Bristol Life - Issue 253

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property ISSUE 253 / OCTOBER 2018 / £3

A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE CITY

DROP UNDEAD GORGEOUS ISSUE 253 / OCTOBER 2018 / PINTS WEST

LET’S DO HALLOWEEN IN STYLE

BREW GOES THERE?

WHO’S MAKING THE LOCAL CRAFT BEER SCENE SO ALE AND HEARTY?

BORN FREE

THE BEST WILDLIFE PHOTOS IN THE WORLD

CHOOSE

ORDER, ORDER!

THE VERY BEST DISHES ON BRISTOL’S AUTUMN MENUS

CHOOSE BRISTOL’S NEW WILD & WELL FEST

large version

© PHILIP VILE

EDITOR’S LETTER

ABOVE LEFT: The Bristol Old Vic’s original

18th-century front wall – on show for the first time in its long history ABOVE RIGHT: Wellness without the worthiness BELOW: Boo! From Day of the Dead to Halloween chic, we’re doing October right

COVER Bringing Death into Life – just one of the many and varied events at the new Wild & Well festival (page 98)

W

hen you hear the word ‘wellness’, do you find yourself looking busy? Even though you know, in your heart, that a pilates session a week, an hour or so of mindfulness, switching to a more plant-based diet and swopping the car for a bike would be better both for you and the planet? That you should probably cut down on the caffeine and alcohol units while you’re at it? Schedule in a nice bit of tai chi? When the key to leading happier, healthier, better lives is so readily available, why don’t we all embrace wellness more enthusiastically? Is it because the word carries an imperceptible whiff of sanctimoniousness – a subtext of reproach – that puts us off the whole thing and makes us want to go out for burgers instead?

That’s our annual quota of question marks used up for October, so we’ll jump to the point. A new festival called Wild & Well launches this month, and one of its main aims is to dispel the ‘worthiness’ that surrounds ‘wellness’ – let organiser Aisling Mustan tell you more about it on page 98.

Luckily, we know for a fact that local beer drunk in a local pub is good for you, and with this in mind we spoke to some of Bristol’s top brewers (page 42). We’re also categorically assured that a meal cooked by a Bristol chef, using local, seasonal ingredients and consumed in a Bristol restaurant, has zero calories, so we asked said chefs to recommend some great dishes from their current menus (page 52).

Just room for a line to congratulate Bristol Old Vic on its beautiful new foyer space, incorporating the 1766 bar and kitchen; they’d love you to call in to see what they’ve done with the place.

And that, along with some Halloween stuff on page 63, is basically how we’re doing autumn.

DERI ROBINS Follow us on Twitter @BristolLifeMag Instagram @BristolLifeMag

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 3

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Issue 253/October 2018

the arts

13 art page Viva los muertos!

14 WHAT’S ON The autumn season swings into full

swinginess

20 Photography All over Bristol, magazine editors

punch the air as the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition returns to town, filling our pages with natural wonderfulness 26 bristol heroes It can be a funny place, this Bristol 32 art It’s the 166th Open Art Exhibition at RWA – but what makes it so important?

food & DRINK

36 RESTAURANT Why Poco Tapas is still one of the ones

to beat

32

38 Food and drink Going Dutch at Five Acre Farm 42 brew goes there? All hail the ale 52 order, order! Chefs recommend some of the

tastiest dishes from their menus

61 STan Meanwhile, Stan’s still drinking coffee

shopping

63 shopping Happy anniversary, Diana Porter 64 editor’s choice Drop undead, gorgeous

A man’s world

67 kam kelly Never agree to anything in two month’s

time that you wouldn’t agree to if it was tomorrow.

Unless being saved from a cold marina by a big dog is involved

Business

73 business insider News, views and the Bristol Life

Award winner with an unfair advantage

Property

83 New builds If they build it, they will come

Regulars

14

7 spotlight 11 instas 98 bristol lives The wild and well Aisling Mustan

Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior Art Editor Andrew Richmond Graphic Design Megan Allison Cover Design Trevor Gilham Contributors Colin Moody, Stan Cullimore, Kam Kelly, Advertising manager Neil Snow neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager James Morgan james.morgan@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager Jake Newland jake.newland@mediaclash.co.uk Sales Executive Gabriella Cronchey gabriella.cronchey@mediaclash.co.uk Production/distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager/production designer Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Bristol Life MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

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

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 5

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spotlight

top three images © @JonCraig_ Photos

These shutters, though! Arguably even more beautiful when seen from the inside looking out

Tom Morris and Emma Stenning welcome the first guests to the new foyer

© Evoke

The original wall; note all those exciting windows, ideal for future foyer performances

The last shot you’re ever likely to see of the foyer looking this empty; it’s now buzzing from morning to chucking-out time

Theatre

the final stage

A stellar month for Bristol Old Vic: having won five-star reviews for Tom Morris’s ambitious new stage adaptation of Touching the Void, the theatre finally unveiled the final part of its 10-year, £26million transformation at a huge party on 23 September.

Stage, TV and film stars Timothy West, Simon Callow, Miranda Richardson and Patrick Malahide rubbed shoulders with performers such as Jon Boden; the prosecco flowed like water, and guests gaped at the beautiful new foyer created by Stirling Prize-winning architects Haworth Tompkins. (Look out for gaping photos in our next issue.)

The idea behind the new space was to create a new, accessible social hub for the city, including an all day café/bar/restaurant. The foyer acts like a covered public square, with huge sun-shading shutters incorporating the text of actor David Garrick’s inaugural 1766 address, and a poem by Bristol poet Miles Chambers.

Dominating the back wall is the original façade; when the theatre opened in the mid-18th century, public plays were illegal, and it had to be accessed by a secret passageway. This is the first time in its long history that it’s been visible from King Street.

Rather than cutting the ribbon, revered actor Timothy West pulled the rope that lowered the curtain concealing the new foyer, as Tom Morris encouraged the crowds gathered outside to chant “cut the rope!” (we see what you did there, Tom).

From the first floor gallery, Tom invited the “amazing people of Bristol” to become part of an exciting new era for the theatre.

“When it was first built in 1766, it was a space where people from every walk of life would congregate to be inspired and entertained. Over 250 years, as fashions changed, and the theatre became increasingly hidden from public view, Bristol Old Vic may sometimes have seemed to only belong to the privileged few. With this transformation, we are returning the theatre to its origins as a place for all, and a new welcoming space where everyone can feel at home.”

Cheers Tom; if you’re asking, ours is a half of Gem. For more: www.bristololdvic.org.uk

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spotlight

Take three

Tunes

Relight their fires

Apropos, two major acts from the world of music have been confirmed to play at Ashton Gate in May 2019.

On 22 May, irrepressible septuagenarian Rod Stewart shows that he’s still wearing it well, as he kicks off his new stadium tour at the Gate – a venue he last played in 2005, as we recall, a majestic three-hour set with no greatest hit unplayed. On 28 May it’s the turn of Take That – they’re now down to Gary, Howard and Mark (though who knows, if Robbie and Jason are in the area, they may pop in. Anyway, they’re supported by Rick Astley).

The lads invariably sell out when they play Wembley, so it’s good to know that they feel that Bristol, even without an Arena, is worth a leg on the tour.

For more: www.ashtongatestadium.co.uk/events

Not the new arena

Better gate than never

The Arena may be on the backburner once again, with all the political handbags this implies; but at least there’s big news south of the city, as Ashton Gate reveals proposals for a £100 million development to extend the stadium into a new sports and entertainment quarter.

A 4000-capacity home for Bristol Flyers basketball is at the heart of the planned Ashton Gate Sports and Convention Centre, which will include new housing, a multi-storey car park and two hotels.

“The last two years have seen a successful regeneration and stimulus to the BS3 area,” said Ashton Gate chairman Martin Griffiths. “As one of the city’s largest employers, we are proud to have kept true to our promise of delivering a stadium in the heart of the city, with local suppliers and a local workforce.

“This has had a significant economic impact on the fortunes of many local residents and businesses and we hope that the whole of Bristol will reap the benefits.”

We’re not calling it an Arena, though.

It’s definitely not an Arena.

For more: www.ashtongatestadium.co.uk/development

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Sport

Squad at the college

Clifton College welcomed Eddie Jones and the England Rugby squad back for the start of a two day training camp this September; the squad last visited in October 2017 when the forwards trained with Wales on the Close.

“Rugby is such an important part of life here at Clifton, and the Close is a fantastic place to train and play,” said Clifton College’s director of rugby, Matt Salter. “It doesn’t get better for our pupils in terms of inspiration than being able to watch the England squad train here.”

For more: www.cliftoncollege.com

SPOTLIGHT PLAY MISTY FOR ME

Ghost ships; mysterious silhouettes; bridges disappearing into the fog . . . autumn’s the best time of the year for taking moody, mysterious, Brizzle mizzle photos.

Especially if you get up as early as Sam Binding.

@neiljamesb

@sjtanton

@nichthyosaur

@bencostiganphotography

@chill1983

@carolyn.eaton

@mrbenadams

@lz.bristol

@perkspectivephotography

@kruggy01

@moodycolin319

@sambinding

@timmah666

@sambinding

@moodycolin319

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THE ARTS S N A P S H O T S O F B R I S T O L’ S C U LT U R A L L I F E

One of Danielle’s smaller pieces, Milagro de la Cruz costs just £45

MILAGRO WORKER

If you go down to the Gloucester Road this month, you’re sure of a spooky surprise. Gallery Room212 has invited artist Danielle Greenwood, aka Viva Los Muertos, to set up a brightly coloured altar in the window, in celebration of the Mexican festival Day of the Dead, including traditional ofrendas of skulls, hearts, flowers and milagros.

Oh, how Madonna would love it.

Danielle’s a Bristolian now, but she grew up in El Paso.“My childhood was immersed in Catholic and Mexican culture, which influenced my art,” she says. Original works start at just £45, rising to £200 for the bigger pieces. “I like to see it as affordable art,” says Danielle, explaining that she keeps prices low by selling accessories – and by teaching the ukulele full time (we love this). She has many local events in the pipeline; to find out more, and to learn why she’s so fascinated by death, see www.vivalosmuertos.co.uk

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What’s on 5 October - 4 November 2018 Thought festival season was over for the year? Do you even know this city?

Bringing death into life at Wild & Well

exhibitions Until 12 October

texture Three contrasting artists, and the way they use texture as part of the creative process, show at Lime Tree; limetreegallery.com

Until 4 November FAB 4 Bristol artists Andrew Burns Colwill, Julian Quaye, Thomas Dowdeswell and Jimmer Willmott offer a surreal mix of allegorical and metaphorical delights at Bocabar; bocabar.co.uk

Until 22 December in your face Martin Parr Foundation’s new exhibition: Paul Trevor’s spontaneous close-ups taken on the streets of London 1977-1992; martinparrfoundation.orgk

Until 6 January Masters of Japanese Prints Original woodblock prints by Hokusai and Hiroshige landscapes – yes, including *that* Great Wave at Bristol Museum; bristolmuseums.org.uk

Clowns: The eggshibition A surreal and interactive realm of light, colour, mirrors and clown cars, and the most amazing painted eggs; part of Circus 250; bristolmuseums.org.uk

6 October-9 December Benoît Maire: Thebes For his major solo exhibition at Spike Island, a recurring theme for Benoît is the origin of humankind and the objects we produce; spikeisland.org.uk

7 October-25 December 166TH Annual Open The annual autumn biggie for RWA, with work from emerging and established artists; rwa.org.uk

27-31 October line and point Established and emergent artists show works based on the human condition and the modern age at Centrespace; centrespacegallery.com

27 October-21 November mats Rydstern Lime Tree welcomes back

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the noted Swedish still-lifer and landscape artist; limetreegallery.com

Theatre & shows Until 6 October

henry V Shakespeare at the Tobacco Theatre has a new autumn schedule, and this first outing has already been tried out in the provinces (Bath).

With themes of patriotism and leadership, the new take is bound to be stuffed with contemporary resonance, just as it was in Larry O’s film version during World War II. At TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com saturday night fever This all-new stage version promises more drama, and more music (though we’d be quite happy with the 1977 Bee Gees score, frankly); Bristol Hippodrome; atgtickets.com The Enormous Room Stopgap Dance’s latest epic follows the story of a bereaved father and daughter learning to move on. At Circomedia; circomedia.com

sexy Bristol’s writer, performer and burlesque artist Vanessa Kisuule explores our obsession with what’s sexy, through comedy, spoken word, dance and various states of undress.

At Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com the trench Les Enfants Terribles bring their World War I epic to Redgrave, blending live music, puppetry and physical performance;

redgravetheatre.com 8 October

Blahblahblah: Perseverance Spoken word from Raymond Antrobus, supported by Shruti Chauhan and Tom Denbigh, at Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

9-13 October Coulrophobia Two clowns trapped in a cardboard world; a hysterical comedy from Pickled Image, at Wardrobe thewardrobetheatre.com the effect Lucy Prebble’s funny, moving

WHAT’S ON 16-17 October

LANDS A Bush Theatre and Antler co-production: a playful, intimate dissection of a relationship teetering on the edge of collapse, at Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

16-20 October

HAIRSPRAY The eight-Tony-winning, ’60stastic musical piled bouffant-high with laughter, romance, and toons, comes to Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com

MUSIC 7 October

FAELAND Folk-pop with a Celtic edge, at Bristol Folk House; bristolfolkhouse.co.uk

17 October-12 November

TWELFTH NIGHT The first co-production between Bristol Old Vic and Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh is the greatest of all the Bard’s comedies [discuss].

Bristol Old Vic; bristololdvic.org.uk

11 October

24-27 October

A PURE WOMAN A new play by former Bristol Old Vic head honcho Simon Reade, based on Christopher Nicholson’s novel Winter.

It’s about the dalliance between author Thomas Hardy (then aged 84) and a 20-something Dorset woman playing Tess in the local am-dram, sending Hardy’s second wife, Florence (in her 40s), into a jealous rage. Who knew Hardy was such a bad lad? At 1532; 1532bristol.co.uk

Tricky Balance by Kelly M O’Brien at Centrespace; BELOW: The Van they call The Man. Unlikely to crowd-surf

play explores questions of sanity, neurology and the limits of medicine; performed by the Kelvin Players at their Studio Theatre; kelvinplayers.co.uk MADAGASCAR – A MUSICAL ADVENTURE The latest hit movie to get the musical treatment comes to Bristol Hippodrome; atgtickets.com

10-13 October

A FOREIGN FIELD An opera painting a true story of three British soldiers caught behind enemy lines in France during World War 1. Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com

11-27 OCTOBER

BEAUTIFUL THING A 25th-anniversary revival for Jonathan Harvey’s cult urban fairytale about life and love on a post-war council estate; there’s live pop from Get Singing Community Choir, too; At TFT, tobaccofactorytheatres.com

12-14 October

DIVERSITY: IGNITE Still going strong 10 years after winning Britain’s Got Talent, and in the new show, taking street dance and circus to a whole new level. At Blaise Castle; ticketmaster.co.uk

ANDY SHEPPARD AND ESPEN ERIKSEN TRIO Lyrical, chilled melodic jazz from this collab; nice. St George’s; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

22 October

VAN MORRISON The Belfast man raised on his shipyard-worker father’s collection of blues, country and gospel shows us once again why he’s both one of the greatest songwriters of all time, and one whose incapable of delivering a less than immense show. Don’t expect smiles or banter.

