyond the obvious.

The first – which runs from 22 July to 6 August – is entitled ‘What if I had to live on another planet?’ and the second is ‘What if nature took over?’. Coming later in the series are ‘What if there was no wifi?’ and eagerly awaited ‘What if I listened to my parents with the same concentration I give to the telly?’

(Those last two are not true). www.at-bristol.org.uk

Festivals 29 – 3 1 J ULY

UPFEST Europe’s largest urban art festival takes place in south Bristol, and is a must-attend in every Bristolian’s social calendar. With 250 artists from around the world poised with spray cans, brushes and masses of talent. Turn to page 28 for our feature. www.upfest.co.uk 21 – 2 3 J ULY

HARBOUR FESTIVAL The thud of this mag hitting doormats on 21 July may well be drowned out by the Outlook Orchestra’s concert at the amphitheatre which celebrates 150 years of the Colston Hall and kicks off the weekend of musical fun. Three music stages, boating fun, entertainment and more. www.bristolharbourfestival.co.uk 4 – 6 AUG US T

VALLEYFEST A homegrown affair, this newish festival is quirky and charming – just as you’d expect from the brainchild of a Bristol boy.

Argentinian-Swedish indie folk singer José Gonzalez headlines. www.valleyfest.co.uk

1 0 – 1 3 AU GU ST

BALLOON FIESTA Of all the wonderful festivals that need good weather, this is the most in need. If it is raining or windy, the balloons cannot take off and then we won’t be treated to that quintessentially Bristol sight of a harem of hot air balloons drifting on the blue sky backdrop. Start praying for a settled spell now. www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk

Other 1 7 AU GU ST – 7 SEP T

PLAY ME I’M YOURS This is a musical trail of 18 individually-decorated pianos installed in public spaces across Bristol for everyone to play and enjoy. This marks the 10th year of the project which has seen over 1,700 pianos in over 55 cities across the globe reaching over 10 million people, bearing the simple instruction Play Me, I’m Yours.

The picture we’ve used (right) is from when the installation travelled to Sydney. www.bristolstreetpianos.co.uk 2 8 JU LY

ARNOS VALE AFTERHOURS TOURS Join an evening tour to uncover the darker side of the 19th century cemetery. Wander through creepy trees to a mortuary crypt, hear tales and learn about folk customs including Victorian funeral etiquette. Bring a torch – shiver! www.arnosvale.org.uk

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

Top to bottom: are there too many festivals these days? No way, not when they’re as good as Valley Fest, at Chew Lake; Sing us a song, you’re the Piano Man…

UPFEST

LOOK UP! Upfest’s back; and for three days at the end of July, Bedminster and Southville become the centre of the street art universe once again

By L AU R E N E L L I S

U

pfest returns to the streets of BS3 at the end of the month, turning this corner of south Bristol into one huge outdoor art gallery. And yes, for sure, you could wait for all the crowds to disperse, and visit later – you have 12 months to admire the new art until it all gets painted over again – but what’s the fun in that? The energy and creativity of the festival can only really be appreciated by seeing the artists in action – not to mention all the music and food stalls that make this weekend such a uniquely Bristolian feast for the senses.

On page 33, Upfest founder Steve Hayles points us in the direction of some of the artists he’s most looking forward to seeing this year. But first of all, let’s take a quick look at how the culture first began.

A SUBVERSIVE HISTORY

It’s often said that if you want to get a glimpse into the collective mind of a city, you should take to its streets – a philosophy that could have been coined expressly for Bristol.

From the vast outdoor canvases of Bemmie’s walls to the back alleyways of the Croft, Bristol’s love affair with graffiti and street art is cemented more firmly each year – no wonder the city secured a place in the Lonely Planet’s top five cities for street art. w 28 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

UPFEST

THE ENERGY AND CREATIVITY OF THE FESTIVAL CAN ONLY REALLY BE APPRECIATED

BY SEEING THE ARTISTS IN

ACTION

Guy Denning mid-spray; photo Adrian Mantle

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 29

UPFEST

Modern graffiti has its roots in 1970s New York, whose subways became the focal point of tag artists such as Tracy 168, Lady Pink and Zephyr.

The culture’s association with vandalism is one that has not been easily shaken off, but much of its journey into legitimacy can be tied to the work of Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jean Dubuffet and his iconoclastic movement of Art Brut (‘outsider art’) in the 1970s and 80s.

Art Brut helped to lay the groundwork for graffiti’s makeover, as it rejected the idea that art had to be entrenched in training and academia.

Free from the shackles of convention, the movement rid art of its exclusivity and instead embraced authenticity, rawness and honesty.

Meanwhile, across the pond, Bristol’s own Art Brut awakening was just beginning.

THE GREAT BRISTOL AEROSOL BOOM

We’ve all experienced the buzz that comes from turning a familiar corner and sighting a new Banksy. But despite being the biggest

Bad Apple at Upfest 2016 – the perfect showcase for French artist Goin’s punky subversive style. It’s since been painted over, but you can still buy a print at the Upfest shop

name in the game, Banksy merely popularised a scene that had long been bubbling under; his work, like so many art movements, came about as the convergence of underground culture, music, art and subversive minds that blossomed in Bristol in the late 1980s.

Dubbed the Great Bristol Aerosol Boom of the 1980s, the period saw the emergence of some of the city’s most well-known artists, including Banksy’s fellow members of the DryBreadz Crew (DBZ) Kato and Tes, Inkie, Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja (3D), Cheo and Nick Walker – the guy responsible for that iconic bowler-hatted dude on the tower block on Nelson Street.

Early styles were inspired by necessity. Bansky’s trademark stencils (a style pioneered by French artist Blek le Rat, and first seen in Bristol courtesy of 3D and Jody), was born partly from a need to stay ahead of the police, while the poster and sticker culture of the 2000s – from which Shepard Fairey’s OBEY Giant and the cosmic Cheba gained fame – had a similar genesis. w

IF YOU WANT TO GET A GLIMPSE INTO THE COLLECTIVE MIND OF A CITY, YOU

SHOULD TAKE TO ITS STREETS

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 31

UPFEST

Fast-forward to 2017. Street art has become so respected and mainstream that Upfest even walked off with the ‘Best Event’ gong at the first Bristol Life Awards. The style and breadth of work has changed beyond all recognition; take Bristol’s Jody, for example (page 34) whose hyper-realistic portraits are light years away from a hasty 20-minute tag, and epitomise the merger of fine art with graffiti.

UPFEST 2017, THEN

Featuring talent that ranges from home-grown names to some of the most dazzling stars in the international firmament, this year’s Upfest will see over 300 artists transforming 35 venues in Southville and Bedminster. This year will also see Ashton Gate act as the backdrop for the festival’s longest collective painting surface, on which 50 artists will get to work on a 200m long canvas.

Visitors will see inflatable installations courtesy of local Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas, the pop art colours of Buff Monster, Ant Caver’s ethereal portraits, Amara Por Dios’ harlequin faces, Kobra’s psychedelic taste of Brazil, the vibrant work Lady J-Day and the bold and beautiful murals of Macha, who originally hails from Kathmandu.

Yatika Starr Fields will also make his debut as the festival’s first Native American entry.

THE TALENT RANGES FROM HOME-GROWN

ARTISTS TO SOME OF THE MOST DAZZLING STARS

IN THE INTERNATIONAL FIRMAMENT

The rich array of international artists is proof of how much the festival has bloomed in recent years, but part of what will make this year’s Upfest so special is the presence of Bristol’s current crop of street artists. Contemporaries such as Lucas Antics, Mr Sleven, Moko-Yo, Kid Crayon, John D’oh, Liz Clayton and Miss U Kamling will rub shoulders with the original catalysts of the scene.

Among the famous faces set to once again take on the streets of Bedminster is Voyder, an artist whose work can linked to early tagging culture.

Upfest wouldn’t be Upfest without Inkie, his trademark Ink Nouveau blending influences that take in Art Nouveau, Islamic geometry and Mayan architecture; also returning is Cheo, the artist who created Bristol’s own Mr Man, Mr Graff, for last year’s Upfest. Recent work featured a collaboration with Soker that saw Bristol clay heroes Wallace, Gromit and Feathers McGraw getting the sound-system treatment, gold chains, tracksuits and all, in a new four-storey mural.

From the soundtrack of local musicians to the huge variety of food and drink stalls to the artists themselves, there’s nothing else quite like Upfest in the Bristol calendar; to be part of the buzz and see the artists in action, head over to BS3 between 29-31 July. Just aim yourself in the general direction of North Street; you can’t miss it. w

Rocket 01, captured by Daz Smith

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

The Yanks are coming: New York’s Buff Monster will be on East Street this year

The Best of the Fest (by the guy who knows best) So, who are the top artists to look for at this year’s Upfest, and where can we find them?

Don’t ask us; ask festival founder Steve Hayles Kobra – Tobacco Factory Brazil-born Kobra is a student of pixação, a form of graffiti native to the south-eastern metropolises of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janerio.

Known for his multi-coloured murals that pay homage to important public figures, Kobra has painted in London, Athens, Lyon, LA and New York, and created the first ever 3D pavement painting in Brazil.

Dzia – Redpoint Climbing Centre Belgian artist Dzia works across a variety of mediums, from stencils to paint, sculpture, taxidermy, street art and graffiti. Very little is known about Dzia, making him something of an enigma in the street art world, but his beautiful murals of wild animals depicted in an entirely unique style makes his work instantly recognisable.

Chu – Tobacco Factory Floor Painting A founding member of the DOMA

art collective, Chu was one of the early pioneers of street art in Buenos Aires. Taking influence from skateboarding culture, travel and biology, Chu’s colourful aesthetic and use of geometric cartoon-like characters create enticing abstract universes.

Lost Souls & Gums & Tongue Crew – Ashton Gate Stadium A joining of two of the most colourful, chaotic and eclectic styles in modern street art. Bright and bold, their crazy characterbased murals will find their home at Ashton Gate this summer.

Buff Monster – Salvation Army, East Street Known for his gloriously colourful and melty character-based murals, heavily inspired by ice cream, Pop Art, Japanese culture and heavy metal, Buff Monster’s meticulous works of art have been showcased in galleries the world over, including a permanent piece at Bristol City Museum.

