Bristol Life - Issue 240

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ISSUE 240 / JANUARY 2018 / £3

ISSUE 240 / JANUARY 2018 / ALL THE NEW YEAR FEELS

A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE CITY

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property

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EDITOR’S LETTER / ISSUE 240 / JANUARY 2018

I carried a watermelon

8

A YEAR IN INSTAS There’s no way we could choose just 32 of our favourite photos on instagram last year. So we’ve stuck eight more here (pic credits page 7)

Oh OK. OK. It’s a cabbage. I think.

But I bet Martin Parr had a wide variety of fruit and veg in his prop box – find out what I’m talking about on page 36.

So, you made it through the family Christmas, the office party (just) and the New Year bash.

You’re probably back at work, staring at the screen as if you’d never seen a computer before.

Remind us, how do we do this non-holiday life-thing again?

We’ve eased you in, Janus-like, with a look back at some of the best pictures from 2017 and a look ahead at some of the treats in store for 2018. We’ll be with you every step of the way, celebrating everything that’s new, special, quirky, amazing and uniquely Bristol over the coming months, from the new food festivals to the latest developments in the arts scene (see page 42 for a bit more about that).

Wishing everyone a very happy New Year, in this very best of cities.

Deri Robins, editor Twitter @BristolLifeMag Instagram:@bristollifemag

REGULARS / ISSUE 240 / JANUARY 2018 M EET T H E T EAM

WEDDINGS

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

12 Engagement shoot You may actually enjoy it more than your wedding day

Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors: Baz Barrett, Stan Cullimore, Will Carpenter Advertising manager Lily Dalzell lily.dalzell@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager James Morgan james.morgan@mediaclash.co.uk

THE ARTS 23 Arts intro Speaking of weddings . . .

24 What’s on

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

The local arts scene swings into action to banish the January blues

30 Comedy Cheer up, Buster luv; it’s your 100th anniversary

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

36 Photography Parred up at Paintworks

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

42 Arts 2018 Big changes for the big-hitters

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

FOOD

30

48 Food & drink news Ethical shopping, pop-ups and – oh yes! – a dedicated dal festival

51 Stan Cullimore Stan’s tireless quest for the perfect café continues

A MAN’S WORLD 53 Baz Barrett

60 Editor’s choice

A child’s Christmas in Bristol

Skin deep

SPORT

TRAVEL

55 Will Carpenter

64 Great escapes

Bristol Rugby: the bigger picture

A cosy bolthole in dog-friendly Dartmouth

Simply Redland

BUSINESS

90 Bristol lives

69 Business insider

Sisters are doing it for themselves

SHOPPING 59 Shopping intro Trunk call? Two Palms pops up on Boyce’s Avenue

See what happens at a Bristol Life business club

PROPERT Y 76 Kitchens Time for a cabinet reshuffle?

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 Credits page 5, left to right top row @riverslade @chill1983 @jpuentephotography middle row @richmccluskey @l_bzn @moodycolin319 bottom row @neiljamesb @grillstock

84 Property showcase

BRISTOL LIVES

On the cover What we said here

SPOTLIGHT THIS CITY WE CALL BRISTOL Here are just a few of the instagrams that made us go ‘wow!” in 2017. Bristol has never looked more beautiful – WHAT A CITY! Thanks to all the photographers who make our insta feed such a daily joy

@bristoljj

@bristolpictures

@richmccluskey_photography

@josh.perrett

@sichan.se

@mrbenadams

@chill1983

@josh.perrett

@chill1983

@sjtanton

@porthjess

@craigderrick40

@bristolpictures

@see.en

@richimal_bristol

@moodycolin319

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

@_tim__brown__

@colinraynerphotography

@bristolpictures

@colstonhall

@richmccluskey_photography

@neiljamesb

@bristolpictures

@chill1983

@helenisbell

@paddyo.11

@perkspectivephotography

@bencostiganphotography

@carolyn.eaton

@richimal_bristol

@max_renaud

@timfj_

@eleanore_photography

@chill1983

@bristolpictures

@chill1983

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 9

WEDDINGS

RULES of ENGAGEMENT

Unless you’re a complete and utter diva, the prospect of posing for wedding photos may make you a little anxious. Engagement shoots are the ideal way to break the ice, as well as yielding uniquely beautiful images in their own right

H

By L I SA WA R R E N

owever skilled and imaginative the person working the camera may be, wedding photos tend to be much of a muchness.

Whether getting hitched in a barn, a town hall or in a house, a very big house in the countr-ee, the vast majority of brides still favour a variation on the classic wedding dress, while the grooms are suited and booted.

Furthermore, unless you’re a born extrovert who simply adores being in the limelight, you may find the whole photography thing a little daunting. An engagement shoot, though – that’s a different kettle. The pressure is off, and you can act and dress in a way that’s far closer to your everyday life.

Below, some of our favourite wedding photographers tell us what makes engagement shoots so special, and why they’re such a great rehearsal for the wedding day itself.

THEY’RE ACTUALLY FUN…

“An engagement shoot is the perfect way to allow us to see how the couple feel in front of the camera, and spend some time chatting a bit more about their wedding plans. It’s meant to w 12 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

THE WEDDING-DAY

PRESSURE IS OFF, AND YOU CAN ACT AND DRESS IN A WAY THAT’S CLOSER TO YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE

WEDDINGS

“Tom and Rosie got very creative with their engagement shoot and brought powder paint along.

I popped some smoke bombs in my camera bag too, and the result is one of my all-time favourite sessions” – Annie Crossman

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 13

WEDDINGS

YOU CAN WORK WITH THE

WEATHER, AND REARRANGE THE SHOOT

IF NECESSARY – WHICH YOU

DEFINITELY CAN’T DO ON A WEDDING DAY

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

You may not want a muddy spaniel trampling over your Big White Dress, but he can definitely be part of the engagement shoot.

Sonia, Tyler and Hendrix captured

by Brad Wakefield

be a bit of fun, but we also get some incredible images,” says Frances Taylor of Evoke Pictures.

“When it comes to being photographed on the wedding day, one person is usually more keen than the other, so the engagement shoot is a brilliant chance for them to get to know my shooting and directing style,” says Annie Crossman.

“Many couples have told me how useful they found it, and how relaxed it made them about the idea of photos – even the most hardcore photo-haters had to admit that it was actually quite fun! I can then go for a similar vibe on their wedding day, to make sure the photos authentically show what the couple is like.”

“It’s a great way to break the ice ahead of the wedding day, and also a way for the couple to see how I work,” agrees Brad Wakefield “It’s the first long period of time you get to spend with the couple,” says Lisa Whiting. “You have so much more time and flexibility.

“Also, you can work with the weather, and rearrange the shoot, if necessary – which you can’t do with a wedding day. You get to know how the couple react together in front of the camera, and you can tailor your posing and get them as comfortable as possible.”

Sam Gibson often gets couples to play little games with each other during the shoot. “Then on the wedding day it feels like you already

know the photographer well, and it’s easier to get over any awkwardness. As a documentary photographer, that’s actually really helpful.”

No pressure, then . . .

“There’s so much going on during the wedding day, so engagement shoots offer a good opportunity to get some photos without all of the distractions,” says Ruth Garner.

“We have far more time at an engagement shoot than a wedding,” agrees Annie. “Most of my engagement sessions last around two hours. We go exploring somewhere cool, and the photos are almost a by-product; there’s very little posing on my part.

“At weddings, we only have 20 minutes max for couple shots, so no time really to ‘warm up’.

Thanks to the engagement shoot, my couples are real pros at that point. and we can jump in where we left off. This is why I include a complimentary engagement session with all my wedding bookings, and insist that couples take me up on it!”

It’s all about location and timing, says Sam. “You have so much more flexibility. Over the winter you can do sunrise sessions, which on a wedding day is obviously not going to be high on anyone’s to-do list. For Rachel and Jon’s image – a sunrise shoot – I was lying on frozen grass to get that image, but it was worth it.”  www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 15

WEDDINGS

LOCATION, LOCATION

Mostly, it seems, the location is decided by the couple: “I’ll only advise if I know of somewhere that may work better; style-wise I’ll shoot in the same way as I would for a wedding – honest, funfilled and artistic,” says Brad.

“I ask my couples which places mean a lot to them and where they feel comfortable – I want them to get all snuggled up during the shoot, and not everyone is happy doing this in Clifton Village on a Saturday afternoon,” says Annie.

“If the couple have no preferences, I get to suggest locations from my bucket list.

“I firmly believe that couples should book a photographer based on their style, and how consistently this style is achieved. I will always

aim for light and airy photos that have a timeless feel to them, and my couples know and value that.”

“We’re so lucky in Bristol – there are so many varied locations nearby, from beaches to forests to urban backdrops,” says Sam. “I also travel farther afield if a couple have somewhere specific in mind – Chesil Beach was one of my favourites.”

Lisa likes to suggest locations that will be totally different to the wedding venue, so the couple will have two sets of photos with a very different look.

“Perhaps we’ll go for an urban/industrial backdrop for the engagement shoot, in contrast to a leafy, countryside wedding venue. “But, ultimately, I let the couple decide, particularly if they have a place that’s special to them – where the proposal took place, for w example.”

Rachel and Jon got up very early for their shoot with Sam Gibson, who lay down in frozen grass to get that image – “but it was worth it”

OVER THE WINTER YOU CAN DO SUNRISE SESSIONS, WHICH ON A WEDDING DAY IS OBVIOUSLY NOT GOING TO BE HIGH ON

ANYONE’S TO-DO LIST

Jade and Marriane – “By the time I came to shoot their wedding day, we’d become friends,” says Lisa Whiting

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WEDDINGS

Evoke’s stylish shoot with Olivia and Charlie used Old City as a ready-made backdrop

ENGAGEMENT INSPO! Our photographers pick out recent shoots that stand out for them “Tom and Rosie got very creative with their engagement shoot and brought lots of powder paint along. I popped some smoke bombs in my camera bag too, and the result is one of my all-time favourite sessions” ANNIE CROSSMAN “Sonia and Tyler invited their dog Hendrix along. We went to a local beach and he added a different element to the session; not only did we get some great photographs but I really felt that Hendrix helped the couple to relax.”

BRAD WAKEFIELD “What stood out for me was how well I got to know Jade and Marriane – we talked about so much more than the wedding, which meant that on the wedding day we felt more like friends. The engagement shoot was like a mini-rehearsal, so Jade and Marianne fell into the portrait poses instinctively, and we were used to working with an umbrella as it rained on both occasions – which saved a lot of time at the wedding…something you don’t always get!”

LISA WHITING “Olivia and Charlie’s wedding was booked at the Bristol Cosy Club, so it seemed only fitting that we did their engagement shoot around Corn Street as well, with a few pictures in the Club itself. It was a great chance to suss out the lighting and get a feel for the venue.”

FRANCES TAYLOR, EVOKE

OLIVIA AND CHARLIE’S WEDDING WAS BOOKED AT THE COSY CLUB, SO IT SEEMED

FITTING THAT WE DID THEIR SHOOT AROUND CORN STREET

“For Cass and Oli’s shoot, we just played silly games and wandered around Ashton Court.

It’s so nice getting to know a couple before the wedding and to hear about what to expect on the day itself.”

SAM GIBSON “I love spring flowers and colours, so I really love it when I get to do shoots in among the bluebells or daffodils.”

RUTH GARNER

YOU HAVE BEEN READING ANNIE CROSSMAN

www.anniecrossmanphotography.com BRAD WAKEFIELD

www.bradwakefield.com LISA WHITING

lisawhiting@hotmail.co.uk EVOKE PICTURES

www.evokepictures.com RUTH GARNER

www.ruthgarnerphotography.com SAM GIBSON

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

Music/theatre/film/more

DEARLY BELOVED

If you’re of the opinion that theatre begins and ends with Felicity Kendall in the squillionth touring revival of Lady Windemere’s Fan, you need to get a bit of Gecko into your life.

