Bristol Life - Issue 235

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property

A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE CITY

ISSUE 235 / EARLY AUTUMN 2017 / £3

BIG! IT’S CLEVER! IT’S

IT’S OUR

ISSUE 235 / EARLY AUTUMN 2017 / BEAUTIFUL INSIDE AND OUT

ADMIT IT:

BUMPER AUTUMN INTERIORS ISSUE

YOU’RE DYING TO SEE INSIDE THE LATEST SWISH HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. OUR PLEASURE…

WORKING THE ROOM BREW GOES THERE?

YOUR PERFECT CAFÉ IS WAITING FOR YOU

PUTTING THE DELISH IN DELI

(OR SHOULD THAT BE THE OTHER WAY ROUND?) WHY ROOT IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL BRISTOL RESTAURANT

MONOCHROME! METALLICS! MINIMALISM! (+ LOTS OF OTHER TRENDS THAT DON’T BEGIN WITH M )

HUMANS OF BRISTOL THROUGH THE LENS OF COLIN MOODY

DESIGN • INNOVATION • QUALITY

The ALNO Store Bristol 1 Bond Street South, Cabot Circus, BS1 3EN T. 01179 414 179 www.alnokitchens.co.uk

EDITOR’S LETTER / ISSUE 235 / EARLY AUTUMN 2017

20 DO THE BOLD THING

How much better would that knackered chaise longue in your front room look if it was covered in THIS?

Brave & bold I suppose that could conceivably refer to those of us who allowed some total stranger to strap us into a dining seat before hoisting us 100ft into the air for Bristol in the Sky this month (page 79). But more pertinently in this issue, it refers to some of the fabulously outré designs currently creeping into Bristol interiors – are you ready to banish the greys yet? On page 20 we get all of the trends and all of the tips from our favourite local experts.

It’s a typically busy late-September issue from us. With some new café or other opening every time we turn our back on the city, we felt it was time for a freshly-ground round-up of some of the most interesting ones around. Whether it’s all about the brew, or the ambience that’s the draw, we’re all over it.

We have delis. We have Grayson Perry. We have Colin Moody (and we’re not giving him back). We have a profile of the Alma Quarter, a look inside some of the latest new-builds, and . . . remind us, why aren’t we charging you for this magazine again?

Deri Robins, editor Twitter @BristolLifeMag Instagram:@bristollifemag

REGULARS / ISSUE 235 / EARLY AUTUMN 2017

48

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 Contributor: Olly Robinson 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 Sales executive Melissa Barnes melissa.barnes@mediaclash.co.uk Production and distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager and production designer Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk

THE ARTS

FOOD

SPORT

39 Arts Intro

72 Restaurant

97 Olly Robinson

Not many Bristol venues can claim to hold an annual event for the 165th year. RWA can, though.

Always trust the guy who has a second thought.

Is rugby finally getting safer?

42 What’s On

If this section gets any bigger we’re going to be mistaken for Crumbs magazine.

111 Business insider

82 Cafés

PROPERT Y

The autumn season’s on fire.

48 Photography They call him ‘Bristol’s answer to Martin Parr’. We’re not sure what the question was.

54 Grayson Perry Our favourite cross-dressing urnmaking, tapestry-stitching social commentator brings his latest show to town.

SHOPPING 58 Editor’s Choice It’s time to switch on the cactus.

76 Food & drink

Hipsters, high-chairs, a bowl of water for the Cockerpoo; what’s your café style and criteria?

89 Take 3 The delis that want to take over your larder.

VILL AGE BRISTOL 92 Alma Quarter What’s in a name? Quite a bit, as it goes.

BUSINESS The return of our Awards (they never went away!), and a Sustainable success story.

124 New homes The sexiest and newest developments in the city.

Bristol Life, MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

About MediaClash We’re a Bath-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrates the best of local living: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter and Salisbury. We also publish foodie mag Crumbs. (www.crumbsmag.com, @CrumbsMag) and wedding title Vow (@VowMag).

Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help.

Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk

135 Focus . . . and the legal considerations to consider before you dive in.

DEPARTMENTS 7 Spotlight 98 Snapped!

146 Bristol Lives

On the cover Inside The Loft, Acorn’s latest development in Bishopston; full feature page 124

Two Priests by Thomas Boot

VENUES

GLASS ACTS Two huge Bristol arts institutions came together over 16-18 September, as Upfest packed up its Krylons and headed north of the river to create a giant mural on the glass windows of Colston Hall. The finished piece features portraits of some of the famous faces who have played the Colston stage over the last 150 years, spanning every genre from rock to jazz to classical, from Jimi Hendrix and Mick Jagger to Ella Fitzgerald and Sergei Rachmaninoff.

The Hall celebrated its birthday in style on 20 September with one big free party for all of Bristol: artists tipping their hat to the sounds that have graced the Hall over the years included The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, The Bruce/Ilett Big Band, Bristol Reggae Orchestra, Bristol Ensemble, Limbic Cinema, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Bristol Choral Society, and Wanted Records’ DJ John Stapleton.

Happy birthday, Hall.

For more: www.colstonhall.org

PHOTOGRAPHY

ONE DAY LIKE THIS Annual photo competition 24 Hours In Bristol returns this month, with the designated time for capturing the city being the hours between 12.00 Saturday 30 September to 12.00 Sunday 1 October.

And this year’s event comes with a new twist: walk away from the DSLR, as it’s smartphone and tablet shots only this year – a format designed to encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to take part.

Entry fees are much lower this year, too, at

only £5 to register including your first image and £2 per extra image (max six in total).

The venue for the exhibition is new too – the team will aim to display all entry images alongside the winning photos at the new Programme Gallery, with an Awards evening on 27 October.

We liked last year’s third prize (above) so much, we put it on our front cover. As it happened, it was taken on a phone . . .

For more: www.24hoursinbristol.co.uk

SPOTLIGHT

SUMMER OF ’17

It may not have been the sunniest summer in living memory, but plenty of fun was had. Let’s do it all again next year . . .

@moodycolin319 gets his mouse on at Pride

@neiljamesb got wet wet wet at Harbourfest

@valleyfest invited us to get on their land

@chill1983 Guy waltzed a streaker at The Downs

@bristolpictures Gull power after Upfest

@thedownsbristol The last hoorah of the summer

@colinraynerphotography Rain dance

@craigderrick40 Early one morning at the Fiesta

@bristollifemag balloons over Harbourside

@grillstock All the meats and all the beats

@Istdbristol Field of dreams: Love Saves the Day

@bristollifemag Dining with Gordon,100ft in the air

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

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DRESS TO IMPRESS Dream wardrobes and Carrie Bradshaw-style dressing rooms: the ultimate in home lifestyle luxury

T

he latest must-have to enter into homes across the country is the ultimate in home lifestyle luxury.

Wardrobes and dressing rooms with made to measure hanging rails, LED lit shoe shelves and glass-topped jewellery drawers. Storage for your fashion and beauty items just stepped up a notch – and it doesn't just have to be a fantasy.

Arlberry Bespoke is paving the way for beautiful made-to-measure closets, wardrobes and full dressing rooms, with all the attention to detail you can only dream of – and all crafted in Bristol.

It doesn't matter whether you have a small walk-in closet, a dedicated area or a whole room – Arlberry has many design tricks up their sleeves to maximise on the storage and beauty of your wardrobes.

Inspiration and Ideas

l Compartments for your jewellery, watches, sunglasses and ties l Angled shoe shelves with led lighting l Varying height hanging rails for your different clothes l Backlit mirrors to make spaces feel bigger l Adding textures and wallpapers to create a boutique vibe l Organise by colour l Dedicated make-up areas What are the current trends in wardrobe design?

Many of our clients currently prefer to have their clothes hidden behind doors with the trend leaning towards classical and romantic Shaker-style designs with extra tall doors and elaborate period details to give a real wowfactor room.

“it doesn't matter if you have a walkin closet or a whole room” We are frequently designing floor-to-ceiling mirrors, antiqued mirror accents, metallic details, floor-to-ceiling storage with rolling ladders and clever design solutions for scarves, hairdryers, handbags and made-to-measure compartmentalised drawers.

How can I get a design for my home?

Arlberry is currently offering a free design consultation in and around the Bristol area. The first appointment involves a survey of the space and a talk through the storage you require, the style you like and some inspirational images.

Your dedicated designer will put together a 3D design on CAD for your fabulous new wardrobes and present this back to you along with some material samples.

Once you are happy with the designs the workshop will begin bringing the designs to life over a six week timeline with the final installation onsite. Once complete you can then lovingly organise your clothes into their allotted new homes.

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

How to get in touch?

Arlberry is a Bristol-based design company that specialises in dressing room and wardrobe design.

You can contact us on 0117 298 0609 or email us at info@arlberry.com.

Check out our website at www.arlberry.com.

Follow us on Instagram @arlberrybespoke.

Arlberry Bespoke Ltd Henleaze Business Centre 13 Harbury Road, Henleaze, Bristol, BS9 4PN; 0117 298 0609; www.arlberry.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 19

Working the room

What’s going on in Bristol’s homes? Everything, as per usual! Mono’s still cool, but blowsy florals are blooming. Heirloom chaise longues are covered with graffiti. Kitchens are going back to black, but with warm metallic tones.

And even if your bathroom’s as big as a field, what it really needs now is a toilet shower…

By DE R I ROBI NS

Trust the Boys who Sew to be at the vanguard of the Shock of the New: Timorous Beasties fabric and paper from Whittaker Wells

INTERIORS SPECIAL

BRISTOL CLIENTÈLE ARE EMBRACING THE FULL PASSION OF THE CURRENT INTERIORS TRENDS. PERHAPS EVEN LEADING THEM RYAN AND PETE, WHITTAKER WELLS

w

F Hey, don’t sit on me! But *do* up the sheepskin ante in your home this autumn;

by Graham & Green

ew people have the time, patience or budget to refigure their homes from top to toe. Unless you have five figures burning a hole in your bank account, and/or have ruthlessly jettisoned every stick of furniture you have ever previously owned – if you are, in fact, Marie Kondo – the chances are that you’re doing up the old place room by room.

The perceived interior design wisdom – well, one of about a dozen conflicting ones, anyway – is that every room should flow naturally into the next, with a unified style and a complementary colour schemes.

So, say, if you go for fiery reds and tropical motifs in the bedroom, but the living room is as minimal as an airport lounge, you may end up with a series of roomsets rather than a serene and welcoming home.

Chances are that you’ll follow this rule without thinking. If blue’s your favourite colour, you’ll probably use varying shades of it instinctively.

If you’re all over Scandi cool, you’re unlikely to erupt into a sudden passion for vintage when installing a new kitchen.

Even if you love your home just the way it is, trends in interiors are like trends in fashion – there’s always some brilliant new idea that you’re desperate to acquire, just, well, because. As ever, we turned to some of the best indie experts in the area, and said, help us work the room, baby . . . w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 21

INTERIORS SPECIAL THE LIVING ROOM

As the cliché goes, the kitchen is ‘the ‘hub of the home’ – but if we’re going to relax with a big fat novel with the rain streaking down outside, what we want is a soft sofa and cushions. We want the room to be calm. We want it to be relaxing. But hey, we’re not averse to a smallish palm-covered feature wall, either. Either way, we definitely want more sheepskin and reindeer throws.

“This is the time of year to retreat indoors and start layering up sheepskin rugs and cushions with chunky wooden accents,” says Kate Vincent of Graham & Green. “The modern rustic trend is perfect for the autumn and winter months, and works well with botanical accents. Metallics are the perfect complement for this look, and add vibrant personality which can be carried through until Christmas.”

THE BEDROOM

We’d always assumed that ‘calm and romantic’ were the watchwords here. That was before we spoke to The Boys Who Sew.

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

“Bristol’s bedrooms are getting steamy!” say Ryan and Pete from Whittaker Wells. “Well, the décor is; whether it’s tropical paradises, heavily textured plains, or dramatic geometrics, our Bristol clientèle are embracing the full passion of the current interiors trends. Perhaps even leading it. This indulgence has now made its way into the master bedroom.

“Starting out in 2014, we sometimes felt we were ploughing a lonely furrow with our adoration of colour and pattern. But over the last year, things have completely reversed, with us now being driven by our customers to deliver more daring, passionate, engaging and detailed designs in fabrics and wallpapers. Even better, so many of our projects are being designed very much ‘with’ our customers as opposed to ‘for’ them, with people wanting to take responsibility for more personal looks.

“Linwood are right at the forefront of this movement. Considered by many to be a traditional brand, they have more recently been launching more daring collections and we just LOVE them. Their latest, Tango, is fantastic; we have just dedicated our whole shop front to it.

“Alongside this, our all-time favourites, the chaps from Timorous Beasties, are surging ahead. Their urban art-inspired designs are becoming some of our most popular fabrics, but more often than not used on old antique furniture, particularly heirloom chaise longues.

MAX THE SPACE Local paint and wallpaper experts Farrow & Ball are currently inspired by everything floral, with a new botanical wallpaper collection that will help transform your home into a welcoming retreat.

“Following the minimalist style of Scandi design, there has been a step towards the expressive trend of maximalism,” says Charlotte Cosby. “Dare to experiment with a riot of pattern and colour, by combining zingy velvets, eclectic furniture designs and botanical prints, such as the new Helleborus wallpaper – one of our largest motifs yet.”

Linwood’s Tango collection: increasingly more daring; from Whittaker Wells

“There is a real trend for honesty to materials. Whenever working with wood, we use natural oils with a hint of whitening pigment to maintain raw, natural looking timber.

This can be combined with a rough sawn textured finish to enhance the natural surface grain� - Ben Argent

We strongly believe in

keeping more permanent elements, such as kitchen units, fairly neutral ben argent

INTERIORS SPECIAL

IT’S TIME TO

RETHINK PINK! BLUSH IS SET TO BE THE

HOTTEST NEW TREND RIPPLES BRISTOL

One customer recently exclaimed, ‘Granny would hate it, but I love it, and it’s mine now!’

“Bristol. You are brilliant! We couldn’t wish for a better city to be based in.”

Good news for comfort junkies from Bracey Interiors. “Carpets are making a comeback, with colour and pattern dominating – if you’re feeling adventurous, go for a patterned carpet and keep everything else relatively plain,” says Alison.

“Mustard yellow and moody dark blues are the big new colour influences. As for patterns, the new word is ‘painterly’. Examples being Designers Guild, who have brought out some incredible floral designs, and Zoffany, who have an amazing mural of Holcombe Bay. “Interiors are generally becoming more exciting, and there are more decorative elements being applied, trimmings being a prime example. What an easy way to brighten up a cushion or add interest to a plain curtain.”

THE KITCHEN

The most sociable part of the home, and where families and friends gather to chat and share food – ideally in some vast open-plan space big enough for buffalo to roam in. Whether ours is open-plan, broken-plan or a compact 12ft galley, how should we be decorating?

“The trend is all about bringing warmth into your kitchen, which you can do with metal

finishes such as gold or copper,” advises Darren Watts at Wren Kitchens.

“Minimalism is still a key trend for 2018. Go for a more Scandinavian style that combines functionality, simplicity and beauty. Open up your space with feature and shelving units to display your cookbooks, special crockery and home-grown herbs. Mix it up with midway units or create the illusion of a larger kitchen with smoked glass units. Our black metal frames and low-profile integrated handles create an urban look teamed with concrete-effect finishes.”

“This autumn it is all about drama!” says Robyn Knibb of Fawn Interiors. “Monochrome is sweeping the nation – black kitchen cabinetry exudes elegance and glamour. A black veneered island against a white sleek matt kitchen in an open-plan kitchen would be jaw-dropping.

“Copper has undoubtedly been people’s top choice of metallic in the home for the past couple of years, but for the AW17 season it’s set to be dethroned by a new contender: brass!

Try a brass splashback if you want to update your kitchen.

“For a kitchen floor covering that is effortlessly cool, polished concrete is still on-trend. It’s extremely low-maintenance and hardwearing, and can help reflect light around the room while adding depth and texture. Best with underfloor, heating for the wintery months.

“My top tip is to go wild with your paintbrush.

Stencilling on concrete is the new thing to add geometric pattern, rather than tiles.

Oh, and look up . . . “We now have a fifth wall to think about. Whether you choose a textured wall covering, embossed foam ceiling tile or w

Origami butterflies from afternoon tea at The Ivy? Freestanding bath from Ripples (her name is Bette)

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 25

WWW.PETEHELME.CO.UK TEL: +(44) 07789 211 424 HELLO@PETEHELME.CO.UK

ARCHITECTS INTERIOR DESIGNERS HOTELS BARS RESTAURANTS

PETE HELME PHOTOGRAPHY INTERIOR & ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHER

BATH BRISTOL LONDON

PROPERTY DEVELOPERS KITCHEN DESIGNERS SHOWROOMS OFFICE SPACES PROPERTY AGENTS

INTERIORS SPECIAL

TEAL HAS AN UPLIFTING TONE WHILE CREATING A ROMANTIC FEEL

a bold paint colour, home owners are now experimenting with statement ceilings.”

Robyn also loves a deep teal or ink for a rich colour splash. “It has an uplifting tone while creating a romantic feel. It works particularly well when combined with fresh whites, pale blond wood and blush-pink tones.”

Over at Arlberry, Jess Davis is often asked to design kitchens that combine the handmade quality of traditional units with a contemporary aesthetic.

“You can have it all, by choosing a supplier who offers traditional British-made cabinetry teamed with painted Shaker doors or handless designs. You can create the perfect hybrid by mixing the doors with oak and walnut features, dovetail solid timber drawers, double larder cupboards with solid timber racks for spices, compartmentalised drawers and wine racks.

“People are stepping away from German-style kitchens, which can be very stark, and choosing to mix styles and British-made qualities with contemporary externals to create the perfect hybrid kitchen.”

Jess finds that kitchen colours have separated into three camps: “The neutral colour kitchens, which use warming mushroom tones, calming pale greens and blues. The bold and dramatic kitchens, teaming dark blues and charcoal blacks with brass/copper finishes. And the hybrid, where the majority of the kitchen colour is neutrally toned and contrasted against a bold statement island in a dark dramatic colour.