Si2 – Upfest Subway at Ashton Gate Stadium A cartoonist by nature, Hull-based Si2 is as versatile as it gets, so there’s no way of knowing what he’ll be creating at Ashton Gate Stadium. He’s got a vast body of work behind him, but is probably best known as being the guy who paints the bins.

Guy Denning & Yatika Fields – The Tap & Barrel Guy’s visceral style and earthy colour palette is as measured as it is purposeful. This year he is joined at The Tap & Barrel

by Yatika Fields, known across the Pond for his landscape painting, large-scale projects and studio works.

Voyder & 3DOM – Barclays bank, East Street A collaboration you can’t afford to miss. Voyder is a graff legend, while cartoonist 3DOM’s creations are packed with surrealism; together they’ll be painting up a storm on East Street.

Cheba – Coronation Road All Bristolians know and love Cheba’s cosmic funk. His starry landscapes have been adorning the city for many a moon now and his amazingly fast free-hand style is truly something to behold. This year, Cheba will be bringing deep space to Coronation Road; make sure you’re there to see it live, but watch out... blink and you might miss it.

Hannah Adamaszek – South Street Park An incredible new talent in the street art scene, Hannah’s female portraits are packed with earthy tones and stunning contours; they capture a sense of timeless beauty in the most delicate manner.

Upfest takes place 29-31 July Download the full map and list of artists at www.upfest.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 33

portrait of the artist He used to hang with Bansky at Barton Hill, and pioneered stencilling in Bristol along with 3D. Today JODY THOMAS’s high-def art is in huge commercial demand – but then, as he explains, he was never a typical Dugout kid . . .

By de r i robi ns

Jody in action at last year’s Upfest; photo by fellow street artist D7606

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

STREET ART

I REMEMBER

BEING ROUGHED UP

BY ONE OF THE GRAF WRITERS

FROM BARTON HILL FOR ‘CHEATING’

BECAUSE I’D USED A STENCIL Jody, Dr Love and Pahnl co-existing in Upfest harmony; photo by D7606

E

arlier this year, in a town not a million miles away from this one, a new mural

by Inkie and Cheba was whitewashed over by the council as soon as the paint had dried. “It’s not like it was by anyone famous, like Banksy,” said the council, defensively. And incorrectly.

This would not occur in this hood. In Bristol, Inkie and Cheba are known and valued by anyone with the smallest interest in street art, along with the likes of Cheo, Andy Council, Acerone, Alex Lucas, Gemma Compton – and Jody Thomas.

Jody’s work is the kind that you show to people who think they don’t like street art. Take, for example, the huge blue mural of model Cassie Meder, her lovely forehead resting moodily on the wall, that he painted at last year’s Upfest.

Jody’s back again this year, and he’s sticking with the same muse. . .

Hey Jody, where’s your Upfest pitch this year, and what do you have planned for us?

I’m painting up a very narrow street called The Nursery, opposite the Upfest Gallery. I’m going over FinDac’s huge Geisha Doll piece – I had a look at it the other day, and it looks as fresh as the day it went up, so going over an already popular piece can feel rather uncomfortable. The piece I’m doing this year features Cassie Meder again –

her look is so strong and evocative of the kind of work I do.

Has this kind of photo-realism always been your painting style?

I’ve always straddled two opposing worlds – graffiti and fine art – and back in the early days that was a very unpopular mix. The graf that existed then drew directly from US hip hop culture– it interested me, but I knew that my strength was in the purer form of art, and I simply fused the two together. Painting portraits and figurative work came much more naturally to me, but the tools available to us in the late 1980s were crude – mainly car paint, which had a very limited range of colours, and one nozzle that blasted the paint out. I saw a piece by Robert Del Naja (Massive Attack’s 3D) in Bristol around 1986; he had used a stencil on the face of a character which gave a really sharp definition which I just couldn’t achieve freehand. I remember being roughed up by one of the graf writers from Barton Hill for ‘cheating’ because I’d used a stencil – at the time it was just me and 3D using them.

We know that you weren’t typical of the Barton Hill crowd . . .

I stood out in every way, really. Appearance, style and the kind of art I arrived with. I was much younger than the other writers, who were steeped in hip hop, which also I loved, but I felt out of step with them, as so many other things –music, art, film – influenced me personally and artistically.

Has your style changed since then?

Yes, enormously. I’ve always painted figurative subjects, and back in the early days I was known for painting black and white faces emerging from the dark; it became my trademark. Fast-forward to today, and the paint has changed so much, and the level of influence and inspiration that I have to hand has allowed me to explore a much more colourful and cinematic approach. My subject matter has become more feminine and more thought-provoking in aesthetic. I’m able to achieve a much sharper look technically than I was able to before, as the paint is slower and easier to control.

Tell us a bit more about your influences . . .

One of my main influences has always been film, particularly by David Fincher and Ridley Scott.

In terms of the more glossy side of my work I’ve always drawn from high-end fashion and glossy magazines – the darker side of fashion photography has always caught my eye, the likes of Nick Knight and Alexander McQueen especially. Classical paintings have always astounded me; I often wander around the Bristol Museums art galleries in wonder.

What other work do you do?

Up until about a year ago there were two distinct sides to my business. I was a designer/art director, creating identities and digital communications for w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 35

STREET ART a range of clients from different industries. The art side of my business began to grow, including commercial commissions, while I evolved my own personal work. As of this year, I’ve let the design side of the business go; I still really love design, but the art has taken off in a way that I couldn’t have predicted. It’s much more fulfilling and satisfying. I’ve worked with the likes of BMW, Harvey Nichols, Malmaison and Leicester City FC. The exchange is so much more enjoyable.

I am currently painting a three-storey mural inside a new hotel on the Solent, and am about to embark on a huge outside mural at Yeovil Country Park, as well as putting together a new collection of personal work that will go on show in London and Hong Kong in the spring of 2018.

There are a lot of beautiful models out there – why is Cassie Meder such an inspiration?

I first came across Cassie’s work a couple of years back. I contacted her to seek her permission to use one of her images as a basis for last year’s Upfest piece, only to find out that she was the model in the picture. She has this very haunting quality about her that seemed to strike a chord with the look that I wanted to capture – not only does she have the proportions of a classical

model, she has a real eye for an ethereal and Gothic aesthetic herself – a real appreciation of art and image.

What people may not know is that they can commission you to do their portrait. . .

I’m often approached by women (sometimes slightly bashfully) who want me to paint a portrait of them, or a family member in my style – it’s a challenge that has taxed artists for centuries; capturing the person/model in a flattering way that retains their character, and of course by using spray cans, not an easy thing to do!

Why has Bristol become a world-class centre for street art?

Bristol has a unique blend of culture – music, art and history – that makes it unlike any other city in the UK. I think the early influence from the likes of The Wild Bunch (later Massive Attack) and Tricky’s uniquely ‘Bristol’ take on hip hop culture that landed here in the early ’80s, and the now legendary status of Barton Youth Club under the seminal vision of John Nation, has sealed Bristol’s reputation, and Banksy’s influence is, of course, undeniable, but his popularity didn’t come to the fore until the early 2000s, along with the

BRISTOL HAS A BLEND OF

CULTURE THAT MAKES IT UNLIKE ANY OTHER CITY IN THE UK

Below: Jody selfie Many of his prints are available, including (clockwise from top left) Numinous, Evenfall 2, The Awakening, and Reverie – the latter being his piece for Upfest 2017

JODY ON BANSKY “Many of the reasons that street art is so huge in Bristol centre around Bansky, his anonymity and identity.

In particular, he’s added to the clandestine edge of the street art scene, and if he were to be unmasked my fear is that the interest in street art could lose its shine; it wouldn’t kill it completely, it’s too late for that now, but he’s an important character and retains a high level of press coverage that could very quickly become tomorrow’s chip paper.”

second generation of now what we call ‘street artists’. I think the city’s very liberal approach and acceptance of art amongst its inhabitants has helped immeasurably.

So how important was John Nation and Barton Hill to the street art/graf scene?

With the benefit of hindsight now granted to many of us artists that knew John from the early days of the Bristol graffiti scene, the movement’s explosion in popularity can be directly linked to that one small youth club in a rundown suburb of Bristol. John’s unshakeable passion and energy for the scene and the artists bordered on the obsessive – he documented pretty much every piece that was committed to walls around the UK and across Europe from the early ’80s onwards. This has become clearly evident from his Instagram account (@johnnation), which serves not only as an historical record of the birth of Bristol’s early graffiti scene, but testament of John’s love of the artists and art form. Without John there would be no street art scene to speak of, certainly not in the current form.

You took a break from street art – why was that, and why did you come back to it?

In 1990 the graffiti scene lost a lot of its energy due to the burgeoning rave and dance scene that seemed to drown out what felt like a slightly

ageing street culture. Also it was the time of the now well-documented Operation Anderson police swoop on 100+ artists’ homes, including Barton Hill Youth Club, arresting anyone who had a connection with the scene. It felt like the season had passed, and I, along with others, felt the need to move on.

I went to art college to study design and illustration, but in 2008, Felix Braun interviewed me for his book, Children of the Can, documenting 25 years of the Bristol graffiti movement, which led to me picking up a can for the launch party and realising I still could paint it felt strangely natural, even after 18 years away from it.

What are your all-time favourite pieces of street artist – and from your own work?

I love the work of the Polish duo Etam Cru – their piece of a girl sat in a pot of strawberry jam (I kid you not) is sublime. There’s something about the way those guys use colour and form like no one else. I would say my piece from last year’s Upfest of Cassie in the long gown has been my most successfully executed, and is certainly my most popular piece. It’s not often I feel completely satisfied with a painting when I finish, and that one got pretty close.

Follow Jody on Instagram @Jody_Artist or visit his site www.jodyart.co.uk

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

3

2

1 4

HOT TOWN

5

. . . SUMMER IN THE CITY. WELL, HERE’S HOPING

1. LAGER LOUNGE

2. HI HO SILVER

3. TOTE’S AMAZE

4. SHOE IN

5. CHAIR AFFAIR

Beer can beach towel, £35 From the home of indie Bristol artists and designers, this Bristol Beer Can towel by Not Too Shabby Clothing will get you noticed at The Lido.

