Bristol Life - Issue 245

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property Issue 245/Spring 2018/£3

A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE CITY

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE MUSEUM ISSUE 245/SPRING 2018/MOTLEY CREW

Being Brunel – we’re going in...

BUILT IN BRISTOL

YES CHEFS!

Our architects speak out

What’s cooking this spring?

THAT’S FUNNY! Stu Goldsmith’s back in town

SEND IN THE

CLOWNS large version

Don’t bother – they’re here* large version

*At RWA, in a new exhibition of art inspired by the circus

EDITOR’S LETTER / ISSUE 245 / SPRING 2018

30

ROLL UP!

Always wanted to run away with the circus? Do the next best thing, and head to RWA’s splendid, spangletastic new exhibition, Sawdust & Sequins

The ! issue All our issues are equal, but some are more equal than others, and this one is arguably more equal than most. It’s just so pretty!

We have clowns! And acrobats, jugglers and what have you, as we take a look at Sawdust & Sequins, RWA’s brilliant new exhibition of art inspired by the circus.

We have buildings! Some chosen and/or designed by our best local architects, who also discuss the good, the bad and the ugly in the Bristol cityscape; others captured by Colin Moody’s everperceptive lens.

We have chefs! Better still, we have photos of the best dishes on their current menus. Please desist from licking the page.

We have the season’s hottest fashion prints and accessories!

We have Grayson Perry at Bristol Museum! Stu Goldsmith, at the Hen & Chicken! Brunel at Being Brunel! We have Kam, Baz, Josh and Stan!

We’ve also just used up our entire annual quota of exclamation marks, which is a bit awkward because in our next issue we’ll be bringing you all the winners and all the photos from the Bristol Life Awards on 26 April at Harbourside, and if ever an issue merited a rash of excitable punctuation marks, it’ll be that one.

We’ll just have to order some more in from the printer...

Deri Robins, editor Twitter @BristolLifeMag Instagram:@bristollifemag

BRISTOL

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FEATURES / ISSUE 245 / SPRING 2018

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BUILDING BRISTOL

What parts of Bristol do our architects love, which bits would they raze to the ground – and where should we build the Arena?

24

What’s on

A veritable smörgåsbord of cultural springtime delights

REGULARS / ISSUE 245 / SPRING 2018

THE ARTS 23 Arts intro You’ve had the Beast from the East.

Now brace yourself for the Best of the Westival

34 Bristol heroes If you build it, sooner or later, Colin Moody will take its picture

48

M EET T H E T EAM Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors: Mal Rogers, Colin Moody, Stan Cullimore, Seb Barrett, Kam Kelly, Will Carpenter, Alex Diggins, Ella Wingfield 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

40 Art Never quite made it to Grayson Perry’s last show at Arnolfini? (What – three months didn’t give you time enough?) – nil desperandum, as his Vanity of Small Differences is at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

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

MUSEUM 43 Being Brunel

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

If all you know about Brunel is that he built a few ships and bridges and smoked a big fat cigar, hasten to Bristol’s newest visitor attraction

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

FOOD 48 Restaurant

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

Otira – yet another persuasive reason to move to Redland

50 Food & drink

71 Kam Kelly

Vegfest, cocktails and pastica fantastica . . .

. . . while Kam’s more about Canine Domesticus

53 Josh Eggleton Guest events and collaboration, Bristol fashion

54 Yes, chefs!

Bristol’s finest spring into action

61 Café society Philosophy and gelato

A MAN’S WORLD 63 Seb Barrett Vulpine romance . . .

SHOPPING 64 Editor’s choice

BUSINESS 83 Business insider Meet the accidental entrepreneurs at the heart of one of last year’s biggest deals

It may be Pantone’s colour of the year, but we’re really not feeling Ultra-Violet. A nice soft mauve or lavender, mind . . .

PROPERT Y

66 Fashion

DEPARTMENTS

Natural-born killer prints

9 72 98

SPORT 69 Rugby There’s only one David Lemi

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

94 Property showcase Rooms with a view

Spotlight Snapped!

Bristol Lives On the cover Clowns’ Dressing Room, Henry Hoyland, 1940, oil on board © Royal Academy of Arts, London. Photo credit: Royal Academy of Arts

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43

98

COMMUNITY

ALTARED STATES The derelict St Michael on the Mount Without Church on St Michael’s Hill is to get a new lease of life as a museum and community events space.

The church (the ‘Without’ bit refers to the fact that it was built outside the mediaeval city walls, but you knew that) closed in 1999, due to a dwindling congregation, then was unhelpfully burned down by arsonists in 2016.

Now the Grade-II building joins the list of desacralised churches playing an important part in Bristol’s arts and community scene, from St Paul’s Church, now home to Circomedia, and Trinity Centre, within the former Holy Trinity Church.

The church renovation will be managed

by Ian Johnson, who recently oversaw the rehauling of Clifton Observatory.

MUSIC

SAVE THE DAY Bristol’s beloved music festival Love Saves the Day returns to Eastville Park over May bank holiday weekend, with over 300 acts appearing across 12 stages – including Fatboy Slim (left), Sampha and David Rodigan with the Outlook Orchestra. Now in its seventh year, LSTD has become one of the UK’s best-loved urban music festivals, combining the best of Bristol’s thriving underground with pioneering artists from across the globe; don’t expect those tickets to hang about.

For more: www.lovesavestheday.org

EVENTS

TWO IN-TENTS? Look; when you have a vast marquee at your disposal, on the prime Harbourside site in front of Lloyds, it would be positively wasteful to host just one event.

At least, that’s what the Mediaclash Events team concluded, so following our Bristol Life Awards ceremony on 26 April (y’all have your tickets, yes?), our sister mag Vow will be sweeping in, with its long white train and its clutch of bridesmaids.

Vow Live promises to be the South West’s freshest wedding event; it’s half wedding fair, half party, full of local suppliers, bright ideas and inspiring fashion, beauty and lifestyle advice, with a phenomenal catwalk show.

It’s only a fiver for admission, too.

Even if you aren’t getting married, you should probably go along. If you are, you actually daren’t miss it.

For more: www.vowlive.co.uk

SHOWTIME

DAHL FESTIVAL It was a sell-out smash hit in the West End, winning seven Olivier Awards in 2012 and featuring music by Tim Minchin, so the fact that the RSC's hit show Matilda the Musical is coming to the Bristol Hippodrome next May is a very exciting deal indeed.

Landing the role of Matilda – the adorably geeky kid born to the kind of appalling parents only Roald Dahl could have dreamed up – is the female equivalent of being cast as Billy Elliot, so good luck to the quartet of young

actors chosen to play the adorably geeky heroine.

Book now to be sure of a great seat.

For more: www.atgtickets.com

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

SPOTLIGHT OVER THE RAINBOW OK, colour fans. Your time has come. We’ve covered misty Bristy; we’ve done Brizzle drizzle, we’ve done snow and we’ve had a few moody night shots. But as it’s April, we felt we should brighten things up a bit…

@sjtanton

@helenisbell

@porthjess

@lorna_s_photography

@porthjess

@matthewspearce

@mrfrankstreet

@inside.bristol

@colinraynerphotography

@carolyn.eaton

@itspacodelrey

@marksowden

@samuelgillies

@sazzleatkinson

@ilovebristol

@richimal_bristol

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 11

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

Bristol Life team 01225 475800

Built in Bristol

Bristol is changing in front of our eyes. We live in one of the most exciting, architecturally eclectic cities in the country, but how well have we guarded our heritage? What are the city’s standout buildings? And where (never mind when) should we build the Arena . . .?

By l i sa wa r r e n

T

he 20th-century architectural historian Sir John Summerson once wrote, “If I had to show a foreigner one English city and one only, to give him a balanced idea of English architecture, I should take him to Bristol, which has developed in all directions, and where nearly everything has happened.”

Well, Bristol is still developing ‘in all directions’, with new builds and refurbs springing up north, south, east and west, but what price progress? To take the pulse of the city, we canvassed the opinion of some of the city’s best architects.

George Arnold

Moon Architect & Builder What’s the single best thing that has happened to the cityscape over the past few years?

Not a development as such – but the Make Sunday Special events that were implemented a few years ago were a great idea, allowing areas of central Bristol to be enjoyed car-free, with special events and entertainment laid on. It highlighted the rich cultural, artistic and social sides to Bristol so well.

Do you have a standout favourite among Bristol’s historic buildings?

Probably Clifton Cathedral. I personally think that the inside is more successful than the outside, with exposed concrete, an irregular hexagon plan and funnel-shaped roof lantern.

Is there a single architectural detail in the city that you love, but which people often miss?

I love the original Passenger Shed car parking area at Temple Meads. It’s now mostly full of parked cars, but it has an amazing roof structure and sense of proportion and harmony.

If you had a team of international architects visiting the city, what would you show them to demonstrate Bristol at its very best?

As a broad scope to cover the character of Bristol, I would take them on a tour to include the Yard at St Werburghs, Ashton Court Estate, Clifton Cathedral, Clifton Suspension Bridge and Temple Meads station.

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

Moon recently refurbished this Victorian Clifton home

ARCHITECTS

THE TRAIN TRACKS

ADJACENT TO M SHED ARE THE KIND OF DETAILS THAT ALLOW BRISTOL’S MARITIME

HISTORY

TO LIVE ON

Tell us about a recent project you’re proud of.

We completed a full refurbishment of a Victorian four-storey town house in Clifton recently. It was a great project to work on, with an exciting brief and an enlightened client. By removing floor space at ground-floor level we opened up the previously dingy basement rooms to the rest of the house, linking the floors together, creating a dramatic entrance and staircase and opening the house up to the garden. It was incredible to be able to work such a major transformation of a historic building to reinvigorate it, bringing it up to date and reconfiguring the spaces to make them work for the modern lifestyle. www.moonarchitectandbuilder.co.uk

JOHN EVERETT Nash Partnership

What’s the single best thing that has happened to the city over the past few years?

The introduction of a Bristol Mayor has seen significant benefits for the city in terms of exploring citywide opportunities that will shape the future of the city for generations to come, plus the influence of the city both nationally and internationally. New developments that have captured the future ambition and role of the city can be seen in numerous regeneration projects such as Finzels Reach, Redcliff Quarter and Wapping Wharf.

Among the more historic buildings, do you have a single standout favourite?

I think it’s an interesting fact that Bristol has more listed buildings than Bath. With these buildings set alongside the good-quality modern interventions that have been built, Bristol is an architecturally rich and fascinating city to live and work in. The historic building that stands out for me is not actually a building, but a bridge – Clifton Suspension Bridge. It is a key symbol of Bristol, and a testimony to the city’s pioneering and creative history – a feature at the very heart of Bristol’s appeal and future.

Is there a single architectural detail that you love, but that people often miss?

The detail of the train tracks set into the Harbourside walkway overlooked by the cranes adjacent to the M Shed building. These are details that allow Bristol’s maritime associations and history to live on. w

Photo by Richard Whitcher (instagram @faygate)

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

ARCHITECTS

Stride Treglown’s Bristol Business School for UWE

If you had a team of international architects visiting, what would you show them to demonstrate Bristol at its best?

To demonstrate what the city is truly about I would not only include regeneration architectural projects such as Finzels Reach and Wapping Wharf; I would also show them places that define the unique character of Bristol, such as Corn Street, Broad Street, Cabot Tower, Harbourside, the Suspension Bridge and Queen Square. And, of course, places such as Southville, that display the city’s street art culture, a further symbol that defines Bristol.

Among the more historic buildings, do you have a single standout favourite?

The internal Rococo plasterwork of Royal Fort House; you don’t find a lot of Rococo in England, and this is definitely worth a visit on the days when the University building is open to the public.

Tell us about one of your recent exciting projects.

McArthur’s Warehouse – the regeneration of one of the last remaining Harbourside sites immediately adjacent to one of the main tourist attractions in Bristol, the ss Great Britain, a site that has remained derelict for over 20 years.

If you had a team of international architects visiting the city, what would you show them to demonstrate Bristol at its very best?

We’d take them on a three-dimensional perambulation from the Old City to Clifton, via Kingsdown, to demonstrate Bristol’s urban and historic grain from within, below and above.

www.nashpartnership.com

Is there a single architectural detail that you love?

The misspelling of Gutenberg on the wonderful Art Nouveau façade of the Everard Printing Works on Broad Street.

FEDERICA VASETTI

Where should the Arena be built?

In the iconic Brabazon Hangar, of course!

What’s the single best thing that has happened to the city over the past few years?

The ongoing regeneration of Stokes Croft, which is the result of several small-scale, bottom-up interventions, rather than a large planned development. With the area becoming a hub for small creative businesses, individual developers are transforming the area one bit at a time. As our own office is located in a converted workshop behind Cheltenham Road, we are proud to be an integral part of this vibrant community.

Tell us about a recent project you’re proud of.

The small town house we designed for a back plot on Hazelton Road in Bishopston, which shows how we try to weave contemporary architecture with a memory of what was once there.

The house is built on a tight urban plot, and is articulated in two gabled volumes arranged in an L-shaped plan with a south-facing courtyard garden.

The project is the result of protracted negotiations with the planners, who initially opposed a ‘standard’ two-storey house. The final design minimises the building mass and the house appears to be single-storey, with additional accommodation in the roof space: the steeply sloping roof creates enough habitable space for a master bedroom with an open en-suite shower, and a separate study.

Dittrich Hudson Vasetti Architects

Which developments should never have left the drawing board?

It’s a bit obvious, but any of the immediate pre- and postwar developments which destroyed the historic urban grain of Bristol.

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

www.dhva.co.uk

ARCHITECTS

RICHARD WINSOR

Winsor & Leaman Architects What’s the single best thing that has happened to the city over the past few years?

The development on the river opposite Castle Park.

Which developments should never have left the drawing board?

The first building visitors see when leaving Temple Meads Station…

Do you have a favourite historic building?

The Art Nouveau building in Broad Street, in an area that needs some TLC.

Is there a single architectural detail that you love, that people often miss?

The unique double vault in the side aisles of Bristol Cathedral.

If you had a team of international architects visiting the city, what would you show them?

The beautiful Georgian terraces – more varied than those in Bath.

Where should the Arena be built?

Behind Temple Meads, so long as underground parking is created.

Tell us about a recent project that you’re proud of.

West Court, Clifton Street, BS3 – all flats and shops have been instantly taken up. www.winsorleaman.com

DAVID HUNTER Stride Treglown

I SUSPECT PEOPLE OFTEN MISS THE INDEFINABLE

Architecture-wise, what’s the best thing that has happened to the city over the past few years?

There are some particularly successful recent developments in Bristol that really enhance the city’s reputation as a great place to live. Importantly, they are designed to be ‘of the place’ with character that responds to and reinforces the unique culture that has evolved in Bristol over the last few years. I’m thinking of the redevelopments at Wapping Wharf and Paintworks in particular,

QUALITY

OF A WELLPROPORTIONED

BUILDING

The Finzels Reach development opposite Castle Park

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ARCHITECTS

both designed by architects who are based in the city, and have intimate knowledge of the background and context.