Bristol Hippodrome; atgtickets.com

30 October-3 November

25-27 October

30 October-17 November

COMEDY

THE DUKE Shôn Dale-Jones’s award-winning one-man show blends fantasy and reality, weaving together the tragicomic fate of a family heirloom, the quandary of a scriptwriter stretching his integrity and an unfolding refugee disaster; TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com ABOVE:

rejection, love and disaster; parental rejection, body dysmorphia, prejudice, scientific responsibility, revenge and the nature of good and evil. And yes, we know you can get all that at home. Arnos Vale Cemetery; eventbrite.co.uk

JERSEY BOYS The true life story of four boys from the wrong side of the tracks who wrote their own songs, invented their own unique sound, and sold 100 million records worldwide. That’ll be the Four Seasons, btw. Bristol Hippodrome; atgtickets.com

1-3 November

ALL YOU NEED IS LSD Leo Butler’s darkly humorous new play illuminates the drugs debate that won’t go away and examines the freedom we have to make our own choices in life, and death. At TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com

2-11 November

FRANKENSTEIN A 200-year-old tale of creation,

WNO SEASON The world-class Welsh National Opera company bring their autumn season to Hippodrome; La Traviata’s up for 25th and 27th, La Cenerentola on 26th; atgtickets.com

7 October-4 November

MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE: DEVIL MAY CARE The Devil (that’ll be Marcus) is retired now, but is still on the board of the Underworld and attends a bi-annual meeting to advise on how to make eternal damnation sustainably hot, how to keep a thousand minions on a zero hours contract, and what to do about Jacob Rees Mogg. At Bristol Old Vic; bristololdvic.org.uk

11 October

THE MAE MARTIN EXPERIMENT The charismatic Mae builds an improvised hour of stand-up based on the audience’s suggestions; at 1532; 1532bristol.co.uk

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Consignments invited for our pre-Christmas Specialist Sale

£8,600

£23,500

£19,600

WHAT’S ON 30 October-7 November BRISTOL KEYBOARD FESTIVAL Pianos and keyboards of all shapes and sizes, at St George’s stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

4-12 November AFRIKA EYE The South West’s biggest celebration of African cinema and culture; mostly at Watershed; afrikaeye.org.uk

OTHER

BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL The sort-of-year-round fest revives for the autumn with its usual range of site-specific screenings. On 21 October, ‘Undercover Cops’ brings you Reservoir Dogs,The Departed and 21 Jump Street in the old police cells at The Island; on 25 Oct, Tom Cruise takes your breath away once again, at (you guessed it) Aerospace Bristol; there’s horror in the Redcliffe Caves 26-28 October, Don’t Look Now’s at Avery’s on 26 October, with plenty of Veneto wine (which you’ll definitely need). Also at Avery’s on 27th, Interview with the Vampire comes with suitable (red?) wines, and scariest of all, killer clowns in It at Bristol Museum at midnight on 2 November. If you’re not hard enough, Dumbo’s on at the same venue earlier that day, with a singalong show of The Greatest Showman before it all gets really, really dark. www.bristolfilmfestival.com

7, 14 October

WORKING CLASS SUNDAY BRUNCHES Who doesn’t love a nice bit of ’60s kitchen sink on a Sunday?

Watershed; watershed.co.uk ABOVE: Whose the most fabulous of them all? RIGHT: Messrs Brown, Blonde, Orange, White, Pink and Blue are back in town

15, 29 October CLOSER EACH DAY The world’s longest-running improvised soap continues to bubble away amusingly at The Wardrobe, every other Monday; thewardrobetheatre.com

16 October ROSS NOBLE: EL HABLADOR Ross returns to spin out all the nonsense in his head into a stand-up show. Book now to see the one they call El Hablador*. *Ross is the only one that calls himself El Hablador.

Bristol Hippodrome; atgtickets.com

20 October CHRIS RAMSEY: THE JUST HAPPY TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE TOUR The Celebrity Juice regular and only person to ever put Katie Hopkins in her place comes to Anson Rooms; bristolsu.org.uk DYLAN MORAN: DR COSMOS Meanwhile, over at the Hippodrome, the deadpan, crackpot-lyrical Irishman shows us why he’s been called one of the finest comedians of his generation; atgtickets.com

FESTIVALS 13 October

RUM AND REGGAE FESTIVAL Rum, reggae and sea air. We can’t see anything not to love, so we’re

11 October

heading down to Tropicana in WSM; find the event on Facebook.

GEORGE MONBIOT Journalist, protester and changemaker George hosts an evening of talks, group breakouts and discussions on how we can all create positive action in the world around us; at Anson Rooms; bristolsu.org.uk

15-19 October

13-14 October

WILDSCREEN Wildlife storytelling? It’s what Bristol does best. The world’s leading international festival on the subject returns, at various locations; wildscreen.org/festival

ACHIEVE 2018 Achieve’s second annual Health, Wealth & Happiness event; a weekend filled with interactive demos, mindfulness coaches, various exhibitors and inspirational speakers. We’re a bit excited that one of them is Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards. At Passenger Shed; eventbrite.co.uk

19-29 October BRISTOL FESTIVAL OF LITERATURE Come along and see literature presented in fresh and meaningful ways; bristolliteraturefestival.org

18 October

WILD & WELL FESTIVAL A new festival based around four themes – Move, Eat, Connect and Explore. Page 98; wildandwell.org

JOANNA LUMLEY: IT’S ALL ABOUT ME Joanna, we wouldn’t have it any other way. Expect Bristol Hippodrome to be packed to the rafters as Joanna brings her first live tour to town; atgtickets.com

27 October

19 October

THE GIN SESSIONS Yes, we thought that would stop you idly scanning this page in your tracks; the gin fest’s back at Paintworks with more juniper-related stuff than you can shake a cocktail swirler at; eventbrite.co.uk

JON RONSON: PSYCHOPATH NIGHT Jon recounts the funny, terrifying and compelling events that led to his book The Psychopath Test. Is it true that psychopaths rule the world? Or have we gone labelling-crazy? Bristol Hippodrome; atgtickets.com

20-21 October

28-29 October LOVE FOOD FESTIVAL Get cosy with a Dick Willows mulled cider, stock up on beautiful local produce and enjoy some of the best street food Bristol has to offer. At Paintworks; lovefoodfestival.com

22 October AFTER HOURS AT WE THE CURIOUS Play with all the science stuff without having to shove hordes of kids out of the way. Usually sells out, so quicksticks, darlings. . . wethecurious.org

28 October BENEDICT ALLEN: ULTIMATE EXPLORER The adventurer-explorer takes us on his most recent adventure – a solo expedition to Papua New Guinea.

At 1532; 1532bristol.co.uk

19-31 October (various dates) FEAR Avon Valley brings you four scary mazes; Phobia, Anarchy:Live, The Fourth and a new maze for 2018; fearavonvalley.com

21-28 October (selected dates)

RUBY WAX: HOW TO BE HUMAN Ruby’s here to help you upgrade your mind as assiduously as you’ve upgraded your iPhone; at Bristol Old Vic; bristololdvic.org.uk

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The wild bunch Beauty is truth, truth beauty; Keats wrote that, about an urn. The same thing could be said about the current Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at M Shed: admire the photos, for sure; but let them tell you the story behind the image

By Deri Robins

F

unny animals. Cute, friendly-looking animals. Animals red in tooth and claw; animals you really wouldn’t want to be left alone in a room with. Bizarre, spookylooking animals. Furry ones, feathery ones and scaly ones. Worried-looking animals, that you could swear were clued-up about their endangered environment; the fact that we’re just projecting our so-called superior knowledge on them doesn’t mean that they have anything less to worry about.

Every year – and this is its 54th – the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition becomes so more than just a showcase for the world’s best nature photography. It’s an exhibition with the power to inspire curiosity, wonder and concern; the images present wildlife

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photography as an art form, while challenging us to consider our place in the natural world, and our increasingly urgent responsibility to protect it.

The overall winners for 2018 will be announced on 16 October, but as M Shed’s exhibition is opening on 20 October we’ve brought you some of the most highly commended shots from the 45,000-plus entries that were submitted. Camera geeks can get their tech on by visiting the website, where full kit and settings are divulged.

Go, marvel at the wonders of the natural world – then maybe go home and raise your green game a few notches.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition runs at M Shed between 20 October 2018 - 24 February 2019; www.bristolmuseums.org.uk Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London

photography Mister Whiskers by Valter Bernardeschi It was a bright summer’s night when Valter came across these walruses near Svalbard. Putting on his wetsuit, and using a couple of monopod poles and a float to extend his camera in front of him, he slipped into the icy water. Immediately, a few curious walruses – mainly youngsters – began swimming towards him. Keeping at pole’s length, Valter was able to take this intimate portrait of the distinctive whiskered faces of a youngster and its watchful mother.

Cool cat by Isak Pretorius A lioness drinks from a waterhole in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. Isak positioned his vehicle on the opposite side of the waterhole, and caught her gaze and her tongue, lapping the water, framed by the wall of lush green.

“The images present photography as an art form, while challenging us to consider our place in the natural world, and our responsibility to protect it”

Delta design by Paul Mckenzie A photographer who enjoys creating photographs that challenge initial perceptions, Paul was drawn to the clear reflection of the birds and the pink shades of the flock in Kenya’s Ewaso Ng’iro river – a scene ripe for some experimentation. Focusing on the birds’ red legs, and framing the shot to include the reflection of the upright birds, Paul rotated the image 180 degrees in post-production to create a more abstract, reflective image.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

School visit by Adrian Bliss Adrian was exploring the derelict schoolroom when the red fox trotted in – perhaps curious about the human, or perhaps just on its rounds. It stopped briefly on the carpet of child-sized gas masks, just long enough for a picture, and then exited through a broken window. The school in Pripyat, Ukraine, was abandoned in 1986, as was the whole city, following the catastrophic explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant just three kilometres away. Pripyat lies within the 30-kilometre exclusion zone, which only accredited individuals can enter, and in the absence of humans, the forest is moving back in. Animals such as wild boar, deer, moose and lynx are making a comeback, and there are even sightings of brown bears and wolves. Though the long-term effect of radiation on the animals is far from clear, wildlife appears to be thriving.

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

“In the absence of humans, the forest is moving back in . . .”

Looking for love by Tony Wu Accentuating his mature appearance with pastel colours, protruding lips and an outstanding pink forehead, this Asian sheepshead wrasse sets out to impress females and see off rivals, which he will head-butt and bite. Individuals start out as females, and when they reach a certain age and size can transform into males.

Long-lived and slow-growing, the species is intrinsically vulnerable to overfishing. It favours rocky reefs in cool waters in the Western Pacific, where it feeds on shellfish and crustaceans, though little more is known about it.

In a window of calm, amid high seas, Tony reached Japan’s remote Sado Island, to reveal some of the drama of the wrasses’ lives. Here, he conveys the suitor’s earnest intentions, written large on his face.

LIFE AMONG LITTER

by Greg Lecoeur

Greg spotted this sargassumfish – a master of camouflage and an ambush predator that stalks its prey on claw-like fins – among the reefs of the Indonesian archipelago of Raja Ampat. It’s an area where strong currents converge, bringing with them nutrients that sustain the rich biodiversity, while collecting anything else that floats, including some of the millions of tonnes of plastic that end up in the oceans each year.

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

BRISTOL HEROES

Smile! Bristol can be a funny place . . .

Words and pictures by Colin Moody

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photography

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ometimes, we take life too seriously. We might be getting stressed over the thought that with so much going on in Bristol – festival after festival after festival – we’ll be missing out if we just hang out at our local favourites and chill. So to give you all a little relief, and give you breathing space, I’ve dug out eight shots I’m calling Comedy Heroes. People, or captured moments, that take a sideways look at life, and make you realise that wherever you are, you’re still in Bristol.

But some are taken at festivals. That was always gonna happen.

1

A look back at the Docks Heritage weekend, and Show Of Strength Theatre Company at Underfall Yard. “See Albert? For the record I am not the size of yer uncle’s boat” – Bristol comedian and actor Angie Belcher performing with Will Bateman.

2

A rare shot of the ‘hold’ gang that used to have to hold on to the chains while they replaced the pins that often rust inside the tunnels just below the ground where the chains are secured to the rock. It could take up to an hour to hold them, and it was considered a great honour to be selected.

3

Another perfect day on the water with the Bristol Ferry. The cranes rise majestically over the boat, giving a nod back to a busier industrial maritime past. The sun burns through the rigging of one of the long-standing tall ships by the amphitheatre. Sunlight glistens on the water like diamonds. The boat captain’s mate is posed in such a way as to tell you that she is in absolute control of the craft as she checks the way ahead. And the bloke on the left stands up and picks his lunch out of his teeth. Nailed it! Welcome to Bristol. It’s a funny place.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

4

Bristol Aquatic Centre closed. No fish left.

Roaring trade at the Horfield Fish Bar . . .

I think I’m having a Tropical Lilt with mine.

5

Metrobus; possible underground system coming. What next, I asked myself; could we get an integrated transport system? Something so Bristol, something green, good for you, too?

Marvin came on the award winning One Love Breakfast to announce the Bristol Skate. BS. Just use the app, find your nearest skate pick-up and go, go, go! This could be a game-changer.

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It’s one of the lesser-known architectural facts that after 1950s Brutalism came another, lesser-known period during which designers had to respond to the public’s disdain with secret, yet observable, humour. It peaked in the 1980s with this great masterpiece near Temple Meads. Called the Beaker Building by locals, it was designed to look like one of the most loved characters from The Muppet Show, and still brings joy to tens of people every year who get lost coming out of the station looking for their Uber.

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On his last day in the job, Peter decided to put up an existential poem on the traffic information boards (this one’s in Hotwells).

Works. Dies Rd. Delays Workmen later discovered that the left side of the screen wasn’t working. Two weeks later the other side was bust, and an equally profound message came up from the team responsible for drawing attention to bike users: “Think. . .”

8

Bless them. They tried. But on a warm summer’s evening, in the middle of festival season, Tai Chi was never going to attract the same crowd as Cider Tasting, was it?