From The Bristol Shop; The Old Chapel, Redland www.thebristolshop.co.uk

Necklace, £287 From Diana Porter’s new Emerge collection. The whitened silver gives it a modern look with polished details adding texture and catching the sunlight.

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

Bronze bag, £110 This bronze backpack takes Gold on the podium for us. Made by Tania Sutedja in the softest nappa leather, it is durable and sure to become daily grab-and-go essential.

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Suede pump, £89 This pump from Mint Velvet is neither clumpy, nor fussy, boring nor tryhard. It’s suede with a touch of metallic, and it’s pretty perfect for summer.

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Deckchair £155 (plus optional foot stool £62)

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

Much as we love a traditional stripey deckchair, these Snooze foldables from Emu take comfort and style to a new level.

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10. SUNNIE AFTERNOON

Magenta dress, £240 This Aada dress is wow, wow, wow. From designers Baum Und Pferdgarten it encapsulates hot pink and every other summer trend we can think of.

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

Canvas planter, £25

Toner, £7.95 for 150ml

Hunk li-lo, £16.95 Team this fun inflatable with the beer can towel and you’re sorted.

From The Pod Company, 24 The Mall, Clifton; www.podcompany.co.uk

Sunglasses, £150

These simple but cool canvas bags come in earthy shades that you can dot around the house this summer. Sturdy, to hold big structural plants, they’re washable too.

From Mon Pote, 177-179 North Street www.monpote.co.uk

AA Skincare’s veganfriendly Frankincense & Rose Toner refreshes tired and dry skin with extracts of honeysuckle and white willow bark.

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These Taylor Morris Vredefert shades combine retro with class. From Harvey Nichols 27 Philadelphia Street, Quakers Friars www.harveynichols.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk II CLIFTON BRISTOL LIFE LIFE II 39 www.mediaclash.co.uk 69

XXXXXXX XXXXX

COMING

OF AGE A rash of restaurants, cafés and shops in Cotham Hill and Chandos Road has made the area into a very desirable place to live. Let’s take a look through our rose-tinted glasses at Redland…

By R AC H E L I FA NS Photo s by T I M WOOL F

STREET LIFE

R

edland has been called many things over the years.

Whether it’s labelled The New Clifton, Clifton on a Budget, or just described variously as everything from affluent suburb to studentsville, and even ‘that bit off Whiteladies’ now and again, it’s often confounded those who feel the need to put everything in a box, and have things neatly labelled.

It’s only recently that Redland has started to develop an identity of its own and in its own right, and it’s in no small part due to the fact that some of the city’s best restaurants now dot the branches of the leafy residential streets, and a budding indie retail scene has really blossomed, mixed with the high-street essentials that are firmly rooted in Cotham Hill and Chandos Road, namely greengrocers, antiques shops, property services, hardware and charity shops.

SOME OF THE CITY’S BEST

RESTAURANTS NOW DOT THE

BRANCHES OF THE LEAFY RESIDENTIAL

STREETS AND A BUDDING INDIE RETAIL SCENE HAS REALLY

BLESS THEIR COTHAM SHOPS

BLOSSOMED

Redland is easily accessible from either The Arches and Zetland Road area, or from Whiteladies, Clifton Village and the Triangle

Cotham Hill is blessed with a variety of shops that give it a character and vibe of its own. To convince you of this, we only need introduce you to the wonderfully unusual Steampunk Museum, which accosts you on the left as you turn off Whiteladies. Steampunk is a movement which celebrates the golden Victorian age of scientific exploration and steampower, and this museumcum-gift-shop is stuffed full of fascinating ‘objets’ from jewellery and accessories to prints, homewares, grooming products, weaponry and more. The owners say: “Exhibits come from local steampunk artists, sculptors and gadgeteers. Not all items are specifically for sale, but everything is open to reasonable offers so that artists can feed and clothe their families.”

Community is certainly a big thing in Cotham.

As Kaya Payne from Amphora Aromatics at no.

36 says, “I adore working on Cotham Hill: lovely shops and lots of independent restaurants and places to drink. Everyone here is very friendly and we have a lovely clientele, you get a real sense of community here.” And local community combines with a certain global village feel too.

Amphora’s products, for example, are inspired by exotic herbs, spices, perfumes and oils from the souks and markets of near eastern countries, and Soukous, a bit further along, likes to stock Fairtrade gifts from near and far as part of its offering. Amulet at no. 39 is another Cotham character, a clothes and accessories shop for women who want good quality and carefully chosen fashion pieces.

If you’re in Cotham with a list of jobs as long as your arm, you can do everything from get your hair cut (Shotgun Barbers and Hair@58), hire a formal suit (Men’s Hire), buy curiosities from a by-gone year (Cotham Antiques), or have a massage. The Practice Rooms, which are managed by Fen, also offers therapy, counselling and shiatsu in the seven rooms on site. You can get your groceries from Cotham Hill Fruit & Veg, w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 41

STREET LIFE booze from Corks of Cotham, the two-branch Bristolian wine merchant, and have a loaf around Cotham Hill Organic Bakery.

Talking of Corks, Emma from Bravas cites this local firm as one of the bedrocks of Cotham’s current boom period. She says, “Cotham Hill is a hot bed of independent Bristol business and it has such character and wonderful architecture. Places like Corks of Cotham were pioneers of the street, bringing amazingly in-depth knowledge of their product and helping make Cotham Hill what it is today – a strong destination for food and drink.”

COTHAM CANDY

And when it comes to eating out, Cotham Hill has much to offer. Bravas itself is utterly adored

by Bristolians and rightly so. Its divine tapas are simple and unpretentious, majoring on fresh ingredients and authentic Andalucian cooking, and managing to get the atmophere spot-on.

Alex Miller of Muino reckons, “Cotham Hill is experiencing somewhat of a boom of late with many exciting new businesses. Whether you want a pub that brews its own beers (Brewhouse), Spanish tapas (Bravas, Bellita), exciting Italian (Pasta Loco), Indian Street Food (Chai Panni) or a more British take on tapas from us at Muiño it’s now all there. We now even have a specialist beer and espresso bar (Coffee & Beer). It feels great to be part of the new wave and now is a good time to live in Cotham or nearby. Muino specialises in breakfast, a small-plates menu and burgers – all inspired by Galicia but made with produce from the doorstep.”

The only one we’d add to Alex’s list is Yume, Bristol’s only Japanese owned and run restaurant.

Clockwise: The Steampunk Museum is the epitome of quirky indie charm; busy pavement cafés abound; the Brewhouse brews its own ales; Galician-inspired food at Muino; Wilsons is one of Bristol’s gastric gems; and Hemali from Amulet ‘a shop full of beautiful things’

Yume means dream and the mix of Japanese small plates on the menu is definitely heavenly, modelling itself on an authentic Japanese tapasstyle bars called izakaya.

CHANDOS NOSH

Toddle on up to Chandos Road, criss-crossing a grid of residential streets and you’ll find another epicurean enclave.

James Wilkins of Wilks restaurant has an enviable CV. Having trained in some of the most established and revered restaurants in Europe – Midsummer House, Aubergine, The Halkin, The Orrery and The Greenhouse – and with some very respected chefs, including Richard Neat, the only English man to hold a Michelin star in France, and having lived and worked in Japan, France and Turkey, James now conjures up magic on our doorstep. The food is fresher than fresh and finer than fine. If you haven’t been, you should. It’s one of the shiniest jewels in Bristol’s crown.

A little further along the road, Wilsons is a rising star in the Bristol culinary firmament. Chef Jan Ostle has quickly won a devoted local following while garnering rave reviews from notoriously hardto-please national food critics; we throw our pennyworth into the hat on page 46.

Spoilt for choice would be a way to describe you Chandosians, as just along from Wilks and Wilsons, you have No Man’s Grace, a multi-awardwinning bar and restaurant named in the top 25 coolest restaurants in the Sunday Times a couple of years ago. Everything from tasting menus to Sunday roasts are available at this joint, with head chef

“GORGEOUSLY UNCOMPLICATED” IS HOW JAY RAYNER DESCRIBED WILSONS RESTAURANT ON

CHANDOS ROAD EARLIER THIS SPRING 42 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

STREET LIFE

John Watson selecting locally sourced food and combining a love of both British and European cuisine.

“Speaking of gastropubs, there are few finer examples of the species than The Kensington Arms on Stanley Road. The Kenny to its friends, it’s been highly rated for a good while now, and has only improved under the recent jointownership of the ubiquitous Josh Eggleton.

And it’s not all eating out. Mabel’s is surely the most picture perfect greengrocers you’ll stumble on in the region, and the Redland Bakery serves up a mean bacon sarnie. As Ashley at independent estate agent Bristol Property Centre on Chandos Road says, “For me Chandos Road is the perfect inner city street, We don’t have chains or big multi-nationals, just good old-fashioned local businesses who care about the local area and community. The vibrancy of the area is great with a mixture of young and old working in harmony.

This becomes most apparent at the annual Chandos Road Street party held in September where the whole community gets together.” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 43

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36 Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6LA. Tel: 0117 9087770. www.aaskincare.co.uk

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

R E S TA U R A N T

FOOD

Wilsons Recent years have seen some staggeringly good new openings in the city; and right up at the top of the list is a small husband-and-wife affair on Chandos Road . . .

By DE R I ROBI NS

W

e’re fully supportive of our sister magazines, really we are. So when a noted national food critic commented that whenever he was in Cardiff, and wanted a really great meal, he knew where to go – straight to the station to catch a train to Bristol – we didn’t tease the Cardiff Life editor at all; not one little bit.

In one respect, the critic was wrong. There are plenty of fine places to dine out in the ’Diff; those dark days during which the Welsh capital was a culinary wilderness are long gone, Well, gone, anyway. But the second part of his feature, in which he went on to rave in no uncertain terms about Bristol restaurant Wilsons, he was spot-on; because Wilsons is really, truly great.

Jan Ostle insists that it’s Mary, his wife and co-owner, who’s the power behind the throne, growing all the veg at their farm in Pill.

