Bristol Life - Issue 296 by MediaClash

COVER ME

FLOORING: IT’S SEXIER THAN YOU THINK

HONOUR THY MOTHER

BE THE FAVOURITE CHILD

SHAW THING

THE REGENERATION OF THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

ISSUE 296 / MARCH 2021 / £3

ISSUE 296 / MARCH 2021 / BRISTOL’S BUSTING OUT ALL OVER

NIGHT MOVES

AFTER-DARK HEROES

ART AND SOUL: THE COLLABORATIVE WORLD OF GEMMA COMPTON AND COPYRIGHT

FRESH! EXCITING! IT’S OUR BIG SPRING ARTS PREVIEW!

EDITOR’S LETTER

Gemma and Copyright Love, art and collaboration

his is a slightly odd, in-betweeny time to send a magazine to press. On the one hand, we’ve just had the government’s much-vaunted ‘road map’, which proposes a staggered relaxing of rules and restrictions leading up to 21 June. Based on all the jubilant posts crowding social media, the nation fully expects this date to be VE Day, the arrival of the cavalry and Mardi Gras all rolled into one. On the other hand, we’re still awaiting Rishi’s budget statement regarding the amount of help (or not) to be extended to businesses until they can resume trading. Hopefully by the time this issue comes out there’ll be some positive news. Finally, while we’re told that restrictions will ‘probably’ end by 21 June, will we really all be pogoing down in the Harbourside mosh pit this summer? Will we even want to? The big, cheek-by-jowl festivals, gigs and events still feel uncertain. It’s a lot to compute; but that’s precisely what we’ve asked our friends in the Bristol arts sector to do for our big spring preview; hear what they have to say on page 20. We’ve also run a profile on artists Gemma Compton and Copyright; any excuse for a front cover as e ulgently beautiful as the one we proudly present to you this month. There’s loads of other features too, from food to interiors, shopping to property. And did you honestly think we’d forget Mother’s Day? Ignore it at your peril, o spring of Bristol! Mothers have famously retentive memories. Back at you on 27 March, when hopefully there’ll be a bit more clarity about life, the universe and everything. Hang on in there!

DERI ROBINS Follow us on Twitter @BristolLifeMag Instagram @BristolLifeMag

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Issue 296 / March 2021 COVER Muse: a new collaboration between Gemma Compton and Copyright

THE ARTS

9 ART PAGE Mapmaker, mapmaker, make me a map... 10 WHAT’S ON The return of our correct-at-time12 20 28 36

of-going-to-press, don’t-write-in-if-it’s-subsequently changed, listings section ART Mr and Mrs Bristol Street Art ARTS PREVIEW Who’s planning what, and when? BRISTOL HEROES Night life. Use it or lose it BOOKS The shock of the new

FOOD & DRINK

39 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS A touch of the

Antipodeans on Lower Redland Road

40 CHEF PROFILE Shane Jordan’s war against waste 43 SPECIAL DELIVERY Wok’n’roll 45 CAFE SOCIETY Secret Larder guys: you can run

from Stan, but you can’t hide

SHOPPING

47 SHOP INTRO Go with the Flo 48 EDITOR’S CHOICE Honour thy mother, or prepare

to hear about it for years to come

51 FASHION Workleisurewear. It’s definitely a thing

LIFESTYLE

53 HEALTH & BEAUTY Sam Bell of Hair at 58 55 BARK LIFE Stan and canine chums rate Bristol parks,

issue by issue

INTERIORS

56 FLOORING Ground rules

BUSINESS

63 BRISTOLWORKS Pink pages, white collars

PROPERTY 71 72

PROPERTY INTRO Restoration drama SHOWCASE Sweet like Chocolate

REGULARS

6 SPOTLIGHT Marvin the movie, and Lloyd on TV 7 BRIZZOGRAM Wet, wet, wet 82 BRISTOL LIVES Gabrielle Kuzak, and other

amazing mums

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, Milly Vaughan, Storysmith Books Advertising manager Neil Snow neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk New business manager Craig Wallberg craig.wallberg@ mediaclash.co.uk Account manager Jake Horwood jake.horwood@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 and Exeter. 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

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SPOTLIGHT

Animation

PRETTY FLY FOR A HOUSEFLY

Documentary

RUNNING MAN

“Marvin Rees wants to run for mayor. Does it matter that he’s black or from the wrong side of town?” So runs the blurb for new feature-length documentary The Mayor’s Race. Following its première at Watershed last month, the film is now due to get its inaugural TV airing on 6 March. “It was an unlikely journey,” Marvin admits at the start of the film’s trailer. Having experienced poverty and racism first-hand, as a mixed-race child growing up in Bristol’s most deprived neighbourhoods, he knew he wanted to shape the society he lived in for the better. Against all odds, the ‘guy from the ghetto’ entered politics, with no previous training or experience. In May 2016, he became the first elected mayor of African descent to lead a city in Western Europe. Marvin’s personal journey is traced alongside Bristol’s dark past of slavery, civil rights and riots, setting his bid to become mayor in a historical context. Look out for archive footage of the St Paul’s Riots and conversations between Marvin and Bristol Bus Boycott campaigner Paul Stephenson OBE, along with more intimate insights into the mayor’s family background. The Mayor’s Race, produced by Together TV, will be shown on 6 March, on Freeview 82, Sky 170, Virgin 269, Freesat 164,. It will also be repeated later in the month. For more themayorsracefilm.com

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Doing for bugs what Gromit did for dogs Shaun did for sheep and Chicken Run did for, err, chickens, comes Lloyd of the Flies – a new comedy series for 7-11 year-olds that has just been greenlit by Aardman. The 52 11-minute episodes will be created using a mix of CGI and 2D animation; it represents a first for Aardman, as it’s the first CGI series produced entirely from the creative hub at its Bristol HQ. Lloyd of the Flies follows the adventures of Lloyd B Fly, a housefly and the middle child of 453. When not at home (a compost bin) with his little sister PB, Lloyd likes to hang with Abacus (a woodlouse) and Cornea (a butterfly). Together they explore the world beyond the bin, where there’s no shortage of lessons for Lloyd to very nearly learn. Creator/director Matt Walker says he can’t wait to bring the weird and wonderful world of Lloyd and pals to life. “ It’s a life familiar to many of us, as Lloyd tries to prove his worth in a world he doesn’t fully understand, while dealing with friendship, family, the acquisition of food, and not being crushed or eaten. Born out of my love of insects and punny titles, Lloyd of the Flies is a comedy of entomology that draws inspiration from the insects we’re used to seeing around the home, and gives a glimpse of what they might be up to when we are not paying attention.” Will there be an art trail? Please say there’ll be an art trail . . . For more aardman.com

SPOTLIGHT

STORMY WEATHER Now that it’s raining more than ever Know that we’ll still have each other You can stand under my umbrella Ella, ella, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh (etc )

@sambinding

@elizamoreland_

@mick_the_click

@elizamoreland_

@delmar.tyna

@tjphillips76

@gingerslimphoto

@rogerturner6

@diana_drago!

@kruggy01

@epic_photos_uk

@t0m.wright

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6 -10 The Clifton Arcade, Boyce’s Avenue, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4AA. Tel: 0117 279 6402 www.hiddengallery.co.uk | hiddenrare@outlook.com

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

STR ou know what our home o ce walls need? A big doodle map of Bristol, that’s what. Rejoice, then, for one has just been produced for us by David Gee, aka Dave Draws. Dave’s a Mancunian, but as far as we can see his Bristol knowledge is on point. ou won’t find any street name on the map, but you’ll have hours of fun spotting all the major buildings, parks and other landmarks. The names of famous Bristolians are also dotted about, in a pleasingly random manner Maisie Williams appears to be dining at Pasta Loco, Russell Howard’s skulking at the edge of the Downs, while Stephen Merchant’s just o for a pint at Left Handed Giant. “I got into drawing maps by accident, really, says Dave. “I used to draw in the

T WIS

doodle style, but more abstractly, with little caricatures and animal drawings interspersed with the doodles. “While I was living in Berlin, I started exhibiting at some small galleries. At one of the exhibitions, someone said that my work looked like a city from above, which gave me the idea of making maps. I made my first map in 201 , and it kind of snowballed from there. When preparing a new map and he’s completed over 40, from big metropolitan cities such as London to, err, Glossop Dave puts out an open call for suggestions on his social media pages. “This is really helpful, as my followers always come up with one or two places that I wouldn’t have thought of. I then put a list together of

landmarks, bars, shops, restaurants, museums and galleries, and anything else I think might look good on the map. “The Bristol map took two and a half days to draw, with another day and a half for the research and the initial layout sketch. There was a lot to draw in Bristol, so it took uite a while to put it together. Well, indeed. We’re not Glossop. Spin-o merchandise is also a thing, and Dave hopes that Bristol mugs and coasters will soon be available, followed by tea towels, tote bags and cushions. he r stol oo le a comes to cl r er at a e ra s.co.

fi e s es et ee

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NB: The following details were correct at time of going to press, but don’t take them as gospel. Things change...

WHAT’S ON (& WHAT’S ONLINE) From 5 March-5 May

ART

Ongoing

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION The Royal Photographic Society’s gallery is closed at time of going to press, but you can still view the 162nd outing of the world’s longest running photography exhibition virtually, and admire the work of 43 international photographers. rps.org SUGAR PAPER THEORIES: Meanwhile, also at the RPS, the icecool Sugar Paper Theories is a true-life Nordic noir, as Bristol photographer Jack Latham chronicles the most controversial murder investigation in Icelandic history. More fun than The Valhalla Murders. rps.org HEAD The striking digital work of the extraordinary John Levers continues to be exhibited online at thatartgallery.com

Until 21 March

LAND AND SEA A new virtual exhibition from First

Contemporary brings together the work of Bristol artists Kate Evans, Elaine Jones, Anna Boss and Andrew Hood, who explore their relationship with landscape to o er the viewer escapism at a time where travel and the natural world seem more precious than ever. firstco tem orary.com

12 April-June (tbc)

Until 30 April

A PICTURE OF HEALTH: WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHERS FROM THE HYMAN COLLECTION A group exhibition of contemporary women photographers, featuring autobiographical perspectives and social commentaries at Arnolfini, ar olfi .or .

BIG JEFF JOHNS WELCOME TO MY WORLD Prolific Bristol music fan Big e presents his debut exhibition of artworks. In this inspirational collection, a total of 34 paintings will be released in three phases, and aim to surprise and challenge the viewer while instigating conversations about mental health. Presented with Bristol Beacon as an online exhibition; r stol eaco .or

Until 30 May

TALKS | ART IN THE CITY – HEATHER AGYEPONG Heather appears in recorded conversation with Keiko Higashi at Arnolfini, ar olfi .or .

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JO SPENCE: FROM FAIRY TALES TO PHOTOTHERAPY Drawn from one of the most comprehensive collections of Jo Spence’s works in the world, and focusing on the intersection between arts, health and wellbeing. At Arnolfini ar olfi .or .

Opening dates tbc – please check websites KATE SHOOTER That Art Gallery hope to reopen with Kate’s paintings – partly figurative and partly abstract some time in April. thatartgallery.com

168TH OPEN EXHIBITION The RWA’s Annual pen will finally, well, open, probably on 17 May,

with a wide variety of work from emerging and established artists; r a.or . CHLOE DEWE MATTHEWS: THAMES LOG From the source of the Thames to its mouth, Chloe examines the everchanging nature of our relationship to water, from ancient pagan festivities through to the rituals of modern life. At Martin Parr Foundation; mart arr o at o .or

SHOWS AND MUSIC Until 6 March

LOVE LETTERS AT HOME In their signature performance style, Uninvited Guests blur distinctions between theatre and social gatherings, creating a performance from your song dedications; r stolol c.or .

Until 7 March

SLAPSTICK FESTIVAL The last few days of Bristol’s beloved festival of silent, classic and visual screen comedy; online; sla st c .or .