Which should never have left the drawing board?

It depends how far you go back. There are many examples across the city of anonymous developments delivered with too little design effort and insufficient aesthetic ambition. But it is the unintended consequences of transport planning developments from decades ago that have had the greatest negative impact on Bristol.

We still need to work to repair the damage.

It’s a challenge, but there is proof that it can be done. Repeating the triumph of reclaiming Queen Square as a spectacular urban space at Cumberland Basin would make a fantastic difference. And to properly address the setting of St Mary Redcliffe, or repair the gash in the city around the Lawrence Hill roundabout, would be to stitch back together the fabric of Bristol.

make, and the spaces and volumes they generate. Proportion applies from the largest urban statement to the smallest individual detail, and once you start to analyse it, your understanding and appreciation of your surroundings is hugely enhanced.

If you had a team of international architects visiting the city, what would you show them to demonstrate Bristol’s architecture at its very best?

If I’m honest, I think that even Bristol’s very best architecture plays second fiddle to the extraordinary variety and quality of townscape that the city has to offer. Too often (so far) Bristol has fluffed the opportunity to build genuinely world-class architecture, but some of the spaces and vistas the city offers make up for it.

A few years ago I played host to a visiting architect from a leading Australian practice based in Sydney. He had shown me the sights of his beautiful home city a couple of years before, during a working visit, so it was with some trepidation that I prepared an itinerary to return the favour. I needn’t have worried.

In his eyes, the drama of the Avon Gorge; the vibrancy and bustle of the Harbourside; the sweep of the Cliftonwood terraces; the dense maze of the old city all held their own in their quality, variety and individuality. He left enthusing about what he had seen.

For a city like Bristol, with its distinctive topography and long and varied history, it’s as much about the whole as it is the individual buildings that comprise it.

TO PROPERLY

ADDRESS

THE SETTING OF ST MARY

Among the more historic buildings, do you have a single standout favourite?

The Granary, the High Victorian-style grain warehouse on Welsh Back, has the unexpected, unique, quirky swagger that now epitomises the city. A utilitarian building with attitude and presence. As designers we can learn a lot from that.

Is there a single architectural detail that you love, that people often miss?

I’m not sure I can identify a single architectural detail, but I suspect people often miss the indefinable quality of a well-proportioned building. Once you’ve tried designing buildings yourself, you grow to appreciate the value of proportion in the visual patterns that buildings DHV Architects’ deceptively small town house in Bishopston

REDCLIFFE WOULD HELP TO STITCH

BACK TOGETHER THE FABRIC OF

BRISTOL

Where should the Arena be built ?

The site that has been selected next to Temple Meads has much going for it. Our practice was closely involved in the early stages of the project’s history, with the consortium that originally achieved preferred bidder status, so we understand the complexities and challenges that the site represents for development of that use.

I can also see that the recent alternative to reuse the Brabazon Hangar at the northern edge of the city has a strong case to offer.

Its connections to road and rail networks, the flexibility afforded by virtue of its context as part of an emerging masterplan for the old Filton Airfield site and the opportunity it presents to give new life to a hugely significant structure in the city’s engineering heritage all weigh in its favour. On balance, the Filton solution gets my vote.

Tell us about one property that you’ve recently enjoyed working on.

The new Bristol Business School at UWE’s Frenchay Campus, officially opened earlier this year, has been a particularly satisfying project for our practice to work on.

It has been a complicated process to bring together a number of schools and departments at the University in a new home, to provide facilities to serve the wide range of outreach work UWE does with the regional business community, and to provide a flagship building for the Frenchay Campus.

The resulting building has received great feedback. The central atrium with its dramatic single stair marching up through the heart of the building; the adaptability of teaching and learning spaces and the quality of specialised training facilities – the building provides fully functioning trading rooms and complete courtrooms for business and law students – are all working as we had envisaged. www.stridetreglown.com

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

Music/theatre/film/more

15 HOURS;

MORE FUN THAN YOU CAN HANDLE

Fancy dipping a toe into the colourful world of Bestival, but not quite ready to commit to the full-on, fun-filled, four-day fest at Lulworth? Stand by for a taster, because the festival’s celebrating its 15th birthday with a wild 15-hour takeover of Bristol on 5 May, at four venues across the city. There’s a drag brunch at Jamaica Street Stores; a Sunday Best takeover of Rough Trade with live up-and-coming acts, while Bestival FM is hosting a Knees-Up at the Christmas Steps with a Northern Soul set from High Contrast. There’s a minimum entry donation of 99p, harking back to the Sunday Best parties that became Bestival, with all proceeds going to Caring in Bristol.

You heard. Your whole Saturday, sorted, for the price of an ice-cream cone and a flake.

For all the finer details see www.bestival.net/bristol

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

20 April – 20 May 2018

JUST A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR MONTH

Easel on the eye: Spike Island Open Studios; open your mind, eyes and ears for Mayfest; snap the best new art at Fresh Art Fair

Exhibitions UNTIL 12 MAY

NIALL MCDIARMID: TOWN TO TOWN Scottish photographer Niall documents Britain’s people and landscapes; at Paintworks; martinparrfoundation.org UNTIL 31 MAY

CARA ROMERO Rainmaker’s spring show is a solo exhibition of Native American Cara’s groundbreaking past photography, as well as her newest creations. rainmakerart.co.uk UNTIL 3 JUNE

SAWDUST AND SEQUINS: THE ART OF THE CIRCUS Major new exhibition of art that celebrates circus, at RWA (page 30); rwa.org.uk

artist brings his Vanity of Small Differences exhibition to Bristol. See page 40. bristolmuseums.org.uk UNTIL 1 JULY

NO MAN’S LAND An exhibition focusing on the rarely-seen female perspectives on World War I, featuring images taken by women who worked as nurses, ambulance drivers and official photographers, as well as contemporary artists directly inspired by the conflict.

At Bristol Cathedral; bristolcathedral.co.uk 27-29 APRIL

FRESH ART FAIR Worth leaving town for: the Fresh Art Fair, one of THE best contemporary art fairs in the UK, returns to Cheltenham Racecourse; freshartfair.net 4-7 MAY

UNTIL 24 JUNE

GRAYSON PERRY Our favourite Turner Prizewinning, tapestry-bothering

OPEN STUDIOS Former tea packing factory Spike Island is now home to hundreds of artists, designers

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

and creative businesses, who open their doors to the public this weekend, with plenty of family-friendly activities, tours, talks, performances and pop-ups by some of Bristol’s best street-food traders. spikeisland.org.uk 4 MAY-8 JULY

ALEX CECCHETTI The artist, poet and choreographer has developed a unique practice which he characterises as the art of avoidance, where representation and concealment go hand in hand with the tactical and the poetic, the visual and the material. For more clarification, see his work at Spike Island; spikeisland.org.uk 5 MAY- 8 JULY

ANDREW MANIA; SNAPSHOT OF A COLLECTION Andrew presents a dialogue between collected 1930/40s photos, selected for their aesthetic or mystery, and his

own romanticised drawings that capture a state of mischief and yearning. spikeisland.org.uk 5-16 MAY

SECRET POSTCARD Think you can spot the art bargain of the century? 200+ painted postcards will be on display in RWA; some are by the big-hitters of the art world, but the names are hidden; can you spot a master? Or just buy one you like... Bidding starts at £40. shop.rwa.org.uk

Theatre & shows UNTIL 21 APRIL

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE English Touring Theatre takes on Tennessee Williams’s very un-English tale of macho Stanley Kowalksi and fragile, aging southern belle Blanche DuBois in a bold new version at BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk

W H AT ’ S O N

DOLLYWOULD Sh!t Theatre are back with a new show about Dolly Parton, cloning and branding. The show had a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe and received rave reviews during its West End run; now at The Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com

ARTS

8-12 MAY

PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT Bristol Musical Comedy Club want to take you on a road trip to the heart of fabulous – or at the very least, to The Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com 10-12 MAY

UNTIL 28 APRIL

THE BAND The UK tour of Tim Firth’s new musical, based around the music of Take That, comes to the Hippodrome; atgtickets.com

CONSTELLATIONS Nick Payne’s dazzling twohander of a play about free will and friendship, quantum multiverse theory, love and honey comes to Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

UNTIL 12 MAY

A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE Tobacco Factory AD Mike Tweddle directs his first production for the new Factory company – so no pressure at all then, Mike; tobaccofactorytheatres.com 21 APRIL

SCHEHERAZADE AND 1001 NIGHTS In ‘an explosion of dance, fire and illusion’, Company of Dreams transports you to the exotic, dangerous and magical world of the Arabian Nights. Expect genies, ghouls, Sinbad, Aladdin, Ali Baba and the rest of the crew.

At 1532; 1532bristol.co.uk 23 APRIL

CERI DUPREE Adele, Cher, Joan Collins, The Queen: all brought to life by Ceri in his fabulous one-man, 21-woman show, at Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com 26-27 APRIL

HALF-BREED Natasha Marshall’s one-woman show about being a mixed-race kid from a small West Country village; This Country it ain’t. bristololdvic.org.uk 27-29 APRIL

REACH – FIND YOUR OWN JOURNEY Rise Youth Dance presents two pieces, about their own journeys and that of the company, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year; at Trinity; 3ca.org.uk 30 APRIL

BALLETBOYZ The boys are back, dancing four brand-new works, at BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk

10-20 MAY

MAYFEST Is this the best theatre festival in Bristol? We’d struggle to think of a better one; expect ten days of some of the most imaginative, innovative performance you’ll see all year. mayfestbristol.co.uk 16 MAY-23 JUNE

MISS SAIGON It’s basically Madam Butterfly set in ’Nam, in Sir Cameron Mackintosh’s new production with music by Claude-Michel Schönberg; the Hippodrome; atgtickets.com

Music 20-22 APRIL

BRISTOL NEW MUSIC The UK’s international contemporary music festival returns with its boldest programme to date, bringing some of the world’s most innovative musical pioneers to the city; full line-up here: bristolnewmusic.org 25 APRIL

BRYAN FERRY The dude who epitomised glam rock with Roxy Music, and made crooning classics cool in his solo career, performs from Avonmore and earlier hits; colstonhall.org 1 MAY

RUMOURS OF FLEETWOOD MAC We haven’t worked out who we need to kill in order to see the original band, but this tribute set is said to be the best.

Wonder if this lot squabble as much? colstonhall.org

We love the smell of greasepaint in the morning: Miss Saigon lands at the Hippodrome; nice threads, BalletBoyz!

2 MAY

PLAN B ...aka three-times Ivor Novello Award winner Ben Drew, with work from new album Heaven Before Hell Breaks Loose.

(Nice title, Plan! Can we call you Plan?); colstonhall.org 3 MAY

ANDY SHEPPARD AND EIVIND AARSET To celebrate St George’s reopening, Andy and his regular quartet partner have created a special duo to ‘play the building’ in an evening of immersive sound and music. “Andy needs no introduction, but suffice to say he is on blinding form at the moment,” promises St G. stgeorgesbristol.co.uk BOURNEMOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Haydn’s Symphony No. 100 in G Major ‘Military’; Beethoven’s

Piano Concerto No. 2 and his Symphony No. 5: “More noise than six kettledrums and a better noise at that!” colstonhall.org 4 MAY

JON BODEN & THE REMNANT KINGS Bellowhead’s back! Well, sort of; multi-BBC Folk Award winning frontman (to both bands) Jon is apparently aiming for a more mainstream, less folksy sound these days, but with no less of the familiar brassy swagger; colstonhall.org 11 MAY

DON MCLEAN Did you know that American Pie was named the fifth greatest song of the 20th Century by RIAA? Bet you don’t know all the words. No, we mean the ones that weren’t on the single; colstonhall.org w

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12 MAY

JASON MANFORD: MUDDLE CLASS The amiable Absolute Radio guy’s not sure when he became middle-class... colstonhall.org 18 MAY

PAUL CHOWDHRY: LIVE INNIT The comedy powerhouse star of Live at The Apollo comes to Colston; colstonhall.org

Other BLOOD & BUTCHERY IN BEDMINSTER Enjoyably gruesome pub walk from the renowned Show of Strength, delving deep into the dodgier bits of Bedminster’s history. stagestubs.com 20-21 APRIL

16 MAY

THE SHIRES Homegrown country music popsters Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes offer up “big tunes delivered with real passion”; colstonhall.org

Comedy

6 MAY

28 APRIL

23 APRIL

11 MAY

28 APRIL

INSTANT WIT An evening of songs, gags and general silliness – all based around audience suggestions. Alma Tavern, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

27-29 APRIL

CABOT CIRCUS ART OF STYLE Four of the hottest fashion trends, displayed as works of art in the trend gallery; each trend will be brought to life with sculptures and live pop-up catwalks. With free beauty makeovers cabotcircus.com

THE BIG APRIL SHOW A showcase of new comedy at Bristol Improv Theatre; improvtheatre.co.uk CLOSER EACH DAY The world’s longest improvised comedy soap continues to bubble amusingly away at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

BESPOKED A celebration of handmade bicycles and a chance to meet those who make them; Brunel’s Old Station, bespoked.cc

BRIDGET CHRISTIE: WHAT NOW? Brexit, Trump, nuclear apocalypse, environmental catastrophe – is rolling news affecting your ability to enjoy the simple things? at BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk TOM ALLEN: ABSOLUTELY The ‘sharply dressed, wellspoken, disparagingly camp son of working class Bromley’ brings his début solo tour to TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com

20-21 APRIL

AFTER DARK AT THE MUSEUM Southmead Hospital Charity’s first black-tie fundraising dinner will be held at Bristol Museum; all money to Prostate Cancer Care Appeal. southmeadhospitalcharity.org.uk

STU GOLDSMITH: LIKE I MEAN IT Stu’s back (and also on page 98); at Hen & Chicken, thecomedybox.co.uk

GRAHAM & GREEN SALE The fabulous interiors shop is holding one of its hugely popular warehouse sales in Chippenham; grahamandgreen.co.uk

11 & 12 MAY

29 APRIL

BILL BAILEY: LARKS IN TRANSIT Bill describes his latest show as “A compendium of travellers’ tales and the general shenanigans of 20 years as a travelling comedian.” The Hippodrome; atgtickets.com

future. Come and laugh all your worries away. Or vice versa. TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com 1-31 MAY

BRISTOL WALK FEST Choose from history trails, urban exploring, walking sports, vigorous uphill hikes etc.