Jan – surely destined for TV any day now, with all that cheffy zeal, those blazing blue eyes and elegantly dropped profanities – rules the kitchen.

“Mary tells me what’s ready, what’s good; she decides the menu,” he says.

Some restaurants pay lip service to seasonal produce; at Wilsons, it really is the entire operation.

“It’s not just a vanity thing. It really means a lot to us,” says Jan. “We just want the very best ingredients, and that’s what we concentrate on, at the farm.

So when we need to source from other suppliers we do it with great care. We might have one supplier for cod, one for halibut, another for snails. We could collect our own snails, but, well, life is too short. So we get them from Hereford.” We nod in agreement. You really do have to draw the line somewhere. Snails seem a great place to start.

The Wilsons décor is unpretentious. Wooden tables and chairs line a white dining room, with a splash of colourful kitsch in the form of a round stained-glass sign; a souvenir from the restaurant Mary’s family once ran in London. The longer you sit here, and watch Jan dance in his kitchen (really; I caught him at it), serve food or chat with the

SOME

RESTAURANTS PAY LIP

SERVICE

TO SEASONAL PRODUCE; AT

WILSONS, IT REALLY

IS THE ENTIRE OPERATION

customers, you know this would become your local if you lived anywhere nearby. Say, within a hundred miles.

He spends as much time front-of-house as he does with his sous in the tiny kitchen at the back; and don’t be surprised if he serves you a dish that you haven’t actually ordered: “I just tend to bring a few extra bits out so that people can sample what we have, what we do,” he says.

Now that’s a genuine passion for hospitality.

The menu is as stripped down as the décor – three starters, three mains, three puds – chalked onto blackboards on the wall, as is the eclectic and affordable wine list.

The dishes, promptly served, are as effulgently pretty, the cooking as assured, the flavours as preternaturally well-balanced as you’ll find in any fine diner; but that’s not the vibe that Jan is after. “It’s all very relaxed here,” he said. “I really hate exclusivity. I want everyone to enjoy the experience.”

A glass of raw tomato broth was clear, cold and intense.

Heritage carrots were served with piggy chunks of Iberico fat. Whisper-thin squid ink crackers, the colour of a Santorini beach, were dotted with creamy taramasalata. A yellow courgette, peach and goat’s curd salad was the most delicate thing imaginable, while a dish of chopped seared beef came with radish, peppery leaves (mibuna, mustard) and oyster cream: steak tartare with bells on.

A mackerel fillet came adorned with, but not overwhelmed by, wafer-thin discs of radish and cucumber, a sprinkling of pansies and a splash of turnip jus. A large piece of turbot was barely shown the pan before being plated up with wilted veg in a grass-green sauce, a layer of onion making an edible dipping bowl for the snails.

Oh, and somehow we ended up with a plate of aged chicken, too, possibly the best-tasting bit of fowl I’ve ever had; a dollop of chestnut purée carried a distant promise of Christmas, which I was surprisingly OK with.

And there were puds (we ordered one, two naturally came) – a chocolate delice with stout ice-cream; a gooseberry and elderberry fool, sweet-sharp, custardcreamy and indulgent. The fact that we hadn’t ordered the latter meant it was calorie-free. I think.

When Jan says he feels genuinely grateful for the accolades that have been lavished on Wilsons, and that he relies heavily on his sous, it doesn’t come over as false modesty. “I’m just proud to be accepted here, as part of Bristol’s amazing food scene,” he says – apparently unaware that it’s precisely restaurants like Wilsons that have made the current Bristol food scene what it is.

DINING DETAILS Wilsons, 24 Chandos Road, BS6 6PF 0117 973 4157 Opening hours lunch Wednesday-Saturday 12-3pm; dinner Tuesday-Saturday 6-10pm; We visited Wednesday lunch Prices starters £7.50-£8.50, mains £16.50-£17.50, puddings £7.00-£7.50 Wine list A fine selection of organic or biodynamic wines from independent vineyards from £19.50 to £40 Atmosphere friendly, casual, local Service knowledgeable, informal Vegetarian choice on a short menu (only a choice of three) limited choice Disabled access fully accessible

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

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FOOD

JOSH EGGLETON, Chef pat ron

YES, CHEF! You know you’re in Bristol when the chef/owner of a top fish and chip restaurant bigs up a fellow restaurateur’s crab kitchen . . .

S

o, we finally opened our city centre Salt & Malt.

We’ve had a great reception so far; in fact, Cargo 2, on the whole, has been amazingly popular. No one place is truly busier than another, everywhere is packed, and it’s really great to see a new development doing so well.

There are so many different places and styles of cuisine on offer that it could be easy for one or two to get left behind. But that’s not the case at all; the standard of food is so high, everyone is on top of their game and that’s being proven week in, week out as the customers just keep on coming.

When Cargo 1 first opened back in winter of last year, we suspected that we’d have

Just when you’ve ‘done’ Cargo 1, along comes Cargo 2 . . .

a steady trade, but its real potential as an al-fresco dining hotspot would be seen come spring and summer; and we were right. The arrival of the sun and the addition of Cargo 2 has transformed Wapping Wharf into a spectacular site.

When I first started working in kitchens, one of my early jobs was in a restaurant close to this site. I would walk to work through Wapping Wharf; there wasn’t really any reason for you to spend more than five minutes there. But now I look at the place, and the transformation is unbelievable – there are taco bars, cheesemongers, yoga studios and coffee shops; what a difference 10 years makes.

Things are really changing south of the river, too. I was intrigued to hear about a new opening in Bedminster, Carole’s Crab

I COULD HAPPILY LEAVE MEAT OUT OF A ROAST – FOR ME, THE BEST PART IS THE SEASONAL VEG Kitchen in the newly refurbished The Old Butcher’s. This is a place that’s specialising in crab, and while Bristol has plenty of seafood restaurants, I can’t think of another place that bills itself as an out-and-out crab restaurant, and I hope I get the chance to try it out soon.

I say hope because this summer has been busy, and it’s only getting busier. Not that long ago, The Pony & Trap was invited to take part in Tom Kerridge’s Pub in The Park. It was an amazing experience, cooking for thousands of people in a pop-up pub, alongside nine of the best pubs in the land.

Huge thanks go out to Tom for asking me to be involved in this and I’m already looking forward to next year.

I’m also going to cooking Sunday Roasts at Shambala this August at the ‘Garden o’ Feeden’. It’s an interesting one as it’s going to be an entirely vegetarian three-course menu as the festival. If I’m being honest I could happily leave meat out of a roast – for me the best part of a cracking Sunday roast is great seasonal veg – so I’m really looking forward to bringing this to Shambala this summer.

For more: www.theponyandtrap.co.uk D7606

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 49

A MAN’S WORLD

SEB BARRETT

BREAK POINT

IT WAS AS IF WE WERE THE CAST OF STAND BY ME STUMBLING ONTO THE SET OF COCOON

Game, set and match to Baz . . .

T

he heat may have been oppressive this summer, but I’ll be damned if that’s stopped children from leaving their houses and dabbling in some good old-fashioned sports.

With Wimbledon still an agreeably inescapable fixture of the season, they might even have been inclined to take up tennis, as my friends and I did way back when; emerging from our Sega Mega Drive-induced hermitage into a brave new world of Ellesse polo shirts and the supremely satisfying pop-and-sniff of a new tube of Slazenger balls.

The tennis courts were at our local park, and adjoined the bowling green: a pleasant juxtaposition, as if we were the cast of Stand

By Me stumbling onto the set of Cocoon.

Those glorious days were a real hoot, the only drawback being that our tennis

instructor – let’s call him ‘Nick’, because that was his name – had the kind of delusions of grandeur that have been the cause of many a man’s downfall, such as Muammar Gaddafi.

Looking back, I think it’s not a small degree of coincidence that both men hid behind sunglasses. Nick probably still does.

Nick would have been in his mid-20s back then, I’d say. It’s possible he’d once won a tennis scholarship to a decent school, before developing the affluenza that blights large swathes of aspiring young British pros who are unable to beat any player with a tan or an Eastern European accent.

He’d gone from the heady heights of losing in the quarters at the Ilfracombe Open Men’s Singles to here, coaching a bunch of suburban smart-arses. From the frying pan into the fire. Except that he still thought he deserved to be back on the green lawns of Bracknell or Wantage. Those dreams couldn’t already be over, could they?

There’s probably a Nick in their lives, too. Watch out, Nick

So it was that he greeted our twiceweekly arrival at the courts with a look of disdain and, unfailingly, a witty comment at one of our expense. Sartorially, it was a bad time for all of us, but jabs could be especially wounding if they were aimed at the hair.

As a man, your hair doesn’t really know who it is until your mid- to latetwenties, and as a pre-teen I had the biffy misfortune of resembling a young Clare Balding. As such, I can’t totally begrudge Nick’s passive-aggressive swipes at my ridiculous barnet. That’s just how you learn, in the jungle.

That said, his questionable approach to coaching backfired spectacularly one day in late summer – a day when Nick had opted to wear spectacles rather than sunnies. We’d arrived at the courts via a sweep of the local bakery, laden with doughnuts and pastries. We were obviously a committed bunch.

One of our chubbier friends still had a comical amount of jam and sugar all over his hands as he went to warm up. Nick, ever the opportunist, saw his chance to burn him with a zinger. “You should get a job at a bakery,” he said, his mocking tone matched only by his substandard effort at wit. Then came the mother of all retorts from our friend: “You should get a job at…

Specsavers!” As boys who were yet to hit puberty, this was the height of hilarity, the comment that launched a thousand mic drops. Game, set, match.

To look at Nick then was to see a man broken by the hyena laughter of a troupe of twelve-year-olds. He must have regretted not wearing his customary wraparound Oakley shades on that day because, as we rolled around laughing, the tears welling up in his eyes were there for us all to see.

Life comes at you fast, Nick.

Seb Barrett works in sports communications.