Gecko is everything that conventional drama is not. This is physical theatre at its most thrilling, visceral and inventive. Many of the shows riff on the complexities of human nature, and The Wedding is no exception – it’s inspired by the struggle between love and anger, creation and destruction, community and isolation, all in a blur of wedding dresses and contractual obligations. We may be married, bound by law – but what are the terms of this relationship, exactly? And are we just talking romantic vows here, or our contract with the state? What about divorce?

Oh never mind; just go and see it. The images will stick with you forever.

The Wedding plays Bristol Old Vic 17-20 January; www.bristololdvic.org.uk

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

5 January – 5 February 2018

PHOTO © CHARLIE-HAMILTON JAMES

HAPPY NEW YEAR, BRISTOL!

Talk to the hand: Labels at The Wardrobe; me and my monkey: Wildlife photos at M Shed; evil Steven’s not quite so Wicked at The Hippodrome

Exhibitions

Talbot’s Articles of Glass, never before seen outside London; at RWA; rwa.co.uk

UNTIL 20 JANUARY

MARTIN PARR’S BLACK COUNTRY STORIES The Martin Parr Foundation presents photos taken between 2010 and 2014 in the industrial West Midlands. For the feature on our recent photoshoot, see page 36. At Paintworks; martinparrfoundation.org UNTIL 28 JANUARY

CORNELIA PARKER: ONE DAY THIS GLASS WILL BREAK The Turner Prize-nominee is known for her groundbreaking installations; this intimate exhibition features her most recent work, a series of largescale photogravures and Fox

diverse exhibition takes a walk through the gallery’s fascinating history and shines a light on the artists that shaped it; rwa.co.uk

UNTIL 25 FEBRUARY

NATIVE COLOUR Group exhibition celebrating contemporary Native American artists who are all renowned as great colourists. At Rainmaker; rainmakerart.co.uk UNTIL 11 MARCH

FRINK-BLOW-LAWSON One new exhibition; three highly influential female artists, whose profound impact is still recognisable today; At RWA, rwa.co.uk WOMEN OF THE RWA From its foundation to the present day, the RWA has had women artists at its heart. This

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

UNTIL 8 APRIL 2018

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR The renowned photography exhibition continues, with 100 spectacular images and a serious message about the environment. At MShed; bristolmuseums.org.uk UNTIL 31 AUGUST 2018

EMPIRE THROUGH THE LENS Bristol Archives’ collection of photos and films of life in the British Empire and Commonwealth, mostly taken 1880s-1960s. At Bristol Museum;

bristolmuseums.org.uk 9 JANUARY-4 FEBRUARY

YVONNE CROSSLEY Drawing, constructing, painting and print in a solo show by the Academician; rwa.co.uk 15-19 JANUARY

TAKE ‘Take’ means ‘bamboo’ in Japanese; this collaborative exhibition has been derived from a game of poetry consequences that took place at SPACE and Arnolfini, in which visitors used large bamboo dip pens and brushes to write poetry and draw. At The Vestibule; theislandbristol.com 30 JANUARY-11 FEBRUARY

ROOFTOPS & ARCHWAYS Susie Ramsay’s new collection

W H AT ’ S O N

of paintings – a solo exhibition. continuing Susie’s focus on Bristol’s architectural landscapes. At Christmas Steps Gallery; susie-ramsay-artist.com

Theatre & shows UNTIL 6 JANUARY

CINDERELLA A lively night of panto at The Redgrave by members of the Old Cliftonian Drama Society; all proceeds go to Above and Beyond. redgravetheatre.com UNTIL 7 JANUARY

ALADDIN It’s still panto season at the Hippodrome, with comedian Joe Pasquale sharing the bill with singer Marti Pellow and soap queen Hayley Tamaddon.

We’re promised a ‘magical 3D sequence which will see audiences transported to Old Peking on a magical carpet ride adventure’; oh yes we are. atgtickets.com SNOW GLOBE Kid Carpet and his peculiar posse take over The Lantern with their signature blend of music, comedy and chaos; 3-7+; bristololdvic.org.uk

UNTIL 21 JANUARY

RESERVOIR CATS The Wardrobe’s annual alternative festive offering – this year, it’s a mash-up of Tarantino and Lloyd Webber from the brilliantly funny ensemble. thewardrobetheatre.com 9-13 JANUARY

SUNSET BOULEVARD Norma’s ready for her close-up; it’s the Lloyd Webber version, with tunes; at the Hippodrome. atgtickets.com 10-13 JANUARY

PUNK ROCK The pupils at a private grammar school feel the pressure of their looming mock exams. As the tests creep disconcertingly near, the teenagers must balance the viciousness of adolescence against society’s expectations of adulthood. Performed by the students of BOVTS, who probably remember what school exams are like only too well.

At Bristol Old Vic; bristololdvic. org.uk 15-17 JANUARY

RUSSIAN STATE BALLET & ORCHESTRA OF SIBERIA The acclaimed troupe bring a trio of crowd-pleasing classics – The Nutcracker, Cinderella and Swan Lake – to The Hippodrome; atgtickets.com

UNTIL 14 JANUARY

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Forget Disney; this tale as old as time goes back to the French classic fairytale, in another fab festive offering from Tobacco Factory Theatres. Chosen

by The Guardian as one of its Christmas show must-sees. tobaccofactorytheatres.com

17-20 JANUARY

THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL & OTHER HAPPIER TALES Emma Rice brings her magical show to Bristol from a critically acclaimed run at The Globe; this also made The Guardian’s best Christmas show list. We’re one lucky city. bristololdvic.org.uk

30 JANUARY-3 FEBRUARY

THE UGLY DUCKLING The award-winning team behind Cinderella: A Fairytale brings its trademark magic and mastery to a wintry tale of family, feathers and fitting in. At the TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com

ARTS

THE WEDDING Wahey! The unmissable Gecko are back (see page 23), tackling the complexities of human nature with their distinctive emotionally charged physical theatre; at Bristol Old Vic, bristololdvic.org.uk LABELS Writer/performer Joe Sellman-Leava draws on his experiences of being mixed heritage to explore broader issues of racism, immigration and displacement; at Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com A PASSAGE TO INDIA Foster’s all the rage at the moment, and here he’s all the Raj too. Multi-award-winning ensemble Simple8 will transport us to Imperial India, conjuring up the elephants and caves,

OMG have you SEEN the prices on the wedding list? – Gecko at BOV; hello sweetie: confectionery making at Martin Parr’s Black Country Stories

courthouses and temples with the simplest and boldest means, including original music played live on stage by composer Kuljit Bhambra. At Bristol Old Vic; bristololdvic.org.uk

Music

31 JANUARY-3 MARCH

14 JANUARY

WICKED The confidently long run says it all: this massively popular show is guaranteed to go down a storm with the city’s musical fans, and this time it comes with added wickedness in the form of Aaron Sidwell, aka evil Steven from ’Stenders– here in considerably less psychotic mode. At the Hippodrome atgtickets.com 3-10 FEBRUARY

BEOWULF Bristol Old Vic Theatre School present a new riff on the greatest Anglo-Saxon poem ever written (actually, it’s probably the only existing one): gripping storytelling, bold physical action, and live music, with a sprinkling

of the original Old English, for adventurers aged 7+; at The Redgrave. redgravetheatre.com

ONE NIGHT OF QUEEN All of the tunes and all of the looks and all of the pomp, with Gary Mullen here to rock you as Freddie Mercury. They say he’s a-mazing. The Hippodrome; atgtickets.com 16 JANUARY-20 FEBRUARY

WISH YOU WERE HERE The unique experience of listening to Pink Floyd’s classic album while watching 360˚ psychedelic visuals at We the Curious – in Fulldome. Far out, man; wethecurious.org 19 JANUARY

BRISTOL ACOUSTIC(ISH) FESTIVAL The 15th outing for the fest, w

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W H AT ’ S O N

ARTS

K A M K E L LY

MERRY JANUARY, EVERYBODY Our favourite DJ has a top tip for not breaking your New Year’s resolutions: don’t make any

H

ow many of the following New Year mantras have you uttered to yourself so far? New Year, New You. This year’s gonna be different. 2018 is my year and I will lose that weight/meet that someone/give up that vice/start saving/clean out that drawer.

How about our one collective New Year’s resolution is to not promise ourselves the unachievable and set ourselves up for multiple fails? You may see this as a defeatist attitude but I look at it as defeatism to defeat defeat!

If you don’t set yourself these goals, then there’s no way you can’t achieve them. So essentially, your first year without resolutions which invariably fail, could be your first year where you don’t lose. You may not win, but you don’t lose!

Imagine if you were the manager of a football team, and, against the odds, you’d managed to get your team into Europe and you scraped a 0-0 draw against Real Madrid at The Bernabéu. In your post-match press conference, you would be waxing lyrical about how well your team played, and how your priority was keeping a clean sheet and walking away with one point is more than you were hoping for, amiright?

Well, 2018 is Real Madrid. You are the underdog. Don’t go out and try and score. Park the bus. Play defence. Essentially, keep a clean sheet against 2018.

Having read what you have so far, you can see why I decided to drop my New Year’s resolution, which was to become a life coach by the end of the year!

Anyway, you with me? Let’s play an uneventful game. Let’s be happy with a draw. If we all drop our New Year’s resolution we can star a New Year revolution. And if we put on weight, we can always console ourselves with the fact that we never promised ourselves that we wouldn’t! Vive La Révolution!

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

Get your drag on: Rocky’s part of Slapstick

programmed by Jelli Records, comes to The Louisiana; jelli-records.com 1 FEBRUARY

DEAR ESTHER LIVE A deserted Hebridean landscape; memories of a fatal crash; a book written by a dying man . . . explore a haunting, deserted island shrouded in mystery in a live performance of the videogame Dear Esther. With the play-through of the game on-screen accompanied by live narration and the performance of BAFTA-winning Jessica Curry’s score, at Colston Hall; colstonhall.org

Comedy 10-11 JANUARY

RICKY GERVAIS: HUMANITY They say: one of the most influential British comedians since Charlie Chaplin.

We say: don’t miss it. Actually, sadly you may have to – it’s ticket returns only; colstonhall.org

27 JANUARY

GRIFF RHYS JONES The Not the Nine o’clock News, Smith & Jones and Three Men In A Boat chap airs tales and outright lies at The Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com

Other 13 JANUARY

SISTER WORKS SisterWorks’ début event aims to champion women in the creative industry while demystifying the process of becoming part of it: expect an all-star team of experts and influencers, at dBS studios. (see page 90) WEDDING SHOWCASE Berwick Lodge hosts a wide range of local suppliers, from florists to DJs, cake-makers, stylists, photographers, musicians, car hire companies, dress designers, make-up artists, magicicans and wedding planners; berwicklodge.co.uk 20-21 JANUARY

JON UDRY ABC TOUR: J IS FOR JAIL 26 comedy juggling shows. 26 venues, one for each letter of the alphabet. J is for Jail... at The Island; theislandbristol.com

EASTON WINTER WANDERLAND It’s Easton’s turn to transform the front windows of its ’hood into magical, outdoor galleries, where anything goes and you never know what’s around the corner. bristolartsmonster.com

15 & 29 JANUARY

26-28 JANUARY

11 JANUARY

CLOSER EACH DAY The world’s longest improvised comedy soap continues to bubble on at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

SLAPSTICK FESTIVAL Bristol’s beloved Slapstick’s back, with a stellar line up - all the top picks on page 30 www.slapstick.org.uk

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

ad v e r t ising feat u r e F I T N E S S

bikeUK, OK? A gym alternative that saves New Year’s resolutions and money

A

s you consider how you are going to keep those healthy New Year’s resolutions, we can suggest a simple way to do it – including maybe saving you money as well.

Gym membership can be costly, we know that. Also, we won’t go as often as we say we will, we know that too… if we’re honest.

Cycling on the other hand has been described as a ‘gym on wheels but without the monthly cost’.

Commute to a fitter you

Get to work by bike and that’s your gym time done for the day – gym time not required and New Year resolution upheld! Okay, in winter, cycling to work isn’t that attractive, but with spring on the way, now is the time to investigate your company’s cycle-to-work scheme, with the possibility of you saving up to 42% off the cost of a new bike and kit.