“Adding metallic finish pendant lights over your island or kitchen table is a great way to get a designer look. Gold, copper and brass pendants are a firm favourite at the moment and really add an element of interest and luxury.”

THE BATHROOM

Often the last on the list, simply because it’s the room we spend the least time in – and yet turning your bathroom into a spa-like retreat is possibly the most luxurious thing you can do for your home. Michel Marcer of Ripples Bristol feels ready to ditch the classic white suite.

“It’s time to rethink pink! Blush is set to be the hottest new trend; this interiors look is about sophisticated, soft and delicate pink colours that complement any area of the home.

“Beautiful blues are also set to make their mark, too. A fresh and relaxing tone that when mixed with simple textures and bright whites will completely lift any bathroom.”

But even if softer trends are insinuating themselves back into the bathrooms, industrial design isn’t going anywhere. “Clean lines, unusual materials (think concrete basins) and special finishes (brushed stainless-steel) and you are half way there. Concrete in particular is having a real moment; it might be an unexpected w

One of Farrow and Ball’s largest motifs yet, Helleborus combines the botanical trend with hot hue teal

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 27

INTERIORS SPECIAL trend, but in the right setting, with the perfect products, it can be a show-stopper.”

And brace yourself for the advent of the shower toilet – ideal for your Harbourside micro flat.

“Riva is the world’s first integrated shower toilet with a completely closed ceramic body.

Sleek and minimal, it provides the user with complete cleaning and freshness.”

CHILDREN’S ROOMS

The gender-neutral philosophy is finally gaining traction, with even John Lewis dispensing with separate sections for girls’ and boys’ designs. It’s a huge trend in nurseries and playrooms, too, with many parents eschewing twee blues and pinks, and ditching princesses and superheroes; one report last year found that searches for ‘gender-neutral nursery ideas’ on Pinterest were up 53%. Personally, we reckon you can’t go wrong with a nice dinosaur.

And why not encourage the kids’ creativity while you’re at it? Bristol’s Eggnog have produced a lovely range of colour-in wallpaper – choose from Animals, Great Britain and Teatime – the latter, with endearing randomness, features rockets, elephants and mermaids alongside the more expected food items. We reckon the designer just might have been hitting something stronger than the loose-leaf teas when he or she dreamed it up . . .

MEET THE MAKER

C

reativity and craftsmanship are the key characteristics of a Bristol-based company that specialises in producing highquality bespoke kitchens and fine furniture.

In a relatively short space of time, Irving Sykes has built an impressive portfolio of commissions and a solid customer base.

The company was founded in 2015 by Joseph Irving and Nicholas Sykes, two craftsmen who met while studying furniture design and manufacture at West Dean College. After developing and refining their skills over a combined 20-year period, the partners set up the company with a very clear vision, as the guys explain: “From the outset our ambition has been to push the boundaries in design and

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

manufacture, producing hand-crafted, bespoke items using quality materials and innovative techniques.

“We are passionate about precision and high-quality craftsmanship, and only use ethically sourced timber from responsible UK sawmills, to enable us to give our clients a professional and personalised service.”

Inspired by early 18th-century design, through to Arts and Crafts and contemporary cabinet-making, Jo and Nick handmake all the furniture and kitchens using traditional craft skills, including decorative veneering, fine hand-cut dovetails, mortise and tenon joints, French polishing and lacquering.

All the carcasses are made from highquality oak-veneered ply. Frames and doors are made from either tulip wood with a Farrow & Ball paint finish, or a timber of the customer’s choice finished with a durable, two-part lacquer. Doors are firmly secured with five-pin hinges to ensure there is no movement, while drawers are made from solid oak with dovetailed joints and fine detailed finish.

Completed, high-spec commissions include traditional hand-painted kitchens; high-gloss contemporary kitchens with hand-cut drawer pulls; Georgian-style dressing tables; card tables with burr walnut

veneers; Art Deco-style desks with hand-cut dovetails and book-matched Macassar ebony veneers; and matching side desks. In all cases the products are effectively individual art forms, being both practical and beautiful.

With a list of private commissions in Bristol and beyond, Jo and Nick are on track to expand the business in the coming year.

They are currently collaborating with SJP Interior Design in Clifton Village to produce a burr-walnut veneered kitchen with handmade brass handles, a copper sink with antique brass taps, and granite work tops.

As with everything they do, this commission demonstrates that this young, energetic and highly-skilled duo are definitely on the way up. www.irvingsykes.co.uk w

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INTERIORS SPECIAL

GET YOUR KALSARIKÄNNIT ON

W

e’ve been over hygge for so long that we’re even over saying we’re over it. Moving on from the Danes, we briefly toyed with Swedish Lagom, before getting far too excited about Finnish Kalsarikännit. Inspired by this Nordic trio, we take a highly concise tour of the world’s current lifestyle and interiors trends.

HYGGE Danish for ‘cosy’. Massively over-hyped, and responsible for a spate of silly little books. There’s really nothing new about candles, log fires and cable-knit cushions; we call it ‘wrapping up warm’ in the UK. But yeah, if you’ve been spending the winter months sipping ice-cold drinks in a bikini with the windows wide open, hygge may well be a pleasing revelation.

HÖLKKÄÄJÄ-TYHMYYS – a schadenfreude sub-species of hygge: the entirely pleasurable emotion caused by looking out of your window at joggers in the rain, while you enjoy a coffee with lashings of cream on top.

LAGOM Just when we were all hygged up and off our heads on hot chocolate, along came the Swedes with their restrained ‘just the right amount’ philosophy – not too little, and not too much. May have worked for Goldilocks, but not for us. Next . . .

KANGASKAUPPIAS – being so in thrall to midcentury furnishings that your house looks more like an apartment from Mad Men Season Five than an actual home.

SKOGSSTIL – when you’ve taken the industrial trend to its bleakest extreme and realise that your home resembles an underpass. Frequently leading to an outbreak of BLÓMASTÍL, in which you rush out to buy armfuls of botanical chintz.

KALSARIKÄNNIT The Finnish practice of ‘drinking home alone in your underwear, with no intention of going out’. Now you’re talking! We’re not entirely sure how this translates to interiors; lots of shelving for box sets and a double beer fridge, perhaps.

LASTENSOTKU – the transcendent state of calm when, as a new parent, you finally achieve acceptance that your home WILL be swamped by gaudy Fisher Price plastic for the next ten years, so you may as well just decorate around it.

A few more styles to embrace or avoid for AW17. Oh OK, we might have made some of these up

FOR FORTÍDARÞRÁ – an over-developed passion for vintage. Your family will be forced to wash with a pitcher and basin, hand-sew their clothing, cook from a 19th-century recipe book and use candles to light their bedrooms. cf also HYGGE.

KUROIKAGAMI – when your home becomes so smart and futuristic that you wake up one morning and realise that you’re living in a dystopia created by Charlie Brooker.

SORTUMN – when you’re torn between one last summer BBQ and the buying of chunky cableknit cushions.

From top: an excess of Kuroikagami; a passion for Fortídarþrá; a bad case of Kangaskauppias; high time for Blómastíl

NUHJUINEN – fury at discovering that your friends’ shabby-chic loft conversion is even shabbier than yours.

KIPEÄ PEUKALO – in which after handing over the house to an interior decorator, it ends up looking so don’t-touch-me stylish that the only thing that looks out of place is you.

BRYCGSTOWTÍSKA – when you totally overdo Bristol motifs, and every cushion, tea towel, place mat, mug and print is adorned with a picture of Brunel’s bridge or a hot-air balloon. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 31

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Music/theatre/film/more

OPEN SESAME

Galleries come, galleries pop-up, galleries pop-down again and galleries go, but the RWA has been steadily feasting the eyes of Bristol since 1849. It’s the dignified elder statesman of the local art scene, and has been holding its Annual Open, one of the largest opensubmission exhibitions in the UK, for 165 years.

It’s been a record year for entries, and looks like being the most diverse to date, with artists from all over the world submitting 2,750 pieces for the team to whittle down for the final show. ‘Eclectic’ barely comes close: exhibited for your delectation will be paintings, drawings, film, photography, sculptures and mixed-media works by artists of all ages and backgrounds, both emerging and established.

Get along and see if you can spot a rising star.

The Annual Open runs 1 October-3 December at RWA; www.rwa.org.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 39

22 September – 22 October 2017

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

The first punk in the village: How I Came to be Where I Never Was at Wardrobe; John Richardson’s complaining, but has no answers at Colston Hall; 3D at Encounters

Exhibitions

1880s-1960s. At Bristol Museum; bristolmuseums.org.uk

U N TI L 1 O C TO B E R

3 0 SE PT- 1 7 D EC EMBER

BARRINGTON TABB: BRISTOL’S PAINTER Barrington’s’s self-taught Bristol expressionist paintings show changing perspectives of the city.

At RWA; rwa.org.uk 27 S E P T-1 0 D E C E MBE R

GRAYSON PERRY ‘The Most Popular Art Exhibition Ever!’ tackles how contemporary art can best address a diverse cross section of society. (see page 54); at Arnolfini; arnolfini.org.uk 30 S E P T E M B E R-3 1 AU GU ST

EMPIRE THROUGH THE LENS Bristol Archives’ collection of photos and film of life in the British Empire and Commonwealth, mostly between

KIM YONG-IK The first exhibition in the UK by the South Korean artist, tracing his work from his earliest Dansaekhwa paintings; spikeisland.org.uk 1 OCTOBE R- 3 DEC EMBER

165 ANNUAL OPEN The RWA’s renowned annual exhibition – now in its 16th year. rwa.org.uk (see p 39) 2 - 8 OCTOBE R

SHARED SPACE Does sharing a creative space influence our outlook and understanding of the things we make? Six artists sharing a studio at The Island have a handle on this; theislandbristol.com

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

3-28 O C TO BER

JOURNEY TO JUSTICE Multi-media installation focused on the US civil rights movement; at Bristol Cathedral; bristol-cathedral.co.uk 9-15 O C TO BER

GIRL GANG 15 female Bristol artists celebrate friendship between women. At The Island; theislandbristol.com 14-15 O C TO BER

WEST BRISTOL ARTS TRAIL Now in its 10th year: 100 artists show their work in 50 homes, in Clifton, Cliftonwood, Redland and Hotwells. westbristolarts.com

Theatre UNTIL 23 SEP TEMBER

THE ADDAMS FAMILY Clickitty click. Morticia, Gomez,

and the fam return in a new musical starring Sam Womack; at the Hippodrome; atgtickets.com UNTIL 30 S EP T EM B ER

THE CARETAKER Chris Haydon directs Pinter’s classic in a bold new production for BOV. bristololdvic.org.uk 17-21 SEP T EM B ER

THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII Silly songs, embroidery and Barbie dolls; Living Spit take their unreliable take on the Tudors to The AWardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com. Also 23 September at Tyntesfied; nationaltrust.org.uk/tyntesfield 24-28 SEP T EM B ER

THE TRUMAN CAPOTE TALK SHOW Bob Kingdom reprises his critically-acclaimed one-man show, playing the social

W H AT ’ S O N

butterfly, gossipmonger and novelist, ‘dropping names until those names drop him’. At The Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com

and (apparently) aroma to tell the story of the children war leaves behind. At Jacob’s Well Baths; raucous.org.uk

2 6 -3 0 S E P T E M B E R

3 - 5 OCTOBE R

2 7 -2 8 S E P T E M B E R

3 OCTOBE R

MY FAIR LADY The best musical of all time?

Shavian wit, that Lerner and Loewe score and the ultimate makeover tale – hell, yes. At the Hippodrome; atgtickets.com HOW I CAME TO BE WHERE I NEVER WAS A story about being the first punk in the village and the only trainspotter in eyeliner. A show about the small things in life, fusing elements of theatre, storytelling, comedy, ‘stand-up poetry’ (think John CooperClarke, not John Keats) and even a bit of ukulele. At The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com 2 7 S E PTE M B E R- 1 4 OCTOBE R

TOSCA Opera Project are back, with another intensely dramatic Puccini. Tosca has it all: love, jealousy, lust, despair, torture and murder – and don’t tell us you can get all this at home. At TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com 2 9 S E PTE M B E R

FESTIVAL OF THE SPOKEN NERD Experiments guy Steve Mould, geek songstress Helen Arney and stand-up mathematician Matt Parker put the ‘ooh’ into zoology, the ‘fun’ into the fundamental theorem of calculus and the, err, ‘recursion’ into recursion. Full-frontal nerdity and geeky comedy at the Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com 2 -7 O C T O B E R

LEGALLY BLONDE We’ve had Sam Womack in The Addams Family; now her ‘Stenders onscreen little sis Roxy aka Rita Simon’s in town, playing Paulette in the all-singing, all-dancing romcom; at the Hippodrome; atgtickets.com 2 O C T O B E R-1 9 NOV E MBE R

ICE ROAD Leningrad. 1942. The siege has begun. Harnessing Russian folklore and historical witness accounts, Ice Road fuses performance, creative technology, original music, film

ARTS

ALICE IN WONDERLAND 40+ actors from ITV West TV Workshop offer a steam-punk, fast-paced take on the frankly trippy kids’ classic. At the Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE From the New Yorker creators of the cult podcast: live stories of the surreal desert town of Night Vale, presented in the form of a community radio show, return to Bristol. stgeorgesbristol.co.uk 3 - 7 OCTOBE R

RITA, SUE AND BOB TOO Andrea Dunbar’s semiautobiographical play, written for the Royal Court in 1982, is a vivid portrait of girls caught between brutal childhood and an unpromising future.

At BOV: bristololdvic.org.uk

Far, far from home, in a snow-bound village, on Raleigh Road... Yana comes to TFT

HALF THE WORLD AWAY A nostalgia trip of a comedy, featuring pink shrimps and 90s hits; at Bristol Improv Theatre. improvtheatre.co.uk

young four-hander about the struggle for purpose, the power of friendship and the hunt for a pair of decent boots.

As funny, thought-provoking and quotable as they come. tobaccofactorytheatres.com

6 OCTOBE R

21-25 O C TO BER

4 OCTOBE R

FAGIN’S TWIST See the villain of Oliver Twist in a new and youthful light, as Avant Garde Dance flips your expectations with their contemporary hip hop; at Circomedia; circomedia.rit.org.uk 1 0 - 1 4 OCTOB ER

THE WEIR (Almost) back in time for Halloween, Conor McPherson’s chilling, modern classic set in an Irish bar is on tour to mark its 20th anniversary; it won the Oliver for Best Play in 1997. bristololdvic.org.uk 1 8 OCTOBE R -11 NO VEMBER

WAR HORSE The perennial NT favourite that showed the world what puppets could really do for drama is back at the newly refurbed Hippodrome; atgtickets.com 1 9 OCTOBE R -4 NO VEMBER

WAITING FOR GODOT TFT takes on Beckett’s 65-years-

YANA AND THE YETI Bristol puppetry geniuses Pickled Image collaborate with Olivier-nominated writer Hattie Naylor for their latest family show. With a Yeti. At TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com

Music 23-24 SEP TEMBER

TOKYO WORLD The dance music fest returns to Eastville Park; tokyoworld.org 24 SEP TEMBER

SUZANNE VEGA The legendary NY singersongwriter’s on tour, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Solitude Standing. Feeling old yet? colstonhall.org 29 SEP TEMBER

BRODSKY QUARTET A typically punchy programme from the Brodskys, taking in Shostakovich, Beethoven

and Borodin; at St George’s. stgeorgesbristol.co.uk 12 O C T O B ER

BOURNEMOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Passions run high as Schumann’s double anniversary present to his wife encrypts ardent messages of love and longing; Brahms hones his skills with the first standalone orchestral variations, and the clarinet captivates twice over.

Colston Hall; colstonhall.org 14 O C T O B ER

RICHARD THOMPSON ‘The finest rock songwriter after Dylan and the best electric guitarist since Hendrix’ returns to Colston Hall; colstonhall.org 18 O C T O B ER

THE WATERBOYS Occupying the sweet spot between folk and swaggering rock ’n roll, Mike Scott and co take in everything from country, gospel, traditional Celtic roots, Southern blues and more. colstonhall.org 19 O C T O B ER

UTE LEMPER Expect Brecht & Weill, Piaf, Brel and more as the renowned chanteuse performs her Last Tango in Berlin at Colston Hall; colstonhall.org w

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 43

W H AT ’ S O N

ARTS

BRISTOL FAMILY ARTS FESTIVAL A month long citywide celebration of creativity for all ages; at various venues. arnolfini.org.uk 2 O C T O B ER

5X5 The eclectic 15-minute talks return, with Viv Groskop, Annie Gray, Nura Aabe, Tom Dyckhoff and The Green Funeral Co; tobaccofactorytheatres.com 4-15 O CT O B ER

MOSCOW STATE CIRCUS One of the most spectacular circus displays in the world returns to the Downs; moscowstatecircus.com 12-29 O CT O B ER

CIRCUS CITY FESTIVAL Three weeks, 50 events for theatre lovers, party animals, punks, swing dancers, science geeks, jazz fans; you name it, they got it. bristolcircuscity.com 14 O C T O B ER

aircraft: Concorde. Take a virtual flight of fashion to the Big Apple; the exclusive launch takes place at Aerospace Bristol’s Concorde Hangar, under the wings of the supersonic jet. mallcribbs.com

CIRCUS OF HORRORS What is it with October and circuses? Voodoo promises a spectacular amalgamation of bizarre and fantastic circus woven into a sensational shock/horror story and the darkest of magic. Maybe not one for the rugrats, then. circusofhorrors.co.uk

30 SEP TEMBER -1 O C TO BER

18-20 O CT O B ER

War Horse canters back into The Hippodrome; celebrating the power of punk with The Bekkrell Effect, part of Circus City; Rita, Sue and Bob are totally looking in the wrong place for Bristol Old Vic;

Comedy 2 9 -3 0 S E P T E M B E R

JOHN RICHARDSON John’s on tour, complaining about the state of the world and offering no solutions; at Colston Hall, colstonhall.org 3 0 S E PTE M B E R

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT GARY The Gary in question being one Delaney, who “has more quality jokes in one hour than many comics have in their entire careers”; at Redgrave, redgravetheatre.com 2 & 1 6 O C TO B E R

CLOSER EACH DAY The world’s longest improv soap comedy keeps on rolling along at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

Would Beyonce Do?! was called ‘one of the biggest stand up hits of the last decade’; here’s the follow up. At Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com

Other U N TI L 2 4 SE PTEMBER

DOCKS HERITAGE WEEKEND A family-friendly celebration of Bristol’s maritime past at M Shed, Underfall Yard and, for the first year ever, ss Great Britain. underfallyard.co.uk

2 5 SE PTE MBE R-1 O C TO BER

24 HOURS IN BRISTOL The annual photo-comp, which sees 10,000 photographs taken in a single day, returns with a new format – all entries must be taken on smartphones or tablets only.