Follow him on Twitter @bazzbarrett

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 51

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Adventures in party-going

Paul Clifton

SNAPPED! AC ROS S B R IS TO L , O N E S H I N D I G AT A T I M E

Holly James

MAN OF PROPERT Y For our third Business Club get-together, George Cardale of Savills enlightened guests about the world of property after lunch at Hotel du Vin Photos by Jon Craig

Gareth Edwards, Rogers Isaacs and Robin Rajanah

Andrew Evans, Julian Pyrke, Claire Russell

George Cardale, Iona Martin, Ben Bracey, Stephen Hayles

MASTER MIND

Ani Stafford Townsend, Michael Lloyd Jones

And just a few weeks later, it was the turn of Clifton College head Tim Greene; same place, same club . . .

Photos by Jon Craig

Tim Greene

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

Advert Designer & Production Coordinator MediaClash are currently looking for an advert designer and production coordinator, who will be responsible for the advert design and production on a number of our city-based magazines. The role will involve advert setting, proofing, page layout, liaising with advertisers and working closely with our sales teams. You will be highly organised and able to work to multiple deadlines in an efficient manner.

Other duties will include checking the flatplans and liaising with the printers on a daily basis. Along with being creative and having a keen eye for detail you will be vigilant at keeping an organised database. You will be used to dealing with high volumes of work and capable of working to deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

You will have worked in a similar role and must be trained in InDesign and Photoshop.

If you think you have the qualities and experience for this role, please send your CV to: sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk

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Would you like to work in Media Sales?

We are always looking to hear from talented individuals who would like to work for MediaClash, presenting advertising opportunities and marketing solutions across our portfolio of fantastic local titles. We are a growing business and anticipate there being various opportunities over the next few months.

If you would like to join our continuing success story please email your CV to steve.hawkins@mediaclash.co.uk or give us a call anytime on 01225 475800 for a chat about the company, our magazines and available positions.

www.mediaclash.co.uk

Shake-ups/launches/intel/promotions

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

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE

“IT MEANT A LOT TO OUR CORPORATE & CHARITY

PRO-SPORT Friendly rivalry and a chance to dress up in really silly clothes – it was time to get into Dodge city . . .

T

eams drawn from the cream of Bristol’s pro service companies (and, umm, Bristol Life) competed in LGTVestra’s inaugural Dodgeball Tournament on Thursday 29 June at The Downs School.

The event – a charity fundraiser for The Prince’s Trust, LGT Vestra’s charity partner – was the first to be held in Bristol, though LGTVestra have been running similar tournaments in London for the past six years.

A total of 13 teams in fancy dress entered the tournament, while Dodgeball UK refereed.

“We were delighted to bring this successful fundraising event to Bristol for the first time, and would like to thank all the teams who entered, and who helped us to fundraise for our charity partner,

PWC (top left)’s secret stash of Kryptonite allowed them to defeat Clifton Private Finance

The Prince’s Trust,” said Andrew Davies, head of the South West at LGT Vestra. “We look forward to hosting this event again next year, and welcoming as many teams as possible to the competition.”

“We are incredibly grateful to LGT Vestra for supporting The Prince’s Trust with this successful fundraising event,” responded Allie May, events manager for the South West at The Prince’s Trust; the charity benefitted from over £4400 raised by the event.

The tournament winners were PWC; the runners-up, Bristol Sport. The fancy dress award went to Clifton Private Finance for their superhero fancy outfits.

For more: www.lgtvestra.com

PROPERTY | COMMERCIAL PROBATE | FAMILY VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.AMDSOLICITORS.COM

REGULARS; IT MADE THEM FEEL A PART OF SOMETHING SPECIAL”

Now, which magazine Awards could Benn Gatt possible be talking about? See page 59

£4400 THE BIG NUMBER

The amount raised for The Prince’s Trust by LGTVestra’s charity dodgeball game (main story, left)

BUSINESS INSIDER

SCHOOL OF THOUGHT Headmaster Dr Tim Greene, from Clifton College, spoke about the business of running the school

T

im has spent many years in education, coming to Clifton College from a career in further education. His wife works in the state school sector so he has a keen eye on all aspects of education and has been at Clifton College since 2006 where, in his role as Head of Academic, he was credited with being the driving force behind rising academic standards at the school.

Academic results, though, are not what he talks about first and foremost when he is asked to sum up the values of the school. “Our history dictates our down-to-earth ethos,” says Tim. Clifton College was set up by Bristol businessmen and led by Dr John Percival, a visionary headmaster who believed in science, the education of women and racial tolerance.

He was a Victorian ahead of his time; he aimed to produce children of varied but definite character. Says Tim, “Percival’s dream was that half the pupils would be free. That’s what he attempted. Nowadays that’s not possible but we still try to drive towards that as a goal.

“We want pupils to have their feet on the floor and a love for what lies ahead. We do not wish to see arrogance in our pupils. We want them to have a sense of enjoyment and a lust for life – we want to turn out people who choose to do something a bit different.”

He talks candidly about pupils who step out of line and of how to combine the loco parentis role with this celebration of enjoying life. “Well, yes,” he says, “people do get things slightly wrong. They need to understand where they’ve got things wrong and go on to get them right

PHOTOS BY TIM WOOLF

BRISTOL LIFE BUSINESS CLUB

Dr Tim Greene

in the future. That’s education – we are always slightly in the redemption business.”

When asked how over-exuberant pupils are brought into line, Tim talks of expectation rather than discipline. “The level of expectation around behaviour is the key. Our pastoral system makes our expectations clear. Pupils know where the line is, and we all rub along together fine. You need to set those rules of engagement in order to have a community that works. It’s simple things – like thanking teachers at the end of lessons, opening doors.

Once parameters are set, you don’t need to do anything – you just let it roll on.”

There are 720 pupils starting at Clifton College in September of whom 40 per cent are girls, although the gender split will be almost 50/50 in sixth form. This shifting of balance comes from conscious desire and natural direction of travel. Tim is a massive fan of mixed schools. “Personally I’m not a fan of single sex education – I feel it’s a historical anomaly. The world is co-ed and I am very keen for the school to be 50/50 as soon as we can get there.”

Talk moves to business and the unequivocal need to expand to survive but Tim is keen to state that Clifton College will not be expanding in Bristol as higher pupil numbers would mean losing the special nature of the school as it is now. That doesn’t rule out expansion into the international arena, though, he confirms.

A Clifton College elsewhere could be very successful. “A development like this is near the top of my agenda. Most public schools which aren’t already in that arena are looking

at similar. In 50 years, the education system in many areas of the world will have improved and we would like to be part of that. My view is that the education system in this country is superb and it’s something we should export.

“Obvious places to start are Hong Kong and Southern China. There are many options, from having total control over the new school to setting up what is, to all intents and purposes, a franchise. Personally I would be uncomfortable about giving over too much control.”

We talk about the inevitable competition to attract new pupils. “New families come.

They walk around and get a feel for the place.

Most parents look at between three and five schools before they make their decision. So, yes, it’s competitive but we don’t enter into any negativity — we say what we are but we never rubbish other schools. I did have a family with five kids come to visit last week though,” says Tim, with a mischievous wink, as the Q&A winds up, “and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to sharpening up a bit when I know there are that many kids on the horizon.”

For more: www.bristollifebusinessclub.com

EAT, THINK, BRISTOL FASHION Sponsored by Chartered Accountants Milsted Langdon, The Bristol Life Business Club is a select group of senior business people. It features a speaker and a damn fine lunch. Please contact stephanie.dodd@mediaclash.co.uk for information on the next one.

A RETIREMENT TO LOOK FORWARD TO

LAST REMAINING VACANCIES

across our five lovely houses in the Bristol area

BUSINESS INSIDER

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS 2017

COCKTAIL/BAR WINNER

A GATT IN THE KITCHEN Ben Gatt and his family picked up the Best Bar award for The Old Bookshop – though ‘bar’ barely begins to cover their three current businesses . . .

W

e’ve been out and proud fans of The Old Bookshop since it first opened its doors in 2011 – and just look how it’s grown. Ben Gatt and his family have gone on to open The Old Butcher’s in April, bringing a true craft beer bar to North Street, showcasing many of Bristol’s finest breweries, such as Wiper & True, Lost & Grounded, Moor and Wild Beer; in June, on the same premises, they’ve now launched Carol’s Crab Kitchen, serving South American food with an Asian twist.

Congratulations on the Award, Ben! What did it mean to you?

It meant a lot to us – and even more so for our regulars, as it makes them feel a part of something special.

which accounts for over half of our customer base. For me, this is the best form of customer, as it allows us to build relationships. Our regular customers always bring in visiting friends and family, and like to introduce them to us, which we love.

You’ve kept things fresh with guest chef weeks . . .

Yes, we’ve had a mixture of resident chefs and pop-ups here over the years. The reason for doing the pop-ups was in line with our everchanging and progressive approach to The Old Bookshop. I’ve never been afraid of change. In September we’ll have a new resident chef, Nick Delgado, who has been helping with putting the menu together for Carol’s Crab Kitchen at The Old Butcher’s.

IF SOMEONE DOESN’T LIKE WHAT I’M DOING, IT MEANS THE PEOPLE THAT DO, WILL LOVE IT

Take us back to the early days. The Old Bookshop was your first family venture into the restaurant trade, yes?

Before opening The Old Bookshop in October 2011, I had come to a point where I wanted to do something different with my life. I’d been a tradesman since I left school, fitting bathrooms and kitchens, and living in South Wales. I moved to Bristol, lived on a boat and worked at Thekla and The Hatchett as a bar man, and just really wanted my own place. The Old Bookshop was the only place we could afford as it had a flat above and the licenses already existed.

What inspired the eclectic interior look?

It evolved over time. I wanted a cool place to go that was right on people’s doorsteps. To me the interior is pretty timeless. I wanted to keep it classic, but fun too – my father and I have built and designed every aspect of The Old Bookshop and The Old Butcher’s, as we do with everything else we turn our hands to How has North Street developed since you opened?

There wasn’t a lot happening on our end of North Street when we opened. Now, the whole area has definitely expanded and grown around us. Hopefully we’ve shown other businesses that have moved here that there is a market for local and independent places for the community here in BS3 and beyond.

How many of your clientèle are locals?

One of the reasons why people enjoy The Old Bookshop is that we have a huge repeat customer base who are within walking distance,

What’s on the menu at Carol’s Crab Kitchen?