BikeUK offers Bristol’s most extensive range of bikes, parts, clothing and accessories and 28 | BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

accepts almost all cycle to work schemes (including Halfords). It is also Bristol’s premier retail partner for an innovative new cycle-towork scheme that has done away with the £1000 spend limit: choose an eBike to get to work without breaking a sweat.

Try before you buy

Not commuting? A bike can also be a wonderful way for time with family or out with friends. Whatever you choose, it’s important to get the right bike for what you want to do.

“Our staff take pride in giving great advice, and taking time to understand someone’s needs,” said Lyle Finlay, Managing Director of BikeUK, “and we offer test rides on our bikes – even 48-hour demos.”

So, before you sign that monthly standing order for the gym, think about the alternative.

Even if you don’t keep to your New Year’s resolution, with a bike you can enjoy it for years after you’d have cancelled that gym subscription. BL

Queens Avenue, Clifton, BS8 1SB 0117 9293500. www.Bike-UK.co.uk Bristols widest range of bikes, parts, clothing and accessories.

ARTS

SLAPSTICK The prohibitive cost of a second-class GWR ticket to London from Bristol Temple Meads had led Buster to consider other options

Slapstick returns to Bristol this month with four days of celebrity-led reasons to forget the weather, credit card bills and gloomy headlines – at least for an hour or two, in the flickery light of the silver screen‌

By L I SA WA R R E N

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

there’ll be

galas, and talks, and raw

sex, and a lorra lorra

laughs

I

until she introduces clips of her Top 10 screen comedy moments at Bristol Old Vic.

t’s another stellar line-up for the UK’s biggest festival of silent and vintage screen comedy, with the usual impressive posse of modern-day comics celebrating the funny men and women at whose shrines they worship. There’ll be music from Bill Oddie, the European Silent Screen Virtuosi and the Bristol Ensemble; there’ll be galas and talks, some Raw Sex and a lorra lorra laughs. So without further ado, here are our picks from this year’s programme.

the fall guy

looking out for a hero

A key part of every Slapstick is the chance to hear from today’s entertainers about which comedy stars of yore make them laugh the most.

This year it’s the turn of Jo Brand and Lee Mack – both Slapstick Festival virgins.

For Lee, the no-contest choice is Laurel & Hardy, as he’ll explain at Colston Hall on 27 January through a bunch of anecdotes and clips, and a screening of the long-thought-lost, newlyrestored Battle of the Century, accompanied live by the European Silent Screen Virtuosi.

Jo’s keeping her selection close to her chest

Benedict Cumberbatch? He’s just a Buster Keaton tribute act: Sherlock Jnr

It’s now 100 years since Buster Keaton made his screen debut, kickstarting such a successful career as an actor, writer and director that his classic comedies still figure in most movie buffs’ Top 100 lists. To mark the centenary, Slapstick is showing more than a half-dozen of Buster’s films, alongside talks and documentaries about his life and work, along with the South West première of When You Fall Down, a one-man musical by James Dangerfield about Buster’s early days in Hollywood.

The Keaton movie line-up includes Sherlock Jnr at the Silent Comedy Gala hosted by Tim Vine at Colston Hall, accompanied by a newlycommissioned score composed by Guenter A Buchwald played live by the Bristol Ensemble.

Another of the Keaton tributes will feature Aardman’s co-founder Peter Lord introducing Three Ages – a stone-age themed comedy made 95 years before Aardman’s soon-to-be released Early Man. 

ARTS

SLAPSTICK

NOSTALGIA AIN’T WHAT IT USED TO BE

Now that it’s possible to surf hundreds of TV channels, Slapstick is finding that more and more people are misty-eyed about the days when millions of viewers all tuned into the same shows on the box at the same time, and giggled at the same characters and catchphrases.

For Slapstick’s latest TV nostalgiafest, Barry Cryer remembers his work and friendship with Ronnies Barker and Corbett; Ade Edmondson and Nigel Planer relive their times on 1980s TV hits The Comic Strip Presents, and Bill Oddie reopens The Goodies songbook, recounting how the likes of The Funky Gibbon made him, Tim and Graeme highly unlikely, tank-top wearing Top of The Pops superstars. Rowland Rivron’s here too, chatting about the characters he and Simon Brint created for French & Saunders’ house-band, Raw Sex.

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

The Goodies’ Funky Gibbon reached number 4 in the charts in 1975, the same year that The Sex Pistols was formed. No connection

FUNNY GIRLS

Charlie, Buster, Harold, Stan and Ollie may be the best-known silent film comedians, but women starred in slapstick movies, too, and they have a well-informed and enthusiastic champion in stand-up Lucy Porter, now a regular member of the Slapstick family. Lucy will be at Watershed to showcase the talents of Constance Talmadge and London’s undeservedly overlooked Betty Balfour – once so popular that she was known as Britain’s Queen of Happiness.

FROCKY HORROR SHOW

The outfits of the audience are generally as diverting as the movie whenever The Rocky Horror Picture Show is screened; this year, Christopher Biggins, a member of the original cast, will not only be telling ‘I was there!’ anecdotes, but also judging a competition for best Transylvanian costumes. And yes, we’re basically talking drag.

A Dog’s Life. Because Slapstick wouldn’t be Slapstick without Charlie

SLAPSTICK JUNIOR

PART OF SLAPSTICK’S MISSION IS TO INTRODUCE NEW AUDIENCES TO SILENT COMEDY

Part of Slapstick’s mission is to introduce new audiences to silent comedy, with big discounts on Gala tickets for juniors. Also for children and families this year are a Saturday morning showing at Colston Hall of fast and funny shorts; a slapstick stunts and pratfalls workshop with teachers from Circomedia, and free puppet shows in the Colston Hall foyer, one of them being Punchjeet & Judy-gee – Punch & Judy told Bollywood style.

SILENTS WITH SOUND

Silent cinema was rarely truly silent. The films were nearly always accompanied by live, moodsetting music. Slapstick keeps up the tradition with the help of a stellar line-up of performers and, often, new scores. Among those providing the accompaniments this year will be the Bristol Ensemble orchestra and European Silent Screen Virtuosi, again led by the festival’s musical director Guenter A Buchwald.

Slapstick runs 25-28 January at Arnolfini, Bristol Old Vic, Colston Hall and Watershed.

For more: www.slapstick.org.uk

New year, new goals?

Come along to our Open Evening on Wednesday 21 March 2018 between 6 - 8pm

Designed for busy managers to fit around a demanding management role, this part-time programme will help you to: • enhance your impact as a leader • understand organisational complexity and issues affecting success • improve your ability to manage change and uncertainty • make better choices about growth and strategic direction Email Cheralyn Dark at efim-scl@bristol.ac.uk or Tel: 0117 954 6694 for details www.bristol.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/2018/ssl/msc-strategy-change-leadership/

Come along to our Open Evening on Wednesday 21 March 2018 between 6-8pm. To register, please email Cheralyn at efim-scl@bristol.ac.uk

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Bristol Life team 01225 475800

Meets, shoots and leaves Last November, Martin Parr held a fundraising shoot at his new Foundation at Paintworks. Meet the two most willing guinea pigs (and dog) in Bristol . . .

By DE R I ROBI NS

Our final print (see also page 5) Right, Martin at work; spot the kid with the unicorn...

PHOTOGRAPHY

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few issues ago, we ran a feature on the new Martin Parr Foundation in Paintworks; a permanent gallery designed to showcase both Martin’s work and that of other British and Irish photographers. As well as being a home for Martin’s archive, it aims to raise the profile of photography as a serious art form.

Martin’s been a Bristol resident for around 30 years now. Perhaps surprisingly, given his reputation as one of the world’s foremost photojournalists (many would say the foremost), few locals seemed aware of this fact until recently; the Foundation has changed that overnight.

It's a surprisingly large space, with a number of interlinking rooms. On the day we turned up, it was swarming with a motley crew of people of all ages, who’d paid £250 for the privilege of being photographed by Martin, and a resultant A4 print.

The event proved so popular that an extra day had been added, but that didn’t stop those without a booking calling in on the off-chance.

As one of Martin’s charming young acolytes told us, “We can’t fit anyone else in for a photo, but we don’t turn them away, either; we give them a cup of tea, and show them around”.

Making the tea, incidentally, was Martin’s wife Susie, which just added to the sense that you’d been welcomed into someone’s home. The atmosphere was fun, relaxed and informal; you could wander past a shoot in progress, and see how other people were getting along.

They were all getting on very well indeed. Many had preemptively turned up in Parresque gear – while Martin’s subject matter ranges from the gritty to the kitsch, it’s fair to say that the latter seems to have a magnetic attraction for him; out of his many books (he’s published around 40) his favourite is The Last Resort, which chronicles British seaside life at its most quintessential.

It’s irresistibly tempting to dress the Parrt.

One young couple who’d made the trek from Cambridge sported identical red tartan trousers, and had brought their own prop in the form of a bright blue blow-up sofa. A mum in tight black leather trousers and scarlet lipstick was steering a small girl encircled by a unicorn cushion. A new mother had brought a week-old baby; several others, us included, were hauling on the leads of over-eager dogs. The uninitiated observer might have assumed that auditions for the Hippodrome panto were in full swing.

And for those who had turned up in normal clothing, there was a box of props to 'Parr them up' – ornamental cabbages on sticks, pineapples, party hats and so forth.

Despite the eclectic throng, the atmosphere was calm and orderly. At the heart of it all was Martin, himself Parred-up in a loudly patterned shirt emblazoned with the integrity-radiating face of Barack Obama, shooting away while expertly w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 37

PHOTOGRAPHY

ARTS

So – how would you dress for Martin Parr?

coaxing and guiding. The slots may be short, but Martin's so skilled that just ten minutes yields more magical results than several hours with less exceptional lensman.

The Springer had been a total lead-straining pest while we were waiting, but was as good as gold during the shoot, because Martin barked at him throughout. He didn’t bark at the daughter, but still managed to get the least self-conscious photos of her since she was, oh, six.

After the shoot, you’re invited to cluster round a computer monitor to view the results, and choose the print included in the price, along with any others you just can’t resist ordering.

“I like these studio events, as people come in with their pets, their prize possessions and anything else they have a real relationship with,” Martin told us. “We may do it again next year, but have yet to decide.”

If they do, come along and bring the family, the dog and the unicorn pillow, and become a small part of English photographic history. It’s the most fun you’ll ever have in a photography studio.

Martin Parr Foundarion 316 Paintworks, Arnos Vale, Bristol www.martinparrfoundation.org

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

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ARTS

T H E AT R E

STATE of PLAY Fundraising, Arts Council-granting, rebuilding and extending – Bristol’s top arts venues have it all going on this year

By L I SA WA R R E N

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

T H E AT R E

WE WANT TO RENEW OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE OF THIS BRILLIANT CITY

For the first time in Bristol Old Vic’s 251year history we’ll be able to access the theatre directly from King Street

ARTS

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s a new year dawns, Bristol’s top arts venues are poised on the brink of a thrilling new chapter. Bristol Old Vic, the Tobacco Factory, Colston Hall and St George’s Bristol have been planning, and fundraising, and Arts Council-a’-wooing, and we’ll soon be seeing some of the results. Let the people in charge tell you why they’re so excited.

BRISTOL OLD VIC – ‘The Year of Change’

Bristol’s historic theatre has been in constant use since 1766, making it the oldest English-speaking theatre in the world. It’s been forced to re-invent itself frequently down the years, and has had a right old chequered history, from its origins as an illegal theatre to its ill-advised 1970s makeover.

It’s survived the tenure of a company that almost turned it into a banana warehouse, two world wars and near bankruptcy, but it’s never been in cannier fettle than it is today, as it prepares to unveil the new front-of-house and studio theatre that will complete its massive redevelopment.

But there’s more to the new look than mere bricks and mortar, as Bristol Old Vic executive producer Chloe Elwood told us.