Follow Colin on Twitter @moodycolin Instagram @moodycolin319

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art

“When I first came to Bristol I was gobsmacked that a no-name like me could submit work to the RWA Open Exhibition, and show in such a fantastic gallery” - Vera Boele-Keimer

Much of Angela Lizon’s work is inspired by old, forgotten photographs

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art

open your art As Bristol’s oldest open art exhibition returns to RWA for its 166th year, we met five local artists and asked: why is this show so important to you?

Words by Lisa Warren

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aintings, sculpture, prints, film – the RWA’s Annual Open has always been a hot date in the city’s art calendar, attracting artists from across the globe.

Ahead of this year’s exhibition, we visited five Bristol artists, had a poke around their studios, and discovered how they’ve been preparing for this important exhibition, and what inspires them.

Dallas Collins, BV Studios

I usually work with found or given objects, working on several pieces at once. Lately, I have been working on a series of sculptures. I’ve finished parts one and two, which will hopefully be on show at the Open this year. Part three is gathering dust on my desk at the moment . . .

My biggest inspiration is the father of modern sculpture, Auguste Rodin. His exquisite and unique talent in modelling the human figure showed no bounds. Also, having visited the Yorkshire sculpture park to see contemporary artists Ai Weiwei and Tony Cragg, you just can’t help being inspired.

As an artist, showing your work is one of the most rewarding things you can do. To have the privilege of exhibiting to your contemporaries and to an audience, gives you a wonderful sense of achievement. I’ve lost count of the numerous open exhibitions

I have entered throughout my career; some have been successful and some unfortunately not progressed further than the first stage of selection. Sometimes you just have to believe in yourself and carry on; the work on the other hand will always look after itself and find its own way.

Vera Boele-Keimer, Jamaica Street

I bought some garish cloth from Fabric Land and I have been patiently colouring in everything that’s not yellow. I’m interested in transforming the surface of the industrially-made, mass-produced printed cloth into something that is, to me, more interesting. I use the qualities of the acrylic paint to totally transform the surface.

I was a very messy artist for years. As I’ve realised that at the centre of my work is a sense of order and neatness, so my studio has slowly come to reflect that.

When I first came to Bristol I was gobsmacked that a no-name like me could submit work to the RWA Open Exhibition and show in such a fantastic gallery. In Germany this doesn’t exist. It’s an amazing opportunity for someone who is starting a career and is trying to work out where they fit in.

Every year you think “there’s so much to see here, how can I take any of it in?” Then you go into these big galleries and your attention is immediately drawn to one or two pieces.

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

art Angela Lizon, Spike Island

A lot of my inspiration comes from old images. I spend time scouring eBay, because people sell off their old family photos. I like photos that weren’t taken very well in the first place, so they have probably spent most of their lives in a drawer. If I hadn’t found them and painted them and immortalised them, they might well have just ended up in the bin.

I’ve always appreciated painters with incredible technical ability.

Velasquez, for example. When you get closer to his amazing paintings, the brushstrokes break down and have an almost abstract quality.

I don’t look at that much contemporary art because you have to follow your own direction and your own path. I love Instagram because I can connect with artists across the world, but it can also feel overwhelming to see how many artists there are out there.

I like the variety of work you get in an open exhibition. Everyone has a chance of getting in. There are a lot of good artists out there who don’t work professionally and deserve to show it.

Karen Edwards, Jamaica Street

My inspiration comes from walking around the city and visiting real places. I’m still inspired by other artists, too. I was thinking about how Lowry does city scenes the other day, and how he places his figures.

When I was first starting out, I loved Turner and Constable’s wild skies and landscapes. In the studio we are always walking past each

below left to right: Angela Lizon and Dallas Collins

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other, and giving each other advice, which is really useful. You can end up staring at something for so long that you just can’t see it any more.

Open exhibitions give everyone a chance to show their work. You get unbiased feedback from a range of people, and it’s always a varied show, particularly at the RWA. Emerging artists need places to show their work. It’s where I started.

It’s a big confidence-boost and it means a lot to artists.

Stewart Geddes, President RWA, BV Studios

At the moment, I’m working on a series of improvisations. I begin with a particular palette, start chucking the paint around, and see where we go – it’s delicious! The older I get, the less reasonable I am.

Open Exhibitions are a mad proposition, really, but I like the way work is accepted or rejected purely on its visual status. At the RWA, we don’t read supporting statements or undertake a lengthy debate, but we have to make quick decisions, purely on visuality. As a visual artist that’s very important to me. Despite the grandeur of the building, we don’t want to be remote, but inclusive. There’s a debate to be part of, and the Open enables artists and the public to engage in a democratic way. n The RWA Annual Open Exhibition begins on 7 October 2018.

Visit www.rwaopen.co.uk for more details.

poco tapas bar

‘Poco’ translates from Spanish to English as ‘little bit’, and small plates duly rule the roost at this Jamaica Street favourite. The idea behind the menu, though, is as big as it gets . . .

By Deri Robins

B

ristol restaurant scene, baby, you do love to keep us on our toes. You have us haring North, South, East and West, checking out your latest openings and sampling all your exciting new flavours. So much so, that sometimes we forget about those places that have delivered great food and service consistently since the day they arrived – places like Poco Tapas in Stokes Croft, for example.

Not that Poco ever slipped completely off our radar.

No chance of that happening. It wins endless local and national awards, partly because it’s so blamelessly seasonal, organic and sustainable – this is, after all, the Bristol pod of that poster boy for ethical British cookery, Tom Hunt – but also because it’s just a perennial delight to visit.

The atmosphere is laidback and relaxed, and manages to pull off the tricky feat of feeling both intimate and romantic, yet vibrant and lively. The former is largely down to the lavish use of candles; not just a mimsy night light on a table, proper, decent candles, all over the shop, with just a few spotlights as a nod to the modern world;

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such an easy, obvious and lovely effect that it makes you wonder why all restaurants don’t go heavier on the tallow.

This also means that even if you’re sitting cheek by jowl with dozens of other diners packed into the small rooms (and there wasn’t a spare table by 8pm), you still feel enveloped in your own private little pool of light. We’re surprised there isn’t a marriage proposal here every night.

Also, through a happy trick of the acoustics, all the chat drifts up to the ceiling, where it coalesces into a murmuring, happy buzz. Thus we could have told you what all our fellow diners looked like (young, attractive, Stokes Crofty) but have no idea what they were talking about, and vice versa. Like extras in your own movie.

Tapas have always been Poco’s thing. Tom and co-owners Ben Pryor and Jen Best honed their catering skills at festivals, and although tapas started life in bars, not fields, you could say they have much in common with street food. Both have humble origins – little dishes to be eaten on the hop by drinkers and revellers – but both have come to be regarded as an ideal way to showcase global flavours, and a chef ’s eclectic imagination and creativity.

restaurant

You don’t need to go down the tapas route, though; on the night we visited, there was a nose-to-tail duck option and a set menu to share (Poco’s big on sharing). All the dishes on the set menu were also on the tapas list, so if you plump for the latter, you can have all these and more. No prizes for guessing which way we plumped.

First up was a generous, luscious mound of fava bean hummus, served with springy sourdough soldiers from Bristol Loaf; it was creamy, it was nutty, it came in a pool of excellent olive oil with crunchy seasame seeds, and it was all we could do not to call out “Cancel the other five tapas, waitperson! Just bring us more of this nutty, creamy fava bean hummus!”

Fortunately we didn’t, as the other dishes were just as good. We’d chosen the Isle of Wight heritage tomatoes, mostly because Bristol’s chefs won’t stop banging on about how great these are. Poco serves a dishful of sweet, jewelcoloured red and yellow varieties with juicy slices of peach and crunchy fried polenta, a combo that worked a treat.

A peppery crab bisque was crowded with plump mussels, followed by lamb and pork dishes sourced from Pipers Farm. There are fewer more delicious things in this world than a great piece of perfectly cooked pork belly, where the meat is soft, tender and flaky, the fat sweet as a nut, and ever so slightly chewy, and Poco nailed it.

It came with a dollop of sauerkraut – a dish which Your Man, a bit of a Teutonophile, swears is one of the great underrated dishes of the world. Certainly in this context it did a superb job of cutting through the richness of the pork, and the sweetness of the accompanying pear, celeriac purée and cider. Over in the lamb dish, a similar endgame was achieved by a beautiful purple purée of smoked beetroot and salsa verde.

On a diet? Shelve it instantly. It’s autumn, its chilly, and you need Poco’s punched potatoes in your life; presumably, as with the very best roasties, the ‘punching’ fluffs up the spuds so that they achieve maximum crunch-factor when they hit the hot oil.

The only dish that we didn’t completely adore was a vegan blueberry and pear cheesecake, which, for a pair of unreconstructed dairy addicts like us, seemed to lack the essential indulgent creaminess.

Poco’s popularity has been built on the quality of the food, the atmosphere, the fact that you can eat yourself silly for under 20 quid, and its mission to put ‘people and the planet before profit’. Word to Bristol’s new restaurants; this place is still one of the ones to beat. n

“Cancel all the other tapas, waitperson!

Just bring us more of this nutty, creamy, fava bean hummus! ”

Dining details Poco’s Tapas Bar, 45 Jamaica St, Bristol BS2 8JP; 0117 923 2233; www.pocotapasbar.com Opening hours Monday-Friday 9am-late; Saturday-Sunday 10am-late We visited Tuesday evening Prices Tapas £2.80-£7.50 Drinks If it’s not local, it’s ethical, from craft beers and ciders to cocktails, and plenty of wine by the glass Atmosphere Laidback, cool, romantic, vibrant, Stokes Croft at its best Service Informed and invested, but friendly and welcoming Disabled access Steep stairs to loos

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Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in the tulip fields of Keukenhof anymore . . .

Field to fork What’s even better than buying local?

Growing your own, that’s what – you know, like the Tobacco Factory’s Café Bar does at Five Acre Farm....

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food & drink

M

eet Charles Mooyaart. Yes, you’re right, the name’s Dutch, and so is Charles, who joined the Tobacco Factory as executive chef last November, overseeing all culinary activities for both the Café Bar and – a postal code and a river away – the Grain Barge. This involves overseeing all the activity in the kitchens, recruitment and training, menu-planning, purchasing and managing the budget. . . that’s one very busy chef, right here.

What were you doing before you came to Bristol?

Back home, I was in charge of four restaurants in Amsterdam, all offering different dining styles, including a bar and kitchen serving gastro food and cocktails and the another serving roast chicken, wagyu burgers and craft beer.

We know that produce-sourcing is a serious business for you . . .

It’s so important to know where our food comes from, and to take a seasonal approach.

The South West has such amazing produce; fresh fish is landed daily on the coast, local breeds roam the land, vegetables grow in abundance and artisan producers are on our doorstep.

Can you sum up your cooking philosophy?

The best ingredients allow recipes and cooking to be simple and straightforward, and the result is honest food, simply prepared. Also, I want to create food our great-grandmothers would recognise, so there has to be a classical touch to it.

We’ve learned that the Tobacco Factory has its own Five Acre Farm near Backwell – what’s grown there, and what are the advantages of having your own farm?

Growing your own food is so satisfying; you know exactly where it’s coming from and what goes into it. We can grow rare plants and vegetables which I can’t get hold of otherwise; we’re planning to grow a variety of heirloom and rare vegetables, edible plants, flowers and herbs. There will be a dialogue going on between the farm manager and the chefs, so we can design the menu around seasonal produce, and the chefs will visit the farm to help spark their creativity.

How different are the menus at the Tobacco Factory Café Bar and Grain Barge, and how do these different locations inform the two menus?

Both have their own character and identity.

The Grain Barge has a real focus on casual shared dining, with a selection of small plates and sharing boards and a mix of experimental and classical cooking. The food is paired with

the craft beers we serve at the bar. The Café Bar menu has a very inclusive feel to it. The customers are so diverse, and they use the Café Bar in so many different ways, from having a healthy salad or a soup for a quick lunch or dining in the evening or enjoying a Sunday roast.

Are there any more exciting openings being planned?

We have done many new and exciting things over the last year. We’ve just started a Five Acre Farm stall at the Tobacco Factory Sunday Market, which will soon include selling our own pickles and infused oils. We’re always thinking of new and exciting things to do, and there are ideas in the pipeline for events such as food pop-ups.

What changes have you made to the menus since you took over?

This summer we relaunched the Tobacco Factory’s outside bar as The Yard Kitchen and Bar. It was previously only open occasionally for events, but is now open regularly at weekends (except for over the winter). It serves healthy flatbread based pizzas, which have been a great success. Our Sunday roasts have also gone down extremely well, and we are looking forward to being able to use ingredients from the farm.

The Grain Barge now opens earlier at 10am to serve breakfasts including full English, and our menu caters more for people to enjoy brunch at weekends or lunch during the week.

How’s the Amsterdam food scene, and is there anything that Bristol restaurants could learn from your home city?

Amsterdam is an amazing melting pot of styles and influences, and it’s highly competitive, so it’s essential to keep on innovating. A lot of places don’t have a set menu but work with what is available. Bristol has an incredible food scene, and in may ways is quite similar.

Are there any Dutch meals that you wish were served in Bristol?

Andijvie stampot met worst – the Dutch take on bangers and mash! It’s an endive mash served with sausages, mustard and bacon.

Which Bristol restaurants do you love?

I really like Tare at Wapping Wharf and also am a huge fan of Bulrush in Cotham.

Please choose us a few favourite dishes to try on your menus The grazing board at the Grain Barge and vegan scrambled tofu at the Tobacco Factory.

And the roasts are great at both sites.

Do you have a signature dish that you love to cook at home?

Spaghetti meatballs, made a day in advance and sautéed in a pan. It’s just sooooooo good.

A bit of a guilty pleasure…

For more: www.tobaccofactory.com/cafe-bar www.grainbarge.com www.fiveacrefarm.org.uk

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advertising feature

Meet the Caterer

What’s cooking in Bristol? And more importantly, who’s cooking it?

Caroline Gent

HEY PESTO

Caroline Gent Catering Ltd 01749 880352; www.carolinegentcatering.com What inspired you to get into catering?

I love to cook and I love travel. I learnt to cook curries in Rajasthan, Thai food on a Thai island, I have a passion for Persian food and have always been a keen advocate of traditional British game and produce. My ex mother in law taught me a lot too, she was Italian and had a house in Positano where we spent our summers.

What’s your speciality?

Our main USP is foraging. I go out in spring picking wild garlic and nettles and making pesto; in summer we make elderflower cordial. In autumn, homemade chutneys, blackberry jelly, crabapple jelly and sloe gin.

Have you ever catered for the rich and famous?