Our signature dish is whole soft-shell crab and juicy spicy wings. It’s an accessible take on a seafood restaurant.

Where else do you like to eat and drink?

I love Flour & Ash, Pasta Loco and The Ox. If I’m lucky to have an evening off I’ll be in The Gallimaufry, Mother’s Ruin or Small Bar.

What’s the best piece of biz advice you’ve ever been given?

From day one I’ve been given endless advice, and I quickly learned that everyone has an opinion, and isn’t shy to tell you. From that point, I made a decision not to listen to many people, and to stick to what I’ve set out to do. I’ve not been afraid if someone doesn’t like what I’m doing. It means the people that do, will love it! However, there are guys like James at The Gallimaufry and Russ at The Ox that I do respect and enjoy chatting about the industry with.

Finally, what’s up next?

There’s loads going on here for Upfest, such as DJs, live music, the return of Dodgy Disco, Tasty Ragga will here doing their food and more. We’re also opening up the middle building between The Old Bookshop and The Old Butcher’s and it will be a shared space between us and Friendly Records. Plans to be revealed! We’ve also acquired a boat – the lead boat from the Leigh Woods installation by Luke Jerram called Grey Gull. We’ve got a million ideas of what to do with it so watch this space.

For more: www.theoldbookshop.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 59

ad v erti s i n g feat u re f i n a n c e

Firms prepare for Making Tax Digital PHILIP BARRY, partner at Hollingdale Pooley Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors based in Redland, provides an overview of the latest developments:

B

usinesses will be given at least 12 months to prepare for the transition to Digital Accounts.

Businesses, self-employed people and landlords will need to submit quarterly updates to HMRC and keep their records digitally by 2020, but this will be phased in. The current plan is to start quarterly reporting from April 2018 for landlords and the self-employed, with micro-business next to come online.

After the publication of draft legislation, the following details have been confirmed:

irms will be able to use spreadsheets to l F record their receipts and expenditure l Q uarterly updates will not apply to charities l T hose with turnover of under £10,000 a year will be exempt from the process ccounting for income and expenditure on l A a ‘cash in, cash out basis’ will be extended

There will be a 12-month period before late submission penalties will be applied. This will allow businesses to get used to the new system and allow for feedback.

Jim Harra, director general customer strategy and tax design at HMRC, said: “The appetite for digital services is growing and traditional paper-based processes make no sense in the 21st century where the vast majority use digital services.”

Preparing for the changes

One of the most noticeable changes for businesses is the need for digital software to keep both company and individual records up to date.

A March 2016 business survey by the ICAEW found that 75% of respondents were not using software to maintain their accounts.

Businesses will be able to use spreadsheets to collate records but must ensure that the documents are compatible with the software available. It is the business’ responsibility to

choose software that both suits their needs and is compatible with the HMRC digital tax account system. BL

At Hollingdale Pooley we are in the process of helping our clients adapt to the digital age and ensuring software solutions are appropriately tailored to each client. Talk to us about managing these changes.

If you would like further advice or assistance in this area, please call us on 0117 973 3377 or visit www. hollingdalepooley.co.uk.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 61

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a d v e r t i s i n g f e at u r e L E G A L

So What’s The Issue With The Gig Economy?

by Tony Forster Consultant at Metcalfes Solicitors

I

t sounds like it is a new concept of working - Gig workers do not work fixed shifts and, in theory , they can work as little or as often as they choose .They carry out tasks – ‘’gigs’’ . They work whenever they want , often from wherever they want . It is not new though - think ‘’freelancing’’ and you will not go too far wrong. It has just been brought up to date by the use of technology (in particular the use of the Internet; Apps and Smartphones). Some experts say almost 15% of the UK workforce are involved in the Gig Economy. The number of people in ‘jobs for life’ is decreasing and as the usage of this technology by businesses to determine their day to day workforce needs becomes the norm this figure will only increase .

The Gig Economy has flexibility as its core proposition. People can earn money without compromising or limiting their family life; social life or any other priority they may have .But this potentially ideal situation is now causing stress, confusion and disadvantage amongst some of those in the workplace.

There are concerns about how the Gig Economy is affecting certain aspects of employment law. Essentially at the root of it are two questions lawyers ( and many accountants ) have had to look at often when considering businesses - Who is employed and Who is self- employed ? The differences are stark. An employee is entitled to a full range of benefits and protections including the right to receive at least the National Minimum Wage; a right to pension provision

and an entitlement to paid holiday pay .In addition they can claim for unfair dismissal and redundancy where appropriate. If a person is self- employed they have few such benefits as an employee does.

Recently there has been publicity surrounding claims by drivers at Uber not to be classed as self – employed, which is the title Uber gave to their drivers. The drivers who brought the claim were successful and were granted entitlement to benefits such as National Minimum Wage and holiday pay (although Uber are, I believe, appealing against this success). Also Deliveroo found the need to change the contract documents they use with their riders. The concerns are growing and they are real. You must always take legal advice immediately any concern arises. Establishing the status of any particular working relationship in the Gig Economy is one where you should look at what actually happens in reality. Often titles and even documents used may be of little help. It is the practical position which is where you need to look .Someone is more than likely employed if they are under the control of some person or business. Thus a business which tells an individual not just what they should do but how they should do it ; when they do it and where they do it more than likely employ that person . Employment status is further strengthened if that person is not free to work for other organisations; has to accept the work given and has to use the tools and facilities of that business.

For a person to have a greater chance to be classed as self- employed they must be in a position where they have no obligation to accept work that is offered. Further that individual must have the ability to determine when and how they work. They do not have to work exclusively for one organisation.

They may be on a finite project with specific parameters – but it will be a project they have chosen to be part of.

In the light of the development of the Gig Economy and some of the concerns that are arising changes in the terms of engagement in many workforce situations will need to be made. Maybe the pointers given above will assist you in how you consider you particular circumstances, if relevant. However do always take proper legal advice at the earliest opportunity. Do feel free to contact Metcalfes. BL

Tony Forster, Metcalfes Consultant tforster@metcalfes.co.uk 0117 945 3040

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 63

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Building/renovating/investing/decorating

HOMES G O I N G F L AT O U T

Renovators Cassie and Edd have moved on from this Hotwells flat to a new project, but it’s at this home that they cut their interior design teeth

APARTMENTS

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 65

FLAT SO E SHARP Our real home this issue is a Hotwells flat that used to belong to Cassie and Edd Nicholas, serial renovators, interior designers and owners of treasure trove shop Dig Haushizzle on Colston Street. Pull up a chair for some real insight and style ideas

By R AC H E L I FA NS

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

dd and Cassie bought this place in Dowry Square in Hotwells in 2010, a one-bedroomed flat – “a blank canvas” – in a 1750s Georgian house.

A portentous purchase: it was the first flat they’d owned, the first one they’d renovated and it also ended up ushering in a whole change of career for both of them.

Before the birth of the Dig Haushizzle treasure trove we know and love on Colston Street, Edd was a veterinary nurse and Cassie worked in designer clothes shops, but the extent to which they became involved in the renovation of this flat ended up dictating their way of life.

Now, in 2017, their shop is thriving, having just been listed by Homes and Antiques magazine as one of the best antiques and vintage shops in the UK, and the couple have sold up and moved on to a new, and bigger, project.

The pair travel all over the country picking stuff by hand. “We only pick for the shop what we’d want to keep ourselves,” says Cassie. “It keeps our style coherent and consistent.” The dates that interest them are primarily between the 1850s and 1930s and the style is focused: “A mix of Victoriana, Miss Faversham-esque, all decayed and faded grandeur, is what we love.”

“We’ve now bought a 1920s house in Bedminster,” says Cassie. “It’s a project from the absolute start. We’re living in it and doing it up at the same time.”

REAL HOME

Left: The kitchen worktop is made from old school science desks

And the ‘we’ is no artifice: “We do everything apart from building work and electrics. We’re building the kitchen at the moment. Hopefully it will work out – I’m happy to try things and not worry if it doesn’t work.”

MAKE A FLAT A HOME

Cassie and Edd are not renovators to sell on.

They make homes and they put every ounce of themselves into it.

Of the Hotwells flat, she says: “We wanted that place to reflect us and our style at that point in time. We’re growing our style all the time but that was the seed of our style.” If that makes it sound like they now want to step away from the style of the flat, that’s not the case at all.

“Classic decoration doesn’t date. I would never recommend anyone to rush into a purchase that they plan to change again in a few years. Don’t buy a table just because you need it today. Make do with what you have until you find the perfect table that you will want to keep forever. There aren’t many things from the flat that won’t make it to our new place.”

You can’t get a true sense of the size of the flat from photos but Cassie remembers the basic principles they needed to employ. “The flat was small in total size but it had big rooms so it was about making the very best use of space in each room. We fitted in an office area, popped shelves above door frames and added lots of little touches.

You couldn’t have added big things in those rooms and still have them look good as they would have encroached too much on the space.”

PROPERTY

CUPBOARD LOVE

The kitchen diner is a triumph of a design. “The units were literally built around the existing cupboards. We went to local joiner Lee Jennings to help us create the worktops out of old science desks that we found at Glastonbury Reclamation.

They are made from durable iroko wood and cost about £160 in total, back in 2010.”

The rest of the wood – for the doors and shelves – was sourced from Rose Green Reclamation in Bristol. “I’m not into sanding things so we just varnished them really heavily and added handles. In total we spent £800 on the kitchen – we focussed on finding the perfect materials without spending lots of money and we knew they would look good and be functional too.”

“The kitchen in the flat was part of the lounge so we wanted to make it part of the room without making it too kitchen-y. The wood really helped with that as did having lots of colour on the shelving and in the artwork.

“One of my tips is painting the fridge with dark green chalkboard paint. This is good for kitchen diners when you don’t want a shiny fridge that stands out a mile and you don’t want to spend loads on a fancy black one. I’d seen it done in the USA with black paint but I thought that was a bit too showy as I wanted it to blend, not stand out, so I went for green. I loved the way it turned out and would do it again without hesitation.”

The couple were practical with floors too.

