Bristol Life - Issue 241

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property ISSUE 241 / FEBRUARY 2018 / £3

A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE CITY

Gotta love Bristol

ISSUE 241 / FEBRUARY 2018 / THEY COULD BE HEROES

THERE’S A V IN THE MONTH, AFTER ALL

Lifting the lid Blood and butchery

BRISTOL HEROES THE PEOPLE WHO SHAPE THE CITY

Sisterhood

BRISTOL’S UNSUNG HEROINES

Smells like indie spirit

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK IN BEMMIE

NEW SERIES:

THE TAPAS AND SMALL PLATES SCENE HAS GONE CRAZY!

COULD YOU LIVE FOR A MONTH WITHOUT LEAVING WAPPING WHARF?

BRISTOL

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EDITOR’S LETTER / ISSUE 241 / FEBRUARY 2018

Well, you cured our January blues

PHOTO JON CRAIG

12

PRECIOUS CARGO . . . and equally precious Gaol Ferry Steps. Is it possible to be entirely selfsufficient at Wapping Wharf?

. . . so you did, Bristol – now, what are we going to do about February?

It’s wholly illogical and selfindulgent, but in the aftermath of Christmas (and late January/ early February is still ‘aftermath’ territory), we perversely feel the need for treats to make up for, umm, all that indulgence and spending in December. Which is why it’s so handy that Valentine’s Day lands in February, and why we refuse to be cynical about it.

Go on, spoil us. Don’t hold back.

That’s mostly covered on page 36. So what else have we got?

Well, there’s the new production of Wicked arriving at the Hippodrome with its totally OTT costumes and stagecraft; that’ll be fun.

Otherwise, you can find us in our favourite tapas bar, glass of fino in one hand, forkful of sobrasada in the other, toasting the end of a dry veganuary that we never quite got round to observing. Maybe next year.

Deri Robins, editor Twitter @BristolLifeMag Instagram:@bristollifemag

REGULARS / ISSUE 241 / FEBRUARY 2018

SPOTLIGHT

M EET T H E T EAM

7 Spotlight

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

Bristol makes the New York hitlist

Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors: Colin Moody, Stan Cullimore, Seb Barrett, Kam Kelly, Will Carpenter Advertising manager Lily Dalzell lily.dalzell@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager James Morgan james.morgan@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager Yvette Culbert yvette.culbert@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager Jake Newland jake.newland@mediaclash.co.uk

THE ARTS 20 What’s On The play’s the thing. As are the gigs, exhibitions and fairs, etc

24 One to one Wicked’s back in town, with that nice Aaron Sidwell as Fiyero

30 Bristol Heroes

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

Colin Moody begins his photographic celebration of the people who make Bristol special

34 Women of Bristol Suffragettes and beyond

SHOPPING 36 Editor’s Choice There’s a V in the month, and we require you to observe it

FOOD 40 Restaurants Sharing plates, Swedish-style

42 Recipes Winter warmers from the Farmdrop crew

44 Food and drink Say cheese

46 Tapas It all began with a piece of bread on a glass of beer. Allegedly

57 Stan Cullimore The latte of human kindness

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

46

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

A MAN’S WORLD

PROPERT Y

59 Baz Barrett

80 Property Showcase

“What are you talking about?”

“Football”

Safe harbour on Nova Scotia Place

61 Kam Kelly What’s even bouncier than Kam? Kam on a trampoline

SPORT

THE BACK PAGE . . .

82 Bristol Lives So what has Sheila Hannon ever done for Bristol?

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

63 Will Carpenter The secret importance of a daily handshake

BUSINESS 71 Business Insider Awards, property and a chance to lunch with George

On the cover Huge thanks to photographer Chris Hill for this great shot of Wapping Wharf.

Follow Chris on on instagram @chill1983

TOURISM

WHERE DREAMS ARE MADE OF? Oh, lookee which West Country city has popped up in the New York Times’s ‘52 Places to Go in 2018’ list. How kind!

Describing ‘edgy and creative’ Bristol as a ‘cultural powerhouse’, this mostly well-informed snippet clocks the big changes in store for Bristol Old Vic and St George’s, and welcomes the new Brunel Museum.

So if you notice an increase of visitors with Brooklyn accents asking for directions, this is why; be nice to them, but do try to manage their expectations of the rail service – in particular the “roomier new trains, increased from two to four an hour, offering more convenient jaunts from London”.

Bless.

For more: www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/ travel/places-to-visit.html

PHOTOGRAPHY

TOWN TO TOWN

In 2011, photographer Niall McDiarmid began an extensive series of portraits that would take him across the whole of Britain, from the highlands of Scotland to the moors of Cornwall.

The seven-year project resulted in 2000 portraits taken in more than 200 towns.

The photos form the basis of the second exhibition to be held at the Martin Parr Foundation, following Martin’s own inaugural ‘Black Country Stories’. ‘Niall McDiarmid: Town to Town’ features more than 70 portraits from the collection, and opens on 31 January; shown here are a few of the shots taken in Bristol. On 29 April, Niall will also be holding a photography workshop (£130) to help you develop your own style and skills.

For more: www.martinparrfoundation.org

SPOTLIGHT

BRISTOL SNOW It arrived too late to qualify for a white Christmas, but at least it pitched for a bit – and who says we’ve seen the last of the white stuff this winter?

@helenisbell

@mmf_photography

@perkspectivephotography

@bristoljj

@sarahaannn

@ryanmsearle

@eleanore_photography

@carolyn.eaton

@underfallyard

@timmah666

@petelordaardman

@carolyn.eaton

@cargocantina

@kruggy01

@ettaweaver23

@idem_pridem_

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

Photo by jon craig

it’s indie to the core; there’s not a mcBucks in sight

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

WA P P I N G WHARF

A WEEK on the WHARF There’s not a chainstore or McBucks in sight on Wapping Wharf. Instead, you’ll find a bunch of mutually supportive indie traders who cater to (almost) your every need

By L I SA WA R R E N

S

ome years ago, this magazine undertook the Clifton Challenge. Admittedly, it was hardly up there with, say, a trek to Nepal; this ‘challenge’, if we can dignify it as such, involved trying to ascertain whether or not it would be possible to live, shop and eat out for a month without ever leaving the Village or setting foot in a chain.

Predictably, it was a doddle. The ample resources of food, drink, clothes, bling and culture prevalent in BS8 ensures that nobody needs to stir out of the place at all.

This month, we set ourselves another first-world challenge. We headed down to Wapping Wharf, where the new apartment blocks are served by a wide range of restaurants, shops, cafés and bars, housed in a pair of oversized shipping containers and the units of Gaol Ferry Steps. They’re all indie to the core; there’s not a chain store or restaurant in sight.

And while the offering may not be quite as comprehensive as Clifton’s – for example there’s no hardware store (as yet)– these busy little hives supply practically everything you need to exist.

STOCKING THE LARDER

This month, The New York Times was kind enough to list Bristol in its ‘52 Places to Go in 2018’ list. Any New Yorkers pining for the delis of their home town would adore the The Pickled Brisket, which sells whopping Wapping sarnies – sourdough rye with pickles and melted cheese, smokehoused salmon on bagels. The brisketeers source their cheese from neighbour Rosie Morgan, aka The Bristol Cheesemonger; the bread comes from Assembly Bakery next door.

These artisan bakers consider their sourdough to be the best in Bristol; and yes, we know, Some claim that sourdough has singlehandedly brought Bristol to its knees, but Some has blocked us on Twitter now, and he won’t see this.

You’ll obviously need something exciting in a jar in your swish

Wapping Wharf kitchen cabinet, so stock up at GingerBeard’s Preserves. As an example of how the Wharf’s indies roll, take their fabulously named No Rest: a Garlic Pickle for Dancers, made with Lost & Grounded’s hoppy No Rest For Dancers; then also note that many of their products are also for sale at the Pickled Brisket – get the picture?

We couldn’t even try to live on the Wharf for a week were it not for Bristol’s hero grocer, Better Food. This branch may be new(ish) to the Wharf, but the biz is in its 25th year, offering organic goodness to the people of Bristol and proudly pedalling a message of sustainability, localism and independence. There’s a café too, serving hot meals, snacks and cakes. Legends.

You know the drill; eat less meat, and when you do, make it the very best. Story Farm’s butcher Meat Box can proudly trace the origins of its outdoor reared pork or organic beef, almost down to which end of the field the animal grazed on. They can probably tell you its favourite colour and star sign, too.

For dessert, it’s over to Oliver’s Ice Cream Parlour. Over 60 flavours of fresh gelato and sorbets are made on the premises by this family firm, along with waffles, crêpes, thick shakes, fresh coffee and hot chocolate for those with a flexible take on their New Year diet.

A PIE AND A PINT

The restaurant critic Clement Freud was once tempted by a lunchtime offer in a city centre pub in Belfast: “Pint, pie and a friendly word for a fiver.” Clement duly paid his fiver, was served an immaculate pint and a serviceable enough-looking pie; but the chat didn’t seem too forthcoming. “What about the friendly word?” he enquired. The barman leaned over the counter, and conspiratorially whispered, “If I were you, I wouldn’t bother with the pie.”

An unlikely scenario at Lovett’s Pies, where everything’s handmade using local ingredients; snaffle a pie in the snug shop, or snap up four for £12 and take them back to enjoy in your lovely w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 13

WA P P I N G WHARF new apartment. With beer, obviously. Wild Beer is on a mission to “change people’s perceptions on what beer is, how it is made and how it can taste”. There are 20 draft beers, and many bottles and cans, as well as ciders, ales and stout, while the food offering is so much more than an ‘also’; the new brunch menu has just launched, offering a new direction of healthy and fresh cooking; it’s wholly veggie with multiple vegan and gluten-free options. See what we mean about changing perceptions?

There’s probably still room in the fridge for a few craft bottles from Beer Necessities, and of course The Bristol Cider Shop, with its 100-plus varieties of local artisan cider. We’re pairing ours with a Lovett’s sweet potato and goats’ cheese pie, but that’s just us.

DINING OUT

Along with a tasty sarnie from the Brisket, Russell Norman’s Brooklyn diner-style Spuntino is a cinch for any homesick New Yorkers, with small plates of Italian-influenced comfort food such as bacon devilled eggs, Bismarck pancakes, fried chicken and maple syrup. And that’s just the US leg of the culinary journey awaiting you on the Wharf.

Banish all shameful memories of a dodgy doner grabbed on the way home from the pub. The Athenian’s all about authentic Greek street food – so authentic that the recipes allegedly come from the remote mountain village of Vamos, Crete, where a local cook shared her secret recipes, including souvlaki, halloumi, courgette fritters and hummus, with owners Efthymios and Neofytos, For cocktail and brunch, dinner or Sunday roast it’s probably going to be Harbour and Brown’s. Sharing menus are the thing here, but if you’re a sole trader sort of person, they’ll happily accommodate that too.

Brooklyn-style diner Spuntino: ideal for visiting goodfellas, and indeed those on the right side of the law too

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

Greek to Greek: Tim and Neo of The Athenian

Squeezed – ah, Squeezed. The name refers to the lemons that make the drinks, but seems doubly appropriate for this tiniest of outlets in Cargo 2 where Alex Hayes does a roaring takeaway.

A St Werburger, consisting of a double beef patty, Monterey Jack cheese, smoked bacon and caper aioli, chipotle and tomato relish retails at a mere £7.50; we give it two filthy thumbs up, and would increase it to five were we physically equipped to do so.

The Cargo units are the obvious first tryouts for pop-ups; enter Gopal’s Curry Shack, where Melanie Taylor and Heather Simmonds combine the local, seasonal produce of the West Country with recipes from the East. The subcontinent is also represented by the team behind fine-dining Mint Room, whose Sholay Indian Kitchen takes it all back to the streets.

We’re on a Wharf, so obviously we need a decent fish and chippy. Salt & Malt gaffer Josh Eggleton is arguably the best-known dude on the Bristol food scene, with dining destinations ranging from casual dining to Michelin-starry. The winds of molecular gastronomy do not rattle the lids of the deep fryers at Salt & Malt, but the chips are traditionally chopped and big enough to use as draught excluders, and the fish is fresh, flaky and delicious.

Josh’s other Cargo venture, and part of his Eat Drink Bristol Fashion arm, is Root, serving small veggie plates with meat and fish sides, prepared by talented young chef Rob Howells. We’d tell you how much we really, really loved Root, but you’d only suspect we had shares in the company.

At Calypso Kitchen you’ll get your week’s supply of slow-cooked curry goat, jerk belly pork, BBQ ribs, tasty fish dishes, and vegan dishes, elevated to ‘who knew?’ status. Mildly interesting fact: they were among the caterers at Banksy’s Dismaland The clue to Pigsty’s offering is in the name; you can get a porky repast from breakfast to dinnertime, from grab-and-go bacon sarnies in the morning to large Pig Boards for sharing. w

we’d tell you how much we loved root, but you’d suspect we had shares

in the company

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

Some claim that sourdough has single-handedly brought Bristol to its knees, but Some has blocked us on Twitter now, so he probably

won’t see this

Pickled Brisketeers Robin and Flora

We haven’t mentioned sourdough for at least ten paragraphs, so it’s time to talk about the pizzas. Bertha’s, all grown-up since its events-and-pop-up days, has persuasive reasons to make you dine in rather than out, with many brews and puds; for another tasty Bristol collaboration, try the Wiper & True milkshake stout icecream. Meanwhile Pizzarova’s The Crate waits patiently for slightly balmier days, or at least a coach party of vapers, to occupy its al fresco tables at the far end of the Wharf next to M Shed.

At Woky Ko, the brainchild of former MasterChef finalist Larkin Cen, familiar Asian dishes are given a modern twist. And no added MSG. Even if you ask nicely.

We’re not handing out gongs here, but if we were there’d be a resoundingly big one for Box-E. The first solo venture for husbandand-wife team Elliott and Tessa Lidstone showcases contemporary and seasonal British cooking in their tiny restaurant serving 14 diners. The open kitchen gives a view of Elliot at work – close enough for you to pinch the garnish off the dish he’s plating up (though it’s best not to). If you’re into chatting with the chefs, book the four-seat kitchen table abutting the kitchen. You’ll be served a bespoke tasting menu, and wine flight featuring niche biodynamic producers. And these guys are just so genuinely nice to boot.

Another class act is Tare, which offers top ingredients, beautifully served up with smooth professionalism in a laidback atmosphere; we’ll bet a Bristol pound that both these restaurants go from strength to strength.

Wake up and smell the coffee

You’ll want a coffee at some point in the day, OK, most points of the day. Good luck with choosing just one place to settle on.

Mokoko’s aimed at both the connoisseur as well as the casual tippler, specialising in single-estate coffees and high-grade teas; you can also watch the bakers making all manner of pastries and cakes.

Little Victories – the young sis of renowned Small Street Espresso – arrived on Gaol Ferry Steps with serious bean credibility, and has 16 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

been waking up the residents of the Wharf ever since. They serve sourdough sarnies, and pastries from Hart’s; we love the cream-andbaby-blue colourways of the unit and china, the fact that they like dogs, and that they do a mean espresso martini in the evenings.

Obviously you’ll need your five-a-day; to make it easier, Big Juice presses delicious, freshly-prepared vegetable and fruit smoothies so that you don’t have to. And if you’ve fallen in a big way for bubble tea – the Asian-inspired drink you chew – head to CUPP, who shake up tea, milk and fruit with tapioca pearls to make a kind of bubbly foamy concoction.