Yes; we used to do backstage catering at Glastonbury among other festivals, and cooked for Chic, Bryan Ferry, Black Eyed Peas and a multitude of other celebrities. I also did a lunch party for Prince Charles years ago in the Bristol Museum.

Why should a client utilise your services?

Because we have an amazing reputation, and we are also a relatively small company, so don’t have standardised menus.

Outside CaterERS 01452 713902; www.heypestocatering.co.uk

Caroline Gent

Hey Pesto team

Liz Haughton

The Cooking Company Limited 0117 954 4030; www.cookingco.co.uk What inspired you to originally get into catering?

A love of feeding people!

What are your favourite events to cater for?

Weddings – there is always so much joy and love in the room.

What’s your speciality?

We aim for a beautiful but rustic style, always making sure the taste is the winner in each dish – our most popular menu at the moment is the Persian wedding feast – delicious sharing dishes full of Middle Eastern flavours.

Have you ever catered for the rich and famous?

Here in Bristol we cater for more local heroes like Triodos Bank, Icon Films and people who are in love who want fabulous wedding food!

What’s the biggest job you’ve ever taken on?

Triodos Bank AGM – 600 people over two days – a huge job involving military logistics and planning.

What sets you apart from other companies in your field?

We have a strong ethical core; we use organic and local produce, and aim to be as fair in price as we are good in taste. All of this and a proven track record means customers trust us and know that the homework has been done in sourcing the best and most ethical ingredients we can.

What sets you apart from companies in your field?

Our team. 100%. We are so proud of the team that we have here at Hey Pesto, and each individual is so vital to the running of the company. From our kitchen staff, who help to make each and every item of food that leaves our unit pure perfection both in looks and taste, to our office team who are there to sell, organise and coordinate, our team will be a huge part of your day. Whether it be a wedding or corporate event, we love to help make your day better than you ever imagined.

What’s your speciality?

Our speciality is that we do not have a speciality! We pride ourselves in the completely bespoke service we offer to each and every client who works with us. We have fantastic menus and choices to get you started, from four-course meals to street food to afternoon tea, we can cover every base; however you will not find us creating the same menu over and over again.

What’s the biggest job you’ve ever taken on?

Although it does not have the highest number of guests we have ever catered for, it is by far our biggest job every year, and that is Cheltenham Race Week! We provide a four-course meal to over 350 guests each day, over the four-day festival. That’s over 5600 courses in one week!

Harry Ferguson Wallace Bun Fiction; 07753 483792

Liz Haughton

Harry Ferguson Wallace

What inspired you to get into catering?

I come from a very food-centred family and good food was always abundant growing up. This lead me to working in kitchens and training to be a chef before I finished school.

What’s your speciality?

I have always loved Japanese and Asian food, but at the moment I would have to say my speciality is Seitan, the mock meat that is an integral part of our menu.

What sets you apart from other companies?

All our dishes are designed to mimic classic meaty dishes and sandwiches from around the world, making them vegan and as realistic as possible.

How has your industry changed in the last 10 years?

Diversity. I feel that in the last few years alone people are wanting to try and experience things that would of seemed very taboo 10 years ago. Even country pubs are making the effort to try new things that are out of their comfort zone.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

The most rewarding thing is hearing people’s amazing comments and gratitude for my food. Vegans and meateaters alike.

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Pints West

Long regarded as the heartland of cider, Bristol is well on the way to becoming the craft beer capital of the UK. So, who’s making all the true brews?

W

hen it comes to craft beer, this little city punches way above its weight.

There are 15 breweries in the centre, all unique in their way, covering the spectrum from craft beer to traditional ale; meanwhile, brands such as Wiper & True and Left Handed Giant are known, drunk and loved worldwide. More and more tap rooms have opened over the past few years within breweries, while trails, craft beer maps and festivals have spread the love still further.

But who’s responsible for this burgeoning reputation? And can Bristol righteously lay claim to being the craft beer capital of the UK? Or to put it another way: brew goes there?

Wild Beer

We love Wild Beer for their eponymously wild imagination and tastebud-popping flavour combos.

So did the BBC Food & Farming Awards, who named them Best Drinks Producer last year.

The brewery was started in 2012 by Andrew Cooper and Brett Ellis. The guys met at The Bristol Beer Factory, where they discovered a mutual infatuation with taste, flavour and a desire to challenge the perceptions of what beer should be.

This led them to explore the lesser known (at the time) world of sour beer, blending and barrel-ageing, and the potentials that this flavour profile could offer.

“The first beer we brewed was our flagship, Modus Operandi,” says marketing manager Simon Dehaney; “a sour beer based on an Old English ale that’s aged in bourbon and red wine barrels, and then blended together for a unique and complex flavour.”

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Guess the country air gets a brewer to reflect: Brett and Andrew dreaming up more flavours for Wild Beer

brew goes there

“The Vikings believed that in their heaven, called Valhalla, there was a giant goat whose udders provided an unlimited supply of beer. Now that’s the kind of agriculture we can get down with”

What kind of beer do you produce?

The heart of the brewery is in sour beer production, utilising wild yeasts, barrel-ageing and blending. We also produce excellent pale ales, IPAs and stouts, and this year we even did a lager, which was met with great enthusiasm. We try to avoid pigeonholing, and would rather concentrate on taste and flavour profiles; last year we produced a staggering 57 different beers.

Choose three favourites that we absolutely have to try You have to try Modus Operandi, the brewery’s first beer; Yadokai, a boundary-pushing saki-inspired beer brewed in collaboration with Masterchef winner Tim Anderson, and Bibble – our best-selling, easy-drinking pale ale.

Tell us about a really unusual brew The one that gained the most column inches based on curiosity would have to be Of The Sea. Based on a lobster bisque, it contained lobster (natch), cockles, seaweed, sea salt, saffron and star anise. Easily the most expensive beer that we have ever made, and a real expression of the boundaries that we are willing to push.

Please share a surprising fact about beer The Vikings believed that in their heaven, called Valhalla, there was a giant goat whose udders provided an unlimited supply of beer. Now that’s the kind of beer agriculture we can get down with.

Is there anything special about your brewery?

We are farm-based, and as such are one of Europe’s leading farmhouse breweries. We were among the first in the UK to push the modern sour movement forward, and have led the way with our blending and barrel-ageing programmes.

Finally, where are your favourite places in Bristol to drink your beer?

We’d have to say our Wild Beer bar in Wapping Wharf, although we also like The Small Bar and The Strawberry Thief. www.wildbeerco.com

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

brew goes there Bath Ales

Bath Ales brewed its first beer in 1995 at a tiny brewery in Wincanton; since then the brewery has upgraded and moved twice. In 2016, it was acquired by St Austell Brewery, an independent, family brewer based in Cornwall, who invested in a new state-of-the-art brewhouse and taproom in Warmley.

“This means the brewing team can continue to make more of what Bath Ales drinkers know and love – and some exciting new beers too,” says senior brewer, Darren James.

What kind of beer do you produce?

We brew 12 beers, including our seasonal ales, in a huge variety of styles. This ranges from Dark Side, our smooth and chocolatey stout, to Prophecy, our New World pale ale, with notes of tropical fruit and zesty citrus.

Choose three favourites that we absolutely have to try Our flagship amber ale, Gem, is our best-selling beer, and the first we brewed. We wanted to make an ale that felt as familiar as walking into your favourite country pub, so we used traditional British malts and balanced the soft fruits and bittersweet caramel with a soft, smooth bitterness. I’d also recommend trying our two newest beers

– Lansdown, a big, bold and hoppy West Coast IPA; and Sulis, our first lager, with a bright freshness and a subtle hint of fruitiness.

Tell us about a really unusual brew.

One of our seasonal beers, Luna, is brewed with Japanese-developed Sorachi Ace hops, which are best-known for their unique lemon, citrus, dill and cilantro notes.

Share a surprising fact about beer The familiar Bass symbol – the red triangle – was registered in 1876 and is the first logo in the world to be trademarked.

Is there anything that makes you unique?

Our four-vessel brew house, Hare Brewery, is entirely new; it’s now the South West’s most sophisticated and technologically advanced brewery.

Where are your favourite places in Bristol to drink beer?

There are so many great places in King Street; you’ll always find something fantastic or unusual to drink, to suit every taste, in one of the many craft beer bars that line the street. It has become somewhat of a mecca for beer lovers. www.bathales.com

Bath Ales; technically, it’s in Warmley

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

Good Chemistry Brewery

Good Chemistry started brewing at the end of 2015, when former Wiper & True brewer Bob Cary teamed up with Kelly Sidgwick, who was running a small soft drinks business at the time, “but looking for something less seasonal and, hopefully, more profitable,” she says.

What kind of beer do you produce?

We brew seasonally, so have just moved into our autumn/winter range (a bit like fashion!). Here we have five beers on cask, four in keg, and four in bottle. Some of these overlap. Within this we brew a pretty good range of styles, as we like to have beers that will appeal to lots of people, from a traditional English bitter to a few hoppy pale ales, a wheat beer and a stout.

Choose three favourites that we have to try Our English bitter Time Lapse is perfect for holing up in a pub for the afternoon in winter. Kokomo Weekday is our session-strength IPA, full of tropical flavours that all come from the hops. Shadow Future is our new dry stout for the colder weather – we’re really excited to get it out to everyone and see what the reaction is.

You can really start to move it at the hop: Good Chemistry’s Bob fills the manway

Tell us about a really unusual brew Wit’s End, our Belgian-style wheat beer, uses spices and orange zest in the brew. We use coriander seeds and chamomile flowers, and zest the oranges ourselves right here in the brewery. It means GCHQ smells great on brewday . . .

And share a surprising fact about beer Women were the first brewers of beer, as far back as 3000 BC, and right up until it was industrialised in the 18th century. They were known as brewsters.

Is there anything about your brewery that makes you unique?

We’re interested in creating good chemistry, in its broadest sense – not just in the quality of the beer we brew, but to celebrate community and relationships across science, the arts, music, food and social experiences, as well as brewing. We’ve collaborated with lots of local businesses, including Chance & Counters and the Gallimaufry, plus a record label (twice), and worked on events at the brewery such as Pint of Science and the East Bristol Brewery Trail.

Favourite places in Bristol to drink your beer?

We love Small Bar and the Royal Navy Volunteer on King Street, the Hillgrove in Kingsdown and Bristol’s first micropub, The Drapers Arms, up the top of Gloucester Road. www.goodchemistrybrewing.co.uk

© Nicci Peet

“Women were the first brewers of beer, as far back as 3000 BC, right up until it was industrialised in the 18th century”

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brew goes there Bristol Beer Factory

Bristol Beer started brewing in 2004 – “long before it was trendy,” says co-founder and MD Simon Bartlett.

“I replied to an article in the local paper about a businessman who had bought an old brewery building. I had experience of setting up breweries all around the world and wanted to move back to my hometown of Bristol, and so we got together and the Bristol Beer Factory was born.”

“In mediaeval times, it was common to give pregnant mothers beer instead of water”

What kind of beer do you produce?

Many, from British ales to IPAs, stouts, American pale ales, German wheat beers and Belgian saisons.

Choose three favourites that we have to try Independence, an American pale ale; creamy Milk Stout, and Southern Conspiracy.

Tell us about a really unusual brew We’ve now done a pale (in colour) version of our classic milk stout, called White Milk Stout, that emulates all the usual stout flavours but not using the dark malts that stouts normally use. So far we have only done one brew of it, but due to how popular it has been I’m sure there will be more.

Please share a surprising fact about beer Beer was once safer to drink than water. In mediaeval times (and before water treatment) it was common to give pregnant mothers beer instead of water at child birth. Due to the fact that beer is boiled during the production process it would have been sterilised, and therefore safer than the water at the time. It also acted as an anaesthetic.

What makes you unique/special?

We are situated in an old brewery building dating back to 1904, so we have a huge amount of history. We were also around before the ‘craft beer revolution’ kicked off, and it has been stated that our Milk Stout, first brewed in 2006, marks the start of Bristol’s beer renaissance. And we have the best logo in Bristol . . .

Best places in Bristol to drink your beer?

I would be a fool not to advise going to any of our outlets. The Brewery Tap Room, where you can see the brewery and sample up to 10 of our draft products. Our pub the Barley Mow in St Philips, the kind of pub everyone wants at the end of their road – great food, cosy atmosphere and, of course, great beer. And finally, the Arnolfini café bar, which on a sunny day is the best place in Bristol to have a drink, by far. www.bristolbeerfactory.co.uk

Bristol Beer Factory were pioneers in the local craft beer revolution – which we guess is why they get to be the ones to use that name . . .

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

brew goes there Zerodegrees

Back in 1999, after Dipam Patel and Nick Desai had been travelling the world, they realised that fresh beer wasn’t offered back at home – so they started to put that right.

“It wasn’t easy to persuade people to drink fresh beer at a time when pubs only served ales and packaged beers,” says creative director Priya Desai.

“The idea of fresh beer wasn’t understood. We took risks investing in on-site breweries, but when folks tried the beers, voila! Eighteen years on, we haven’t looked back.”

What kind of beer do you produce?

We have five core beers; we also make a further 48 limited special brews each year, that either our customers want, or the brewers have a passion for, or it’s a brew we think would be a real treat.

Choose three favourites that we have to try Our Mango beer started off as a limited beer. She’s still with us! We are lucky we get to marry our kitchens and breweries, so we get to produce some amazing food and beer pairings. The newest limited beer, The Earl Grey, is different, and I love The Bohemian Pilsner.

“Beer has more tasting notes than wine”

Tell us about a really unusual brew Recently, Lavender Blonde, Hibiscus and Earl Grey have been on the taps, but over the summer we had some really cool BBQs with smoked dishes, and thought, why not smoked beer? So that’s exactly what we did. Carefully smoking at just the right amount to produce Grodziskie Smoked Wheat Ale! And share a surprising fact about beer Beer has more tasting notes than wine.

Is there anything about your brewery that makes you unique?

We’re a brewery/restaurant, so guests can watch brewers brew their beer and smell the hops and malts work their magic in the open brewery.

Drinking fresh beer from the tanks you see to your glass – you can’t get fresher than that.

Finally, where are your favourite places in Bristol to drink your beer?

Zerodegrees beer is only available at our restaurant and bar at Colston Street – come over, we look forward to meeting you. www.zerodegrees.co.uk

fancy a tour?

From brewery tours to citywide walks, your beer education begins here Many breweries run organised tours and tastings. You can also buy a nifty Bristol Craft Beer map for a bargainous two quid, at www.booksaboutbeer.com – or how about getting yourself booked onto one of the cleverly named Bristol Hoppers tours? For £22/£25 you get a walking tour of Bristol and its craft beer scene, with a minimum of six craft beers to try at a range of top Bristol pubs. As walking is involved, that cancels out all the beer calories, yeah? Each tour has a different theme, from Breweries, Brunel and Brigstow to Grains, Gradients and Graffiti, to the admittedly less alliterative South of the River. Or how about treating the person who has everything to the Christmas Special tour on 21 December? www.bristolhoppers.co.uk Wake up and smell the hops at Zerodegrees

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chefs in autumn

order, order!