“We got black laminate flooring throughout and Edd laid it. To be honest we would have loved to w

I USED A HEAVY MASK AND SURE ENOUGH I FOUND SOME OF THE ORIGINAL GEORGIAN CRISS-CROSS PAINTWORK www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 67

PROPERTY

REAL HOME

Right: The couple went for inexpensive black laminate flooring in the flat and it works perfectly

have done the floorboards a different way but it would have been so noisy in a flat. The laminate option was inexpensive and allowed us to insulate properly too.”

In terms of the dark Victoriana style, Cassie has lots of advice. “People get very scared of dark rooms and putting dark paint all over the room. I’d advise doing the ceiling in the same dark colour as you’ll create much more sense of drama. You think you’ll be drawing it all in by painting the ceiling dark but you won’t. Once you put pictures on the walls, it opens up. Our kitchen diner space felt much bigger once it all went dark.

“Think about what you want the rooms to look like in the end rather than what you think the space suits from the beginning.”

And what is her favourite bit of the flat? “That’s easy. It’s the alcove in the lounge. We painted the rest of the room dark and then tried that in numerous colours – greeny, blue, light grey.

Nothing worked so I thought I’d have a go with a heat gun and a scraper and see what I could get back to through all those layers of paint. I used a heavy mask as I wanted to go back so far I was sure I’d be scraping lead paint and sure enough I found some of the original Georgian criss-cross paintwork. You can’t fake that kind of thing. It took years to get it right,” she laughs.

INSPIRATION IS EVERYWHERE

So, what are the inspirations for people with such a singular sense of style? “You can find inspiration everywhere. I went to a bar in London at the weekend. Part of it was shut for renovation but I snuck in and found the most wonderful empty shell. It had everything going for it just as it was!

“We love the design of Milk Thistle and we like seeing what Bambalan has done too. I also love Dustbowl Vintage in Clifton Village – they are just like us, passionate about the place and filling it with things they love. Further afield, New York is the best place for inspiration in the style that we love. Finally I’ve had a book for years that I love and use as a kind of guide: Rough Luxe Design: The New Love of Old by Kahi Lee. “Lots of our business is from other businesses, whether supplying directly to bars and hotels, or interior designers. We interior style ourselves too, offering help with the all-important finishing touches when people get a bit stuck.”

For Cassie and Edd, work and pleasure are intrinsically linked. All the soft furnishings for the flat were sourced as they would be for the shop, for example. “And sometimes,” she laughs, “let’s just say that things meant for the shop never actually made it in there.”

We can’t wait to see the house in Bedminster when it’s finished and we’ve got Cassie’s target completion date of May 2018 ringed in our diaries already.

For more: www.dig-haushizzle.co.uk 68 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

ALL SOFT FURNISHINGS FOR THE FLAT WERE SOURCED AS THEY WOULD BE FOR THE SHOP

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PROPERTY

EXPERT ADVICE Clockwise: Instead of the oft-used sludge greys for cupboard colours, why not go bold with very dark green?; Metals are a key trend right now in kitchen design; the Sustainable Kitchens design below makes the very best of the space in this galley kitchen and uses clever touches of industrial design

FOCUS ON KITCHENS

COOKING UP A STORM

Our real home this issue features a kitchen that is brimming with character and style, proving that the heart of the house need not be just functional, white lines and shiny surfaces. Bristol’s experts tell us more

W

hat’s the first thing you consider when you think of updating your kitchen? For many people, the pressing issues of how many cupboards to choose, where to store your chopping boards, and making that thorny decision between island and jetty will come far down the list after budget, budget and budget. You really can’t get round it – a new kitchen is gonna cost ya.

When we spoke to Olga at Sustainable Kitchens about how much people are spending these days, it took our breath away. “People are coming to us with £20-£25,000 budgets but invariably it has gone up another £10,000 by the time they are finished. This kind of budget is ideal as it gives us wiggle room to create something really wonderful. Kitchens are the centre of the home these days, hosting homework, office work, get togethers, parties, family meals and more, so it’s worth spending on them.” She is, of course, right, and using that kind of budget from Sustainable

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Kitchens will buy you a bespoke solid wood – birch or oak - kitchen, designed to last a lifetime.

Robyn at Fawn Interiors agrees, “It’s the first thing you come down to in the morning, it’s the place you make the lunchboxes while the kids are running circles around you trying to find their other sock, it’s the place you crack open the bubbles with friends, it’s the place you catch up with the other half while cooking. A good quality kitchen doesn’t necessarily have to cost the world.

We source high quality, bespoke products for our clients from local businesses at competitive prices – you just need to know where to look.”

The most common kitchen layouts include the one-wall, the galley, the U-shape and the L-shape, some of which can also incorporate an island. Says Robyn, “The galley is perhaps the most efficient of all when it comes to cooking. A galley kitchen that is open on both sides, rather than just on one end, helps to bring in more light and create a feeling of connection to the rest of the home; while having the hob and sink located on the same wall keeps the messiest part of the kitchen close to the cleanup area.”

Our kitchen experts this issue: Sustainable Kitchens hello@sustainablekitchens.co.uk 0117 961 6471 Fawn Interiors info@fawn-interiors.co.uk 0117 205 0203 Alno Kitchens www.alnokitchens.co.uk

EXPERT

BUDGET UP, BUDGET DOWN

Let’s face it, barely anyone can just spend big on everything. So where in kitchen design and delivery is it best to splash the cash and where is it possible to economise? Olga recommends replacing a marble worktop with engineered quartz. Her favourite recent kitchens – pictured below – has a wood worktop on one side of a galley kitchen and a white quartz on the other, the contrast widening the narrow space.

Fern is keen on quartz too. “If you’re choosing quartz, the unbranded ones are often equally as good as market leaders so shop around.

In the past the norm has been to go for 30mm thickness but you can go as thin as 12mm.

Not only does this look gorgeous and chic but it’s also kind to your pocket.”

Spending big is key in your units, as Olga says. “Use solid wood on your units and they really will last a lifetime. Our woods are so durable and clients should only have to spruce them up with a lick of paint after something like 20 years of use.”

Phil Harflett from Alno Kitchens in Bond Street, South Cabot Circus, agrees, “Well-designed quality cabinets are definitely the place to start when renovating a kitchen.”

CLIENTS ARE EXPERIMENTING A LOT MORE WITH EXOTIC VENEERS AND SPECIALIST PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS SUCH AS LIQUID METAL DOORS

PROPERTY

“I GOTTA HAVE IT!”

In terms of kitchen must-haves, there are two standouts: firstly, a bespoke design that suits your lifestyle and needs; and secondly, storage. Robyn says that larders have become extremely popular over the past two years.

“They are like Mary Poppins’ bag – there’s nothing better than opening two big doors and all the necessities are there, accompanied by a little cold prep shelf at the bottom. Once finished, close the doors and, hey presto, no mess!” Olga agrees that lots of people underestimate the need for good storage.

“It’s not about having lots of space, it’s about using the space you have creatively.”

DESIGN TRENDS

And what about design? Trends at the moment tend towards the industrial with metals like brass, copper and stainless steel featuring frequently, according to Olga.

Sustainable Kitchens are using a lot of aged brass in their designs at the moment.

And Robyn is seeing a lot of creative flair in Bristol’s kitchens (we’re not surprised!).

“Kitchens are often still based on the classic Shaker or the modern handle-less but I have found that our clients are experimenting a lot more with exotic veneers and specialist products/materials, such as liquid metal doors.”

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PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

THE DEFINITE ARTICLE This penthouse apartment is in the new build part of The General’s redevelopment. Its steely modern look sits harmoniously alongside the historical hospital

By BI BA F RY

74 112I I BRISTOL CLIFTONLIFE LIFEI Iwww.mediaclash.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk

I

f you want to elevate something above its ordinary status, add a definite article. A definite article is, for the less erudite reader (all of us apart from Michael Gove and the Grammar Police), a ‘the’.

So, think ‘The Full English Breakfast’ on a menu or Coke’s descriptor ‘The Real Thing’. And now consider Bristol’s acclaimed residential development The General – it works doesn’t it? It feels so, well, confident.

Well, if you decide to buy this top-floor gem in its phase-2 development, you’ll end up with two in your address. The Iron Foundry in The General is a new-build collection of 16 apartments, completing the development of the former Bristol General Hospital.

When you have two ‘the’s in your address, you expect a certain level of exclusivity and luxury. And The Iron Foundry doesn’t disappoint. In this little bundle of loveliness, a penthouse duplex two-bedroomed apartment, you can expect a total of three Juliet balconies over the two floors, fronting the open-plan living area and the bedrooms upstairs. In total, the penthouse, which is accessed via a shared lift, covers a comfortable 1252 sq ft and its location is extraordinarily convenient: on the south side of the River Avon, adjacent to Bathurst Basin; in the heart of Redcliffe, an area which is set for large regeneration in the next few years; a short stroll from Temple Meads; and spitting distance from any number of Bristol’s varied attractions. Having said that, with the way The General has been designed, it feels like an oasis of calm rather than a throb of hustle bustle.

Bristol is a thoroughly walkable and cyclable city but if you do have a car you’ll be pleased to find an allocated

The Iron Foundry is the new build part of The General development which sits south of the River Avon

HOUSE NUMBERS

£745,000 guide price

1252 Sq ft

2

Bedrooms

3

Balconies

and secure space underground, as well as designated a bike shed. The surrounding grounds are maintained and there is an on-site caretaker.

Inside the feel is light and modern. The appliances are high quality and you don’t get the feeling of spaceskimping, due to generous dimensions, floor-to-ceiling glazing and extra rooms like study, utility room and all-important under-stairs storage. The décor is top notch too: if we just list 100 per cent wool carpets; oak engineered flooring; Neff appliances; wooden kitchen cupboards; and full-length, sliding-door wardrobes, you’ll get the right picture. Both bedrooms are doubles and both have ensuite facilities. And, of course, it’s all a glorious blank canvas, just sitting there waiting to have a personality stamped upon it.

The three things you remember about this flat are a strong hand: first, the fact it’s gloriously bathed in light; second, its views; and last, its roots in Bristol’s fascinating history. From the early 19th century, the site was home to the iron foundry after which it is named, as well as other industrial buildings. A boom in shipbuilding in Bristol at the time meant an increased demand for iron and steel and pre-dated the hospital which then sprang up in all its Italianate and French Renaissance glory on the site in 1858.