“Bristol Old Vic’s aim for 2018 is not just to complete our multi-million pound redevelopment project, but also to renew our own relationship with the people of this brilliant city. The theatre belongs to everyone in Bristol – both as a place of entertainment and as a place where the most important concerns of the day can be explored, contested, discussed and understood.

“It’s been so exciting to watch the new building rise out of the ground, changing the face of King Street in the process, and we’re set to throw open the doors for the first time in autumn 2018.

“Inspired by our associate company, Ujima Radio, who heralded 2018 as a Year of Change, we’ve also put together a thrilling year of work.

“Highlights include a brand new translation of The Cherry Orchard, directed by Michael Boyd.

Michael is renowned for his time at the RSC but Chekhov is the literary love of his life and this is the first time he is tackling his work. We’re co-producing the show with the Manchester Royal Exchange, and to match the shape of their auditorium we’re going to be staging the show in the round, which will be an incredible way to experience the show and our auditorium.

“We’re delighted to be making the first ever stage adaptation of Touching The Void, which has long been a passion project for our artistic director, Tom Morris, and we’re also celebrating the West End transfers of The Grinning Man and Long Day’s Journey Into Night, waving the flag for Bristol, and proving what a uniquely creative, vibrant city full of brilliant talent this is.” www.bristololdvic.org.uk

w

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

ARTS

T H E AT R E

TOBACCO FACTORY THEATRES – ‘Reimagine with us’

Bristol Old Vic is not the only theatre to be getting a new studio theatre. Compared to the venerable King Street playhouse, the Tobacco Factory is a mere stripling, having only been in the play-staging biz since the late 1990s, but its stellar reputation for outstanding, often groundbreaking theatre is worldwide.

TFT has kicked off the new year with the major announcement that they’ll be opening their new 84-seat studio theatre in October 2018.

The studio will be named The Spielman Theatre, acknowledging the major gift to the fundraising appeal by The Spielman Charitable Trust. The TFT now needs the support of its audience (that’ll be you) and its supporters to help it reach its remaining target of £20,000, as building work begins.

The new Spielman will sit alongside the unchanged Factory Theatre to provide

New dressing rooms at TFT – take a look at the website to see plans for the complete new layout 44 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

contrasting and complementing programmes of work under one roof. The Spielman will be a multi-purpose flexible studio theatre that also unlocks potential for increased children’s workshops, artist development and community activity.

The 2018 redevelopment project is part of a truly transformational 12 months for Tobacco Factory Theatres under recently appointed AD Mike Tweddle.

Mike will present his inaugural Factory Company season from February to May 2018, when a new resident professional ensemble will work together to create new productions of Macbeth and A View From the Bridge.

The TFT doors will be open to the public even wider than before; to quote one of its fans, Jonathan Miller, “The future of theatre lies in places like this.”

See the interactive plans at tobaccofactorytheatres.com

SAYING

GOODBYE TO THE GRAND OLD

LADY WILL BE AN EMOTIONAL

BUT

UPLIFTING EXPERIENCE

Hello, Bristol! Well, goodbye, Bristol first; Colston Hall closes for its multi-million transformation in June

Colston Hall – Change is gonna come

Possibly the most talked-about arts news last year was the Colston Hall’s decision to change its name, to distance itself once and for all from Edward Colston and his role in the slave trade – a move that will coincide with the opening of its massive refurb.

“The city has been talking about transforming Colston Hall since 2006, so for the team here, 2018 is a huge milestone,” says Sarah Robertson, communication and special projects director.

“In June we’ll hold our final concert, close our doors and start work on building a world-class concert hall of which the people of Bristol can be proud.

“When the foyer opened in 2009, it was such a special moment for Bristol and the team who had made the project a reality. Saying goodbye to our grand old lady will be an emotional but hopefully uplifting experience, and a time when we will look ahead to the future of the venue for the next 150 years.”

Worried how you’ll manage to get your music and comedy fix while Colston Hall is closed?

Don’t fret, pets: you’ll be able to enjoy the usual packed schedule of shows in the building until June, after which the Hall will be expanding its work into other venues across the city.

“We’ve already started to present gigs in spaces such as The Station, Trinity and Exchange, and have plans to expand our programme into more venues under the banner of ‘Colston Hall presents’.

“The must-sees from the 2018 programme include a Spielberg season in April, kicking off with Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark with full orchestra – we’re already humming the theme tunes. In July, River Town: Bristol Americana Weekend returns, taking place in venues all across the city. And we’ll be presenting the Friday night of The Harbour Festival at The Harbourside Amphitheatre once again, as well as putting on outdoor concerts elsewhere. Stay tuned for announcements . . .” www.colstonhall.org 

ARTS

T H E AT R E

ST GEORGE’S BRISTOL – The not-so-far pavilion

“St George’s Bristol is celebrating its most important year to date, relaunching in February as a creative space for music and ideas,” says marketing manager Dagmar Smeed.

“We’ll have a celebratory opening weekend on 24 and 25 February, with extraordinary and beautiful live music, talks, activities and pop-up performances. It’ll be a great chance to explore our beautiful new £6.3 million pavilion-style extension, with its café-bar, exquisite Apollo glass sculpture from Bristol artist Luke Jerram, and multi-purpose spaces.

“Our relaunch season is already on sale with big-hitters ranging from Chineke! Orchestra and BBC Young Musician of the Year Sheku KannehMason, the Society of Strange and Unusual Instruments, the OAE playing with a screening of the 1926 film Rosenkavalier, Hidden Orchestra with Limbic Cinema, Manu Delagu with chamber orchestra, The Handsome Family, Police Dog Hogan and Gary Crosby.” www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk From top: this CGI of St George’s new pavilion will become a reality in February; we all dress in wifty-wafty gauzy dresses when we go to Colston Hall, yes?

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

You know what we’re going to say, yes? Money’s been raised, and refurbs are underway, but these jewels in Bristol’s cultural crown can only survive with your regular support. Use ’em or lose ’em.

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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

B

en Pugh started Farmdrop because he was frustrated about the lack of affordable and convenient access to high-quality food from local producers.

“Digging a little deeper, I realised that the problem was perpetuated by the major supermarkets who source from great distances, waste unsold food, and give an unfairly low cut of sales back to the farmers,” says Ben. “This is the broken food chain that Farmdrop is trying to fix and we are doing it by sourcing food from local producers, only harvesting what has already been purchased by customers, and giving the farmers an unprecedented share of the retail price.”

How do you source your food partners?

The majority of fresh produce on Farmdrop is sourced from farms within 100 miles of our Bristol hub, because we believe that food produced closer to home tends to be fresher, more seasonal and less carbonintensive. Farmdrop currently works with 170 local producers in the South West, in addition to the 200 that supply our London customers. A great many of these are local livestock farmers and vegetable growers.

What does ‘click to harvest’ mean?

At Farmdrop we have created a farmedto-order supply chain – every item of food 48 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Meet the founder of the ethical grocery service that wants to change the way you shop (and the way you think about shopping) – and learn how you too can ‘click to harvest’

that passes through our hub will have been ordered by a customer. Our producers have access to their own online portal, where they can see live orders coming through and will use it to make a judgement about how much food to harvest or process on that day. This system drastically reduces food waste and ensures that our food is as fresh as possible.

have been freshly cut the day before.

What sets Farmdrop apart from other food box delivery schemes?

It offers much more convenience and flexibility than a box scheme – we deliver seven days a week and customers can choose for themselves what’s in their basket, just like any other online supermarket. But, unlike the supermarket, we prioritise local and sustainable producers and pay them properly.

Tell us about a few favourite suppliers Luke at Story makes some of the best beef burgers I’ve ever had – and I’m not the only one who thinks that; Adele said the same thing on stage at Glastonbury after eating one! Hobbs House bakery is also fantastic – I love their sourdough breads in the morning with fresh butter from Berkeley Farm in Wiltshire. And the Severn Project make some cracking fresh salad and do great work for the wider Bristol community.

How do prices compare?

On an average basket of like-for-like products, prices are similar to Ocado.

How fresh are the foods you deliver?

Farmdrop can move food from the farmer to the customer’s door in around 19 hours, which is around five times fresher that what you would get in a supermarket. Our eggs for example will be no more than one or two days old when you receive them, and our fresh greens like spinach or kale will often

Is there a minimum price?

There is no minimum for an order but if it is under £30 then we charge £3 to cover the delivery. If it is over £30 then we have a free six-hour delivery window, a threehour delivery window for £2, or a one-hour delivery window for £4.

What makes you special?

In a marketplace that is so often plagued by scandals and bad practices, particularly from the supermarkets, I think Farmdrop’s ability to stick to its core mission while innovating all the time, has been a win-win both for our customers and for the producers. www.farmdrop.com

FOOD & DRINK

Fresh look, same amazing views at the new Mal

Box-Eing day at Harvey Nicks

MORE TASTY BITES SHIPPING NEWS Here’s a supper club pop-up we can really get behind. On 1 February, Elliot and Tess Lidstone of Box-E will be locking the door of their shipping container restaurant in Cargo 1 and heading to Harvey Nicks in Cabot Circus. Their Out of the Box menu will celebrate the finest seasonal foods, in a modern British feast at the Second Floor restaurant; for what seems to us an incredibly reasonable £45, you’ll get a four-course meal, a cocktail and canapés.

rechristened ‘The Avon Gorge by Hotel du Vin’, will open this spring. The new décor mixes deep teal and navy with intricate wallpaper, splashes of vibrant colour and quirky artwork. The new GM is Josie Simcox, former GM of the Malmaison in Clerkenwell, which we fondly and erroneously like to think of as ‘our London office’. www.hotelduvin.com

AMUSES BOUCHES Hobbs House Bakery and Café has now opened its second Bristol branch at 217 North Street . . . www.hobbshousebakery.co.uk

Mental for lentils?

Do we have a fest for you . . .

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SMELLS LIKE TEAM SPIRIT Franco Manca has launched a new UK-made grappa to mark the opening of its new Bristol pizzeria. The limitededition spirit was made in collaboration with South West-based Devon Distillery and Three Choirs vineyard, and is available at the new gaff on 20 Clare Street; at least, until it runs out.

The first British dal festival will take place across Bristol between 19-25 March. Cue a rash of headlines riffing on the phrase ‘taking the pulse’’ . . .

Local grappa: it’s a thing

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Cargo Cantina on Wapping Wharf is holding regular tequila and mescal tastings, matching drinks to tacos; the next one is on 24 January . . .

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Justin Hawke of Moor Beer has been named Brewer of the Year at the British Guild of Beer Writers’ Awards – no mean feat, considering that there are currently around 2000 breweries in the UK www.moorbeer.co.uk

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

FOOD & DRINK

CAFÉ SOCIETY Sta n Cullimore

GO WESTBURY You don’t need a passport to enjoy a taste of this real Italian. You don’t even need a hangover . . .

H

ad my youngest over the other evening. He came round with a mate, some beers and several hours to kill. Which meant we had a bit of a night. It also meant that I woke up the next morning with a bit of a head. (Translation: so hungover, nothing made sense any more.) Seemed pointless trying to function in those conditions.

So I gave up and let my instincts take over, and found myself heading to a cafe on Coldharbour Road, in the hope of finding something tasty to soak up the leftover poisons which were coursing through my veins, looking

for trouble, making me feel like a box of monkeys on a merry-go-round.

Luckily, The Lavender Café does great food and also doubles up as a teleportation device. You walk through the front door and find yourself suddenly transported to the middle of a full-on, totally immersive, real live Italian deli. Complete with Italian staff, Italian customers and shelves stuffed with spectacular Italian ingredients.

Strawberry jam in a pottery jar anyone? Or maybe ten types of panettone? Browsing the shelves is like being back on a beautiful summer holiday in any part of Italy you can think of. The perfect pick-me-up. Smiles guaranteed.

Feeling better already, I sat down, ordered something to eat and, as I waited for the food to arrive, helped myself to a few grocery essentials. Along with a few non-essentials, just for kicks. All of this without ever actually leaving my seat. Which was definitely molto bene.

The only downside with this place being so perfectly authentic is that it would have been morally wrong to order that natural antidote to hangovers, the bacon buttie. However, it turned out they had a special on the menu that day: a porchetta, cheese and grilled aubergine panini. Which is pretty close to the classic BLT recipe, if you think about it.