WHAT’S ON OPPOSITE PAGE:

Love Letters at home; CLOCKWISE: That’s Dorian. He’s just made a pact...; Is Now a Good Time? Depends on your perspective, Out of Chaos; The Great Gatsby, Wardrobe styl-ee

11 March

THE GATHERING A new monthly event in which well-loved artists perform and talk to audiences at home: part-cabaret, part-conversation. The season begins with theatre royalty Siân Phillips and Michael Byrne, artist Travis Alabanza, The Grinning Man’s Louis Maskell and Audrey Brisson and mind-reader Chris Cox. bristololdvic.org.uk

12-13, 19-20, 26-27 March; 2-3 April

Until 31 March

THE GREAT GATSBY Originally planned as a live two-hander, it’s The Wardrobe’s big spring hitter in digital form; thewardrobetheatre.com

Until 30 April

BRISTOL OLD VIC AT HOME: BOV have extended the online run of five of their biggest hits here’s a reminder: A CHRISTMAS CAROL Their most popular-ever Christmas show, with charismatic John Hopkins as literature’s most notorious miser. THE GRINNING MAN Tom Morris and Carl Grose’s vastly entertaining musical based on a Victor Hugo tale,.

MESSIAH Handel’s masterpiece, performed as the composer intended – in a secular theatre, not a hallowed place of worship. THE NIGHT THAT AUTUMN TURNED TO WINTER A treat for tiny theatre fans (so that’s all children, then) and their families. SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS The BOV family show most requested by audiences for revival. All shows at bristololdvic.org.uk

8-15 March

MID-LIFE: THE SKIN WE’RE IN A poetic look at how to celebrate, survive and thrive in your own skin. Online; bristololdvic.org.uk

SHERLOCK IN HOMES 2: MURDER ON ICE The interactive Zoom murder mystery is back! Travel to the barren landscape of Antarctica to interrogate the suspects and attempt to unmask a murder with your fellow audience members. thewardrobetheatre.com

17-21 March

IS NOW A GOOD TIME?, New interactive piece of theatre from Out of Chaos, performed live over the phone; a charming and gently moving story presented in a uniquely personal way. tobaccofactorytheatres.com

21 March

THE MEANING OF ZONG Online: Olivier Award-winner and Hamilton star Giles Terera stars in his own play about the massacre aboard the slave ship Zong in 1781, and how uncovering its story galvanised the growing abolition movement in the UK. bristololdvic.org.uk

16-21 March

SWIMMING HOME A new kind of fully immersive theatre experience beamed into your home, transforming your bathroom into a filmic water-world. Confused? More at bristololdvic.org.uk

22 March-19 April

PINK MIST The original 2015 production of Owen Sheers’ verse play about the impact of war on servicemen and their families. Haunting and brilliant. On demand at home; bristololdvic.org.uk

16-31 March

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY In a filter-fixated world where online and reality blur, influencer Dorian Gray makes a deal for his social star never to fade... . Oscar Wilde’s novel gets a 21st-century update with star-du-jour Fionn Whitehead and a remarkable supporting cast including Joanna Lumley, Stephen Fry and Russell Tovey. A co-production between Bristol old Vic, Theatr Clwyd and other theatres. Watch online; bristololdvic.org.uk

OTHER Ongoing

BRISTOL FESTIVAL OF IDEAS The programme of online events continues; ideasfestival.co.uk n

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

TWO SIDES

There’s nothing new about Bristol artists collaborating – think Inkie x Cheba,Jody x Cheo, My Dog Sighs x Curtis Hylton. The thing that makes Gemma Compton and Chris Thomas special, though, is that they’re also husband and wife… Words by Deri Robins www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 13

THE BIG INTERVIEW

emma and Chris, aka Copyright, first met on a night out at The Academy. “I was in my second year at UWE, studying fashion,” says Gemma. “Chris, who was living and working in London, came to town to catch up with friends. It was a complete fluke that we met two twenty-somethings, a lot of beer and a mutual love of hip-hop. “Chris came back to Bristol the following Saturday, and we went out for dinner. It was instant love and the best friendship. That was 15 years ago, and we’ve barely been apart since.” When did you realise that your art styles were so compatible? Gemma: Even early on in our relationship there was so much creativity.

When I visited Chris in London, where he was already starting to make a name for himself with his art, he would take me to exhibitions and introduce me to other artists. It was a really special and exciting time. I’d help Chris with organising his exhibitions and assist him with his murals. He put a lot of trust in me, and I learnt so much. We have basically been collaborating since the day we met. We bounce ideas o of each other; our passions are very similar. We completely understand each other as artists as well as individuals, and I think that’s a very special thing. Chris: We both spent quite a few years developing our own original styles. We were creating very di erent works stylistically and technically, but I think it was only when we both had an individual identity that we realised that a lot of the themes were similar. So, putting them together at that point was easy. Have you ever hosted a joint exhibition? Gemma: We’ve done a lot of projects together. My proudest

collaboration was the exhibition we did a couple of years ago in Chicago. The show was called Two Sides, and it was a combination of paintings as individual artists and collaborative works. The concept was two sides of a story, a relationship, coming together to create something new and exciting. How, in practice, do you work on a piece? Chris: Initially I just go wild on a canvas, just so I’m not starting

on a blank space. Then I plan what I’m going to add to that, but I deliberately don’t create a finished plan, just a starting point really. I want to create in a way that’s more organic. Usually, it’s not until you’re actually painting it that the piece will tell you what it wants.

THE BEST AND WORST THINGS ABOUT LIVING WITH A FELLOW ARTIST ARE…

“The best: having someone who 100% knows your needs. You need someone who understands why you have been in the studio for days on end, and can deal with the tantrums. The worst: the mess. I’m organised and a neat freak, someone’s else not so much…” – Gemma “The best; both being on exactly the same wavelength and workflow. Being able to bounce ideas off each other. The worst: the artist temperaments!” – Chris

Gemma: My process is lengthy. I like to build layers of paint and a lot of details. A lot of the time I start with an idea of what I want to create, but as I start working on a piece it will almost ‘tell me’ what it needs as it develops. It sounds crazy, but you learn so much from each thing you create, and you take that forward into the next work. Everything is always evolving. When working on individual pieces, do you still get involved in each other’s art? Gemma: YES, all the time! Even if the other doesn’t want or care

for the other’s opinion. We work well together, but we are both quite strong-willed individuals. At the time it can cause some tension in the household, but I’d rather we were honest and critiqued each other’s work; it means that when one of us says the other’s work is good, it’s real, and not just because we don’t want to hurt their feelings. Chris: It’s hard, because you’ve got to know when to say something and when to bite your lip. Often, I’ve seen Gemma do something in a completely alien way to me then, a couple days later it’s this magical, beautiful, completed rose or something. We learn to trust each other’s judgement and creative freedom. Girls and nature motifs seem to occur in both your works – are there any other similarities? Gemma: There are probably loads; I think we’re just too close to see

them. Art really is our life, and I feel so lucky to be on this creative journey with Chris. I think we are always going to subconsciously feed into each other’s creative psyche; we are husband, wife, great friends and colleagues. How have you influenced each other’s style and technique? Gemma: Chris has been a huge influence on me as an artist. He’s

taught me a lot about this business. He has supported me and

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“ I think we are always going to subconsciously feed into each other’s creative psyche; we are husband, wife, great friends and colleagues”

THE BIG INTERVIEW THE THINGS I ADMIRE ARE . . .

“I adore Chris’s storytelling in his work. He’s great at conveying emotion in a contemporary way. So many people connect to his work, and he has a vast number of collectors who love his paintings. I admire the bravery and boldness within the work, contrasted with a real sensitivity and sometimes sadness. That’s a powerful combination, that makes good art” – Gemma “I’m in awe of Gemma patience and attention to detail, and in that regard we’re totally different. I’m much more spontaneous and reactive. Imagine having the skill and technique to paint anything you could dream up, that’s her; pure alchemy” - Chris

encouraged my development, as I sometimes struggle with selfconfidence issues. I think our styles and techni ues have remained individual, but we also complement each other well within the work. Chris: Gemma teaches me patience and subtleties, and how to use multiple mediums. Which art movements have been an inspiration to you? Chris: Around the early 2000s I found myself in the middle of this new

movement called street art. ne day I was just doing my thing, next day it’s this whole scene. It has been ama ing to discover a community of people doing similar work to me, and share ideas and good times. I also find a lot of inspiration in art history. I’m obsessed with Pop Art, and inspired by the work of Renaissance artists and the Pre-Raphaelites. Gemma: For me, it’s never really been one movement; I’ve always been drawn to painters’ techni ue. During various lockdowns I took several online art courses, and one was on abstract expressionism, a movement which in the past just didn’t interest me. ow I’m hooked on the emotion within the abstraction and the movement of paint. I’m hoping I can take what I’ve learn forward into my own practice. Where do you work? Chris: We have our own spaces. Gem’s inside the house, and we turned

our garage into my studio. We did have a separate studio at one point but it made more sense to use the space we already had.

How have you managed to keep positive during the past year? Gemma: When the pandemic first happened, I thought well, this is

scary but we’re used to being at home all the time, I’ll just make loads of great work. But the truth is we both found it really hard to be productive, and because of all the uncertainty day to day, our mental health really took a dive, and it became impossible to work. Since then, there have been good days, when the paint is flowing, and weeks when it has been more of a challenge. ow, nearly a year later, we have found more of a rhythm of working. We still are nowhere near as productive as before, and there is still a lot of uncertainty in the future, especially in the creative industry. At the moment we are finding a balance between creating and being kind to ourselves. Immediate plans for the future? Chris: I have a plan for a big show in two parts; it’s pretty vague and it’s

hard to make concrete future plans at the moment, but I’m going to start work on it now so I can put into action once I’m able. Gemma: I want to create bigger and better work. Another solo show But right now I’ll settle for getting through to the other side of this pandemic, a cold beer on a hot day with my friends in the pub and a hug from my mum. If you weren’t artists, what would you be? Gemma: Stunt woman. Chris: Clown. n

For more: gemmacompton.com artbycopyright.com

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“I’m in awe of Gemma’s patience and attention to detail”

T T A S E H F O T E A R TS ARTS

Spring is about to do its springing thing, there’s an optimistic ‘road map’ from the government, and the sap of Bristol’s cultural scene is slowly beginning to rise . . .

Over the past 12 months, Bristol’s arts venues have closed, reopened, closed again, shrugged, and mostly moved their offerings online. But have any positives come out of the pandemic, and – more importantly – what are their plans and dreams for the immediate future? 20 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Until we meet again IRL at Bristol Old Vic, join The Gathering

ew industries have taken harder knocks over the past year than arts and events. On the plus side, few sectors are as generously populated with creative, thinkingoutside-the-box types: if anyone was going to adapt to this not-so-brave new world, it was them. So now, with a glimmer of hope on the horizon, what does the future hold for Bristol’s arts venues? And have there been any silver linings at all in the Covid clouds?

THE THEATRE MAKERS BRISTOL OLD VIC

Over the past year, artistic director Tom Morris and his team have pivoted to a vertigo-inducing degree, beaming online films from the archives as well as new productions straight into our homes. For a brief, tantalising moment, we even had a reminder of what live theatre was like. They’ve extended the current At Home o ering until the end of April, complemented by a very full and imaginative spring programme – see our what’s on pages for full details. In the time-honoured theatrical tradition of “Hey gang, let’s do the show right here!” they’ve even created a new performance space within the café/bar area. It’s called The Courtyard, and is “an open, welcoming, fresh space, with as diverse and vibrant a programme as the city we serve,” says producer Sian Weeding. “We’ve had dance, comedy, bubbleblowing, poetry, folk, rap and hip hop, to name just a few, and we can’t wait to reignite that space with a brand-new programme and reunite our much-missed audiences. The very idea of it is thrilling. “I’m enormously excited to provide a space where people can come together, albeit digitally. The Gathering is a brand new live and online event where cabaret meets conversation. We have always held community at the centre of our values, and we’ll use whatever means we can to bring that sense of community to the city, even while we’re squirrelled away in our homes. Our artistic director Tom Morris will be walking us through an evening of sonnets, poems, songs and magic routines, as we dance in a digital room with artists that we’re deeply inspired and influenced by.

“We’ll use whatever means we can to bring a sense of community to the city”

ABOVE: Ad Infinitum share trade secrets at TFT;

LEFT: It shoudn’t happen to a vet: Arthur’s back, in Owen Sheers’ hearbreaker Pink Mist

Look out, too, for the online co-production The Picture of Dorian Gray, with its stellar cast, and a chance to see Pink Mist online. More details on page 11. For more see bristololdvic.org.uk.