Register at 24hoursinbristol.co.uk

ENCOUNTERS The 23rd Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival’s back, at Watershed and Arnolfini; encounters-festival.org.uk; BRISTOL COCKTAIL WEEK Thought that wet September was over? Think again. The city’s best bars team up for tea parties, absinthe-soaked art, endless tequila, fabulous quizzes and (apparently) plenty of saucy gypsies. Download the board game from the website and get stuck in. bristolcocktailweek.bar 2 7 SE PTE MBE R-1 O C TO BER

6 OCTOBER

AM I RIGHT, LADIES? Luisa Omielan’s first show What

BRISTOL FASHION WEEK For A/W17, The Week will be dedicated to the world’s most stylish

1-30 O C TO BER

BLACK HISTORY MONTH The annual celebration of the culture, history and achievement of Britain’s African and Caribbean communities; various venues. bristol.gov.uk

FESTIVAL OF THE FUTURE Part of Festival of Ideas, this big public debate brings together people across a vast range of areas to discuss the future of cities. At various locations; ideasfestival.co.uk.

19-29 O CT O B ER

BRISTOL FESTIVAL OF LITERATURE From scary tales in Arnos Vale and Redcliffe Caves to flash slam hosted by comedian Angie Belcher, along with the chance to glean tips from publishers, literary agents and authors, the BFoL brings together Bristol’s writing talent with ten days of exceptional, inspiring events. unputdownable.org.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 45

TAKIN’ IT to

THE STREETS . . . not to mention the occasional dog. Nobody captures the essence of Bristol as well as photographer Colin Moody: here, Colin tells us what inspires his work, and gives us tips for taking shots that are just as good as his.

Yeah. In our dreams

By DE R I ROBI NS

Idea worms in Stokes Croft; right, observing the observers

PHOTOGRAPHY

W

hen we grow up, we want to take photos just like Colin Moody’s. Colin finds the extraordinary in the ordinary, zeroes in on the individual in a crowd, and finds humour and warmth in the everyday.

But who inspired Colin himself to pick up a camera? “One name: Henri Cartier-Bresson.

He was the original for me, the one with the small compact camera at parties, on the street, changing how people saw other people, or indeed the whole world. His photo-journalistic style is a huge influence.

“Then I started hearing people say ‘You take shots like Martin Parr’. I hadn’t been aware of his work, but when I saw his photos, they knocked my socks off. Here was a man who had mastered capturing moments that were often humorous but always insightful and impacting. They also made what some call ordinary places feel extraordinary.”

ON STREET STYLE “Since then I’ve been perusing my own street style, which takes me down some very different roads, encountering place and people that I hadn’t had on my radar before. A useful phrase that I use now is to ‘see the world as a photograph’, and it means that now I check what elements are in a shot, what anchors the whole scene or idea, what is says about people and place.

BRISTOL IS A CITY THAT’S ENDLESSLY INVENTING NEW WAYS TO LIVE. MY STYLE IS BORN OUT OF THE BRISTOL WAY OF SEEING

ARTS

It’s addictive. After a while, it becomes a style.

The trick is not to look for any specific shot, keep your radar of observance on, and don’t narrow the search beam too soon, so that the style stays fresh. Get it right and a flow of shots will start presenting themselves.

“My photos are hard-rooted in the photojournalistic style, with a dash of art and design consideration creeping in here and there. For the best results, I use a mixture of instinct, practice and research. By just walking around it is possible to have shots reveal themselves. But an even richer source of image-creation is to find out about the people or situations around a subject.

“What is the motivation for the people being there? What do they want to say? Can you amplify that, or take a sideways look at it? Do you announce your presence or not?

“It’s a lot to consider, but with time and patience so many shots are possible. You get a richer sound with a full orchestra, and I get richer shots by using a whole string of considerations all playing though my head at once. There is never anything set up in my street photographs.”

ON BRISTOL “Bristol is a city that I quickly realised will not take any nonsense, it will look beyond face value.

It knows it wants to try stuff out, it’s endlessly inventing new ways to live. We have a distinct way of being. One that challenges some people’s ideas of what a society can be – and I want to amplify that a little in my photography. My style is definitely born out of the Bristol way of seeing.” w

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

ARTS

PHOTOGRAPHY

ON GETTING IN CLOSE “Getting in close takes nerve. If you don’t know the subject it might seem very strange to do so.

“I went for the ‘people passing something that makes a comment’ shots at the start. It’s the easy first step for many street photographers, but it’s limiting and doesn’t resonate like close shots can.

My camera was hidden and it was all a bit sneaky.

“So I started to get involved with community groups whose ideas mattered to me. That was when more mood, more feeling started to appear in my shots. To get in close now I often announce what I am doing and explain briefly what it is that I like about their look and the set up.

“Then I keep talking, if everyone’s fine, and take more shots. This means that I get the chance to get photos before, during and after any self-conscious moment. Be prepared also to take some time getting to know your subject before you shoot the shot. Studying the shots afterwards is so useful. It’s crucial to look at them and find the one moment.

It will reveal itself to you. This takes practice to spot; often you’ll look through and realise that you missed something at the time which might have made it better. Make a mental note of that, but – and here is the fun bit – mistakes make shots better most of the time. More real. Confused? Don’t be, keep exploring. Find the moment.”

THINGS I HAVE LEARNED “Don’t go nuts with the filters, and never straighten a shot if it works better slightly skewed.

Don’t over-edit a shot. Don’t always crop. Get close and use natural light as best you can. Don’t be precious. Don’t repeat a style shot, as you can become restricted in what your lens can reveal if you impose style too early.

“Knowing when to be invisible and when to announce the camera is exciting and rewarding.

Try both. Look for others to share ideas with.

“Knowing when to go black-and-white and when to stay colour might just be the best muscle you ever develop. I started making photographic props and design elements for TV and film productions like Bridget Jones’s Diary, and the design eye I learnt to use then has always stood me in good stead

because I can sense a well-balanced shot quickly.

I found studying film, and knowing how powerfully persuasive that medium is, has informed the storytelling element to many of the shots I take.”

FIND THE

MOMENT AND DON’T GO NUTS WITH THE FILTERS, AND NEVER STRAIGHTEN A SHOT IF IT WORKS BETTER

SLIGHTLY

SKEWED

ON HIS KIT (AND THIS MAY SURPRISE YOU) “The iPhone 6s. A camera and sophisticated dark room all in one. Be careful about over-editing, but with just this camera – which being small, like Bresson’s, makes you inconspicuous and less likely to spook people – you can turn out any shot using any of the darkroom techniques you need.

“Dodge and burn the shot (Google that). Go black and white (always keep the original); solarise it, make it over- or under-exposed.

“I also use a GoPro Hero 4 because again it is small and there are places you can put these cameras or wave them up high on a stick to get that impossible shot. If I was using a big SLR camera, by the time I’ve set it up the moment may have gone. Smartphone and GoPro sync, and their potential to grab and share work so quickly means I don’t miss the shot or the live posting of it. It does mean most things foreground and background are in focus a lot in my work and I am keen on that. No place to hide mistakes.”

FIND THE ENERGY “Look out for what is really going on and keep your radar on for something surprising. Places where people are sharing their passion. Music gigs, protests, sports days or social spaces in general are best. I call them energy-transfer places. Where people emit an energy that is special. Even if they are just completely still and just looking, there is lots being emitted. Just look. Quick. Get the camera out. Sometimes you need to be involved and other times you can literally run in and out again. I think I have a particular eye for individuals expressing a feeling about their world or their individuality, and this city is rich pickings.”

For more: www.colinmoody.net twitter @moodycolin instagram @moodycolin319

“I have lots of Weston shots showing people in kissme-quick hats being pestered by birds, but when the mist set in a few weeks back I tried to elevate it to something otherworldly. People’s determination to have fun on a beach with piers that were disappearing into mist felt heroic and odd at the same time” 50 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY

ARTS

Clockwise: These dogs in The Croft are about to drop the hottest drum’n’bass album of the year; a woman listens to poetry about slavery; “If I moved just right, I was snapping a mini-balloon pilot and his passengers”; a long way from Operation Anderson days, as a policeman contemplates art at Upfest; a tearful response to Brexit

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

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SHEER POTTERY

Not to mention the tapestries, iron sculptures, skateboards, prints and woodcuts: Grayson Perry’s Most Popular Art Exhibition Ever! comes to Arnolfini this month

G

rayson Perry is perhaps best-known for combining the most beautiful of ceramic vases and tapestries with trenchant social commentary – and for cross-dressing as his alter-ego, Claire.

His latest show, The Most Popular Art Exhibition Ever! opens at the Arnolfini on 27 September. Organised and initiated by the Serpentine Galleries, this is its first showing outside London.

In this new work, Grayson examines masculinity, class, politics, sex, religion, popularity and art, as well as contemporary issues such as Brexit.

Throughout, astute commentator that he is, Grayson draws on his own experience as well as paying close attention to the mores of his audience.

A former Turner Prize-winner, Grayson is above all a master craftsman.

But giving his punters a shock, a bit of a slap, is part of his stock-in trade. His seductively beautiful antique-style vases often carry the bleakest of messages; his intricate tapestries flag up the most challenging of themes; his urns glory in titles such as Posh Bastard’s House and I Hate You, I Hate Myself.

“I’ve never done anything that was consciously just purely decorative,” he says. “There always has to be a snag in it somewhere. It’s almost the defining characteristic of my work.”

Grayson draws influences from several traditions – including classical Greek pottery and folk art – and works in a variety of media such as ceramics, cast iron, bronze, printmaking and tapestry. There’s also a skateboard – or a S’Kate’board. That’s Kate as in Middleton, by the way.

The Most Popular Art Exhibition Ever! tackles one of Grayson’s primary concerns: how contemporary art can best address a diverse cross-section 54 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

of society.

“I am in the communication business, and I want to communicate to as wide an audience as possible,” he says. “The new works I am making all have ideas about popularity hovering around them. What kind of art do people like? What subjects?

Why do people like going to art galleries?”

Twenty five of Grayson Perry’s latest works will be featured at the Arnolfini exhibition, including Matching Pair. This new work was created with the

GIVING THE PUNTERS A SHOCK, A BIT OF A SLAP, IS PART OF GRAYSON’S STOCK-IN-TRADE help of the British public via social media. Ideas, images and phrases were collected, and used to cover two enormous pots: one for Remainers and one for the Brexiteers.

As ever, the bright colours, the design, the beauty of his work, the sheer mastery of Grayson’s art are at serious odds with the nature of some of the subjects. On these pages we give yoy just a glimpse of what’s on show; there’s loads more.

The Most Popular Art Exhibition Ever! is at Arnolfini from 27 September – 24 December.

Free admission Arnolfini 16 Narrow Quay www.arnolfini.org.uk

King of Nowhere – cast-iron warrior, or an aging punk? Yep.

Clockwise: Gay Black Cats; Puff Piece; Animal Spirit; Alan Measles and Claire Visit the Rust Belt; Long Pig

EXHIBITION

ARTS

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 55

1

2

LIGHT UP, LIGHT UP 4

THE NIGHTS ARE DRAWING IN. IT’S TIME TO SWITCH ON THE CACTI . . .

5

3

1. STEEL YOURSELF

2. LIGHT SLEEPER

3. MONKEY SAY

4. JADE IN BRISTOL

5. STONE LOVE

Smithfield aluminium ceiling lamp, £295 A rather elegant way to work the every-popular industrial look From Harvey Nichols 27 Philadelphia Street Quakers Friars, Bristol www.harveynichols.com

Custom-made light, £1400 Custom-made light fitting, crafted from a 120-year-old railway sleeper; the locally forged iron brackets are wired with 10 drop lights From Ableectrics 131 Gloucester Road, Bristol www.electricsandlighting. co.uk

Lamps, £170-£240 Monkey stands, sits, dangles or leaps, depending on your preference – or go totally ape and have all four darting about From Graham & Green, Walcot Street, Bath www.garahmandgreen. co.uk

Rice metal lantern, £35 This jade lantern looks ceramic, but in fact is hardy enamel-coated iron; pretty indoors and out.

From Fig 1 9 Gaol Ferry Steps, Bristol www.fig1.co.uk

Concrete cones, two sizes, from £20 Jack Bailey’s tealight holders may have a modernist, industrial feel, but they exude a soft, calming glow From Midgley Green 26 Alexandra Road Clevedon www.midgleygreen.com

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

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Graypants pendant lights, £219-£319 Seattle’s Graypants Design believe that beauty can come from anywhere; these Scrap Lights created out of recycled cardboard come in 16”, 20” and 24” widths From Archer + Co 24 Alma Vale Road, Bristol www.archerandcompany.co.uk

Globe lamp, £89 In orange, mustard, grey, green or blue. To be spun thoughfully, as you contemplate your next mini-break . . .

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

Esla lamp, £265 1920s Esla street lamp, rewired as a table top or floor lamp. The replacement mirrored square means it gives out the most gorgeous light From Dig Haushizzle 51 Colston Street, Bristol www.dig-haushizzle.co.uk

Tea-light paper bag, reduced to £4 from £7.50 With an inner glass cup for your candle. Looks lovely dotted along a garden path for a wintry party From Between Dog & Wolf www.betweendogandwolf. com

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Neon cacti light, £50 Vegas inspired lamp – featuring a dimmer so you can adjust your level of fabulousness at will From Mon Pote 177-179 North Street, Bristol

www.mediaclash.co.uk II CLIFTON BRISTOL LIFE LIFE II 59 www.mediaclash.co.uk 59

Black opal, diamond and sapphire 18ct gold butterfly necklace from the ‘Seasons’ Collection

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Suffering from back or shoulder pain?

The Pilates Room Bristol can help! The newly opened studio in Bishopston provides personalised Pilates tuition using the latest equipment.

L

iving with a bad back or nagging aches in your shoulders, knees, hips, etc can be a royal pain in the neck (excuse the pun). Yet many of us soldier on through our daily routines resigned to the fact that these niggles will be with us now forever. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could try something that addressed these issues so that you’re able to walk taller, feel stronger and move more freely every day?

Pilates is often misunderstood as something akin to yoga which only young, 20-something, highly flexible ladies do for hours on end without breaking into a sweat. Let me bust some of those myths right there! Firstly, Pilates was actually the brainchild of Joseph Pilates (yes, a man) and was originally designed with men in mind. Secondly, Pilates is about improving your flexibility and strength so those who are the least flexible have the most to gain. Added to that, if you’re older or

live life on the more sedentary side, Pilates can be hugely beneficial in helping you to stretch and move muscles that may have become tight and painful over time without the sweaty trauma of doing dreaded cardio workouts.

Finally, while there are some similarities with yoga, the focus of Pilates is on building strength, particularly in your core abdominal muscles which help with overall posture.

Ali MacLennan has recently moved to Bristol to open her own home-based equipment Pilates studio in Bishopston, called The Pilates Room Bristol. She is passionate about making Pilates accessible to a wider audience, particularly older people who may have dismissed it as a young person’s fad.

The fact that the studio is in Ali’s home means that it is a small, informal and welcoming space where clients are given a programme of exercises tailored to their specific needs. Unlike the more

common mat-based approach, the Pilates that Ali teaches uses large pieces of specialist equipment designed to help align and support the body which allows for a more varied repertoire of moves.

The Pilates Room Bristol has just opened and is actively taking on new clients so if you’re intrigued to find out more, visit our website or contact us on the details below.

9 Maplemeade, Bristol, BS7 8JG 0117 942 3395 ali@thepilatesroombristol.com www.thepilatesroombristol.com

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

R E S TA U R A N T

FOOD

Root

“Any man may make a mistake; none but a fool will stick to it,” a dude named Cicero once wrote – and as we know, the Eat Drink Bristol Fashion team are anything but foolish

By DE R I ROBI NS

Y

ou may feel that an Ancient Roman philosopher has no business popping up in a 21st-century Bristol food review. OK; how do you feel about an Ancient Greek tragedian?

“Among mortals, second thoughts are wisest,” wrote the sage Euripides.

Still no? Wow, you’re a tough crowd tonight. Here’s contemporary author Terry Pratchett, riffing on a similar theme. “First Thoughts are the everyday thoughts. Everyone has those. Second Thoughts are the thoughts you think about the way you think. People who enjoy thinking have those.”

If you have no idea where we’re going with this, you haven’t been playing attention to our Food and Drink section.

Root, the latest offering from chef Josh Eggleton and farmer Luke Hasell, aka East Drink Bristol Fashion, have had a major Second Thought; they opened the new restaurant last month on the site previously occupied

by Chicken Shed.

Luke and Josh’s plan to sell high-grade chicken fell fowl of the cooking process; as it turns out, top chicks don’t appreciate being battered and deep-fried.

Undaunted, the team went back to the drawing board and emerged with an entirely new concept, and a name that’s so Bristol that it’s slightly odd that nobody has used it before.

And guess what; Root’s totally great. Occupying a prime spot on the top floor of Cargo 1 on Wapping Wharf, it looks out across the harbour, as is the way with wharves. It has Rob Howell, former head chef at the Pony & Trap in the kitchen; Rob previously sharpened his sabatiers in Edinburgh’s Ondine and London’s One-O-One. Root’s focus is on vegetables, with meat and fish playing supporting roles. I say ‘supporting’, though these are no paltry side-dish afterthoughts; the portions are the same size as the veggie ones, with the same attention to detail. It’s just that there are fewer of them; six, to be precise.

No dish costs over £8, and the small-plate approach is ideal for those who can never make up their mind when presented with a conventional three-course choice. The menu’s as brief as a haiku, to match the stripped-back unfussy industrial décor; a single, huge Estrella Damm street-art-style painting of vegetables nails the restaurant’s philosophy to the walls.