Be definite. Make yourself at home in The Penthouse, The Iron Foundry, The General. Oh, now, that’s three definite articles in one address.

Savills, Embassy House, Queens Avenue, Bristol BS8 1SB; 0117 910 0388; www.savills.co.uk

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P R O P E R T Y a d v ertisi n g fe at u re

Home in bRISTOL Bristol Life’s selection of property experts in Bristol and the surrounding area

Architects

Barton Willmore 0117 929 9677 www.bartonwillmore.co.uk Graham Rivers 0117 942 8373 www.riversarchitect.co.uk Jonathon Lees 0117 379 0079 www.jonathanleesarchitects.co.uk Nash Partnership 01225 442424 www.nashpartnership.com Quentin Alder 0117 968 3111 www.quentinalder.co.uk Stride Treglowan 0117 974 3271 www.stridetreglown.com Winsor Leaman 0117 923 8617 www.winsorleaman.com

Bathrooms

Ripples Bathrooms 0117 973 1144 www.ripplesbathrooms.com

Conveyancing & Lawyers AMD 0117 962 1205 www.amdsolicitors.com Barcan + Kirby 0117 325 2929 www.barcankirby.co.uk Burroughs Day 0117 929 0333 www.burroughsday.com Metcalfes 0117 929 0451 www.metcalfes.co.uk VWV 0117 314 5261 www.vwv.co.uk

Decorators

Clifton Bristol Decorators 0117 244 0093 www.cliftonbristoldecorators.co.uk Jaks Painting and Decorating 07721 491028 www.jaksdecorationanddesign.co.uk

Developers/ Builders

Berkeley Place 07770 942190 www.berkeleyplace.co.uk Build Bristol 07545 339908 / 0117 909 1969 www.buildbristol.com Jon Pritchard 0117 982 6596 www.jonpritchard.co.uk Moon Design & Build 0117 973 3284 www.moonarchitectandbuilder.co.uk Nest Design and Build 01275 832528 www.createyournest.co.uk

Estate Agents

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Fireplaces

Clifton Fireplaces 0117 973 6474 www.cliftonfireplaces.co.uk Kindle Stoves 0117 924 3898 www.kindlestoves.co.uk

Furniture, interiors and homeware shops Clarks Village 01458 840 064 www.clarksvillage.co.uk

Gardiner Haskins 0117 929 2288 www.gardinerhaskins.co.uk Greenfinch 01934 830029 www.greenfinchkandi.co.uk

Alexander May 0117 974 4766 www.alexandermay.co.uk

Oskar Furniture 0117 973 4777 www.oskarfurniture.co.uk

Fine and Country 0117 973 3081 www.fineandcountry.com/uk/bristol

Park Furnishers 0117 966 9253 www.parkfurnishers.co.uk

Mayfair Town and Country 0117 906 4050 www.mayfairproperties.net

Raft Furniture 0117 992 7800 www.raftfurniture.co.uk

Roderick Thomas 0117 973 4464 www.roderickthomas.co.uk

The Pod Company 0117 973 9040 www.thepodcompany.co.uk

Savills 0117 933 5803 www.savills.co.uk

The Sofa Library 0117 329 2746 www.thesofalibrary.co.uk

a d v ertisi n g fe at u re PROPERTY

Gardens

Artisan Garden Design 07752 998962 www.artisan-gardens.co.uk Greener Designs 07909 988399 www.greenerdesigns.co.uk

Interior Design Arlberry Bespoke 0117 205 0600 www.arlberry.com

Bracey Interiors 0117 973 4664 www.braceyinteriors.co.uk Designs for Living 07989 854295 www.clairebeckhaus.com

Core and Ore 0117 904 2408 www.coreandore.co.uk

Fawn Interiors 0117 205 0203 www.fawninteriors.com

Design Flooring 0117 973 2266 www.designflooringltd.co.uk

SJP Interior Design 0117 973 0880 www.sjpinteriordesign.co.uk

Marble Supreme 0117 956 3030 www.marblesupreme.com

Whittaker Wells 0117 983 8485 www.whittakerwells.com

Oriental Rugs Bath 01761 451764 www.orientalrugsofbath.com

Kitchens

Simply Carpets 0117 986 4650 www.simplycarpets.co.uk

Alno 0117 941 4179 www.alnokitchens.co.uk Ben Argent Design www.benargentdesign.com KutchenHaus 0117 213 0680 www.kutchenhaus.co.uk Neptune 0117 246 4200 www.neptune.com Stephen Graver 01380 871746 www.stephengraver.com The Kitchen Man 0117 973 1062 www.thekitchenman.co.uk Wren Kitchens 0117 244 3168 www.wrenkitchens.com

Tailored Flooring 0117 973 3393 www.tailoredflooring.co.uk

Lighting

Ablectrics 0117 942 5355 www.electricsandlighting.co.uk Parkway Lighting 0117 965 7991 www.lightingwarehouse-bristol.co.uk

Mortgage Brokers & IFAs

Anderson Financial 0117 900 1639 www.andersonfinancial.co.uk Clifton Private Finance 0117 403 4144 www.cliftonpf.co.uk

Handelsbanken 0117 973 0026 www.handelsbanken.co.uk

Upholstery

Bristol Upholstery Collective 07769 355535 www.bristolupholsterycollective.com

Ian Stuart Mortgages Ltd 07888 838843 Steve Mears Mortgage Services 0117 973 4300 www.stevemears.com

Southwest Upholstery 0117 370 2745 www.swupholstery.co.uk

Tiles and Flooring

Windows, blinds and shutters

Ceramic Tiles 0117 966 5801 www.ctdtiles.co.uk

Timber Windows of Clifton 0845 652 7300 www.timberwindowsclifton.com

Avondale Tiles 0117 967 4673 www.avondaletiles.co.uk

Shutter Craft Bristol 0117 322 4900 www.shuttercraft-bristol.co.uk

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BRISTOL LIVES

Q&A

C

hris Thurling co-founded digital agency 3Sixty way back in 1995, with a desire to do exciting work, explore the limitless potential of the internet, and work with people he admired and liked.

These days some things have changed but some are resolute. In his new role as Chair of Bristol Media. Chris’s priorities are still very much about collaboration and community.

Are you Bristol born and bred?

I came to Bristol in 1990 and, apart from a brief retreat to the country, I haven’t been away since.

Although it seems like I’ve lived here for a very long time now, I can’t claim to be a Bristol boy.

I grew up in the Mendips, near Cheddar.

What’s changed in the city in that time?

There’s certainly been a momentum to Bristol in recent years. I think success often breeds success so when people came and started doing really interesting things in Bristol, it had the knock-on effect of attracting other people to come and do more good stuff. Compared to 30 years ago it’s a completely different place now.

What do you like most about the city now?

I think it’s the mix you get here. On one hand there’s loads going on in Bristol – lots of interesting stuff workwise and a really vibrant entertainment scene. However, I also love the countryside, and the ease and speed with which we can escape Bristol and be in the Welsh mountains amd the Devon beaches.

I also like the fact it’s a walkable city. In an hour you can walk from the Downs to Temple Meads, and nine times out of 10, if I do that walk via Park Street, I invariably bump into people I know. Possibly a result of having lived here for so long, but I love the fact it still has a villagey feel to it even though it’s a city.

What local business has impressed you recently?

I think neighbourly.com is an interesting business which is going very well and seems to epitomised Bristol business in many ways. It’s a tech company but it’s one with a strong purpose. It is trying to get big businesses to work with local community initiatives and it uses techonology to connect those two worlds together.

It may sound simple but if you’re sitting in a big office with a Corporate Social Responsibility budget it’s not always easy to know where the money or time should be going. It’s a relatively new startup company but neighbourly.com is already working with M&S, BA and Starbucks and building up the big blue-chip names.

CHRIS THURLING Accidental entrepreneur, digital pioneer and hyper-connected communicator: Bristol Media’s new Chair sits down for a chat So what’s on your to-do list at the moment?

I’ve taken over as Chair of Bristol Media.

Bristol Media brings lots of diverse disciplines together in one big creative community. In a world of greater convergence and increasing collaboration, a well-connected city – by which I mean people who really know each other, not those who are just connected on LinkedIn – makes the city a much more prosperous and flourishing place.

Bristol Media has more than 600 members representing about 10,000 people working in the creative industry in the region. However, there is a big opportunity to do more. Many businesses in the region are quite small and there are lots of things that they can’t do individually but could do if we all came together and pooled our resources as a community rather than individual agencies.

It’s an exciting time for Bristol Media. We’ve just announced our annual Vision conference which takes place in November. Events like this create high-profile reference points that make everyone raise their game. It’s important they happen in Bristol as going to similar events in the US or London can be prohibitively expensive for small companies.

One of the speakers we have lined up is Blair Enns, a veteran strategist who wrote Win Without Pitching, a book that should be the bible for small agencies. It’s about how to position yourself as a thought leader in your area and is absolutely relevant to companies in the creative space.

Tell us about your coaching role I’m on the verge of completing a post-graduate qualification from UWE. I’ve mentored and managed a lot of people in my life but since doing this course I look back and wince at some of my previous management behaviours! I really like working with one-person or two-person creative businesses who are trying to get started in the industry. I’ve been there so I have an empathy.

Everyone needs a bit of help and the time to step back and reflect. It can be very powerful to have someone to work with as a coach, particularly if your chemistry is good.

What gets you on your soapbox?

It’s the fact that our whole electoral system is not fit for purpose. It’s not a soapbox issue like poverty or war, like I may have had in my uni days, but at the moment we have a 19th century system which is trying to deal with 21st century problems, and it inevitably ends in demoralisingly banal political debate. Our system was supposed to deliver strong and stable majority governments and it doesn’t do that.

If you look back over the past 30 years, progress has been made and reform has happened: think of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for starters.

It’s slow progress but we mustn’t give up. There is a campaign being set up in Bristol by Ben Heald, called 60 Months, which aims to keep chipping away at the issue of electoral reform in an attempt to get it back on the agenda. www.bristolmedia.co.uk; www.christhurling.com

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