Put us down for ‘gentle park strolls’; bristolwalkfest.com 11-13 MAY

FOODIES FESTIVAL Back on The Downs; see page 51 17 MAY

UNTIL 12 JUNE, ON TUESDAYS

You don’t need to be born in Memphis TN to sing country, one of the ’Shires will do; walk this way: Bristol Walk Fest

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VOW LIVE Half wedding fair, half party; for more, see page 9 vowlive.co.uk DR PHIL HAMMOND: HAPPY BIRTHDAY NHS? Dr Phil looks back to the start of the NHS and forward to the

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW Dust down your great-aunt’s hideous jug; the TV valuers are back, and heading to Aerospace Bristol. How much for Concorde? bbc.co.uk/programmes 17-20 MAY

CRIMEFEST The must-attend convention for crime novel diehards; at Bristol Marriott Hotel; crimefest.com 18 MAY

CHARITY GALA NIGHT In aid of The Grand Appeal; live band and a hot buffet; £30, at Odd Down Manor; grandappeal.org.uk 18-20 MAY

BEERFEST Head to Millennium Square, and tuck into a Bratwurst and/or a specially brewed Bavarian beer or six; bierfest.bristol.co.uk

Booking now 14-17 JUNE

FOREST LIVE Headline acts The Script (14 June); Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott (15 June); Paloma Faith (16 June) and George Ezra (17 June).

Tickets: www.forestry.gov.uk 11 SEPTEMBER

THE DOWNS Headlined this year by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Paul Weller and Goldie; thedownsbristol.com 18 OCTOBER

JOANNA LUMLEY The fabulousity that is Joanna brings her live tour, It’s All About Me to Bristol Hippodrome; ; atgtickets.com

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SEND in the CLOWNS Don’t bother, they’re here; along with a motley crew of acrobats, fire-eaters and lion-tamers, in Sawdust and Sequins – RWA’s new exhibition, inspired by the greatest show on earth

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hat do you do when the Seven Years War is over, and you’re an ex-cavalry officer with a genius for trick riding? Hey – why not invent the circus?

This may not have been Philip Astley’s precise vision back in 1768, when he performed his first daredevil display of stunt horse-riding to an awestruck crowd at Halfpenny Hatch near Waterloo; but the show was a hit and he was quick to build on its success. An impresario to his boots, Astley added acrobats, juggler, clowns and other fairground attractions to the mix, and the modern circus was born.

Ever the early adopter, Bristol hosted Astley’s circus in 1772, up on the Downs. It was the first of many to pitch up the city; at one point, there were six permanent Big Tops in Bristol. Even today, there are more circus companies here than anywhere else in the UK. Circus was the original pop-up. While mostly staged in temporary structures – a big part of the romance lies in the fact that its itinerant crew can pack up and disappear like thieves into the night – circus has also played in venues such as the Colston Hall, where one famous elephant was allegedly a dab hand at dancing the rhumba.

In recent years, circus has changed its focus, thankfully losing the animal acts and the freakshows and allowing the acrobats to take centre stage. Technological advances allow for even more daredevil stunts, while LED displays thrill even a generation raised on CGI. And as it transformed, this crowd-pleaser of a spectacle slowly began to be regarded as an art form. Circus schools opened as early as 1929 in w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 31

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Europe; the UK was a little slower off the mark, but Bristol was at the forefront, with Fool Time, the UK’s first circus school, which opened in 1986; over the years it morphed into Circomedia, with an emphasis on movement and physical theatre.

The allure of circus remains undimmed 250 years after its beginnings, and RWA has mounted a fascinating new exhibition devoted to the art it’s inspired. It’s called Sawdust and Sequins, and if the very title doesn’t make you want to rush to see it at once, your childhood reading material must have been very deficient, and your soul severely lacking in spangle.

As co-curator Alison Bevan explains, the show is part of the nationwide Circus250 celebrations.

“The exhibition grew out of a chance conversation with Dea Birkett, who is heading up Circus250,” says Alison. “Circus has fascinated artists ever since its earliest days, so it seemed like a great subject to explore in an art exhibition, and Bristol’s strong history and continuing links with circus made the RWA an ideal venue.”

It’s easy to imagine how jaw-dropping the circus must have seemed to earlier, less sophisticated audiences – but even to blasé 21st-century eyes that have seen attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion, it can still pull something magical out of the bag.

“Although cinema can provide extraordinary spectacle, there is nothing quite like witnessing a live performance,” Alison says. “Seeing humans seemingly defy the limitations of their bodies to perform breathtaking feats is astonishing and inspiring. Circus offers everything from edge-ofthe-seat suspense to hilarity, and all with a touch of glamour: what could beat that?”

Part of Beth Carter’s Farewell Carousel

Peter Lavery’s photos reveal the gritty reality of life with the circus

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The oldest pieces in the show date back to the first half of the 20th-century, featuring works by Dame Laura Knight as well as Walter Sickert – both, says Alison, showing the glamour and the seamier side of circus life.

“The imagery of the circus has huge appeal, from the colour and sparkle of the costumes to the power and magnetism of the performers. Artists have also been drawn to the circus lifestyle – painters like Laura Knight loved the whole package, travelling around the country in the company of interesting people and, in her day, interacting with the amazing animals that formed part of the entourage.

“While researching the show, Fiona Robinson (see panel right) was so appalled by the cruelty, to elephants in particular, that she wanted to avoid depictions of them altogether, but two of the earlier works do include them – one of the Laura Knights and a Duncan Grant. On the whole, I think the images are pretty balanced between spectacle and gritty reality, and also between old and new, with the newest pieces being specially created for the RWA show.”

As well as paintings, expect to see sculpture, installation pieces, drawings and prints, along with a little animation box, The Shining Guest, that will have visitors of all ages riveted.

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SEQUINS AND SUFFERING Fiona Robinson, RWA curated the contemporary work for the show “I wanted the contemporary work to celebrate circus, but also to acknowledge all the many facets of this complex subject, including the darker side, and consequently for it to be a true examination of circus in the round.

“What particularly affected me were the injuries and death suffered by high-wire circus performers, and the appalling treatment of some of the wild animals, particularly the elephants.

With this in mind I was determined to not only cater for the public expectation of glitter and razzamatazz, but also to address the darker aspects of the circus.

“Beth Carter’s work does this brilliantly. She is based in Bristol, so

I was able to go down to her studio at Spike Island several times. I really wanted her drawing, Death at the Circus with its pathetic dead lion looking like an empty pyjama case, and was delighted when the owners in London agreed to lend it to the show.

“Beth also made a fantastic new sculpture, Farewell Carousel, a jumble of clowns, acrobats, monkeys and horses which are broken and tumbled together referencing classical sculpture as well as circus and the fragility of circus life. She also made Pillowhead, [inset], a lumpy soft sculpture figure on a swing suspended from the ceiling, which gives an alternative reading of the glamour of the trapeze artist.

“It is not all doom and gloom, though. Eileen Cooper’s vibrant paintings Acrobat and Trapeze are powerful evocations of the strength and beauty of circus performers.

Among my favourite pieces in the show are Peter Blake’s fabulous circus collage triptych, its kaleidoscopic colour in complete contrast to another favourite, his exquisite little drawing Fat Man Rotunda.

“I also love Stuart Mitchell and Beth Carter’s surreal little animation in a battered old wooden box, of a girl twirling on the back of a horse.

The sound comes from a traditional fairground pipe organ.”

Mo Farquharson’s Acrobat2 in bronze

But it’s the paintings that really draw you in.

“One of my absolute favourite pieces is a drawing of a ‘fat man’ by Sir Peter Blake,” says Alison. “Ever since Sergeant Pepper, Blake has been best known for his collage work, and it’s often forgotten what an outstanding draughtsman he is. The drawing is a tiny scrap of paper with a simple, fresh line drawing, probably done in a matter of seconds, which has all the elegance and beauty of any great work of art.

“Another is a superb painting by an artist I hadn’t heard of before, Albert Richards, who was killed in action in 1945 before reaching his 26th birthday. Depicting the outside of a circus encampment, it includes a flying polar bear, a meandering aardvark and three dancing mice: it’s one of those paintings you could spend many hours gazing at, and see more and more in it every time you look.”

Complementing all of the above is an exhibition of Peter Lavery’s circus photography, with intimate, tell-all portraits that document the unseen reality of life in the circus from the 1970s to the present day.

“Peter has been documenting the circus for the past 50 years, visiting circus grounds all over the UK and Ireland, befriending the performers and photographing them both performing and relaxing, giving a fascinating insight into all aspects of circus,” says Alison.

So roll up, roll up; run away to the circus for just a few hours, and submit to the sequins and steaminess, the sawdust and the enchantment.

DID YOU KNOW? Father of the modern circus, Philip Astley rode in a circle rather than a straight line as his rivals did – and so chanced on the format which was later named a circus.

Sawdust and Sequins: The Art of the Circus runs until 3 June at the Royal West of England Academy www.rwa.org.uk

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BRISTOL HEROES If they build it, they will come – and sooner or later, COLIN MOODY will take its photo. This issue, we asked Colin to choose eight Bristol architectural heroes

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building or structure itself is only part of the story. The space around the bricks, steel and glass, the flow of the lines this way and that, the way it coexists with its neighbours, flows into or out from the landscape. Can we just pick the architecture alone, without considering the use of space both in and around it? (Oh, I am in full BBC Four flow this month.)

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THE CLIFTON SUSPENSION BRIDGE Sarah Guppy may have come up with the idea after a party, but Brunel was the one who ran with it. I love this bridge: it’s a wonder, floating over the Gorge, and needs to be number one. It’s where I have walked and made friends with other photographers who are equally drawn to it. I’m not going to wax lyrical about its design (go see the splendid visitors’ centre for that), but I am going to share my favourite shot of it.

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BRISTOL CATHEDRAL There are a few tales of American tourists who ended up at St Mary Redcliffe when they were looking for the Bristol Cathedral.

“It’s a bit pointier than expected,” they probably thought. Built so many centuries ago, it makes your head spin to think of how big, I mean really big, this cathedral was when it was first erected. Dwarfing all around it. Scale-wise it must have been like a skyscraper. Plus much of the city now seen in this photo would have been fields as far as the eye could see.

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STOKES CROFT – THE TEN CHURCHES OK. Stokes Croft is not a building. It’s hard enough to define as an area. So much of it can change in a night, at the hand of the can. But recent work has sent me to this area every other day, and I slowly realised that I was surrounded by churches. If you come here on a Sunday it can be busy in a way you don’t see the rest of the week, and its all there right by the street, on your corner, not tucked down a leafy lane.

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CABOT CIRCUS I know what you’re thinking. Loving the first few choices. But architectural wonders? Cabot’s? Bear with me. When I saw people waiting for a bus or taxi here, the huge walls of stone, broken up with those floral designs, I started to love this space. Of all the buildings in Bristol it seems to make up its own landscapes, leave loads to the imagination, and I love it. All the buildings around it are windows and eyes everywhere, and its many layers of stone in huge expanses for me are like finding an isolated beach in a break out space in this urban jungle.

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SS GREAT BRITAIN WORK SHEDS Yes, that’s right. Sheds. I love the ship, it’s amazing. One of the engineering and maritime wonders of all time. All I am saying is, do go to the new visitors’ centre (not in this shot as I took this a while back) and check out the sheds. I met an old maritime engineer recently who was inspecting some large piece of equipment on the move up at the Underfall Yard. He said to me that if I thought the ss Great Britain was impressive, I should see the machinery that had to be invented to make the parts. “Now, that would have been a sight to see; hot metal, huge moving parts, all built here”. It got me thinking. So I have a fascination with those sheds and the workings that would have been going on there. The immense timbers that were turned into those huge original masts.

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UNDERFALL YARD Over the last few years I have been all over the yard as it was restored and opened up as a more complete working boatyard, visitors’ centre and more. Getting to know the people there, and photographing the boats coming out on the slipway and passing by, it all is rather wonderful. But when I was leaving in a boat, there w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 35

4 was a little wind, and the water turned into one patch of scales. The right collection of boats were in, the clouds were in layers and the sun went in... and I took my best shot of the yard.

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LLOYDS AMPHITHEATRE Here are Catfish and the Bottlemen at the Bristol Summer Series in 2016. Right in the centre of Bristol, with festival-ready sunsets. Doesn’t feel like a city space when a gig’s on, more like main-stage Glastonbury for a moment.

I’m calling the whole Lloyds Amphitheatre an Architectural Hero. Yes, most of the time it’s empty, skaters doing their thing and a few tall ships moored up, seagull chicks being raised on the roof... but this space and that building is for me the Arena they never had to build. It’s like no one even noticed how amazing this space was, and then every summer it comes to life, and it’s electric. The Lloyds building behind is not much to look at – a bit Roman, bit Classical, bit curvy – but I love how the acoustics bounce round here, and I know that it’s still the best Arena we have. The construction costs?

It’s already here, just bring a stage.

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WESTON PIER One day I was in Weston on business, and I noticed something while I was parking the car. There was no sea. No horizon. Just a foggy endless mist. This is a one-day-a-year phenomenon when the temperature difference between sea and air is polar opposite in May. I had never taken a shot of the pier from the side before, but just for a moment the mist parted and there was a family playing in a muddy puddle. This shot is part of a series taken that day. People, horse-drawn carts, tourists, rollercoasters emerging out of this whiteness, but this one stood out. Some of these I have on sale at Casper on North Street in Bedminster.

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The BIGGER PICTURE Artist Grayson Perry thinks that taste depends on class – and the six tapestries he created to prove the point are now on display at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery

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rayson Perry is one of the most accessible and entertaining artists on the planet. He’s full of surprises, both in person and in his art; he’s a fan of a nice frock, too, as he showed us at the launch of his recent show at Arnolfini, which he attended as alter-ego, Claire – all frilly blueand-white gingham, rainbow eyeshadow and Maria’s hair from The Sound of Music.

He’s built a Taj Mahal in Essex – also available for holiday lets – won the Turner Prize in 2003 for his ‘troublingly beautiful’ pots, and now his Vanity of Small Differences tapestries are on show for your edification and delectation at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery.

The giant artworks – the choice of medium is a joke in itself, tapestries traditionally being a status symbol of the rich – put the English class system in the spotlight though the story of the fictional life of Tim Rakewell, and his progress through modern British society. Nearly all of the places – Sunderland, the Cotswolds, Tunbridge Wells – were chosen because they exemplify the various social classes; the people and objects that feature in the works were inspired by Channel 4’s BAFTA-winning documentary, All in the Best Possible Taste with Grayson Perry, which first aired in 2012.

There are nods to early Renaissance religious works, as well as Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress (1733), which depicts the rise and fall of a young man who loses his fortune through a series of bad decisions.

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“The tapestries tell the story of class mobility, for I think nothing has as strong an influence on our aesthetic taste as the social class in which we grow up,” says Grayson.

“I am interested in the politics of consumerism and the story of popular design, but for this project, I focus on the emotional investment we make in the things we choose to live with, wear, eat, read or drive. Class and taste run deep in our character – we care.

This emotional charge is what draws me to a subject.

“Of all the pieces I have made, this was the one I conceived from the outset as a public artwork. I hope that wherever it goes it not only delights the eye but also sparks debate about class, taste and British society.”

As with all of Grayson’s work, these tapestries draw us in not only with their exuberant colours and no-holds-barred subject matter, but also with their ability to make us think.

They make us look and then look again, to uncover the many layers of meaning embedded in every stitch. They’re as easy to enjoy as a soap opera, cultural references abound, the detail and wit is astonishing, and we defy you to come up with a better way of spending an hour in Bristol this month.