SOMEHOW, ROOT MANAGES TO BE BOTH UNIQUE IN

BRISTOL AND QUINTESSENTIALLY

BRISTOLIAN

The not-so-small plates arrive in batches, tapas-style, fresh from a kitchen that’s so close to our table that even if all the waitresses had called in sick we’d have managed just fine.

We began by digging into an effulgently beautiful rouladey thing of beetroot and seaweed. As if the beet wasn’t Popishlypurple enough as it was, there was sweet blackberry in the mix, too, with hazelnuts for crunch.

It probably wouldn’t be possible to live on the cider rarebit alone, but it would be fun trying. With heft, creaminess and richness to spare, all golden and bubbling on top, this flavour bomb would make the most ardent Mac’n’Cheese addict rethink their homage to the fromage. Vinegary sauerkraut, a dish often overlooked this side of Munich, set this off a treat.

Tender-stem broccoli was teamed with sharp-tasting little anchovies, while a hispi (no, not hipster, now you’re just being silly) cabbage served with pretty-in-pink radish and seaweed butter just pipped the beet as the prettiest dish of the night, and easily earned its place in our choice of dishes.

Gnocchi needs to have a roasty, chewy texture to save it from floury blandness; Rob serves up a textbook-excellent version, served simply with salted courgette and parmesan.

An onglet tartare with matchstick fries flew the flag gamely and gamily for Team Carnivore, as did a sublimely tender barbecued pork neck dotted with sesame.

A pud called simply Treacle turned out to be the world’s best biscuit: a holy trinity of fudge, almond and milky ice cream. The crème caramel was pretty standard, but that’s genuinely the worst thing we can find to say about our meal.

The concept of Root is commendable on every level. The commitment to sustainability and local produce is exactly what you’d expect from EDBF, while the focus of the menu will delight both full-on veggies and those who just want to cut down on their meat intake a bit.

It sounds worthy, but it’s anything but. The atmosphere’s fun and relaxed, and the meal offering so flexible that you could pop in for a couple of dishes and a bottle of Southville Hop as easily as tuck into a full-on feast. Root isn’t a tapas bar, but occupies the same culinary niche.

Somehow, it manages to be both unique in Bristol and quintessentially Bristolian.

Finally, just one more quote to send you on your way.

“It is often said that second thoughts are best. So they are in matters of judgment but not in matters of conscience,” said Cardinal John Henry Newman.

But John Henry hadn’t been to Root, whose judgement and conscience have been equally flawless in devising this ace new addition to the crazy, burgeoning, expanding-as-fast-asthe-Universe Bristol food scene.

DINING DETAILS Root, Cargo 1, Wapping Wharf, Bristol BS1 6WP; 0117 930 0260 Opening times: Mon-Tue 5:30pm-10:30; Wed-Sat noon-10.30pm; We visited: Monday night; Prices: all plates £2-£8; desserts £5-£6; Wine list: short but imaginative, from £19; great craft beer list, cocktail list; Atmosphere: Is there a party going on here?

Service: friendly, unfussy; Vegetarian choice: 13 vegetarian dishes to 6 meat/fish on the night of our visit

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

is available to download. www.mediaclash.co.uk

P UB • R ES TAUR A N T

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

Rajasthan tasting menu available throughout September and October

10 The Mall | Clifton | BS8 4DR | 0117 360 0288 | info@nutmegbristol.com | www.nutmegbristol.com

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

TAKE FIVE

Meet Jamie Cooper, GM at the Rose of Denmark. Even if you’ve never been inside the Rose, you’re bound to have spotted it on its corner spot on Dowry Place; it’s just so pretty and, well, rosy. Inside, expect friendly folk, warming fires and tasty fayre (it’s quite old, so they get to use the ‘y’)

J

amie has been general manager at The Rose for six months, and has been busily working on getting the already excellent food offering up to an even higher level: “Nailing down the special deals – curry and a beer, £5.95; burger and a pint, £10; two steaks and a bottle of wine, £25 – as well as creating a new à-la-carte menu of hearty burgers/BBQ ribs, light seasonal salads and fresh locally sourced fish dishes. We’ve also tried to get a lot more live music going during the last couple of months.”

What makes The Rose such a favourite with the locals?

I think people feel comfortable knowing they can pop in at anytime, see a friendly, familiar face and have a chat. That, and the home-made Scotch eggs and sausage rolls. Actually now I come to think of it, it’s probably just the home-made Scotch eggs and sausage rolls . . .

How old is The Rose?

The Rose of Denmark has been serving customers since as early as the 1800s.

It was named after Queen Alexandra of Denmark, who was married to Edward VII. 76 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

What’s on the menu?

Our Sunday roasts are a huge hit with families, some of who come from far and wide. We really do try and provide good value, excellent quality, comforting and homely meals. This means that wherever we can, everything is homemade, on-site with top-quality ingredients sourced as locally as possible, with some of our lovely regulars even dropping by now and again with herbs and veg from their very own gardens and allotments. Can’t get fresher or more local than Frank’s gardening patch opposite the pub!

You have a lively calendar of events…

Yeah we really do! Not only regular weekly offers, but also big events dotted throughout the month that keep everyone enthused for new, exciting experiences.

An example was our Flamenco night, which was originally a last-minute lucky one-off booking; it was such a huge success that we’ve now made it a regular event.

Tell us about the refurb of The Scullery The Scullery is made up of the building’s original scullery and the old beer cellar.

The floor in the cellar was dug out a little

to give more head room, keeping the original vaulted ceiling on show; the cellar hatch was replaced with some reinforced glass to allow light in down the barrel drop which was all kept in place, creating quite an interesting feature, and then the whole lot was painted with its unique steampunk motif.

Apropos, who’s the steampunk dude in the top hat?

Every Christmas day we have a big Victorian feast for anyone who wants to come along; everyone gets dressed up and over the years it’s acquired a steampunk vibe. The dude in the top hat will be making his annual guest appearance, so if you come along you can ask him yourself…

Tell us a surprising fact about The Rose There are many rumours that the Rose is haunted. A few regulars have claimed to have seen the ghost, but most of them seem to be a little foggy on the details come the morning. . .

For more www.roseofdenmark.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK

MORE TASTY BITES (AND SIPS) Big congrats to one of our very favourite bars, Hyde & Co, whose beautiful new menu The Last Carnival has been shortlisted for Imbibe’s Drinks List of the Year. The awards are a huge deal in the industry, and Hyde is the only Bristol bar nominated across eight categories, meaning the guys are well and truly representing the city’s amazing cocktail scene. Proper job.

Also congrats to new burger bar (YES ANOTHER ONE) Squeezed, formerly Lemonade, who have successfully crowdfunded their way to opening in Cargo 2 – auspiciously, just one day before National Burger Day. If you’re wondering why a burger bar has a name that sounds like a juice bar, it’s because lemonade is still a big thing for them; ‘Squeezed’ also seems superappropriate for a tiny venue set within just one of the containers in Cargo 2.

It’s the stuff of which dirty dreams are made of: from 20 September The Urban Standard will hold Mac’n’Cheese Wednesdays. Complementing their famous Dirty Mac’n’Cheese are such thrilling flavour combos as Beef & Blue, and Chimichurri Sweet Potato and Shrimp. There’ll even be a Mac’n’ Cheese Burger for those who STILL feel Bristol needs more burger options, along with a suitably cheesy playlist.

They’ll have some R’n’Brie as well . . .

OK stop now.

Pinkies crooked at 45 degrees, please: The Ivy Clifton Brasserie is celebrating

its first anniversary in Bristol with a ‘Butterfly Kisses’ Champagne afternoon tea, available until 30 November. You’ll take your tea (and your glass of PerrierJouët) beneath 700 handmade origami butterflies suspended from the ceiling; you’ll also be presented with a butterfly at the end of the tea, with a secret message that may contain a prize.

Expect to be served truffled chicken brioche rolls, cucumber and dill sandwiches and smoked salmon on rye; scones with jam and cream, raspberry cheesecake, chocolate and salted caramel mousse and a crème brûlée doughnut, all served with a glass of chilled Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut, for £25.95 per head. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 77

D N A R IN A W BO O D EN IL M W GA

CLIFTON PANTRY IN THE HEART OF CLIFTON VILLAGE.

For great Christmas value

Refurbished and under new ownership.

Open 7 days, breakfast, lunch and evening meals. Quality menu, Gourmet Burgers a speciality, all produce from local suppliers.

Bookable for private events.

• Woolley Park (Bath) free range turkeys, geese and ducks • Copas organic and free range turkeys • Usk Vale boneless turkey crowns stuffed to order Gift vouchers • Set boxes

Fully licenced. Specialist theme nights starting In August.

0117 9738937 | www.cliftonpantry.com

Molesworths of Henleaze 101 Henleaze Road, Bristol, BS9 4JP

Molesworths of Frampton 147 Church Road, Frampton Cotterell, Bristol, BS36 2JX

0117 962 1095

01454 777337

www.henleazebutchers.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK

THE ETHICAL GROCER Farmdrop, the first online shopping platform that allows people to establish their own click-and-collect local fresh food market, has just launched in Bristol and Bath, allowing consumers to order weekly fresh food straight from their local farmers.

As well as causing less food waste, the initiative means consumers can find out how and where their food was grown, and ensures the producers get paid directly, with no supermarket mark-up.

In a city that once rioted over the prospect of a new Tescos in the Croft, what could be more on-point?

Ben Pugh and his likeable team hosted a launch event for an impressive roster of food producers, chefs and writers at The Ethicurean, where chef Matthew Pennington added his wizardry to meat, fish and veg from the best of the West: Somerset charcuterie with Hobbs House bread kicked off proceedings, followed by Stream Farm Trout, Pipers Duck and the Story Bavette; a Bruton set cream pud knocked every dessert we’ve had this year into a cocked hat.

The producers we spoke to were full of praise for Farmdrop’s ethical practice; if you fancy giving them a whirl, sign up now and get £20 off your first order.

BRISTOL LIFE GETS HIGH

www.farmdrop.com

Much as we love all our annual Bristol shingdigs, we‘re first in the queue when something new and exciting comes along. So it was with the arrival of Events in the Sky – a concept that’s already graced 55 cities worldwide before coming to Bristol Picture an oversized table, large enough to seat 22 diners, with a central pop-up kitchen staffed by a handful of chefs and sommeliers.

Now imagine it attached to a crane and hoisted 100ft in the sky over Harbourside. Sound good? Kind of depends on how you feel about heights, we guess. Even Marmite is less divisive.

This event could easily have rested on its gimmicky laurels by serving standard food, but for every sitting, an outstanding local chef or mixologist was in charge of proceedings. This year’s line-up included brekkie by Rosemarino, lunches and dinners by Romy Gill and Harvey Nichols, and cocktails by HMSS; you could also get Pie in the Sky with Lovetts or chill out with a sitting with Swoon Gelato.

It’s even more fun than it sounds.

Up in the sky, a cool breeze ruffles your hair, model-village-sized rowers scull over the water beneath your feet, and a music playlist turns the table into a party. We were like kids at a

funfair. We’re surprised there wasn’t a candyfloss and hotdog sitting.

As it happened, we totally lucked out, as our flight combined a blamelessly blue sky with the culinary genius, wit and wisdom of Menu Gordon Jones.

Gordon’s cooking is both refined and surprising; he has a penchant for turning expectations on their head, and is a total ninja when it comes to combining tastes and textures. A Scottish girolle mousse was frothy and silky beneath its topping of crunchy candied pine nuts; grouse tartare with ice-cream was sweet and savoury, hot and cold; jellied eel came with cheesy mashed potato and crisp beef tendon in maple gravy, with a pudding of cherry kulfi and a pistachio Madeleine.

Most sittings sold out immediately, with extra days being added (twice!).

Hopefully it will be back; if so, you really need to book. Our flight may have only lasted an hour, but we didn’t come down for days.

Friendly Farmdrop guy ferrying fresh fruit . . .

www.eventsinthesky.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 79

Brunch • Lunch • Cakes • Great Brews 45 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2LS

FOOD & DRINK

KAM KELLY East, west, Kam knows best

KAM’S COMPASS In an attempt to create a pub compass, Kam’s drunk like a sailor on leave in pubs north, south, east and west of the city

Let’s go to the wild West next, to The Lamplighters in Shirehampton. Weather permitting, you can admire the ducks and swans and canoeists on the Avon while watching the gridlock on the motorway with a cold pint in your hand, sniggering at the carbound forsaken at the same time.

Hey listen up to your local DJ. You better hear what he’s got to say. . .

North Playing an eternal game of hide-andseek with Bristol Parkway, The Beaufort Arms crouches behind the church and grounds that separate them. This works beautifully in that your visit can’t be interrupted by the arrival and departure of trains, and it is the perfect place to meet someone arriving to or leaving from Bristol.

Even that overly familiar shout of “Oh s**t! My train leaves in five minutes!” isn’t enough to make anyone leave that last third of a pint and run.

OK, let’s head South to Bedminster. Purists will point out that The Spotted Cow is actually in Southville, but back in the day, when it was even rougher than it’s name, Southville would have argued that it was on the Bedminster side of Luckwell.

Now though, it’s very much a Southville pub.

See, the tattooed fraternity that used to go in there with the names and birth dates of their first born on their neck or under wrist have been replaced with the tattooed fraternity of those with bespoke wild animals to depict their struggle growing up as a ‘Lower Cliftonite’ or a ‘Southvillian’.

It is now a lush pub with an amazing beer garden, that on a vaguely warm day, is rarely empty. It has a range of real beers and ales and good wines. It’s now that good that it has forgotten the old days when it used to serve bottles of Bud and the like. The reason why the likes of me would go in! Maybe that’s why they stopped serving it. But on a hot day I will forsake Bud for an ice cold pint of Peroni....and sip/gulp it happily while desperately trying to cover the tattoo on my under wrist that simply says “in emergency, cut here”...

Ah, the mysterious East. East of Eden. East 17 (I miss them). EastEnders. Beauty and the East. And last but not East. On a map, it’s almost like St George is trying to hold back The Dark Horse on Church Road from either wanting to fight Lawrence Hill or elope with it. The Dark Horse is pretty much what it says it is. It’s literally a Dark Horse. Its location would dictate that you keep your expectations low. But now look. The Dark Horse is actually an incredible pub. There’s a range of real ales, bitters and other stuff that I don’t drink available. I always know a classy pub when it doesn’t serve my favourite bottled American beer.

The atmosphere is chilled and relaxing and lush. Nothing is too much trouble yet nothing is gonna happen at the speed of light, sound or a three-legged dog. This, I like. This I feel comfortable with. And in a total contradiction to what I said earlier, the food! Oh the food though!

The reason that I love this place the most is because they actively encourage and promote their.....SALADS! I genuinely love salads! Through the week, salads are my entire diet. If I don’t have them, I miss and genuinely crave them. So to find a PUB that champions the salad revolution, whether they serve my favourite lager or not, will always get a flag waver in me! Vive Le Salad. . .

I KNOW IT’S A CLASSY PUB WHEN IT DOESN’T SERVE MY FAVOURITE BOTTLED AMERICAN BEER

Kam Kelly’s breakfast show, every weekday from 6am,Sam FM Bristol, 106.5fm

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 81

Ahh Toots in St Nick’s make the best cakes in Bristol, but that’s only half the story

I only have time for

coffee

special agent Dale Cooper, Twin Peaks

Brew goes there?

Is there anything more welcoming on an early autumn morning than a really ace café? We go north, south, east and west to find your new favourite

By DE R I ROBI NS Photo s I ris T horsteinsdottir

CAFÉ C U LT U R E

W

hat makes the perfect café?

Is it all about the bean, or is it the ambience that’s all-important?

Does it matter that the brew is Rainforest Allianced? Is it mandatory that your latte comes stencilled with a little leaf? Do you prefer the décor to be cool and urban or vintage-kitsch? Want to bring the dog? Eat industrial amounts of cake? Your perfect café is out there waiting for you.

AHH TOOTS

What’s your overall style?

Casual. Grab and go, or sit in the bustling St Nick’s Market.

Can we bring the dog?

Yes, we’re pooch-friendly. www.ahhtoots.co.uk

CAFÉ MATARIKI

On the ground floor of the Brewhouse in Finzel’s Reach, Matarika offers the best of global café culture – and yoga.

Sum up the café in three words Thoughtful, organic, local.

BREW COFFEE COMPANY

What’s a-brewing?

Bristol Tea Company and Roasted Rituals, complemented by homemade chai syrup and turmeric lattes.

Please sum up the café in three word Brews. Brunch. Lunch.

What else is on the menu?

Pressed juices and smoothies; tarts, including gluten-free; frittatas, salads, soups, stews, sandwiches, homemade baked beans, our special Pacific Bowls . . .

This popular Whiteladies Road hangout takes the bean very seriously, but no less attention is lavished on the food.

Sum up the café in three words Art-focused cakery.

What’s a-brewing?

We use Clifton Coffee Roasters and Canton Tea; for our seasonal espresso we currently have Liquid Amber, a organically grown Honduran coffee. It’s incredibly tasty – a bit like blueberries . . .

What’s a-brewing?

Clifton Coffee and loose-leaf teas.

Hipsters or highchairs?

Hipsters with highchairs, of course.

What else makes you special?

We bake cakes to order! From Little Toots at £35 to three-tier wedding cakes.

Can we bring the dog?

Yes! We love dogs. If the bowl outside is empty, just ask us to fill it up.

What else do you serve?

Brunch. Doorstop bacon baps and legendary sausage rolls, daily-made soups, salads, quiches and frittata.

What else makes you special?

Our team! Pop by, and you’ll see that we simply love what we do.

What else makes you special?

We believe in great ingredients, freshly prepared with emphasis on flavour. We should all put more thought into what we’re consuming. Mostly we think everything should be delicious!

www.brewcoffeecompany.co.uk

www.pacificyoga.co.uk/cafe

The creators of the most incredible cakes in Bristol can be found among the eclectic foodie traders of St Nick’s Market.

Hipsters or highchairs?

Our style is eclectic – hipsters and highchairs equally welcome.

