ISSUE 319 / JULY 2022 / £3
ISSUE 319 / JULY 2022 / SURF’S UP
NICK HOUNSFIELD: ON THE CREST OF THE WAVE
COOLER SHAKERS SMILE LIKE YOU’VE GOT A STRAW IN SOMETHING TROPICAL
SWINGING BRISTOL?
NO, NOT THAT KIND OF SWINGING
BRISTOL PRIDE IT’S BACK, AND IT’S PROUD!
SITE SPECIFIC
BIG PLANS FOR BRISTOL ZOO GARDENS AND WAPPING WHARF
EDITOR’S LETTER
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In our next issue A few ‘just in’ things we’ll be covering in our 22 July issue:
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ost of us stumble through life with the haziest of game plans. For example, as a schoolkid enthused by English lessons, but rather bored by the rest, I realised I was highly unlikely to become an astrophysicist, translator or economist; I’d somehow have to make a living out of stringing words together instead. That was as far as my ‘thinking’ went. Bizarrely, my careers advisor scribbled down ‘catering’ – an optimistic choice which would have astonished my domestic science teacher. * So I’m always impressed, enthralled and a little envious when someone has a clear vision, spends ten years determinedly working towards it, and then makes a roaring success out of it – especially if, like Nick Hounsfield of The Wave, they have an utterly original idea that has never been pulled off before. Be inspired by Nick’s story on page 74. Otherwise, this is an eclectic brantub of a July issue; we have cocktails, we have coworking spaces, we have two Bristol Pride stories, and a delightful feature by the estimable Eugene Byrne about the 1960s. Did Bristol swing like a pendulum do? It markedly did not. As I sign off this issue, Glastonbury is in full throttle. But don’t go feeling sorry for me, or all the other leftbehinders, because the music scene in Bristol at the moment is incredible; on one night alone we had Noel playing Harbourside while Elton was rocking Ashton Gate. More in our late July issue, along with some other things that, most inconsiderately, occurred too late for us to cover in any detail here. Hope you’ve had a chance to catch some of the great stuff that’s been on offer; don’t worry if you haven’t, there’s plenty more where that came from. * Coincidentally, LinkedIn has just this minute sent me a ‘top job picks for you’ alert for a kitchen porter. Could I have missed my calling after all?
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Little Amal in Bristol
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Farewell, Rocketman: Elton rocks the Gate
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Bristol Sounds: six amazing nights of music
DERI ROBINS Bristol Life editor
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Those Wapping Wharf plans – let’s find out more...
Follow us on
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@BristolLifeMag
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 3
Issue 319 / July 2022
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COVER The Wave: photo by Image Cabin, Dan Mullins
ARTS
© PAUL BOX
11 ARTS INTRO Queer Vision’s biggest programme yet 14 WHAT’S ON Summer shenanigans 20 HISTORY Bristol in the 1960s: the UK’s answer to San Fran,
yeah? Well, no . . .
22 BRISTOL HEROES The Jubilee. It’s not over until we say
it’s over
28 BOOKS It’s the challenging books that are really worth
your time
30 THE VERDICT Jamie has scarcely been out of the
Hippodrome stalls in a month
FOOD & DRINK
34 RESTAURANT Cocktails. Good times 36 FOOD & DRINK Tasty round-ups 38 COCKTAILS And speaking of page 34... 45 CAFE SOCIETY Stan’s back at Burra 47 RECIPE Farinata, Phil Haughton style
SHOPPING & LIFESTYLE
52 EDITOR’S CHOICE Festival lewks (even if you’re not
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actually going)