Grayson Perry’s tapestry series The Vanity of Small Differences is on show at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery until 24 June; www.bristolmuseums.org.uk

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Images from the Arts Council Collection, Southbank Centre London and British Council. © Grayson Perry.

Photography © Stephen White Images, clockwise, from top: The Upper Class at Bay, 2012; The Annunciation of the Virgin Deal, 2012; The Adoration of the Cage Fighters, 2012; #Lamentation, 2012

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YOU’RE ISAMBARD, MATE You know the name, you recognise the face and you can name at least two of his most famous creations, but how much do you really know about Brunel?

Bristol’s newest museum has the full story w

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runel greets visitors as they step around the corner into the main exhibition space.

Most seem a little taken aback by the meeting; a few gasp or give a little squeal.

It’s not hard to see why: how else are you supposed to react when confronted with a two-storey high mock-up of the head of Britain’s most famous engineer? It’s difficult not to feel like Dorothy meeting the Wizard of Oz for the first time when faced with such a monumental presence.

Seeing my reaction, Luke, senior interpretation officer at the ss Great Britain, and my guide for the day, grins. “We wanted people to feel like they could reach out and shake his hand,” he tells me.

That doesn’t quite capture my reaction – which is more like awe than chumminess – but I take his point: it is a spectacular centrepiece to the ss Great Britain’s new museum, Being Brunel.

Extraordinary inventor, exceptional engineer, tireless entrepreneur – to many, Brunel embodies the pioneering Victorian spirit. It’s a world we assume we’re familiar with; our knowledge gleaned from half-remembered history and more vivid lashings of period drama: whistling steam engines and factories billowing smoke, weary maids and put-upon scullions, cheerful, grubby street urchins and fat-cat, top-hatted businessmen. These images are an essential part of our cultural currency: we might not know when the SS Great Western was launched (1837, btw), but we’ve all seen Oliver Twist.

Unlike the stuffiness of some big London museums, here, the team are playfully aware

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of these stereotypes, indulging and subverting them. So, for instance, while parts of the exhibition are necessarily dedicated to Brunel’s extraordinary engineering achievements, like the Great Western Railway, the interpretation team have also found space to explore his missteps and all-too-human failings.

Missteps like his concept for a ‘Pneumatic Railway’ on the South Devon coast, a technology that proved both unfeasible and costly. Adjacent to this exhibit is a sadder section that explores Brunel the addict. It chronicles his workaholism and his superhuman tobacco consumption (40 cigars a day, averaging one every half an hour).

This drive to reflect all sides of his personality, and to explore the man that lay behind the celebrity, chimes with the expectations of modern biographies: we want to balance paying our respects with a bit of juicy gossip. However, the team were careful, Luke explains, to not overdo the salacious detail in the hope of selling more tickets. Rather they had a more ambitious goal in mind: to fully immerse visitors in Brunel’s world and, as much as possible, allow them into the workings of his mind.

Remarkably, they almost entirely succeed.

This is one of the most interactive and engaging museums I have ever visited. Inspired by the film Being John Malkovich, in which viewers were invited into the mind of that odd-ball actor, the team took six years crafting an experience that successfully places the visitor in Brunel’s shoes. “‘We wanted to get away from the Brunel you know. The one you can find out about on Google or Wikipedia,” explains Luke. Moving through the museum, peeking into its every nook and hideaway, time seems to collapse and you almost Brunel’s leather cigar case.

Was this the man’s final, half-smoked cigar? (Yep)

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feel like you’ve stepped into the sights and smells of Brunel’s world.

It’s enormously exciting and unexpectedly moving. I loved being able to digitally flick through his notebooks, spotting the little doodles he had crammed into the margins of his otherwise immaculate architectural plans: a little family waving goodbye to a train, dwarfed by the gracious curves of Paddington Station’s arches.

Or a strange sketch of a man’s head emerging from a shoe. Like Da Vinci or other great creators, Brunel was a man who was clearly bursting with creativity, his mind awhirl with invention. Seeing another life, another mind, preserved in this way is one of the great pleasures and privileges of historical research – that the museum has managed to capture that thrill is one of its major triumphs.

It’s not all esoteric pleasures though – there’s plenty to delight as well as make you ponder. A firm favourite in this category, according to Luke, is the replica train carriage that bumps and rattles away in one corner. Visitors are invited to settle themselves onto its plush upholstery and then to try and draw a circle on a screen mounted into the arm rest. The idea being, as the carriage shakes and judders you about, to try and draw as accurate

If your knowledge of IKB begins and ends with the photo above, you need to visit the new museum – situated right next to one of his most famous creations, the ss Great Britain moored off Gas Ferry Road

a circle as possible which the computer then rates, giving you a percentage score. Apart from being addictive fun (visitors have been known to spend up to half an hour in there, apparently), the game brings yet another aspect of Brunel’s life and inquisitive mind into focus. He was famous for his ability to draw a perfect circle free-hand and he used to test the comfort of his railways by travelling on them and practicing his party trick. The wonkier the circle, so the theory went, the sorer his passenger’s bums would be as they were thrown about. It’s just one example the interactivity and playfulness on display at the museum, but in some ways it typifies the whole experience: when visiting Being Brunel, history is not so much brought to life as you are brought into history.

I have to confess, I usually feel the same way about museums as I do about dentists: I know they’re good for me, but I hope the visit will be as brief as possible. We all know the museum coma that can afflict those trudging down endless marble corridors: the feet ache, the eyes are blurred from looking at too much important stuff, and all you can think about is the reviving cup of tea and piece of cake waiting for you at the end.

By contrast, I left ‘Being Brunel’ beaming and bouncing, head chock-full of fresh facts and unexpected connections. It’s an unfortunate fact that we often neglect the tourist attractions that are closest to home. Happy to queue for hours in the blazing sun to look at something exotic and foreign, reluctant to explore stuff on our doorstep unless it’s a rainy Sunday or the dreaded rellies are in town.

Don’t make the same mistake with Being Brunel. It’s genuinely excellent; I guarantee you’ll leave with a spring in your step and your mind buzzing – rather than wondering where you can get your next caffeine and sugar hit.

Being Brunel is now open at Great Western Dockyard, Gas Ferry Road; for more see www.ssgreatbritain.org

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Otira It takes confidence to open two new restaurants a year or so after a first launch – but then Stephen and Kathryn Curtis have talent in spades, so there’s plenty to go around

By DE R I ROBI NS

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’d be lying if I said we’d turned up at Otira with an open mind. How could we? We’d sampled the top-notch wares of Shop3 Bistro in Clifton, after all, and would have put a tenner on the fact that Stephen and Kathryn Curtis’s second opening, this time on Chandos Road, would be just as excellent; we’re pretty sure this duo don’t have a bad restaurant in them.

To be precise, it’s two openings, with a fresh concept.

Situated in what used to be Ford’s the butcher, half the premises is home to Chandos Social, a casual tapas bar, with Otira next door offering a finer kind of dining – though, as Kathryn explains, they don’t want the ‘fine’ word to put you off. “It’s modern cuisine, but with a New Zealand, rustic feel,” she says. In the same relaxed vein, they call their tasting menu ‘Trust the Chef’, which has an informal, playful ring to it.

Let’s explain the NZ thing. It’s head chef’s Stephen’s homeland; Otira is the name of a small town on the south coast, and also means ‘food for the traveller’. The NZ influence permeates everything, from the cooking flavours and methods to the down-under, easylike-Sunday-morning welcome and even the décor; it may seem a waste of column space in a restaurant review to mention the loos, but just wait until you pop downstairs, and find yourself in a woodland alive with birdsong.

Complementing Stephen’s assured cuisine is the no-less-gifted FOH Kathryn, whose interiors eye is wholly on point; on admiring the large light cages, for example, we were told that she’d made them herself from florist’s wire. And Whittaker Wells boys, do stop by to admire the walls in Chandos Social – Kathryn painted them herself. We think you’ll be impressed.

The concept of two restaurants side-by-side adds the special ambience the Curtises were after; Chandos at its most bustling sends fun, free-wheeling vibes into the formal dining room next door.

Otira itself is decked out in distressed painted antique furniture, reminding us slightly of Bell’s in that respect; that, and the fact that this recently opened restaurant

THE BEURRE NOISETTE WAS SO NUTTILY DELICIOUS THAT WE COULD HAVE EATEN IT WITH A SPOON

already feels thoroughly bedded into its locality. This is a postcode that’s home to far more than its fair share of cool eating out places; hell, even the fish and chippie opposite has metro tiling.

A beautiful warm sourdough bread came with a beurre noisette so nuttily delicious that we could have happily eaten it with a spoon, and we might well have done so had we not had four starters to tackle.

Rather like the mellow glass of red, that wafted its way towards us leaving almost visible aroma lines in the air – Mmm, Cab Sauv – the aroma emanating from a dish of clam and mussels reached us before the plate hit the table. Mingled with the scent and taste of the sea was a smokiness imparted by the coals over which they’d been cooked (another NZ touch); a juicy tangle of samphire topped with a soft quenelle of smoked cod roe.

A pleasingly un-bitter endive granita mingled with a sweet almond crumb, unctuous Saint-Félicien and creamy ricotta, while a gutsier dish of rabbit beignet was packed with gamey flavour; just imagine the world’s best and most delicate sausage rolls, and you’re close. A surf-andturfy octopus and chorizo was outstanding, too; it must have been a beast of a cephalopod to have yielded such a meaty arm for our delectation, while the spicy, softtextured chorizo, from Spanish suppliers El Colmado on the Gloucester Road, had none of the chewiness associated with its inferior supermarket cousins.

We probably could have quit at this point and still considered ourselves well-fed, but here come the mains!

– a saddle of salt marsh lamb, bursting with spring flavour, pink and tender as the night, with nettle and spinach cannelloni, confit breast and a breadcrumbed bon bon of mince. You really can’t go wrong with a lamb three-ways.

Also up was a dry-aged Challans duck, served in the pink, with punchy little rillettes mille-feuille, rhubarb, liquorice root and puntarella (we feel cheated if we aren’t confronted with a menu containing at least one ingredient we need to Google).

Those who regard the starters and mains as a mere formality before getting stuck into the puds will adore the deliciously dense Medjool date and ginger parfait, or perhaps the wild flower honey and jasmine cream with Seville orange cake crumbs for texture.

Otira’s quite as marvellous as we’d guessed, then, so we’ll take that tenner off you now. We can promise you a review of Chandos Social before the year’s old, too.

DINING DETAILS Otira, 5-7 Chandos Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 6PG; 01179 733 669 Opening hours Monday-Wednesday from 6pm, Thursday-Saturday from 12 midday and from 6pm We visited Tuesday evening Prices there are no individual prices on the dishes; two courses cost £27, three courses £34.50, or five course ‘Trust the Chef’ £41 Drinks beautifully chosen list with, naturally enough, the choice leaning towards 45 degrees S; price range from £19.50 to £47. There is also an NZ / Bristol-focused craft beer range Vegetarian choice limited but tempting Atmosphere beautifully balanced between buzzy tapas bar and French dining boutique Service seamless, gracious and knowledgeable

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

Happi Maki – one of hundreds of vegan stalls at VegfestUK this May

TAKE FIVE

VegfestUK is back, in a new (rainproof) venue, and organiser ALAN LEE is here to whet your appetite . . .

L

ast year, Bristol’s meat-dodgers received crushing news. Their beloved Vegfest – the biggest vegan festival in the UK, no less – would not be returning to Harbourside; the cost of renting the space from the council, coupled with the huge costs involved in staging an outdoor event were proving prohibitive.

That, and the fact that it had rained for four years on the trot. So it’s goodbye to Harbourside, and hello to Ashton Gate, which hosts the festival between 26-27 May. “The Ashton Gate facilities mean that we can accommodate features never before seen at vegan events,” says Alan. “Hospitality rooms and executive boxes for our supporters, where they can order their own food and drinks, and entertain their guests away from the crowds.

“Meanwhile, the venue’s in-house Heineken Lounge restaurant and Doughballers Pizzeria will be offering their own three-course vegan meals for lunch and dinner, offering a different type of dining experience from the usual streetfood selection at vegan events in general.”

It’s not just about the food, though, is it?

No; the event will feature a dance stage with DJs playing all day, and a live acts stage where musicians selected by Ujima Radio will be performing day and evening, on top of lounges for electro swing, blues and deep chill in the evenings. Headliners include Judge Jules and Dr Meaker, Don Letts and Baby D. How many stalls are you expecting?

Around 230 indoors, plus others dotting the outdoor Marina Dolman Way as well as the Winterstoke car park.

Choose just a few favourite suppliers That’s a tough one, given that we’ve got so 50 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

many colourful and vibrant stallholders, but look out for Elspeth’s Kitchen, producers of lush raw vegan cakes and puddings; Essential Trading Co-operative, who’ve recently launched their organic and densely flavoured chocolate Harth Truffles; Little Roar, with a vibrant mix of raw vegan cakes; Pie Baby, with their rich and hearty pies packed full of flavour; Spice up your Life, St Nick’s regulars, bringing their uniquely flavoured Indian curries to the vegan scene.

Elspeth’s Kitchen

What persuaded you to go vegan?

Back in 2012, I saw a documentary detailing the cruelty to farm animals used for food, clothing and other purposes. That was the epiphany that I needed; that experience strengthened my resolve to steer clear of animal products, and not only to stay vegan but also promote veganism as hard as I can.

Have you seen a steady rise in veganism?

Most definitely. According to an Ipsos MORI poll in 2016, the number of vegans in the UK has increased by more than three times in the previous ten years. Also, plenty of high-

street chains and supermarkets have included vegan dishes and products in their menus and catalogues, making it easier than ever before for everyone to go vegan and stay vegan.

What are the main health benefits?

Not only have people who have gone vegan reported a rise in energy levels and wellbeing, but a number of peer-reviewed scientific papers have confirmed that switching to a mainly plantbased diet lessens the chance of contracting degenerative diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes.

How would a 100% vegan world help the planet in general?

It takes far fewer resources to feed humans directly through plant sources than to feed them to animals then slaughter the animals after. A mainly plant-based diet for everyone thus leaves more food available for the hungry.

Also, with animal agriculture being a chief contributor to global warming, if most of the planet adopts a diet consisting mainly of plant-based foods, the reliance on carbonheavy animal agriculture drops, and hence the production of greenhouse gases, leading to a greener environment as a result.

Finally, why should we come to Vegfest?