TOBACCO FACTORY THEATRES

“The events of the past year have been the most challenging our organisation and team have ever experienced, but have also led us to develop new approaches, as we’ve sought to share creative adventures and opportunities to connect, at a time when people need them the most,” says artistic director Mike Tweddle. “Our Season of Experiments began in November, when we live-streamed Daniel Kitson’s Dot. Dot. Dot from our empty theatre. As well as performing, remarkably Daniel ran the lighting and sound cues, while also operating the cameras and the stream: you can’t get more Covid-secure than that! “At Christmas we teamed up with Pins and Needles, the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, New International Encounter and Cambridge unction to create two filmed adaptations of much-loved festive tales, while collaborating with brilliant freelance artists on a travelling doorstep Christmas show, BS3 Santa. “We’ve begun 2021 with a renewed mission to put our communities at the heart of what we do, launching online versions of our Young Theatre Makers and Factory Singers programmes. “From 17-21 March we can’t wait to share Out of Chaos’ Is Now A Good Time?, a brand

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ARTS new interactive piece of theatre performed live over the phone. Ticket holders receive four calls from ‘Red Onion Research’ over the course of an hour, as they are introduced to Sam and Alex, two employees in the same call centre, who love their job but might just be missing out on something bigger. It’s a charming and gently moving story presented in a uniquely personal way. “Our pay-what-you-choose masterclass programme for professional South West artists begins this February, and we already have seven inspiring practitioners lined up to share their expertise. On 22 and 29 March, Deb Pugh from the brilliant Ad Infinitum, previous resident artists at our theatre, will share the playful, creative and collaborative devising process by which Ad Infinitum make their jawdropping style of theatre. “And we look ahead with hope and much excitement to 26-28 May, when our friends at Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory will return with a thoroughly inventive new production. We’ll be sharing more on this very soon…” For more tobaccofactorytheatres.com

WISE CHILDREN

Meanwhile, Emma Rice’s theatre-making company was staring at a bleak new chapter back last March. “Two touring productions cancelled; a new show postponed indefinitely months of inaction and uncertainty; and our freelance teams struggling to survive,” recalls executive producer Poppy Keeling. “But we’re led by Emma Rice, and she’s not one to sit around waiting to be told what to do… “In April we launched Wise Radio, which runs 24/7 playing music curated by our technical teams, and our very own chat show, Tea & Biscuits. In each episode, Emma invites a member of the extended Wise Children family to share music and memories. We’ve made 40 episodes and, as well as being a great listen (30,000 listeners; 75% listen all the way through), the shows gave us a way to stay in touch with freelancers and audiences. “In June we added Wise TV, a Twitch channel bringing together existing video content with a new series of interviews with Emma, broadcast live from her home. In July we moved our School for Wise Children

“Then we had a big idea. Could we scale up these digital experiments, and livestream a whole show? The answer was yes . . .” training online, with seven high-level courses, 14 top industry tutors, nine public webinars, 42 students, 21 free places, and over 100 hours of Zoom teaching. “Then we had a big idea. Could we scale up these digital experiments, and livestream a whole show? The answer was yes, and in September we became the first company to broadcast a fully staged production, Romantics Anonymous, from a UK theatre after lockdown. We repeated the experiment with a second show in December, The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk. Our trailblazing live broadcasts have been seen by more than 40,000 people, and won us the Stage Award for Achievement in Technical Theatre 2020. “Our plans for 2021 aren’t quite set yet, but we’re plotting a new show for the autumn, and an outdoor celebration in the summer.” For more wisechildrendigital.com

THE WARDROBE

Actually, they all look a bit dodgy to us. Can you help The Wardrobe solve the Murder on Ice?

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

You may remember that back in January this year we ran a particularly gorgeous poster image for The Wardrobe’s new production of The Great Gatsby, which planned to open live at the theatre this spring. Well, it’s still happening, if not quite as expected… “Something wonderful that’s come out of the last year has been the rise of audiences engaging with live theatre online,” says co-director Matthew Whittle. “By utilising technologies like Zoom, it’s been so much fun to create new shows and change the way we think about performance, to be able to bring live theatre, entertainment and the interactive audience experiences into people’s homes. “Coming up this spring we have The Great Gatsby, a co-production from The Wardrobe Ensemble and The Wardrobe Theatre. Created during the pandemic, a live recording of the show filmed in the theatre will be available to watch at home from March. “Sherlock In Homes 2: Murder On Ice is the second murder mystery adventure co-production from Sharp Teeth Theatre and The Wardrobe Theatre, in which audiences get to play detective and interrogate suspects live over Zoom, to try and solve the case. The show is running through March and April.” For more thewardrobetheatre.com

Wise Children’s big idea: the Flying Lovers go digital

THE MUSIC VENUES

Whither live music in 2021? We’re a long way o from moshing at The Downs, and we’ve heard that Bristol Sounds is o the cards this year. But then, like a light shining into darkness, comes ‘the Beaks’. . .

BRISTOL BEACON

2020 was a wildly important year for the Hall formerly known as Colston. “Announcing the new name of our organisation – Bristol Beacon – was a huge moment, says Bristol Music Trust chief executive Louise Mitchell. “We’ve been glad to see so many Bristolians taking the name to their hearts already – some even nicknaming us ‘The Bri le Beaks’. We’re now able to focus on realising our vision, and building a transformed venue that delivers what our new name promises: a place of welcome, warmth and light. “In terms of live shows this year, we’re obviously beholden to the government’s guidelines, but we’re working to bring live music back as soon as we can. In March we’re presenting Lau-land online a day of virtual music-making for folk musicians with the band Lau, and in May we’re hosting Super Cool Drawing Machine – the musicians’ art show at Bristol Beacon. “All being well, we’re also hoping to still present our two big Harbourside shows ile Rogers and CHIC, and Belle Sebastian which were postponed from last year. For more bristolbeacon.org

ST GEORGE’S BRISTOL

“We’ve kept the magic alive at St George’s with some very special online events, including The Polyphonic Concert Club between 11 March 29 April, says Charlie Smith. “Also once a month from 20 March, our resident philosopher Julian Baggini takes to Zoom to conduct his discussion around the weekend papers and the often under-explored philosophical issues tied up with the big issues of the day. “Lastly, we look forward to our ‘Listen In’ series in April, a run of digital performances from our roof and garden stages . stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

“We’re still hoping to bring Nile Rogers and Chic to Harbourside this year” 24 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

TOP: Frank Bowling; we’re promised some surprising links to Bristol ; BOTTOM: We’re good, thanks, RWA!

ARTS

THE ART GALLERIES

Please do not eat the art: Veronica Ryan’s new sculptures for RWA

The galleries, at least, were able to reopen for a while, albeit with strictly monitored visitor numbers and big arrow stickers on the floor to ensure a Covid-proof one-way flow. Then they had to close again. ow, it’s all hands to the deck for the grand spring reopenings . . .

ARNOLFINI

“In such a strange year, it’s been wonderful to work with a team of ama ing colleagues willing to adapt and share our love for the arts in many new ways, and see our audiences bounce back each time we’re allowed to open our doors, says executive director Gary Topp. “It supports our belief in the enduring importance of art and culture in everyone’s lives. We’re committed to sharing and presenting a wide range of contemporary arts, celebrating local creativity and welcoming international excellence, and our Frank Bowling show this summer will present recent work by one of the great painters of our time and reveal some unexpected connections with the city. “Arnolfini also celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, and we have a broad, retrospective programme reflecting the cultural importance the organisation has played within Bristol and beyond since 1961.

RWA

We’re still waiting to browse the muchpostponed 168th Annual pen, IRL. “We still have over 600 works from emerging and established artists waiting behind closed doors, says director Alison Bevan. “We have, however, taken the pen online, and we’ve had a record number of sales this year. We hope to be able to open the doors on this barrage of joy and colour when safe to do so later this spring. “We’ve also had much success moving our drawing workshops online since Lockdown 1.0. We wanted to continue to support the artists and tutors involved, and ensure we helped to inspire people in their homes. “We then close our doors this June as we begin works on an exciting .8m capital refurbishment. The Light Inspiration project will restore the beautiful galleries and welcome spaces, and enrich our learning programmes. We will be continuing our programme o site watch this space. Here’s the space you need to watch: rwa.org.uk

SPIKE ISLAND

“The support of the public has been heartwarming, says comms manager ane Farram. “When we briefly reopened last ctober with Den il Forrester’s exhibition Itchin & Scratchin, we safely welcomed many more visitors than expected, and there was

such a positive energy around the galleries. It fills us with hope for our next reopening. “We’re proud to have continued supporting our community of artists and creative businesses, ensuring they can still safely access their workspaces, and they have supported us by remaining part of our community. And as with many galleries and museums, we’ve switched to online programming, and seen thousands of both new and familiar audiences joining our events, from as far afield as ew Zealand. “In May, we hope to open a major exhibition by Veronica Ryan Along a Spectrum. Ryan came to prominence in the 1980s, and is best known for sculpture that are evocative of shapes, forms and objects from the natural world. She has undertaken an extended residency at Spike Island to make new works for this exhibition, including cast forms in clay and bron e, and bright neon crocheted fishing line pouches filled with a variety of seeds, fruit stones and skins – and we’re excited to present these in Bristol. For more spikeisland.org.uk

HIDDEN

“Hidden has gone from strength to strength during the last year, says co-owner Chris Kendall, “largely due to our investment in our website and social media activity, which has meant more people than ever have found us. We’ve managed to keep working and shipping art all over the world and we’ve added new members to the team. Just over a year ago we opened our Brighton Gallery as well as a framing workshop here in Bedminster, and we’re now preparing to open in London as soon as lockdown allows. “We absolutely love sharing new finds with our customers who keep in touch via our

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ARTS BELOW: Changing spaces: plans for the new Light & Inspiration project at RWA; RIGHT: Together/Apart – look out for the book, coming soon

weekly newsletter. We’ve recently added some amazing Banksy works, and for complete contrast some fabulous original lithographs by LS Lowry, in addition to work by David Hockney, Andy Warhol and more.” For more hiddengallery.co.uk

THAT ART GALLERY

In our last-but-one issue, we carried a truly striking bit of art on the cover, by John Levers – a successful online exhibition staged by That Art Gallery during lockdown. However, for gallery founder Andy Phipps, 2020’s main achievement was opening their new space at 2 Upper Maudlin Street. “The inaugural show, Dan Hollings’ Big Boys Don’t Cry, was due to open last March – three days after lockdown – so we had to postpone opening until 4 July,” he says. “This forced closure did require a level of adapting and inventiveness. We focused on what was achievable within the limitations of

“Our windows have al ays ee a m ch loved aspect of the allery a e e a to imagine what could happen within their co fi es 26 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

a closed gallery. The windows of our building have always been a much-loved aspect, and we began to imagine what could happen within their confines. An open-call photographic submission project, Together/Apart, was launched. “Images of ‘anything noticed or inspired by the change in lifestyle brought on by the pandemic’ were requested. Digital images were submitted, a selection were printed in a ‘Polaroid lab’, and exhibited in the windows. “We’ve managed to continue our programme of exhibitions, which is an achievement in itself. September went o with a bang with The Art of Action, showcasing 20+ artists from Tristan Manco’s recently published te c l ra t a oo . “In contrast, Richard Aaron Ward’s Oil and Water was an incredibly calm and engaging show of abstract works inspired by forces, movement, mass and tension which relate to, but are not of, landscape. “We’ve currently been forced to embrace the virtual world. John Lever’s ea has arisen purely as his personal response to the Covid situation, which has seen his creativity explode from his iPad. This is the first time we’ve exhibited and sold purely online “Our future programme of exhibitions is yet to be finalised, but we are really looking forward to a reopening the gallery in the future with a show of works by Kate Shooter. Meanwhile we’ve just published (with Tangent Books) the gallery’s first book, which documents last year’s Together/Apart project, which is due for release this month.” For more thatartgallery.com n

Artist Genevieve Murray had recently planned to move to Bristol, but like many others her plans are currently on hold. “My usual studio closed for lockdown and so I had to empty out a tiny storage room in our flat, and set up a temporary painting space to finish an oil portrait commission. I’ve found a positive routine of daily painting, exercise, walks and zoom calls which keeps daily anxieties at bay.” Look forward to welcoming you to Bristol soon, Gen! For more genevievemurray.co.uk

John Levers’ Seated Woman. Many more where this came from; this is one prolific lockdown artist...!