Can I bring the dog?

We are pooch-friendly and offer complimentary dog treats.

w

IT IS INHUMANE TO FORCE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A GENUINE MEDICAL NEED FOR COFFEE TO WAIT IN LINE BEHIND PEOPLE WHO APPARENTLY VIEW IT AS SOME KIND OF RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY DAVE BARRY

Pull up a pew at Salt

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CAFÉ C U LT U R E CHANCE AND COUNTERS

Bristol’s only dedicated board game café; we’ll see you in the hallway with a chorizo picante, Miss Scarlett . . .

Please sum up the café in three words: Good clean fun.

What tea and coffee do you serve?

Canton Tea, Henny and Joe’s Chai, Clifton Coffee EQv11.

What else is on the menu?

Toasted sourdough sandwiches and fresh, seasonal tapas dishes. Tasty cakes from Cakesmiths. Luxurious milkshakes and decadent smoothies. Craft beers and ciders.

Hipsters or highchairs?

Highchairs in the daytime, geeks and hipsters in the evening.

Are you pooch-friendly?

We are indeed. If you’re lucky, you may even meet Whitney, the resident puppy.

Anything else that makes you special?

We have the punniest name in Bristol. We definitely have the most board games. www.chanceandcounters.com The unmistakeable, steal-thepalette-for-your-own kitchen cream and blues of Little Vics

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

ESTE KITCHEN

Please sum up the café in three words Fresh, fast, full of life [that’s FIVE words, Friska guys. . .]

Please sum up the café in three words Legacy of love. Or, cosy, relaxed, friendly.

What’s a-brewing?

We work with some of the world’s best coffee farmers, and currently serve a Brazilian singleorigin coffee from Fazenda Aracacu. The beans are roasted by our friends at Clifton Coffee. Our baristas brew a range of coffees from straight-up espresso through to cortado, flat white and Americano. All our drinks are served to a double shot and we have lovely latte art to put a smile on your face. For the tea-drinkers we have a range from Canton Tea.

Latin flavours, ‘locally sourced, made with love’, at this Easton café on Greenbank Road.

What’s a-brewing?

Extract Coffee and Mr Teas.

What else is on the menu?

Brekkie, brunch and lunch.

Hipsters or highchairs?

Hipsters with highchairs.

Can I bring the dog?

Outside on the decking, but not inside.

What else makes you special?

Latin American-inspired food, such as glutenfree arepas. Locally sourced, fresh and delicious food, served with a smile. www.estekitchen.com

FRISKA

A healthy fast-food restaurant offering seasonal, ethical fresh food, Friska has just opened a new branch on Park Street; they’re also at Harbourside, Victoria Street and Temple Quay.

What else is on the menu?

Sandwiches, salads, wraps and baguettes, all freshly made every day. A big range of breakfast poached egg pots; our house bacon toastie, Vietnamese pho noodles; Mexican burritos and our famous hotboxes. We know it all sounds a bit all over the place, but it’s a mix our customers really seem to love.

Hipsters or highchairs?

Friska is a fast-paced, quick-service breakfast and lunch place, so I’m not sure we really sit in either camp. Our team make the places what they are, so whether you are a hipster, part

Colonel Mustard in the Library? No way!!!

That’s something that annoys the hell out of me – I mean if somebody says the coffee’s all ready and it isn’t J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

of the highchair brigade or a hipster in a highchair, we’ll be pleased to see you.

Are you pooch-friendly?

Depends on the dog . . .

What else makes you special?

From the fresh fruit and veg to the highwelfare and free-range meats we use in our dishes, from our directly traded speciality coffee to the way we employ and treat people, we really think there’s a lot to feel good about. www.friskafood.com

Little Victories

Photo by sam finney

The little sis of Small Street Espresso arrived on Gaol Ferry Steps with serious bean credibility, and has been waking up the residents of Wapping Wharf ever since.

Please sum up the café in three words Welcoming, modern, fresh.

What’s a-brewing?

We use Clifton Coffee, and at any one time we’ll be brewing two espressos and two filter coffees. For espresso we have a seasonal house blend and a rotating guest single origin.

We also brew two single-origin coffees on filter. Tea is from Canton Tea.

What else is on the menu?

We have fresh pastries delivered each morning from Hart’s Bakery, and also make some amazing toasties at lunchtime using their sourdough. We have a large range of cakes from various local bakers. In the evenings we are open for craft beers, organic wines and cocktails, served with local cheeses from The Bristol Cheesemonger.

Hipsters or highchairs?

We like to think we are friendly and welcoming to everyone; we offer speciality coffee, but also make a mean babyccino.

What tea and coffee do you serve?

Single-origin coffees on filter and espresso changing every week, depending on the best-tasting coffee we can source. At least 15 different loose-leaf and speciality teas.

Are you pooch-friendly?

Yes.

Hipsters or highchairs?

Hipsters – no highchairs. Please fold up pushchairs as space is tight.

Anything else that makes you special?

We offer coffee-inspired cocktails in the evening (try the Cold Brew Negroni...) www.wappingwharf.co.uk/little-victories-1

Playground coffee house

What else is on the menu?

Homemade cakes baked daily by our owner Lilly as well as prohibition cocktails and a select list of premium whiskeys, gins and rum. We worked with Psychopomp to create the UK’s first gin using coffee as a botanical, paired with white peony tea and cascara.

Are you pooch-friendly?

Absolutely!! We love all our four-legged friends and they are more than welcome. www.playgroundcoffee.co.uk.

Get ready to meet the hippest swingers in town. Yes: Playground on St Nick’s Street actually have swings for chairs.

Salt CafÉ

Please sum up the café in three words – Speciality, games, cocktails.

Please sum up the café in three words Ethical, homemade food. 

Salt on St George’s Road is more than a café – it’s a positive cultural hub.

The Ground Floor, The Brewhouse, Georges Square, Bristol BS1 6LA (Over the new bridge opposite Castle Park)

Tel: 0117 321 5445

CAFÉ C U LT U R E What’s a-brewing?

Canton loose-leaf teas and Extract Coffee.

What else is on the menu?

Homemade baked beans on sourdough, harissa peppers and scrambled eggs, ethically sourced bacon baguettes. Savoury pastries and frittatas wraps including a chimichanga – a regular Friday treat for lots of our customers.

Alice’s cakes are much loved, too.

Hipsters or highchairs?

Hipsters in highchairs. Plus college lecturers and local businesses, families, musicians, selfemployed meet-up groups and anyone else who ventures down St George’s Road.

What’s a-brewing?

We serve our own locally roasted, directly traded espresso blend, single-origin seasonal guest espresso and filter coffee, ice-blended and over-ice coffees, a large selection of looseleaf teas, and single-origin hot chocolate, made from real chocolate, not powder.

What’s a-brewing?

Our coffee is organic and from Bristol Twenty.

We do the full range from espresso to flat white and everything in between, and also offer dairy-free milk alternatives. We offer turmeric, matcha and beetroot lattes, and an extensive collection of Pukka Teas.

What else is on the menu?

Wholesome brunches, sourdough toasties, homemade cakes and sausage rolls; Donut Friday, with special toppings.

What else is on the menu?

Homemade smoothies, all-day brunches; savoury tarts and frittatas; salads; a range of toasties made with our multi-grain sourdough (from Joe’s Bakery); fabulous mezzes, such as chicken with pesto, peppered mackerel with horseradish or vegan prawns in garlic and chilli. Home-made cakes, from chocolate and stout to raw toffee cacao cake.

Hipsters or highchairs?

We want everyone to feel welcome. We want to be unpretentious and accessible for all.

Are you pooch-friendly?

Yes – cat friendly too, but no-one has brought a cat in yet.

Are you pooch-friendly?

On our outside terrace only, where they can happily sit and watch the world go by.

What else makes you special?

Weekly live music; our Italian film season with food; book launches, community events, chess nights, green events with discussions, craft workshops and children’s parties!

What else makes you special?

We cater for everyone, whether vegan, glutenfree, lacto-free . . . Our milk is organic, and we also use the best milk alternatives – bonsoy (soya), oat and almond milk All our packaging and cups are completely compostable.

www.saltcafebristol.co.uk

TINCAN COFFEE CO.

Putting South Bristol on the bean map is Tincan on North Street.

Please sum up the café in three words Stylish, friendly, ethical.

www.tincancoffee.co.uk

WHITES BOTANICALS

‘A beautiful space with nourishing food’ is found on St Nicholas Street, within the rather majestic Old Stock Exchange.

Please sum up the café in three words Friendly, inviting, nourishing.

POLICE WORK WOULDN’T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT COFFEE,” WALLANDER SAID. “NO WORK WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT COFFEE.” THEY PONDERED THE IMPORTANCE OF COFFEE

Hipsters or highchairs?

We are both! Our menu and the general ambience attracts young cool professionals working locally who want to meet for a working lunch, as well as mums wanting to relax and meet friends for coffee and cake.

Are you pooch-friendly?

Yes, but we ask they are kept on a lead!

Anything else that makes you special?

Our inviting space within the old Stock Exchange. The staff care and it shows; we have quite a healthy approach to food, but we’re not preachy; you can have a vegan smoothie with a raw cake, or go for rocky road with a latte. www.facebook.com/whitesbotanicals

Bean there yet?

Tincan Coffee Co on North Street

IN SILENCE

HENNING MANKELL, ONE STEP BEHIND

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AWA R D S 2 0 1 6

AWA R D S 2 0 1 4

SPECIALIST ITALIAN DELICATESSEN & COFFEE BAR

T 0117 946 6401 www.divinodeli.co.uk

TESTING, TESTING

THREE BEST of the

How much more alluring would your fridge or larder look filled with provisions from the top Bristol’s delis?

PAPADELI

Sum up the deli in five words Top-quality, creative, friendly, knowledgeable, foodie Tell us about the food and drink Imaginative dishes, from salmon encroûte to salads made from pulses, vegetables, spices and cheeses; incredible cakes; fine chocolates; a range of oils, vinegars, chutneys, jams, artisan cheeses, from the South West and further afield; unusual wines, artisan spirits; antipasti items such as marinated olives, anchovies, crackers and pickled figs . . .

Chococo, fine handmade chocolates from Dorset; Cornish charcuterie pates and meats from Cornwall . . .

Tell us about a favourite local producer Step and Stone who make crackers.

As a company with a social purpose, they employ people with learning difficulties. Also Zara’s chocolates from Bedminster.

84 Alma Road www.papadeli.co.uk

DIVINO

Can you sum up the deli in five words?

A hidden piece of Italy Give us an idea of the range of food and drink you offer Soley Italian produce ranging from cured meats, cheeses, olives, olive oil, dried goods such as pasta, sweet treats, wine, lunches, coffee . . .And so much more . . .We manage to get lot in a small shop.

Tell us about the takeaway food offering We offer breakfast and lunches, such as freshly made panini, as well as hot dishes which can also be taken home for an easy dinner. We are also renowned for our homemade arancini.

What do you stock anything that nobody else sells?

Costello and Hellerstein truffles (made in Bristol); Bybo wines (local specialist wine importer who delivers on his bike); Flower and Thorn – chocolate-makers using essential oils of flowers, based in Clifton; Transmanche (fine French patés, confectionery including chocolate spread in a shoe-polish tin!); London Preserves, made on a barge; Wayneyedge wooden chopping boards made from salvaged fallen trees on the Ashton Court Estate;

What do you stock that no other Bristol deli sells?

A lot of our products are exclusive to us, for example

THE MALL

eggs, samosas and falafel. Our most popular option is our deli lunch box; we also have lots of homemade cakes, slices and sweet tarts, snacks and locally produced drinks.

Tell us about the food and drink Freshly made take-away meals; fabulous cheeses, meats, West Country charcuterie; olives, patés, fresh bread and other traditional deli items. Our counters are stacked high with freshly baked cakes and sweet treats, condiments, crackers, wines, gins, ciders, ales, chocolates, cooking ingredients, sweet treats, teas, coffees . . .

We also have a small café at the back.

Do you stock anything that no other Bristol deli sells?

Everything that we make ourselves! Also, new macaroons made by a local producer that you won’t find anywhere else (yet!)

Sum up the deli in five words Homemade, fresh, independent, rustic, local suppliers.

Tell us about the takeaway food A wide variety of salads, pastries, sandwiches, soups; take-away items from local independent suppliers, like Scotch

our olive oil range and our cured meats. We like to source from small companies/ producers in Italy with passion for their products and excellent quality.

Tell us about a favourite local producer An old Italian guy who only makes a small number of ‘salami mantovani’ a year.

Worrall Road www.divinodeli.co.uk

Tell us about a favourite local producer Many of our customers would be distraught if Ali stopped delivering his giant bhajis and samosas, Zara’s chocolates are really popular, and we think Ingrid has done wonderful things with her locally produced Dunleavy wine.

14 The Mall, Clifton www.mallcribbs.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 89

Timothy paul Bespoke Bathrooms & Kitchens

Timothy-paul.co.uk 07837 333718 37 Alma vale road, clifton BS8 2HL

Mini, Midi or Maxi, choose your new look from a curated collection of the ďŹ nest frames from Denmark, Japan and Italy as well as the best of English design. We have an equally impressive range of contact lenses including Ortho K for surgery free perfect vision.

www.juulandpayne.co.uk 70 Alma Rd Clifton Bristol BS8 2DJ | 0117 9735929

84 Alma Road, Clifton BS8 2DJ Tel: 0117 973 6569 Email: info@papadeli.co.uk

www.papadeli.co.uk

Unique and Independent Fine foods and gifts - Artisan cheese Takeaway for lunch or dinner - Eat in the deli Event catering - Cookery classes

change for a

quarter Q: When does a cluster of neighbourhood streets become a self-contained destination?

A: When you give it a catchy name . . .

By l i sa wa r r e n Photo s by T i m wool f

STREET LIFE

THE MORE SHOPS THERE ARE IN A

CLUSTER, THE BETTER IT IS FOR EVERYONE CATRIN AT PAPADELI

W

hat’s in a name?

Quite a bit, as it goes. Think Clifton Village, Market Quarter, Christmas Steps Arts Quarter; catchy names that make you want to pay the area a visit. It’s only a matter of time before people start calling the stretch between Chandos Road and Cotham Hill ‘Chandam’.

And now we have the Alma Quarter, mostly comprising a pair of roads off Whiteladies.

“We’ve had a lovely lot of independent original shops open up in the Quarter,” says Janice Juul of Juul and Payne, a cutting-edge optometry practice.

“We’ve been here since 1997, so we’ve seen a lot of changes; many of the shops were estate agents, launderettes, camera shops back then. As the recession has lifted, especially over the last two to three years, a lot of ground-breaking new businesses have opened in the area.” w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 93

STREET LIFE “Over the last few years, as the shops in our row filled up with interesting independent businesses, we noticed Alma Vale Road was filling up too, again all with independents,” adds Catrin McDonnell of Papadeli. “It was Marcelle at Movement Boutique who mentioned us being like a shopping quarter of independents, and it sort of grew from there.

“From the early summer of 2016, all the shops became occupied on Alma Road, and it started to have a little buzz,” agrees Marcelle. “Also, Movement has done some collaborative work with Heartfelt Vintage and Milliner’s Guild, before Milliner’s Guild moved to Christmas Steps.

“We did a pop-up stall together in the Clifton Down Shopping Centre, and a lovely Christmas

pop-up at Bar Humbug. It felt natural to link the two roads together.

“It just feels like a lovely parade, and it looks so inviting when we have the colourful hanging baskets. And it’s great to be able to shop locally, including Clifton Down Shopping Centre.”

“Customers who enjoy shopping in small, independent shops have been attracted to our area,” says Catrin. “The more shops there are in a cluster, the better it is for everyone, so we’ve been delighted to see it all develop. It’s lovely to spend a few hours wandering around independent shops, stopping for a coffee or lunch – the atmosphere and service is so different to a mall full of chains, so more customers have been attracted to the area for this experience.

Meet the gang in the Tavern after work; below, just an average day for Heartfelt Vintage

HOWDY, NEIGHBOUR Just some of the businesses recommended by those working in the Quarter (and yes, all of them said they loved everybody and didn’t really want to pick out just a few…)

“Being obsessed with fashion, I love Movement Boutique. They have a great range of labels that you can’t find elsewhere in Bristol, and owner Marcelle is a great champion for ethical fashion. I also have a very soft spot for the Spotless Leopard street food van. They do the meanest vegan burger in town.”

Kate from Heartfelt Vintage “Papadeli must be one of the finest delis in Bristol. Being right next door to them is lethal. . .”

James from Douglows “Papadeli and the Alma Tavern supply delicious food, Movement Boutique and Douglows will make you and your house look amazing, Clifton Photography has grown and grown, Peregrine manages to make sexy country clothes that look better as they age – the list goes on . . . ” Janice from Juul & Payne “I seem to be spending far to much time in the newly refurbished Alma Tavern! The food is always great and people super-friendly.”

Tim Baber, Yellow Duck “Marcelle from Movement Boutique has such a brilliant eye; Archer + Co’s shop is full of such stylish things; Nora from Bouton is so chic and a top-notch upholsterer; the guys at Clifton Photography are so friendly, always popping in . . .”

Catrin from Papadeli “Mockingbird – just a fantastic café; Papadeli is the go-to shop for everything from the best tomatoes – to a very special bottle of wine; Bouton is also amazing, more people need to know about it. Nora has a marvellous knack of finding very interesting and unique items.”

Judith from Archer & Co “We love Papadeli for takeaway lunch and the gorgeous cakes and deli products. Bonomini is also a favourite, along with Bouton on Alma Vale Road. Heartfelt Vintage’s cakes and food are wonderful.”

Marcelle from Movement “The Alma Tavern is a brilliant pub where most of us locals end up of an evening. It’s recently changed hands and is now owned by the team behind Zazu’s Kitchen. They’ve added a new Italian menu which I’m keen to try out.”

Kate, Heartfelt Vintage

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

We’re like no other furniture shop in Bristol Ian and Judith at Archer + Co

pearls of the Quarter: an alma who’s who Papadeli “Our deli counter of dishes for lunches and suppers are pretty unique – lots of our neighbours pop in for a salad box or sausage roll. We stock lots of foodie products you would find hard to get your hands on elsewhere, from artisan cheese to fine chocolates. Our catering chefs create gorgeous food with big bold flavours, and we’re often told the food is pretty original.