Also, in my humble experience, if someone with an Italian accent offers to make you something nice to eat, it would be downright ridiculous to refuse them. So I ordered the special along with a black coffee.

They did not disappoint. In fact, when the time comes to compile a list of Bristol’s best-ever paninis, I would have to put this one somewhere in the top three. Not only was it tasty, it was also enormous, which meant it simply could not be dealt with in just one sitting. The bloke behind the counter very kindly wrapped half of it up for me to take home, where, a few hours later, I mentioned it to my youngest son. Which was a mistake, as he ate it without paying enough attention to its complete deliciousness.

So there you have it. If you’re looking for a slice of exotic adventure, with a side order of good food and lashings of la dolce vita, you know what to do. Just direct your feet to the Westbury Park side of the street.

Former Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer www.stancullimore.com

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

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A MAN’S WORLD

SEB BARRETT

A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS

TO COMPOUND MATTERS FOR THE EVEN-TOED UNGULATE, HE'S BEEN OVERLOOKED IN FAVOUR OF A PAPER BAG

Papa’s got a brand new bag – and it’s so much more interesting to Baz Jnr than his talking giraffe . . .

T

his was our first Christmas with our baby, and having a child put a new slant on the Yuletide holidays.

On a jaunt into Clifton Village in late December, we dropped into one of the well-known baby shops. You might know it: it’s the Jack Wills of the infant world. There, I picked out a toy giraffe that looked like it could be a bit of fun for our little lad, choking back my momentary shock at the price. It makes a soothing noise when you pull the cord and probably won’t

disintegrate into a razor-sharp mess after a week, so maybe they can justify the price tag, I reasoned.

A week after Christmas, that poor giraffe is dangling lifelessly from the jungle gym.

To compound matters for the even-toed ungulate, he’s been overlooked in favour of a paper bag. (And no, I’m not allowing our baby to play unsupervised with a bag.)

When I took delivery of an item of clothing, it was on unwrapping it that a look of delight crossed his lovely little face. Was it a glorious moment of realisation in which he had discovered, with a child’s simple clarity, that you can’t buy happiness? Or did he just enjoy the rustling noise? Either way, it’s

left me questioning the whole concept of Christmas as we know it. In a way, it makes me feel proud that our baby enjoys listening to me scrunch up a plastic bag more than playing with the expensive toy.

On the scale of appreciation, a baby is about as thankful for presents as your pet is when you buy them an elaborately-wrapped bone. (Does it need to be qualified here that I’m not comparing babies to pets? Calm yourselves.) Still, it can be that the sheer pleasure of buying them nice things gives us a Christmassy warmth; dressing them in an elf costume makes us feel like they’re partaking in the festivities; and watching Miracle on 34th Street with them – even if they’re gazing at the ceiling the whole time – means they’re playing a role in your favourite pastimes.

Just before Christmas, we experienced our first proper snowfall of the year. It’s the first time he’d seen such meteorological magic.

Snow is so rare for us in these parts that many now associate the word ‘snowflake’ with a generation of overly-sensitive young adults, rather than the stuff my friends and I used to ball together and lob at each other until we couldn’t feel feelings any more.

So rare are the pictures of me as a baby that I long harboured concerns that I was adopted (turns out that, being the third child, the novelty of taking photos had worn off for my parents by the time I came along).

There will be no such worries for our son: every day since his birth has been welldocumented with any number of photos and videos. By Christmas Day, he’d been dressed in every reindeer, elf and Santa outfit known to the high street.

While he might not, we’ll certainly remember his first Christmas – and we’ll have the photos to embarrass him with years down the line.

Seb Barrett works in sports communications.

Follow him on Twitter @bazzbarrett

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

SPORT

Br istol Rugby club jou r nalist

THE BIGGER PICTURE

New head coach Pat Lam is all about ‘heading for the stars to reach the peaks’, as Bristol Rugby embarks on pre-season training

C

hange was in the air as the Bristol Rugby squad returned for pre-season training at the end of June – a breath of fresh air, as it turned out to be.

Pat Lam’s arrival, alongside a new-look coaching team and a number of additions to a squad licking its wounds following relegation from the Aviva Premiership, was the catalyst for a muchneeded change, but as the new head coach has been quick to point out, this is only the beginning.

The alignment, harnessing and polishing of the variety of moving parts that ultimately decide the success or failure of any given organisation or team, is the challenge facing Pat Lam. And it’s not only on the field; Lam’s challenge extends itself to every member of staff representing Bristol Rugby. From the front row to the club shop, it’s up to every department, every little piece, to complete the jigsaw.

“There’s a £50 prize to anyone who can guess the theme of this jigsaw puzzle, simply by looking at a single piece,” said Lam, in the

PIC (CREDIT IS JMPUK)

Bristol Rugby v Ealing

PLAYERS AND STAFF ARE SEEING FIRST-HAND THE LIFE-CHANGING IMPACT THEY CAN HAVE ACROSS THE REGION

THE

WILL CARPENTER

first meeting with his new squad. The new head coach pulled out a newspaper-wrapped box, containing 1000 small pieces, before offering it to the six players he’d invited to the front of the room.

As you’d imagine, his money was safe; there was no way of identifying the bigger picture from one tiny piece, and that was Lam’s point.

“Tough, isn’t it?” he added. “The bigger picture is our vision and unless we all know what that vision is, where we want to go, how can you be expected to understand the role you will play in that bigger picture?”

The Bristol Rugby vision, under Pat Lam, is to ‘inspire our community through rugby success’ – a vision embraced by players and staff from day one.

An impressive first half of the season has ticked many of the boxes on the field, but it’s off the field where the players have taken the community to heart. From squad litterpicks in Millennium Square, to Children’s Hospice South West’s Santa Run, inspiring the community has meant forming strong relationships with people of all backgrounds.

The incredible community engagement seen this season has been led by Nick Fenton-Wells, whose role as community liaison within Lam’s leadership group has seen him at the forefront of the club’s bid to inspire the city.

By immersing themselves in the work of Bristol Rugby Community Foundation, the club’s multi-award-winning charity, and in Bristol Sport Foundation, a partner charity under the Bristol Sport umbrella, the players and staff are seeing first-hand the life-changing impact they can have across the region, whether it’s an autograph, a selfie, or simply a conversation.

We’ve already seen players signing up to help youngsters improve their literacy, through the Community Foundation’s Reading Stars programme, and mentoring young people at risk of permanent exclusion from education or poor life choices, within the Bright Sparks scheme. But it’s not just the younger generations benefitting from the club’s community focus; a festive visit to Monica Wills House retirement community was supported

by Rhodri Williams, Luke Morahan, Ian Madigan and Jack Wallace, alongside athletes from each of the Bristol Sport clubs, as they got behind Bristol Sport’s #ChristmasPresence campaign, aimed at raising awareness of loneliness among older people.

Lam cited an old Maori proverb: ‘whakaki ki te maunga, tai ki the whenua, hook ki te rangi, tai ki te pukerunga’ – or, ‘aim for the mountain tops and you will hit the flat lands; however, aim for the stars and you will hit the mountain peaks’ – as he laid out the blueprint for his reign to the media in July.

The peak may still be some way off, but Bristol Rugby has made a positive start to the climb and will be hoping to reach their first checkpoint come April 2018.

Follow the team: www.bristolrugby.co.uk

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

IF YOU HATE BIG GYMS AND DIETS THAT DON’T WORK, COME AND SEE US!

DISCOVER HOW TO BURN TUMMY FAT AND FIRM UP YOUR WHOLE BODY, WHILE HAVING FUN! Call us to find out about getting started with our community of like-minded women.

W: efitbristol.co.uk T: 0117 403 7600 E: info@efitbristol.co.uk

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

T PERFEC ecial p s e r fo be events!

Enjoy our Hydratone Facial for £20 per session Simon Lee, Aesthetic Medical Clinic 3 Whiteladies Gate, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2PH Telephone 01173 292027

ALL INFERTILITY TREATMENTS OFFERED INCLUDING IUI, IVF and ICSI

Bristol Open Evening Wednesday 17th January 7:30 Please book in via the website or telephone the clinic

CRGW’s two independent centres offer the latest scientific technology and facilities needed for all fertility treatments. CRGW Bristol is located adjacent to the M4/ M5 intersection (M5 J16). CRGW Cardiff is located at M4 J34, only 15 minutes from Cardiff City centre

We pride ourselves in placing patients before profit to enable affordable, cost effective treatment options while maintaining the best pregnancy rates.

Options include: • IUI • IVF • ICSI • EmbryoScope time lapse monitoring • Embryo freezing • Egg freezing • Donor egg and donor sperm treatments • Female fertility assessments • Sperm tests • Sperm freezing • Surgical sperm retrieval Fertility consultation (60 minutes) £150, includes:

Dr Amanda O`Leary MBChB, MRCOG, MD

Consultation Pelvic ultrasound scan of uterus and ovaries including antral follicle count (and doppler if applicable) Sperm test with same day results One pre-treatment follow up appointment

QUESTIONS? Ask a question about infertility or fertility treatment options and our expert panel will answer. Submit questions via the website Ask an Expert button.

OPEN EVENINGS Open evenings Join us at our free monthly open evenings in Bristol or Cardiff for a tour and presentations from fertility experts. We offer open evening’s specific for same sex couples and single women also. Ask questions on a one-to-one basis.

Alternatively we can arrange an informal personal tour where your questions can be answered.

FREE SPERM TESTING CRGW offers free sperm testing days in Bristol and Cardiff. Visit the web site to find the next available date and book yourself in.

Bristol: 01174 409999 | Cardiff: 01443 443999 | www.crgw.co.uk | info@crgw.co.uk

Fashion/gifts/stores/more

WE LOVE THE SMELL OF TWO PALMS IN THE MORNING

If you first assumed that the photo showed someone’s living room, the misconception will please Sidonie Warren no end. That’s precisely the vibe Sidonie wanted for her new homeware pop-up Two Palms, set above her stylish stationery shop Papersmiths on Boyce’s Avenue.

“We’re aiming to evoke the feeling of stepping into someone’s home, rather than a retail space,” she says. “I love the curiosity that comes from exploring a friend’s house, picking up the treasures and hearing the stories of discovery.”

So what’s on sale? Homewares and accessories, mostly, alongside a selection of books on interior design, travel and wellbeing. And the name? Inspired by pairs of palms seen by Sidonie in California, we hear.

Two Palms, Upstairs at Papersmiths, 6a Boyce’s Avenue, Clifton www.twopalmsstore.com

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

1

2

3

She’s got

PERFECT SKIN AND SO WILL HE, UNLESS YOU PLACE THESE SUPER-CREAMS, BALMS AND SERUMS UNDER LOCK AND KEY . . .

5

4

1. LA VIE EN ROSE

2. CLEAN MACHINE

3. PROTECT AND RELAX

4. TAKE YOUR VITAMINS

5. LOOKING OUT FOR A HERO

Rehydrating rose oil, £26 Fabulous for all kinds of skin, even the most sensitive – ideal for when the cold wind blows and we shall have snow . . .

From Neal’s Yard 126 Whiteladies Road www.nealsyardremedies. com

Cleansing oil, £26 Skin Laundry’s multi-tasker removes make-up while nourishing skin, leaving it hydrated and soft with a healthy, radiant glow.

From Harvey Nichols Quakers Friars www.harveynichols.com

Lip balm, £4.95; Sleepy Cow bath salts, £18 Protect your lips with Folklore’s luscious balm, and soak away the trials of the day with Cowshed’s sleep-inducing bath salts.

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

Vit-E eye cream, £38 Jo Malone’s luxurious formula moisturises the delicate skin around the eyes while helping to reduce the look of fine lines and dark circles.

From Jo Malone Harvey Nichols, Philadelphia Street www.jomalone.co.uk

Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Âge cream, £299 A little of this complete anti-aging product goes a long way, and the results are spectacular on wrinkles, firmness, radiance and hydration.