Vegfest offers amazing food, shopping, entertainment and information all under one roof. Come to Vegfest and find new food varieties, stock up on your favourite products, socialise and mingle with like-minded people, learn more about the ins and outs of being vegan, and last but not least, soak up the music and dance the nights away…

VegfestUK Bristol 2018 runs 26-27 May at Ashton Gate www.bristol.vegfest.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK Left and bottom left: we’ll always have Paris; below, grab a slice of Pizzarova heaven; it’s pasta, Captain, but not as you know it at Ripiena; Foodies Fest is back on The Downs

TASTY BITES THE COCKTAIL LIST IS IN SEINE Hyde & Co’s cocktails have become the stuff of local legend, with their noirish concept menus and nostalgic, glamorous designs. Hot on the heels of The Last Carnival comes Midnight in Paris – which if memory serves us correctly, was also the theme of their last New Year’s Gala – stirring and shaking you to 1920s Paris. www.hydeand.co

TRULY SCRUMPYTIOUS Call yourself a West Country native?

Not if you’ve never visited the Somerset Cider and Cheese Fayre, you’re not. It’s back for 2018, on 6 May at the Ring O Bells in Compton Martin; expect to sample the wares of the county’s best cider producers and artisan cheese makers, while top band The Feeling headlines the music stage. www.ciderandcheesefayre.co.uk

THAT’S CRATE NEWS The reason for that whooping sound you can hear from the direction of Wapping Wharf? The Pizzarova crate is back for summer, so if a slice of pizza = a slice of heaven in your book, you know where to head.

Swing by for a £2 slice after work, pick up a 10-inch takeaway or ‘eat in’ – either on the heated terrace, or dangling your feet over the harbour walls, Bristol-fashion. www.pizzarova.com

GO FEST The UK’s biggest celebration of food and drink, the Foodies Festival is back on the Downs 11-13 May. See Great British Bake Off stars live, meet Michelin-starred chefs, Great British Menu winners and MasterChef champions strutting their stuff in the Stoves Chefs Theatre; oh yeah, and eat ALL the food. www.foodiesfestival.com

. . . Stop press . . .

Lock up your daughters: THEY’RE OPEN! The most eagerly anticipated new restaurant of the year, from Ben Harvey and Dom Borel of Pasta Loco fame, Pasta Ripiena has opened on St Stephen’s Street, and it feels like the whole of Bristol is fighting to get a table to sample those beautiful plates of stuffed pasta. Excuse me, I think you’ll find we were ahead in the queue . . .

Website launches 23 April.

Meat Box comes to Wild Beer for a pairing on 23 April; if you’ve always wanted to know your flank from your bavette, how to cook ’em, and which beers to serve, this is for you. www.wildbeerco.com

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Breakfast, lunch and supper

“GREAT LITTLE GEM OF A CAFÉ IN BRISTOL” (FIT FOR A QUEEN) 99 QUEENS ROAD, CLIFTON BS8 1LW

01173 179806

f 99Queens

FOOD

JOSH EGGLETON, Chef pat ron

YES, CHEF! Guest chefs and companion planting; it sounds like a sociable spring at The Pony, Root and The Kenny . . .

T

here are a whole load of collaborations going on in three of our restaurants this year.

The Guest Chef Series is something we’ve done for ages at The Pony, and now Rob Howell (Root) and Luke Hawkins (The Kensington Arms) are following suit.

Root had its first two events earlier this spring; Nicholas Balfe from Salon Brixton, and Jan Ostle of Bristol’s own Wilsons. Both were fantastic – the diners love guest events, and so does everyone who is working. I snuck down after dinner service at The Pony to try the dishes. Needless to say they had also saved me some wine, which we took our time over . . . If anyone wants in on the action, Rob is joined by Kirk Haworth from Plates in Shoreditch, on 8 May. The popularity of collaborating with other

ONE FAVOURITE INDUSTRY

COLLABORATING IS OF MY THINGS ABOUT THE

chefs is one of my favourite things about the industry these days. There is so little focus on competition, but rather a celebration of one another. It is such a perfect opportunity to learn from other chefs – something I am always banging on about!

The Bristol Good Food Awards have been a highlight for us this year – Salt & Malt, Root and The Kensington Arms all won awards. It reminds me how important it is to work with people that you trust, bounce off, and enjoy spending time with.

Also, we really do have so much to be proud of in the city and surrounding areas – we were looking around at a room genuinely full of serious talent. Fingers crossed for The Pony and Root, both having been shortlisted in the Bristol Life awards this April.

We’re seeing some delicious changes to The Pony’s menu now that spring is upon us, such as this homemade pasta dish, spring chicken and tarragon tortellini with

THESE DAYS

mushroom and sea leeks.

We also recently held a nose-to-tail pork tasting evening. We met the farmers at the pristine Buttle Farm in Wiltshire, and got a whole Tamworth from them, and the menu was made up entirely from that. Amy the pastry chef caramelised bacon and served it on the dessert alongside banana cake and maple ice-cream. We wasted nothing – there was even a salad made with crispy pig’s ear and apple.

Brilliant.

Catching up with Tim, the Pony gardener, is great – often you’ll have something pulled out of the ground and shoved in your hand, with an enthusiastic ‘try THIS!’ Tim is a proponent of companion planting. Plants with a heavier scent, a prettier flower, a higher yield of nectar (you know, something far more glamorous than a vegetable) are planted to attract insects away from your veg. But not all is in vain if the veg does get nibbled, as this supports the eco-system. That’s the great thing about having so much growing out the back; it attracts all sorts of wildlife to the garden.

We plan to introduce some beehives in the near future, so maybe some Pony & Trap honey is on the horizon.

When I first penned this column I wanted to mention one of my favourite Bristol spots.

At the time it looked as though Seldon and Liberty, the owners of Wallfish Bistro, were about to be moving on to another project.

Now, luckily for all of you food and dining lovers, this is no longer the case.

My sentiment, however, remains the same. If you haven’t been yet (and if so, why not?) or if you haven’t been lately, get yourself there. I’m often to be found dining there with my team and our plus-ones. You know a restaurant is doing great things if it’s full of chefs and front-of-house staff. The food is so conducive to conviviality; it’s a place for feasting. Get there now!

For more www.theponyandtrap.co.uk

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CHEFS SPECIAL

YES, CHEFS!

In the spring, a young chef’s fancy lightly turns to – well, let’s ask them, why don’t we . . .

By L I SA WA R R E N 54 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

C

hefs, being chefs, get a kick out of all the seasons; every month offers something tasty to forage, shoot, grill or pickle. But most seem to agree that there’s a special, exciting energy about spring – especially this spring, coming as it does after a winter long enough to test the patience of a Stark. Mindful of this, we tracked down a handful of Bristol’s finest, and asked: what’s floating your sauceboat this month?

Ross Gibbens Wellbourne

No sooner had Wellbourne opened on the old Prosecco premises on Clifon’s The Mall, earning itself a clutch of gushing reviews, than the gang of three – chefs Ross Gibbens and Michael Kennedy, and front of house Martin Irwin – began talking about opening a Michelin-starchasing fine diner in the Spanish Pyrenees. That’s now open, and this month they’re making it a trio with a brasserie in West London. That’s a fair amount to be excited about, even before you start on the new-season produce . . .

What are your hero ingredients this spring?

Green and white asparagus is always the true sign of spring for me. Then nature does the rest! St George mushrooms and morels are amazing with asparagus, and pop up at the same time. Then you have amazing wild leaves and flowers coming out, such as pink purslane, pink sorrel, sea kale and wild garlic. All go beautifully with each other.

Elliot Lidstone Box-E

The chef half of the husband-and-wife team that owns Box-E – Tess is the charming FOH – once told us that he first got into cooking at Scout camp. Luckily for Bristol, Elliot’s progressed a bit further than dampers over the intervening years . . .

What’s your favourite way of cooking them?

I like to blanch asparagus for one minute in salted water (25g salt per litre of water) and then finish over hot coals and some cherry wood for a light hint of smoke and char. Then serve with a savoury sunflower seed praline, and brushed with salted butter.

What cookery book can you just not put down at the moment?

I don’t tend to read fancy cookery books, as I find they can skew my imagination when we’re coming up with new dishes.

I prefer to follow my own instinct and style. I do enjoy reading cookbooks that are based on regions and cultures from further afield that we can cook at home, though, food I’ve never cooked professionally – Ottolenghi, Olia Hercules and Moro are favourites in our house.

Give us a preview of the spring menu and choose us a few dishes to try.

White asparagus, crushed hazelnuts, wild leeks and morels; moules marinière and Jersey Royal potage; confit egg yolk and sea lettuce. www.wellbourne.restaurant

Give us a preview of the spring menu, and choose us a few dishes to try.

It’s going to chop and change a lot, but there will definitely be Somerset asparagus with confit egg yolk and bottarga, and smoked eel with heritage beetroot, chicory and apple. www.boxebristol.com



What are your hero ingredients this spring?

Jersey Royal spuds.

What’s your favourite way of cooking them?

Simply boiled, then mixed with spring onions and wild garlic . . . then cover them in Stinking Bishop, and blow-torch!

What cookery book can you just not put down at the moment?

No time for cookbook-reading right now, but I’m loving seeing all the season’s new produce in Instagram pics posted by suppliers and fellow chefs. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 55

CHEFS SPECIAL

JASON MCNEILLY Bocabar

Head chef Jason recently summed up his cooking style as “Humble, filling and fun. I take a lot from French country food, and bring in knowledge and tastes from my upbringing.

My older sisters are half-Chinese, and I have family in India, so I tend to take a lot of spices and inspiration from flavours I grew up with.”

Eclectic!

What are your hero ingredients this spring?

Fennel and radishes.

Favourite way of cooking them?

Fennel: braised in orange juice and star

anise. I like to keep a few shavings back and soften them in some lemon water as a refreshing garnish. Radishes; pickled and thinly sliced.

What cookery book can you just not put down at the moment?

Edward Park’s The Silver Spoon is a great go-to reference work to build dishes from.

Give us a preview of the spring menu, and choose us a few dishes to try.

Pan-fried Cajun hake, with braised fennel, pickled radishes, lime and caper aoli; tarte Provençale with aubergine caviar, roast courgettes and a sunblushed tomato and pumpkin seed pistou. www.bristol.bocabar.co.uk

MIKE PHILLIPS Grillstock

The meat-lovin’ manager of the Grillstock Smokehouse (this ain’t no job for no vegan) is thinking of dusting down the barbie just about now…

What’s your hero ingredient this spring?

Pig’s cheeks!

What’s your favourite way of cooking them?

Rubbed with Grillstock’s pork rub, seared on the BBQ over charcoal then braised in cider and cooked indirectly on the BBQ for two hours.

ROB HOWELL Root

Hero ingredient this spring?

Calcot onion.

Favourite way to cook it?

Tempura or chargrilled.

Favourite cookery book?

I usually have a few on the go. Tommy Banks’ Roots just arrived so thats on my bedside table. www.eatdrinkbristolfashion.co.uk/root

What cookery book can you just not put down at the moment?

Franklin Barbecue: A MeatSmoking Manifesto by Aaron Franklin, the USA’s most celebrated pitmaster and owner of the wildly popular Austin restaurant, Franklin Barbecue.

Give us a preview of the spring menu and choose us a few dishes to try.

Pig’s cheek sliders. Braised pig’s cheeks with pickles on a soft slider roll. Hawaiian burger; beef patty, bacon, cheese, lettuce, pickled red onion and grilled pineapple. www.grillstock.co.uk

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

TAKVOR TERLEMEZYAN New Moon Tapas

New Moon changes its cuisine every (you guessed it!) new moon – but what’s up next, chef TK? What’s your hero ingredient this spring?

At this time of the year, the remarkable stinging nettle will be my hero ingredient. Very, very rich in vitamins and iron, making it a superhero when it comes to boosting energy levels, especially combatting spring lethargy, which we’re probably all experiencing right now.

What’s your favourite way of cooking them?

You can cook nettles in many different ways: just use butter and you will get a perfect side dish, or added to anything from gnocchi to the soup (on the menu at the moment). Nettles are very versatile and easy to cook.

Risotto is my first thought when the nettles start coming through in spring, topped with poached quail eggs or smoked haddock. Sometimes I like to add goat’s cheese or feta for the extra taste.

(PS: to be honest I prefer to eat the nettle leaves just by themselves . . .)

What cookery book can you just not put down at the moment?

Institute Paul Bocuse Gastronomique and GQ Eats, with a foreword by Heston Blumenthal. www.newmoontapas.co.uk

TOM GREEN Fosters Catering

Fosters have really raised the bar when it comes to catering at local events; here’s chef Tom on a few of his favourite things What’s your hero ingredient this spring?

Wye Valley asparagus.

What’s your favourite way of cooking it?

Chargrilled or BBQ, drizzle of good olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, parmesan and cracked black pepper.

What cookery book can you just not put down at the moment?

Having just purchased the quad-fuelled Uuni Pro pizza oven, it has to be The Pizza Bible by Tony Gemignani – it’s all about mastering the perfect pizza and wood-fired meat and fish for the green household.

Give us a preview of the spring menu and choose us a few dishes to try.

How about a canapé of pea, broad bean, radish and mint crostini, or a starter of spring veg and feta salad? www.fostersevents.co.uk w

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CHEFS SPECIAL

LEE BLOOMFIELD Muiño

One of the Cotham Hill restaurant all-stars, Muiño takes inspiration from the relaxed culture of Galicia, while using the best of local South West produce What are your hero ingredients this spring?

The ingredient I look forward to using every spring has got to be salt marsh lamb, but I’m also a big fan of monkfish.

What’s your favourite way of cooking lamb?

For me, it needs to be oven-cooked, then left to rest for six minutes so it is perfectly pink every time.

What cookery book can you just not put down at the moment?

The book that is never too far away is Moro, first edition. It’s an amazing book.

Give us a preview of the spring menu, and choose us a few dishes to try.

Panfried morcilla, glazed apple, chorizo and sherry; salt marsh lamb rump, pressed potato, pea purée and confit lamb’s breast; salt and pepper squid, homemade chilli jam and caramelised lime; monkfish tails, Serrano ham, lemon gel and squid-ink tuile. www.muinobristol.com

JACK PAFFET 99 Queens

This recently rebranded café/bar (it reopened in its current guise in November 2017) has already drummed up a loyal following. Here’s chef Jack: What are your hero ingredients this spring?

There are a number of ingredients that I am loving this spring. Aubergines are great, versatile vegetables that feature regularly in our weekly specials, offering a substantial vegetarian/vegan alternative. Our new spring dishes contain lovely fresh ingredients including green beans, pears, kidney beans and pulses, which offer amazing flavour and textures.

What are your favourite ways of cooking them?

Aubergines are brilliant in Thai curries or Moroccan tagines, but are equally delicious fried or baked, served as an accompaniment to any salad or simply as a sandwich ingredient. Our falafel and vegan burgers combine beans and pulses with fresh herbs and subtle spices for exciting and flavoursome dishes.

What cookery book can you not put down at the moment?

I was recently given Part-Time Vegetarian, which offers brilliant alternatives to meat and fish. including recipes from a variety of cuisines, which explore different ways to cook and combine exciting vegetarian/vegan flavours. www.facebook.com/99Queens 58 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

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FOOD & DRINK

CAFÉ SOCIETY Sta n Cullimore

ICE, ICE BABY

10

IS AM TOO EARLY FOR ELEVENSES, OR IS THE NAME JUST A LABEL, TO WHICH NO TIME STAMP SHOULD BE APPLIED?