Retail therapy

It’s not just all food and drink at the Wharf. That shiny new apartment’s not going to fit itself out with designer homeware, you know; luckily Fig 1 is at hand, selling the best of European contemporary design. We love their Moomin saucepans.

Jewellery-lovers would travel here just for John Kelly.

Specialising in vintage jewellery by the top Scandinavian and British blingists, John also stocks a range of silver artifacts and metalware.

Hope you don’t mind us saying so, but your walls and shelves were looking a bit boring the last time we popped by. Portside Gallery presents the very best of contemporary painting, ceramics and unique designer jewellery; Jane Reeves has an international reputation for fused glass painting, pioneering the technique of painting with powdered glass. Her work features mainly seascapes – perfectly suited to the Wharf’s location.

You’re in Bristol now, so you need to look the biz; luckily Shambarber is on hand for unisex affairs of the hair. The guys started off at Shambala festival in 2009 as a pop-up barbershop housed in a dance tent — surely the ideal beginning for any business (well, maybe not, say, a bank, but perfect for a hairdresser).

For natty clobber head for Brother We Stand. Owner Sam Mabley says, “We’re a tightly curated collection of ethical men’s and women’s wear, from independent brands and designers. You can

WA P P I N G WHARF

CONTAINER YOUR ENTHUSIASM We asked some of the businesses of Cargo and Gaol Ferry to tell us which of their neighbours they couldn’t possibly live without…

“I put this one out to the family including our three daughters and the overwhelming response was ‘Oliver’s Ice Cream’!”

Flora, Pickled Brisket “The Assembly Bakery lures me in most days with their great pastries, breads and other delicious confectionery.

Why make yourself sandwiches of a morning?”

John Kelly “Fig 1 as it’s extremely handy for last minute present shopping.”

Phil, Lovetts’ Pies “I couldn’t live without my fellow woman business owners, such as Haley at

The Mighty Quinns Flower Emporium, Rosie at The Bristol Cheesemonger and Amelia at Pure Yoga.”

Polly, Loop Massage “Squeezed – the burgers are delicious, they’re very messy, with lots of sauce, which is what makes them so good.

Also, I love having Alex just a few doors down for his upbeat chat and business advice. He’s a top lad.”

Sam, Brothers We Stand “Squeezed burgers! They’re all so fresh and wholesome.”

Nick, The Athenian “Little Victories for my postyoga coffee.”

Amelia, Pure Yoga

pick up anything from a cardigan handmade by a young designer for £35 to jeans made using recycled jeans and organic cotton.”

Mabboo is an independent bamboo clothing and accessories store that started life at the Tobacco Factory market. Bamboo is the most sustainable plant of all, and is amazingly flexible, in both senses of the word, making super-soft clothing as well as accessories, from sunglasses cases to phone covers.

Cargo would be a far less colourful and sweet-smelling place without The Mighty Quinn, whose buckets of blooms spill out of the little shop and threaten to invade its neighbours like triffids.

No stiff, formal bouquets here; the guys favour a wild style with a ethereal feel, and hold workshops to help you get the look.

FEEL GOOD INC

Speaking of workshops, and other things that are good for the mind and soul, at Loop Massage you can give your body a quick reboot with a rejuvenating massage or treatment. There’s more therapy available at Pure Yoga too, from Vinyasa to Hatha, hot, wall rope yoga, pre-natal and more.

CULTURE

Wapping Wharf’s next-door neighbour is M Shed, and it’s not really pushing it to claim Arnolfini as part of this manor, too. Or indeed, Watershed. Well, they’re not far.

And if you really must leave the Wharf, we even have your getaway vehicle transport sorted. Temple Cycles have a wide selection of bikes, mostly made in Bristol. Quality and longevity are their aim; their ambition is to create the vintage bikes of the future.

So there we have it. All reasonable needs, amply catered for – just remember, there’s no hardware store, so stock up on lightbulbs if you’re planning a siege – though we bet they sell scented candles.

Smiling Luke Hasell: his Meatbox brings all the carnivores to the yard

For more www.wappingwharf.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 17

a d v ertisi n g feature a r t

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE From February 17 – March 3, Lime Tree Gallery is delighted to present its first solo exhibition by John Evans

O

ver the last two years, John has emerged as one of our most successful painters, admired alike by his fellow professionals and by the wider audience. His work is very distinctive, covering both landscapes and still-lifes, with a different view of familiar scenes and clever variations on perspective and construction. The particular focus for many of the local Bristol scenes are the boats and buildings on and around our vibrant harbour-side.

"I found that I could not always capture everything that I saw in a traditional format, so I began to explore different art styles and became fascinated by medieval painters, who didn't understand perspective, and wanted to depict an event in history, capturing as much information as possible. This meant that figures, buildings and landscapes were out of proportion to each other, but captured the whole event in a single picture. I then chose to work with what could be termed as 'two horizons'. I also change the proportions so that everything I consider relevant fits into the picture, regardless of perspective. I don't always work this way, only when I feel the subject is suitable."

Originally from Coventry, John is now based in the West Country, and has exhibited at the RWA. John has become a sought-after painter and his work is in many collections, including the Permanent Collection, Palace of Westminster, and in Canada, Germany, Japan and the USA. For more information, or an invitation to the preview on Saturday 17 February, when John will be present in the gallery, please contact us at the number below. BL

Lime Tree Gallery 84 Hotwell Road, Bristol BS8 4UB Email: sue@limetreegallery.com Tel: 0117 929 2527 www.limetreegallery.com

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

26 January – 26 February 2018

APART FROM ANYTHING ELSE, IT’S A BONZER MONTH FOR COMEDY . . .

Could they be any Closer (Each Day)? The improv soap bubbles on; it’s a Bugg’s life at Colston Hall; is this the future of theatre? Ferment at BOV

Exhibitions

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 diverse exhibition takes a walk

UNTIL 8 APRIL 2018

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

30 JANUARY-11 FEBRUARY

ROOFTOPS & ARCHWAYS Susie Ramsay’s new collection of paintings – a solo exhibition continuing Susie’s focus on Bristol’s architectural landscapes. At Christmas Steps Gallery; susie-ramsay-artist.com 30 JANUARY-11 MARCH

ANNE REDPATH The vibrant paintings of the RWA Academician and Associate Royal Academician, rwa.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

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

31 JANUARY-12 MAY

NIALL MCDIARMID: TOWN TO TOWN The second exhibition at the new Martin Parr Foundation focuses on work by Scottish photographer Niall, whose been travelling around

documenting the people and landscapes of Britain, including Bristol. At Paintworks; martinparrfoundation.org 6 FEBRUARY-4 MARCH

NEIL MURISON A solo exhibition of work by the Academician, who mostly takes his inspiration from nature; at RWA; rwa.co.uk 12-16 FEBRUARY

BIBA INSPIRATION Fashion illustration by Bristolbased Italian artist Emanuela Di Filippo, inspired by Biba’s ’60s and ’70s Swinging London style. At The Vestibules; theislandbristol.com 24 FEBRUARY-15 APRIL

IMMAN ISSA A series of ‘displays’ by Imman

W H AT ’ S O N

that questions the function of public sculpture and monuments; spikeisland.org.uk

offer their take on life in the ring. At The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

Theatre & shows

13-17 FEBRUARY

UNTIL 3 FEBRUARY

FERMENT FORTNIGHT Glimpse the future of theatre as BOV invite top Ferment artists to open up their creative process and share work-in-progress pieces; at BOV, Watershed and Loco Klub. bristololdvic.org.uk 30 JANUARY-3 FEBRUARY

LABELS Writer/performer Joe SellmanLeava 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 transport you to Imperial India, conjuring up the elephants and caves, 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 31 JANUARY-3 MARCH

WICKED See feature page 24. 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; with storytelling, physical action, and live music, and a sprinkling of original Old English; redgravetheatre com 6-10 FEBRUARY

THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE A touching story of family and marriage, told through the eyes of four grown siblings. At Bristol Old Vic; bristololdvic.org.uk 7-9 FEBRUARY

CORNERMEN Smoke & Oakum Theatre’s the name, and boxing’s the game, as this new writing company

ARTS

SEXY Vanessa Kisuule explores our obsession with sexiness through comedy, spoken word, dance and various states of undress, at The Wardrobe, for BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk 15-16 FEBRUARY

PANDORA’S BOX NMTA invite you to experience an alternate reality where beasts speak, chaos ravages the earth, and a man’s lust for power threatens the survival of humanity. At The Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com 20-21 FEBRUARY

HAPPINESS LTD New Model Theatre present a humorous new play by Tom Nicholas, asking prescient questions about depression, ambition and how you measure the success (or otherwise) of a life; at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com 22-24 FEBRUARY

HELP! Viki Browne presents a show about asking for help after her world was shattered by mental ill health; at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com 22 FEBRUARY-1 APRIL

MACBETH You’re not wrong; traditionally, this is the time of year that Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory would open its spring double-bill. But the fest has moved to autumn; what we have here is Adele Thomas’s take on the Thane, as the first production by the Factory Company at TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com

Life’s but a walking shadow at TFT as The Factory take on Macbeth

album while watching 360˚ psychedelic visuals at We the Curious – in Fulldome. Far out, man. wethecurious.org

18 FEBRUARY 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.

The on-screen play-through of the game is accompanied by live narration and the performance of BAFTA-winning Jessica Curry’s score, at Colston Hall; colstonhall.org 11 FEBRUARY

CZECH PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA A double helping of Dvorak frames Shostakovich’s pithy concerto as the mighty Czech Philly returns to Colston Hall; colstonhall.org 16 FEBRUARY

24-25 FEBRUARY

SCOTT BRADLEE’S POSTMODERN JUKEBOX Jazzily bringing their vintage-pop mash-ups to the Colston Hall stage once again; colstonhall.org

Music

17 FEBRUARY

THOROUGHLY MODERN MUSICALS A cabaret evening celebrating the past 20 years; Bristol Improv Theatre; improvtheatre.co.uk

UNTIL 20 FEBRUARY

WISH YOU WERE HERE Hear Pink Floyd’s classic

post-punk meets glam rock and industrial – to The Station; colstonhall.org

HMLTD The avant-garde art rock darlings bring their explosive and arrestingly visual live performance – think gothic

SEAL: THE STANDARDS TOUR The soul legend returns to the Colston Hall stage for a night of old Hollywood glamour and timeless classics; colstonhall.org 21 FEBRUARY

LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Robin Ticciati forges an intriguing Franco-German entente cordiale that smoulders and seduces, at Colston Hall; colstonhall.org 24 FEBRUARY

JAKE BUGG The Nottingham singersongwriter brings his solo acoustic working man’s swagger to Colston Hall; colstonhall.org 24-25 FEBRUARY

ST GEORGE’S RELAUNCH WEEKEND Bristol’s revered music venue offers up a banquet of live music and pop-up performances to celebrate its recent refurb and expansion, with a chance to explore the new spaces and dive into the heady dawn-till-dusk celebration of music and ideas.

The programme includes Yola Carter with Ewan McLennan, and Manu Delago with Chamber Orchestra. stgeorgesbristol. co.uk w

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 21

W H AT ’ S O N

A stand-up who cooks food (surprisingly good food) live on stage, using unconventional methods and unexpected equipment; at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com 19-21 FEBRUARY

TIM VINE Tim’s back on tour, telling lots of silly new jokes and showing off new homemade props with apparent confidence. At The Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com 23 FEBRUARY

KATHERINE RYAN; GLITTER ROOM Lightning wit and astringent observations from the Canadian 8 out of 10 Cats, Buzzcocks and Mock the Week favourite; At Colston Hall; colstonhall.org

Other 26 JANUARY Love, hate. Actually, mostly hate: La Haine, with Asian Dub Foundation live; ‘Bristol Comedy Flat’ alumni John Robins

Comedy 26 JANUARY, 12 FEBRUARY

CLOSER EACH DAY The world’s longest improvised comedy soap continues to bubble away amusingly; thewardrobetheatre.com 26-28 JANUARY

SLAPSTICK FESTIVAL Bristol’s beloved Slapstick’s back, with a stellar line up. www.slapstick.org.uk 1 FEBRUARY

IAIN STIRLING: U OK HUN? The BAFTA winner serves up a 20-something’s perspective on dinner party etiquette, feminism and the pressures on a generation brought up in a world of instant gratification. At Colston Hall; colstonhall.org

winning comedian’s back in town, reflecting on love, loss and the fact he can’t break up with himself; redgravetheatre.com 11 FEBRUARY

SHAPPI KHORSANDI: MISTRESS AND MISFIT The likeable Shappi takes her whip-cracking UK tour to the road and pulls into Bristol Old Vic; bristololdvic.org.uk 12 FEBRUARY

MARK THOMAS: SHOWTIME FROM THE FRONTLINE Jenin refugee camp – not a place synonymous with laughs.

But it is also home to the Jenin Freedom Theatre and to people with a wealth of stories to tell. A story about being yourself in a place that wants to put you in a box. bristololdvic.org.uk 13-14 FEBRUARY

7 FEBRUARY

JIMMY CARR: THE BEST OF, ULTIMATE, GOLD, GREATEST HITS TOUR The most prolific man in comedy revisits some of his favourite jokes from the last 15 years; colstonhall.org

JOE LYCETT: I’M ABOUT TO LOSE CONTROL AND I THINK JOE LYCETT Joe shares jokes, paintings and some of the pathetic internet trolling he’s been up to recently, along with the most puntastic tour name we’ve heard for a while. bristololdvic.org.uk

10 FEBRUARY

JOHN ROBINS The double Chortle Award

18 FEBRUARY

GEORGE EGG: DIY CHEF

LA HAINE WITH ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION LIVE ADF present their reimagined score to the cult movie at the Anson Rooms; the soundtrack played live by the band accompanies a powerful filmic journey into the tension-filled world of the Parisian suburbs. bristolsu.org.uk 27 JANUARY

WHISKY AND RUM FESTIVAL Warm your cockles at Weston’s Grand Pier’s new festival; bracing walk along the seafront not obligatory. grandpier.co.uk FROM 30 JANUARY, ON TUESDAYS

BLOOD & BUTCHERY IN BEDMINSTER Grusesome pub walk from the renowned Show of Strength.

Delve deep into the dodgier bits of Bedminster’s history, with tales of body snatchers, concrete coffins, hangings judges and the most notorious heist in living memory. stagestubs.com 3 FEBRUARY

COLSTON HALL RECORD FAIR You know the drill. Everything from £1 bargains to pricey rarities, in most genres of music from the ’50s to present day.

The clue to the venue’s in the title. colstonhallrecordfair.co.uk

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9-11 FEBRUARY

THE CITY OF GAMES The three-day gaming convention comes to Future Inns, with hundreds of games to play, from the old classics to the latest Gen Con and Essen releases. thecityofgames.com 10 FEBRUARY

SOUTH WEST VEGAN FESTIVAL Vegfest may be off the table, but a new fest comes to Passenger Shed with over 100 stalls. Mostly, but not exclusively, selling food. southwestveganfestival.com 18 FEBRUARY

REMEMBERING THE DAMBUSTERS Hear a first-hand account of the historic WWII raid at Thornbury Castle Hotel from George ‘Johnny’ Johnson, MBE – an original member of the RAF crew that were never expected to return. thornburycastle.co.uk 23-24 FEBRUARY

DEATH DISCO How goth is this? Choose three songs that sum up your life, and hear them played in a Victorian Mortuary Chapel. The songs can remind you of someone you’ve lost, songs you’d like played at your wake or just your favourite songs about death.