We’re always on the look out for unusual produce as we think that’s what makes an independent interesting.” www.papadeli.co.uk Yellow duck “We design beautiful bathrooms, and have been dipping our toes into kitchens recently; we’re currently working on a little kitchen showroom in the back of the shop. Alma Vale Road has always been a little hub for me. I’ve always loved its quirky mix of people, along with their eccentricities, which are reflected in their businesses. People go

out their way to help each other here, and you can trust them with your keys if you need to pop out.

I love that.” www.yellowduckinteriors.com Douglows “We specialise in high-quality vintage design items that are almost impossible to find anywhere else. Most are unique and irreplaceable; you never know what we might have. We love industrial-grade furniture, Cold War design and vintage medical equipment; we love copper, aluminium and leather.

And we love big heavy things with wheels on . . . Before we even took the shop on, we could sense that it was becoming a cool area to be a part of. Since the area has become free from empty shops, the footfall has been increasing gradually all the time.” www.douglows.co.uk Archer + CO “We’re like no other furniture shop in Bristol. Everything is designed by Ian Archer, who also

designs for top-name brands around the UK and Europe, so you’ll be getting a very special one-off item; everything is made in the UK, by skilled makers.

A designer piece, but at highstreet prices.” www.archerandcompany.co.uk

lovely stories behind the labels.

Movement Boutique is becoming a destination shop, and we find that customers are travelling from outside Bristol to visit us.” www.movementboutique.co.uk

Heartfelt Vintage “We’re pretty quirky and unique: there is nowhere else in the city where you can take afternoon tea surrounded by vintage wedding dresses. We’re only just off Whiteladies Road, but it can feel like a whole other world sometimes. There’s a very relaxed vibe. I love it when people find the street for the first time; it’s like they’ve just discovered Bristol’s best-kept secret.” www.heartfeltvintage.co.uk

Mockingbird Highly rated café with a Southern flavour (as in the US, not Devon). In thrall to the blues and buttermilk biscuits. www.mockingbirdcafe.tumblr.com

Movement BOUTiQUE “We sell beautiful, ethical, stylish and sustainable clothes, accessories, apothecary products and homeware The majority of labels in the boutique are unique to Bristol, and many have

Also look out for...

Bouton Antiques and upholstery studio, stocked with many unique items. www.boutonshop.co.uk Alma Tavern and Theatre After a speedy refurbishment and a change of ownership, The Alma Tavern and Theatre is now run by the team behind Zazu’s Kitchen www.almatavernandtheatre.co.uk Bonomi Award-winning hair salon www.bonominihair.co.uk

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

SPORT

OLLY ROBINSON

THERE’S A

Back Row

DEEP IMPACT Good news for wives and mothers of sporty guys: though concussion is a serious risk for all rugby players, the game is gradually being made safer

C

oncussion is a serious issue for all contact sports. Although this has been a long-standing problem in rugby for years, it’s been thrust into the spotlight thanks to Concussion, Will Smith’s excellent Hollywood blockbuster focusing on former NFL athletes.

Not only is it difficult to diagnose, concussion is incredibly difficult to treat. There are the obvious instances of players being ‘knocked out’ – George North practically asleep on the pitch for Northampton Saints – but more typically, there are instances where the brain is shaken and the symptoms are not as obvious in the immediate aftermath. Up to the 24 hours later, the individual can begin to suffer.

This makes it difficult for matchday medics to decide upon the correct action to take on

PIC JMPUK

You what, mate?

Bristol Rugby v Harlequins

matchday. That’s why rugby has introduced a ‘head injury assessment’ period, where a player will be removed from the action and checked by a doctor for ten minutes if there’s suggested impact to the head. Any suspected concussion and the player leaves the field for good, and has to pass a seven-stage, return-toplay protocol, with each step lasting 24 hours.

I know, first-hand, the impact that concussion can have on a person’s life. My brother Ed was a talented fly-half trying to make a name for himself in the sport.

Unfortunately, he was forced to retire having endured a series of concussions while at university. This was only the beginning. Four years of migraines, depression and nausea followed. A fit young man, doubtless running away from my swinging cricket bat after he had claimed an outrageous LBW in corridor cricket, could no longer walk down the street

CULTURE IN RUGBY OF TRYING TO NOT SHOW PAIN OR PERCEIVED WEAKNESS to the post box without having to stop due to a bout of nausea.

Ed is on the long road to recovery, but it’s unlikely he will ever be able to play any sport ever again. Having watched him fight through these symptoms for many years, it’s not a situation I would wish upon anybody.

There’s previously been a stigma attached to players willing to admit to suffering any sort of injury, for fear of losing their place in the team. There’s also a culture in rugby of trying to not show pain or perceived weakness, but when an injury affects the brain and somebody’s long-term health, there needs to be a great level of honesty.

In professional rugby the handling of concussion is improving hugely each year.

The education of players and coaches alike is fantastic, and as more concussions are diagnosed, the management of them improves.

We are particularly lucky at Bristol to have, in my opinion, one of the best medical teams in the country, headed up by Rory Murray.

Although the rate of concussion has seemingly increased according to the statistics, this is because of increased awareness, and actually rugby is the safest it has ever been because the understanding has greatly improved. It is clear there is still a long way to go, and rugby realises this, with trials of the new pitch side test being brought in this season.

Of course, concussion is a risk that comes with playing any contact sport, but rugby is making positive steps to make the game as safe as possible, so as many people can continue to enjoy watching and playing, and there are less people in Ed’s situation in the future.

Follow Olly on twitter at @ollyrobbo

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

Adventures in party-going

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

Kayleigh Fellows and Luke Mallison (St George’s Bristol)

THANK YOU FOR COMING!

Sue Atkinson (Ardent) and Simon Boddy (Plaster PR)

We held our end-of-summer shindig in the groovy Arnolfini bar – it was great to see so many smiling faces!

Photos Tim Woolf

Artist Jenny Urquhart and Alex Ivory (Environment Agency)

Joseph Edwards (Gleem) Claire Russell (Domus Holmes Property Finder)

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

Karen Millett and Danielle Woods (VWV)

SOCIETY Joseph Edwards (Gleem) and Hannah Vasey (Thrings)

Danielle Woods (VWV)

Celestine Onomo (British Corner Shop)

Gareth Edwards (VWV) and Steve Hawkins (Bristol Life)

Chris Goodenough (Iesis Urban Spaces) and Rosanna Hood (Mediaclash)

Simon Linnitt (VWV) and Edward Corrigan (Corrigan Associates)

Laura Sherbourne, Alex Kortland and Jon Farrar (British Corner Shop)

Amy Hunter and Pam Eastman (Lunar Optical)

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 99

SOCIETY

CARE AND THE COMMUNIT Y Just before all the rave reviews poured in, Bristol Old Vic held the press night for their new production of The Caretaker, in the entirely wonderful Backstage Bar www.bristololdvic.org.uk

Assistant Director Chino Odimba and actor Jonathan Livingstone (Aston)

Guests at press night at Bristol Old Vic BOV’s Exec Producer Chloe Elwood and actor David Judge

Eshiva Wright (Ujima FM)

Actor Patrice Naiambana and Designer Oliver Townsend

Director Christopher Haydon with Royal & Derngate Artistic Director James Dacre

Producers John Manning and Catherine Morgenstern

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 101

SOCIETY

FRESH; EXCITING...

No sooner had the old Park Street Friska closed, following the relocation of Rise Records, than a brand-new one opened on The Triangle

Founder of Friska Griff Holland and BBC Radio Bristol host Laura Rawlings A bunch of Herberts (Hobbs House Bakery) Will, Trevor, Polly, George, Henry

Back L-R: Royston Douglas, Griff Holland, Tom Batten, Wesley Aumais, Sam Coxhill-Davis, Miles Hastings; Front L-R: Emily Pryor, Daisy Mullins, Brian Mills, Jo Boshier, Ed Brown

Dan Izzard (Crumbs) and Shonette Laffy

Bloggers Gail Painter and Emilie Lien

HAIR TODAY Happy 8th birthday to Cotham Hill hairdressers Hair at 58 – here’s fabulous Sam Bell celebrating with her team

Sam Bell (middle left) with her team Abby Berry, Fraser Manley, Tony Mitchell, Jessamy Frazer, Poppy Cooke, Abi Mountain, Mia Moyers, Mar Espinar, Amelia Colston, Charlotte Cowie and Alex Cervantes (not necessarily in that order!)

a d v e r t i s i n g f e at u r e I T S P E C I A L I S T S

Meet the IT crowd We meet some of the best ‘techies in town – they can help your business with everything from the preventing of cyber attacks to finding the best software for your needs.

ADAM morris

Avagio; 01249 654 871 www.avagio.co.uk

What sets you apart from other companies?

We benchmark our customer satisfaction ratings across other UK IT support companies. There are lots of ways of measuring customer service, but we believe customer satisfaction feedback is the most important, as ultimately it is the customers’ perception of the service that is most important. We routinely come top of the leader board month after month with an overall rating of around 99% which is exceptional.

Most rewarding aspects of the job?

Being thanked by our clients after a high profile scare like the NHS Wannacry news story, for ensuring all their systems are protected. A core component of our service includes an innovative software and services solution called SleepEasy which does exactly what it says on the tin! None of our SleepEasy clients had to worry about a thing.

If you could give one bit of advice what would it be?

We would recommend that all businesses looking to grow adopt a strategic mentality with IT and work with their IT teams to develop a comprehensive technology roadmap.

BEN PAYNE

Rob Morgan

What are the most rewarding aspects of the job?

Helping people and showing them how to solve problems.

I get an immense amount of satisfaction when a problem is solved and customers leave happy. We like to show customers the solutions so that if they ever have a similar problem again they can fix it themselves.

What services do you offer?

Protel Communications offer IP, digital and cloud telephone solutions to a diverse range of clients from start-up businesses through to multinational companies, along with competitive line rental and call costs. Network and fibre optic cabling is also a part of our portfolio which includes design, installation and relocations to your existing infrastructure.

Bristol PC Doctor 07773 195949 ben@bristolpcdoctor.com www.bristolpcdoctor.com

If you could give one bit of advice what would it be?

Back up your computer regularly! The amount of customers that call in with hard drives that have failed with no backup is crazy. It’s really important to make regular backups of everything, even on new PCs, just in case. It’s surprisingly easy to do these days and we can show you how.

How long have you being established for?

We’ve been in the business for more than 14 years serving individuals, businesses and charities in Bristol and the surrounding region.

What services do you offer?

We offer everything from general computer servicing and speeding up PCs and Macs through to high level technical support.

Protel Communications Ltd 01179 864 777 www.protelcomms.co.uk

How long have you been established?

In January 2018, we will be 30 years old! We’ve seen nearly every type of business and helped new companies with their communication and network requirements as they grow into nationwide establishments.

If you could give one bit of advice what would it be?

Detailed project planning is critical for creating a realistic time scale for the client to ensure a project is carried out efficiently, on time and within budget.

What are the common misconceptions of telecommunications?

That a phone system is just about handsets. There are various software applications to increase productivity and flexibility for you and your business.

Rob Phelps

Netzen rob@netzensolutions.com What sets you apart from other IT companies?

We don’t just provide IT support, we work with businesses to try and help them thrive on the web. We are frequently launching new websites and promoting them with our search engine optimisation techniques that help them to get a strong position on Google.

If you could give one bit of advice what would it be?

Budget for increasing IT costs as software vendors (like Microsoft) are changing to subscription based billing models. As fibre and faster internet services are now becoming more common, software vendors are utilising the cloud to provide services that will incur monthly or annual subscription charges.

What will be the biggest IT challenges for businesses moving forward?

Based on recent events I would have to say the threat posed by cyber criminals.

With large organisations like the NHS falling victim to Ransomware attacks, it is a wakeup call to business owners that network security has to be taken seriously and significant investment should be made in recovery.

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I T S P E C I A L I S T S A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

GRAHAM SIMMONDS

NICK TOWNSEND

How long have you being established for?

We have been running for over 18 years.

What makes soVision IT different from other IT providers?

Our clients benefit from services that take the headache out of their IT. We have been providing this service for over 30 years to local schools, businesses and government agencies.

Our services include: • Managed Services • Cloud & Hosting • Connectivity & Broadband • Design & Development

goto iT 0117 969 8767 www.goto-it.co.uk

What sets you apart from other IT companies?

We believe IT is a partnership between us and our customers and they know how to grow their company the best.

Working together, we create cost effective systems using the latest technologies available. We have some clients who have been with us from the beginning of the company and aim to keep them part of the goto iT family for many years to come. With clear and concise information combined with our guidance, we end up with the system that most perfectly suits their needs.

What services do you offer?

We offer everything you need to develop and keep your computer network running.

We focus on IT support and installation, either providing an outsourced team where we take care of all your IT issues including monitoring and maintenance, or an ad-hoc service where you call on us when required.

We also provide telecoms, cabling and printer services.

What misconceptions are there about IT support?

It is a luxury! These days, companies need computers as much as they need phones, light and heat.

soVision IT 0117 986 4026 nick.townsend@sovisionit.com www.sovisionit.com

What are my chances of being hacked?

In today’s world without the right protection the chances are very high. Here at soVision IT, we aim to build robust layers of protection at every level, varying from end user education through to Application Control Policies.

How can businesses save money on their IT? soVision IT work to ensure our clients are strategically investing in the right infrastructure that delivers cost-effective and efficient IT services. A stable and reliable infrastructure is important to businesses. We utilise technology such as virtualisation to ensure our clients get the most from their investment. Once we fully understand the customers’ requirements and budget, we will work to ensure we deliver the right solution.

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JAMES KENDRICK

ADAM HARLING

What is happening in telecoms?

The market is going through extensive changes, particularly with BT announcing the end of ISDN in a few short years.

Currently VOIP/SIP and hosted systems are the buzzwords that most companies will come across when they begin to review their telephony.

We want to help to guide our customers through this period of change, ensuring that we are giving them the best advice and service possible, while we concentrate on keeping costs down and futureproofing their business.

What will be the biggest IT challenges for businesses in the future?

Cyber security is obviously a concern at present. However, businesses should expect this as a requirement of good IT management rather than a challenge. The biggest challenge is probably keeping up with the relentless pace of technology, keeping the management teams and board members apace of the latest developments and making this a strategic advantage.

Tele-Response Limited 0117 375 1183 www.tele-response.com

What services can Tele-Response provide?

Essentially, Tele-Response can provide the full suite of telephony and broadband products. Whether our customers require maintenance on an existing system, a new broadband or leased line or looking at moving into VOIP/ hosted telephony we can help with any request. Our aim is to provide a cost-effective solution alongside excellent customer service.

Tele-Response has operated since 1996 so our staff and engineers have a great deal of experience with both old and the latest communication tools.

We understand the challenges behind running a seamless, service-focused telephony and broadband offering in a work environment, and we want to help. So please call us for any questions relating to business communications; we look forward to hearing from you.

Netitude Limited 0333 2412323 www.netitude.co.uk

What are the most rewarding aspects of the job?

Enabling our clients to reap the business benefits of good IT; watching their business grow and develop as a result.

Good use of technology can dramatically transform the efficiency and output from a business; being part of that change is what makes me excited and is by far the most rewarding aspect of what we do.

What sets you apart from other IT companies?

Our approach covers not only building a firm and stable foundation (infrastructure, security, regulatory compliance, efficient dayto-day management) but also the critical aspect of strategic advice and moving the client business forward, putting business benefits and bottom line improvement first.

On this basis we stand out from the crowd and have a successful history of technology enablement and true return on investment.

a d v e r t i s i n g f e at u r e I T S P E C I A L I S T S

Oliver Thompson CCCit 01173 700 050 www.cccit.co.uk

What sets you apart from other IT companies?

CCCit has been building & nurturing outstanding client relationships since 2006, with our team of experts that provide extraordinary service.

Our network monitoring service includes 24/7 remote fixing 365 days a year. CCCit deliver proven reliable solutions eliminating unnecessary downtime, transforming the way our clients do business, saving them time & money.

What are the misconceptions of outsourcing IT Support?

Some companies feel that by outsourcing their IT they will lose the commitment of someone working in their team and quality will suffer.

CCCit’s commitment to provide guaranteed response & fix times is backed by our Service Level Agreement. Our goal is to ensure our clients are empowered to be as productive and successful as possible.

What will be the biggest IT challenges for businesses moving forward?

With the constant rise in cyber threats, it will become increasingly difficult for businesses to protect themselves.

As a “Cyber Essentials Plus” certified company we take IT security very seriously.

The cost of having the right company looking after your operations will be far less than the potential downtime.

Deep Blue Sky 01225 444 674 www.deepbluesky.com

Gildas jones

Dial a Geek Ltd 0117 369 4335 www.dialageek.co.uk

james eades

What services do your company offer?

We specialise in business automation and digital transformation solutions that drive innovation, change and efficiency in SMEs.

What will be the biggest challenge for businesses in the next five years?

Well, to be honest, if you think that your business will be recognisable in five years time then you’re kidding yourself. According to a recent Gartner survey, 2017 is the year 20% of all market leaders will lose their dominant position to a company founded after the year 2000, because of a lack of digital advantage.

Business leaders will struggle to set a strategy that maximises their potential revenue in the digital economy. To be competitive and effective businesses must start to digitise and automate their processes, using machine learning to drive the organisation forward into the future.

If you could give one bit of advice what would it be?

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast”. Digital transformation requires businesses to think and lead differently. Be brave!

Company-wide engagement and clear direction will be vital to business success. It’s never been more important to recruit creative thinkers and active innovators.

Aren’t all IT companies basically the same?

We strive to be better. We don’t believe in a one-sizefits-all approach to IT support because no two businesses are exactly alike, so the service you receive will be the best for your business.

How long have you been established for?

We’re celebrating 18 years this month! It’s hard to believe that when we started there was no broadband, very few businesses had a website and Windows 98 had only just been released.

What services do your company offer?

Everything you need to help and support your business - from consultations to nittygritty tech solutions.

What sets you apart from other companies?