55 HEALTH & BEAUTY The magic of fillers
SPORT
58 BRISTOL BISONS The city’s most inclusive rugby club 74 THE WAVE Nick Hounsfield had a dream. . .
WORK & BUSINESS
60 CO-WORKING Hubba-hubba 77 BRISTOLWORKS White-collar Bristol
PROPERTY
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81 PROPERTY NEWS Two proposals to neatly divide
the populace
84 SHOWCASE Estate of grace
REGULARS
6 SPOTLIGHT 9 BRIZZOGRAM 90 BRISTOL LIVES Meg Abernethy-Hope
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, Phil Haughton, Jamie Rees, Storysmith Books Commercial manager Neil Snow neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Craig Wallberg craig.wallberg@mediaclash.co.uk Business development 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, Carriage Court, 22 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 West Country-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 – AND THIS ISSUE, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BOATS... Festivals
PHOTOS ©COLIN R AYNER
GO WITH THE FLOW Slowly but surely the post-lockdown world returns to normal – and next month we welcome back Bristol’s beloved Harbour Festival. It’s its 50th anniversary, and we find it in celebratory mode; along with the usual heady mix of water activities, circus, music, food and so on, a special inclusive programme called Ebb & Flow will showcase community collaborations and creative voices as it takes a look at the changing face of the city, and the transformation of the harbour over the last half a century, with a performative and interactive trail reflecting Bristol’s diverse communities. Working with homeless and housing charities Caring in Bristol and CHAS, an interactive space will invite visitors to take part in ‘an awards ceremony like no other’, celebrating housing achievements big and small on a specially designed podium. Bristol Older People’s Forum will create a collaborative poem to be displayed around the harbour. A group of young people from The West of England Centre for Inclusive Living will create a space at the festival to encourage people to take a break; Bristol School of Acting will be creating walkabout performances, and a Banner for Bristol workshop on the theme of activism in the city will invite everyone to make their own banners. And that’s just some of the headline stuff. “This is a very special year for Bristol Harbour Festival,” said Mayor Marvin Rees. “Since 1971, communities from across Bristol have celebrated the special setting of the harbour. Five decades on, our city’s diverse and creative talent comes together for one of the biggest outdoor family events of the year. Free to enjoy for all, the festival brings together some of the best of our city’s exceptional culture, as we share in our sense of community and place.” Oh, and apparently there may be some boats. Bristol Harbour Festival runs 15-17 July; bristolharbourfestival.co.uk
Tourism
THEY’RE GOING TO NEED A NEWER BOAT Sticking with the nicely nautical theme, big plans have been revealed to rebuild Brunel’s ss Great Britain, the world’s first transatlantic ocean liner, as part of a £20m tourism project. It’s part of a larger plan centred on the conservation of the Grade-II Albion Dockyard, which will be maintained as a working dry dock, with the original clock tower reinstated. There’ll also be a full-size recreation of Brunel’s first ship, the giant paddle steamer The Great Western, which will go on display at the dock. As well as celebrating the city’s maritime history, The Great Western will share stories of migration, and Bristol’s role in shipbuilding.
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The project was announced by the ss Great Britain Trust after they received an initial development grant of £600,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It’s hoped it will be the first of several grants, totalling £5m, which will make up a quarter of the funding. The revamped dockyard is projected to bring £8.1m into Bristol every year through tourism, and to provide 189 new jobs in the process. The project, backed by patron Professor David Olusoga, will be one of the biggest tourism investments in decades in Bristol, and has the backing of Visit Britain. For more: ssgreatbritain.org
SPOTLIGHT
SAFE CROSSING
Bristol bridges. Some are beautiful, some merely utilitarian. We take them all for granted, until one temporarily closes, and then we know all about it. Do you know how many there are altogether? Answer at the bottom of the page; no cheating, now…
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There are 45 bridges in all. If you feel energetic, explore them all on the 28-mile Bristol Bridges Walk – a circular route around the city crossing all 45 bridges www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 9
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
Kajillionaire. You’ll need to buy tickets; you’ll never get in this way
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REPRESENTING . . .