From Debenhams 1-5 St. James Barton www.debenhams.com

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

ED’S CHOICE

SHOPPING

7

6

10

9

8

6. FRUIT MACHINE

7. MASQUE FORCE

8. LIGHTEN UP

9. SMOOTH OPERATOR

10. SMART MOVES

SuperBerry serum, £30 We love Amphora’s natural-ingredient products; this Scienea serum’s clinically proven to improve skin elasticity and remodel facial contours.

From Amphora Aromatics 36 Cotham Hill www.amphora-retail.com

Tulasara wedding eye masque, around £38 Some of our favourite spas use Aveda (Hair at 58 and Lavish); this masque lets you wake to luminous ‘wedding day’ eyes where skin appears visibly firm, lifted and radiant.

For more www.aveda. co.uk/Tulasara

Hourglass ambient lighting powder, £40 Six universal finishing powders recreating the most exquisitely flattering light, from ethereal moonlight to luminous candlelight.

From Harvey Nichols Quakers Friars www.harveynichols.com

Bobbi Brown Long Wear foundation, £34 The best we’ve ever tried!

Natural-looking and longwearing (with SPF), and the oil-free formula never looks cakey or masky.

From House of Fraser Cabot Circus, Bristol www.houseoffraser.co.uk

Clinique Smart Custom serum, £115 No less than five years of intensive research led to the production of this smart serum, which can ‘read’ your skin’s past and change its future.

From House of Fraser Cabot Circus www.houseoffraser.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk II CLIFTON BRISTOL LIFE LIFE II 61 www.mediaclash.co.uk 69

Vintage port

A wintry trip to Dartmouth is guaranteed to blow away the cobwebs – and we have the perfect cosy hideaway for you. You can even bring the dogs...

By m al rogers

G R E AT ESCAPES

T H E RE S TAURANT

ROCKFISH Mitch Tonks, chef and owner of fish-and -chip diner par excellence Rockfish, has a simple philosophy: do as little as possible to the freshest of ingredients.

Today, three-quarters of all seafood eaten in Britain is cod, haddock, salmon, tuna and prawns.

The Mitch mission is to broaden this scope — at Rockfish, the just-hauled-out-of-the-water catch features herring, mackerel, sea bream, plaice and sea bass. Not only does this give grand variety to the menu, it also helps sustainability.

The day’s specials are pointed out and described in some detail by friendly waiters. You can draw on the paper tablecloths while you wait for your meal – if the pix are good enough, they’re featured on an early version of Instagram; that is, up on the wall of the café.

The food is perfect. We had crispfried tempura vegetable (asparagus, broccoli spears, onions, carrot) to accompany our Jersey rock oyster starters.

Main courses were battered brill and chips, and grilled hake and chips. The portions were gargantuan — piled high like a Dandy comic book meal for Desperate Dan – but the quality was superb. The important thing about fish and chips is that if the fish is done properly, it isn’t fried. Get the batter consistency just right, and cook it at the correct temperature; this seals the fish inside, and it is effectively poached. Precisely how my brill was presented — pearly white flesh, beautifully light, moist and full of flavour.

Rockfish is a fine, laidback caférestaurant, the staff are charming, they serve first class-food, and you don’t have to pay through the gills.

Rockfish, 8 South Embankment, Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 9BH; 01803 832800; www.therockfish.co.uk

I

f nautical is your thing, you’re probably already a fan of Dartmouth.

The town, perched on the lip of the Dart Estuary, has claims to being Britain’s most seafaring place. Steeped in maritime history, the town is dotted with ship’s chandlers, fishermen’s cottages, and marine workshops; along narrow laneways, dimly-lit, half-timbered inns seem designed especially with smugglery assignations in mind.

On Higher Street, the Cherub Inn has been hosting leglessness, in all its senses, for 500 years, aye Jim lad; nearby, the Dartmouth Arms boasts what could be the world’s greatest view from a beer garden: a lagoon-like estuary leads onto meadows and woodland on the far bank while all manner of boaty things (technical term) go on in the foreground.

Today, of course, Dartmouth has gone proper bijou, with the posher kind of sportswear boutiques and upmarket restaurants interspersed among the ancient inns and victuallers, and the odd muscular fortification.

Bayard’s Cove Fort was built in the early 16th century to protect vessels seeking safe anchorage in the estuary; the bastion was completed early in Henry VIII’s reign. So it’s entirely possible that the old monarch strolled down Harbourside – seamless link coming up – passing by the very place where we were to stay for two nights.

At the very centre of Dartmouth’s ancient quarter, Bayard’s Cove Inn is exactly what an old hostelry should be: comfortable, cosy and creaky in the nicest possible way. You find yourself praying that a gale might roar up the channel; wind howling, horizontal rain lashing the windows type of thing.

There can scarcely be a better place to hunker down and ride out any meteorological extreme.

Home-made cakes, coffee, wine and local craft beer will fortify you in the snug and inviting bar; as the isobars tighten up in all sea areas for Fastnet to Land’s End, bag a leather sofa in front of the woodburner, and once you’ve finished your book (reading it or writing it) contemplate dinner.

Bayard’s is renowned for its elevated cuisine — two Gold Taste of the West awards, if you please.

Almost uniquely, they welcome dogs of all shape, size and number in all the bedrooms, furnishing them with their own snacks and comfy beds. Despite this canine invasion, the rooms are immaculate. Ours overlooked the old fort; it was exactly what Sir Walt would have wanted for us

THE HISTORY BIT

Four hundred years ago, just below Bayard’s Cove Fort, The Mayflower anchored up on the first leg of its journey to the New World. In fact it moored

just below our room, although the Pilgrim Fathers weren’t necessarily to know that.

Privateers, buccaneers, smugglers and general ne’er-do-wells congregated in the town from mediaeval times onwards. Sailors and soldiers bade poignant farewells here, and the port was involved in many a skirmish; young sailors probably strode down the cobbled streets to the waiting ships shouting, “Bye, Mum! I’m off to the Hundred Years War. . .”

The town can claim involvement in many expeditions: knights heading off to the Crusades, the defeat of the Spanish Armada, the D-Day landings. Even Geoffrey Chaucer gave the town a name check (although not a spellcheck) in his Canterbury Tales. “A schipman was ther, wonyng fer by weste; For ought I wost, he was of Dertemouthe.”

THE EXCURSION

If you only take one historic coastal train journey a year, let it be on the Dartmouth Steam Railway.

In a combined boat and rail tour you’ll chug past Kingswear and Dartmouth Castles, Dittisham Village, Sir Walter Raleigh’s Boathouse, Greenway Quay, Agatha Christie’s house and the beach huts of Tor Bay. All the while steam billows above your 1920s carriage. It costs around £17 — time travel never came cheaper.

TRAVEL DETAILS Bayard’s Cove Inn 27 Lower Street, Dartmouth, Devon, TQ6 9AN 01803 832800; www.bayardscoveinn.co.uk Double rooms from around £70

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

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

So What’s The Issue With The Gig Economy?

by Tony Forster Consultant at Metcalfes Solicitors

I

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

a d v ertisi n g f e ature L AW

removing the blame culture Nicola Walker, family law partner at Irwin Mitchell Private Wealth, discusses the topical issue of no-fault divorce

T

he issue of 'no-fault divorce' has been widely discussed by the public and lawyers alike for some time now. The recent highly publicised case of Owens v Owens has highlighted the problems which arise in relation to the divorce legislation as it is currently. Mr and Mrs Owens received plenty of media coverage when Mrs Owens was not able to divorce her husband because the court said that her husband had not behaved unreasonably enough to cause the marriage to break down. Mr Owens did not want to divorce and refused to provide his agreement to the divorce.

The law currently states that there is one ground for divorce – that the marriage has irretrievably broken down – and to prove this, you have to rely on one of five facts: adultery, unreasonable behaviour, desertion (which is rarely used in practice), two years’ separation with consent and five years’ separation without consent. Both adultery and unreasonable behaviour are deemed to be 'fault' based facts whereas the others are 'no-fault'.

It is not possible for a couple to separate and to then be able to divorce using a 'no-fault' divorce fact immediately. To enable someone to divorce straight away they need to say the other person is at fault.

Many couples approach their lawyers now with a view that a divorce should be granted immediately without any blame on either side – for instance, because they have grown apart. Unfortunately, the law does not fit with that approach.

While it is usual for one party to think of some examples of unreasonable behaviour to include in a petition, which would allow the proceedings to start straight away, it can unnecessarily increase the hostility between the parties. The matrimonial law dealing with divorce dates back to 1973 and in light of the change to social attitudes since then many believe it is in need of updating. Many groups have lobbied parliament to change the law, including Resolution (an organisation which many family lawyers are a part of and who are committed to the constructive resolution of family disputes) but to no avail to date.

The case of Owens, however, does highlight the need to ensure that a person thinks carefully about whether they can satisfy the unreasonable behaviour requirement and prove that it is for this reason that the marriage has broken down. If not, they leave themselves open to the risk that the court will decide that they are unable to divorce.

Mrs Owens has been granted permission to appeal to the Supreme Court for them to decide on this issue and it is unclear as to the route the court will take; will they allow the divorce to proceed or will they continue to say the ground for divorce has not been made out. Either way, it is hoped that this case will prompt Parliament to reconsider the issue of no-fault divorce.

“the law dates back to 1973 and many believe it is in need of updating” Couples who divorce also need to remember that the divorce itself does not resolve any financial claims they may have against each other. Those claims are available often years after the divorce has been finalised. Even when one of the couple believes everything was agreed at the time they could find themselves back in court years later dealing with historic financial claims, perhaps because they have then come into money or property they did not have before.

Legal advice should be obtained to ensure that cannot happen and the finances, as well as the divorce, are sorted out so everyone can rest easy that they will not find themselves in court many years later.

Separation and divorce is going to represent a significant change to you and your family. Irwin Mitchell Private Wealth has experience and expertise in all forms of family dispute resolution; we offer unrivalled guidance to help you plan appropriately and make the right decisions at the right time.

Contact Nicola on 0117 926 1584 Nicola.Walker@IrwinMitchell.com a @IMFamilyLaw www.irwinmitchell.com One Castlepark, Tower Hill, Bristol, BS2 0JA. For a full list of our offices visit our website. Irwin Mitchell LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 67

Shake-ups/launches/intel/promotions

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

Imagine one of these golden boys in your window or reception area . . .

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE

“I’VE BEEN

BEST OF BRISTOL

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS 2018: SET TO BE EVEN BIGGER THAN 2017 (AND 2017 WAS HUGE) Nominations are flowing in for the prestigious Bristol Life Awards, which is now on course to beat even last year’s remarkable debut. Tickets are also now on sale.

This year, there’s an additional question, asking companies what they’ve done for local charities or civically for Bristol.

“Business is changing, teams are changing: people are very proud of what they do in their cities,” said Steph Dodd, events manager at Bristol Life’s publisher MediaClash. “And employees are often the ones driving their senior managers to do more, and choosing places to work where there is a social conscience. This question will give our judges much more insight into how companies operate.”

Nominees are encouraged to read the ‘12 Top Tips’ on the website, aimed to help you craft a winning entry – but according to events manager Steph Dodd, “The best piece of advice we can give to hopeful Award-winners is that timing is everything. Don’t sell your business short by leaving your nomination to the last minute.”

Companies self-nominate via a form on the website, and it’s free to enter. The Awards are decided by an independent panel of judges, newly chosen each year.

The Bristol Life Awards will take place on 26 April

in a grand marquee, the biggest ever seen in Bristol, with up to 700 attendees, located in front of Lloyds Amphitheatre.

Categories available to enter include Arts, Bar, Business Services, Café/Coffee Shop, Charity, Creative, Education, Event, Gastropub, Hair and Beauty, Health & Wellbeing, Homes & Interiors, Legal & Financial, Leisure & Tourism, New Business, Property, Restaurant and Retailer.

The Platinum Award will also be awarded on the night to celebrate the overall best of the winners.