Everything we do is on a 30 day term – no long-term contracts at all – and we still have customers who began working with us in the late 90s. We’re people-focused and our customers tell us that we’re different to other IT companies they’ve used in the way we don’t talk tech.

jim morrison

Systemagic 01225 426 800 www.systemagic.co.uk

What is the biggest misconception about IT support?

Business owners often think their business is too small to need outsourced IT support, but as your business grows so will your tech requirements, and things like network security, cloud computing, and VoIP systems will become a necessity.

What makes you smile when you’re at work?

Quite a lot! There’s usually someone (trying) to be funny in the office. We also get some fantastic testimonials, but seeing clients’ businesses grow is definitely the most rewarding part of the job.

Do I need to sign up to a contract to benefit from your support?

If you’re not ready to sign up for a support plan, you can still use our pay-as-you-go IT support.

What will be the biggest IT challenges for businesses moving forward?

There will be two big areas that businesses need to focus on in the coming year – and both seem boring and unnecessary to most business owners but are absolutely essential. GDPR is coming in to play in 2018, and will introduce a lot of new rules around how businesses of all sizes handle, store and protect data. Security is also key now and there will be a move towards ensuring all business networks have adequate security both on internal and mobile devices.

We’re running seminars for clients on both of these subjects to help educate and create plans.

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Shake-ups/launches/intel/promotions

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

IT WAS ALL SUCH FUN THIS YEAR... . . . shall we do it all again next year? Bristol Life Awards II is already underway, with over half the sponsors in place

I

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE We went to a marvellous party . . .

n fact, over half of all category sponsorship opportunities for the Bristol Life Awards have already been snapped up – a whole six months before the event takes place.

Sponsors gain huge marketing benefits, plus a specially-dressed Awards table. The Awards are promoted by a long-term marketing campaign across multiple media, from adverts in Bristol Life (where else?), to an extensive email and social media campaign, PR and radio.

And a powerful roster of initial sponsors has been unveiled, led by headliners Bristol Airport, and joined by a strong line-up of category sponsors which includes Nicholas Wylde, CityFibre, The Alternative Board, Burston Cook, Juice Recruitment, Clear River, Triangle Networks, Dribuild, Clifton College, Kersfield, VWV, Amarelle, SAM FM and Clifton Marquee Company.

“With over 410 nominations and 600 guests at this year’s début event, it’s no wonder our line-up of initial sponsors is so strong given the massive and enduring impact of the 2017 Awards,” explained Steph Dodd, events manager for the Bristol Life Awards.

The Awards are free to enter and are open to any

Bristol company or organisation. Winners will be decided by a panel of impeccably independent judges, and nominations open in November. There will be a special How To Win a Bristol Life Award seminar on 29 November, which is free to attend.

There are also extra ways to get value in our shoulder events, such as the finalists’ and sponsors’ reception in March 2018, a champagne reception on Awards night on 26 April 2018, and a special winners’ dinner in May 2018.

The categories are: Arts, Business Services, Café/ Coffee Shop, Charity, Cocktail/Bar, Creative, Education, Event, Food/Drink Producer, Financial, Gastropub, Hair & Beauty, Health & Wellbeing, Interiors, Legal, Leisure & Tourism, New Business, Property, Restaurant, Retailer, Technology & Innovation and the overall winner-ofwinners, the Platinum Award.

If you have a great central Bristol venue or are interested in sponsoring, contact Steph Dodd at Stephanie.dodd@mediaclash.co.uk. Categories available for sponsorship are on the website.

For more: www.bristollifeawards.co.uk; @BristolLifeAwd

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

“WE’RE DEFINITELY PINTEREST AND HOUZZ ADDICTS” Who really loves social media?

See page 113

£30m THE BIG NUMBER

Pukka Herbs’s annual turnover; the local company has been delivering growth of around 30% per annum, and has just been acquired by Unilever www.pukkaherbs.com

BUSINESS INSIDER

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS 2017

INTERIORS WINNER

SUSTAINED SUCCESS

W

inning a Bristol Life Award was humbling and an amazing honour,” says Nicky, gratifyingly. “It was great to see our hard work be recognised among so many amazing companies representing the essence of Bristol.”

Nicky feels that what really makes Sustainable Kitchens shine is their staff: “We hire people who share our core values of honesty, quality, creativity and relationships, the result is a genuine care and commitment for our clients and a pride in our work.”

Tell us a bit about Sustainable Kitchens’ story and how it came to be Sustainable Kitchens was founded in 2008 from a shared passion for fine-quality woodwork and a love for the natural environment. Our ethos for ethical and sustainably sourced materials has made us what we are today, crafting fine quality, handmade products that last a lifetime.

What else sets you apart?

To put it simply; we build everything from scratch using the finest materials and never, ever cut corners. If you want something to last forever then you need this quality to run throughout the whole company. This starts with our dedicated makers and designers who understand that the tiniest elements of our kitchens, even the details that no one will ever see, need to be the best they can be, through our workshop and finally on to our kitchens themselves where simple, honest design is the key; so no unnecessary panels, not false drawers and absolutely no fibreboard!

Where is the company is right now?

We are going through a very exciting period at the moment. We have expanded our team and are working with some amazing clients. We were recently featured on the front cover of EKBB and we are just so proud to be becoming well known within the industry.

What has been the most challenging times for Sustainable?

There are always uncertainties within any

In our latest profile of a Bristol Life Awards winner, we meet director Nicky Spear of Sustainable Kitchens business and when the market changes or there are factors that impact on consumer spending this creates a challenging work environment. Across the country businesses and suppliers are increasing pricing due to exiting the EU and this will ultimately affect the end customer and many businesses.

How many of your customers are local?

30% of our customer base is in Bristol. We are really proud to have so many customers in the city we started in.

What style does Bristol seem to like best?

The classic Shaker style is always popular. It never goes out of style and can be modified to suit the individual with different colours and accessories. We find that our Bristol clients love the industrial look too, so while the cabinetry might be more traditional they’ll add funky copper pendant lights or metro tiles to create an eclectic look.

What are the latest kitchen trends that you’re excited about?

We’re definitely seeing a growing interest in reclaimed materials, from scaffold planks to repurposed copper piping. People are willing to take more risk and add texture and colour back into their kitchen.

What are your current business aims?

We want to build a nationally recognised brand of quality products delivered by a passionate team. Our brand will embody our culture and values and this is what makes us stand out to our clients. Ultimately we want to be a market leader in quality, design, sustainability and desirability while making sure every client is being serviced to the highest standard and receiving the kitchen of their dreams.

Who are your business heroes?

Yvon Chouinard, who started the clothing brand Patagonia, wanted to bring his passion for the outdoors and quality products to the clothing industry. His unwavering focus on the environment and pushing product development is truly inspirational. At Sustainable Kitchens we have a similar ethos; we want to build beautiful cabinetry with as little impact on the environment as possible.

This is what led Sam Shaw, the owner of Sustainable, to start the business in 2008.

Do you use social media and which platform do you prefer?

We love social media! We’re definitely Pinterest and Houzz addicts. But recently we’ve really been getting into Instagram. It’s a great visual platform so we look at it to find new inspiration and to see what is popular at the moment.

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

Don’t make any rash decisions, always look for opportunities and learn to love change. Create a company culture that embodies your values, hire staff that represent these values and your staff will then be much happier and in turn so will your clients.

What advice would you give to start-ups?

Every business is different and it’s very important to find your voice, find your purpose, define your values and clearly communicate these. If you have all of these then you will soon find fans who will continue to be your biggest advocates as you grow.

For more sustainablekitchens.co.uk

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BUSINESS INSIDER

TECHNOLOGY

DAILY FIBRE An ultrafast -full-fibre network is about to become a reality for the South West

EDUCATION

HERE COME THE GIRLS . . . and Queen Elizabeth Hospital School will never be quite the same again Historic scenes at QEH school, as for the first time in over 425 years, the school welcomed female pupils.

From those who applied, 17 girls were selected to join the newly co-educational sixth form.

In preparation for their arrival and the subsequent expansion of the sixth form, the sixth form centre has been transformed over the summer, with the creation of a new vibrant social space, a new IT centre and private study space as well as female changing rooms and facilities.

The school’s first female students have quickly settled in to life at QEH, supported by the school’s induction process and pastoral system, describing the school as “really friendly and welcoming”.

One female student, who joined QEH from a local girls’ school, explained her reasons for joining

QEH Sixth Form.

“Two of my A-level options are science subjects and QEH has a reputation for the sciences that is second to none.”

Stephen Holliday, headmaster at QEH, is looking forward to overseeing a new chapter at QEH. “I always find the beginning of each new academic year to be exciting and full of promise for the future, and this year is certainly no exception,” said Stephen.

“Over the summer our students have celebrated outstanding examination results and our new students, including our first cohort of girls, are settling in well and are already taking advantage of all the academic and extracurricular opportunities we offer.”

The next sixth form open evening will be held on 8 November For more www.qehbristol.co.uk

Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of Aviva, has committed £75 million to TrueSpeed Communications Limited to support the roll out of their ultrafast full fibre broadband network across the South West.

Established in 2015 to deliver a fibre-optic infrastructure network across the region, TrueSpeed provides residential and commercial customers with multi-gigabit capable symmetrical speeds through a full fibre network. TrueSpeed already provides this service to homes connected to its active ethernet, fibre-to-the-premises network throughout the Chew Valley, transforming the way people live and work in the area.

The partnership with Aviva allows TrueSpeed to accelerate its expansion strategy to pass up to 75,000 homes and businesses. It needs 30 percent of people in any given area to sign up, using a no-cash conditional contract to install the brand -new network, independent from BT’s infrastructure.

Having secured a deal with Western Power to use power poles for connectivity, they are now in the unique position of being able to provide full fibre to the premises directly into people’s homes using existing infrastructure with minimal disruption, meaning guaranteed speeds of 100 Mb/s both up and down and the ability to upgrade speeds at the touch of a button whatever the future needs of data-inflation. www.truespeed.com

We’re almost sure their broadband is faster than ours . . .

ad v e r t i s i n g f e atu r e f i n a n c e

Lasting Powers of Attorney ANNE THISTLEWAITE of AMD SOLICITORS asks: are they still a good idea?

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ou may have seen or heard the comments of retired senior Judge Denzil Lush concerning lasting powers of attorney and why he would never sign one himself. This has prompted new and existing clients to consider whether they should retain their power of attorney or enter into one.

There is no doubt that a lasting power of attorney is a very powerful document and that sadly there are instances of attorneys abusing their power. However, this does appear to be rare, and can hopefully be avoided by giving careful consideration to who is going to be nominated as the attorney.

A lasting power of attorney appoints someone or several people to act on your behalf should you be unable to do so, or should you require help in implementing your financial decisions. An attorney can do anything that you can do with your finances, and can sell property along with making and closing investments.

Because of this, it is arguable that the most important part of the decision-making process when it comes to powers of attorney is who is to be the attorney. You do not need to have any

experience to be an attorney, and frequently it is family members who are chosen. This is not necessarily a bad thing as family members are often the most involved in a donor’s life.

Judge Lush’s suggestion was that he would prefer to rely on what is known as a deputy order. This is where someone applies to the Court of Protection, when an individual has lost capacity, for the authority to make decisions on their behalf.

While there is more protection under this scheme, because the deputy has to submit annual accounts to the Court, and there is also a security bond in place if the deputy does commit fraud, the downside is that the application process is much longer, the court fees are higher and you do not control who makes the application. This can mean that you end up with the local authority applying to be a deputy on your behalf, to the exclusion of your family.

Under a lasting power of attorney you, as the donor, can put in preferences and instructions to your attorney setting out how you would like them to act. This option is not available under the deputy scheme.

This is of course a very brief overview,

powers of attorney are complex and powerful documents, and having correct advice can make all the difference. Should you have a complicated financial situation or a complex or difficult family situation it is worth the investment in seeking professional advice into your options to provide the best protection for yourself and guidance for your attorneys. BL

For further advice on Lasting Powers of Attorney, the administration of estates, and Wills and other private client matters, contact Anne Thistlethwaite or one of her colleagues at AMD Solicitors 100 Henleaze Road, Bristol BS9 4JZ Phone 0117 962 1205, email info@ amdsolciitors.com or visit our website www.amdsolicitors.com

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adve r t i s i n g featu r e f i n a n c e

VAT after Brexit Mark Pooley of Chartered Accountants, Hollingdale Pooley, discusses what could happen to VAT after the UK has left the European Union?

H

ow will Brexit affect UK VAT? VAT is just one of the many things that may change in light of the UK’s decision to leave the EU. As the UK government begins to negotiate its exit, how will Brexit affect UK VAT rules?

Rates

Currently, UK VAT rules are derived from European law and legislative bodies must apply VAT according to European directives and the rulings of the European Court of Justice. After the UK leaves the EU, the government will take full control over its VAT policies. Potential changes include: ● The standard VAT rate: EU law prevents member states from lowering the standard rate of VAT below 15%. Future UK governments may choose a rate under 15% after Brexit. ● VAT exemptions: Leaving the EU will allow the government to introduce a zero-rate of VAT on specific goods and services, or entire industries. ● Different VAT rates: The government will

be able to introduce different VAT rates for different services.

Reporting

The reintroduction of economic borders between the UK and EU member states will affect how businesses trading in the EU account for VAT. Some sectors will face larger transformations than others. For instance, businesses operating in the travel and tourism sector might not have to account for VAT under the Tour Operators Margin Scheme.

apply if the government chooses to fully leave both the EU and the single market.

No-one yet knows what our future relationship with the EU will look like; it is a case of watch this space! Mark Pooley and his team are always happy to advise businesses of the current UK taxation and VAT regimes. BL

Going forward

EU VAT rules will continue as normal while the UK remains in the EU. EU VAT Action, a campaign group calling for reform of the European VAT system, has warned that the UK will have less influence on the single market legislation after it formally triggers Article 50 and begins its exit negotiations.

This could mean that businesses face an unreformed EU VAT system should the UK remain in the single market after the negotiations are concluded.

EU VAT rules will presumably cease to

You can contact Mark at: Hollingdale Pooley, 23 Bramford House, Bristol, BS6 6LT; telephone 0117 9733377; and email mark@hollingdalepooley.co.uk.

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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

Doing Business in a Brexit Era Some basic legal thoughts by Tony Forster Consultant at Metcalfes Solicitors

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very business person talks of Brexit this and Brexit that but in reality not too many of us know exactly how we will be affected by Brexit - one thing we can be sure of is that we will be affected one way or another.

One way is your current contracts . So check if you are currently involved, directly or indirectly, in any transactions where one or more of the parties involved is from the EU or any country which has a free trade agreement with the EU. If you feel your business may be adversely affected by such a contract I suggest you look at the terms of the contracts and see whether they contain any clause or clauses which could be used to show that a party can be excused all or some performance of their obligations, following the occurrence of an event beyond their reasonable control.

The type of clause referred to above is known as a Force Majeure clause. It may be possible to say that government acts or actions or changes in the law are events which give rise to a force majeure event. Maybe either a material change of circumstances or a significant hardship arising could fall within this clause, as well. We would have to examine the clause closely.

If there is nothing of this type for you to work with, then English law does help by stating that, in certain circumstances, contracts can become Frustrated. This arises when during the term of the contract an event, which was never in the thoughts of the parties, happens through no fault of the parties, and such event is so fundamental to the deal that it makes performance impossible or radically different.

Whilst loss of profit or bargain is not likely to cut any ice under Frustration, there may be scope for showing any seismic shifts in interpretation of EU law do.

The debate about what you can do with your current contracts is just starting, but you can put yourself in as strong a position as possible in any debate about future contracts by adhering to certain rules. The first is to beef up your force majeure provisions, as above.

Next try to ensure the courts which govern and interpret the contract or where you arbitrate are exclusively those of England and Wales.

We are in a bit of a crystal ball exercise, but, you should consider giving yourself a right to terminate a contract early if any specific concerns you have about Brexit negotiations come to fruition. If you are unsure about what specific concerns you may have then perhaps

think of entering into short term contracts with options for you to extend or renew.

One final point - always consider including a provision to allow a transfer of your obligations; a right to pass the benefit on to another entity in your ownership. Put in provisions for you to be able to carry out your obligations from a place of business of your choice – you may need to relocate.

We hope the above has stimulated your thoughts and if you require any help or wish to discuss any point, please do not hesitate to contact us. BL

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

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 121

If you build it, they will come‌ ‌ in their droves, it would seem. With more and more people relocating to Bristol, for the no-longer-secret reason that it’s the best city to live in the UK, the demand for new housing has never been higher By l i sa wa r r e n

we have to make the most of brownfield sites while striving to create exciting and sustainable homes where new

communities love to live

NEW HOMES

A

Brandon Yard, the last piece of the regeneration jigsaw puzzle on the northern section of Harbourside

s every other property report will tell you, Bristol is the fastest-growing city after London. We are, you may or may not be pleased to hear, a proper scorching ‘property hotspot’.

Good news for some, less great for first-time buyers hoping to clamber onto the ladder, Either way, it’s hard to resist the lure of the best city centre developments . . .

BRANDON YARD

Robin Squire, Regional MD of Acorn’s Bristol office, is currently finding high demand across many areas of the city – predominantly where there are good existing transport links and local facilities.

“We are currently involved in two developments in Bristol and we strongly believe both are special. Set on the Harbourside and opposite the ss Great Britain, Brandon Yard breathes new life back into the old gasworks buildings from Bristol’s industrial past.

“Everyone is familiar with these historic buildings, as they’ve sat redundant for over 35 years. It’s a very high-profile site for us, and is the last piece of the regeneration jigsaw puzzle on the northern section of the Harbourside.

“Then up in Bishopston we’re redeveloping the previous City of Bristol Brunel House campus.

Prior to it being a college, the site now called Loft House was one of George Muller’s orphanages.

Built in the 1800s, the building itself is rather striking, and we are retaining many of the original features. Bishopston is a great area of Bristol, currently with very little new development, so we are excited to be providing some unique new homes for the area.”

And the future?

“We’re extremely excited to be involved in the redevelopment of Brooks Laundry in St Werburghs, where approximately 105 new private and affordable homes will be provided.