mong the usual Bristol Pride shenanigans – the parades, the parties, the music, the dog show, the rainbows, the glitter – you’ll find the rather more reflective Queer Vision film festival at Watershed this month, with its diverse programme of LGBT+ movies from around the globe. According to producer Rebecca Ballard, it’s the festival’s most ambitious programme to date, with 16 days of screenings, including four previews, a UK première, and four short film programmes. “Film is such a powerful medium,” says Rebecca. “We know the importance of seeing yourself represented on screen, and we strive to create a programme that reflects our wonderfully diverse community.” The Festival kicked off with a screening of George Michael Freedom Uncut, on 25 June – George’s birthday – before a DJ set and party, complete with beard bar. Highlights still to come include the UK première of Angela Washko’s powerful Workhorse Queen, which takes a look at drag
culture through the story of Rochester queen Mrs Kasha Davis. There’s Kevin Hegge’s Tramps!, a life-affirming documentary repositioning the New Romantics as an art movement, rather than an exclusively pop-cultural one, followed by a set from DJ Jim Carna. In Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut Passing, a black woman finds her world upended when her life becomes intertwined with a former childhood friend who’s passing as white. Spoken word from Malaika Kegode and Edson Burton further explores themes of class, race and sexuality. There’s also a celebration of filmmaker, artist and writer Miranda July, with a screening of quirky scam-dram-com Kajillionaire, and a performance by Roseanna Anderson of Impermanence in homage to July’s choreographic style; there’s the incredible meta-critique on trans representation, Death and Bowling, and the Iris Trans shorts show, with a post-screening discussion. Plenty more where that came from; full programme below. Queer Vision runs until 10 July; bristolpride.co.uk/queervision www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 11
WHAT’S ON
1-21 July 2022
EXHIBITIONS Until 10 July
TOM HUNTER: WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE Naked portraits by artist and photographer Tom Hunter, taken at a makeshift photobooth at Glastonbury in 2017 and 2019 in the spirit of the first Summer of Love; at Martin Parr Foundation, martinparrfoundation.org
Until 17 July
TANOA SASRAKU A major solo exhibition by Tanoa, building upon the artist’s ongoing research into hostile wildlands, and personal relationship to the energy, mythology and memories stored deep within the British landscape; Spike Island, spikeisland.org.uk
Until 21 August
INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION 163 The world’s longest running photography exhibition;105 works by 60 photographers are on display at RPS Gallery for your edification and delight; rps.org/ipe163
Until 4 September
GRAYSON’S ART CLUB Artworks chosen by Grayson and Philippa Perry, and guest celebs, during the TV series of the same name; at Bristol Museum, bristolmuseums.org.uk VAN GOGH IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE Step into over 300 of Vincent’s drawings, and paintings, via floorto-ceiling digital projections, VR headsets, roomsets and more; at Propyard, vangoghexpo.com
Until 18 September
ERIC BAUDELAIRE & ALVIN CURRAN: WHEN THERE IS NO MORE MUSIC TO WRITE Documentary installation exploring Curran’s life and work against a backdrop of radical political movements during the 1970s; Spike Island, spikeisland.org.uk
Until 31 December
LEBOHANG KGANYE: LEAVE THE LIGHT WHEN YOU LEAVE FOR GOOD The Georgian House was once home to a sugar trader and his
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enslaved staff; now Lebohang reflects on the legacy of colonialism as a shared history, at the same site; bristolmuseums.org.uk
9 July-11 September
EARTH Earth: Digging Deep in British Art 1781-2022 examines how attitudes towards the landscape have evolved over the centuries and how artists’ approaches have changed; RWA, rwa.org.uk
SHOWS Until 2 July