You have favourite songs about death, yeah? Part of Arnos Vale’s four-day Life, Death (and the Rest) festival, which also includes Taste Along to Sleepy Hollow with Conjurers Kitchen on 24 February; arnosvale.org.uk 24 FEBRUARY

GRAND BALL Dress to impress, head for the Mercure Hotel, and help to raise money for the excellent Holly Hedge animal sanctuary; hollyhedge.org.uk THE STORY OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM Few stories are more thrilling and more extraordinary than that of our solar system and the planets, moons, asteroids and comets that orbit the star we call Sun. In this new live show, astronomer Will Gater brings this remarkable tale to the stage. at The Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com

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

Something

WICKED

this way comes He was wicked, if admittedly fit, in EastEnders. In Wicked, he’s just fit.

As the award-winning show flies back to Bristol, we meet leading man Aaron Sidwell, and find out what makes the musical box-office gold

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here are two sides to every story. Wicked may tread very similar narrative ground to The Wizard of Oz – in fact, the story prequels and travels in tandem with the familiar tale – but in this case it’s told from the witches’ point of view, not that of a little Midwest cutie in plaits. Not everything is about you, Dorothy love.

Here’s the premise. Glinda and Elphaba meet at sorcery school – just like Harry and Ron at Hogwarts, but with much more elaborate clothing. It’s mostly about friendship, but it’s also a political, social and ethical commentary on the nature of good and evil.

Here’s how it all came about. If L Frank Baum’s fantasy world of Oz wasn’t trippy enough, in 1995 a writer named Gregory Maguire took it upon himself to pen a prequel: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, a complex story of love, loyalty and betrayal, and the difficulty of being green.

The book appealed to lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz, who premiered his musical version at the Gershwin Theatre in New York in 2003. Despite the odd critical pasting (and yes, a few would still argue that the songs are less than hummable) it was an overnight box office smash – and now it’s coming to Bristol to brighten your drab little lives this February.

Playing the male lead of Fiyero – local prince and heart-throb, and the love interest of both ‘good’ witch Glinda and ‘she’s-not-as-bad-as-youthought’ witch Elphaba – is Aaron Sidwell.

Aaron’s lately been sprung from EastEnders, in which he played the troubled and troublesome Steven Beale, so complicated characters are pretty much all in the day’s work. As anyone 24 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

who has ever watched the denizens of Albert Square belting out big tunes on Children in Need, or effortlessly winning 10s on Strictly will know, nearly all of the cast can also sing and dance – and Aaron’s no exception.

Aaron, is musical theatre something you’ve always aspired to?

Absolutely, I always wanted to come back to musical theatre. Growing up, most of the youth theatre productions I did were musicals, so I feel like it’s where I came from and where I learnt the craft. I’ve always been more of a theatre lover, to be honest.

What was your original performance background?

I didn’t really have a typical training, in which you go off to drama school, as I was pretty young when I started on EastEnders; I was 18 when I was cast as Steven, and it was my first job.

Before that I was acting at sixth-form college, so getting my first television job was a bit daunting, but such a great opportunity.

Was Wicked a show you’d always fancied starring in?

I first met the producers of Wicked about four years ago, and I came very close to joining the show then, so there has been a long conversation about my playing Fiyero. I first saw the show about ten years ago and fell in love with it instantly. It’s such a great show with a really interesting political message.

Tell us a bit about your character in Wicked Fiyero is a student at Shiz University, where he meets Glinda and Elphaba as classmates. On the surface, he is a spoilt rich kid who’s a bit of w

WICKED STATS TO IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS • Wicked was one of the top five longest running musicals to have played the West End. It’s been translated into Japanese, German, Dutch, Spanish and Korean, and seen by more than 50 million people in 15 different countries.

• It’s won over 100 international awards.

• It takes more than 100 people, both on-stage and behind the scenes, to deliver every performance. In a tally of a recent production there were 350 costumes, 140 wigs, almost 250 pairs of shoes and 110 hats.

• It usually takes even the most successful productions up to three years to recoup their original investment.

Wicked made back its $14 million in just 14 months.

• Until they hook up Elphaba’s broom to a solar panel, Wicked will not be saving the planet any time soon. 12 homes could be powered with the amount of electricity it takes to stage the show every night. The production also requires about 250 pounds of dry ice.

ONE TO ONE

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It takes over 100 people to put on Wicked; here’s two of them.

Fiyero (Aaron Sidwell) and Elphaba (Amy Ross)

THE STORY PREQUELS THE WIZARD OF OZ, BUT IS TOLD FROM THE WITCHES’ POINT OF VIEW, RATHER THAN THAT OF SOME LITTLE MIDWEST CUTIE IN PLAITS

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ONE TO ONE

Above: the review in Bristol Life had led Elphaba to expect a bit more from Canopy & Stars @Crane29 Top right: Aaron looking exceedingly dapper in between shows

trouble. But underneath all the bravado he has hidden depths, and it becomes clear that really he’s lonely and vulnerable, and looking for some meaning to his life. He’s a great character to play.

What bit of the show are you most enjoying?

The great thing about Wicked is that every song, every moment, is hugely important to the story, so there are so many I could choose. Fiyero has two songs which are completely different in character, but I have a soft spot for As Long As You’re Mine, a duet Fiyero sings with Elphaba, where they finally begin to be honest with each other about how they feel. It’s the first time we see Fiyero’s true character.

YET MORE WICKED FACTS • Critics may now call Wicked one of the greatest musicals of all time, but they weren’t quite so impressed to begin with.

“The yellow road has a few bricks missing” – sniffed The San Francisco Chronicle.

“Not one of [the songs] is memorable” – sulked The New Yorker. “Wicked does not speak hopefully for the future of the Broadway musical” – predicted The New York Times.

• There’s a tiny (like, really tiny) tribute to The Wizard of Oz’s Somewhere Over the Rainbow in the first few notes of the Unlimited/I’m Limited theme. It’s only the first seven notes – eight and upwards means you’re infringing the copyright laws. Nobody wants to infringe the copyright laws.

• NASA once used Wicked belter Defying Gravity as a wake-up call for astronauts in space.

• Elphaba had no name in L Frank Baum’s Oz books; she was just The Wicked Witch of the West. Gregory Maguire used Baum’s initials – L-F-B – to make the name.

• Fancy cosplaying Elphaba? Easy peasy.

Her green skin is famously created by MAC Chromacake eye shadow.

• They’ve been talking about a movie for years, and it’s finally becoming a reality with a Stephen ‘Billy Elliot’ Daldry’s version due for release in December 2019. Nicole Scherzinger is hotly tipped for Elpheba; other names being bandied about include Harry Styles.

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For those who have never seen Wicked, what makes it such a spectacular and longrunning show?

What audiences connect with the most is the story at the heart of Wicked. It’s a story of friendship, and standing up for what you believe in. It’s also a story of being misunderstood, which is something I think people of all ages feel at some stage. It’s a really special story which everyone can relate to. It’s also a spectacular production – what audiences will see in Bristol is the full West End show, which is an absolute visual feast.

You were handed a fairly unsympathetic character in Steven Beale – did you relish playing the villain?

I think in the end there was a lot of sympathy for Steven. He was a tragic character by nature, and he was really at his best when his back was against the wall and things were spiralling. His moments of happiness were very brief!

How does touring in a demanding musical compare to the experience of working on a long-running TV drama?

Working in TV and theatre requires totally different disciplines. In theatre, the need to keep yourself at the top of your game at all times is far greater. You’re performing live eight times a week and there are no second takes, so it’s really important to look after yourself.

Wicked runs at Bristol Hippodrome between 31 January-3 March www.atgtickets.com

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BRISTOL HEROES

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In the first in a new series, COLIN MOODY presents a photographic tribute to the people and places who make Bristol great. First up, it’s all about engineering and heritage

LOCAL HEROES

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ver the last year or so, photographer and broadcaster Colin Moody has been putting together a series of photos of the people he’s met over the last few years in the city. He calls the series

‘Bristol Heroes’.

So what was the selection process?

“It involved noticing what people all around me were doing, and then capturing something of their tireless determination in an image.

“I work in local radio and present all over the city at many events which brings me into contact with a vast range of diverse activities. Some of these you may know about, others less so.”

We’ll be bringing you a selection of Colin’s Bristol heroes in each issue – beginning with an area that Bristol has long excelled in – engineering.

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This is Mike Burlington. He owns this Mark 264 air-cooled Rolls Royce Hercules engine, an engine that powered many Bristol and British bombers in World War II and powered the first package holidaymakers to the sunburn in Spain. Its fuel and service reliability made it a world- beater. Mike says that without this engine

MIKE SAYS THAT WITHOUT THIS ENGINE THERE WOULD NOT BE THE VAST AIRPLANE AND

ENGINE MANUFACTURING IN

BRISTOL

TODAY

there would not be the vast airplane and engine manufacturing in Bristol today. He has it strapped to his car on a purpose-built trailer and showed me it at full ear-throbbing top speed. He must be the only man in the UK with a Rolls Royce engine to reverse with in his car. So with Mike and the engine itself we kick off with two Bristol Heroes in one image, right here.

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Sticking with engineering marvels, this is the fastest car in the world – at least it will be when it goes at 1000 mph this year. The Bloodhound, designed and built in Bristol, is a marvel, with a 3D printed titanium nose cone to take the pressure effects of supersonic speed.

When talking to the education team, I was touched to hear that “during the education programme, this car is being used to excite and find the next generation of young engineers and designers, so we can have hypersonic travel and who knows what else.”

Photograph taken at the Rolls Royce Filton factory, where it will pick up its Typhoon jet engines to thrust it up to super high speeds next year. The young people here may go on to design more marvels to put Bristol on the engineering map once more. Tantalisingly, I’ve kept the car mostly out of the shot, because for me it’s the potential on the left that may be the car’s greatest legacy. w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 31

3

ADRIAN

FROM PORTISHEAD POPS IN WHEN HE NEEDS A MODULAR SYNTHESISER, AND IT’S

SURELY

THE STUFF OF BRIAN ENO’S

DREAMS

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Here is Sarah Murray. She works with all her passion in the Underfall Yard with a small army of green boiler-suited volunteers to keep the living, working, thriving Yard going. When I took this photo several years ago she was in her old office with hard hat on standby, ready to go off and check building works. Workers were starting the long project of restoring, with Lottery money, the many buildings closed or mothballed at the Yard. Now it has a thriving visitors’ centre, where some of my documentary and landscape photography can be seen on display. What I love about Sarah is that she is always on the go, loves getting into every aspect of engineering and history in this wonderful place; with that hard hat poised, she can be out the door again in a jiffy ensuring the very best for the Yard. When you have a flat white at the café, think on about all her hard work and passion.

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Now a whole new kind of engineering. Sound.

Pop over to Stokes Croft and you can have made for you a customised music drum machine from Macro. Go on, you know you want one.

Between the Bear Pit and Hamilton House sits this rather normal looking shop, but inside, James (seen here) showed me what these machines can do. Marco (unseen, he is shy) started up the business when this was a record shop. Now it’s a music-mashing, tech-loving hub.

Adrian Utley from Portishead pops in when he needs a modular synthesiser and it’s surely the stuff of Brian Eno’s dreams – James tells me that post-Emerson, Lake & Palmer, this kind of technology has been very popular, and bands can come to find a unique sound here. Bristol has had waves of unique music, and Massive Attack, who are nearby, are testimony to that.

It’s really amazing to stand here in the shops, a stone’s throw from St Paul’s where the Windrush Generation brought that deep heavy dub and reggae into the music, and see how in these wires and flashing lights the Bristol Sound came to be, and continues to inspire new waves.

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Staying in Stokes Croft there is the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft China. Their attitude is that this area should and will always resist corporate takeover. Their porcelain with upcycled stencils that Chris bought from another of those closing potteries up north is able to turn out huge quantities of hope, and now their beloved cups sit in many a Bristolian’s kitchen.

Everything you need to know about the Bristol spirit is here. Take something no one wanted and turn it into something amazing in a way that no one else could have done, Bristolfashion. I’m documenting the work here for a larger project, and expect to see more porcelain wonders. But aside from that, Chris is introducing me to the homeless and travelling community who are supported here in ways that are lacking in other parts of the city.

PRSC has water and power available outside its factory so that anyone who needs it can get water and a phone charge without having to ask. Giving hope and a bit of enablement to those who need it most.

LOCAL HEROES

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Now, film. 20th-Century Flicks is an institution in this city. They were in Clifton, but rents were too high, so they now reside on the Christmas Steps and it suits their business well. Tara seen here is busy checking new films and adding to their vast collection of music in all genres and languages. Come into this shop and it’s a whole lot better than any screen menu will ever be. There is a real sense of community here, people pop in, stroke the cat, ask about films, share reviews, have a chat about the Simon Pegg connection; while we were there we enjoyed a cup of tea and a savage take down on Bladerunner 2049. As independents go, this is one of the best examples of what Bristol does best. DVD rentals here with that “have you tried this film?” recommendation will, I am sure, create a Bristol Wave one day of new filmmakers.

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Follow Colin on Twitter @moodycolin instagram @moodycolin319

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L I T E R AT U R E

SISTERS in the HOOD

It’s fair to say that Bristol has always had a propensity for lairyness; it’s never really been a city to take things lying down. It doesn’t come as a huge surprise, then, to learn that Bristol’s suffragettes were among the most vociferous in the country. It’s 100 years since women were granted the vote, something that Jane Duffus’s new book The Women Who Built Bristol celebrates, telling the story of over 250 women who left their mark on the city

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ith my new book I want to tell the stories of real women,” says Jane. “Women whose stories you may not be familiar with; women who may not have gone on to be the first woman Lord Mayor, or to have set up a school for underprivileged children, but whose stories have nonetheless helped to shape the lives we live today.

“Alongside the stories of suffragettes and doctors and politicians, you’ll also read those of mustard gas manufacturers, child pottery workers and charity fundraisers.

Their stories are just as important as those of their better-known sisters.”

These were not women to be messed with. To whet your appetite, here’s a brief snapshot of just five of the 150 women profiled in the new book. For the full story on them and others, from doctors to architects, teachers, factory workers and more… there’s even a secret agent – you’ll need to buy the book, whose profits go straight to Bristol Women’s Voice.

DOROTHY CROWFOOT HODGKIN – The Nobel-winner

At an early age, Dorothy developed a passion for chemistry, and appealed to her secondary school to be allowed to study it, despite it being a ‘boys’ subject’. After graduating from Oxford, she moved to Cambridge to study for her PhD and pursue her interest in X-ray crystallography. After qualification, she set up her own lab and discovered the atomic structures of insulin, vitamin B12 and, during World War II, made a hugely important discovery when she revealed the chemical structure of penicillin. In 1964, Dorothy became the first (and, to date, only) British woman to win 34 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

a Nobel Prize for science for this groundbreaking work.

She was appointed Chancellor of the University of Bristol in 1971 and held the post for more than 15 years.

Jessie Stephen,

by Jenny Howe

her interests expanded to see her become director of an engineering company, fundraiser for a disability charity while continuing with the piano. In 1976, it was announced that St George’s off Park Street was closing as a church, so Blanche, and two others, approached the BBC with the idea of using the building for chamber music: the first concert was broadcast on 15 December 1976. A ‘Friends of St George’s Brandon Hill’ newsletter from the 1980s stated: “[Blanche’s] enthusiasm and optimism provides St George’s Music Trust with a pillar of strength which is so essential to the future survival and prosperity of the Trust.”