Baby, it’s cold outside. And we’re busy people; there’s not always time to prepare the indulgent, comforting meals we crave. With this in mind, we’ve collared some of the city’s best chefs, and asked for their very best recommendations from their current menus

W

hat chef doesn’t love the season of mellow fruitfulness?

When they’re not in the kitchen, we imagine them foraging in hedgerows, stuffing sloes into demi-johns of gin, and dreaming up new ways to serve hare.

What we hadn’t pictured was a chef Marmiteglazing a pig – but then that’s chefs for you; full of surprises…

Bakers & Co, head chef Brett St Clair

Famed up and down the Gloucester Road

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

(and beyond) for its brunches (and more), this café/restaurant was inspired by the vibrant, farm-to-table foodie scene seen on the owners’ travels to San Francisco.

Brett recommends….

The bacon tacos! This dish started life with us playing about with pickling watermelon rind, as we were using so much watermelon over the summer. It seemed like an interesting way to use up something that otherwise goes to waste. It was only later that the idea came to us to turn the pickle into a salsa, and it evolved into the bacon tacos. It seems to me the perfect encapsulation of what I want to bring to the table, and also what Bakers is all about.

really indulgent fruit, and when they’ve been slow-roasted they go really jammy and work perfectly with the yoghurt.

What Brett loves about autumn is….

The abundance of stone fruits – there’s such a variety of great colours and flavours. I think they’re so much more versatile than summer berries; they work so well in sweet and savoury dishes, cooked and raw. And if you’re really lucky you might be able to get the last of the season’s raspberries to combine with peaches or nectarines for the best of both seasons.

Bakers& Co, 193 Gloucester Road www.bakersbristol.co.uk

Brett currently can’t keep his hands off….

Figs. We’ve just put them on the menu, slow-roasted in honey with our buttermilk granola and cardamom yoghurt. They’re a

We bet nobody else in Bristol is serving bacon tacos with watermelon rind pickle (yet)

Another very good Tare day as Matt stuffs his tortellini with butternut squash . . .

Tare, chef proprietor Matt Hampshire

We’re pretty sure that if you stuck a pin in the Tare menu, you’d love whatever’s brought out. That said…

Matt recommends….

The wild mushroom tortellini, butternut squash, samphire and tarragon. It’s ideal as we approach the colder months, and celebrates the arrival of butternut squash and wild Scottish mushrooms.

Matt’s pretty darned happy to see…

The arrival of Jerusalem artichokes at the market. They’ll make an appearance on our menu in some form throughout the colder months.

Matt loves autumn because…

It’s my favourite time to create new menus,

with game and root vegetables coming through. The days start getting shorter and we swap the light summer starters for warmer and more comforting dishes.

Tare, Cargo 2, 14 Museum Street www.tarerestaurant.co.uk

Box-E, chef proprietor Elliott Lidstone

When Box-E opened in Cargo I it made us all realise that some seriously great cooking was possible in those tiny kitchens; add in charming and knowledgeable FOH from Tess Lidstone, and you’ll begin to get why Box-E has become so loved.

Elliott recommends . . .

The charred hispi cabbage with smoked ham hock, caper butter and mustard. It

lets less glamorous ingredients really shine. Cabbage and ham hock are often overlooked, but have massive flavours.

And it’s perfect food for the colder, wetter autumn days.

Right now, it’s all about….

The quince. My in laws have a huge tree in their garden and for years I’ve used the fruit at whatever restaurant I was working at.

It’s a happy coincidence that we opened our own restaurant during quince prime time!

Expect quince gin, quince jelly, poached quince, quince ripple ice cream . . . quince with everything.

Elliott loves autumn because…

You still have bright sunny days but the crisp mornings start creeping in. It’s the real boom time for lovely root veg. Comfort food! Before the madness of Christmas kicks in . . .

Box-E, 10, Cargo I www.boxebristol.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 53

chefs in autumn Berwick Lodge, head chef Istvan Ulmann

A good hotel restaurant has a special, luxurious atmosphere all of its own – and Hattusa at Berwick Lodge is AA twostars-good . . .

Istvan recommends…

The roasted fillet of venison, parsnip and juniper, blackberry, kale and buttered potatoes. Venison as an ingredient is extraspecial to me as it takes me back to my childhood, when my mother would make Hungarian stew with venison. This dish is a take on the flavours she used.

If it’s autumn, it’s got to be….

Game! I love working with pigeon, venison and pheasant, all of which have made an appearance on my autumn à-la-carte menu.

Knowing where the venison comes from – the Ramsbury Estate near Hungerford – is reassuring, and I know it will be the bestquality available in the area.

Istvan is currently loving . . .

The strong flavours of autumn; game, parsnips, juniper berries, wild mushrooms.

We grow a lot of these vegetables in our kitchen garden at Berwick. I love to use techniques such as braising to create comfort food as the weather turns colder.

Berwick Lodge, Berwick Drive www.berwicklodge.co.uk

99 Queens, head chef Jack Paffett

One of the newest café/restaurants on the block, in a handy spot between Clifton Village and the Triangle, 99 Queens became an

instant favourite with those who prize seasonal ingredients dialed up to maximum comfort-food levels, with an imaginative twist.

Jack recommends . . .

Our pancakes with bacon and black pudding, topped with poached eggs. Very temping for the colder mornings.

Jack currently can’t keep his hands off…

Pumpkins and squashes. Each variety has its own taste, from nutty and earthy to sweet and creamy. They’ll be appearing on our specials board regularly; I love them simply roasted, or combined with spices for great soups and curries.

Autumn’s a great time of year for . . .

Crisp mornings, great colours, and as the temperatures lower, I love eating the in-season vegetables, roasted or in slowcooked casseroles.

99 Queens, 99 Queens Road www.facebook.com/99Queens

Pancakes with black pudding?

Why the hell not! Get ‘em while they’re hot at 99 Queens . . .

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

Oh Root, how we love thee. Let us count the ways . . .

The Pony and Trap, Chef Proprietor Josh Eggleton

The Bristol eatingout scene just wouldn’t be the same without Josh. These days he has a string of top restaurants under his belt, from The Kenny to Root and Salt & Malt, but it was here at The Pony, the family-owned gastro pub in Chew Magna, that he first shot to foodie fame when he won his first Michelin star.

Josh recommends . . .

Well, it was our delicious partridge and squash dish, but it’s now our new oxtail, liver and tongue, bacon and horseradish mash, where we braise down the oxtails with my mum and dad’s garden grapes – a classic Joyce Molyneux recipe. The dish as a whole is surprising, as it should be very rich, but in fact it’s ridiculously well balanced and moreish – it’s our take on the liver and bacon pub classic.

Josh currently can’t keep his hands off . . .

The field mushrooms and puffballs popping up all over the place; ceps or porcini, as they’re also referred to.

Best thing about autumn?

Coming into to the cosy, firelit Pony for a cup of tea after foraging in the soggy nearby fields and woods.

The Pony & Trap, Moorledge Road, Chew Magna; www.theponyandtrap.co.uk

The Kensington Arms, head chef Luke Hawkins

Jointly owned by Josh Eggleton and Guy Newell (the former MD of Butcombe Brewery), The Kenny’s the urban gastropub that everyone wishes was at the end of their road.

Luke recommends . . .

Our new fennel-rubbed porchetta with Marmite-glazed pig cheek and parsnip. We love using porchetta for this, as the tasty belly fat seeps into the loin meat as it cooks, making it nice and juicy. We slow-cook the cheek in Marmite and maple syrup to make it soft and tender.

Luke currently can’t keep his hands off . . .

The plums coming in from the market at

the moment. My favourite thing to make is plum and frangipane tart, with plum jam at the bottom and halved plums set on top, finished with a plum glaze. Celeriac at this time of year is also great; we salt-bake and cut it into discs, using the trim to make a purée and serve alongside celeriac arancini and chanterelles.

And autumn is, of course, all about . . .

The amazing produce on offer!

The Kenny, 35-37 Stanley Road www.thekensingtonarms.co.uk

Root, head chef Rob Howell

Completing the holy Eggleton trinity is Root, which also happens to be our third must-visit in Cargo. It bills itself as ‘a small-plate restaurant that gives vegetables star billing and serves meat on the side’, but trust us, carnivores and fish-fanciers won’t feel remotely deprived.

Rob recommends . . .

Our crunchy pear crumble – delicious, autumnal and a British classic. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 55

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chefs in autumn value as an ingredient. I don’t think there is a country that doesn’t use it.

Best thing about this time of year?

I love this time of year because food for me starts to become quintessentially British. As a nation we are known for more homely dishes, so why fight it? Autumn has the bigger, bolder vegetables, more robust flavours and the colours are the most reflective of the season.

Avon Gorge by Hotel du Vin, Sion Hill www.hotelduvin.com

Pasta ripiena, head chef joe harvey

The little bruv of beloved Pasta Loco opened in Old City earlier this year, specialising in pasta dishes. Props to chef Joe for getting us these answers during an especially trying week at work!

Joe recommends . . .

Moody and moreish: Pasture’s ‘raw beef’ with charcoal mayonnaise and tapioca crackers

Rob currently just can’t keep his hands off…

And autumn rocks because…

Mushrooms – I love cooking with ceps and truffles in particular. I’m also looking forward to cooking with swede again.

Walks in the countryside with the family and the dog, then a big Sunday roast dinner and a hearty glass of red wine to finish off the weekend.

I love cooking with all the fresh produce and root vegetables; it’s nice to go back to proper hearty and warming food.

Pasture 2 Portwall Lane www.pasturerestaurant.com

And the best thing about the time of year?

Root Bristol, Unit 9 Cargo 1, www.eatdrinkbristolfashion.co.uk/root

Pasture, chef proprietor Sam Elliott

This new steak house and bar made an instant impression when it opened earlier this year. It’s not any old standard steakhouse, as chef ’s pick of the menu reveals…

Sam recommends . . .

Our new ‘raw beef ’ starter with Granny Smith apples, buckwheat, Cornish Gouda cheese, charcoal mayonnaise and tapioca crackers. The moody colours remind me of the darker autumn nights.

Sam currently can’t keep his hands off…

Wild cherrywood. We use it to smoke and season so many things in the kitchen, from our butter to all of our steaks, the raw beef and even our Bloody Marys .

GORAM & VINCENT AT The Avon Gorge by Hotel du Vin, Executive Head Chef James Skinner

Goats cheese and ricotta cassoncelli, heritage pumpkin velouté, Scottish giroles, lardo and walnuts.

And he’s a big autumn lover because of. . .

Game season, amazing wild mushrooms like ceps and giroles, more hearty vegetables like pumpkin and celeriac start coming onto menus and plenty of slow cooking.

Pasta Ripiena, 33a St Stephen’s Street www.pastaripiena.co.uk Two words: Ripiena cassoncelli. . . .

Bagging the best view in Bristol, and the longest restaurant name . . .

James recommends . . .

The salt-baked beetroot salad with whipped goats cheese – a great balance between earthy, sweet and sharp flavours. It epitomises autumn with its ingredients and colours. A variety of textures add to the experience of this dish – crunchy hazelnuts, smooth purée and crisp leaves.

James currently can’t keep his hands off . . .

I have always loved beetroot – I’m not the biggest fan of it to eat but have always been drawn to it as a chef because of its versatility.

It can be used for anything – starters, soups, side vegetables and even desserts. Just look how widely spread around the world it is to see its

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

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cafÉ society Stan Cullimore

Jours like these Stan’s café of the day was Café du Jour; see what he did there?

A

nother day, another stroll, another cup of coffee. Just wish I had a big bag of Bristol Life gold stars to give out to all these lovely coffee shops. A thank-you for good times given. Would have to be a very big bag, mind. So many lovely places to get over-excited about. It’s one of the joys of living in the beardy fringes of Bristol suburbia, I suppose.

However, putting aside all such starry thoughts, time to get down

“It’s like a scene out of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. After the middle bear has done a runner, obviously”

to business. Since I started the day with a short but leg-hammering run round Redland, I decided a short stroll was in order. They say that only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun, but I don’t think that applies to September rays, so we set off in the watery warmth of midday, well wrapped up, on the lookout for some local refreshment.

Mabel the mini-Schnauzer came along too, as she’s a big fan of café food. Especially the bits that get dropped on the floor. We soon found ourselves heading for a coffee shop right on the Whiteladies Road. Turns out, our café of the day was the aptly named, Café du Jour (see what I did there?)

There are so many reasons to love this place, it’s hard to know where to begin. But I’ll try. Firstly, it’s dog friendly. Mabel is always welcome to head on in, flop down on the floor and fall asleep for as long as she likes. Which is a big tick in my book. And hers.

Secondly, it has a delightful little garden deck out back, where it is welcoming, warm and sheltered. Another big tick.

Thirdly, the coffee and cakes are superb. I know it’s an obvious one, but still worth another tick.

Fourthly, the toilets are comedy gold, especially when you have

small children in tow, which I sometimes do. The room has one full-sized throne for grown ups and another mini-sized one for kids. They each have their own suitably positioned washbasin, naturally. It’s like a scene out of Goldilocks and the three bears.

After the middle bear has done a runner, obviously.

If that wasn’t a big enough bag of ticks for one place to deal with, the owner is also a very lovely bloke, full of charm and patience.

Waiting at the counter to get served, I was able to watch him deal with a couple of customers who didn’t seem to care about the food or drink on offer, they just wanted to make sure they were as whimsical, time-consuming and annoying as possible. The way the owner dealt with them was a masterclass in superb customer service.

If I had a bag of gold stars with me, I would have given him a handful of the things right there and then. Plus a couple more when our toasted breakfast baguettes arrived.

Which means five imaginary stars out of five for Café du Jour! n Former Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer www.stancullimore.com

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shopping live well, buy better

Diana’s sibyls cost £40 for silver with silver or black etching, £60 for 22ct gold. Visit the shop at 33 Park Street to see the showcase along with an archive collection of Diana’s design notebooks; www.dianaporter.co.uk

word smith The long pendant shown above is a sibyl – a stylised, femaleshaped charm, etched with a life-affirming word. The sibyls evolved from an original design by jeweller Diana Porter, who first sketched them when she was a student; this month, Diana’s celebrating the 25th anniversary of her business by launching a new series, etched with new words – ‘change’, ‘courage’, ‘equality’, ‘freedom’, ‘integrity’, ‘peace’ and ‘voice’ – that she feels reflect the current climate and issues. The sibyls can be worn singly, on chains or thongs; in a cluster, or layered up with other jewellery – and as you can see here, they’re wholly unisex.