MAMMA MIA! The effusive rom-com musical with the poptastic ABBA tunes returns to Hippodrome; take your mum and/or daughter, and forget about being cool; atgtickets.com CATASTROPHE BAY A new musical by Kit Buchan and Jim Barne, inspired by a vast language of British and European folk songs; it’s all as rich and hearty as a night in a candlelit tavern while storms rage outside; at BOV, bristololdvic.org.uk
JANE EYRE A bold and theatrically inventive adaptation of the Brontë classic by the Kelvin Players, Bristol’s largest nonprofessional theatre company; at TFT, tobaccofactorytheatres.com
Until 5 July
LOAM Singing plants, menacing tree-kickers, armpit moss and useless executives collide in a timely utopian ecocomedy by the BOVTS grads, at BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk
Until 20 August
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Mad, bad lovers, warring fairies, rude mechanicals and the most famous donkey in theatre: Insane Root brings Athens to Eastville Park Swimming Pool in the most alluring, immersive way; insaneroot.org.uk
4-9 July
THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG Premise: the Cornley Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but everything that can go wrong… does. The show’s celebrity
WHAT’S ON 13-14 July
fans include Joanna Lumley and Ant & Dec, so we’re presuming it’s hilarious. At Hippodrome, atgtickets.com
NILE ROGERS AND CHIC Courtesy of Bristol Beacon, one of music’s greatest living legends turns Lloyd’s Amphitheatre into a D.I.S.C.O party. Good times, come on! bristolbeacon.org
5-9 July
LOVE YOU MORE Perspectives changes everything. Megan and Charlie meet at school and, years later, reminisce and reflect on the path their friendship has taken. Do either of them truly understand how the other feels? Find out at Alma Tav; tickettailor.com
15 July
BELLE & SEBASTIAN The Scottish indie-poppers turn up to play Lloyd’s on the opening night of Harbourfest; bristolbeacon.org
17 July
6-31 July
opposite page: Closer Each Day, the world’s longest improvised comedy soap. We’re not sure what the second-longest is this page, above: They’re still pretty Hanson left: No, it’s not The Sound of Music. It’s Drac & Jill below: You probably didn’t need the sash to explain who’s headed for Harbourside
DRAC & JILL It’s been 125 years since Bram Stoker’s Dracula was published; The Wardrobe is using the landmark as an excellent excuse for restaging their fast, smart and devilishly funny comedy-musical hit; thewardrobetheatre.com
12 July-6 August
LES MISÉRABLES Jean Valjohn rides again in Cameron Mackintosh’s updated musical; come along if tragic heroines, broken dreams, unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption with a side order of French Revolutionary plotting is your thing; at Hippodrome, atgtickets.com
19-30 July
TREASURE ISLAND Le Navet Bete bring their swashbuckling family-friendly comedy with the predictable quota of dastardly pirates, tropical islands, and a mermaid that we definitely don’t remember being in the book, to BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk
RIVERTOWN Back for the first time in three years with its rootsy, country music, with Lee Fields, St Paul & The Broken Bones, Richard Hawley, Martha Wainwright and many more playing multiple venues; bristolbeacon.org
2 July
HANSON Wanna feel old? Hanson have been performing for 30 years. The multiplatinum pop-rock bros bring their Red Green Blue album tour to O2; academymusicgroup.com BLACK ROOTS The reggae legends are still making waves, and they’re coming to Trinity to prove it; trinitybristol.org.uk
COMEDY Ongoing
CLOSER EACH DAY The world’s longest improv comedy soap has just performed its 200th episide, and continues to bubble away amusingly twice a month at Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com
2 July
HEIDI REGAN & ALASDAIR BECKETT The Edinburgh previews continue; BBC New Comedy Award winner Heidi brings us her Give Birth Live on Stage Every Night or Your Money Back guarantee, while in Nevermore, multiaward-winner Alasdair unravels life’s shallowest mysteries to create his own multi-faceted world; at Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com
3 July
MUSIC
Until 1 August