DOROTHY PETO – England’s first

EVEN AT THE AGE OF 85, JESSIE WAS ATTENDING UP TO THREE WOMEN’S RIGHTS MEETINGS EACH WEEK BLANCHE LONG – St George’s Bristol Blanche suffered polio as a child so was encouraged to study music, which led her to train at Trinity College in London, where she honed her piano skills. After marriage, Blanche moved to Redland where

woman detective Until World War I, women had zero presence in the police force. After 1918, there began to be a grudging acceptance of policewomen, and since the suffragettes had stood down from their campaigning in respect of the war, there was a pool of strong women to tap into. As early as 1914, advertisements were appearing in The Vote looking for women to work as special constables in the Women Volunteer Police.

England’s first training school for women police officers, the Bristol Branch of the Federated Training School for Policewomen and Patrols, was set up during World War I, and former National Union of Women Workers member Dorothy was its director from 1916-1920. After the war, she moved to Birmingham, where she became England’s first woman detective in 1920.

JESSIE STEPHEN – The suffragette Suffragist, trades unionist, politician, pacifist, lifelong women’s rights campaigner.

Even at 85, Jessie was attending up to three women’s rights meetings each week.

L I T E R AT U R E

The woman was unbreakable. Born to a socialist family, Jessie was working as a maid in 1912 when she received her first taste of activism by organising maidservants in Glasgow into the Scottish Federation of Domestic Workers. By the age of 16, she was vice chair of the Independent Labour Party in Glasgow, as well as a militant member of the Women’s Social and Political Party.

Following decades in London at the frontline of the suffrage campaign, and working as a Labour councillor, in the 1950s Jessie moved to Bedminster. By 1944, she was appointed the first female area union organiser of the National Clerical and Administrative Workers’ Union for South Wales and the West of England, and it was this role that brought her to Bristol where she would become the first-ever woman president of the Trades Union Council.

Jessie was elected as a city councillor of Bristol in 1952 and used this as an opportunity to speak widely and loudly about birth control. In 1978, Jessie received the MBE for her trade union work.

JACKIE THRUPP – The artist Art school-educated Jackie was wildly influenced by Dada and agitprop. Her friend Pat VT West recalls that on their first meeting, Jackie had “covered a hill in the harbour with polystyrene flowers . . . and looked very elegant wafting about. I asked her what they were for, and she said they were there for themselves”.

Jackie and Pat would go on to cause mischief together in their feminist theatre collaboration Sistershow.

Author Nell Dunn was friends with Jackie and described her as “exotic, astonishingly

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courageous and open and immensely creative”, adding that Jackie often appeared “to live on nothing, yet was never drab or crushed”. Jackie featured in Nell’s 1978 collection of real women talking about their alternatives to the nuclear family, Living Like I Do, in which Jackie speaks about the gendered power struggles in a marriage and how she was finding new freedom in her relationships with women.

To buy a copy of the book, go to www. bristolwomensvoice. bigcartel.com – all profits go direct to the charity Bristol Women’s Voice

BY THE WAY, CURRENTLY AT RWA… Women with Vision celebrates women in British art and features works by Cornelia Parker, Sandra Blow, Elisabeth Frink and Sonia Lawson.

The show coincides with Vote100 celebration, taking place across Bristol, and the RWA’s 160th anniversary.

Women with Vision runs until 11 March; www.rwa.org.uk

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LA VIE EN ROSE

WE’RE NOT SAYING THAT YOUR VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT HAS TO BE PINK; OTHER COLOURS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. IT’S JUST THAT BLACK DIDN’T STRIKE US AS BEING TERRIBLY ROMANTIC

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1. TEXT MACHINE

2. EYE LOVE YOU

3. NO WOMAN NO CRY

4. BACK TO THE FUCHSIA

5. A THONG IN YOUR HEART

Stella McCartney iPhone 7 case, £55 Bet she never sees this one coming. Especially if she doesn’t have an iPhone 7.

From Harvey Nichols, 27 Philadelphia Street, Quaker’s Friars, Bristol www.harveynichols.com

Lucky Eye necklace, £55 Some might say that if it’s not pink and glittery, it’s not a V gift. Some would like this one then. And if it also brings Some some luck, so much the better From Pod Company, 24 The Mall, Clifton www.thepodcompany. co.uk

Onion goggles, £19.99 The only time you want to see her shedding tears is out of gratitude for your thoughtfulness. Now, back to the onion prep, darling...

From Kitchens Cookshop, 167 Whiteladies Road, Bristol www.steamer.co.uk

Roberts Revival radio, £119 Because love songs sound even better in pink, and everyone loves Roberts’ mix of digital quality and hip ’50s nostalgia From John Lewis, Cribbs Causeway, www.johnlewis.com

Hanky Panky thong, £22

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Either she’ll adore this lacy, sexy thing or she’ll accuse you of objectifying her and throw it back at you. Only one way to find out, really. Do let us know From Grace & Mabel, 32 The Mall, Clifton www.graceandmabel.co.uk

ED’S CHOICE 6

SHOPPING

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6. ONE LOVE

7. MINI-BREAK MY HEART

8. HEAD TURNER

9. GOOD MORNING DARLING

10. IF YOU LIKE IT

Urban bottle, £16.50 “I love you, so I want to make the world a better place,” is the message behind this planet-saving bottle – here, of course, in Passion Pink From Amulet Boutique, 39A Cotham Hill www.amuletboutique.co.uk

Wallpaper City Guide, £6.95 It doesn’t have to be Rome – it could be Helsinki or Barcelona – but we really think you should tuck a couple of air tickets inside From Papersmiths, 6A Boyce’s Avenue, Clifton www.papersmiths.co.uk

Cable beanie, £39 (reduced to £19.99) It’s by Peregrine, so you know it’s going to be 100% merino; and if you really want to go crazy there’s a scarf to match too From Peregrine Clothing, Montpelier Central Trading Estate, Bristol www.peregrineclothing.co.uk

Bloomingville espresso cup and saucer, £13 The simple design and the nostalgic blush colour make this a total charmer From Fox + Feather, 43 Gloucester Road, Bristol www.foxandfeather.co.uk

Cushion-cut morganite and rose gold ring, £1012 If you’re not intending to pop the question, be very careful how you present her with this beauty From Diana Porter, 33 Park St, Bristol www.dianaporter.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk II CLIFTON BRISTOL LIFE LIFE II 37 www.mediaclash.co.uk 69

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

R E S TA U R A N T

FOOD

Dela Scandi style has steadily been taking over the way we think, live and decorate our homes; a restaurant influenced by its flavours and philosophy was the obvious next step, then

By DE R I ROBI NS

L

IT WAS

ara Lindsay has no Scandinavian genes, though you’d be forgiven for assuming otherwise; her blonde good looks and rather Baltic name suggest an upbringing steeped in lagom, hygge and birch saunas.

But Lara’s a big fan of the culture and philosophy of the northerly lands, and this enthusiasm has guided the style and flavour of Dela, the all-day café/diner in Easton that she runs with her friend Mike Orme.

Dela can be found within a large redbrick Victorian building that also houses the Mivart Studios, and so has an arty crowd for its neighbours; habitués of The Canteen in Hamilton House, or Jamaica Street Stores, will feel right at home here. The clientèle is a mix of creatives crowded chummily round big tables (swapping August Strindberg quotes, possibly), the buggy brigade, and older couples, who may well have been around when the building used to be a glass-cutting factory. Bristol style is represented by reggae playing softly in the background.

Given this century’s unflagging fandom for all things industrial, it would have been crazy of Lara and Mike to have ripped out the original features, so they haven’t. Airconditioning ducts criss-cross the ceiling, the effect softened by trailing greenery; wide windows give the place a light and airy look. The herringbone floor was a particularly happy discovery: “It’s Douglas fir,” Lara explains. How very Scandinavian, knowing which conifer lines your floor.

Dela means ‘share’ in Swedish, and with that idea in mind we bore down on a semi-occupied table by the window. The tables are all large affairs, typically seating six; few were completely free, so we asked the student half-hidden behind a serious-looking book bristling with yellow stickies if he minded us occupying the far side of his table.

He looked up at us, while pointedly marking the page in his book with a finger. “Do you plan to be ... interesting?” he asked. It was the politest euphemism we’ve ever heard for ‘chatty and disruptive’. “Yes, very,” we admitted. He promptly relocated to a table in the opposite corner.

We occupied ourselves with the menu. Dela’s big on local sourcing and home produce; it’s not veggie per se, but plantbased dishes predominate, with a fruit-to-root philosophy.

In the evening the smoked and pickled fish platters make an

FILLING

AND HEALTHYTASTING, AND IF THAT

SOUNDS

BORING AND WORTHY, IT

WASN’T

appearance, served with rye, sourdough and Dela pickles.

Lara has two allotments, and aims to produce as much as 50 per cent of the fresh fruit, vegetables, edible flowers, herbs and so forth, while local producers include usual suspects such as The Bristol Loaf, Severn & Wye, Sandridge and The Bristol Cheesemonger, along with brews from Arbor, Good Chemistry and Wiper & True.

The wine list favours organic, natural and biodynamic growers; the house white comes from Three Choirs. Anyone caught between rooting for English wines and finding them overly acidic should give this fruity number from Gloucestershire a whirl; I wouldn’t have fallen off my chair if Lara had told me it had come from the Sauvignon.

Dela opens all hours from brekkie to supper; we were in for lunch, when the ‘Dela bowls’ dominate. Our food came out of the open kitchen in precisely the length of time that reassured us of its freshness without keeping us hanging about, borne by friendly young staff who looked like they might say “Enjoy, guys,” but thankfully didn’t.

My Dela bowl came generously filled with a tangle of silky Portobello mushrooms, coated with lemon and chive butter, piled on top of a base of wilted cavolo nero and sautéed potatoes. Topped with crunchy toasted hazelnuts and salty bacon rashers, it had as much contrasting taste and texture as anyone could reasonably hope to find in a single bowl. It was filling and healthy-tasting, and if that sounds boring and worthy, it wasn’t.

The fishcake special, a big globe of a thing packed with fat flakes of hot smoked salmon, scored exceedingly highly in the fish: spud ratio. The anise hit of tarragon in the crème fraiche was neatly echoed by a fennel and chicory salad; the whole came topped with a poached egg, with sourdough slices for soldiers.

Lunchtime puddings are confined to whatever’s left on the pastry counter; we nabbed a very good crushed date and cashew nut slice on a crumbly base with an indulgent caramel and dark chocolate topping. Vegan, apparently, but it still tasted good. Oh, don’t write in, I’m winding you up.

Nordic cuisine is proud of the bounty of its seas, meadows and lakes. It’s characterised by cooking methods such as curing, smoking and pickling, and using forgotten or overlooked ingredients from nearby.

At Dela they’ve absorbed these influences and produced something that is pretty exceptional. It displays all that is good about food from countries lapped by the Baltic Sea: sustainable, pure, creative, beautiful. In addition, there’s a great atmosphere, and you might even make a few new friends – if you’re interesting enough.

DINING DETAILS Dela, Mivart Street, BS5 6JF; 0117 951 1499; www.delabristol.com Opening hours Tuesday–Saturday 9am–11pm, Sunday 10am-3pm We visited Wednesday lunchtime Prices from £7 to £18 for boards; a tenner will get you a substantial meal at lunchtime Vegetarian choice wide, plus several gluten-free dishes Drinks a fine selection of wines (including a few English gems) from £23 Atmosphere Nordic boho Service friendly, charming Children welcome

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 41

A winter’s tale There’s nothing wrong with February that a few warming dishes cooked from farm-fresh produce won’t cure. Our friends at Farmdrop are never short of inspiration – take a look at their website for more seasonal recipe ideas

Jerusalem Artichoke & Roasted Garlic Soup (Serves 4) Cooking time: 50 minutes Sweet, nutty and at their very best during the winter months. Jerusalem artichokes are wonderfully rich and flavoursome. This is a great starter for any wintry dinner party; top with truffle oil to make it really special.

Ingredients 1/2 garlic bulb A drizzle of plain oil 50g butter 2 white onions, finely sliced 3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked 42 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

500g Jerusalem artichokes, quartered 200ml vegetable stock 200ml milk 1/2 tsp sugar 100ml single cream Crushed walnuts or truffle oil (to serve) Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. 2. Drizzle 1/2 garlic bulb with oil, wrap in foil and roast for 40 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat the butter with a drizzle of oil in a saucepan on a low heat.

Add the onions and thyme leaves along with a splash of water. Cover the pan and let the onions sweat and soften for 10

minutes without letting them colour.

4. Next add the artichokes and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every now and again. Add enough stock to cover the artichokes and simmer for another 10 minutes. Pour in the milk and take the soup off the heat.

5. Remove garlic from the oven and squeeze the cloves from the bulb into the soup and blend.

6. Taste and season (at this point you may want to add 1/2 tsp sugar, depending on the sweetness of the artichokes).

7. Stir through cream just before serving and top with crushed walnuts or truffle oil if you’re feeling decadent!

RECIPES

FOOD

ASIAN BRAISED JACOB’S LADDER & CUCUMBER PICKLE (Serves 4) Cooking time: 4 hours cooking

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar 35ml oil, for frying

A cut of beef that is often underused, Jacob’s Ladder (also known as beef short rib) calls for long slow cooking until it melts in the mouth, falling off the bone. It is best to leave the meat to cool (preferably overnight) once it has been braised, so that you can easily skim off the fat before reheating and serving.

The Asian flavours in this dish work well with the richness of the meat, balanced nicely with the fresh and zingy cucumbers. Serve with fluffy white rice.

Pickled cucumber: 1 cucumber 1 tsp salt 100ml rice wine vinegar 50g caster sugar

Ingredients Braised Jacob’s Ladder: 1kg Jacob’s Ladder 80ml soy sauce 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 100g fresh ginger, finely chopped 1 red chilli, finely chopped 1 tbsp Chinese five spice 1/2 tbsp sugar

Method 1. Add the oil to a hot frying pan and brown the meat on all sides. Snugly place the browned meat in to a casserole dish.

2. Mix together the garlic, ginger, chilli, soy sauce, sugar and five spice then massage into the meat. Leave to marinate for an hour.

3. For the pickle, slice the cucumber into thin rounds, place in a colander and sprinkle with the salt. Leave for 20 minutes, covered with the weight of a plate. For the pickling liquid, gently heat the rice wine vinegar and sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Gently squeeze the liquid out of the cucumbers

and place in a jar. Pour over the pickling liquid and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

4. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Add about 250ml cold water to the casserole dish so that the meat is just covered, put the lid on and place in an oven for 4 hours.

While cooking, keep checking that the meat is covered with liquid and add more if necessary. Once done the meat should easily fall off the bone. Now leave to cool (preferably overnight).

5. When ready to serve, skim the fat off the cooled braised meat. In the oven or on the hob, warm through the beef in its juice, then remove the pieces of meat and cover with foil to keep warm. Reduce the sauce on a high heat for about 5 minutes, so that it’s rich and glossy.

6. To serve, coat the beef in the glossy sauce and serve with the pickled cucumbers on the side and a bowl of fluffy rice.

For more: www.farmdrop.com

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

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

R

osie first got into the dairy biz when working in a specialist cheese shop in her home town of Tavistock when she was just 15. The passion and interest started from there, and she’s worked in the specialist food and drink sector ever since.

How did you end up in a unit at Cargo?

It was done in very small baby steps.