What makes a café a café? Stan dispels his existential angst with a cone of happiness and a cup of liquid sunshine

D

on’t know about you, but the thought of elevenses often brings out my inner philosopher. What to have? Where to go?

When is it reasonable to start thinking about mid-morning snacks? Which leads on to the obvious conundrum. Is 10am too early for elevenses, or is the name just a label, to which no time stamp should be applied?

Of course, once you start thinking along these lines, it’s only a hop, slurp and biscuit nibble

from there to the bigger questions. What is a café? What is its highest purpose? And what makes a good one? So many questions and so few coffee breaks within which to answer them.

Luckily, when I found myself strolling down Park Street recently, I had no need to worry too much about all this existential angst because the answer was right there in front of me, in the delicious form of Swoon – a gelateria café that lives entirely up to its name and makes every day better merely by opening its doors.

When the sun shines and life smiles, it is the perfect place for a take-out ice-cream. One of the regular outings I take with the kids in my life is a visit to College Green, for us all to enjoy a scoop or two of Swoon’s heavenly product.

On this particular day, however, the sun was nowhere to be seen and my phone told

me that, logically speaking, elevenses was at least an hour away. And yet. And yet.

Something called me inside those tastefully decorated doors. Turned out, Mrs Cullimore and I were the first paying customers of the day, as they had only just opened up. Well, that was all the excuse we needed. We grabbed ourselves the best seats in the house, the window seats, and got ready to enjoy life.

My companion went for the panettone while I decided that a cone of happiness would be the best thing to see me through to lunch. The kindly soul behind the cool counter gave me tasting samples and drew my attention to the pistachio. A sensational scoop if ever there was one! It opens with a top note of avocado, goes on to deliver a delicious knockout creamy coup, finishing with beautifully balanced pistachio flavours across the palate. A one-way ticket to ice-cream Olympia.

Which is when it dawned on me. A café is a place where you go to eat, drink and watch the world go by. Obviously.

But its highest purpose is philosophical. It allows you to leave the worries of the world behind, to escape the shackles of society for at least as long as it takes to enjoy a cup of liquid sunshine. In which case, ladies, gentlemen and others, may I draw your attention to what is, possibly, the finest gelato shop in town. Before you visit, you just have to ask yourself one very simple question.

Are you ready to Swoon?

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

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

A MAN’S WORLD

SEB BARRETT

VULPINE ROMANCE

FEEDING ELEPHANTS AND HYENAS IS ONLY CHEAP IF YOU FEED ONE TO THE OTHER

Meet Baz’s family (and other animals)

O

ur baby likes foxes.

They adorn his clothes, he chews fox-shaped toys, and he is confused and delighted in equal measure by Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr Fox. He doesn’t really listen to the British pop sensation Foxes or Seattle indie rockers Fleet Foxes, but it’s probably just a question of time.

With these vulpine thoughts swirling in our heads, not to mention the pouring rain dampening any other plans, we decided to take him to a nearby farm attraction centre; the thinking being that it would be better for him to get close to a real fox in a controlled environment, rather than being confronted by one in our kitchen of an evening.

At this farm centre, you have to assure the staff on the desk that you have a child in tow, thus making it the only place in the world where an adult needs the supervision of a child. I found this out having gone in ahead of my girlfriend and our son, and it made every second in which they didn’t appear at the door seem further proof that I was a weird liar who just wanted to cuddle piglets and ride a Shetland pony.

When eventually they strolled in, we paid a very reasonable £4.50 per adult (not including the bag of animal feed, a mere snip at 50p) and were able to enjoy a cornucopia of this land’s finest animals, including those skulking foxes.

Our son isn’t yet seven months old, so he met the returning gaze of the rabbits and the rams with a bemusement bordering on indifference, but I feel he came out of it richer for the experience.

The farm has its own butchers inside the gift shop, which could be useful depending on how far you want to educate your child during the visit. There’s a case for saying that petting the sheep before heading inside to buy some lamb cutlets is ‘try before you buy’ in its purest form.

The tactility of the whole day meant our son stayed awake throughout, which was more than could be said for the trip we took two days later to the zoo (not Bristol’s, you’ll be glad to hear).

It rained on this occasion too, but unlike our hearty British livestock, the capuchin monkeys can’t handle a drop of rain. Bloody wimps.

In fact, there was nary an animal to be seen for the first 20 minutes of us being there. I started to think I could have saved myself some cash by reading

Dear Zoo to our baby whilst standing under a running hose pipe in the garden. Zoos are fantastically pricey – this one approximately five times that of the farm centre – but I suppose feeding elephants and hyenas is only cheap if you feed one to the other.

By the time we’d reached the best part of the attraction – giraffes, elephants, slithering things – our son was fast asleep in his baby carrier. He was snoozing when a magnificent lion strode past and looked straight at us from only a foot (and a plexiglass sheet) away. He’d been more stimulated to see a hamster at the farm, bless him.

I’ll remember all this when he’s older and wants us to fork out a small fortune for a trip to Disneyland.

“Forget Space Mountain, son: I know a great place where you can feed guinea pigs and buy sausages!”

Seb Barrett works in sports communications.

Follow him on Twitter @bazzbarrett

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

2

The LILAC TIME

1

PURPLE REIGN. THE LAVENDER HILL MOB. VIOLETLY HAPPY. TWEET US IF YOU CAN THINK OF A DECENT PUN FOR MAUVE 3

4

1. LEMON AID

2. HELLO, KITTY

3. SATELLITE OF LOVE

4. PUMP IT UP

5. DOUBLE EXPOSURE

Smashed Lemons dress, £77 Trust Amulet to come up with one of the prettiest and most wearable frocks of the season – that’s most occasion dilemmas sorted From Amulet Boutique 39A Cotham Hill www.amuletboutique.co.uk

For Art’s Sake cat’s eye sunglasses, £179 Iridescent purple mirrored lenses with purple acetate trims – just add a fortnight in Ibiza From Harvey Nichols 27 Philadelphia Street, Quakers Friars www.harveynichols.com

Vivienne Westwood earrings, £60 Westwood’s classic Nano earrings have enamelcoated orbs and crystals for added sparkle. Lots of colours available From Garment Quarter 23-25 Penn Street www.garmentquarter.com

Victoria Rose pump, £35 Whether you call it a pump, plimsoll or dap, this is possibly the most useful shoe you will ever own.

Seriously; the summer’s too short for laces From Maze Bristol 26-28 The Mall, Clifton www.mazeclothing.co.uk

Double-sided scarf, £49 In pure silk; one side of azure blue contrasts with amethyst purple on the other. The green and teal version’s lovely, too From Sahara 16 The Mall, Clifton www.saharalondon.com

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

5 ED’S CHOICE

6

SHOPPING

7

9

8

10

6. GOLDEN TOUCH

7. I CAPTURE THE TASSEL

8. STELLA FOR STAR

9. FEATHER REPORT

10. CHAIN REACTION

Gold-tone statement bangle, £35 Add a retro edge to your look with this striking piece of arm candy – we see you rocking this with a floaty midi From Mint Velvet 44 Regent Street www.mintvelvet.co.uk

Maxmara silk scarf, £100 Weekend Maxmara’s Baldi square scarf, with edges prettily decorated by this season’s most ubiquitous must-have: the tassel From Grace & Mabel 32 The Mall, Clifton www.graceandmabel.co.uk

Stella McCartney Falabella tote, £720 Stella’s faux (naturellement) suede reversible tote – turn it inside out, and hey presto: it’s tan with lilac stitching From Harvey Nichols 27 Philadelphia Street, Quakers Friars www.harveynichols.com

Feather earrings, £26 The boho trend of SS18, and one that we’re very happy to get behind.

Especially in mauve From Fox & Feather 43 Gloucester Road www.foxandfeather.co.uk

Silver bracelet with Brazilian amethyst, £22 Unmistakably Rodgers & Rodgers, with all the delicacy and quality this range rocks From Pod Company 24 The Mall, Clifton www.thepodcompany.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk II CLIFTON BRISTOL LIFE LIFE II 65 www.mediaclash.co.uk 69

SHOPPING

FA S H I O N

PRINTS CHARMING Can anyone remember a time when animal and botanical prints weren’t on trend? They’re definitely having a moment in the SS18 collection . . .

By E L L A W I NGF I E L D

Y

ou could argue that they never really went away, but it’s safe to say that prints inspired by nature are a huge trend this season, from fun, foxy animal prints to abstract palms.

Pairing garments such as Grace and Mabel’s April dress with sandy coloured shoes, such as these beautiful Maze Hudson Apisi boots, creates a great outfit which can easily take you from day to night.

Complement vibrant prints with accessories inspired by an earth tone palette, such as this stylish Becksondergaard Oka Bag from Maze.

If you’re looking for bold statement pieces, Grace and Mabel’s Torun small snakeskin-embossed leather bag, or Fox and Feather’s Ichi Shirt Dress could be the perfect additions to your wardrobe, for great cross-seasonal wear.

With natural tones at the heart of our accessories colour palette, Mint Velvet’s sandy shoe boots are ideal for dressing up any outfit ready for any summer parties coming your way.

As the weather gets warmer and summer approaches, printed maxi dresses are a must-have. This Mint Velvet Ellen leopard print dress is perfect for warm spring days; this versatile garment can be dressed up with heeled boots, or worn casually open over jeans and a plain top for more of a casual day look; come high summer we see you rocking this at evening dos with strappy sandals.

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

Ellen Print Maxi dress £119, Mint Velvet

2

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FA S H I O N

SHOPPING

1 4

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6

8

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1. Stine Goya April dress - Little Mix Paper, £260, Grace And Mabel 2. Weekend Maxmara Mattino silk crêpe de chine dress, £435, Grace and Mabel 3. Hudson Apisi boot in Mock Snake, £140, Maze 4. Ichi shirt dress, £65, Fox And Feather 5. A.L.C. Felix palm-print cropped silk trousers, £425, Harvey Nichols 6. Toni snake shopper, £139, Mint Velvet 7. Munthe Senator printed top, £179, Grace and Mabel 8. Torun small snakeskin-embossed leather bag by Malene Birger, £480, Grace and Mabel 9. Molly sand shoe-boot, £139, Mint Velvet 10. Hudson Apisi boot in beige, £125, Maze www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 67

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SPORT

WILL CARPENTER Br istol Rugby club jou r nalist

THERE’S ONLY ONE DAVID LEMI…

MIGHT DAVID’S FELT COME IT BE THE END OF AN ERA, BUT IMPACT WILL BE FOR YEARS TO

An ode to David Lemi: breathtaking, beloved, one in a million

A

h, the grandstand finish, where heroes bow out with the most fitting of goodbyes.

It’s not quite where it all began, but on Friday 13th, David Lemi got his hands on the GKIPA Championship trophy – as he did in 2016 – in front of the same adoring Bristol faithful he first wowed almost 13 years ago.

Lemi departs as the club’s all-time leading tryscorer in competitive fixtures, with 70 tries in 139 appearances – and oh, for that tally to have ticked over to at least 71 when, on Friday, the curtain descends on a breathtaking era.

For all his many on-field achievements at Bristol, the 36-year-old has effortlessly become one of the most cherished and esteemed players to don the blue and white hoops.

And as his final home game in a Bristol Rugby shirt approaches, David admits to having mixed emotions as he prepares to say goodbye.

“The emotion is high and it’s an exciting time for me and my family – but at the same time, it’s sad,” he said. “13 years ago, I had no idea

PHOTO BY JMPUK

Bristol Rugby v Doncaster

what was going to happen. I came straight from Samoa and couldn’t even speak proper English, so there’s been a lot of learning here as well. My memories will never fade away, I’ll always be Bristol’s number-one fan.

“Thirty years ago, I was collecting coconuts on an island, helping out my grandfather. The opportunity at Bristol helped me put my name on the map. I know it’s my final home game for the club, but it’s something I’ll never forget.

“Not many players get to end their career at a club on their terms. It’s my final game, and I owe it to everybody. We’ve won promotion back to the Premiership – that was our goal – and now we’ve got two games left to finish a great season.”

Throughout his 139 appearances for the club, Lemi has been the architect of some spellbinding moments, dazzling supporters with his electrifying pace and unwavering passion for Bristol Rugby. But one moment stands out ahead of any other.

“The try at home to Bath in the first game of the 2008/09 season; that’s the try that I will

always remember. I won the Premiership and RPA Award for that try.”

Rugby achievements aside, it’s David’s humble nature and modest charm that has won the most hearts during his two spells in the West Country.

On Friday, ‘the Chief’, as he is known to his teammates, will walk out at Ashton Gate with his sons, Mosile, Pala and Timo. It will kick off an emotional goodbye for the Samoan, who has paid tribute to every coach, teammate and supporter throughout his long tenure.

“We talk about this club as being a family and Pat coming in has added to that mentality.

Back home, our culture is all about family, everyone knowing each other and helping each other. The support has been incredible – we’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my career at the club. I’ve played with, and for, some good players, management and coaches – there are so many, I can’t list them.

“I’ve said it before, but it was a blessing for me and my family to come here and be a part of this great club. My children were born in the city, so we will always remember the club and the city. I can’t thank everyone enough; they have shown me so much support and let me be a part of Bristol.”

When the final whistle blows on Friday night, fans and players alike will celebrate a memorable title-winning campaign for Pat Lam’s Bristol, but they will also reflect on the contributions of one of the greatest players in Bristol Rugby history. It might be the end of an era, but David Lemi’s impact will be felt for years to come – and the ‘Chief’ insists he’ll be a Bristol supporter for evermore.

“I’ll be the club’s number one fan in the Premiership next season and I’ll keep checking my phone to see what is going on. Lastly from me: thanks to Pat, his staff and the players for this season. Bless each and every one of you.”

Follow the team: www.bristolrugby.co.uk

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

OPINION

K A M K E L LY

HEAVY PETTING What do Jennifer Aniston and Bristol Animal Rescue Centre have in common? Absolutely nothing, unless you happen to live on Planet Kam

A

niston, Minogue and Bublé.

I’m not saying that I keep this company; just that I consider myself to be among it.

Bublé, because he once wrote/sang “I broke my heart so many times I stopped keepin’ track”. Kylie and Jen for similar reasons (NB not Kylie Jenner; I have heard of her, but have no idea who she is or what she wants. Apparently, she’s related to the Car Dashboard fortune or something.

Fair play. Where would we be without The Car Dashboard?)

But I digress. Back to Kylie Minogue, Jennifer Aniston, Bublé and me. I worry about us. Despite the fact that we are so far apart socially, status-ly, financially and any other -ly you want to throw in, we are kinda the same. We are all around the same age (they’re older than me . . . smiley emoji thing), we’ve all done OK in our respective fields, but our best years are behind us. More Not Kam’s actual legs. Or dog

than any of that though; we just keep getting our hearts broken.

Are there people who were just never meant to be in that ‘relationship’ place? I think the four of us might be those people.