Businesses can also get involved in the Awards through sponsorship. For details, contact Lily Dalzell: lily.dalzell@ mediaclash.co.uk The current list of sponsors is led by longterm headliners Bristol Airport. Joining the new Platinum Sponsor Bluefin Insurance are the category sponsors CityFibre, The Alternative Board, Burston Cook, Juice Recruitment, Clear River, Triangle Networks, Dribuild, Clifton College, VWV, Amarelle, SAM FM, Clifton Marquee Company, Enlightened Lighting and Nicholas Wylde. www.bristollifeawards.co.uk Twitter: @BristolLifeAwd

INVOLVED IN THE CREATION OF AROUND 20,000 BABIES”

Who’s the daddy? (in a roundabout sense) – see page 73

41k THE BIG NUMBER

More than 41,000 homes across South Bristol could be overpaying on their energy bills by up to £300, according to Bristol Energy Find out more at www.bristol-energy.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 69

Andrew Billingham

BRISTOL LIFE BUSINESS CLUB

A QUESTION OF SPORT Lessons learned on the playing field can also be applied to business: this was the message from former Bristol Sports CE Andrew Billingham last month

A

n eclectic group of Bristol business folk gathered at the Bristol Harbour Hotel to enjoy lunch, followed by an inspirational talk from Andrew Billingham at the Bristol Life Business Club last month.

With 27 years in the global sports industry, most recently as chief exec of Bristol Sports, Andrew focused on the need for a deep understanding of why you do what you do. Companies and leaders should always challenge, always push to improve every aspect of process, product and people.

Teamwork is essential in sports but needs to be worked at hard in business – and data of any form can help support an organisation’s culture. While sport is apparently finite (rules, team size, pitch, match length) it’s also infinite in how improvements can be made. Same with business: marginal gains matter.

Andrew cited several inspirations, including his boss at Birmingham FC Karren Brady and author Simon Sinek (“Google him!”). And he pointed to research that whereas Microsoft employees said they spend 70% of their time thinking about Apple, the Apple team were 100% focused on improving what they do: “And which is more successful..?”

The Club was sponsored by Milsted Langdon and hosted by Bristol Harbour Hotel. Next up: George Ferguson on 7 February.

Contact events@mediaclash.co.uk for details.

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

Vicky Walker and Claire Gosling

BUSINESS INSIDER

Lily Dalzell and Jessica Crane

Dave Kelly and Gareth Williams

Tom Williams, Nick Lamb and Andrew Starr Emma Williams and Michael Harrichand

Emily Molyneux and Ani Stafford Townsend

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

BUSINESS INSIDER

HEALTH AND BEAUTY

BABY TALK

L

Lyndon Miles, chief embryologist at CRGW, tells us how a Boston clinic first inspired him, and why he’s now opened a branch of the Welsh practice here in Bristol

yndon is the consultant embryologist and director of The Centre for Reproduction and Gynaecology Wales (CRGW), diagnosing and treating infertility with treatments such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) and IVF for heterosexual couples, same sex couples and single patients. CRGW’s popularity with Bristol clients has now led to the opening of a new branch in Bradley Stoke.

What did you do prior to founding CRGW? I’ve worked as an embryologist for 23 years – six of those were spent doing IVF at one of the hospitals of Harvard Medical School in Boston. It was the US model of personalised treatments for patients that I wanted to offer that led to the creation of CRGW. Why did you want to specialise in embryology?

Many years ago I saw a TV documentary about IVF by Lord Professor Robert Winston. I knew right then that I wanted to do that as a career, and by a lucky twist of fate actually ended studying in his team. Since then, I’ve been involved in the creation of around 20,000 babies.

With proposed NHS cuts in this field, how can this kind of treatment be made affordable to people – do you have schemes and staggered payments, for example?

Cost-effective options include our multi-cycle packages and refund packages, and we additionally offer free IVF treatment for egg- and sperm-sharers. We have payment plans and treatment options that cost less than £500. Our clinics periodically also offer free spermtesting days and evenings.

Can you tell us about some recent strides or new techniques that have been made in your field?

In the last couple of years, time-lapse embryo incubators, where embryos are filmed as they develop, have been introduced clinically.

It has revolutionised how we grow embryos and enables us to accurately choose the best embryos rather than guessing, as is often involved when time-lapse isn’t used. A patient’s ‘time to baby’ is quicker with time-lapse embryo selection. All of our patient’s embryos are grown in time-lapse incubators at no additional cost.

I’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CREATION OF AROUND 20,000 BABIES . . .

Why have you expanded to Bristol?

We opened in 2010 and have had a lot of patients come to us for treatment from Bristol and the South West. We felt that having our own facility in Bristol would make the treatment journey easier for patients in this area.

Why do you think so many patients used to travel to Cardiff for your treatments rather than choosing a local centre?

We pride ourselves in putting ‘patients before profit’. We provide the best chance of pregnancy with the latest cost-effective treatments, while offering unrivalled access to our team to support patients through what is often a stressful time. Our patients really like the regular level of contact they have with the team.

How does the success rate compare to the national average?

We maintain pregnancy rates at or above the national average in all treatments offered. CRGW does not decline patients simply due to the likelihood of pregnancy being low. We acknowledge that treating such patients will have an effect on overall pregnancy rates, but feel that creating families overrides the desire to manufacture pregnancy rates by selecting patients for treatment just because they have better chances. As such, CRGW treat a lot of couples who are declined treatment elsewhere or who have been deemed as cases too difficult to treat, or having too low a chance of pregnancy to treat.

What do you attribute your success rate to?

Flexibility, personalised care and the latest cutting-edge equipment and treatment options.

Is there one piece of advice you always give to hopeful parents embarking on treatment?

You’re not alone. Don’t be afraid to talk about it.

The CRGW team understands the uncertainty that individuals and couples may feel when addressing their fertility options, which can feel overwhelming. Our aim is always to make patients comfortable and confident throughout treatment, with evaluations and services tailored to them. At CRGW, we genuinely care about the way we care.

Can you give us an idea of costs involved?

A consultation with a scan of the uterus and ovaries and a sperm test costs £150. Three cycles of Clomid treatment for a woman that doesn’t ovulate costs £450, which includes scans. We are the most cost-effective clinic within a 50 mile radius, which we guarantee.

What are the biggest misconceptions that people have about what you do?

People think infertility treatment is unaffordable. We have many cost-effective treatment packages for all treatments, and patients can also access free IVF if they take part in our egg sharing or sperm sharing programme – where, for example, a woman donates half of her eggs retrieved during an IVF cycle to a couple needing donor eggs, and in return has free treatment herself.

For more www.crgw.co.uk

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INTERIORS

CABINET RESHUFFLE

It’s Twelfth Night. The decorations are back in the box, and you’ve had a bit of a clean up. But the wintry sunlight is doing absolutely nothing for the shabbier corners of the home, and there’s the small matter of the 20-year-old oven packing up on Christmas Eve. And what do you mean, you haven’t got a sous vide or a gyoza maker? It’s really time you thought about a new kitchen . . .

By L I SA WA R R E N

S

o, you’ve decided to refresh your kitchen. Frankly, it’s about time.

It could involve an all-out, ripit-up-and-start-again number; maybe you’re just looking for a few ideas to update the décor and/or make the space more efficient. We asked a few local experts to share their new year inspiration.

JESSICA DAVIS, ARLBERRY

Kitchen designer Jess knows that the keywords for 2018 are ‘simple luxury’ What will be hot, and what will be not?

There’ll be a marriage of textures in the kitchen, from sophisticated metals to soft-touch painted finishes, tactile timbers and heavily textured splashbacks and tiles. Two-tone cabinets will be hot, combining timbers and painted finishes on the framing and drawer fronts.

Sleek handleless cupboards are out; statement handles are in. It’s now all about the hardware. from metal finishes to leather, coloured handles and wood handles and combinations of all.

What will be the most on-trend colours?

Think ‘dark and luxurious’ – so petrol greens, charcoal and grey stained-oak accents.

How about the gadgetry?

Rolling library ladders. to get up to extra tall cabinets and shelves; sleek downdraft extractors that sit right alongside your hob.

FIONA KYLE AND SARAH HARDY, WREN KITCHENS

Content editors Sarah and Fiona predict a minimal design warmed by rich colours and metallics What will be hot, and what will not?

We’re already seeing that minimalism is a key w 76 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

INTERIORS

The velvety finish of this Schmidt kitchen leaves no finger marks, and feels as good as it looks in deep black

IT’S NOW ALL ABOUT THE

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

INTERIORS

Top: Wren teams a sleek minimalist look with warm colours and metallics Bottom: Sustainable is still rocking the plywood look

trend for 2018. Minimalism makes efficient use of space, and looks great, but can be cold and hard to live with; at Wren we combine clean lines with warm colours and metallics to create rooms that are the welcoming heart of your home.

There’s no need to opt for one look or finish, as mixing it up is another 2018 trend to watch out for. It’s time to get creative and design a kitchen that’s uniquely yours. Try mixing up door styles, colours, textures, handles and worktops for a really eclectic, interesting look.

On-trend colour choices and materials?

Blues and greys. You can sing the blues from playful periwinkle and moody midnight to Baltic.

Mix and match with cool greys and crisp whites or team with bright primaries like yellow for a unique design statement. Dark plum is a huge colour trend for a contemporary kitchen, from rich aubergine to warm damson in a matt or gloss finish. Pair it with an ocean cypress finish to bring the Earth’s dramatic elements into your kitchen.

Metallics continue to be a hit, with gold and stainless steel being the metals of the moment.

Inject a subtle gleam of metal with a profile colour – an island in lagoon blue with gold profiles makes a wonderful combination – or choose a metallic-effect edge for your worktop.

How about the gadgetry?

Long gone are the days when a tap was simply a water spout. These days you can choose from a huge variety with many functions, colours and styles. New technology means you don’t have to opt for a separate tap if you want boiling water.

Touch-technology is taking over, making induction hobs sleeker and more minimalistic than ever. Add some futuristic excitement to cooking with an induction hob, which looks fantastic as well as being more energy – and costefficient. And the trend for barista style coffeemakers at home shows no signs of abating.

EMI ARGENT, ARGENT KITCHENS It’s time to be bold and individual...

What’s hot and what’s not?

It’s all about individuality – choosing a mix of materials, combining the natural warmth of wood with more industrial and sleek finishes such as porcelain, concrete and metals. Tactile materials with texture and patina add another layer of detail to the palette.

How about the colourways?

There’s a trend to be bolder with colour choices.

Dark tones are particularly striking and can create a real statement kitchen. Aside from the ever-popular greys, dark colours with hues of blues and greens are increasingly on-trend.

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

THERE’S NO NEED TO OPT FOR JUST ONE LOOK OR FINISH; MIXING IT UP IS A 2018 TREND TO LOOK OUT FOR

Tell us about the gadgets…

We really love the ‘accessorised channels’ by the Italian appliance company Barazza. These highquality stainless-steel channels are recessed into your worktop and have multiple modular inserts for drainers, bottle and utensil holders, chopping boards, charging points and shelves.

NICOLA ASHLEY, SCHMIDT KITCHENS

Efficiency and clear worktops are key…

What will be hot and what will be not?

Hot: extra thin worktops and integrated storage solutions – maximising storage space is key. 2018 is all about efficiency. Textured finishes for a velvety touch that leaves no finger marks; it feels as good as it looks in deep black. This goes for bathrooms as well as kitchens.

Not: appliances on display; only have the absolute necessities out and try to coordinate these in with your décor. Don’t spread utensils and condiments all over the bench; group them in a tray, and add canisters.

Mirror or coloured glass splashbacks are being replaced with a classic tile; or you could get creative by placing an interior pattern from soft furnishings behind a clear glass splashback.

INTERIORS

On-trend colour choices and materials?

Blues and sage, and timeless wooden joinery – not just timber on the external cupboards, but on the inside of the cupboards, too.

How about the gadgetry?

2018 will be the year that our kitchens will start to become integrated with our lives, with connected food thermometers, ovens and coffee machines. It will also see even more styles of cooking, along with the gadgets that support them, such as sous vide appliances or the Cook Joy gyoza maker.