Before I opened a permanent shop I ran the business in my spare time, while working full-time at independent specialist coffee shop Full Court Press. It allowed me to build the business gradually, and also gave me a safety net. It came to a natural point where I needed to take the big step, which was still a little daunting, but helped by the fact that I had been able to develop the business incrementally over the past 18 months.

Does Cargo’s location work well for you?

Yes, very well. It’s wonderful to be surrounded by such an array of local independent business. The area as a whole has a huge variety to offer the general public, and it’s inspiring to be part of an area made up of local, independent businesses. Our landlords, Umberslade, are very supportive too.

Were you surprised to be named the UK’s best speciality retailer at the Great British Cheese Awards, and why do you think they chose you?

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

Want an example of the Bristol entrepreneurial spirit at its finest? Look no further than Rosie Morgan, aka The Bristol Cheesemonger. After ‘baby step’ beginnings, Rosie now runs a specialist cheese shop at Wapping Wharf, and she won a pretty spectacular award last year…

Yes I was! It was such a wonderful honour for a business like mine which is still very much in its infancy. I was alongside some businesses which I respect and admire, which was an honour in itself, so to go on to win was more than I could have hoped for.

Where do you source your cheeses?

The majority are local. I collect as many as I can myself, direct from the farm or dairy.

Building a relationship with the producers is very important to me.

Do you make cheese yourself?

No, not currently, though I have spent days with different cheese-makers helping and observing.

Do you find it easy to switch off when you’re on holiday?

Ha! No, if I’m being completely honest. I think this comes with running a business which is also a passion. On a holiday in France last year I loved tasting the local cheeses – our lunches consisted mostly of cheese!

What’s more, I brought home a lot of the local reblochon to make many servings of tartiflette.

Give us your top recommendations from the current cheeseboard Ooh, that’s a tough question... I’d have to say a traditional cheddar; either Westcombe or Montgomery, both from Somerset, or

Hafod from Wales. I would also recommend Cremet, a soft goat brie-style made in South Devon with cream added to it. And Rollright, a delicious reblochon/vacherin style cheese made in Oxfordshire.

Are cheeses seasonal?

Yes, animals are affected by the change of season, and produce milk at varying quantities and/or consistencies throughout the year. As an example, there isn’t a huge amount of sheep and goat milk available at the moment, as in some cases they stop producing milk altogether in preparation for lambing/kidding. Not only this, but all milk varies in flavour dependent on the time of year and will have a different fat content.

What the animals are fed has a big impact on flavour as well as the make-up of the milk.

Spring milk is rich and fresh and full of flavour due to the new grazing and fresh pasture.

Tell us a fascinating fact about cheese Buffalo milk has the highest fat content of all milks, but is the lowest in cholesterol.

This shows you that fat and cholesterol are very different things, and that just because something has a high natural fat content, doesn’t mean it is bad for you, in regards to cholesterol.

Find Rosie at The Bristol Cheesemonger, Unit 8 CARGO 2; www.bristol-cheese.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK

Brixton via Bristol

BE OUR GUEST

MORE TASTY BITES NOURISH CAKES Landing just in time for the new year and all its good intentions is a new book by Bristol-based pastry chef Marianne Stewart – a collection of baked treats that maximise on goodness, but still taste amazing, and are beautiful to look at. Contained in Nourish Cakes (Quadrille, £15) are 50 simple recipes, focusing on healthy ingredients such as nuts, vegetables and dried fruit, along with flours such as rye or buckwheat. Many of the recipes are allergy- or intolerance-friendly, and each recipe is clearly coded to show you which diet it will suit. www.mariannebakes.co.uk

ROOT are kicking off a series of guest-chef events on 8 March, when the Salon Brixton team join Rob Howell in the kitchen for a collaborative six-course tasting menu (we’ve seen the size of that kitchen. They are going to be very cosy). Salon Brixton are all about seasonal and inventive food in a relaxed setting; they’re going to like it here, we think. www.eatdrinkbristolfashion.co.uk/root

Sticking with the Eat Drink guys, THE PONY & TRAP has also announced its first tasting menus of 2018; following a Burns Night supper on 25 January, the fish and shellfish tasting menu returns on 22 February with a selection of champagnes chosen by the FOH team. On 23 March, pork dominates the menu, with six sumptuous courses of sow in a nose-to-tail experience of supreme South West swine. More info in Josh’s column in our next issue. www.theponyandtrap.co.uk

PHOTO BY KIRSTIE YOUNG

GO CHEFS! This is all very well, but who will be cooking our dinners? The foodie all-stars below are all heading to Nepal between 24 April – 4 May, on a fundraising trek for Action Against Hunger. Making up the team are (l-r) Aine Morris, Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, Dominic Borel, Jamie Randall, Josh Eggleton, Kieran Waite and James Fowler, along with Freddy Bird. In our next issue we’ll find out if their prep extends any further than purchasing colourful brollies . . . www.everydayhero.co.uk/event/nepaltrek2018

THE REAL GREEK The Greek diet is famously the healthiest in the world, due to the fact that it’s based largely around fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, fish, and a small amount of cheese and yoghurt.

Just opened in Cabot’s is a branch of The Real Greek, offering plenty of tastily priced options such as Souvlaki Sundays – their own take on brunch, with a souvlaki wrap and chips for just a fiver, and the Athenian Meze menu for £9.95 per head. Working with the best suppliers from Greece and Cyprus, they offer both a dine-in and click-and-collect service; it may be the nearest thing you manage to a week in Corfu this winter, so get stuck in. www.therealgreek.com/bristol

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

TA PA S SPECIAL

LIFTING * the LID …

ON BRISTOL’S EVERIMPROVING TAPAS SCENE *… because you did know that ‘tapa’ was simply Spanish for ‘lid’, yes?

By DE R I ROBI NS

A

llegedly, the first tapa was just a slice of bread placed over a glass – a courtesy by the management to keep the flies off. Tapas have come a long way since these humble beginnings, and while you’re still quite likely to be served a simple tapa of manchego, chorizo and olives in downtown Cadiz, para gratis, tapas can also be the basis for highly refined dining – as Bristol’s Paco’s Tapas proved last year, when it blew us all away by gaining its first Michelin star less than 12 months after opening.

And while tapas traditionally have a Spanish flavour, the dining phenomena is international. The friendly concept of a bunch of little shared dishes knows no geographical boundaries; the Venetians have their cichetti, the Koreans their anju, the French petits plats, while you don’t need to travel further east than Easton to sample the Scandinavian-flavoured sharing platters of Dela. And don’t get us started on all the different types and nomenclature of Spanish tapas, pinxtos, raciones or bocas – feuds have been started over less.

When we launched this magazine in 2004, Bristol’s tapas and small plates scene was still in its infancy.

In fact, the only place doing it well was Olive Shed.

Today, every Bristol neighbourhood has its favourite tapas bar or small-plates diner; in this feature, we celebrate some of our favourites, and chat to their owner/managers.

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

Don’t miss the charcuterie board at Pata Negra

Bravas

The friendly concept of sharing a bunch of little dishes knows no

geographical boundaries

Kieran and Imogen Waite were early adopters of the tapas revolution, steeping themselves in authentic Spanish cuisine and honing their skills through supper clubs. By the time they opened Bravas in 2012, they had a ready-made fanbase, and their Cotham Hill restaurant has been packed most nights ever since; something Kieran puts down to “hardworking staff who approach their work with a sense of fun, with an uncompromising approach to doing what they do, and not following fads or trends.

“Tapas are the perfect dining option, because of the variety of dishes that you get to order and enjoy,” he says. “You don’t have to commit to one main course; you get to try different things. I also love that in a tapas bar you can see the food on offer on the counter, in the open kitchen, or even just the jamóns hanging.”

What culinary influence rules the Bravas roost?

Great produce, simply prepared with a Spanish, and specifically Andalusian, accent.

Choose a few favourites from the current menu Our fried aubergine with molasses is not only a customer favourite, but is also helping us raise over £10k for Action Against Hunger this year. We also hand-make croquettes every day; sitting at the bar with a beer and croquette takes some beating.

Where have you eaten the best tapas, like, ever?

In or around the markets in Spain. Where people sell good food they eat good food, so you can often find very humble yet excellent tapas bars around the markets packed full of vendors who have just finished for the day.

7 Cotham Hill; www.bravas.co.uk

A typically rammed Bravas



Poco Bristol

Poco became a Stokes Croft favourite overnight when it opened in 2013. “For those of us who live and breathe food, tapas are unparallelled in their ability to bring atmosphere to the table and the dining experience,” says director Ben Pryor. “Is there a better way to spend an evening with good friends? Flagging down waiters for a fresh carafe, conversation energised by each new dish to reach the table. Never a single envious regret of ‘I wish I’d gone for that one’, just that happy candlelit hubbub.”

What culinary influence rules the Poco roost?

British seasonal tapas – we don’t pretend to be your typical Spanish tapas restaurant. The key influence on our flavour and inspiration is Moorish, but with an awareness of Mediterranean cuisines. Locality and seasonality are the bedrock of all we do at Poco; we limit ourselves entirely to those ingredients, and don’t import anything other than the most exceptional organic lemons.

We adhere to co-founder Tom Hunt’s root-to-fruit philosophy, whether that’s making limoncello from our lemon skins or simply not peeling many vegetables. Our menu is plant-led and the meat dishes on the menu tend to be lesser used cuts, and game like venison, totally free-range and carbon-neutral by nature. We put a lot of love into what we do; we have ethical and social aspirations which match and supersede our commercial aims.

Choose a few favourites from the current menu The smoked pollack roe taramasalata has been a real winner this past winter. Roast heritage carrots in honey and cumin is so much more than the sum of its parts. Our deep-fried oysters never fail, and as for the mulling spice-braised venison with celeriac and watercress . . .

Who else serves really great tapas?

In Bristol, Root down at Wapping Wharf is a standout; the

plates Rob has been turning out down there are sublime. Dela in Easton do some really special small plates alongside their Scandi sharing platters, too, with a shared dedication to seasonality and provenance. But my ultimate tapas experience has to be Morito on Exmouth Market in London. Every element of head chef Henry Russell’s dishes is bang on; colour, texture, seasoning, balance, quantity. It’ll take something pretty special to knock that out of gold medal position.

45 Jamaica Street, www.pocotapasbar.com

The Olive Shed

At the vanguard of Bristol’s tapas revolution was Olive Shed, a bona-fide Bristol legend. “I believe our location is unique, overlooking the harbour and the twinkling lights of Bristol,” says Anastasia O’Shea. “We have a great team who are passionate about giving every customer a truly friendly dining experience, with great real food and organic wines. And there is no better place in Bristol to watch the sun go down on a summer evening.”

What culinary influence rules the Olive Shed roost?

We take our influences from the Mediterranean, encompassing Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Morocco. We use fresh, local, and where possible, organic ingredients.

Choose a few favourite dishes on the current menu For me, the Iberico bavette with manzanilla glaze and crackling is simple but glorious; the gambas with lots of garlic butter are a must, and no table is complete without the Sobrasada croquettes.

Where have you eaten the best tapas, like, ever?

Granada. I took my team on a two-day tapas tasting tour. Taberna la Tana was a highlight; every drink order came with a new plate of delights.

Princes Wharf; www.theoliveshed.com Ethical, fruit-to-root, oh-so-Stokes Croft Poco

Never a single envious regret of ‘I wish I’d gone for that one’, just that happy candlelit hubbub

TA PA S SPECIAL

At Root, Chef’s just a few foot away from any given diner, achieving minor miracles in his tiny kitchen

ROOT

This corker of a diner in Cargo puts veggie plates at centre stage, but doesn’t neglect meat and fish lovers either. Chef Rob Howells came out of the Pony & Trap stable (guess we’re not the first to say that, huh) and has mightily impressed us from day one.

What culinary influence rules the Root roost?

The produce. Our kitchen is pretty basic, which has influenced our menu, simply showcasing the produce with clean flavours.

Choose a few favourite dishes on the current menu Artichoke with a fried hen’s egg, mushroom duxelle and wild mushrooms. Beetroot has been on the menu from the start; roasted beetroot, pickled beetroot, with blackberries and hazelnuts, and finished with seaweed oil. I love using fresh fish, and creating a simple dish; at the moment we have scallops, sardines, oysters, sea bream and mackerel on the menu.

Where have you eaten the best tapas you have ever had?

Paco’s Tapas – the food’s class, and the atmosphere in there is also great.

Cargo 1, Wapping Wharf www.eatdrinkbristolfashion.co.uk/root

PACO’S TAPAS

The third part of the Sanchez Brothers empire opened in The General in early 2017, and bagged a Michelin star less than a year later. “We spent a long time before opening, getting to the essence of what we wanted guests to experience in the

restaurant,” says Peter Sanchez Iglesias. “It’s the authenticity and traditional flavours we wanted to bring to The General, but in a Bristol way. It’s a small, atmospheric space where guests can get up close to the cooking action and see the simplicity with which we treat the produce. Our team are incredibly talented, and the front-of-house staff are always ready with a sherry recommendation, too.

“Whether it’s beautiful cuts of meat, whole fish, seafood or seasonal vegetables cooked on our open grill, melt-in-the-mouth croquetas or the most delicious olives paired with a dry Fino sherry, tapas can be as much of a feast or a light meal as you want them to be. But knowing you’re getting the best ingredients possible is what makes it special.”

What culinary influence rules the Paco roost?

The tastes and flavours of Andalusia that we grew up with, passed on to us by our father, Paco. We named the restaurant after him, and wanted it to be centred around the authentic produce and ingredients from his heritage.

Choose a few favourite dishes on the current menu Whole grilled fish in manteca and Durok pork ribs marinated in herbs and garlic, slowly cooked and finished on the open grill.

Where have you eaten the best tapas, like, ever?

In England, José Pizarro’s restaurant José encapsulates everything I love about tapas bars, and of course I love any trip to Andalusia.

Lower Guinea Street; www.pacotapas.co.uk

w

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

TA PA S SPECIAL

WHERE

PEOPLE SELL GOOD FOOD, THEY EAT GOOD FOOD

PATA NEGRA

“Tapas are all about versatility,” say the team behind Pata Negra in Old City. “They’re the perfect dining option, when you’ve got lots of people and nobody can agree on what they want; also if there’s just two of you and you want to share.

They’re even great for solo munching..”

What culinary influence rules the Pata roost?

We often go to Spain to enjoy authentic tapas to ensure that our menu is a true reflection of what we are trying to recreate. However, you’ll see lots of local influences on our plates, too.

Choose a few favourite dishes on the current menu You can’t really enjoy a meal with us without our patatas bravas; they’re a variation on the traditional ones, which we think really work. Or there’s our Sobrasada, cooked soft chorizo with Manchego, honey and, the crowning glory, a crisp poached egg on top ready to burst over the rest of the dish. We have a great selection of charcuterie boards; and don’t even think of leaving without trying our churros or having a glass (or two) of sherry.

Where have you eaten the best tapas, like, ever?

In the UK it has to be Barrafina in London, but we can’t not shout-out to our Bristol brothers and sisters, Paco, Bravas and Bellita. We’re all a little different too, so you can definitely go on a Bristol tapas adventure and never get bored.

30 Clare Street; www.patanegrabristol.com

BELLITA

“Tapas tick so many boxes,” says Kate Vincent. “They suit the more relaxed approach to dining that people like these days.