BRISTOL HEROES

GIVE ME THE NIGHT Bristol’s nightlife is a hugely important part of the city’s economy and sense of wellbeing. So when the pubs and clubs do open again – use them, or lose them, OK? Words and pictures by Colin Moody 28 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

“It’s a complex problem, but some uniquely Bristol ideas are beginning to o to fi sol t o s

ockdown 3.0 is really biting now. Been a long time since I’ve seen anyone dressed in a duvet trying to look like a painting from the National Portrait Gallery. Been a long time since a lot of things. But for many in the city, the thing that they miss is their job, friends, social life and much more rolled into one. It’s the nightlife. And I’m talking about the people who run it. Club by club. Pub by pub. I’ve teamed up with the Save Bristol Nightlife crew to draw attention to some of the hardworking citizens who have so much on hold right now. The people who watched our PM tell everyone to avoid bars and restaurants while not ordering them to be shut, creating a really bad few weeks for these businesses and everyone associated with them.

Talk about our nightlife, and you really are talking about a huge part of our city’s economy and wellbeing.

So I’ve been making mini-documentary films in some of these places that have been deeply a ected by the lockdowns. I’m working with Annie McGann from Save Bristol Nightlife to make the docs that these stills are taken from. She knows a thing or thousand about what’s happening to our nightlife economy. “This project started out as ‘use it or lose it’ but now it’s just ‘lose it’,” she says. “It’s been a good idea to share the people and the stories behind the venues. Giving an insight into the impact of the pandemic, and the importance of venues to our community, has had a powerful response; people get pretty emotional about it. “The all-party parliamentary group for the night-time economy, formed in December, has launched an inquiry into the impact of Covid on British nightlife, and is calling on the industry to submit evidence; these mini-docs are our evidence. I hope they watch them.” So come with me now as we wind our way through eight little stories. All taken from stills from these new #loseitbristol docs. And if at the end of this you have a story to add, we are still making these films, in a socially distanced manner, with masks and so forth. Deets at the end. Right.

Spoke to the people who run the Bristol Fringe about how they’ve tried to keep going. Jumping through hoops to meet the Covid regulations, when there was the weather and a window to serve in the outside space. Their fears are that people have now switched to drinking at home. They showed me the silent empty back room where bands once played, equipment stacked up for sale. Would the juke box turn after all this time? It did. But most emotional was Dan, who says this pub means everything to him. As a people-person, it’s been so hard with all that gone. “I came up here one night for the music and the late bar, and I ended up with a job. I gave it a go, and immediately fell in love with all the locals.” As he mops, a dog passes and thinks about poking his nose in to where there is fresh paint and another round of cleaning. Then he trots on.

2 3

Nightlife. Not been a lot of it, but while some watch etflix others have been going over the sums and flicking over empty diary pages, ink-free page after ink-free page. The Barbi group have just launched an app. One that they say is designed to keep the money in the city, preventing quite large parts of the value of an order for food delivery from going to national and multinational companies. I wanted to include this shot of Brendan at Barbi because he wants to see restaurants and other venues survive. He knows the crisis, and he wants them to be able to a ord to

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 29

BRISTOL HEROES 4 buy supplies, employ sta , maybe even make more money to o set all the costs that keep piling up. It’s hard. It’s very hard. And that huge list of indie food places above him in the darkness is a solid list. A big list. But if they don’t get help now, how many will be there as viable businesses this time next year? It’s a complex problem. And some uni uely Bristol ideas are beginning to flow to find solutions.

It’s important Socialising And we haven’t been able to do it. oom has papered over the cracks. But if you oom that’s all about, well... ooming. Pixels and audio and people in their underpants, forgetting to un-mute the mic. I have missed the solid foundation, stop-right-here socialising. In-the-flesh, spill-a-pint-and-everyone-laughs socialising. our mates all in one place. The team behind The ueenshilling let me come down and see how they have been coping during the lockdown. For a club that exists to be supportive to their community, and not be able to, it’s tough. Paul told me how important it was when he came out to have a place to go. nowing that The ueenshilling is one of the only LGBT venues in the city, he came down especially to share with me how vital a place like this is. And all around the place, little glimpses of how it was, and the love people had for it. The sign reading IMP RTA T was about making sure you wore a mask.

The astville Social Club bar has not served a drink for a long time. ust take this in. This is what your pub in stasis looks like. Thankfully, with grants, this place has not su ered a huge financial killer blow, but they did have to pour all the beer down that sink, and video it to show the brewery, so that support was given to those who brewed it. Let’s look at this place some more . . .

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

Eastville Social Club. Part 2. The secretary showed me how carefully they were spacing out tables and chairs, cleaning and sanitising for a reopening that never came. You could see how it hurt, that third lockdown. For a club like this, the spaces are normally filled with a lot of elders. lders whose stories over a pint have been replaced with a stay-at-home lonely path. Long-standing places like this have served their customers for some 150-plus years, and to not be able to do that is killing the spirit. And the uestion was raised, as we walked around, whether people have become used to drinking at home. Will they return? Will it ever be like it was before? Or is it gone for good?

“No quips, no jazzy soundbites, 7 just pure grit”

registered to get things going at a community level. I can’t help but think that if we don’t support these clubs and pub spaces at a solid local level, we will lose more than a place for a show and a pint. Let me show you a face . . .

This is enna. In the two hours I was there to film her and her business partner I saw them digging, cleaning, filing, putting in pipes, kitchen e uipment, while filling me in on what they have been doing to help their business survive. Jenna and people like her are all over this city. They work so, so hard to keep going. One month they might be a club event space. Then it’s a shop. Then they have to pivot again and register as a community interest. What determination. o uips, no sna y sound bites, just pure grit. These are the people who build our nighttime economy and make the spaces, and then turn up to hold the door open for you after building the door. Least we can do is walk through those doors when they eventually reopen.

The folk at the Cloak and Dagger have pivoted, swivelled, opened as a shop, renovated, applied for schemes to support young people wanting jobs they’ve done it all. But seeing the diary in the basement from March 2020 onwards, page after page empty and untouched, stopped me in my tracks. They have lots of work to do they have just

Take nothing for granted When someone in a tie comes on the TV and tells you we can reopen all the doors, remember we will have to make Bristol’s independents great again. Booking by booking. Visit by visit. Every moment will count. Oh, and one other thing. If you do book a table, in a place that has a uarter of the capacity that it had before, to be Covid-safe, whose owners may not be even able to pay themselves a wage in order to keep sta on . . . turn up What’s your nightlife story? Be part of the whole process as we document pub after club after centre all-shut. We want to show the hard wait and the hard graft and tough decisions going on out there. If you have a #loseitbristol story to tell, get in touch. We want to amplify your voice and save Bristol’s nightlife together.

Colin is available as a ‘mini-mobile PR/marketing/social media unit’, to shoot striking street-style photographs at live events: parties, launches, promos and performances, for impactful immediate social media. Fees start at £100 for a two-hour package. email: mrcolinmoody@gmail.com Twitter: @moodycolin; Instagram @moodycolin319

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 31

Does your child need an after-school academic boost? Do they want to master a skill not covered by the curriculum? Our experts are here to help...

SPONSORED CONTENT

JOANNE PRIEST

JOANNE PRIEST TUTORING 07985 112793; joanne-priest-tutoring.co.uk Can you tell us a bit about your teaching philosophy? I have a holistic approach to education. I believe that fundamental to quality teaching

is the ability to foster curiosity, critical and creative thinking, and helping children make the links between different subject areas and even to their own life experience. What’s your teaching background? I’ve worked in so many areas of education – state and private sector teaching, teaching overseas, marking exams, editing educational resources as well as my broad experience of tutoring. I bring a huge wealth of accumulated knowledge and expertise to inform my teaching practice. How would you describe your teaching style? I just had a quick look at my testimonials and the word used the most was confidence, and as far as I am concerned that means I am doing my job well! Confidence is key to effective learning, and I achieve this by having relaxed, engaging and interactive lessons that involve the student’s ideas as much as possible. How long have you been a tutor? 2021 marks my 10 year anniversary of tutoring in Bristol. In that time I have worked with all kinds of students from all kinds of backgrounds, ages and with a diverse range of needs. As a broadly skilled tutor, I’m also a little unusual in that I can offer support in a lot of subject areas and I have worked

with some families for many years. I started working with one of my clients in 2011 when the children were in primary school and I am now on my final year of A-Level support for the youngest. What strategies have you found most useful when starting to work with a child? It’s important to create a relaxed atmosphere for effective learning to take place, so I make sure I get to know that child’s interests and their likes and dislikes about a subject or school in general, so that I can get a sense of where any difficulties might be coming from. I also like to start with puzzles or games to assess ability, especially for younger students in areas like English and maths; this is often highly effective and far less intimidating than a formal test. What’s the best bit of advice you could give to parents looking to hire a tutor? Involve your child in the process as much as possible, so that they feel invested in it from the beginning. They may have a preference for the type of tutor they want, and this is why I have put as much information as I have onto my website so people are able to get a sense of who I am and what I am like before contacting me.

KATERINA LATALOVA MA, MSC

JESSICA GARNER

Why hire a Private Tutor? Often, children have specific needs that go unrecognised in schools. Many suffer from anxiety, and specialised tutoring can help immensely. In the current climate, children who were already behind or anxious are even more so. People are working from home and home schooling at the same time, some will continue to home school even after schools are open. Hiring the right tutor, even for an hour a week, can make life easier and restore balance. Can you tell me a little bit about your teaching philosophy? Ten years ago, I developed Building Blocks for Effective Learning, a method of tuition combined with confidence coaching. It uses creative techniques to achieve learning objectives and success in exams. How will you get a sense of my child’s needs? What strategies have you found help when starting to work with a child? I create a safe space to pause and give the child the chance to reset his or her energy and change their self-image as a student. To achieve this I use interest-led projects, real-life scenarios, educational games, movement and art. What subject do you specialise in? Maths, English, SEND, study skills, schooling during transition, Exam prep including 11+. What qualifications, certificates or credentials do you have? Masters in Education, Qualified Teacher Status, Certificate in Counselling Skills with Children Using the Arts.

What subject do you specialise in? Most of my requests are for French but I also teach Spanish and Italian. I have fun 6-week courses for children and adults, as well as a strong track record of boosting exam grades at GCSE and A Level. How would you describe your teaching style? I focus on helping learners put knowledge into practice. My lessons follow a familiar structure with lots of opportunities to practise speaking in the foreign language. How will you get a sense of my child’s needs? I’ll ask them about their preferred learning styles and any prior experience of language learning. I’m very open about how I like to teach and why we are are doing different activities. What’s the best bit of advice you could give to parents looking to hire a tutor? Tutoring is an opportunity to nurture a love of learning and go beyond what the classroom can realistically provide. Go with your child’s interests and see where it takes them. As parents, what can we do to help support the process? Framing their course certificates that I send out can really add to their sense of achievement. You can also do quick quizzes in between lessons. Or why not encourage them further by trying one of my adult courses?

OUT OF THE BOX TEACHING 07786 628820; www.outoftheboxteaching.co.uk

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

LANGUAGE TUTOR BRISTOL 07515 471187 www.languagetutorbristol.com

Katerina Latalova

Jessica Garner

EMILY & DAN ROSS STORYSMITH BOOKS

The shock of the new Surprises come in many shapes and sizes, but for Dan and Emily, they tend to be little oblongs held together by bits of stiff card

electing the books for this issue’s column reminded us of the unerring power of surprises – and one of the great truths about working with books is that, before long, a surprise is going to find you. They arrive in unremarkable boxes, they all look roughly the same from a certain angle, but a book’s ability to be many di erent things at once means we’re constantly sideswiped, startled, slack-jawed, overawed. And with that in mind, this month’s new book recommendations all managed to surprise us in totally di erent but e ually potent ways. Raising Demons by Shirley Jackson She’s known as one of the greatest suspense writers in fiction, but there is an awful lot more to Shirley Jackson than The Haunting Of Hill House: she was also a surprisingly deft chronicler of her remarkably unremarkable home life. Raising Demons is the second volume of her memoirs, republished just in time for Mother’s Day no doubt for maximum commercial impact), and we can’t over-emphasise how

a ers s o st y academic; he’s more like a cardigan-wearing hippy who doesn’t set you any homework” 36 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

perfectly formed these vignettes are. Her first volume, Life Among The Savages, saw Jackson and her husband bring children into the world, but the follow-up sees her desperately try to keep up with them in gleefully anti-housewife fashion.

the hyper-tense courtroom thrills of Nicola Williams’ Without Prejudice, to the moving account of an institutionalised life in Jacqueline Roy’s The Fat Lady sings, there is something in this series for all tastes.