Have I thought about reaching out to Kylie?

Well, of course I have, but to what end? We could make each other happy, of course, but I would be starstruck the whole way through dinner and any subsequent relationship/ restraining orders. And after the first date I’d go and spoil it all by reaching for my autograph pad.

I found myself on the whipping end of the single stick recently. That’s OK. Not the first time I’ve been struck by that thing. And after looking at the whole ‘single stereotype’ situation, I gotta weigh in.

Upon becoming single, I replaced my computer screen wallpaper with pictures of my little dog*. People see those screens and coo all over them. “Ahh, how lush is she? Oh

IN SOLIDARITY WITH CRAZY CAT WOMEN EVERYWHERE, I STAND WITH YOU AS A SAD DOG MAN bless you for taking her into your life! Ooh you two are just made for each other!”

These are lovely things to hear, but why don’t women of a certain age, who love their cats and display their photos on their desktops, get the same treatment? Nope; they get labelled a “crazy cat woman”.

So why are single men (of the same or a certain age) who own a dog not labelled in the same way?

I may not smell of dog, but I do have dog hair all over my clothes. She is my reason for cutting a night out short. If I am travelling to see friends around the country, I have to know that they will allow Candy to stay, and not be a douche about it.

So, in solidarity with crazy cat women everywhere, I stand with you as a sad dog man. If the most love you get is from an animal (no, not like that!!) then stand up and allow it! It’s unconditional! You’ll never have to negotiate with them over nights out with the lads the lads the lads, with the major bonus that they are just always, always but ALWAYS happy when you come home. *I adopted Candy from the RSPCA Bristol (ARC – Animal Rescue Centre) in January. She’s eight years old (we think), a former stray.

We also think (she prefers to be mysterious about her origins) that she’s a Jack Russell/Corgi – or a CoJack (actual proper term). Please go to Bristol ARC before buying a dog. There are so many wonderful little creatures there who just want to be loved.

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

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

Adventures in party-going

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

TEA FOR TWO . . . or indeed, lunch for around 80 Bristol business folk, as Tim Westwell from Pukka Herbs was our guest speaker at the latest Bristol Life Business Club at Bristol Harbour Hotel. Full story page 84.

Photos by Paul Tschornow www.photoheads.co.uk

Alison Woodhead and Jayne Caple

Tim Westwell in conversation with Greg Ingham Bob Irwin, Jon Hulatt and Robert Nye

Ben Holt, Emma Peters, Mike Dunkley and Nicole Crompton

Rosie Newey and Rachel Verinder

Jo Campbell and Natalie Ridgeon Lily Dalzell and Lauren Prince

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

SOCIETY Collection by Claire Tagg

OOH: FASHION

Singer/ songwriter China Bowls

G&F Couture’s fashion show at Kings Weston House, curated by local costumier Abby Glanville and stylist Sue Fyfe-Williams, celebrated exciting talent from Bristol and beyond. Local musicians Emily Magpie and China Bowls and installations from sculptor Carol Peace added to the fun of the event; nearly £900 was raised for cancer research charity Bloodwise. www.facebook.com/gandfcouture Collection by MishiMay Collection by Lesley de Freitas

Emma Thorne led a team of nail artists Choreographer Min Bowen

Lukas of Bristol Style Collective

Sophie Moore led the makeup team; here with host Ellie Pitt, ITV news presenter

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

SOCIETY

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH

Caroline and Simon Knowles, PJ Crook and Richard Crook with PJ’s painting Capturing the Moon

Artists, curators and Bristol’s art aficionados turned out for the preview of Sawdust & Sequins, an exhibition of art inspired by circus (see page 30) www.shop.rwa.org.uk Zavier Ellis

Wendy Hibbard, Chris Hibbard and Michael Perry

Beth Carter

Katherine Jones, Meryl Ainslie, Sadie Tierney and Emma Stibbon

Alison Bevan and ‘Philip Astley’ AKA Chris Barltrop

Fiona Robinson and Nathalie Levy

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 75

SOCIETY

SELF-HELP “Everybody knows that I was a junkie, I know it every time I look in the mirror,” Will Self told the audience at the fundraising evening for residential rehab centre Chandos House, held at Boston Tea Party.

Along with ticket sales from Will’s talk and books, much-needed funds were raised by an auction of signed art and books donated by Inkie, Nick Park, Alex Lucas, Stephen Fry, Grayson Perry and Eric Clapton, among many other prizes. www.chandoshouse.org

Will Self

Will Self and James Dickinson

Dr Mike Pierce, Kathryn Smith and James Dickinson of Chandos House

CLUB CLASS

Kathryn Smith

Lucky Dube, Christopher Mair and Joshua Mudie

Clifton Club held a members party in March to launch its bicentenary year. It also introduced its chosen charity for 2018, Brandon Trust, for which the club is aiming to raise £30,000 to fund two summer camps for 40 children. A commemorative window was unveiled and members viewed an exhibition created especially for the event.

Jill Hunter, Jane Davidson, Barbara Avis and Avelyn Forster

Photos by Evoke Pictures www.evokepictures.com

Jonathan Bradley, Delphine Barnes and George Lankester

Emma Broadhurst, Jo Wild and Helen Marsden from the charity Brandon Trust

Delphine Barnes and chairman Jerry Barnes

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

P r o p e r t y a d v ertisi n g fe at u re

Meet the conveyancer Buying or selling a property? It’s worth seeking out the very best legal advice . . .

Jackie Roe VWV 0117 314 5261 www.vwv.co.uk

What advice would you give someone searching for a conveyancer lawyer?

Don’t compare lawyers just on price.

Buying a property will often be the biggest single investment in your lifetime, so be prepared to pay a little more for good legal advice. It will be worth the investment in the long term.

Everyone has an opinion on property; what misconceptions do people have about conveyancing?

That the lawyers delay the process.

We really don’t. Conveyancing is not just a paper process, it can be extremely technical, and countless issues can arise.

Best bit of your job?

Working with my team. Most of them have been with me for over 15 years and I know I can rely on them under pressure. Getting to the end of the day knowing all our clients have moved and are starting the next phase of their life is very rewarding.

What common pitfalls do people make when buying or selling a house?

Thinking all lawyers are the same!

We are really not. Do your research before you instruct a lawyer, to make sure they offer the service you expect.

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

Laura wilkinson

AMD Solicitors; 0117 9735647 www.amdsolicitors.com

Everyone has an opinion on property; what misconceptions do people have about conveyancing?

Many people do not realise that conveyancing is a complex process requiring a high level of expertise and knowledge of the stringent regulations in place to protect clients and their mortgage lenders from fraud.

What part of the work do you particularly enjoy?

I really enjoy working closely with clients, guiding them through the moving process to a satisfactory conclusion.

Gabrielle Artess Barcan+Kirby 0117 325 2929 www.barcankirby.co.uk

Everyone has an opinion on property; what misconceptions do people have about conveyancing?

Some view conveyancing as a tick-box exercise but there is much more to it.

Our job is to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible and to ensure that there are no issues with the legal documentation.

What part of the work do you particularly enjoy?

I love how fast-paced conveyancing is.

Things rarely drag on, as people are always keen to get moving!

What advice would you give someone searching for a conveyancer lawyer?

Seek recommendations from friends and family who have recently moved and call the conveyancer to speak to them in person. Moving house can be a stressful time and it is important to feel comfortable and confident with your lawyer.

What advice would you give someone searching for a conveyancer lawyer?

Ask friends and family about their experiences. When obtaining quotes, beware of hidden charges. Some firms charge add-ons for acting for your lender or preparing a Stamp Duty return. We keep things simple and include all that in our base fee.

What common pitfalls do people make when buying or selling a house?

When buying – have your own survey done and do not simply rely on the lender’s Mortgage Valuation Report.

Do not risk finding problems with the property when it is too late, after you have bought it!

When selling – complete the Seller’s Information Forms with care as your answers can be legally binding.

Best bit of your job?

Exchanging contracts is brilliant. A culmination of all the hard work and nail biting!

Tell us something about yourselves and why people should contact you?

I’m a great communicator. Moving house can be stressful, but keeping everyone informed and updated makes the process go smoothly.

Proud sponsor of

Email: simon@serialtrainer7.com

Shake-ups/launches/intel/promotions

PHOTO BY JON CRAIG

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

AWARDS

BLING ON THE NIGHT The Bristol Life Awards on 26 April have completely sold out – nearly a month before the big night, and despite increasing capacity…

Hugely popular winners last year: Empire Fighting Chance

With 660 guests booked to attend, our glamorous Awards will be, astonishingly, even bigger than last year’s inaugural sell-out. So who will win? We can’t reveal that yet, but we’ll tell you one thing: their names are definitely among the list of finalists on page 79.

Our finalists attended a special sponsors’ and finalists’ reception at Pasture last month, where they had the chance to network, meet their category sponsor and hear from headline sponsors Bristol Airport over drinks and canapés.

“We thought last year’s extraordinary response couldn’t be beaten. Well, it just has,” commented Steph Dodd, events director at MediaClash, Bristol Life’s publisher. “Bristol companies have responded incredibly – as nominees, sponsors and now as attendees. We are absolutely delighted and thank

everyone for their support.

“It was lovely to have our finalists and sponsors all together to celebrate the Awards at Pasture. We can’t wait to see Bristol’s business community dressed to the nines on 26 April.”

Winners will be announced on the night of the Awards, 26 April, within Bristol’s biggest-ever marquee outside Lloyd’s Amphitheatre. Social media is likely to go into overdrive, with the Awards having trended last year on Twitter, and winners will appear that night on the website and then in Bristol Life. The official aftershow party will continue celebrations until almost daylight on Friday, and award-winners will also be invited to a special winners’ dinner in May. www.bristollifeawards.co.uk; @BristolLifeAwds

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE

“WE DIDN’T START THE COMPANY TO MAKE MONEY” Who’s the accidental success story?

See page 84

200 THE BIG NUMBER

The number of apprentices that Weston College are aiming to create in 100 days (the campaign began at the end of January). Does your Bristol business have a vacancy?

For more www.weston. ac.uk/200in100

All the tea in Keynsham In one of the standout local business deals last year, Pukka Herbs were acquired by multinational giant Unilever. At this month’s Bristol Life Business Club, co-founder Tim Westwell told us what the future holds for him and co-founder Sebastian Pole

By M A L ROGE R S

BUSINESS INSIDER

T

he word ‘pukka’ comes from the Hindi word meaning ‘substantial’; its meaning has evolved, largely in the UK, into ‘genuine’ and ‘good’ (you can partly blame the Boy Oliver for the latter usage). But the Bristol herb company using an Indian name isn’t hubris — to counter with a Greek word. The Pukka Herb people do the seemingly impossible: they sell tea to India. Better than that, they also sell infusions to China, and herbs to South America, not to mention Europe, Australia and South Africa.

Based in Bristol, the company works with over 5000 growers across the globe, and has recently moved to new premises at the old Chocolate Factory in Keynsham. They hit the national news last year when, in a deal brokered by Shaw & Co, they were acquired by Unilever for an undisclosed amount that we presume will keep them in tea leaves for the rest of their days.

So, do Pukka Herbs deliver what its says on the tin; are they genuine? The answer is: most definitely. All Pukka products are free from synthetic flavours and colourings, and the entire business is totally organic. “We’re not just about product. We’re about lifestyle,” says co-founder Tim Westwell. “I believe we all have some great connections to nature, so it makes sense that we care about it. Our raw materials are plants and they depend on the environment. And naturally we’re very picky about the raw materials. We always used the highest quality.”

‘We’ is Tim plus his business partner Sebastian Pole. They set the company up in 2000 with a mission statement of spreading “the wonders and benefits of organic herbs beneficial to as many people as possible”.

The idea has worked exceptionally well. The pioneering brand has been delivering growth of around 30% per annum; it’s the fastest growing organic tea company in the world, and following the Unilever buyout (with Tim and Sebastian retaining their positions in the company) it’s highly likely to become even more prominent globally in the future.

So how did it all come about?

Tim was working in sales and marketing in the computer industry and doing very well in the digital world. One day, on the M4, he decided on a change. He took some time out, and eventually placed a small ad in a local magazine offering his sales and marketing expertise to anyone who wanted help turning an idea into a business.

Sebastian Pole, a herbalist from Bath, responded.

Together they founded Pukka Herbs in 2001, started trading in 2002; sales reached £48,000 in that first year. Their last audited accounts (31 Aug, 2016) show a turnover of over £27m, a figure that has risen to something in the region of £50 million.

“But we didn’t set up Pukka to make money,” says Tim. “It was something we believed in, and we always stuck to our principles. And we held it together with passion.”

Of course, there were stumbling blocks along the way. “Our biggest challenge was outsourcing things that we weren’t well-versed in, such as packaging, or publicity. In those areas, and in others, we made quite a few mistakes in employing people who didn’t fit.”

But gradually the correct business model evolved, and supermarkets were queuing up to take their products. And not just in the UK; throughout the world as well. People everywhere found that Pukka was precisely their cup of tea.

Left: tiptoeing thought the organic herb garden: Pukka co-founders Tim Westwell (left) and Seb Pole; Above: Thinking outside the box – the attractive and instantly recognisable Pukka packaging

TEA FOR TWO GOES GLOBAL

In 2017, the biggest change to Pukka Herbs arrived in the shape of the international conglomerate Unilever. The consumer firm had been investing heavily in the increasingly attractive herbal infusion market, and had now turned their attention on Tim and Sebastian’s Bristol company. In effect, the large company wanted a more exclusive brand – and they got that from Pukka.

It was obviously a huge step for the Pukka pair, going from an indie business to becoming part of a transnational consumer group. But to continue to expand, it seemed that outside support was required.

So with the right “solid iron-clad commitments” from Unilever in place, the deal was on.

“There was some backlash,” admits Tim. “There was inevitably criticism from customers. But there were no compromises.

We’ve always been strict about investors. We’d research them rigorously.”

And of course with Unilever this was key.

The Pukka pair insisted on its ethical standards being totally honoured, including 100 percent organic products, and fair-for-life Fairtrade and FairWild accreditation for wild collected herbs.

Choosing Unilever came down to two fundamentals: scale and sustainability. “We now have new levels of reach and opportunity; and obviously our markets and products are increasing all the time.

We have new premises in Keynsham. And we’re continuing to plan in terms of new material two or three years ahead.”

WE DIDN’T SET UP

PUKKA TO MAKE MONEY.

IT WAS SOMETHING WE BELIEVED IN

www.pukkaherbs.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 85

BUSINESS INSIDER

COMMERCIAL LAW

LEGAL EAGLE

H

What makes a solicitor decide to specialise in the commercial side of law? Heather Jones of Wards Solicitors is better placed to explain than most . . . eather is a commercial property specialist lawyer at Wards Solicitors; she became head of the firm’s growing business services and commercial property team in 2014, and has recently overseen its move to a new office in the heart of Bristol’s business district. Heather joined Wards Solicitors almost 15 years ago and became a partner in 2014.