At Bellita you can drop in for a quick drink and a bite, or spend a leisurely evening working through the menu. Our drinks are pretty good, too – all our wines are made by women, and we make our own shrubs (drinking vinegars), which we’ve done from the beginning and are now very on-trend!” w

Psychopomp, qu’est ce c’est; it’s not just about the sherry at Paco’s

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

TA PA S SPECIAL

DON’T EVEN THINK OF LEAVING WITHOUT TRYING OUR CHURROS OR HAVING A GLASS (OR TWO) OF SHERRY...

Never give a sucker an even break; octopus on the grill at Paco’s

What culinary influence rules your kitchen?

We lean heavily to Spain, North Africa and the Middle East, as they pack such lovely, punchy flavours.

be vegetable-led, to highlight the beauty of seasonal local produce without relying on meat as the central element to a dish.

Choose a few favourite dishes on the current menu Roast bone marrow with sourdough toast, chargrilled prawns with brown butter and chilli, beef and pistachio kofta with red pepper sauce, cauliflower, brussels sprout and crispy kale salad (much nicer than it sounds) and, of course, our jamon croquetas.

Choose a few favourite dishes on the current menu We have a sharing board on at the moment called January Roots, which champions these delicious earthy flavours – parsnip purée, glazed carrot, roast beetroot, root tops pesto and toasted seeds. This, served with a side of slow-cooked lamb and pearl barley-stuffed cabbage rolls with lingonberry jam and juniper salt, is a dead cert.

Where have you eaten the best tapas, like, ever?

Bar Canete in Barcelona – even better than Cal Pep in its heyday.

I’ve sent loads of people there, and they’ve all loved it.

34 Cotham Hill; www.bellita.co.uk

DELA

As we said in the intro, the sharing plate concept knows no international boundaries, and Nordic-flavoured Dela in Easton has as much to do with Andalusia as ABBA has with Cordoba.

“Dela means ‘share’ in Swedish,” says co-owner Lara Lindsay.

“We feel that the act of sharing food, passing dishes and making sure everyone has a bit of everything naturally creates an atmosphere of ease and familiarity that you don’t get from individually plated dishes.”

What culinary influence rules your kitchen?

We create menus under the umbrella of Scandinavian and Nordic cuisine. This is not to say we are a Swedish or Danish restaurant, just that we look to this part of the world for ideas and methods, like pickling and smoking. Our second underlying ethos is to 52 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Share some of your own favourite restaurants My business partner Mike and I recently went to Copenhagen for a food recce, and had some seriously delicious and innovative dishes from both Manfred’s and Vakst.

Mivart Street, www.delabristol.com

ROSA TAPAS

Run by the Zazu’s Kitchen team, Rosa opened on Whiteladies Road last autumn, opposite Polpo (which promptly closed).

Ideal for those who just can’t make up their minds whether they fancy Spanish, Indian or Chinese, Rosa’s USP is that every menu draws on a wealth of global cuisines – though using local produce, needless to say.

What culinary influence rules your kitchen?

Our collective travels. We have some amazing produce in this country, and we use as much as possible, just taking flavours, inspiration and techniques from around the world. w

EXPERIENCE THE REAL GREEK IN BRISTOL The new restaurant embodies the relaxed Mediterranean experience of eating in Greece. Guests can choose from a selection of cold and hot mezes, grilled skewers, marinated meats and Souvlaki wraps, alongside a selection of wine from Greece.

The Real Greek, 84A Glass House, Cabot Circus, Bristol, BS1 3BX. 01179 902170 bristol@therealgreek.com

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Reach the best in the west Affluent, active and influential and just a call away

Bristol Life team 01225 475800

TA PA S SPECIAL

Sharing Scandi-style at Dela

Choose a few favourite dishes on the current menu The Korean fried chicken is a hot seller, but so is the burratina mozzarella with beetroot and dukkah, and the mushroom bao – that’s the thing with tapas, you can have a bit of everything.

Where have you eaten the best tapas, like, ever?

Tickets in Barcelona – not necessarily an everyday tapas bar, but a seriously special menu, with a modern variation on tapas.

85 Whiteladies Road; www.rosabristol.co.uk

THE GRACE

Another offering from the Zazu’s guys. Tapas-style dishes were a key feature of The Grace’s menu from day one, when it opened in the summer of 2014 after an extensive refurb of what was formerly the Robin Hood inn. “We’re different, because we’re in a pub,” says Chris Nelson. “The Grace is a beautiful building, with a beautiful garden, and the fact that we serve the kind of food we do inside it, creates an amazing atmosphere.”

What culinary influence rules your kitchen?

The Spanish style of eating – but the cuisine isn’t solely Spanish.

Choose a few favourite dishes from the current menu The breast of lamb, with rose harissa, gremolata and honey-glazed peppers; the haddock arancini balls with parsley velouté.

Where have you eaten the best tapas, like, ever?

Both in San Sebastian, and sat at the bar at Barrafina in London, for the fresh seafood and the atmosphere.

197 Gloucester Road; www.thegracebristol.uk 54 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

FOUR MORE? OH, VERY WELL...

NEW MOON TAPAS At this family-run small-plates establishment on Clifton’s The Mall, chef TK’s mission is to change the culinary direction of the cuisine with each new moon – at time of going to press, it was Germany’s turn to shine. www.newmoon tapas.co.uk

THE REAL GREEK Just opened in Cabot Circus, this chain offers healthy Eastern Mediterranean dishes, including hot/cold mezze, Greek salads, souvlaki wraps and pies, made with ingredients from Greece and Cyprus www.therealgreek. com/bristol

BELL’S DINER & BAR ROOMS Established for 40 years on its Montpelier corner pitch, the beloved former bistro now serves sharing plates inspired by the robust cooking of Spain, North Africa, Italy and France. www.bellsdiner.com

SPUNTINO Russell Norman’s Brooklyn-style diner offers small plates of Italian-influenced comfort food; highlights include the Marla Singer Burger; named after everyone’s favourite unhinged Fight Club heroine. www.wappingwharf. co.uk/spuntino-1

Situated in the renowned Spike Island, we are the sister café to the much loved Folk House Café and offer a wonderful setting for everyone.

133 Cumberland Road Bristol BS1 6UX spikeislandcafe.co.uk 0117 954 4030

LOCAL, ORGANIC, SUSTAINABLE, ETHICAL, DELICIOUS. We also cater for evening events, wedding receptions, birthday parties, supper clubs.

Call now for more information.

40a Park Street, Bristol, BS1 5JG folkhousecafe.co.uk 0117 908 5035

Want to become a better leader?

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

FOOD & DRINK

CAFÉ SOCIETY Sta n Cullimore

LATTE OF HUMAN KINDNESS In which our correspondent has his faith in humanity restored by a cosy café

E

very coffee cup tells a story.

Apparently. Though, to be fair, the lovely Americano I had when I visited Lashings was more of a fairytale.

It all my son’s fault.

Again. He was driving his friend’s recently purchased van back to Bristol.

Climbing aboard to keep him company, I noticed that it wasn’t really a van at all; it was more an antique on wheels. Couldn’t believe anyone actually had the nerve to sell it.

The poor thing was worn out, beat-up and ready for that great knacker’s yard in the sky.

Sure enough, as we crawled up Bridge Valley Road, it died.

Which was a shame, because it was freezing cold outside. After a couple of hours of having our feet and fingers turn to ice, a rescue truck arrived and towed us to a little garage just off Whiteladies Road. So far, so good.

The bad news came when we chatted to the mechanic. Turns out, the knackered old beast needed treatment. Expensive treatment. At which point, my son rang his mate with the sad news.

Not wishing to get drawn into this miseryfest, most of which seemed to involve cursing the previous owner’s barefaced lying about the

reliability of his wheels, I went to look for a café where I could warm up.

Lashings fitted the bill perfectly. From outside it was warm, cosy and snug. I went inside and immediately felt peace return. The place was bustling, with students on laptops, children quietly reading books and parents passing the time of day. Best of all, it was warm.

Toasty warm. Without paying much attention, I ordered a drink and snacks, then went to wash my hands. Turns out engine oil, diesel and frostbite are not a winning combination.

By the time I got back, my son had joined me and we spent the next half an hour on a conference call with his mate, the van owner.

Half the time was spent discussing human depravity and dishonesty, as demonstrated by the van seller, the other half trying to get rid of the broken down antique.

All this kerfuffle meant that I hardly noticed my food and snacks, which was a shame as it all looked lovely. But the best was yet to come.

When the time came to pay, we had to dash.

At which point it turned out that the till had stopped working briefly. After trying in vain to get it back online, the girl behind the counter noticed my anxious haste and lack of change.

She told me I could go. Coffee was on the house this time.

Totally restored my faith in the milk of human kindness. Full of gratitude, I went back a couple of days later and paid up happily. But still. The moral of the story is clear. If you’re tempted to give up on humanity, don’t. Get yourself to your nearest café instead.

Just don’t use a knackered old van to get there.

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

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

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A MAN’S WORLD

SEB BARRETT

THE NEXT STEP Following their historic win, can Bristol City show that their 2-1 against Man United was more than a flash in the pan?

A

small corner of BS3 has been flying the flag for Bristol on the world stage, and it could be changing the sporting landscape in the city for the foreseeable future.

Steve Lansdown’s Bristol Sport project has been simmering away nicely for some time now, but it drew global notice when Bristol City shocked Manchester United 2-1 in the FA Cup just before Christmas.

Bless that little ballboy, flung around in celebration by the jubilant manager Lee Johnson. He subsequently made more appearances on the local news than the weatherman, being the only child to have ever withstood such G-forces and lived to tell the tale. With such notice came the feeling that this was a flash-in-the-pan success, and that we should make the most of it now because those results don’t come along very often.

Except Bristol City are making all the right

noises, and the gist of those is that this won’t be their only moment in the sun. To some, seeing the men from Ashton Gate facing Pep Guardiola’s trailblazers of Man City in January might have seemed on a par with watching Les Battersby from Corrie sharing a stage with Daniel Day-Lewis. The gulf in media coverage between Premier League and the leagues below it make the FA Cup an increasingly bizarre but romantic thing.

I’m certain the marketing department over at Bristol Sport wish they could harness all those people who suddenly became City fans over the past two months. Such an overflowing database would bring down the national grid. Lifetime City fans would have hated this, but not as much as Rovers fans, naturally.

So what’s it going to take for Bristol City to make that next step in their development?

Somebody explained to me the core tenets behind the recent success of the NBA’s Boston Celtics, who have sprung to life after years in the doldrums and with a heavy weight of historic success on their shoulders. They are:

TEAMS SHOULD BE AT THE HEART

OF THEIR COMMUNITIES AND BACK

GIVE

Win games – an obvious one, but it comes down to shrewd talent recruitment. The Celtics started to recruit ‘instigators’ not ‘retaliators’ in order to buck an awful trend of bringing in players who did the job on paper, but not on the court.

Fan experience – as a sports organisation, they now take great control of everything that happens until the game starts and after it ends. Celtics have made sure this is as good as it can be. Fan enjoyment translates to a huge buzz on game day, and that positively affects player performance.

Community work – morally and commercially, Celtics realise this is the right thing to do. Teams should be at the heart of their communities and give back. It is something that is beneficial for the players, even (or especially) the multi-millionaires of the NBA. Also, a child today will be your customer tomorrow.

On that last point, Bristol City have been particularly adept, not least if you include social media as an outreach tool. On this basis, they are Champions League winners, with their irreverent celebratory GIFs having gone viral.

Man City might not get away with such a high level of digital playfulness – it takes a brave PR person to suggest doing a video of a player squirting milk over his face after a chastening loss to Liverpool – but, being in the Championship, Bristol City can, and they’re making the most of their current situation. That support base is slowly building.

As they move closer to that impossible dream, promotion to the Premier League, we should look on with great interest to see what the GIF-givers of Bristol City do next.

Seb Barrett works in sports communications.

Follow him on Twitter @bazzbarrett

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

SALE NOW ON!

Lighting the way it should be...

Puccini 8 Light Chrome 50cm Pendant RRP £979 - SALE £395 Visit us in store at: Unit 2, Bedminster Retail Park, Sheene Way, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 4TA Tel: 0117 963 5943 Email: info@thelightingstudiobristol.co.uk Formerly The Lighting Warehouse

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OPINION

K A M K E L LY

THE SHOCK OF THE NEW If we had to name a spirit animal for our favourite DJ, we’d go for Tigger. Now, imagine Tigger unleashed on a giant trampoline . . .

W

ho knew that New is the New New? But it is, you know.

New Year. New Beginnings. New disappointments when you fail to keep up your New Year Resolutions.

I started my ‘New’ towards the tail end of last year. Bought a New flat in a New area. I now have a New local, though I don’t know how New it can still be considered, as the landlord recently invited me to sit with him and some other locals, claiming “Ere, Kam, you’re one of us now”.

So with the New abode, the New location and the New(ish) local, I now have the taste

for New. After putting in a New kitchen, New bathroom, New flooring etc, I can no longer even afford a deposit for a New(er) car. However, there are a couple of New things that I have tried.

Air Hop is up at Cribbs. It is a trampoline park! It is huge. Colourful. Bouncy.

Exhausting but so, so much FUN!! A New kind of fun (for me anyway) because it doesn’t involve ordering a round!

I’m fortunate in that I had to go there through work. But for 20 minutes prior to arriving I couldn’t control the butterflies in my stomach. They were more active than butterflies I’ve had before. It’s almost like they were in some kind of trampoline park!

If, like me, you don’t come equipped

THE BOUNCY SLAM DUNK THING MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE A GOOD ENOUGH BASKETBALL

PLAYER TO MARRY A KARDASHIAN with a sportsman’s physique or prowess fitted as standard, then the bouncy slam dunk thing makes you feel like you’re a good enough basketball player to marry a Kardashian. And The Battling Beams make you feel like a Gladiator. Not like Russell Crowe, but more like Wolf or Hurricane or Jet. In short, I loved it. Adults can by all means use it, but the reality is you’re probably more likely to be sat at mezzanine level, hands clasped around a coffee watching your contribution to the next generation having the time of their life. And the answer to the question you will mutter to yourself – “Will it really be that weird if I go and join in with them?”

– is: YES!!

Another New experience was walking a little further than just to my New(ish) local.

I walked Crews Hole to Hanham Mills over the festive period. A so-called friend had suggested I could do that walk within an hour. So with partner, partner’s kids and partner’s parents in tow we set off along the river.

Two and a half hours later we reached the Newly refurbished Chequers. Luckily, the service and food was good enough to stave off partner, kids and parents from stringing me up. Collectively they deemed it “worth the journey” so I lived to fight another New day.

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

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

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SPORT

DON’T IN

WILL CARPENTER Br istol Rugby club jou r nalist

STAND BY ME

SUFFER SILENCE. LIFT THE WEIGHT

All professional rugby players need support – and not just from the fans buying the tickets

O

ne in four people in the UK will be affected by mental illness at some point in their life – most commonly, depression and anxiety – and despite the perception of invincibility, this is no different for our sporting stars.

In all truth, the components that can act as a catalyst to mental health issues are magnified for professional sportspeople, from injury setbacks to the intense pressure of constant scrutiny. Almost 12 months on from the launch of the RPA’s (Rugby Players’ Association) ‘Lift the Weight’ campaign – aimed at breaking the stigma of mental health in rugby – former Scotland centre, Nick De Luca, has spoken of the need for more to be done to keep players mentally healthy in what he describes as a “hugely pressured and

PHOTO JMPUK

Bristol Rugby v Ealing

competitive environment.”