No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood 2021 is only a couple of months old, but one of our booksellers, Callum, has already pegged this stunning debut novel as his book of the year. We trust Callum in such matters, and have no hesitation in recommending it to you. Lockwood’s protagonist is an internetfamous young woman who is suddenly forced to reconsider the implications of her online life when real-world problems become unavoidable. Told in a darkly hysterical, almost bulletpoint style of immediate prose, it’s sarcastic in delivery but painfully truthful in its depiction of a life lived online. It’s also a hugely entertaining alternative to doom-scrolling, which has to be a good thing.

A Swim In A Pond In The Rain by George Saunders Behind this eminently accessible and brilliantly titled book is a potentially intimidating premise: four short stories written by four di erent Russian masters, all annotated and commented upon by George Saunders, professor of creative writing at Syracuse University. George Saunders also happens to be a supremely warm and humane writer of short stories himself, and is no stu y academic he’s more like a cardigan-wearing hippy who doesn’t set you any homework), something that comes across in this surprisingly entertaining book on a potentially niche subject. We’re told that surprises come in all di erent shapes and sizes, but for us, more often than not, they’re little oblongs held together by bits of sti card. When an author performs that incredible trick of making something seemingly ephemeral, a collection of sentences about nothing much in particular printed on FSCapproved paper, become truly life-altering, those are the surprises we live for. Whether it’s the books in this column or something you stumble across yourself, with any luck, you’ll find them just as astonishing as we do.

Black Britain: Writing Back by various authors As booksellers it’s in our nature to want to unearth curios, so when authors we love share the same instinct, we get excited. Black Britain: Writing Back is a brilliant initiative – under the direction of Booker Prize-winner Bernardine Evaristo, Penguin have reissued and repackaged six forgotten classics of black British literature in a celebratory new series. It’s an incredibly rich collection full of unexpected delights; from

Storysmith, 49 North Street; storysmithbooks.com

FOOD & DRINK S N A P S H O T S O F B R I S T O L’ S F O O D S C E N E

Burra’s manager Adèle Thomasset in a huddle with Jake (left) and Luke

TEAM WORK

Bristol Bears hot shots [see what we did there] Jake Heenan and Luke Morahan are tackling we’re on fire a new joint venture: the guys have just opened a new café called Burra, on Lower Redland Road. The name ri s on the words ‘borough’ and ‘kookaburra’ – Jake’s from New Zealand and Luke’s from Australia, and they’ve brought a distinctly Antipodean flavour to the café, which promotes an ethical lifestyle through organic produce and locally sourced dishes. “We take our co ee seriously, says ake. “It’s been ama ing to see how Bristol shares and celebrates our culture and values. For us, Burra is about giving something back to the city that’s welcomed us, while also providing a fun environment that is healthy and sustainable. “For a long time, ake and I wanted to create a brand with a sustainable mindset, says Luke. “We feel as though Burra o ers something di erent from the other incredible independent venues across the city. Since its February launch, Burra has been operating as a takeaway-only site with plans to open fully once restrictions are lifted. “We have plenty of plans long-term, but at the moment it’s about establishing our reputation and building connections with our customers, says Luke. “The restrictions have created di erent challenges, but not only have we embraced them, we’ve shown that Bristol is a city that’s open for business and hopefully that creates confidence for other start-ups in our position, says Jake. Don’t take milk in your co ee? We know it’s irresistible, but try not to order an All Black; they’ve heard that one before . . . For more: Burra, 7 Lower Redland Road; on instagram at @burrabristol

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

FOOD & DRINK

BITING BACK BETTER Bristol chef SHANE JORDAN is passionate about creating brilliant meals from surplus food – and yes, that includes fruit and vegetable peelings...

hane first made his name on the Bristol food scene with his veggie cooking at Harbourside Market. Increasingly passionate about using surplus food, he’s since written a book, Food Waste Philosophy, which aims to transform the way we think about food, encouraging us to be more conscious of waste, sustainability, the environment, and the role of education. Shane has also joined forces with the Bristol Bites Back Better campaign, which aims to help build a better, more sustainable food system for the city.

What inspired you to be become a foodwaste chef?

Volunteering for Bristol charity FoodCycle, was a key moment for me. Without that experience I would have continued cooking in the same way, which I can now see was wasteful. FoodCycle uses volunteers to create a ordable community meals from surplus food and ingredients at aston Community Centre. I was invited by a friend to have a community meal there. All the cooks were volunteers and students and chose to use their free time to create delicious meals from surplus food.

Food, such as surplus fruit, vegetables and bread, was collected by volunteers cycling to all the community shops in the local Easton area. After discovering this, I decided to volunteer as well, working my way up to volunteer manager. I decided to use my cooking skills to convince the public that just because a carrot is wonky, or the bread a little past its squidgybest, that didn’t mean it couldn’t be used. Being a food waste chef is like being a food scientist, trying to find new and clever ways to use leftovers and finding out which fruit and vegetable skins and leaves are edible. It’s an exciting learning process.

FoodCycle is doing great work at a local community level. Organisations like FareShare South West, who take perfectly good in-date food at scale from the food industry and get it to those in need, are also providing a vital and sustainable solution to surplus food that would otherwise go to landfill. Bristol Waste deserves recognition too. It’s owned by Bristol City Council, and what stands out is their community engagement team.

“Just because a carrot is wonky, it doesn’t mean it can’t be used”

Tell us about Bristol Bites Back Better

It’s about building a more sustainable food system. The project gives voice to communities across Bristol who aren’t always heard in citywide discussions. The campaign also provides information, ideas, and inspiring stories about people who are ‘doing better’. Who is Bristol is already doing great work when it comes to reducing food waste?

Do you have to be vegan to be truly ‘sustainable’ when it comes to food?

Sustainability is not a competition. No one should make you feel like you have to tick an invisible chart. Do what you can to do better. It helps that I love vegetables and find lots of ways to make exciting meals with them, so I don’t crave meat. However, I know a number of people who eat meat in a positive and sustainable way; buying local, eating it in moderation and looking out for labels that reassure them of its provenance and processes. It’s all about progress not perfection. n For more foodwastephilosophy.com

SHANE’S TOP TIPS FOR AVOIDING FOOD WASTE • Planning is key. Write a weekly meal plan, working out what food you already have or might need eating up. Always have a list when shopping and avoid being swayed by special offers. Just buy what you need. • Get yourself some freezer bags or simple Tupperware, and get used to freezing

leftovers or even raw ingredients, eg grated ginger, chopped onions, fruit etc. Also, if you notice something has a short date when it arrives, and it can be frozen, then do this to avoid it going off before you get the chance to eat it.

your new food at the back of the fridge or cupboard, and bring last week’s previous items to the front. This will naturally mean the older food gets eaten first, stopping mouldy forgotten food gathering at the back of your cupboard or fridge.

• Stock-rotate your cupboards and fridge. Put all

• Adapt recipes by using the same ingredients for different meals. If you have veg to use up but it doesn’t quite match the recipe, give it a go anyway – chances are it’ll work. • Keep your bananas separate; they can make other fruits ripen faster, leading to food waste. Try separating your bananas from your other fruit. If they become over-ripened, you can use them for smoothies, cookies or cakes. You can even freeze over-ripened bananas to use later on.

CAULIFLOWER LEAF STIR-FRY WITH NOODLES

This is a waste-reducing recipe that uses the whole vegetable: cauliflower head, leaves and stalks. Cauliflower leaves are often cut away and discarded, but they can be used just like cabbage in multiple recipes. The stalks can be cut finely, boiled and eaten as well. Stems are a little tougher to eat, so boiling them for a bit longer is recommended. Ingredients: 3 tbsp vegetable oil Bell peppers (red, yellow and orange) 2 spring onions 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 2 tsp ginger 2 tsp chilli flakes 1 small cauliflower Wheat noodles 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp agave syrup or maple syrup Method: 1 Put oil in a wok or frying pan and put it over a medium high heat. Finely chop the red, yellow and orange peppers and spring onions, and stir-fry them for two minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli flakes to the wok and frying pan. 2 Cut and wash cauliflower leaves and the cauliflower head. Finely chop the cauliflower leaves, three or four cauliflower florets and add them to the wok or pan for two minutes. Cut away some of the stalk and leave that to boil in a pan full of boiling water until soft, then add to the wok or frying pan too. 3 While the cauliflower is cooking, boil a pan of water ready for the noodles. Most noodles take between four to five minutes to boil, but check the packet. 4 Add the soy sauce and agave syrup/ maple syrup into the wok or frying pan. 5 Add the noodles to the wok or frying pan and stir-fry everything until everything is mixed and cooked.

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SPECIAL DELIVERY

GIGGLING SQUID

The popular Clifton restaurant continues to wok and roll during lockdown, with a full takeaway and delivery service available By Deri Robins

iggling Squid was set up with the aim of serving simple, rustic food, to be shared tapas-style in the Thai tradition. Despite, or maybe because of, its slightly strange name, it’s become a huge success the first restaurant opened in Hove in 2020, and has since grown into a chain running into double figures. To reassure you that real people still lie at its beating heart, the menu is peppered with little personal asides. “I made this for my husband after we picked fresh tamarind along the Mekong River. Very romantic!”, for example. Or, “Made for me by an old friend on the Khwae River in Kanchanaburi.” Oddly, rather like the second Mrs de Winter, or Margaret Atwood’s handmaid, this confiding first-person narrator is never named, but a quick hop to the ‘Our Story’ section on the website reveals that this must be Pranee Laurillard, who owns the biz with husband Andrew. Thai cuisine is known for balancing sweet, sour and salty flavours with chilli-infused heat, and each dish on the menu bears a number of chilli icons to give an idea of the spiciness levels. We’re not sure whether there was an unusually heavy hand with the chillis on the day we placed our order, but the correlation was a little inexact. A ‘glorious morning’ (no chilli rating), an aromatic wok-fry of ong choi (leafy greens) turned out to be very hot indeed, while a golden bamboo and chicken bowl (one chilli) was far too scorchio for our weedy Western palates. The turmeric-flavoured chicken was tender, though, the bamboo shoots crunchy, and the coconut tips and fresh green peppercorns lending the dish a very distinctive character. We were intrigued by some little

twisty veggie things in the sauce, that looked strangely like tiny versions of the Purdown Tower, but despite Googling we still don’t know what they were. That’s the downside of takeaways you can’t interrogate the sta . The soft-shell Pranee prawns, on the other hand (one chilli) was just as we’d hoped, with merely a delicate kick to proceedings. The flavour was a delight, but ultimately we felt that those soft shells, unlike the texture of soft-shelled crabs, weren’t quite soft enough for comfort. A pad thai, one of the mainstays of the country’s street food scene, was excellent and huge: a perfect pile of stir-fried rice noodles, fish sauce, chillis and tamarind, topped by a latticework of fried egg. The two standout dishes for us were the duck confit crispy-skinned on the outside, succulent and meltingly tender inside. It tasted authentic and was stickily delicious, and may just be our new favourite way to eat duck. The salt and pepper squid was also perfect, with none of the telltale rubberiness of a cephalopod that’s been kept too long in the fridge and then over-fried. The sweetness in the sauce contrasted beautifully with the salt and pepper in the light crispy coating. It probably wouldn’t be possible to live on this dish alone, but it would be fun trying. The cost of our meal came to around £75, but we’d over-ordered, as you always do when faced with a menu of fabulous-sounding Asian food; we could easily have managed with far less. n