Our challenge there is to be able to successfully integrate a large-scale scheme into an already well-established community.”

As Robin explains, “The main issues facing developers are the city’s constrained boundaries, with little room for growth, meaning that we have to make the most of brownfield sites while striving to create exciting and sustainable homes where new communities love to live.” www.acornpropertygroup.org WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF LIVING IN A NEW-BUILD? “You are protected by a warranty, have far less maintenance to worry about and presented with a blank canvas to decorate exactly as you wish. The downside is that there is still a perception of new-build homes being poor quality, small boxes. We’re fighting hard to change those views!”

Robin Squire, Acorn.

“New build homes are built to exacting modern standards which means they are extremely energy efficient and often come with developer warranties covering any defects. The buying process can often be easier as there is no upward chain (where you are waiting for the vendor to finalise their move) to contend with” Alex Reid, City & Country

FINZELS REACH AND CASK STORE

Finzels Reach is one of the largest mixed-use developments in the South West, and once complete will include 440 new apartments, two Grade-A office buildings, a 168-bedroom Premier Inn (due to open next month), plus a host of cafés, restaurants and a microbrewery.

The 4.7-acre site has a rich history. Once the w heart of the mediaeval city, later it became a www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 125

buying off-plan does mean you need to have

confidence that the developer is going to deliver

sugar refinery, and more recently the site of the Courage Brewery until 1991. The vibrant vision of mixed-use space is that of Cubex, the Bristolbased company that took on the site four years ago, after a previous attempt to regenerate the site had fallen into receivership. The project combines the sensitive restoration of some of the existing and historic buildings, including the Grade-11 Generator Building, with high quality new buildings. The last apartments have now gone on sale at Cask Store in Finzels Reach; the show homes launch on 23 September.

Developer Gavin Bridge, director of Cubex, tells us what to expect.

“There are just two apartments left for sale at Cask Store, part of Finzels Reach, a new quarter being created in the heart of Bristol. They have both been fitted out as show homes to enable people to get a feel for what life at Cask Store could be like.

“Both the apartments look over the river, and one is dual-aspect, looking out on to the courtyard. Both come with allocated parking.

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

“The historic brewery buildings provide a unique, characterful setting for Cask Store, set on the city’s waterside, with views of Castle Park on one side and a beautifully landscaped courtyard on the other.

“While the apartments are only moments away from the city centre – the new Castle Bridge offers direct access to Bristol Shopping Quarter and Cabot Circus – their location is something of a sanctuary – a slice of tranquillity in the heart of vibrant Bristol.”

We also spoke to Vicky Dudbridge at the Savills team marketing Cask Store.

“We’re expecting interest from downsizers, second-home owners or perhaps professional couples looking for a spacious, high quality apartment with a view and easy access to Bristol’s city centre,” says Vicky.

“The rest of the apartments at Cask Store have already been bought, with the interest having come from people of all ages, from their 20s to their 80s, paving the way for the creation of a real new community” – something that the new

so, how’s the buyto-let market doing?

“The buy-to-let market is clearly suffering, with a fairly significant drop-off of investors. In Bristol we find that our main customer base is owner-occupiers.”

Robin Squire, Acorn “We have seen some buyto-let investors at The General; however, due to the different sizes and styles of our apartments, our customer base is broad and includes professionals, downsizers, firsttime buyers and retirees. The recent changes to stamp duty, and forthcoming taxation rules for investors has also definitely had an impact, and we are seeing fewer potential investors coming through our sales suite doors.”

Alex Reid, City & Country

NEW HOMES Friday street food market at Finzels Reach can surely only help to enhance.

With an emphasis on top craftsmanship, meticulous attention to detail and a high quality of finish, the Cask Store apartments include generous living areas and all the modern touches including underfloor heating and walk-in wardrobes. All the homes have a unique layout, character and charm.

THE GENERAL

Enough light for you?

An interior of Brandon Yard Below, Wapping Wharf in all its sparkly night-time glory

One of the most rated refurbishments in the city has come courtesy of City & Country, the developer of The General – the award-winning restoration and conversion of Bristol’s former General Hospital, overlooking the Bathurst Basin.

Already an exciting prospect in up-and-coming Redcliffe, the acquisition of the ground floor by the Sanchez-Iglesias family for their holy restaurant trilogy – Casamia, Pi Shop and Paco’s Tapas, facing the newly pedestrianised Lower Guinea Street – has only increased the allure.

Apartments have been imaginatively crafted from the original building, with a further range of period apartments overlooking a tranquil courtyard with a reinstated fountain. The Iron Foundry – the first new build element of The General – offers beautiful apartments in a steel and glass building.

“Throughout the city there is great demand for excellent homes, but the area around the waterside has undergone an amazing transformation, and homes are particularly sought-after here,” says Alex Reid of City and

Country. Alex tells us that this autumn they’ll also be launching The New Yard – “A wide range of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments that make up the latest new homes at The General.

Designed around a central landscaped courtyard these new apartments offer an outstanding inclusive specification.” www.cityandcountry.co.uk

WAPPING WHARF

No introduction is needed for this awardwinning (it even has a Bristol Life Award!) development. Owned by developers Umberslade, the popularity of Phase 1 received a massive boost with the opening of Cargo 1, with all its indie restaurants and retail hubs; Cargo 2 has already landed, with the second phase of Wapping Wharf being developed in a joint venture by Umberslade and Muse Developments.

“Wapping Wharf has become a hugely popular destination in Bristol,” says Pauline Sangster, sales and marketing manager at Muse.

“Off the back of its emergence as an exciting new harbourside community, we have had a significant number of enquiries already for phase 2 of the development, which will include over 250 new high-quality homes that will be available for sale on the open market, with some available on shared ownership basis and some for private rent. This new phase will include one-, two and three-bedroom apartments. We are hoping to launch the homes to market in summer next year.” www.wappingwharfliving.co.uk

PHOTO BY JON CRAIG @JONCRAIG_PHOTOS

WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF BUYING OFF-PLAN? “The pros are that you have more choice over plot availability. In some cases you will have more opportunity to personalise your new home by making alterations to the layout and specification.

However, buying off-plan means you do need to have confidence in the developer, in that they are going to deliver.”

Robin Squire, Acorn “Buying off-plan gives you the opportunity to secure the apartment or house that you most desire, so when competition is fierce it can be an excellent way of ensuring you get a prime property within a development.

Some people can struggle to visualise the property off-plan but in our experience the reality of the finished product often far exceeds the purchaser’s expectations.”

Alex Reid, City & Country

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 127

Reach the best in the west Auent, active and inuential and just a call away

Bristol Life team 01225 475800

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

Atrium Unveiled at Royal View ‘An interior unlike any other’ has been unveiled at Bath’s leading new property development, with a beautiful new atrium providing a connection to nature

L

ocated inside Royal View at Bath Riverside, the atrium which stretches from the ground floor all the way up the eight stories of the building, includes columns of draped flowers and greenery that mirrors the organic surroundings of the building.

Acting as a communal heart, it is unlike anything ever seen before in the World Heritage city. The structure and shape of the atrium was designed and brought to life by award-winning architects Studio Egret West while the interior finish was by Scott Brownrigg. The idea behind the atrium is that it connects residents with the

outside elements, providing a direct link with the sky above while drawing in natural light.

Those wanting to see this spectacular new addition to the Bath property scene can now book an appointment to take a look around, while admiring the views and high-end spec of the one- and two-bedroom apartments and penthouses.

Marcus Evans, sales and marketing director at Crest Nicholson, said: “The curved nature of Royal View has provided a real talking point for Bath house hunters as it is unlike anything that has ever been seen before in the city.

The unveiling of the atrium inside the building is hugely exciting and has now provided yet another reason for house-hunters to come and take a look.”

The curvature of the outside is also mirrored inside with the balustrade on each floor incorporating a design that has a natural flow with no beginning or end.

Marcus added: “The approach and inspiration towards the design of Bath Riverside and Royal View was about how it could better connect with nature.

“The figure of eight design of the phase, which will include living ‘green walls’, has broken new ground in terms of what can be achieved

and it’s inspiring to continue that theme inside the building.”

Regarded as one of the country’s finest examples of inner-city redevelopment, it’s easy to see why Bath Riverside and more recently Royal View has proved so popular, with sales on the phase now surpassing 50 per cent.

With the first completions expected towards the end of October, anyone interested in buying a property are advised to visit soon so they can choose from the remaining selection of oneand two-bedroom apartments. BL

For further information please call 01225 463517 or visit www. bathriverside.co.uk The marketing suite on Victoria Bridge Road is open daily from 10 am to 5pm.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 131

PROPERTY FOCUS

HOUSE RULES Thinking of buying an apartment in Bristol? JACKIE ROE of Veale Wasbrough Vizards solicitors has some useful advice on the legal side of buying

S

o you’ve found your dream apartment; it may be Wapping Wharf, with a different dining-out option for every night of the week at Cargo. Perhaps you fancy the period grandeur of the General, or are intrigued by our cover property, The Loft in Bishopston. Before you rush in to secure your own little bit of Bristol property heaven, consider this: What conveyancing issues face apartment buyers in particular?

1. ADDITIONAL COSTS Leases are, by their nature, complex documents and many older leases are poorly drafted and not in line with current lender requirements.

Solicitors charge more for dealing with leasehold purchases. Plus there are notices which have to be served on the freeholder, and in some cases certificates to be obtained, before the buyer’s ownership can be registered.

2. UNDERSTANDING THE LEASE TERMS Leases contain restrictions, obligations, covenants and rights which are necessary to ensure the smooth running of the building.

They can be difficult to understand and buyers need to make sure their solicitors explain what they are taking on.

3. ESCALATING GROUND RENTS Many modern leases contain escalating ground rents. The increases can come into effect after 10, 15, 20 or 25 years and can often double or increase in line with RPI. Buyers need to understand what the increase means in financial terms, to make sure they are still affordable and that lenders will accept them.

4. MANAGEMENT INFORMATION Depending on whether the flat is in a converted house or a purpose-built block, the management arrangements may be very different. Smaller, converted buildings tend to be managed by a residents-run management company, and it often then falls on one or two to arrange buildings insurance, collect service charges from the other flat owners and maintain the building.

Buyers often forget they are not just buying the flat, they are taking on an obligation for the whole building and getting others to pay when works need doing can be difficult. Larger blocks tend to be professionally managed, so the buyer does not have the worry of arranging works or insurance, but there is often a price to pay for such management. When you are buying you need to make sure understand how the management works, who is responsible, what it will cost and whether there is a reserve or sinking fund to cover unexpected maintenance issues like a leaky roof, or damp in the walls.

You also need to make sure the whole building is properly insured for an appropriate value, in case of anything like a fire or storm damage.

What would you consider when buying a flat in Bristol?

1. LOCATION, LOCATION There are flats in some beautiful parts of the city, but parking and commuting may be an issue. There is also a high student population in certain parts, so think about who your neighbours may be: eg, are there likely to be more issues with noise? Find out what you can about your neighbours before you buy, knock

on doors and introduce yourself so that you can see who is living next door. Check if there are restrictions on use such as for Airbnb, student accommodation or short-term lets, all of which could impact on who is living next door.

2. SURROUNDING FACILITIES Are there communal facilities to benefit from such as gardens and grounds? Many newer buildings come with shared areas, but what are the restrictions on using these and will they result in more noise and disturbance? Plus what will it cost to maintain them in the future?

3. FUTURE IMPROVEMENT AND WORKS If you are buying with a view to converting or adding a room/extending, make sure you can do so. Also make sure you get a survey which covers the rest of the building and establish if any major works are likely to the building in the near future, so that you can ensure the costs are covered. Landlords can serve a notice on tenants requiring large one-off payments if major works or decoration of communal parts are needed and there is not enough money in the management account.

4. AFFORDABILITY Understand how the ground rent may escalate and check out past service charge payments to establish how they have increased recently.

Is a flat is a good investment?

In many cases in recent years, as with most properties in Bristol, flats have been a good investment. They can be great for first time buyers to get a foot on the ladder or for mature couples looking to downsize. And buy-to-let investors have always seen them as a good investment. However in a falling market or recession they tend to suffer more than freehold houses.

For more: Jackie Roe is head of the residential conveyancing team at VWV and can be contacted on 0117 314 5261 or at jroe@vwv.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 135

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

Berkeley Place 07770 942190 www.berkeleyplace.co.uk Build Bristol 07545 339908 / 0117 909 1969 www.buildbristol.com

Clifton Bristol Decorators 0117 244 0093 www.cliftonbristoldecorators.co.uk

Jon Pritchard 0117 982 6596 www.jonpritchard.co.uk

Developers/ Builders

Moon Design & Build 0117 973 3284 www.moonarchitectandbuilder.co.uk

Ashford Design And Build 07967 967625 www.ashforddesignandbuild.co.uk

Nest Design and Build 01275 832528 www.createyournest.co.uk

Estate Agents

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

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

Gardens

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

Interior Design Arlberry Bespoke 0117 298 0609 www.arlberry.com

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

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

Fawn Interiors 0117 205 0203 www.fawninteriors.com

Marble Supreme 0117 956 3030 www.marblesupreme.com

Goodchild Interiors 0117 239 3486 gill@goodchildinteriors.net

Miety Stone 01275 333589 www.mietystone.co.uk

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

Oriental Rugs Bath 01761 451764 www.orientalrugsofbath.com

Whittaker Wells 0117 983 8485 www.whittakerwells.com

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

Kitchens

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

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

Wren Kitchens 0117 244 3168 www.wrenkitchens.com

Handelsbanken 0117 973 0026 www.handelsbanken.co.uk

Lighting

Steve Mears Mortgage Services 0117 973 4300 www.stevemears.com

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

Tiles and Flooring

Avondale Tiles 0117 967 4673 www.avondaletiles.co.uk Ceramic Tiles 0117 966 5801 www.ctdtiles.co.uk Core and Ore 0117 904 2408 www.coreandore.co.uk

Upholstery

Bristol Upholstery Collective 07769 355535 www.bristolupholsterycollective.com Southwest Upholstery 0117 370 2745 www.swupholstery.co.uk

Windows, blinds and shutters Shutter Craft Bristol 0117 322 4900 www.shuttercraft-bristol.co.uk

Timber Windows of Clifton 0845 652 7300 www.timberwindowsclifton.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 145

BRISTOL LIVES

Q&A

ESTHER MAY CAMPBELL Esther’s a Bristol-based filmmaker and photographer; she’s directed music videos, and high-profile dramas including Wallander and Skins. She won a BAFTA for her short film September – so why has she now turned her camera lens on a local farm?

T

his harvest season, Elm Tree Farm hosts Water Salad on Monday – an exhibition of black-and-white photographs by Esther, that tenderly track the changing agricultural seasons.

Your background is both short film and photography. Do you have a favourite genre?

I do adore a good love story.

So how did it all come about?

A friend told me about Elm Tree Farm, and all the work that goes on, and the characters that are based there. I started to visit a year ago and have slowly got to know the plants, buildings, animals and people. Mostly I was moved by the atmosphere of tending, and the possibility of transformation through caring.

Any upcoming projects you can share with us?

I’m writing a love story set after the great flood for the BFI.

How did you feel when you won your BAFTA, and where do you keep it?

Giddy. By the cookery books.

What’s the story behind the insta of you and Kenneth Branagh? (see @esthermaycampbell) I was directing Wallander, and we were talking about witches, and how fly agaric mushrooms go into their vaginas via the broomstick...

What about Bristol do you find inspiring?

Walking in cemeteries in and around the city.

How did you get into filmmaking?

Watching films at a repertory cinema during the day between waitressing shifts. I began to see the seams of how films are stitched together and was completely transfixed. My love grew from there, really.

You live in Bristol – were you ever tempted to live and work London?

I didn’t need London to hone my craft, but I did need time and space.

This was possible in Bristol.

You’re an advocate for radical tending. What is it and why do should we all be doing it?

It’s something I’ve born witness to at Elm Tree Farm while thinking about the collapse of the world’s ecological and political systems.

The photographs from the collection are quite personal.

How did you manage to get such a close relationship with everyone at the farm?

By trying to be like a farmer; watch closely, work hard, be patient and know when to act.

Water Salad on Monday by E M Campbell runs until 1 October at Elm Tree Farm in Stapleton www.esthermaycampbell.com 146 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SEVEN DEADLY SINS SLOTH: What should you be really putting your back into right now?

When you are in the arts, you should always be working and creating. I do a lot of different things. Visual art, music, poetry, stand-up comedy, acting. I should be doing more of all of them.

In our regular mini Q&A with visiting and local performers, PHILL JUPITUS bares his wicked soul LUST: Who or what do you find yourself lusting after today?

Lady Agnew of Lochnaw by John Singer Sargent. It’s important to clarify that it is just the painting that I feel this for. That a few brushstrokes of oil paint on canvas can make me feel the way that work does, is a testament to his talent. Or, my weirdness. We shouldn’t discount that.

GREED: What should you really be cutting down on?

Books. I can’t stop buying/ hoarding books. They are magnificent. Just bound sheets of paper full of ideas or images or just words. The battery never runs out, and you never lose signal.

GLUTTONY: What one thing could you happily eat or drink until you burst?

My kedgeree is pretty amazing if I say so myself.

However, when you make food for yourself there’s less chance of pigging out as you have all the admin of the cooking.

WRATH: What/who makes you angry?

Capitalism. Corporate greed.

Mass indolence. The Olympic Stadium. It’s personal.

ENVY: Who are you really jealous of?

Anybody with a driven work ethic, and anybody who has a radio show. I used to really enjoy doing the 6 Music breakfast show, and then I realised that if I stayed, then all my other skills would atrophy. Since leaving the BBC, I have acted in seven shows (three in the West End) done two national stand-up comedy tours, about 20 shows at The Edinburgh Fringe, three UK music tours singing with The Blockheads, The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band and then The Idiot Bastard Band, written a book, made a kids’ TV series, toured Europe, Australia and New Zealand, made my Shakespearian debut, had my first art exhibition and returned to poetry. Now that might seem a lot, but if I had a driven work ethic, there would have been twice as much stuff on this list.

PRIDE: Proudest achievement?

My daughters.

Phill Jupitus is at Tobacco Factory Theatres on 1 October www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com

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