SEA POWER Originally known as British Sea Power, the conceptual indie band, with elements of post-rock and art rock experimentalism comes to Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk
SEANN WALSH & PETER RETHINASAMY More pre-Edinburgh LOLS; Seann does his observational thang, while Peter brings the hard hitting, punchy jokes about growing up in Northern Ireland.. at Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com
7 July
BUFFOON: JOHN HASTINGS Most recently spotted on America’s Got Talent, where he got a standing ovation from the judges with no audience; now available at Market Chambers. headfirstbristol.co.uk
7-9 July
OMID DJALILI: THE GOOD TIMES TOUR After experimenting with a Zoom gig where he got muted by 639 people, and a drive-in gig where
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WHAT’S ON he witnessed an audience member get out his car, attach a hose pipe to his exhaust and feed it through the window, Omid is back on stage; Hippodrome, atgtickets.com
9 July
JAYDE ADAMS Bristolian Jayde Adams is an uncut gem; a force of nature; dangerous and unafraid; Dawn French called her “the third funniest woman in the world” – we see what you did there, Dawn... find out why at the Hen & Chicken, henandchicken.com
10 July
BOOTHBY GRAFFOE & SIMON MUNNERY After a run of Zoom shows featuring jokes met with silence from a muted audience, Boothby is ready to replicate this experience in-person. And Simon? “I’ve been mugged three times and arrested once. What a night!” – hear the tale of his trial in Edinburgh 20 years ago, as well as his second court appearance last year in Bedford. Well, it worked for Lenny Bruce. thewardrobetheatre.com
11 July
BUFFOON: ROB COPLAND Rob’s taking his Main Stream Muck (Gimme Some of That) show to the Edinburgh Fringe, but you can enjoy a preview at Bristol Fringe; headfirstbristol.co.uk
17 July
AN AUDIENCE WITH TEZ ILYAS This intimate show at the Hen & Chicken with the star of The Tez O’Clock Show, TEZ Talks and Man Like Mobeen is a bit of a barg; the ticket price includes Tez’s new book The Secret Diary of a British Muslim Aged 13 3/4. henandchicken.com
20-23 July
DANIEL KITSON: OUTSIDE Daniel hasn’t been on stage for over two years. And, to be entirely honest, he’s not really missed it. It is, however, his actual job and everyone’s gone back to work now. So, he’s picked out a comfy pen, bought a new notebook and booked himself a summer’s worth of outdoor shows to find out what, if anything, he has to say to large groups of people he doesn’t know.. at TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com
21 July
DOCTOR PHIL HAMMOND Why do so many doctors turn to
stand-up? Maybe being in the profession leads to gallows humour. Anyway, Phil’s at the Hen & Chicken with a two-part show: Dr Hammond’s Covid Inquiry does what it says on the tin, while How I Ruined Medicine contains the outrageous confessions of a retiring NHS whistleblower; henandchicken.com
OTHER Ongoing
BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL The almost-year-round fest, with a something-for-everyone remit. Screenings at a wide variety of Bristol locations; bristolfilmfestival.com
Until 3 July
CIDER SALON A major tasting event, with 20 producers pouring 60 speciality ciders, at Trinity. cidersalon.co.uk
Until 10 July
BRISTOL PRIDE Back with the Dog Show, Comedy Night, Circus Night, Theatre Night and Queer Vision Film Festival, all culminating with the March and big old party on the Downs on 9 July. See also page 11. bristolpride.co.uk
Until 29 September
SHOW OF STRENGTH The highly infotaining theatre walks; choose from Blood & Butchery in Bedminster, Blood, Blackbeard and Buccaneers, Crime & Crinolines in Clifton, Saints & Sinners in St George’s and more; showofstrength.org.uk
2 July
ST PAUL’S CARNIVAL No big single carnival this year, but a host of smaller events, including
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clockwise from top left: The European female in Hollywood: Casablanca at Cinema Rediscovered; Smokin’ Omid Djalili; Belle, Sebastian and some shipmates, jauntily attired for Harbourisde