“We were intrigued by some twisty veggie things that looked like tiny versions of the Purdown Tower”

The Giggling Squid, 34 Princess Victoria St, Clifton Order at: gigglingsquid.orderswift.com/clifton

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CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE

Wonderful world... ... beautiful donuts. Stan finally manages to get some sugary satisfaction at the Secret Larder

his issue’s caf of choice is The Secret Larder. It certainly lives up to its name in fact, it’s so secrets uirrel that it took me uite a while to find it. Which was a first. An enjoyable change from the usual caf society outing, to be honest. ormally, we just turn up, ueue and order. This time, dear reader, it was not the case. Made me realise that in our brave new world of Groundhog Days, going out for elevenses

“Going out for elevenses can be more than just a simple foray for snacks; it can be a fantastic feast of fun and frolics ”

can be far more than just a simple foray for snacks. It can be a fantastic feast of fun and frolics. An awesome adventure. A thrilling treasure hunt. With something far better at the end than mere gold and jewels. I’m talking donuts, people. Co ee and donuts. And not just any old, wham, bam, thank you mam, deep-fried fat-fest like you get at a fun fair. h, no. othing like. Let me explain. The first time I ever tried to visit this co ee shop, all the way back before Lockdown umero no, it was located somewhere up the top end of Gloucester Road, hidden away round the back of a light industrial estate. Trouble was, every time I tried to grab myself some sugary satisfaction, it was closed. Very much so. Closed up tight. Like a tiger. This time, after going online, checking out FaceBag and doing some research, it appeared that they were well and truly open. Very much so. But they had moved. They were now to be found on Stokes Croft, at numbers, 117-119. This was the only info needed. Without further ado, my companion and I hopped on the trusty scooter and headed o for a look-see. First drive by, couldn’t see it anywhere. After turning round and trying again,

slow-scan style, I finally found what I was looking for. A sign. Admittedly, uite a modest one, but still. A sign. n the pavement. uietly announcing that the Secret Larder was right there. All I had to do was step through an anonymous looking doorway next to The Crofters Rights. Trouble is, as I slowed down to a snail’s pace, to check out the sign more closely, someone came out, picked it up, and went back inside. Closing the door firmly behind them. Reader, I was too late. The Secret Larder lugger had sailed. Luckily, third time’s the charm. Went back the very next day, crossed the threshold and found myself in a modern-day co ee and donut-style speakeasy. Hu ah Seems they have done a deal with Crofters Rights whereby, when the world returns to its senses, it will be a co ee spot by day and a beer bar by night. Genius. With a smile on my face and a raspberry sprinkle donut in my hand, I went outside to enjoy the sunshine as the friendly folk of Stokes Croft walt ed on by. ust shows what a wonderful world this can be, with a bit of co ee and cakey goodness onboard. n Former Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer stancullimore.com

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SHOPPING LIVE WELL, BUY BETTER

GO WITH THE FLO We were charmed when we spotted these little handmade Glow Boxes from local company Rosie Flo; even more charmed to learn that a bespoke, personalised box costs as little as £13.50. All the boxes are made from sustainably sourced poplar plywood, and are handpainted with acrylic. Just type in the name or message you want to glow when you order the relevant letters will be backed by coloured acetate film that magically lights up when placed near natural light. Cheap, cheerful and rather cute. Mother’s Day box shown costs £20; order from ros e o.co.

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STINE GOYA JASMINE DRESS, £280 A bold choice for a stylish mum unafraid to rock large florals From graceandmabel.co.uk

SILVER 'STRATA' PENDANTS, £62 EACH Lovely letter pendants with a distinctive etched texture. In silver, with an optional oxidised finish From dianaporter.co.uk

HONOUR THY MOTHER Observing Valentine's Day is optional. Mother's Day, however, is a three-line whip...

MEME PEARLS OF WISDOM BRACELET, £28 (IN SALE) What could be more appropriate than a tribute to all those wise words you probably ignored, in bracelet form? From harveynichols.com

HOLY WATER FOREST BATH SOAK, £14 With its aroma of moss, oak and cedar, it smells just like a walk in the woods From monpote.co.uk

MOOMIN COFFEE POT, £69.95 Here's Moomin, on his way to shower Moominmamma with Mother's Day gifts (if he knows what's good for him) From.fi .co.

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EVERYDAY BOUQUET £19 Check out Bouquets for Days for a seasonal selection of blooms elevated above the ordinary From bouquetsfordays.co.uk

BLOOMINGVILLE FACE VASE, £9.50 Sweet little vase with a vaguely maternal expression; lovely just as it/ she is, even nicer with a few spring flowers From foxandfeather.co.uk

ED’S CHOICE

BUTCHI + GOSMOS BUMBAG, £25 Fun little bag for mums who don't necessarily want to schlepp around the entire contents of the house in a huge Mary Poppins-style bag From thatthing.co

WOLF & MOON CRESCENT STUDS, £29 Inspired by architecture and interior design, the bold geometric pieces in this range use simple forms, stacked shapes and wooden arches in handpainted wood and warm brass From truceonline.co.uk

KATIE VICTORIA WRAP SCARF, £110 Beautiful merino wool shawl made by Katie in her Welsh studio, though the pattern is inspired by Moorish tiles. Gorgeous From Prior Shop

COSMOPOLITAN COCKTAILS, BOTTLE £35 Ready mixed by the Milk Thistle maestros, to make 10 cocktails: so that’s two for Carrie, two for Miranda, two for Samantha, two for Charlotte and two for Mum From hydeandco-delivery.co.uk

LOLLY'S LAUNDRY HELENA BLOUSE, £38 (IN SALE) Pretty and springlike, and suitable for mums of any age From mazeclothing.co.uk

KAWECO SPORT FOUNTAIN PEN, £22 A timeless classic, in decidedly contemporary colours From papersmiths.co.uk

CHINA MUG, £12.50 Worried she loves the dog more than you? This bone (appropriately!) china mug by Arthouse might just change her mind From frankly.store

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American Vintage joggers, Grace & Mabel, £95

J Brand Tate jeans, Grace & Mabel, £275

WINDOW SHOPPING MILLY VAUGHAN

Veja trainers, Grace & Mabel, £120

Samsoe Samoe blouse, Maze, £85

YAS Vicky long sleeve top, Fox + Feather, £45

Desmond & Dempsey pajamas, Harvey Nichols, £150

Slippers, Ottowin, £40 in sale

WFB:Working From Bed

How to succeed in businesswear without really trying

orking from home during this coronacoaster means there is a new acronym being bandied around. WFB: Working From Bed. Chance would be a fine thing, if you have to be screen-ready for your boss while simultaneously juggling children’s home-schooling. I have adopted a WFJ (Working From Joggers) approach instead. It seems that, on a wholly superficial level, even our clothes have mutated and evolved during this pandemic. Once upon a Covidfree time, most wardrobes would have compartmentalised sections for work, casual and sports wear, to pair up to each matching life event. Then there was a confusing

period when we dabbled with ‘athleisure’ which was practical for only a handful of celebrities, yoga teachers and slashies. Now, thanks to the evil-genius of Zoom or Teams, enabling many of us to work from home during this crisis, we have ‘workleisure’. In practice, this means wearing a snappier top half so you are screenready (work), and a comfortable bottom half (leisure). I’m sure we all know people, ourselves included, who have taken a video call over the last year wearing a blouse and pajamas bottoms, a jacket and joggers – or a suit and slippers, for our more conservative friends. Colleagues are none the wiser, as long as you don’t have to get up to answer the door.

“Even our clothes have mutated and evolved during this pandemic”

A recent survey commissioned by Centre:Mk came out saying that the average woman’s wardrobe should contain five pairs of jeans, seven jumpers, six items of loungewear, four casual skirts, four pairs of trainers and 10 T-shirts. Oooph. I’ve never been one for following prescriptive guidelines at the best of times, firstly because the language of ‘average’ and ‘should’ are unhelpful, and secondly everyone’s lifestyles and bodies are di erent, thank goodness. What’s the point of having five pairs of jeans if you straightforwardly look and feel better in skirts? Personally, I don’t want to be a clothes sheep following other identical sheep. I’d rather be the black sheep of the fashion family and follow my own rules about what does or doesn’t suit my body, and run with that from season to season. No one knows what suits you better than you. We just need to trust ourselves a little more. Nevertheless, the same research found that 49% of women are buying more relaxed clothes than ever, which is more interesting, time-sensitive data. Unless you are a barrister standing up in a courthouse, when was the last time you bought a new pair of heels for work in favour of buying a new pair of smart Veja trainers? Professor Carolyn Mair PhD, behavioural psychologist and

author of The Psychology of Fashion comments, “What we wear is our second skin; it expresses who we are… Prior to the pandemic we associated traditional workwear with conscientiousness and professionalism, but working from home has changed what we wear to perform our jobs, and the associations that we make about appearance.” Whereas athleisure can elicit a Marmite response, workleisure is a nod to the shift in our changing lifestyles in becoming less o cebased to more flexible work/lifestyle arrangements. In practice, it’s the antithesis of being slave to another uestionable fashion fad it’s finally about dressing practically and e ciently to reflect our fluid lives. Love or loathe it, most of us agree that when we feel comfortable and good in what we are wearing it a ects our self-confidence and general mood, so maybe this recent fashion evolution can positively impact our daily working lives. And that surely can only be a good thing for us in the current climate of uncertainty. And next time you have a work Zoom meeting, I double-dare you to ask the room to stand up and give you a twirl to see if they’re WFB or WFJ that day . . . n @millyvaughan on instagram camillapettman@mac.com

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HEALTH & BEAUTY I WISH I’D KNOWN EARLIER…

Not to take things in business so personally! Don’t stress over things you can’t control

SAM BELL Owner of Hair at 58 salon on Cotham Hill hairat58.co.uk THE THINGS THAT HAVE GOT ME THROUGH LOCKDOWN ARE… Lockdown 1 renovating my house and also converting the salon to ensure we met the government guidelines on social distancing. Lockdown 2 house plants There’s a massive plant-loving community in Bristol, so I’m now a part of lots of nerdy house-plant groups, which I love. Lockdown volunteering for Family Action, helping to get vulnerable families boxes of food that would otherwise have gone to landfill.

MY FAVOURITE HAIR PRODUCT BRAND IS…

Aveda – I love everything about the brand, from its mission to protect the environment while still delivering the highest quality product. It’s vegan, organic, made with plant and flower extracts, the styling products allow me to create beautiful hair and the colour range is like an artist’s paint palette. Unlike other brands, Aveda Colour is 96% naturally derived and is not already pre-mixed, allowing us to tailor-make bespoke, unique colours for each client, rather than the pre-made standard colours you get from most other companies.

MY BIGGEST CAREER HIGHLIGHTS HAVE BEEN...

Working at London, New York and Paris fashion weeks with the Aveda UK Styling team, working on Celebrity X-Factor and being a finalist in the British Hairdressing Awards (Wales and South West British Hairdresser of the Year)

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES I’VE FACED THESE PAST 12 MONTHS ARE… Ensuring my business survives, and protecting the jobs of my 16 ama ing sta . n a personal level I’ve struggled with the uncertainty and pressures from the pandemic as always, the Bristol independent business community has been hugely supportive, and it’s been comforting to know I’m not going through this alone. AND THE ONE THING I’M PROUDEST OF IS… pening my salon, Hair at 8, in 2009. 12 years on and it’s grown over four floors, I’ve tripled my team and it’s going from strength to strength. I’ve got lots of plans that have had to be put on hold, so I’m excited to get back to it MY OWN HAIR ROUTINE IS… I wash my hair with Aveda Botanical Repair shampoo and conditioner, and use strengthening treatment once a week. To style, I use Aveda Be Curly curl enhancer. I section and create lots of twists for the curls and then di use with my Dyson hair dryer and lots of dry shampoo MY BEST HAIR HACK IS…

Co-washing: this is where you alternate washing with shampoo and instead replace with just the conditioner, using it in the same way as you would the shampoo. Rinse really well in warm water; this will eliminate any dirt, but keep some natural good oils: a top tip for anyone with any texture to their hair.