“I’m lucky that I’ve never had a mental illness,” De Luca told BBC Sport. “But I have had poor mental health and there are plenty of us [in professional rugby]. I’ve struggled to go to work and enjoy my job for Scotland or Edinburgh, and that was due to not having the knowledge or support around me.”

One of the first changes made by Bristol Rugby head coach, Pat Lam, when he took over last summer, was the introduction of a club handshake and its implementation as a necessity each and every morning.

Its purpose? To connect.

“By coming in every day and saying, ‘good morning’ and greeting everyone with a handshake, you actually spend a bit more time connecting with your teammates and colleagues,” says Lam. “It means you acknowledge each other.

Some people go through tough times and with 50 plus handshakes every morning, someone will pick up on the fact that maybe, something isn’t right.

“Every day, we’re building relationships, so when we are under times of pressure – whether that is a game or a situation around us – we know we have people we can trust and people we can rely on here.”

Lam leads by example with morning greetings, shaking the hands of each and every member of his staff and playing squad when they arrive at work, whether it’s a brief fist bump or the Roman-style forearm handshake – another Lam initiative in BS3.

As well as working as a support mechanism to ensure players have somewhere to turn in times of need, it’s also created a tight squad culture, one that continues to manifest itself on the field as Bristol target an immediate return to the Aviva Premiership.

As Nick De Luca points out, not everyone will experience mental illness, but many will go through periods of poor mental health as they deal with the pressure and scrutiny of elite sport.

Their actions on the field may sometimes appear superhuman, but it pays to remember that professional sportspeople are just like you and me, prone to the same highs and lows and in need of the same empathy.

As the RPA’s ‘Lift the Weight’ campaign highlights, despite a number of high-profile elite athletes speaking out about their own struggles with mental health, the stigma around these issues remains.

The RPA’s tagline is, ‘Don’t suffer in silence.

Lift the weight.’ And while a handshake won’t change the world, it helps create an environment where players feel they can speak up and seek refuge in their teammates, as and when they need to.

Follow the team: www.bristolrugby.co.uk

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

A RETIREMENT TO LOOK FORWARD TO

LAST REMAINING VACANCIES

across our five lovely houses in the Bristol area

C o s m e t i c a d v ertisi n g fe at u re

Meet the COSMETIC EXPERT Whether you need major reconstructive surgery following illness or an accident, or merely want to roll back the years with the help of a skilled surgeon or therapist, we’ve found eight of the most trustworthy practitioners in the city.

Simon Lee

Emma Davies

What sets you apart?

15 years experience as a consultant in both the NHS and independent sector. I have a highly experienced and tight-knit team; together we deliver the most modern and high-tech non-surgical and surgical treatments. We emphasise natural outcomes, with no or very well-hidden short scars. We have introduced procedures to the UK that are revolutionising the plastic surgical and aesthetic industry in a very positive way. We put results, personal service, and responsible practice first.

Why do you love being an aesthetic nurse?

The combination of art and science is perfect for me. Also, helping my patients look and feel better is really rewarding.

Simon Lee Clinic 0117 329 2027 www.simonleeclinic.co.uk

What services do you offer?

All facial, breast and body recontouring cosmetic surgery. High and low tech trusted non-surgical cosmetic treatments.

If you weren’t working as a plastic surgeon, what would you be doing?

Overseas aid work doing reconstructive surgery in the developing world, or sports coaching. But not before my children leave school!

Why do you love being a cosmetic surgeon?

3D artistry on living tissues and the impact of the results I see on people’s lives.

Simon Lee Clinic 0117 329 2027 www.simonleeclinic.co.uk

What sets you apart from other companies?

We are a team who share the same standards and ethics without compromise, with total support from Mr Lee himself.

That makes us genuinely warm and friendly – because we love our jobs! Mr Lee has selected the team and ensures we have the best tools to meet patients needs; we have no sales targets, and no hard sell; we have honest and informative consultations, unhurried treatment and care.

What advice would you give to new clients?

No matter who you choose to treat you, do not choose based on price alone. Treat the initial consultation like an interview.

Ask yourself whether you would trust this person to know what to do and look after you should something go wrong.

What misconceptions do people have about injectables?

That they are inherently risky, and that they make you look ‘done’ or ‘plastic’. In our safe, experienced hands, neither is true.

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

Nigel Mercer

Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, The Chesterfield 0117 910 2400 www.bristolplasticsurgery.com Why do you love being a cosmetic surgeon?

Getting a result the patient likes and which corrects the problem as they see it is one of the most satisfying things in my walk of life.

What misconceptions do people have about plastic surgery?

There are always scars and the potential for complications. It is not a quick fix and the person telling you otherwise is lying to you.

What made you specialise in cosmetic surgery?

I wanted to be a plastic surgeon from the age of 11 after seeing what could be done for children with facial birth defects. Cosmetic surgery is not actually a separate specialty.

Tell us something about yourself and why people should contact you.

I have a national and international reputation as an expert plastic surgeon, especially in cosmetic surgery of the face, (facelifts, rhinoplasty and eyelid surgery) and breast surgery.

My mantra is to keep patients safe, give advice, and not sell unnecessary surgery.

Ewan Wilson Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, The Chesterfield 07599 674447 www.plasticandcosmetic surgerybristol.co.uk

What services do you offer?

Breast augmentation, reduction and uplift; body contouring and tummy tuck; prominent ear correction; split ear lobes; gynaecomastia correction; scar revision; botox and fillers; mole checks; mole and skin cancer removal, as well as the removal of lumps and bumps.

What misconceptions do people have about plastic surgery?

People often don’t realise that plastic surgery is not just about cosmetic procedures.

As a skin cancer specialist, I perform the full range of skin cancer operations, from single mole removal to complex lymph node dissections for metastic disease which has spread around the body.

I also provide a full body mole mapping service.

If you weren’t working in cosmetic surgery what would you do?

In my younger days I would have been playing rugby, but now in my mid-life crisis I have taken up playing bass guitar, and would love to be on stage performing!

a d v ertisi n g fe at u re C o s m e t i c

Amanda Hawkins

MyFace Aesthetics 07793393546 www.myfacebristol.co.uk Why do you love being an aesthetic nurse?

I love seeing someone leave my clinic with an increased confidence, feeling refreshed and revitalised. Self-esteem is vital for your well-being.

What services do you offer?

I’ve trained with the most inspirational figures in the industry. I specialise in dermal fillers and antiwrinkle treatments, with a strong emphasis on volume replacement and skin rejuvenation. I also provide the famous 15 minute nose job (or non-surgical rhinoplasty), lip enhancement and Profhilo a revolutionary new treatment in facial ageing.

What advice would you give to someone coming to see an aesthetic nurse?

Do your research! Check how experienced your practitioner and clinic are and if they are equipped to manage complications safely and effectively. There is a lack of regulation within the industry.

Never be tempted by a cutprice offer, this will only reflect in the result you get.

What sets you apart from other companies?

I pride myself on giving open and honest consultations and tailored bespoke treatments.

Delivering natural results rather than following the most recent trends. Your satisfaction and safety is the number-one priority.

Elena Prousskaia

Christine Cowpland

What’s the most important quality for a surgeon?

I believe there is no one quality but a combination of necessary qualities. Technical skill is essential, but so is empathy and compassion. Being able to listen carefully and understand what a patient is asking for, and then interpret their expectations is also vital. The biggest misconception about plastic surgery operations is that they can fix everything wrong with someone’s life. A plastic surgery procedure can act as a catalyst to empower the person to take charge of their life, and to make changes in other areas to improve their wellbeing. The biggest challenge facing surgeons today is the inclination by some of the media to sensationalise and trivialise plastic surgery.

What sets you apart from other surgeons?

Being one of only a few female plastic surgeons in the UK - I feel I bring a female perspective to all aspects of plastic surgery, having a deep understanding of the physical and emotional concerns experienced by women or men wanting to opt for surgery, having empathy makes all the difference for many patients.

Why do you love being a cosmetic practitioner?

The work is interesting, challenging and constantly evolving. It’s really satisfying to see the happiness and confidence patients experience as a result of their treatments. I enjoy the continuity of getting to know my clients over time, and to see the often transformative effects of their results.

In what areas of treatment do you specialise?

My signature operation is breast reduction and uplift using a vertical scar, and breast enlargement using high quality implants. I also have a special interest in removing excess skin and bags from upper and lower eyelids and reshaping noses attractively. I operate on tummies, not just removing excess skin and fat, but also reconstructing the muscle wall after pregnancy.

What made you specialise in cosmetic surgery?

Seeing the trauma of women and men suffering from deformities, some from cancer and illness. I felt I wanted to give something to help their distress so dedicated myself into being a ‘Reconstructive Fairy Godmother’.

Lisa Sacks

Nuffield Hospital Bristol at The Chesterfield 0117 907 0086 www.lisasacks.co.uk

What sets you apart?

I offer a lifetime of free follow-ups as a continual assessment of my work.

Spire Hospital Bristol 0800 8021 886 www.elenaprousskaia.com

CMedical Aesthetic Clinic 0117 251 0112 www.cmedicalclinic.co.uk

What misconceptions do people have about plastic surgery?

Make sure you have clear reasons for wanting cosmetic and plastic surgery, this should never be carried out due to fashion or the latest trend, spend time debating whether the procedure is right for you.

If you weren’t working in cosmetic surgery what would you do?

Tough one as I love what I do, but I am fluent in three languages – Russia, English and Spanish – so maybe I could travel the world as a language teacher.

What sets you apart from other companies?

Compassion: I am gentle, listen to patients and offer a professional but relaxed environment; experience: with 7 years as a doctor in the industry, I bring Harley Street knowledge to Bristol and train other practitioners to do aesthetics; naturallooking results and a discreet boutique atmosphere where all procedures are performed by me.

What services do you offer?

Skincare consultations, the Hydrafacial ultimate facial, mesotherapy / skin boosters, anti-wrinkle treatments, dermal fillers, platelet rich plasma treatments for the face, scars, and for hair rejuvenation, acne treatments, micro-needling, skin peels and more.

What misconceptions to people have about injectables?

That results look unnatural. If injectables are done well, you should look great… but not ‘different’.

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

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE

“‘X’ HAS SEEN SOME HEROIC PRICE RISES OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS” But what property hotspot does X mark, exactly?

Turn to page 73

BRISTOL LIFE BUSINESS CLUB

GEORGE REVEALS ALL The irrepressible, opinionated George Ferguson is the latest speaker for the Bristol Life Business Club, on 7 February What’s more, the popular event has a new long-term sponsor – leading legal company VWV. George will be talking in an ‘in conversation with’ format about a wide range of business life.

City visionary, former architect, entrepreneur and, of course, first elected Mayor of Bristol of modern times, George is never short of insightful opinions.

The Bristol Life Business Club is a superb way of meeting leading Bristol business people from the coolest of indies to the largest of corporates. It’s a unique blend of people, reflecting Bristol’s commercial diversity and vitality – as ever, it will be held at the Bristol Harbour Hotel from 12pm, and compelling inside stories will be revealed.

Previous speakers have ranged

from Glastonbury’s Michael Eavis to Bristol Old Vic director Emma Stenning, Savills’ main board director George Cardale, Clifton College head Tim Greene, the erstwhile boss of Bristol Sports Andrew Billingham and the founders of the Lovehoney sextoy business Richard Longhurst and Neal Slateford. www.bristollifebusinessclub.com

£5.60 THE BIG NUMBER

The new cost of the Severn Bridge toll – down from £6.70.

Will the total removal of the crossing charge late this year bolster Bristol’s economy?

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

BUSINESS INSIDER

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS

HURRY! BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS CLOSE 23 FEBRUARY Nominations are flowing in for the Bristol Life Awards – and we have two new sponsors to shout about

T

he deadline for nominations is 23 February, and you’re advised not to leave it until the last moment and risk selling your achievements short. Any company can enter the Awards, via the Awards site, and companies can enter multiple categories.

The two new sponsors are Cabot Circus, taking the Leisure & Tourism category in its tenth anniversary year; and Lexus Bristol for Finance.

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,” Steph Dodd, event manager of Bristol Life’s publisher MediaClash commented. “And employees are often the ones driving their seniors 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.”

The Finalists will be unveiled by email, on the Awards site and on Twitter on the Grand Reveal Day of 27 February.

Ticket sales are also tracking some way ahead of this time last year, and are expected to sell out well in advance due to exceptional demand. There are also very limited sponsorship packages left available. For details, contact Lily Dalzell: lily.dalzell@mediaclash.co.uk “These Awards are set to be even bigger and better than last year’s,” Steph added. “We’re very pleased to

Don’t leave your nomination ’til the last minute, get entering now!

THIS YEAR, THERE’S A NEW QUESTION ASKING COMPANIES WHAT THEY’VE DONE FOR CHARITY

have such strong support from sponsors, and with such high demand for seats at the ceremony, it’s set to be an incredible night.”

The Bristol Life Awards take place on 26 April in a grand marquee, the biggest in Bristol, with up to 700 attendees, located in front of Lloyds Amphitheatre.

The current list of sponsors is led by longterm headliners Bristol Airport and Platinum sponsor Bluefin Insurance, along with category sponsors Cabot Circus, Lexus, Nicholas Wylde, Clear River, Juice Recruitment, CityFibre, Acorn, The Alternative Board, Dribuild, Clifton College, Burston Cook, Triangle Networks, VWV, Amarelle, SAM FM, Clifton Marquee Company and Enlightened Lighting. www.bristollifeawards.co.uk Twitter: @BristolLifeAwd

BUSINESS INSIDER

ESTATE AGENCY

MAN OF PROPERTY After over 20 years of working for top national estate agents, Rupert Oliver decided to set up on his own…

‘‘I

love property,” says Rupert Oliver.

“It is all I have ever done, and I have been fortunate to work for some of the best property companies out there.

My driver to establish my own firm was the changing market: technology was changing, and how buyers searched for and acquired property was changing. I felt strongly that I could embrace that change and deliver a better service to clients who would benefit from my offering a very personal, transparent service, incorporating the best that my experience and the improvements in technology can offer.”

What was your previous role and prior experience?

Before setting up Rupert Oliver Property Agents I was a partner at Knight Frank LLP in Clifton Village, and following that I was the branch manager/partner at Fine & Country, which I established from a cold start. I have just over 20 years’ experience in the property industry, primarily dealing in the mid to top end of the market.

What do you offer that sets you apart?

Experience is key to my offering, with a director-led level of service. This experience is invaluable to sellers, but also gives buyers confidence. A confident buyer is going to make the best offer, and one that has a firmer chance of sticking through the sale process.

This then goes on to benefit our clients.

In addition, we offer our clients a fixed fee – £5,000 + VAT which is paid on completion and incudes professional photography, floor plans and a brochure. It is essential that a property makes a great first impression, and this should be part of an estate agent’s package.

Both our buyers and our sellers also have

access to our digital back-office, so they can request and accept viewings, leave feedback and make offers at any time of day or night.

Once a sale has been agreed, both parties can then track its progress in real time. It comes back to transparency, and people can see exactly what we are doing for our commission.

Why have you decided to charge a fixed fee rather than the traditional percentage?

Quite simply, I do not believe that the cost of the service that we offer should depend upon the value of the property we are selling. We give our all on every transaction, and the platforms upon which most of our campaigns depend are fixed costs, regardless of the value of the property. It’s about passing that fixed cost onto the clients. We list properties on the three main UK property portals, as well as within the three main Bristol-based publications (including, of course, this excellent magazine). We have costed the fee to include exceptional photography and brochure production, together with expert advice along with a cutting-edge CRM system. Every client can be confident that they are receiving an exceptional service for a fair, competitive price.