the ‘Back a Yard’ programme, a traditional Jamaican phrase meaning ‘back home’. Back a Yard takes the carnival back to its roots, celebrating the St Paul’s community, history, and legacy, and marking the 60th anniversary of Jamaican independence. On 2 July there’s a brunch event for elders at Malcolm X, and a carnival takeover at Lost Horizon... stpaulscarnival.net
13 July
BRISTOL LIFE BUSINESS CLUB Lunch at Harbour Hotel, with speaker Luke Martin, project manager at Socius, who is leading on the construction of the £175m redevelopment of Soapworks in Old Market; eventbrite.co.uk
15-27 July
HARBOUR FESTIVAL It’s back in full force, and celebrating its 50th edition, would you believe; come for the boats and the water shenanigans, stay for the music, the dance, the food (p 6); bristolharbourfestival.co.uk
20-24 July
CINEMA REDISCOVERED Discover some of the finest new digital restorations, contemporary classics and film print rarities; lots of sexy strands to tempt you, including an exploration of local connections that celebrates Bristol’s status as UNESCO City of Film; watershed.co.uk n
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SWINGING
BRISTOL? “England swings like a pendulum do,” insisted Roger Miller in 1965. But did the pendulum actually swing as far as Bristol….? By Eugene Byrne
Bristol: not as swinging as you might imagine. We mostly had (clockwise) a ‘small but influential’ folk scene – that’s Ralph McTell and Al Stewart at The Troubabour; groovy twisters in The Newcomers; leather-jacketed rockers in Some People; yet more folkies, and arguments over the docks
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iven Bristol’s selfimage nowadays – the radicalism, creativity, environmentalism, the woke progressiveness and, on sunny days, the low-lying smog of skunk – it would be reasonable to assume that Bristol in the 1960s was the San Francisco of Western Europe, right? Well, no. The images the decade summons in popular memory – The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, hippies, dope, free love and Carnaby Street – are just that. Images. Aside from a minority determined to live outside the mainstream, and another minority of glamorous and fashionable youngsters who had succeeded in showbiz, fashion or the media, the Swinging Sixties were, for most people at the time, a vicarious experience mediated by TV, the cinema, newspapers and magazines. The sounds and images of youth didn’t even dominate the singles charts. The UK’s biggest selling record of 1967 – you know, the year that youth was somehow going to revolutionise the world – was Release Me by Engelbert Humperdinck. The biggest single the year before that was Tom Jones’ mawkish ballad, Green Grass of Home. OK, so The Beatles’ Hey Jude outsold every other UK single in 1968, but the only avant-garde thing about that song was the four minutes of ‘Naah naah nah nana na naah’-ing at the end. Between 1959 and 1969, the everyday lives of most Bristolian adults didn’t change much beyond steadily improving and honestly earned prosperity. Most travelled to work on foot, on bicycles and motorcycles and in green buses. The homes that half of them left each morning were owned by the council. They worked in offices and factories, and most were paid weekly wages in cash. Going to work in a motor car was mostly for those whose pay went into a bank account each month. Perhaps the availability of birth control pills changed some private lives, but until the end of the decade they were mainly for married women. In 1969, as in 1959, chaps
THE NEWCOMERS
HISTORY were offered ‘something for the weekend’ at the barber’s. Madame Pierre’s shop on Silver Street was selling ‘rubber goods’ to mostly female customers well into the 1970s. Said goods included ‘Durex gloves.’ (These were not the sort of gloves you do the washing-up with. Please don’t ask me how I know this.) The most visible change in Bristol over the decade, apart from a number of new and mostly horrible buildings, was that women’s skirts got shorter. Most men’s hair was as short in 1969 as it had been ten years previously; long hair would have got a chap sacked from a lot of jobs and refused admission to everywhere except the barber’s.