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PAIR OF BOTTLE TOPS, £8 Wooo! Yeah, Alessi, we’re really scared by your baby Carlo ghosties, designed to perch atop your bottle of blood-red Merlot.

Huh? You always finish the bottle? Oh, OK . . .

From Bristol Guild, 68-70 Park Street www.bristolguildgallery.co.uk

DROP undead GORGEOUS

How do you like your 31 October? All Halloween goth, with a side order of hot vampires? Or kitsch-yet-cool Mexican Día de Muertos? Just don’t get too Poe-faced about it all; and remember – if you like it, put a skull on it

GLASS SKULL BAUBLE, £7 No, of course you don’t need a Christmas tree to hang up a bauble (though you may as well keep this one up until December, we feel it has distinct crossover potential) From Mon Pote, 177 North Street www.monpote.co.uk

IORDANOV VODKA, £45 Pink sparkly skull half-bottle and two shot glasses; ideal for a spooky night in with your favourite vamp. (And yes, Buffy fans; we do realise that in reality, no selfrespecting vampire would be seen undead celebrating Halloween) From Harvey Nichols 27 Philadelphia Street www.harveynichols.com

DAY OF THE DEAD CORKSCREW, £25 Could this be what Henry James had in mind when he wrote his horror novella The Turn of the Screw? Almost definitely not; but Bones here is ready to help you get your spooky celebrations off with a swing From Otomí, 4 Boyce's Avenue www.otomi.co.uk

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN EARRINGS, £325 Admittedly, priced at over three ton a pair, you’d need to have a year-round commitment to Goth style – but just look at the cool McQueen design, and the little Swarovski skulls From Garment Quarter, 23-25 Penn Street; www.garmentquarter.com

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

ED’S CHOICE SILVER SKULL NECKLACE, £38 As well as silver, these come plated in rose or yellow gold; all answer politely to the name of Yorick From The Pod Company 24 The Mall, Clifton swww.thepodcompany.co.uk & KLEVERING COIN BANK, £62 Quoth the raven, “Nevermore” . . .

OK, it’s a falcon, but let’s not split feathers here From Grace and Mabel, 32 The Mall www.graceandmabel.co.uk

DAY OF THE DEAD CARDS, £5-£7 Beautifully hand-printed by Maita Robinson; part of the whole Día de Muertos thing that Room 212 has going on this month From Room 212 212 Gloucester Road www.room212.co.uk

KARTELL VICTORIA GHOST CHAIR, £200 Admittedly, the only vaguely spooky thing about this chair is the name. Nice, though, isn’t it?

From Oskar Furniture 47 Whiteladies Road www.oskarfurniture.co.uk

GHOST 'IVY’ DRESS, WAS £245, NOW £122.50 We can almost hear Morticia clicking her fingers in approval. However, this dress is for life, not just Halloween – next year’s Bristol Life Awards, perhaps?

From Harvey Nichols, 27 Philadelphia Street www.harveynichols.com

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opinion kam kelly

Dive talking If you want to talk your local DJ into doing something really tricky next month, now is the time to ask

T

he ‘present me’ always resents the ‘past me’. The ‘past me’ was once the ‘present me’, and this guy really didn’t give enough thought to the ‘future me’ (ie, the ‘present me’).

Are we all comfortably confused?

Look, when someone asks me to do something that I know I won’t want to do, my first question is always, “When would you want me to do that?” If they say tomorrow, or within the next couple of days, the answer will invariably be “no,” or “nope,” or “you’re dreaming, mate”.

If, however, the timescale falls within the next two or three weeks/months (ie an eternity away), then without even

thinking about it, in a constant effort to please people, for some kind of personal validation, then it’s always “Oh, I can do that, alright”.

And so Saturday 15 September finally rolled around, and I recalled that August me had said, “Sure, I can do that,” when asked by the Bristol Animal Rescue Centre if I’d be up for jumping into Portishead Quays marina to be saved by a 14-stone Newfoundland water rescue dog.

It’s not that I wouldn’t do anything for The Bristol Animal Rescue Centre; I just hate the cold. That’s OK, though; they provided me with a wetsuit.

But hang on; I hate wetsuits!

They make me feel squirmy, and they are the fiddliest things to put

“I may be afraid of hard work, but I quite like attention, so diving it was”

on, and even harder to take off afterwards – and as their name would suggest, they are all wet.

But after having been Kammy the Contortionist and squeezing myself in to a rather fetching wetsuit, black with pink trim, I was ready to be rescued.

These dogs are incredible creatures. They’re massive.

They’re gentle. They’re strong.

They’re hairy, too. I look at these beasts and look at their owners and think “Are there enough hours in any given day to blow-dry your dog after it’s been waterbound?”. It looks like a lot of hard work, and as you will know from my main job, I am afraid of hard work.

So there I am, in a pinkish wetsuit, on a little boat in the middle of Portishead Marina on a chilly Saturday morning. No turning back now. And so came question number one from the boat crew: “Do you want to lower in? Jump in? Or dive in?”.

When I found out that nobody else had dived in, I knew what had to be done. I may be afraid of hard work, but I quite like attention. So diving it was.

When James Bond strips his wetsuit off, his tux is pristine and dry. What load of Moneypenny!

Upon entering the water, the first thing you notice is a massive temperature drop. Then this sensation. This curious feeling.

This violation of your body and all it holds dear. You can feel water seeping into your suit, and gradually trickling its way to the last places that want be touched by anything that isn’t at least room temperature.

The pink wetsuit. The cold.

The unnerving sensation of being inappropriately felt up by wandering water. All worth it.

You splash around in the water, and the dog recognises that you are in distress. It jumps in and swims, pretty rapidly, towards you. You grab its harness and it swims you to shore.

Now, if you’re expecting it to take care of your hypothermia at that point, then you’d be sorely disappointed. They should be called the Newfoundland halfa-jobs, as they just get you to land. They don’t wrap you up in a warm blanket and they don’t let you sit in their car with the heating on full to restore your body temperature.

That said, the ‘15th of September me’ ended up forgiving ‘August me’ for agreeing to what will go down as one of the most memorable things I have ever done. The dogs, their owners, their trainers and all the lush people who care for the animals and work at the Animal Rescue Centre were simply lovely, and made not only my day, but my week, month, year.

My only remaining question is: will Bristol Life editor Deri be up for the centre’s next challenge, Release The Rabbits? Or is she more in tune with her future her than I was with my future me?

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

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

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

“A name you can trust for specialist legal services” • Accident Claims • Attorneyships & Court of Protection • Business Sales & Purchases • Commercial Property • Conveyancing • Debt Recovery

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Call free for a no obligation consultation

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

SOCIETY

SOCIETY

SNAPPED AC ROSS B R IS TO L , O N E SH I N D I G AT A T I M E

The Rosa team couldn’t have been lovelier!

Josie Palmer Natalie Brereton, Mark Olver, Meg Pope, Jess Carter and Frankie Wallington

Jessica Saumarez, Chris Hayward and Helen Rich

Jenny Chandler and Chloe Polanek

CRUMBS!

Lucy Beam, Zoe Williams and Jane Rogers

... is is already time for the second Crumbs Awards?

Apparently so, as ahead of the Awards ceremony on 14 October at Bristol Old Vic, Jess Carter and the team welcomed all the finalists for a special reception at Rosa Tapas.

Photos by Jon Craig @JonCraig_Photos

Pam Lloyd and Polly Akielan Mike Harris, Ben Edgerley and guest

Kevin McSweeney, Mikey Harvey and Ben Porter

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

SOCIETY

Chris Nelson and Megan Taylor

Steve and Emma Hayles, Vic and Pauline Ecclestone

Izzy Salva, Colin Moody and Catrin Price

Liz Waite, Damien Hockey and Sarah Hammond

Jonathan Ray, Meg Iliff-Rolfe and Carolyn Milford

GORGE-US

Rachel Drummond, Luke Jerram and Shelina Jerram

A pretty deft bit of PR must have been set in motion for the grand opening of The Avon Gorde by Hotel du Vin – rarely have so many familiar faces from the Bristol media/ politics/business/arts/food biz been seen in one room. A tour of the swanky refurbed hotel, a butchery demo on the terrace, endlessly flowing wine, a ‘seafood room’, ‘dessert room’ and ‘cheese room’ ensured that everyone was VERY glad they came . . .

Photos by Jon Craig @JonCraig_Photos

Ingrid Ruseckiene, Charlie Guest and Ollie Hawthorne Tony Miles, Martin Evans, George Ferguson and Steve Yabsley

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

Natalie Sexton, Sue Hutchinson, Mareen McComas and Bonny Gosling

SOCIETY

Venetia Norrington, Brano Skorec and Kamila Salih Paul Hassan, John Hirst, Liz Zeidler and Toby Zeidler

Alli Nicholas, Mike Zeidler, Lynda Davies Chris Wicks (middle) and Marti Burgess (right) with guest

Rosie Cogdell, Doug Hobbs, Susie Michelson and Chris Kendall

Stephen Dunleavy, Andy Clarke, Rach Drummond and Tamsin Summers Delphine and Gerry Barnes

Kam Kelly, Nell Robins and Annie Miekus

Meg Iliff-Rolfe, Jonathan Ray, Kellie Hasbur and Simon Boddy

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

businessinsider B R IS T O L g e t s s e r i o u s

You all seemed to love the oversized marquee we had built for the first Bristol Life Awards. And, for that matter, the second Awards. So, we thought, we know: let’s do it all again next year . . .

L

ess than a handful of category sponsorship opportunities remain for the 2019 Bristol Life Awards, as momentum continues to build ahead of the city’s biggest business awards. And supporters are already reaping the benefits of the high-profile event.

Organisers are anticipating another sell-out celebration for the next event, which will be held on 11 April in for the third time in a huge purpose-built marquee outside Lloyds Amphitheatre.

The 2018 Awards saw over 650 guests in attendance, with more champing at the waiting list. Tickets for the 2019 event have just gone on sale on a first-come, first-served basis, and are expected to sell out well in advance of the night.

There are now only four

categories remaining open for sponsorship a whole six months before the event itself. Getting involved with the Awards provides an unrivalled business marketing showcase, and there are several ways in which businesses can benefit.

This year, businesses can also take advantage of the impressive infrastructure of the Bristol Life Awards, with the marquee up for hire during Awards week. Companies looking to host an incredible party, conference, show or even their own awards (go on, we don’t mind) are urged to get in touch to discuss the possibilities of hiring the marquee.

“It really is a superb space, and would be a unique venue for any company celebration,” said MediaClash events director Steph Dodd. “Anyone who has been to the Bristol Life Awards in previous years

Quote of the issue

© Photos by White Vill a Photogr aphy & Films

it’s all getting very in-tents . . .

will know how special the venue feels when it’s all glammed up. We’d love to hear from anyone who’d like to host an event in the space.”

Businesses can also benefit from sponsoring limited remaining individual categories, or shoulder events such as the finalists’ and sponsors’ reception, the champagne reception on Awards night, and the winners’ dinner after the event.

Already showing support through sponsorship are headline sponsors Bristol Airport, platinum sponsors Jelf, and category sponsors: CityFibre, Sam FM, The Alternative Board, Curo, Weston College, Burston Cook, Nicholas Wylde, Anderson Financial Management, Acorn, Cabot Circus, Lexus Bristol, Clear River, Triangle Networks, Dribuild, Clifton College, VWV, Amarelle, British Corner Shop,

“we’ve hosted dinners and drinks under concorde ”

...no wonder they won a Bristol Life Award for Leisure and Tourism! More on page 79

The Big Number

£15.2M Annual figures released today

by Bristol Film Office, which celebrates its 15th birthday this month, reflect another healthy year for film and TV production in the city in 2017-18, with £15.2 million inward investment generated towards Bristol’s economy and a 10% rise in recorded filming days.

For more www.filmbristol.co.uk

Brunel Insurance and Regus.

Nominations open on 3 December, and ticket sales are now open via the site.

For sponsorship enquiries, please contact Neil Snow neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk www.bristollifeawards.co.uk Twitter @BristolLifeAwds

mediaclash.co.uk 115

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At Digby Associates we offer advice on all areas of your financial life. Our pensions advisers can help you with all aspects of pension planning; from setting up a pension, to advising on existing pension savings, to taking your pension benefits in the most appropriate way. We specialise in final salary pensions and have the qualifications required to help you understand what you have and what options are available to you. We believe this is a partnership and will continue to offer regular reviews and updates on your position to help keep you on track for the retirement you desire.

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BUSINESS INSIDER

YOUR VERY GOOD HEALTH Patients always come first at Nuffield, and it’s the job of business development manager Ann Brewin to shout about this (among other things) Ann has been the business development manager at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, The Chesterfield, since January.

“My role is pretty varied, but my main aim is to increase awareness of the hospital across the local area,” she says.

“At the hospital, we are very proud to provide a high standard of clinical care with beautiful facilities, working alongside our consultants who are experts in their respective clinical fields, and it’s my job to shout about that!

“Another key aspect of my role is to work alongside fellow members of the local healthcare community, including GPs, physiotherapists and commissioners, to ensure we’re providing the best service we can for the people of Bristol and the surrounding areas.

What was your career path before taking up this position, and what has it helped you bring to the mix?

I’ve spent most of my career working in healthcare, both in hospitals and GP practices. My last two roles have been in an operational management capacity.

My experience working across

different areas of the healthcare system in Bristol has given me a good knowledge of how the various parts join up, and where Nuffield can really add value as a provider of health services.

How does being the business development manager at a private hospital differ to, say, at a professional services company?

Within healthcare it’s vital that patients make informed choices and are really clear on their options before choosing to undergo treatment. Therefore, my role is not about sales. It’s about ensuring people know the Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital is here, and are informed about services we can provide, so they can choose whether they’d like to be treated with us.

We also support businesses in looking after their employees by operating their in-house fitness and wellbeing facilities. As a trading charity, we do not have investors or shareholders to answer to – our customers and patients come first.

We invest all our income back into running and developing our health and wellbeing sites and services, and pioneering new models of care and delivery, so that more people can benefit.

We’re focused on providing a complete health and wellbeing pathway, so we link our sites and services to offer connected healthcare provision. This includes nutritional therapy, emotional wellbeing, occupational health, comprehensive health assessments, personal training and hospital treatments. We also offer access to the largest network of physiotherapists outside of the NHS.

Tell us about the gyms and classes – how do these complement the hospital side of the business?