The desire to avoid food wastage will drive a lot of new utensils for increasing the shelf life of fresh produce. Vacuum drawers and machines, smart storage boxes, and food containers that are optimised to help specific foods last longer.

NICKY SPEAR – SUSTAINABLE KITCHENS Think opulent and eclectic…

What will be hot, and what will be not?

We’re seeing the opulent, eclectic look being strong for 2018, with lots of rich colours and textures– and, in contrast, a pared-back midcentury aesthetic with geometric patterns and the ever-present plywood. There seems to be a move away from the standard fitted kitchen look to more of a furniture aesthetic; a kitchen that doesn’t look like a kitchen.

Tell us about the colours and materials Rich colours and textures, with dark greens, marble, brass and darker types of wood. Plywood isn’t going away, and mixing it with geometric encaustic cement tiles in muted, dusky pinks, greens and grey brings a fresh look to the trend.

Rough sawn, reclaimed woods used as cabinet fronts create a warm, natural look and can be mixed with more contemporary materials such as stainless-steel to create an eclectic, modern look.

What about the gadgetry?

We’re seeing a real trend for professional kitchen equipment filtering down to domestic use, such as sous vide vacuum sealing drawers, now available as an addition to steam ovens. The drawers seal ingredients such as meat and vegetables inside plastic cooking bags which allows the food to be steam-cooked at a low temperature without losing any of the flavour or colour, resulting in intensely flavoured, succulent food.

PHIL HARFLETT, HOBSONS CHOICE

A kitchen is for life – well, 25 years at least. So don’t be over-swayed by the latest trends…

What’s hot and what’s not?

As a general rule-of-thumb we don’t tend to follow short-term trends. For example, the w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 79

INTERIORS

Hobson’s design kitchens for life (or at least for a quarter of a century)

YOU HAVE BEEN READING Argent Kitchens www.benargentkitchens.co.uk Arlberry Bespoke 5 Buckingham Place, Bristol www.arlberry.com Hobson’s Choice London Road, Bath www.hobsonschoice.uk.com Schmidt Kitchens 170 Whiteladies Road, Bristol www.home-design.schmidt Sustainable Kitchens Unit D4 Avondale Works, Woodland Way, Bristol www.sustainablekitchens.co.uk Wren Kitchens The Mall, Cribbs Causeway www.wrenkitchens.com Kutchenhaus Bristol Clifton Down Shopping Centre www.kutchenhaus.co.uk

expected lifespan of a Bulthaup kitchen is 25 years; many trends will have come and gone by then. We tailor our designs to suit the taste, lifestyle and architecture of the client’s home.

However, in recent years, we have seen our general style adapt and subtly evolve. Blending different surface finishes and tones together is a popular choice. Natural wood veneers, anodised aluminium, glass and ceramics are often selected alongside more hardwearing laminate, stainlesssteel and lacquered surfaces.

Clients are now more comfortable with wall panelling, used to create a ‘feature’ for a dining or casual seating area. For more functional areas, hard-wearing laminate or lacquer surfaces are recommended – warm grey, ‘greige’ (off-white) and clay have proven popular.

Tell us about the gadgetry…

Hidden downdrafts have opened up new options for kitchen layouts and extraction efficiency; perfect for more open-plan living environments.

Induction hobs continue to increase in popularity and acceptance by homeowners as a viable alternative to gas. With the technology continuing to evolve, new features such as Miele’s ‘temperature control’ maintains a specific pan heat to a single degree.

ROB CASH, KUTCHENHAUS Keeping it ‘bold and strong’

What’s hot in the kitchen?

We’re seeing a real trend towards using bold,

strong colours, textures and materials to add style and unique character to a kitchen design. With so many options available, clever and considered use of contrasting tones and colours allows for a design that’s completely personal. We’re also seeing a lot of industrial-style kitchen designs, typified by the New York loft apartment look; raw materials combined with stainless-steel, exposed brick and slate mixed with neutral matte textures.

We are seeing a decline in the number of requests for gloss kitchens – although that’s not to say we’re not seeing some great contemporary designs produced in gloss. In contrast, matt doors are extremely popular as they offer a timeless look, and are easier to clean and maintain.

Tell us about the colours and materials…

This will be an exciting year for us, as we’ve added some exciting options and finishes to our already large range. We’ve introduced lots of new styles which follow the industrial design aesthetic – slate and concrete-effect doors will be very popular, as will be our new scratched stainlesssteel door finishes.

And the gadgets?

Feature downdraft hobs are extremely popular at the moment. Other features include smart cubes, which offer open-framed units, smartphone controlled appliances and lighting and push-toopen units. We can now mount a hob onto a work surface so that it’s completely flush with the worktop, allowing for a completely seamless modern look, and make cleaning even easier. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 81

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• Located on the prestigious Portland Square

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PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

SIMPLY REDLAND Just one street away from foodie haven Chandos Road, and a (brisk) walk away from all the best city-centre amenities, this spacious bay-fronted villa on Woodfield Road is a strong contender for the perfect Bristol family home

By L I SA WA R R E N 84 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

A

s we have may have mentioned once or twice before in this magazine, the residents of Redland are unfairly blessed.

Whether we’re talking Victorian or Georgian, the homes in this most leafy of Bristol suburbs tend to be on the capacious side. Rooms are elegant and lofty, with tall windows and, if previous owners have been careful, lashings of lovingly retained period charm.

Then there’s the small matter of having some of Bristol’s top restaurants on their doorstep – a state of affairs that just keeps improving. On Chandos Road alone – the next street parallel to Woodfield Road – you’ll find Wilsons, Wilks, No Man’s Grace and recently opened duo Otira and Chandos Road Social, run by the team behind Clifton favourite Shop 3 Bistro. And that’s even before you consider all the cafés, shops and restaurants along Whiteladies, or Cotham Hill.

Number 26 Woodfield Road is an exceptional family home by anyone’s standards, enhanced and beautifully maintained by the current owner. The flexible layout rambles over four floors, each of which has an abundance of the aforementioned highly prized original features.

It would be hard to select just one star room in this house. The 18ft bay-fronted drawing room is definitely a contender, with its ornate cornicing, large open fireplace and refurbished, shuttered sash windows.

On the other hand, the immaculate kitchen/diner is a total attention-grabber, too. Just looking at the photo makes you murmur the word ‘bespoke’; it’s finished to the very highest of standards, with a range of integral appliances tucked under a sea of worktop granite; two sash windows overlook the garden, and there are steps down to the big dining area, the two spaces being linked by the oak flooring that runs throughout. From the dining

As immaculate as a new-build, but with buckets of Victorian charm, 26 Woodfield Road is everything a family home should be

HOUSE NUMBERS

4

bedrooms

3

reception rooms

2

bath/shower rooms

3

cellars/workshops

£1,095,000 guide price

room, bifold doors lead out to the garden; even on a cold, wintry day, this huge picture window frames the greenery without, making it a bright and cheerful space all year round. There’s a study on this floor, too.

The mortgage payer will naturally have first dibs when it comes to the choice of sleeping quarters, which will inevitably be the master bedroom, a twin of the drawing room below, with a generous bay, along with a discrete dressing room and shower room en-suite.

Fortunately, the other three bedrooms are equally charming, each with a fireplace and delightful outlook; indeed, so consistently sized are they that there’s no excuse for handbags over which family member gets which room. Instead, they can fight over whose turn it is to monopolise the immaculate family bathroom with its rolltop bath and oversized shower. There’s also a large loft space, which could, with the necessary consent etc etc etc, be converted into a further bedroom.

Currently and similarly, the lower ground floor is ripe for conversion; it’s currently given over to a cellar, workshop and utility room, but could, with a degree of excavation and imagination, be made into further reception rooms.

The house is bookended by a neat front garden and a south-facing level lawn and decking at the back; a stone wall lends privacy, there’s allocated parking for one car, and access to the communal gardens of Clyde Park for the modest sum of £40 contribution a year.

We have absolutely no idea if the residents hold community summer shindigs here, but we’d be surprised if they didn’t; if not, maybe you could kickstart a new tradition?

Knight Frank, Regent House, 27a Regent Street, Clifton 0117 317 1999; www.knightfrank.co.uk

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BRISTOL LIVES

Q&A

S

isters are doing it for themselves – and if for any reason they’re not, Lua Jones plans to do something about it. Lua, who also goes by the name of DJ DissMiss, is the founder of Bristol’s Dutty Girl collective, who’ve been on the club and festival circuit for 15 years; she was also the co-founder of the Dutty Girl shop (now That Thing) on Cheltenham Road, and she makes and sells earrings called Gangster Wraps. And when she’s not doing all THAT, and spending time with her two-year-old son, she’s running her new SisterWorks organisation – which, with the help of 40 other inspirational women, is hosting an exciting workshop event this month.

Where did the Dutty Girl moniker come from?

I used to work in The Star and Garter pub, where the landlord was affectionately known as Dutty Ken. A friend of mine, who also worked there, came up with the name ‘Dutty Girls’ for us. I asked if she would mind if I used it to start my brand and club night, and luckily she didn’t…

Please tell us a bit about SisterWorks I had the idea for SisterWorks around 15 years ago, the same time as setting up Dutty Girl. I wanted to do an all-day event, with female-led workshops by practitioners in DJing, MCing, breakdance and graffiti, and so on. It was too big a project for me to take on at the time, and, if I’m honest, I was unsure whether it would get the response I hoped for. I just didn’t know if that many women would be interested.

Times have changed since then, and the doors are much more open for women to walk through – the timing feels right now. I wouldn’t be doing any of this without my amazing team; I have a group of incredible women on board who are making things happen, for not only this, but for their own lives.

Why is a collective such as SisterWorks so necessary and important?

SisterWorks is necessary because in the past there has been a distinct lack of women empowering one another, and/or coming together. That is where I feel there is an opportunity, for us to make a difference, en masse.

LUA JONES Feeling empowered for 2018, girls? If not, Lua Jones may just be about to change that for you…

Tell us about your big event this month Top industry women will be teaching skills in music production, DJing, songwriting, fashion, fashion illustration, breakdance, turntablism, graffiti and much more. The event is taking place at dBS, with its state-of-the-art studios on 13 January. Tickets are £20 for the full day and include access to the studios, equipment, our talented team, a panel discussion, Q&A session and networking.

What Bristol brands have got on board with the crowdfunding?

We managed to crowdfund over £2500 towards the event and have had some great Bristol brands help us with this by offering rewards, such as Love Saves The Day, Team Love, Motion, Oowee, Burger Theory, 02 Academy and Troxy.

If you could hold a dinner party for six women, alive or dead, who would they be?

Beyoncé – because. . . well, if you don’t get why, then just don’t talk to me! Coco Chanel – what a woman. Madonna – my childhood icon. Oprah Winfrey – empowerment. JK Rowling – altruist and just a great story of rising from the ashes.

Rihanna – just think we’d get on!

What’s your manor, and what’s so great about it?

I’ve lived in St Paul’s for the past 17 years, and I love it. It’s changed over the years, but has always had a great sense of community and a great vibe. I love that people regularly set up sound systems on any given day, and that

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

reggae and dancehall music is blasting out of houses and no one blinks an eye. I also love being close to Stokes Croft and Montpelier, and I basically walk in a big circle between these areas and the city centre, and don’t see much else of Bristol! But I don’t ever tire of it.

Tell us about your favourite cafés/bars/ restaurants For a delicious and dirty burger I love Oowee. I’ll always be a big fan of The Pipe and Slippers, as the music is always good, and it’s a great pub for a night out without having to go to a club. Also, The Love Inn is one of my favourite places to party and to DJ. How would your nearest and dearest describe you?

Hard-working, loving and inspirational (I actually asked my bf!)

What are your main hopes and dreams for 2018?

I would love SisterWorks to make a huge difference to the number of women making it in the music and creative industries. There are various ways I can see this happening, and I’m just really excited to get moving on it. I’d love to see all women involved in SisterWorks (and any other women) to take giant leaps forward in their careers and to make a massive difference – starting with Bristol. . .

www.facebook.com/sisterworks.co