MY BEST TIP FOR LOCKDOWN HAIR IS… Make the most of being at home and not seeing anyone At least once a week, leave an intense conditioning treatment in your hair all day the longer it stays in, the better. Get your hair in tiptop condition ready for us hairdressers to work our magic when we reopen APART FROM HAIR PRODUCTS, MY MAIN BEAUTY GO-TOS ARE… LS Mascara I can’t live without it. My Dyson hair dryer/di user I’d be a fu y mess without it. MY PREDICTION FOR 2021 HAIRSTYLE TRENDS ARE… My worry is that perms are creeping back Layers have been a big thing over the last year, with looks like the mullet and the shag, which shows that clients are wanting texture and volume. My advice would be to try a di user first and see what you’ve got naturally. I CAN’T WAIT TO REVISIT… Bravas on Cotham Hill I love the food, wine and the atmosphere. And then ush, a family-run Persian restaurant on Whiteladies Road. I’ll be supporting all local independent businesses at every opportunity once we’re allowed. n www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 53

New Build Extensions Refurbishment Alterations Kitchen installations Bathroom installations Roofing works General Building Works

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K R BA E LIF IF THERE IS ONE THING pretty much guaranteed to keep you sane throughout the dark days of this weird year, it is the joy of dogs. As a songsmith once almost said, “You need to get yourself a bit of bark life”. In particular, you need to get yourself some walkies. Then, wherever you go, in my humble experience, the happiness of dogs will light up your world like a great, big bucket of golden gravy bone biscuits. At sunset. With sprinkles. Whether it be their waggly walks, their waggly tails or their joyful bouncing over everything, you just know that dogs out for a walk are in pooch paradise. You can’t help sharing the joy. To get miles more smiles, it’s worth straying from your local open space of choice and setting out for pastures new. To let your footsteps guide you towards a park less well trod, at least by you. All of which is a long winded way of explaining why the two dogs and I found ourselves heading through Bedminster towards Windmill Hill recently. On our way to Victoria Park, to hang out with my son and his canine

LEAD ON STAN CULLIMORE’s quest for the ultimate place for walkies leads him to Victoria Park

companion, who is possibly the happiest and naughtiest dog known to humanity. Though don’t tell my own dogs that I said so. As green, urban spaces go, this one kicks a whole lot of grass. Laid out around a modestly impressive hill, which might even be where the original Windmill Hill once was, it’s chock-full of furry, family-friendly features. Naturally, there are curving paths that wind their way round the lower slopes, slipping quietly between trees, surrounded by enticing grassy patches where dogs can strut their stu and do their outdoor thing, whether that be sni ng, running, woofing or merely wandering o for a spot of pigeon-racing. It’s a land of hope and glorious freedom, for dogs o the leash. While your four-pawed friends are enjoying themselves, there’s plenty for human sidekicks to do. For a start, there are the views. As you circle the hill, gradually climbing up its shoulders, you catch glimpses of nearby houses and streets. Very cute they are, too; after all, this is the land of pastel-coloured frontages, superb street art and roads that tiptoe down impossibly steep hills. Don’t know if it was the sunshine or the cheerful crowds out and about, but it felt like you could almost hear the gentle sound of gentrification. Halfway up the hill, after turning a corner, a vista opens up on the north side of the park

as the Bristol panorama is laid out before you. Some thoughtful souls have even placed a handy horizon guide at hip height, to let you know what you’re looking at. Most splendid. Perfect place for a summer picnic, too. At the peak of the park, snuggled between the playground and the bowling green, we found the final piece of the pu le. The part that made the place complete. A café. An ancient orange Peugeot van, serving a masterful selection of hot drinks and tasty snacks. We went for a brace of toasties with co ee, and sailed o to enjoy more of the views. This was when we stumbled across a Narnia-esque lamppost hovering half way between worlds, with treeline above and railway lines below. The dogs plonked themselves down in front it, feeling the magic, and waiting hopefully for leftovers to fall their way. They were not disappointed. Bit like us, really. I can heartily recommend a visit, especially if it’s not your usual park of choice. As they say, it’s always worth taking a walk on the bark side. By the way, one for the trivia fans. Turns out this place was gifted to the people of Bristol by Sir John Henry Greville Smyth, the very self same dude who gave us Greville Smyth Park, The dogs and I will be headed there for a recce next. For more: stancullimore.com An admittedly rather autumnal-looking Vicky Park; photos Ben Robins

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

INTERIORS

FLOORING (IT’S SEXIER THAN YOU THINK)

Ignore the fact that it rhymes with boring. The right floor cover, in the right place, can be positively thrilling, and the very cornerstone of your interiors scheme. Here are the ground rules . . .

“Increasingly sophisticated production techniques mean that porcelain replica-stone or replica-wood can offer the restful qualities of natural materials” 56 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

LEFT: Mandarin Stone

THIS PAGE: Fired Earth ‘Verdelais’ porcelain

looring. Admittedly, there are sexier words in the dictionary. But hang on just a minute. Banish the spectre of blowsy wall-to-wall floral carpeting there again, in the right setting...) Think, instead, of the exotic tessellations of encaustic tiling; the glamorous sheen of marble; the gleam of polished wood; the rustic swagger of coir and sisal. The right flooring can, uite literally, ground your entire interiors scheme. Similarly, the wrong choice can spoil the whole e ect. Unlike the purchase of an occasional table or lampshade, flooring decent flooring doesn’t come cheap. To help you navigate the pitfalls, and steer you towards your flooring happy ever after, we spoke to some outstanding leaders in the field.

THE RIGHT STUFF

“When choosing flooring, especially for main living areas such as kitchens, hallways etc, it’s important to select something that provides a timeless backdrop for years to come,” says Louisa Morgan of Mandarin Stone. “This allows you to change and update other elements of your interior, while the more permanent fixtures, ie the flooring, will continue to work with various schemes.” “Think of your floor as almost being a fifth wall, since a beautiful floor has just as much creative potential to enhance a room, says Fired arth’s creative director, Colin RobyWelford. “While it’s obviously important to choose flooring that’s functional and practical, there’s no need to compromise on style. “Try to be realistic about how much time you’re likely to want to spend on cleaning and maintenance. While you could opt for gleaming white marble in a busy kitchen, your floor will only continue to be sparkling white if you’re prepared to clean and seal it regularly, whereas the very same marble might be the perfect choice for a spa-style bathroom.”

THE TREND ZONE

So, not that it matters wildly, what’s currently hot and what’s not? “It really depends on the style of your house, whether it’s classic or more contemporary. For the classic look, antique limestone remains popular, alongside their porcelain tile replicas which cleverly mimic the look of real stone, often with anti ue finishes, too, says Louisa of Mandarin Stone. “For more contemporary-style flooring, large-format porcelain tiles with clean, straight edges are most desirable, often those that replicate terrazzo, concrete or natural stone. The preferred colours are slightly moving away from grey now, more towards warmer taupe and pale sand tones. “Porcelain flooring continues to sell incredibly well, since it’s hardwearing, low-maintenance and available in countless designs and formats, says Colin of Fired arth. “Increasingly sophisticated production techniques mean that porcelain replica-stone or replicawood can o er the restful ualities of natural materials with minimal maintenance. “Colour and pattern continue to go from strength-to-strength, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms, where key pieces still tend to be white. Beautiful decorative flooring will ensure that a room has plenty of visual interest and personality. Surrounding ourselves with uplifting colour and luxurious, tactile surfaces will be key trends this year. “Geometric designs are another trend, and one which looks set to last. Geometrics have a timeless appeal; designs such as chevrons and hexagons have graced homes for centuries, and yet can look really crisp and contemporary too, so this is very much part of their on-going appeal. “Hand-painted floors are right on trend at the moment, with no constraints in colour, either, says Farrow Ball brand ambassador Patrick O’Donnell. “Get creative with designing a two-toned diamond pattern, keeping one colour in a white/o white, and your secondary colour in a shade that flatters the scheme of your room. If marking out diamonds feels a step too far, you can mark out a border in a contrast colour for a simpler solution. “Colour in carpets seems to be making a comeback, rather than greys and beiges, says Fiona Walker of IH Flooring. “Herringbone in wood and Amtico is also popular.

Deco dream: Fired Earth’s ‘Chequers Court’ marble flooring, here complemented by wall tiling from the same range

“Geometrics have a timeless appeal; designs such as chevrons and hexagons have graced homes for centuries, and yet can look really crisp and contemporary”

Farrow & Ball: painting floors is especially useful in a light-starved space, where a gentle off-white colour will help bounce light around a room

INTERIORS

IN THE ZONE

Let the location of the flooring influence your choice, say our experts. “Today’s bathrooms are brimming with personality, and are much more in keeping with the overall style of a home, rather than being utilitarian outposts, says Colin of Fired arth. “This, combined with the fact that bathrooms still tend to be relatively compact, makes beautiful finishes such as decorative encaustic tiles or luxurious marble mosaics a perfect choice. “Low-maintenance flooring continues to be the best option for kitchens even though we may have more time on our hands at the moment, no one wants to spend any longer on cleaning than they have to. Porcelain tiles are a robust and easy-to-clean option, so they’re ideal for kitchens, whether you’re looking for replica-stone or replica-wood our collection includes everything from porcelain French limestonee ect tiles to replica-marble, -oak and -panels) or bold, geometrics. “ atural wood flooring is a stylish option for living rooms and a restful choice for bedrooms. The Fired arth range of uropean oak flooring includes Woodland Herringbone, a design which is ideal for adding subtle warmth and texture to a scheme. Decorative encaustic tiles work really well too, and the new Bert May collection o ers a beautiful selection of timeless designs which will be e ually at home in contemporary and more traditional living rooms and bedrooms. “Think about what the room is going to be used for. Amtico is ideal in a bathroom or kitchen made in the , hardwearing and easy to maintain. For a living room, wood is ideal warm and hardwearing. For bedrooms, choose a soft thick pile carpet, recommends Fiona of IH Flooring. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 59

INTERIORS BEST FLOORING ON A BUDGET?...

“Some of the stone- and concrete-e ect porcelain tiles in large format o er incredible value and look fantastic Louisa, Mandarin Stone

a fi she l mesto e has the mello loo o a oor that has ee al e o or ma y years

“Slate is a stylish and a ordable option. It’s ideal for tiling large areas, such as open-plan kitchen/living rooms, and it can usually be used outdoors too always check suitability) so it’s perfect for extending from a kitchen onto a patio or terrace. The Fired arth collection includes everything from crisp and contemporary rban slate in a versatile range of formats, to richly coloured, textured Ardosia slate which would be perfect for a country cottage), so there’s something for every style of home. Colin Roby-Welford, Fired arth “The cheapest method is painting your floors this will re uire some preparation and a bit of hard work, but can transform some indi erent floorboards into a smart and low-maintenance finish especially good in a light-starved space where painting the floor in a gentle o -white will help bounce light around a room Patrick, Farrow Ball “Click LVT rivals the cheaper laminate flooring, but will last longer Fiona, IH Flooring.

…AND NO EXPENSE SPARED?