In Bristol, we’re really lucky to have three Nuffield Health Fitness and Wellbeing Centres nearby; one in Clifton, one in Stoke Gifford, and one in Weston-superMare. Having the fitness centres so close means that our patients can really benefit from Nuffield Health Recovery Plus, which is an optional enhanced recovery programme available to our private patients, when appropriate, following surgery at our hospital.

Recovery Plus provides patients with a personal recovery programme, health check, exercise and diet advice, together with a three-month membership at a Nuffield Health Fitness and Wellbeing Gym, and their own recovery coach. This means patients can really maximise their recovery post-surgery and get back to their normal routine faster.

“WE USE A NUMBER OF MARKETING TECHNIQUES, BUT THE ONE WE’RE MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT IS EDUCATION”

Are there any more arms to Nuffield that we should all know about?

How do you market the business?

We use a number of marketing techniques to promote the hospital, but the one we’re most passionate about is education. We work closely with our expert consultant team to provide free health education events for both the public and healthcare professionals. These events allow people to access really high quality education while also experiencing our beautiful hospital (and the lovely food!).

For more: www.nuffieldhealth.com

Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital

Please give us some stats to help us understand what a big operation Nuffield is – both nationwide and in Bristol Nuffield Health is one of the leading not-for-profit UK healthcare organisations, and has been looking after people for more than 60 years.

We run a network of 31 hospitals, over 100 fitness and wellbeing clubs, plus medical centres and diagnostic units across the UK.

www.mediaclash.co.uk MEDIACLASH.CO.UK I BRISTOL LIFE I 117 75

BUSINESS INSIDER What services does the company offer?

A full design and build service including planning and design, fitout, refurbishment, mechanical and electrical work, and office furniture.

Can you sum up the company philosophy?

The philosophy of the company centres around the core values of trust, honesty, integrity and respect.

The mission aim is delivering a bespoke solution at the highest possible quality and service.

THE BRADY BUNCH The commercial director of McFeggan Brown takes us behind the scenes of their office fit-out business in Backwell Mark Shortland is the chap in charge of planning, developing and implementing commercial strategies at McFeggan Brown – a company founded in the mid-1970s by expert joiners, Alec McFeggan and Reg Brown, both of whom had already forged an enviable reputation for quality of craftsmanship in the local market. Since a business buyout by the Brady family in 2012, it’s gone from strength to strength . . .

How has the company grown since the mid-70s?

After combining forces with two office furniture specialists in 1990, the Bristol-based business expanded into a full service office fit-out provider.

Grounded on high level expertise in

furniture, joinery and carpentry, it offered the complete solution from office interior design right through to installation. It now employs 14 full-time staff.

Please explain how the Brady family became involved The Brady family, who had worked as electrical contractors in close partnership with McFeggan Brown since 1980s, bought the business in 2012 with the aim of maintaining and enhancing its excellent reputation and relationships.

McFeggan Brown has since grown its team, while proudly upholding great personal service, competitive prices and top-quality craftsmanship. From its founding 30 years ago, to the present day, the company has remained wholly committed to exceptional standards.

How many different clients do you work for each year?

Anywhere up to 60 clients per year, ranging from small local projects to large national corporates. We are even venturing overseas with one client to provide a consistent approach to design and quality across their portfolio.

Tell us about a few exciting projects you’ve worked on We have recently provided a full design and build service to Lycra for their new European operations office based in Gloucester. A fantastic fit-out, over 5,000 sq ft for senior management, embracing the design ethos of this iconic brand. The project produced a smart, quality, branded office space, providing a fun environment in which to work with facilities and fit-out delivered to a superior standard.

Another recent project is the fit-out of 15,000 sq ft in Bristol for Opus Professional Services Group, a global leader in niche and innovative talent solutions. Incorporating highend breakout space; two spacious boardrooms, with moving walls to allow optimum flexibility for meetings arrangements; two offices for company directors; 190 workstations and even a soundproof gym for the use of all employees.

Is any job too small or too big?

McFeggan Brown is proud to offer its

services for any size of requirement, from a request for a single desk to full design and build services for 1000+ employees. Regardless of the size of the project, we maintain the philosophy of providing a quality service based around our core values.

Tell us how you approach a typical new job Consultation is at the heart of the process. Building a relationship and understanding the needs and wants of the client is key. Then, by utilising the expertise of our in-house team, we are able to provide a solution that will clearly satisfy the requirements of the client both from a design and functionality perspective. And as important, ensuring that the project is delivered on time and to budget.

Have there been any recent tech or manufacturing advances that you’ve been quick to adopt?

Maintaining awareness of design trends and manufacturing advancements is an important aspect of providing the best service to our clients. In-house development is also high on the agenda, and we have recently designed our own tiered seating offering, incorporating electrics, USB ports and gas lift storage options.

What’s the secret of staying competitive?

As in all types of business, providing a high level of customer service and ensuring that quality is maintained throughout all aspects and the journey are key.

Finally, any exciting news or plans you’d like to share?

2018 promises to be a record-breaking year for McFeggan Brown in terms of revenue and client satisfaction. We look forward to working with clients through 2019 and beyond, providing service excellence for another 30+ years.

For more: www.mcfegganbrown.co.uk

MEDIACLASH.CO.UK 117

Bristol life awards 2018

When you’re up against some of the city’s best-loved leisure attractions, you’d better have a very special USP up your sleeve. Like a supersonic jet, for example….

LEISURE & TOURISM WINNER

Sponsored by Cabot Circus

You can never quite call it, when it comes to the Bristol Life Awards – especially when a category is as hotly contested as Leisure and Tourism. One of our finalists had an unfair advantage, however. Its name was Concorde.

Let’s see what executive director Lloyd Burnell (above) has to say on the subject.

Why do you think the judges chose Aerospace Bristol out of such a strong category?

Aerospace Bristol is a major new family attraction with an exciting exhibition, all about our region’s aerospace achievements, lots of hands-on activities, and the last Concorde ever to fly displayed in a purpose-built hangar. It’s not every year that such a major new family visit destination opens, and receives such a positive reception, and we’re pleased that the judges recognised this in a very competitive category.

Nothing beats a supersonic selfie...

Can you tell us a bit about Aerospace Bristol’s main achievements?

Less than a year after opening, we’ve already welcomed over 150,000 visitors and had over 5,000 children take part in our curriculum-linked workshops as part of a school visit.

We’re also a unique venue for special events and have hosted dinners and drinks receptions under Concorde and media events too, including the Antiques Roadshow!

How do you make an attraction like Aerospace work commercially ?

There’s a huge amount of interest in Bristol’s aerospace history, and particularly in Concorde. We’ve therefore focused on promoting the museum through the media and have been fortunate to receive lots of coverage locally and nationally.

We also have a first class café and a shop that sells a range of quality souvenir and gift items inspired by our collection.

Has the Filton area benefited from Aerospace Bristol?

Absolutely. We offer employment and volunteering opportunities, have an outdoor play area featuring an aeroplane climbing frame, and of course, the museum acts as a hub

for local people. We also have a learning and outreach team which works closely with community groups in Filton and Patchway, as well as local schools, and we want to continue to build on this, particularly as the airfield is developed.

too. But people love the social history too – the exhibition features listening stations where you can hear the stories of people who worked in the aerospace industry, as well as touch screen archive stations that feature hundreds of fascinating photos from our archives.

Do you have many former pilots, engineers etc among your visitor guides?

Any great comments from visitors that you’re especially pleased by?

We’ve welcomed a number of Concorde pilots who have generously given their time to meet museum visitors, deliver talks and autograph Concorde memorabilia. Captain Les Brodie, who piloted the last ever Concorde flight, is one of our ambassadors.

We also have many ex-Filton engineers, including a former Concorde Chief Engineer, among our volunteer team.

Tell us a bit about the opportunities to hire the space for events

Aerospace Bristol offers a truly unique venue for corporate and private events, award ceremonies, a special wedding setting, and a first-class dining experience. The Concorde Gallery seats up to 500 guests for a three-course meal under the wings of the supersonic passenger jet or a drinks reception on the balcony. On 6 December, we’ll be hosting our first shared Christmas party, with tickets on sale now.

The Concorde hangar also features a range of versatile spaces, to suit a wide variety of events, and a theatre space with raked seating that is ideal for talks, film screenings or product launches.

What have been the most popular exhibits for visitors?

Concorde is undoubtedly the most popular exhibit. Visitors love having the chance to step aboard a supersonic passenger jet, and the show projected on to the side of the aircraft adds a real wow factor

We particularly like the comments about how much children have enjoyed visiting us, as the museum is very much a family attraction and it’s great to hear about young people being engaged and inspired by their visits.

When creating Aerospace, were you creatively inspired by any other museums?

People involved in setting up the museum have visited nearly all the best aviation museums in the world, but in the UK, The Imperial War Museums in London and Manchester were a real inspiration!

Do you have any plans to expand the offering?

Yes, and we are already developing plans to bring back into use a second Grade-II World War One hangar, where we will showcase conservation in action projects, such as a Bristol Fighter and Bolingbroke.

Tell us something about the museum that might surprise us

There’s lots more to see than ‘just’ Concorde! We find that many visitors come here for Concorde and are surprised by how long they spend in the main exhibition. Our average visit length is around three hours, and we’re getting a lot of repeat visitors, too. Aerospace Bristol tickets are valid for free returns for 12 months from when they’re first used.

For more: www.aerospacebristol.org

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

advertising feature

Christmas in Cardiff – the City of Arcades Experience a new way of shopping this Christmas. Seven beautiful Victorian and Edwardian arcades sit alongside the biggest names of the high street earning the Welsh capital the title of City of Arcades.

I

nside the arcades, you’ll find over 100 independent cafés, bars and shops, selling hand-crafted, bespoke and designer items, helping you to make your Christmas gifts as unique as you are.

Five gold rings Lovers of luxury will find a treasure trove of jewellers during their visit. High-end designer and specialist diamond store Willows Jewellery is perfect for those popping the question this Christmas. For hand-made items, Crystals is one of the leading retailers of semi-precious stones.

Dad always running late? Watches of Wales will find you the perfect timepiece to keep him on time and looking stylish.

A touch of magic Looking for something to keep your little muggles in check? Magic and Mayhem, packed with all things Harry Potter, have everything your aspiring Hufflepuff or Gryffindor could need – from clothing and wands, through to Snitches and chocolate frogs.

Stuck for something to do between Christmas lunch and The Queen’s Speech? With over 1,500 board and card games in stock, Rules of Play (below) is sure to have something to keep the family entertained during the festive season.

Picture perfect

Treat yourself

Cardiff has art covered, with a burst of colour from Jian Chen’s Fine Art to the geometric style of Illustrate, inspired by the natural world. As well as traditional prints, both stores showcase their designs on a range of products, from clothing to mobile phone covers.

If you have a budding artist in the family, keep them well-stocked in acrylics and watercolours with a visit to The Pen and Paper; if they’re happier behind a lens, treat them to a camera and kit from Camera Centre UK.

Don’t forget to treat yourself - you can’t beat a trip to Fabulous Welshcakes for a little something to nibble on the journey home and a sweet reminder of your trip to Cardiff.

Wrap up warm

Still can’t decide?

The FOR Cardiff gift card is redeemable in over 70 independent businesses across Cardiff city centre, catering for everyone from coffee lovers and vintage fashionistas, culture seekers and sports fans and any other shopper you can think of. n

Fashion lovers are spoilt for choice, with soft tailoring and cosy knits at Morgan and Morgan’s Menswear or hand-picked designer pieces at 31 The Store, featuring all your favourites from high-end brands such as Billionaire Boys Club and Nudie Jeans.

Time for a feast Budding baristas will enjoy a coffee subscription from Uncommon Ground Coffee Roastery, while Mum will be the envy of her friends with an Afternoon Tea gift voucher for Waterloo Tea, recently voted Cardiff’s favourite arcade business.

Stock up on all your favourite Christmas treats with a hamper from Wally’s Delicatessen, or perhaps a bottle of cognac from its little brother, Wally’s Liquor Cellar, to round off the feast.

Need more help planning your visit?

Go to www.thecityofarcades.com to explore the full list of businesses and hear from some of the owners themselves.

Share your stories, photos and memories with FOR Cardiff by using #cityofarcades and see Cardiff from a new angle. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 81

new builds

boom town The word’s out: Bristol is officially one of the very best places to live and work in the UK. Which is all very well, but where are all the new arrivals going to live, let alone those who were born and bred in the city? Little wonder that the local new-build scene is booming . . .

Words Lisa Warren www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 83

B

ristol’s on the up, and people are relocating to the city at a rate of knots – a situation that’s only predicted to escalate post-Brexit. There’s never been a more urgent need for new homes, whether it’s a major refurb of a historic building or a newly created tower of concrete and glass.

Here’s another issue. How high is too high?

If developers are allowed to build upward of ten storeys, where should these towers be situated? The debate continues; in the meantime, we asked a cross-section of local property experts to choose just one of their recent, rather less controversial new-build projects, and why it stands out for them.

Francine Watson Knight Frank

Redcliffe Parade and Redcliffe Place have been fabulous developments for Knight Frank to be involved in, and probably our most photographed, making regular appearances in the national press. Locally they are an Instagrammer’s delight!

It was the winner of the Michelmores Residential Project of the Year (under 35 units), and finalist in the South West RICS Awards and South West Business Insider Property Awards; we’re also very excited about the scheme being confirmed as a finalist in the forthcoming national Housebuilder Awards.

Built by Change Living, these two schemes are next door to each other, but offer different lifestyles. Redcliffe Parade provides one- and

The second stage of Wapping Wharf is one of the most eagerlyawaited new developments in the city Page 83: Instagrammers’ delight – Redcliffe Parade

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

two-bedroom apartments in a beautiful Georgian conversion with Harbourside views, while Redcliffe Place offers contemporary twoand three- bedroom apartments with balconies and terraces.

Both developments have appealed to young professionals and downsizers alike, with buyers coming from the local area, London and further afield. With only a few two- and threebedroom apartments remaining, viewing the three-bedroom show home is a must. www.knightfrank.com

Stuart Hatton Umberslade

I’m really excited that work is well underway on the second phase of Wapping Wharf, where we’re creating over 250 much-needed homes for the city. We’ve already had a great deal of interest, and those who’ve visited are eagerly anticipating the chance to live here. As well as being offered for sale on the open market, the new one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments will also provide shared ownership housing and will be available for private rent.

The second phase will see Wapping Wharf continue to evolve as a creative, dynamic neighbourhood, with an additional four new retail units adding to the already thriving food, drink and shopping scene along Gaol Ferry Steps and Cargo. www.wappingwharf.co.uk

Vicky Dudbridge Savills Bristol

It is a great privilege to be involved with The General. The former Bristol General Hospital

“The General is about more than the building of new homes; it has created a community”

new builds left to right: The General and Cask Store: two perfect different examples of the way that heritage buildings have been harnessed to createa bunch of new homes that not even Quinlan Terry would quibble at

is one of the city’s most significant historical landmarks and its development has been of great public interest. City & Country have done an exceptional job of converting the original Grade-II hospital building, alongside the creation of new buildings, which together make for one of Bristol’s most exciting new development schemes.