Like many top agents, you’re based in Clifton. Bristol has changed and improved across many postcodes over the past decade – does Clifton still have a special cachet?

Of course it does, and it always will! The architecture is stunning, and the village provides some of the best independent dining and shopping. Road access is also good from Clifton, and as we cover a wide area, having access to the wider city is also an important part of why we based the office in Clifton.

What other Bristol areas have gone up in value, and what are the next property hotspots?

Without doubt, areas such as St Andrews, Westbury Park and Bishopston have seen some heroic price rises over the last three years; south of the river, Knowle, Southville and Bedminster are seeing the benefits of the new train line into Temple Meads and financial investment in Temple Quarter.

I should have kept my first home in Totterdown!

How does the Bristol property market compare with other cities?

The Hometrack Cities index has Bristol ranked regularly among the top five for house price growth in the UK and most market indices will suggest steady but ongoing improvement. It is such a desirable city to live in, with more investment coming in along with transport improvements and an increase in smart technology. It is an exciting time to both live here and sell property here.

What are your top tips for buyers when choosing a home?

Buy the best you can! Mortgage rates are still historically low, and if you can buy a home which you can add value to then even better.

Don’t try to beat the market, but go with your gut and listen to the estate agent. Whilst they are always acting for the seller, a good estate agent will always give knowledgeable and honest advice to both parties, as a successful sale depends on it.

For more: www.rupertoliver.co.uk

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

a d v ertisi n g feat u re l aw

Divorce – you don’t just need a lawyer Sarah Jackson at BLB Solicitors discusses how in complex divorces a good lawyer should act as team leader, pulling in financial experts when required.

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lthough it is a life-changing decision, getting a divorce is the easy bit. A divorce ends the legal contract of marriage only; it does not bring an automatic end to any financial obligations you and your spouse might have to one another.

Reaching a financial settlement is the most complex aspect of divorce and a good lawyer should be referring you to the relevant experts as you go about dividing your assets fairly.

As the partner heading up both of BLB’s offices in Bristol, I am accustomed to dealing with clients with complex financial affairs, including multiple properties, businesses, family trusts and complex pensions.

My job is to negotiate a settlement for my clients and then draft the agreement in the form of a financial court order. It is essential that, in so doing, I have sufficient knowledge to know when expert financial advice is required – for example in relation to tax or pension sharing – to ensure that my clients are not financially disadvantaged. If a lawyer thinks they can do it by themselves and they fail to bring in a necessary expert, this

can result in a substantial financial cost to divorcing clients.

My network of experts in the Bristol area, built up over many years, help me to negotiate the best deal for my clients.

One of these experts is a tax adviser at Saffery Champness chartered accountants, Zena Hanks. Here she gives an example of why early tax advice is important. BL Sarah Jackson is Head of Family Law at BLB Solicitors.

BLB Solicitors 13-14 Orchard Street, Bristol, BS1 5EH Tel: 0117 905 5308 E-mail: sarah.jackson@blbsolicitors.co.uk Visit our website www.blbsolicitors.co.uk

At a time of family break-up, it is easy to overlook that when dividing the family’s wealth between separating spouses, a transfer of assets can generate tax charges.

The transfer of assets between spouses who are living together can be made without triggering a capital gains tax (CGT) charge and as such are taxneutral. This beneficial CGT treatment continues for the entire tax year during which the couple cease to live together.

In other words, even if a couple cease to live together at some point in a tax year, asset transfers between them from the date of separation up to the end of that tax year will be afforded the same beneficial treatment.

From the beginning of the following year this beneficial treatment is no longer available. Any transfer of assets made between the end of the tax year of separation and the date of the divorce will potentially be subject to a CGT charge.

It is essential that those advising separating couples have a clear understanding of the potential tax implications and are able to instruct early specialist tax advice.

Zena Hanks is a tax director with Saffery Champness chartered accountants and specialises in advising high-net-worth clients in relation to their personal tax affairs and matrimonial matters

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

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THE AMD SOLICITORS PRIVATE CLIENT DEPARTMENT PRESENTS A SPRING WORKSHOP ON

AMD Solicitors invite you to join us for a practical afternoon workshop on The Snakes and Ladders of Life. This workshop will cover:

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• Who pays? - Care Fees and Inheritance Tax • Bank of Mum and Dad – The Lenient Lender • Where there’s a will there’s a way • Incapacity – who’s in charge?

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We will be holding the workshop in both Redland and Henleaze as follows:Redland – Wednesday 28TH February 2018 – 3pm to 4pm Tyndale Baptist Church, Whiteladies Road, Bristol, BS8 2QG

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Henleaze – Thursday 1st March 2018 – 3pm to 4pm Leonard Hall, Trinity-Henleaze United Reformed Church, Waterford Road, Henleaze, BS9 4BT

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The workshop will begin with talks by two of our Solicitors, Florence Pearce and Andrew Jack, and will be followed by a question and answer session. Florence and Andrew are experienced specialist private client solicitors. Florence is also a full member of STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), the leading professional association in this field.

Refreshments will be provided. There is no charge but a donation to our charity of the year, Guide Dogs For the Blind, would be appreciated.

To book a place at one of our workshops please

TELEPHONE: 0117 9621205 EMAIL PROBATE@AMDSOLICITORS.COM

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or call in to one of our four Bristol offices:

100 Henleaze Road, Henleaze BS9 2 Station Road, Shirehampton BS11 9TT

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139 Whiteladies Road, Clifton BS8 2PL 15 The Mall, Clifton BS8 4DS

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

(0117) 934 9977

LARGE BS1 SHOP

CLIFTON SHOP TO LET

• Close to the BRI, the University and city centre

• Lock up shop • Established retail pitch

• Prominent corner site

• Fronting onto Queens Road

• New lease

• Rent on application

• Rent on application

FREEHOLD FOR SALE (MAY LET)

164 WHITELADIES ROAD • Prominent busy location

• Rare opportunity to purchase a shop in Clifton

• Shop with A2 consent • 733 sq ft

• W ith or without upper 4 bed maisonette

• £17,500

• Price on application

8 UNITY STREET, BS1

NEW BOND HOUSE, BS1

• Stunning contemporary refurbishment

• Prime modern offices • 5,468 sq ft + 6 cars

• Prime office location

• V competitive rent

• C 1,000 sq ft to 2,750 sq ft

• Terms on application

• Terms on application

PORTLAND VIEW, DEAN STREET, BRISTOL, BS2

BEDMINSTER OFFICES • Open plan offices

• 2 New contemporary office units

• 5,493 sq ft • Parking on site

• 368 sq ft & 560 sq ft

• To be refurbished

• New flexible leases

• Rent on application

• Great space

FOR SALE INDUSTRIAL UNIT +YARD

INVESTMENT FOR SALE

• 21,442 sq ft

Numerous new investment sales coming soon in Bristol including HMO’S, shops with flats in Clifton and BS1

• C 1 acre • Freehold

TEL FOR DETAILS

• Guide £1,100,000

Ref Julian Cook/Charlie Kershaw

Julian Cook FRICS

Jayne Rixon MRICS

Charlie Kershaw MRICS

Finola Ingham MRICS

Tom Coyte MRICS

• • • • •

Sales/Lettings Acquisitions advice Valuations Landlord & tenant Rent reviews

• • • • •

Development advice Investment Dilapidations Property Marketing Auction Services

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

SAFE HARBOUR Ahoy! This total charmer of a cottage on Nova Scotia Place is the most shipshape Bristol property we have ever featured on these pages

By L I SA WA R R E N 80 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

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n our fantasy parallel life, we’d be living in a blue-painted cottage overlooking the fishing-boat bobbing sea in a Cornish fishing village. Imagine our delight, then, when our eyes alighted on Harbour Cottage in Novia Scotia Place, with its views across the waterfront; it’s a pebble’s throw from Underfall Yard, with all manner of boat-related activities and heritage on its doorstep, and a Bristol Ferry pick-up point to convey you to the city centre in the most delightful way. It’s nautical, it’s nice, it’s set in a quiet cul-de-sac – and just wait until you see what they’ve done with the place inside.

Harbour Cottage dates back to 1600. It actually began life as two separate cottages, which have since been combined to make the most beautiful waterside home. The porthole window in the front door is the first maritime nod; it’s practically mandatory to welcome guests with a jaunty “Ahoy, there!”

It’s hard to imagine, when you inspect the spick-andspan interior today, but the house was almost completely derelict when current owner Sue bought it in 2009.

“It was the location that initially attracted me,” she says, “The views were what really sold it – I can see right the way along the harbour, up to the coloured houses of Clifton and all the way across to the Suspension Bridge; it really is a uniquely beautiful place to live.

“Even thought the house was in a terrible state, there was just something about it. From the first time I viewed it I could sense a wonderful sense of history, and the feeling that it had always been a warm and happy home.

I’ve tried to retain as many of the original features as possible, but it’s now a spacious home with an open-plan layout and high-end finish, with a nautical theme that

400 years of history combined with an interior as sleek as a new apartment, with idyllic waterside views – sorry, why are we writing about this instead of rushing to buy it?

HOUSE NUMBERS

3

bedrooms

24FT

living/dining area

16FT kitchen

2

bath/shower rooms

£810K guide price

works beautifully with its surroundings.”

Another of the things that Sue really loves is the easy flow within the house and its connection with the outside space. “The large reception room flows into the kitchen and dining area, which in turn flows out through double French doors onto the sheltered and very private courtyard.

“I’ve also created a roof terrace, which takes in the glorious views across the harbour and the city. It’s a beautiful place to entertain, and a very peaceful spot to sit out and relax on a sunny day, and the terrace really becomes an extension of the living space during the warmer months – I love to sit up there and watch the boats on the harbourside, the sun going down over the Suspension Bridge, and the hot-air balloons overhead.

“It’s peaceful, but at the same time it’s also incredibly convenient. The water taxi is just outside, so I can hop on and get straight into town in a matter of minutes.”

One of Sue’s favourite rooms is the kitchen. “It’s sleek and very contemporary, with top-of-the-range appliances, and it has a lovely connection to both the dining room and the courtyard, so it’s perfect for entertaining.

“There is so much that I’ll miss about the cottage.

It’s easy to look after and a real joy to live in. I’m sure whoever owns it next will love it as much as I have.”

We’ve featured larger homes in this magazine, with bigger gardens, more numerous en suites and more eyewatering price tags. But for sheer charm alone, Harbour Cottage scores as highly as any we’ve chosen for this section. It’s definitely the most shipshape.

Fine & Country, 147 Whiteladies Road, Bristol 0117 973 3081; www.fineandcountry.com

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

BRISTOL LIVES

Q&A

S

Where did you grow up?

A few miles north of Liverpool – suburban rather than urban. ‘Real’ Liverpudlians sometimes question my authenticity. Even Ken Dodd did when I met him a few years ago, although I think I passed in the end. It wasn’t very exciting... the childhood, not Ken Dodd.

When were you first bitten by the theatre bug?

At school. That was the biggest part of the nonexcitement, and I was desperate to generate some.

We hear that you ran away from home to join the circus. . .

The circus was a rumour, put about to generate some of that missing excitement. I actually became a teacher first, so it was school I really ran away from, not home. Then I joined a theatre company that toured schools (I find change hard). We did a great production of Steinbeck’s Of Mice & Men and I played a very fluffy Curley’s Wife – she has no other name – and got strangled in the barn twice daily, before lunch and after.

How did you end up in Bristol?

I’m a West Coast girl who doesn’t like change – theatre provides all the volatility I need. All I’ve done is swop the Mersey’s estuary for the Severn’s, New Brighton for Penarth and North Wales for South Wales. It’s a lot warmer down here, isn’t it?

Tell us how Show of Strength began Show Of Strength started in 1986 – I’d no idea it would last so long. Theatre jobs are usually very short-term, as soon as you get one you need to find the next, so starting Show Of Strength was about making work rather than waiting for it. The name came from the acronym – SOS seemed a good one, it was just a case of deciding what it stood for.

Which of your past productions is closest to your heart?

I loved working with the legendary Alan Dossor, who died in 2016. Alan ran Liverpool Everyman when I wanted to get into theatre and had no idea how. Years later, when Show Of Strength created the theatre at the Tobacco Factory, Alan saw one of my shows, So Long Life by Peter Nichols, and said he’d like to direct something. We did several shows including The Wills Girls at the Tobacco Factory. I learned a lot from Alan, and miss him hugely.

Local history seems to be a big inspiration...

Yes, probably something to do with winning the school A-level history prize then running away to join the circus. . . Truth really is stranger than fiction, real stories are usually my starting point and I often don’t stray far.

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

At Docks Heritage weekend with Angie Belcher (left)

PHOTO BY ZULEIKA HENRY

heila may not be originally from Bristol, but over the past 30-odd years she’s made a bigger contribution to the city’s life and culture than most bornand-bred babbers will ever do – quite apart from anything else, she was the creative force behind and first director of the Tobacco Factory. She’s an award-winning theatremaker, and is about to take her latest dramatic tour, Blood & Butchery, to the streets of Bedminster.

SHEILA HANNON Nobody’s made a bigger contribution to the cultural fabric of Bristol than this Liver bird, whose new production Blood & Butchery is about to hit the streets of Bedminster Tell us a bit about your new Bedminster pubwalk show, Blood and Butchery I seem to trip over interesting stories from the past, and once I’d collected a few, people kept telling me more, until I realised I had a whole collection and maybe there was a show in it. I also like working with the Bedminster Town Team, who promote the high streets and traders, and this show is in association with them. It happens on the high street, so it’s partly about getting people to explore their local area, or, if they don’t yet know Bedminster, to come and find it.

Can you précis a deliciously gruesome story?

The man eaten by a lion in the back yard of The Steam Crane is extraordinary. He went into the lion’s cage and – ah, but this is a family magazine, and read in doctors’ waiting rooms, so I’d better be careful. But the local paper said it took 20 minutes to pull the lion off. The pub, too, is fascinating: it’s been there hundreds of years and doubled as a magistrates court. Many of Bristol’s most notorious pimps, thieves, crooks and killers made unsuccessful appearances there.

Tell us a bit about ‘your’ Bristol I’ve lived in Bedminster... well, Southville... well, Lower Hotwells for a very long time. I can even remember Bryan’s Cockle Shop on East Street and Plucknett’s Vinegars and Cordials on Braunton Road.

How has the city changed since you moved here 30 years ago?

House prices. I won’t tell you what I paid for mine and what it’s worth now. Multiplying the first figure by 10 is about half of it. And there are people living

in tents on the muddy banks of the New Cut. I think that’s a change for the worse. For the better is the huge amount of really great things to do, eat, see and take part in.

You must have uncovered some fascinating facts about Bristol – tell us one . . .

An ancient charter still exists that permits the people of Bristol to live in Dublin. If Brexit really happens perhaps we can all move there?

Please share some of your favourite places Bedminster! The Lounge, Souk Kitchen, George’s Café on East Street, Al’s Tikka Grill, Ashton Fruit Shop, great pizza at the Hen & Chicken.

Compuwave for all your IT needs.

How would your mates describe you?

When she was good she was very, very good, and when she was bad she was horrid.

What else are you good at?

Procrastination, a range of accents, a good lamb stew, swimming outdoors if the water’s not too cold.

What is your most regrettable habit?

Occasionally I could accentuate the positive a little more.

Who would play you in a story of your life?

Angelica Huston.

For more www.stagestubs.com www.showofstrength.org.uk