“An anti ue limestone floor that has been hand-finished to create a floor that looks like it has been walked on for years Louisa, Mandarin Stone “There’s something incredibly glamorous about marble, particularly used wall to wall and floor ) in a bathroom to create a wet room e ect. Fired arth’s new Savoy tiles even combine marble with brass detailing for added luxury Colin Roby-Welford, Fired arth “Hand-woven Fleetwood Fox stair runners

Fiona, IH Flooring n

YOU HAVE BEEN READING Mandarin Stone, 15 Regent Street, Clifton mandarinstone.com Fired Earth, 65A Whiteladies Road firedearth.com Farrow & Ball, 6 Princess Victoria Street farrow-ball.com

Mandarin Stone

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

IH Flooring, 122 Coldharbour Road ihflooring.co.uk

BUYING CARPET & FLOORING IN BRISTOL MADE SIMPLE We have one of the largest selections of carpets, laminate, vinyl and karndean flooring in bristol and the south west region. Our flooring showroom is conveniently situated at longwell green bristol with free parking; so when buying your next carpet or flooring, why not come and experience our wide range, first class fitting service and great prices for yourself? You’ll be spoilt for choice with our wide range of carpets & flooring... FITTING AND DELIVERY SERVICE

Find us at: The Old Coachworks Bath Road, Longwell Green Bristol, BS30 6DL Telephone: 0117 947 7721 Visit us online: thecarpetbarn.co.uk

It’s the city’s business

BRISTOLWORKS Unleash the power Local app Wriggle has launched Squiggle: a virtual high street for Bristol that makes it easier than ever to buy from local shops and producers, while empowering people to start creating and selling their own products online

Team Squiggle: Yasmin Amarante, Rob Hall and Menekse Meech

quiggle, a virtual high street of locally-created products ‘made by Bristol, for Bristol’, allows customers to purchase from a broad variety of Bristol’s shops, producers, designers and artists

in one go. Squiggle’s aim is to unleash the creative power of Bristol and make it as easy as possible for people to shop locally. The platform is dedicated to highlighting only local products and shops, giving producers, whether long-standing and well-known brands, or people starting out and creating new products, a space to share their work with a local audience. All purchases are combined into one simple weekly delivery across the city. Every penny spent on Squiggle, other than fees to their payment provider, stays in the local ecosystem, going to either a local shop, producer, or enterprise. Over 50 shops, producers, and makers participated at the launch last month, including many well-loved high street institutions such as Storysmiths bookshop, Toyville toyshop, Pirrip Press on Colston Street and People’s Republic of Stokes Croft China, as well as lots of individual artists, creators, and producers. “In the first lockdown, the team at Wriggle created Bristol Pantry to help

people order all their food and drink shopping from local producers,” says Squiggle founder Rob Hall. “Squiggle now applies the same thinking to local non-food and drink products, whether they’re flowers, plants, arts, books, toys, games or clothes; we want to capture the creative essence of Bristol, which is full of fantastic shops and makers. “We’ve got a wide range of producers on Squiggle for the launch, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg of all the creators the city holds. We’d love to hear from bricks-andmortar shops, artists, producers, makers and creators, as well as people who’ve learnt new skills during lockdown, and want to start turning that into a potential career. We want Squiggle to be a platform that encourages people to explore their passions and turn them into a success story.” “In the face of increasing globalisation, initiatives such as Bristol Pantry and Squiggle are vital to the health of the local economy,” says Chris Chalkley of Stokes Croft China. “Squiggle is a vital response to the increasing hegemony of large retail, and a reminder of the strength of local business when it works communally.” Shop at squigglebristol.com. If you’re a shop, producer, maker or artist, and would like to join the platform, email hello@squigglebristol.com

Virtual one hour sessions, all free to attend Search Bristol Life on LinkedIn for upcoming dates and registration If you would like to get involved, please email events@mediaclash.co.uk

COMING SOON

HELLO BRISTOL, SPACES IS MOVING IN. Offices, Coworking, Meeting Rooms spaceworks.com | 0800 756 2509

BRISTOLWORKS

Apologies to Paul and Dave for the typically woeful Zoom captures

THE WHOLE SHOOTING MATCH

BRISTOL LIFE PRESENTS… A BUSINESS SURGERY WITH WESTON COLLEGE Dr Paul Phillips CB , principal and chief executive of the Weston College Group, and Dave Crew, head of business growth at the college, were the guests at the Bristol Life Business Surgery on 22 February, discussing how learning and business training has been a ected by the pandemic. Dr Phillips outlined the scope of the college and its provision of courses and vocational training from 14-year-olds to adults. He told the Business Surgery that currently around 0,000 students are enrolled a number that continues to grow “We are seeing a marked increase in numbers wanting to learn with us, said Dr Phillips. Courses at the college cover a wide range of subjects, from information technology to mental health first aid. Dr Phillips pointed out that although Weston is an educational institution, a large part of its operation is supporting businesses though its courses and research. The pandemic has wrought huge changes in every sector of society, but nowhere more acutely than in the area of health. Dave Crew explained that Weston College was at the forefront of tackling this particular challenge. “We are focused on how technology can help streamline the delivery of services, particularly in the health sector, he said. Dr Phillips reiterated this, and stressed that the college was also focused on environmental issues. “We have big plans to expand our digital technology area, he said, “particularly health technology and engineering technology. But we re going to do it without expanding our footprint. In general, the college has responded to the Covid crisis with ingenuity, flexibility and empathy “Although we had an ethos of face-to-face interaction, the pandemic catapulted us into virtual communication. The crisis has been challenging, but I think because of the innovative approach we ve taken, we ll come out the other side more resilient, said Dr Phillips. In education, ‘digital poverty’ is still an issue. Dr Phillips gave the Business Surgery his response to this challenge “I ve been shocked by how many families share one computer so digital poverty is a barrier. We have provided all our 16-19-year-old learners with access, but it is a problem one that we are addressing. Mental health is also an issue addressed by the college. “We invest hundreds of thousands of pounds in sta development in order to promote wellbeing, resilience in learning, health and safety. It s not just about the ualification it s what goes with it. Watch the full webinar on YouTube; For more weston.ac.uk

Crew Bristol, a new website aimed at film and television employers and employees, has been launched to connect and support local crew, production companies and facilities in and around Bristol, providing them with the opportunity to showcase their talents and connect them with local job opportunities. The comprehensive new service is designed to bolster the existing talent within the Bristol area, and functions on the premise that film and TV productions happening in Bristol should be supported by local talent. As a SC City of Film, Bristol is bursting with creative talent across a huge range of specialisms the brand-new website o ers seasoned professionals, along with new talent, a space to promote their work and showcase their skills. There is also an area for local facilities to advertise their services, from catering and production, to event spaces and accommodation. For more crewbristol.co.uk

IN BRIEF... International legal practice sborne Clarke has advised leading Bristol developer Cubex in relation to Grainger’s ac uisition of a 2 -home forward fund build to rent development in Bristol s Fin els Reach for 6 .1 million. Cubex Land will act as development manager, backed by Fiera Real state. Willmott Dixon Construction Limited has been appointed as the contractor. Construction is expected to be complete in 202 . For more osborneclarke.com

BRISTOLWORKS

THE BRISTOLWORKS INTERVIEW

The postpandemic world The Hub: a community building at Mulberry Park

It’s a paradox of the pandemic: so much has changed, and yet so much has stood still in Bristol over the past 12 months. Few people are better positioned to comment about change, design and wellbeing in the city than NICK FAIRHAM, architect director at the Bristol studio of global architecture practice BDP 66 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

hange was already afoot in how and where many of us work, but Covid has catapulted us into the future, says ick Fairham of BDP. “Flexibility is king, and wellbeing is paramount. “After the honeymoon workingfrom-home period, though not everyone would call it that, many of us started to realise the things we were missing from a workplace and a sense of community. While we will see some level of return to o ces post-pandemic, working patterns are likely to look uite di erent, with a hybrid model emerging. We are likely to see increased activity in both town and city centres, but also in hyper-local communities.

What does it all mean for local neighbourhoods and communities? While city centres have undoubtedly su ered, there’s been a renaissance on the local high street. In Bristol, this wasn’t just in Gloucester Road or North Street; new outlets and businesses have sprung up this year in places like St George and Totterdown. With so many people working from home, and when not in lockdown, neighbourhood shops, restaurants and caf s came into their own. The movement to support independent businesses has also been heartening. We expect this shift to be sustained, with neighbourhood hubs home to

“THE GREENEST BUILDING IS THE ONE THAT’S ALREADY BUILT. RETROFITTING EXISTING BUILDINGS HAS TO BECOME MORE DESIRABLE AND MORE VIABLE THAN BUILDING NEW” o ce e uipment like printers and photocopiers likely to pop up, as well as decentralised services like healthcare. Truly mixed-use developments, o ering community, cultural and health and wellbeing space, as well as homes and businesses, are next, and will play a huge role in reducing car travel, as so much will be on the doorstep. City centres are generally seen as places for the young – who will these new urban communities be for? We are already seeing a change in city centre demographics. City-centre homes are now being designed and built not just with young professionals in mind, but older people too, bringing multifaceted benefits for mental health and wellbeing. Wellbeing is certainly the theme of the moment – how important is it in terms of workplace design? This last year has given us cause to re-evaluate our priorities, and the same applies to the workplace. We predict significant shifts in the expectations of the workforce they will vote with their feet and go elsewhere if employers do not deliver high- uality, flexible working environments that o er the things that working from home cannot

NHS Nightingale Hospital at UWE Bristol Exhibition and Conference Centre

provide. ow that it’s more widely discussed and acknowledged, next we need to ensure wellbeing is more readily and easily measurable because that’s what will drive the industry to deliver spaces with wellbeing at their core. So, how do we do design spaces around wellbeing? If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that social interaction is a basic human need. We are starting to see this re uirement designed into new communities of homes with a strong public realm and multi-purpose community hubs. Recent regeneration projects in Bristol city centre are going some way to achieving this, but there’s definitely more progress to come. We have a chance to get this right, with some high-profile regeneration opportunities now on the Bristol hori on, including the transformation of the Galleries, a new life and role for the Debenhams building, and on a much larger scale, Western Harbour, earmarked for thousands of new homes. The council declaring recently not only that they are going back to the drawing board, but that

Staff roof terrace, Bristol’s Southmead Hospital

they are inviting the community to gather round it with them, is an encouraging step in the right direction, as is their renewed commitment to ensure that green, open spaces are paramount. What else is on your property priority list? Climate change and carbon reduction must come first. While some feared it would take a back seat as Covid took hold, in fact the opposite has happened, thanks to our renewed sense of what’s

important. We are at tipping point. Investment decisions will rest on the sustainability of a building or infrastructure. As architects, the net ero agenda comes to the fore in every bid we work on and creative approaches to sustainable design are more important than ever. But of course, the greenest building is the one that’s already built. Retrofitting existing buildings has to become more desirable and more viable than building new. For more: bdp.com

BRISTOLWORKS “BOOST YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE AWARDS”

Nothing beats that winning feeling…

Nominations are now open Imagine the boost to your business of being a finalist at the Bristol Life Awards – let alone a winner! It’s free to enter, and nominations are open now

fter the past 12 months we can all do with buoying up – business owners more than almost anyone. As a finalist in the Bristol Life Awards, as well as the feelgood factor, you’ll gain immeasurable marketing benefits. We know it’s been tough for many – particularly so for some. So we have a special part of the nomination form where you can explain how you have responded to the pandemic – for your business, for your team and for your community. Bristol companies are planning their strategies to develop business in 2021 to make sure they benefit from the upturn as it emerges in the coming weeks. MediaClash events and brand manager Claudia Butler explains why entering this year can provide you with that much-needed boost: “The Bristol Life Awards have a massive profile as the city’s most prestigious and stylish business event of the year – and it’s you, the wonderful businesses of SPONSORSHIPS For remaining options, please contact harriette.dixon @mediaclash.co.uk or neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk NOMINATIONS Open via website bristollifeawards.co.uk

Bristol who are right at the heart of it. When we all come together, value and enjoyment is created for everyone. “We understand how di cult times have been we’ve all been in the same storm, if not the same boats. So our judges will be looking for the smart and positive ways that you’ve responded. Just imagine what winning a Bristol Life Award could do for your business.” The Awards are backed by extensive marketing over several months: major email campaigns; at Bristol Life’s other events such as our Business Clubs; via a bespoke website; through all social media channels; and of course, here in Bristol Life. The later date of this year’s Awards means even more marketing benefits for all. Several category sponsorships are currently under discussion. A limited number of Silver Sponsorships will be available closer to the event. For more: www.bristollifeawards.co.uk

TICKETS BRLA: updates when on sale. Limited number of Silver Sponsorships including a table. Please note: we sell out every year with many on the waiting list.

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

AWARDS The uberglam Bristol Life Awards are on 16 September 2021. Nothing beats being there… SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for all updates.

That Award-winning feeling can’t be beaten…

Businesses that win gain all the benefits that their great achievement deserves – including collecting that uberglamorous Award trophy

TESTIMONIAL

“The MediaClash team were responsive and understood our priorities, embracing our partnership approach. The awards itself are the very best of Bristol with an excellent guest list, a great opportunity for your brand to be visible on the night, and in the extensive marketing activity before and after the awards.” Dave Crew Weston College

divorce”? divorce”? Seven Seven things things to to avoid avoid a a look look out out for for