While residential accommodation sits at the heart of the scheme, The General is about more than the building of new homes – it has created a community. The scheme includes an arcade within the vaults of the historic building, introducing a fantastic array of retail and leisure opportunities to the area. The Michelin-starred Casamia and Paco Tapas were among the first to open their doors on the development, to considerable acclaim.

Something we were particularly pleased with was the impressive mix of units, from one-bedroom apartments through to threebedroom houses – a real rarity in the city centre that’s enabled us to cater for a wide cross-section of buyers. The scheme has been a great success sales-wise, and we have now released Flour House for sale. This brand new building offers a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments starting from £247,500, and is available with Help to Buy. www.savills.co.uk

and finished standard in both newly built and converted homes in the South West. Eighteen new high-quality homes are currently being built at Dilly Meadows, West Harptree in Chew Valley; all the properties have unique designs with features such as double-height halls, galleried views of kitchen spaces and large glazed doors providing strong visual connections to the countryside beyond. www.whitecroftdev.co.uk

Rebecca Hales Whitecroft Developments

Francis Firmstone Firmstone

Award-winning Whitecroft has been steadily building a reputation for quality of design

Charlotte Newnes Redrow South West

Based on the site of the former Frenchay Hospital, Frenchay Park and Gardens is Redrow’s largest development across the South West. It’s very rare to hold the position as sole developer at a site of this scale, and we are extremely proud of the unique blend of two-, three- and four-bedroom house types that we have made available in such a sought-after area of Bristol.

The development includes a range of homes from our popular Heritage Collection, taking its design inspiration from the soft colour palettes and traditional structures of the Arts and Crafts movement, as well as a variety of more contemporary-feel houses with modern exteriors that deliver a lasting first impression. www.redrow.co.uk

We recently launched scores of new, modern apartments at Catherine’s House in

Bedminster and we’re delighted that over 95% of the properties have been snapped up in less than two months.

Catherine’s House is the first step in an exciting regeneration of St Catherine’s Place, a one-acre site bordered by Dalby Avenue and East Street. We believe that St Catherine’s Place has the potential to act as a catalyst to kickstart the wider redevelopment of Bedminster Green and East Street area. We are currently working up plans to transform the site, including leisure and retail facilities.

It’s rare to find properties of this quality and specification at this price in Bedminster so it’s not surprising that the apartments have proved hugely popular with local and first-time buyers. www.firmstonedevelopments.com

Gavin Bridge Cubex

The old brewery buildings at Finzels Reach provide a unique, historic setting for the development, and the 38 individually-crafted homes are behind the restored Cask Store façade. We’re delighted that a range of buyers have been attracted to the development, paving the way for the creation of a real community.

With just one apartment remaining for sale, the Cask Store is ideal for buyers who are downsizing, second-home-owners or professional couples who are looking for a home with a great view and easy access to Bristol’s city centre. The new Castle Bridge provides direct access to Bristol Shopping

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new builds Quarter and Cabot Circus, and residents can enjoy the popular street food market that takes place at Finzels Reach on Friday.

Bristol craft beer brewer Left Handed Giant will open at Finzels Reach, bringing back the tradition of brewing on the site that dates back several centuries.

Continuing the food and drink theme, Sanchez Brothers, the team behind the Michelin-starred restaurant Casamia, have also announced they will be opening a new venture at Finzels Reach in 2019. www.cubex-land.com

Sandra Dixon Crest Nicholson South West

Crest Nicholson’s new development in the village of Langford, offering a collection of three, four and five-bedroom homes, is one of our standout sites in the South West region. We launched the first phase of homes over the summer, and once the development is complete it will offer a collection of 141 traditional three- to five-bedroom homes: the perfect choice for growing families, professional couples and downsizers. www.crestnicholson.com

Modern Bristol living at Juniper Homes

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James Read Andrews Land & New Homes

We have had the pleasure of working with Woodstock Homes on their development at Chewton Court, just outside Keynsham. The four homes are nestled on the hill adjacent to Chewton Place House and share a view of the gardens, landscaped in the style of Capability Brown. As you look out, over the ha-ha, past the cedars of Lebanon, the River Chew meanders its way through the valley – through the passing seasons, nature is your most welcome companion.

But Chewton Court is more than just the location. Woodstock’s attention to design and detail is of the finest quality. The homes themselves are a real joy – spacious and airy accommodation, top notch specification and delightful outside space. www.andrewsonline.co.uk

Jon Morgan Juniper Homes

Bankside BS3 is one of a handful of developments that Juniper Homes is currently building in Bristol, providing new threebedroom homes in Southville.

With Help to Buy available and located just off Coronation Road in this highly popular area of Bristol, there are only eight of these stylish and well-designed, brand-new three-

“We’ve worked very hard at Wapping Wharf to create a vibrant neighbourhood with a strong community ethos that feels true to Bristol” bedroom mews houses.

Each home has a dedicated garage, with the option to buy a second, a private roof terrace and a free-flowing living space, which includes a beautifully designed Masterclass kitchen.

The roof terrace also has views across Southville – ideal for sipping wine as the sun goes down. The company has just unveiled a new show home designed by interior specialists SJP; with prices starting at £394,950 and with Help to Buy available, these mews houses make the dream of living in Southville a reality. www.juniperhomes.co.uk

Creative and dynamic: Wapping Wharf II

Tell us what buyers want… . . . what they really really want, in the new-build market . . .

“A strong sense of community is increasingly important to buyers, who are looking at what the whole neighbourhood can offer, rather than just the home itself.

We’ve worked very hard at Wapping Wharf to create a vibrant neighbourhood with a strong community ethos that feels true to Bristol and its independent spirit.”

Stuart Hatton, Wapping Wharf “New-build apartments and houses are in high demand; buyers enjoy the comfort of being able to move straight in with no work to do.”

Francine Watson, Knight Frank “The focus is less on property type than lifestyle. Bristol buyers are increasingly interested in how a wider development scheme can satisfy or enhance the way they want to live.

“Urban buyers especially are looking to buy into a community. They want a coffee shop to walk to on a Sunday morning or a bar or restaurant to socialise in after work.

They are also looking for attractive outdoor spaces outside of their own home.”

Vicky Dudbridge, Savills “Three-storey living is becoming a more popular option for house buyers and builders. With space to build at a premium, it offers a much more effective use of that land; more floor space and extra rooms without requiring a larger footprint.

“People’s living set-up is becoming much more fluid with children often remaining at their parents’ home longer, many more

people sharing homes with friends, renting out rooms and working from home.”

Charlotte Newnes, Redrow “There’s a huge demand for starter homes in a city-centre location with great shops, bars and restaurants nearby” Francis Firmstone, Firmstone “While there’s significant growth among first-time buyers, in part due to Help to Buy, we are seeing the strongest demand from the family market.”

Sandra Dixon, Crest Nicholson “At present we are advising our developer clients to look at sites which are either apartments in the city centre or sites of smaller family housing. Despite a toughening in the market during 2018 this part of the market is still really active.

Mortgages remain at an historic low, Help to Buy is an attractive proposition and buying is still seen as a preference to renting.”

James Read, Andrews Land & New Homes “From first-time buyers to downsizers, apartments are still proving to be the most popular homes. There are more residents and fewer private landlords, and the market is steady, the rush to buy off-plan at any cost has subsided, and we are seeing the market return to a more balanced and considered purchaser who has done their homework before viewing.”

Jenny Gee, Juniper Homes

GIVING BACK

“Living and working in Bristol, we are only too aware of the homelessness in the city, and we realised that there was a major gap in the provision for young homeless people who are not eligible for other forms of support.

“East Street Mews is a groundbreaking initiative being led by Cubex, in which local businesses, charities and property experts have come together to transform an empty property on Bedminster Parade into 11 contemporary apartments for young people at risk of homelessness. The properties will provide a solid foundation on which young people can build towards the next stage of their lives in education and employment “We decided the best way to contribute would be to use our own expertise and skills, and all the companies who have pledged to help are donating their time and skills free of charge.

“We’re still keen to hear from more people in the building sector interested in getting involved to help make the vision a reality and people can find out more by visiting the website.”

Gavin Bridge, Cubex www.eaststreetmews.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 87

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Buying a home?

Do you know who is responsible for the building’s insurance between exchange of contracts and completion? Laura Wilkinson from AMD SOLICITORS explains...

I

n a conveyancing transaction there are two key stages. The first is known as exchange of contracts and the second is completion. Contracts are exchanged once the buyer and their solicitors are satisfied as to the property’s title, its physical condition and that necessary purchase funds are available.

At exchange of contracts, a 10% deposit is usually payable by the buyer and a legally binding contract comes into existence meaning that neither party can legally withdraw from the deal without incurring severe financial penalties.

Completion takes place on the date agreed in the contract and on that date the buyer is entitled to have possession of the property and the seller must vacate it.

BUILDINGS INSURANCE Under common law the responsibility for the risk of damage or destruction of the property passes to the buyer on exchange of contracts unless the contract provides otherwise.

The seller has no obligation to insure the property after exchange of contracts except in certain circumstances, eg where the property is leasehold and insured by the management company or freeholder, or the contract provides the responsibility will remain with the seller.

The buyer is therefore responsible for insuring the property from exchange of contracts. It can often come as a surprise for a buyer to learn that they must insure the property before they can even move in!

The property may be in an area classified as being at a raised risk of flooding, or it may have a history of subsidence, or be an unusual construction, which may require further consideration from the insurer before they agree to insure it.

“IT CAN OFTEN COME AS A SURPRISE FOR A BUYER TO LEARN THAT THEY MUST INSURE THE PROPERTY BEFORE THEY CAN EVEN MOVE IN!” of contracts to avoid causing unnecessary last minute delays.

Whether you are a purchasing or selling a property, it is important that you understand the conveyancing process as well as your liabilities and responsibilities. AMD Solicitors Residential Property Service can advise you on these matters and will proactively support you to ensure your transaction is as stress-free and cost-effective as possible.

If you would like any further information, please call the team on 0117 9735647. ■

WHAT IF I AM TAKING OUT A MORTGAGE? If you are taking out a mortgage on the property you can agree with the lender that they will arrange the property insurance for you.

However, if you are insuring the property the lender will inform you of the sum you should insure it for.

KNOW THE POSITION A prudent buyer should make enquiries as to whether they will need to insure the property they are buying well in advance of exchange

Call into one of our four Bristol offices.

100 Henleaze Road, Henleaze BS9 4JZ 15 The Mall, Clifton BS8 4DS 139 Whiteladies Road, Clifton BS8 2PL 2 Station Road, Shirehampton BS11 9TT

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

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

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bristol LIVES

“Bristol is where I really learned about kindness as an act of revolution” ‘Wellness’ can have rather worthy connotations …

Aisling Mustan Aisling’s the co-founder of Wild & Well, a new wellbeing festival coming your way this month. And if you always thought ‘wellbeing’ sounded a bit worthy, know this: despite the fest’s mission to make us live better, it’s also a lot of fun – so we’ll see you at the silent disco woodland workout, yeah?

W

ild & Well was conceived by four female friends, all experienced festival organisers, who had a strong desire to create a new kind of event – one that would inspire and empower people to live happier, healthier, more connected lives.

Aisling was one of them. “We wanted to bring all the fun of the field to an urban festival, which would be focused on wellbeing and feeling good,” she says. “A new model for health and wellbeing, that’s based on connection, play and community.

“We have dozens of events taking place across four themes – Move, Eat, Connect and Explore – from paddleboarding to silent

disco woodland workouts, wild caveman cooking to hip-hop yoga, Tai Chi tea parties to aerial yoga from the M Shed cranes.”

Yoga. With cranes. OK . . .

Where will it all be held?

Our Move and Connect programme will take place in venues around Harbourside, with a huge range of studio classes at M Shed, a dedicated yoga space at Watershed and a spinning rave with live DJs at the ss Great Britain.

At We The Curious, we have an incredible line-up of panel talks and workshops. Our Eat and Explore events will take place at Ashton Court – in the mansion itself, in beautiful yurts on the lawn and, of course, in the woods.

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

From the very start, we were adamant about breaking the ‘wellness’ mould. Wellness can be a bit worthy and, frankly, designed to speak to the converted and make everyone else feel like they’re failing. We were all drawn to working in the festival industry because we get such a kick out of bringing large groups of people together to have amazing experiences – Wild & Well is the embodiment of that.

Pick a few events to dispel any ‘worthy’ misconceptions…

If I were to pick a few that I know will put a massive smile on your face, I’d say the Rise ’n’ Shine Rave on Harbourside; ‘The Best Sex Ever!’ with Jamie Catto from Faithless; Awe, Wonder and Stargazing at Ashton Court, and Bollywood Dance at M Shed.

We’re Bristol, so tell us about the food…

Food is a massive part of the festival, of course. We’ll celebrate delicious food that’s good for people and the planet, with a focus on seasonal eating, rustic techniques and cooking over fire.

We have an amazing line-up of demos and workshops in The Wild Kitchen and at The Hearth (our fire cooking area), as well as Love Food Festival popping up in Ashton Court mansion with street-food superstars and local producers galore.

What brought you to Bristol?

I’m an honorary Bristolian, having moved here from my home town of Dublin some 14 years ago. How did I end up here? That’s a long story (I’m Irish, long stories are kind of our thing). The nutshell

version is that it was a 4am slidingdoors moment at a party in Dublin just before Christmas in 2004. I was planning to move to Australia.

He convinced me otherwise.

So why have you stayed here?

The winds blew me here in such a random way, but I am constantly inspired by this maverick little city.

I feel a real soul connection with Bristol and with the people who call it home. There’s such a strong belief in the power of community, and a real sense that change is possible. And I think this is the place where I really learned about kindness as an act of revolution.

What’s your manor?

I live on Gloucester Road. I’d say it’s Stokes Croft; the estate agents call it Montpelier. I absolutely love that every time I step outside my door, I have no idea who I’ll meet or what will happen.

Share a few Bristol favourites

Bakers & Co for brunch, Bell’s Diner or Sky Kong Kong for a special meal and The Cadbury for a drink.

Most prized possession?

My sunflower patchwork quilt. My nana made it for me for my 21st birthday.

Any secret skills?

I’m not sure it’s a secret, as I’m pretty vocal about it – I can sing!

Tell us something surprising

My great grandfather was a cameleer from India.

Wild & Well takes place across Bristol between 20-21 October www.wildandwell.org