Tell us a bit about Wards Solicitors.

We are a firm with a 100-year history, which prides itself on being able to provide a unique level of legal expertise and insight provided by the 75-plus specialists who work here. As well as two central Bristol bases, we have 10 further offices across the South West. A cherished philosophy here at Wards Solicitors is that we can always provide clients in our area with the relevant legal specialist at a location convenient to them. This drew me to the firm when I first started here, and remains hugely important to me today.

so a passion for the job is definitely vital. Also important are good communication skills and being able to explain sometimes complicated legal concepts and issues clearly and succinctly.

Why should someone come to you for specialist legal advice?

As in many areas of the law, it is much cheaper to get advice beforehand than to try to rectify problems later. It’s particularly important for clients who are disposing of, or taking on interests in, property to be aware of all the many obligations and liabilities involved so that they can make an informed decision about the transaction.

Name an important development you have witnessed recently.

The last six months have been very exciting for me and my team, which has not only grown but taken up residence in a new office, a former bank that was specially refurbished for us. Our aim has always been to offer specialist, one-stop-shop legal advice for all types of business – from start-ups to established companies. Now, as well as all of our offices around Bristol, we have a new space in the heart of the city with our commercial team placed to serve the city’s business community.

MY WORK IS NEVER BORING AND MAKES ME THINK ABOUT SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY

What inspired you to specialise in business services and commercial property law?

I wanted to specialise in a truly varied area of the law with a broad range of work and clients. You certainly get that in commercial property! It is a technically challenging and mentally demanding area of the law as well as fastpaced and interesting. My work includes acting for landlords and tenants on commercial leases as well as for clients with property portfolios; I also support our company commercial solicitors in the property aspects of their business sales and purchases.

What skills and qualities are important for your role?

You definitely need to be someone who can work under pressure. Being able to spot the key legal issues, and deal with them efficiently and proactively with the clock ticking and tempers sometimes rising, is key. Personally, I like a challenge, and relish tackling problems on my clients’ behalf. I have been praised for my quick reactions on urgent matters, as well as the commercial benefit I bring to transactions,

What has changed most since you qualified?

When I first qualified, although email was around a good percentage of correspondence was still on paper. That’s very different now and the way technological advances have affected the world of business and commerce has massively influenced our communications with clients and other solicitors. We send and receive transaction documents electronically, make Land Registry applications electronically and the vast majority of correspondence is simply done by email. And I’m sure that in the coming years the pace of change will only accelerate.

Personally, I think that’s great – it helps speed and efficiency, which is what being a good lawyer is all about.

For more: www.wards.uk.com

l e g a l a d v e r t i s i n g f e at u r e

house rules Sophie Haskins of AMD SOLICITORS outlines some ways you can protect yourself from property fraud.

P

roperty owners should be alert to the fact that property fraud is on the rise. Indeed the Land Registry’s property fraud line has received nearly 3,000 calls and emails since its launch in February 2013. We are hearing more and more in the news of fraudsters who are trying to impersonate registered owners of property in order to sell or mortgage them without the owner’s knowledge.

The properties most at risk of property fraud include:

• • • •

Those without a mortgage Empty properties Buy-to-lets Unregistered property

solicitor to register such a restriction, using a member of our property team means that you will have the benefit of our specialist knowledge and experience to ensure that the restriction is registered with ease.

Property Alert Service The Land Registry provides a free property alert service, which enables home owners to get property alerts if someone applies to change the register of their property.

More information about this service can be found on the Land Registry’s website. You should also ensure that Land Registry holds up to date contact details for you in case they ever need to write to you. BL

Therefore, if you or a family member are a buy-to-let landlord, have an empty property or are in long-term care, then it is advisable that steps are taken to reduce the risk of being a victim to property fraud.

Unregistered Property If your property is not registered with the Land Registry, we would advise that you should make an application for voluntary first registration. If you are unsure whether your property is registered, or would like to discuss making a voluntary application for first registration, then a member of our experienced property team will be able to assist you.

Rented Properties If you have a property which you rent out, or have a second home, you should consider registering a restriction against the title deeds. The restriction will make it more difficult for a fraudster to sell or mortgage the property without your knowledge.

Although it is not necessary to appoint a

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If you would like any advice or assistance with protecting your property or any other conveyancing matter please call us on 0117 973 5647 or 0117 974 4100, e-mail info@ amdsolicitors.com or call into any one of our 4 Bristol based offices.

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

OAKLANDS It’s not hard to see why the owners of this thoroughly modern home in Wraxall decided to build on this spot – just take a look at those views . . .

By L I SA WA R R E N 94 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

T

wo things attract your attention when you first set eyes on Oaklands in Wraxall.

One, there’s a Shaun in the front garden. He may not be part of the sale, but it’s impossible not to feel instantly well-disposed to a home that has a giant Aardman sheep grazing on the gravel.

You absorb this while simultaneously registering that Oaklands is a large, stylish and beautifully designed new home. You don’t need to set a foot inside (though we will in a minute), to know that all of the rooms will be of the light, bright and airy persuasion.

You’ll find the house on popular Tower House Lane; a quiet residential enclave that belies Wraxall’s busy village community, as well as its easy eight-mile trip to the heart of Clifton. A breath of sea air is never more than a half-an-hour drive away, too.

Wondering how Oaklands came to be built? We’re told that the current owners decided to create this lovely home in 2012, when they spotted the exceptional potential of the plot, which at the time was home to a small, dated bungalow.

They saw the chance to build a one-off home around the panoramic views across the countryside, and commissioned this supremely stylish house that fits the outlook beautifully.

It’s so close to Bristol, yet peaceful and private, with the picturesque, mature backdrop of ancient trees all around.

A driveway that’s as sweeping as Tony Soprano’s leads up to the garage and large parking space, where you’ll probably want to take a few minutes to appreciate the serenity of the open skies and views that stretch off into the distance, across gardens, treetops and open fields to the distant hills beyond.

View duly noted and appreciated, spirits lifted, let’s open the front door and enter the oak floored, L-shaped hallway with its high vaulted ceiling – a dramatic and impressive entrance statement, if ever there was one.

Double doors open to one of the key areas of the home – the open-plan kitchen/family area, shown top right above.

The kitchen measures over 26ft, the family area 22ft – taken together, it’s a truly vast, calm and relaxing space, partly due

We’re feeling uplifted just by looking at photos of the views and airy interiors. What must it be like to live here?

HOUSE NUMBERS

5

bedrooms

3

en-suites, plus large family bathroom

48.5FT

Kitchen/family room; snug; office space

2012

Date property built – yes, it’s that new

£1.475M guide price

to the glass patio doors that enclose the entire family room, which act as a giant picture frame for the captivating views.

Unless you’re relentlessly sociable, there are times when sharing a communal living hub with your nearest and dearest may begin to pall. There’s an easy solution, in the form of a more intimate ‘snug’ (though not that snug, it’s over 13ft), while any one of the five large bedrooms could easily be given over to another living/dining/whatever space, if required. You don’t need to sacrifice a bedroom for a workspace, though; in the inner hallway, the owners have incorporated a neatly designed walk-through office area, leading to two of the double bedrooms, one with an en suite.

There are three more bedrooms at the other end of the home; the spacious master has a beautifully designed wet room, and doors that open to a large raised terrace (we’re thinking morning coffee, and evening cocktails, though we’re definitely not ruling out al fresco lunch). Almost as excitingly, there’s a large walk-in dressing room, fitted with his-and-hers hanging rails, shelving, a shoe-storage unit and further space for suitcases and other such items.

The rest of the family need not feel too sidelined, though; the luxurious, hotel-style family bathroom is just as alluring, with its elegant Italian-style free-standing bath, walk-in shower and twin basins.

Terrific creativity and expense has gone into maximising the plot and remodelling the generous grounds surrounding the property. A sun terrace can be reached directly from both bedrooms and the family area, or via a decked walkway that wraps around the rear of the property.

Approached up a small flight of steps is a large lawn with a raised seating area, artfully placed to maximise the views.

The tiered gardens to the front have been professionally landscaped and planted with a wide array of maturing trees and shrubs designed to offer colour, shape and form for all seasons; as a final bonus, there’s an artificial putting green set below the terrace.

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

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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

THE MALL, CLIFTON

PRIME DEVELOPMENT / INVESTMENT FOR SALE

• Due to relocation to freehold close by

• Consent for 2 x two beds, 1 x one bed and 3 bed coach house

• Prime retail / office unit • All enquiries

• + prime Park Street shop

• (Hydes business unaffected)

• Freehold to purchase

FOR SALE – BROAD STREET – BS1

LARGE BS1 SHOP

• Ground floor office

• Close to the BRI, the University and city centre

• Only £160,000

• Prominent corner site

• 620 sq ft

• New lease

• Rare opportunity to buy

• Rent on application

WEST STREET, BEDMINSTER

OFFICE FOR SALE IN BRISTOL CITY CENTRE

• Large showroom (might suit office stp)

• Only £165,000 • Suit 5 people + meeting room + kitchen

• 2,246 sq ft

• 1 car space

• New flexible lease

• £28,000 pax

• Rare opportunity

INVESTMENT FOR SALE

BS1 OFFICES

• GF shop + 2 x 1 bed flats

• High quality refurb

• High Street Kingswood

• 2,500 – 3,600 sq ft

• Only £325,000 ONO

• 4 car spaces • New lease • Rent O/A

FOR SALE ARMSTRONG COURT, YATE

STRODE ROAD, CLEVEDON • To let (may sell)

• Business unit

• 2 storey offices

• 3,600 sq ft + 11 cars

• C 2,000 sq ft + 6 cars

• Fully fitted as offices

• Price / rent o/a

• Price on application

Julian Cook FRICS

Jayne Rixon MRICS

Charlie Kershaw MRICS

Finola Ingham MRICS

Tom Coyte MRICS

Holly Boulton BSc(Hons)

• Sales/Lettings

• Development advice

• Acquisitions advice

• Investment

• Valuations

• Dilapidations

• Landlord & tenant

• Property Marketing

• Rent reviews

• Auction Services

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

“A name you can trust for specialist legal services” BRISTOL’S MOST AFFLUENT AND INFLUENTIAL AUDIENCE FOR OVER 13 YEARS To discuss how we can help you promote your business call 01225 475842 or email lily.dalzell@mediaclash.co.uk

• Accident Claims • Attorneyships & Court of Protection • Business Sales & Purchases • Commercial Property • Conveyancing • Debt Recovery

• Dispute Resolution • Divorce, Family & Children • Employment Advice • Probate & Estate Services • Wills, Trusts & Tax Planning

Call free for a no obligation consultation

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

Integrated media specialists in magazines, digital and events

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

BRISTOL LIVES

Q&A

S

tu was born in Bristol, but grew up in Leamington Spa. We won’t hold it against him.

“Leam was a perfectly fine place to grow up,” he admits.

“I thought at the time it was a dump, but then comedy took me to Andover, and I reconsidered

my calibration.”

Not content with amusing audiences in live shows all over the country, Stu hosts a podcast, The Comedian’s Comedian, in which he interviews some of the world’s funniest funny men and women. In between doing that, playing with his new baby and taking new show Like I Mean It on the road, he found time to talk to us. Thanks Stu! An impressive number of stand-ups come from Bristol. Are we inherently amusing or something?

I’d be lying if I said Bristolians are any funnier than any other region. I’m a big believer in comedy belonging to everyone. But there is certainly an excellent scene in Bristol, partly due to Mark Olver’s diligence in putting on nights where none previously existed. Now that the Comedy Box in Southville is the only game in town, commercially speaking, there’s a real opportunity for more growth, but the smaller gigs such as Smoke and Mirrors, Oppo at the White Rabbit, Bristol Underground, the Wardrobe and the Lazy Dog all have a brilliant, secret vibe to them.

If you hadn’t gone into comedy, what do you reckon you’d be doing for a living?

Honestly, I think I might be a police officer. I love helping people, and I find myself getting involved in street altercations in a peace-keeping capacity.

As a spunky street urchin I once caught a pickpocket redhanded, and martialled the attention of about 30 strangers around me, so that suddenly he was in the middle of an audience and he couldn’t escape.

Who makes you laugh the most?

My son. Honestly. And then Charlie Brooker. But he’s not as cute.

Is there any kind of comedy that leaves you resolutely unamused?

I don’t love puns. Really good puns I love, but not the sort of generic groaner; I don’t understand why anyone would bother writing or listening to them.

You’ve interviewed nearly every famous comedian in the biz on your ComCom podcast. Are they an anxious, nail-biting bunch, or naturally funny, happy campers?

Well, we’re all just people, and so we’re pretty evenly split between the two camps. Comics are no more basket-cases than the next punter,

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STU GOLDSMITH Downend-born Stu left Bristol when he was six years old (rude!), but it’s still his home town, and he’s looking forward to making it laugh at Hen & Chicken next month with his show Like I Mean It but my point is that punters (sorry, ‘people’) are all struggling with just as many neuroses.

Genuinely happy comics are just as rare and special as genuinely happy people, and they must be understood, preserved, and perhaps taken revenge upon for being so cheery in the face of everything.

You’re married with a baby (you probably knew that). What’s it like to be married to a stand-up?

“Hi, Stu’s wife here. It’s absolutely fine.”

Can you share some of the most interesting comedy secrets you’ve learned from your ComCom guests?

Well, Millican’s Law always springs to mind – that’s the premise that at 11am the next day you absolutely have to stop either wallowing in, or congratulating yourself for, last night’s gig. Technically, I’m also a big fan of Arthur Smith’s concept that you have to think of the third joke.

The first is obvious, the second all the clever kids will have thought of, so go for the third punchline, the one that surprises even you.

Tell us a bit about the new show This show is all about realising the cost of the compromises I’ve made in order to be happy. It’s a load of daft jokes about robots, blueberries, mythical creatures and baby swimming lessons, but it’s also about how my life is way more meaningful than before, but also way harder. And given that I used to be a feckless single stand-up with the world at my feet and no bedtime, ever, I probably fell harder and further than most.

What are the best and worst things that a critic or audience member has ever said about one of your shows?

Worst: “So unlikably cocky”, from a comedy blogger who will remain anonymous. Probably the nicest thing in print is “A master of the craft”, in the i paper. But the best review you’ll ever get is when one of your peers, jaded and ruined for comedy by a lifetime of graft, laughs out loud at your act.

Do you have any secret skills?

I can juggle five oranges while walking a tightrope. And I can do a Mexican wave with my eyebrows, which I gave up practising when I saw Jack Black do it in School of Rock; but it should be noted that I got there first.

Favourite places to eat, drink and be merry in Bristol?

I really like the A Capella pizza place, the Milk Thistle, and a tiny little pub in Easton I wouldn’t dream of telling anyone about.

Finally, tell us a joke….

“I’m at breaking point, she snapped” - Stephen Fry. (Now, that’s a pun).

Catch Stu when he brings his new stand-up tour show Like I Mean It to the Hen & Chicken on 11 May www.henandchicken.com www.comedianscomedian.com