“1960s Bristol was the San Francisco of Western Europe, right? Well, no...” To see what Bristol looked like, you’ll find old amateur and semi-professional film footage on Vimeo or YouTube, while a couple of feature films, such as The Beauty Jungle (1964) or Some People (1962), will show you parts of the old place in colour. But to reach for the soul of day-to-day 1960s Bristol, you need the local papers. Until the late ’60s, they have little remotely countercultural to report, unless you count stories of a surprisingly large number of strange and mostly forgotten religious cults which predate any hippy weirdness by a long chalk. (Bristol’s longstanding taste for alternative philosophies and religions is a book all of its own.) Recreational drugs are rarely mentioned. The odd bust for possession of ‘Indian Hemp’, as it was still called at the start of the decade, is your lot. (Though old-timers will nowadays tell you that amphetamine pills – the Mods’ drug of choice, often necked at gigs at the Corn Exchange – were the thing with Bristol’s in-crowd.) Student protest? OK, so in 1968, when the world was aflame with student agitation,
John Boorman’s six-part documentary series profiled young couple Anthony and Alison Smith, both from relatively modest backgrounds and both beneficiaries of the welfare state and their own intelligence and educational achievements. Although it does take in vistas of the wider city, from dockers being hired for a day’s work through an exuberant evangelical service in St Paul’s, and then on to dancing The Twist at the Glen, it’s really about Clifton, the Smiths and their friends. These are high-minded, well-read twenty-thirty-somethings; the spiritual, often literal, parents and grandparents of the present-day middle-class progressives who have shaped modern Brand Bristol. They were not representative of all of Bristol then, any more than their descendants are now; but The Newcomers shows you how much of Bristol’s later countercultures took root.
Bristol Uni undergraduates did indeed stage their first ever occupation. The cause was laudable – equal access to the university library for local polytechnic and college scholars – but it wasn’t exactly the Paris événements, was it? The vanguard of the intelligentsia quit squatting the Senate House as Christmas, and Mum’s cooking beckoned. There was the coming of the motorways and the bridge over the Severn, the fortunes of City and Rovers and Gloucestershire CCC and a very large number of strikes and industrial disputes. Probably the biggest local political story of the decade would be Labour MP Tony Benn’s struggle to renounce his peerage to remain in the Commons. By the end of the era, there were also growing rows about ring roads and the fate of the city docks once they had closed, but this argument didn’t peak until the early 1970s. For fun, there were more cinemas than now, but many were closing, or being turned into bingo halls. Bingo was becoming a hugely popular night out, especially for women. There had always been restaurants, but thanks to the Berni brothers, dining out was no longer just for the wealthy. Berni Inns were the big Bristol business success of the decade, based partly on quality and pricing, but mostly on not being snobby or intimidating. There was also a very 1960s entertainment phenomenon, now almost completely forgotten – the night club. Some were sleazy dives offering strippers and blue movies, but the best hosted the top entertainers of the day in cabaret. But Bristol’s biggest entertainment news of the decade was the opening of Mecca Leisure’s vast new complex, the New Bristol Centre, which would feature the Locarno ballroom/concert venue, a cinema, an ice rink and several themed bars. When the first shoots of hippiedom appeared at the very end of the decade, they had not, of course, emerged fully formed from nowhere. There were antecedents; some in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament – which was huge in the late ’50s and early ’60s and many of whose members naturally progressed into protest against the Vietnam war. Other origins were in Bristol’s small but lively and influential folk music scene. Much of the local counterculture came from Clifton; degentrified post-war, and now being colonised by young middle-class types attracted by low rents and houses with views and character. What most people think of as The Sixties didn’t arrive in Bristol until The Seventies. Same as in most other places. And it took a couple of decades after that for Bristol to become different. n Extracted from an article originally commissioned by Bristol Ideas to promote the screening of The Newcomers, the 1964 TV docudrama following several people living and working in Bristol, filmed and edited by John Boorman. bristolideas.co.uk
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PUT OUT MORE FLAGS
The Jubilee? It’s not over until Bristol Heroes says its over Words and pictures by Colin Moody
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BRISTOL HEROES
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i oi, saveloy. How did you celebrate the great Platinum Jubilee? I’ve never met the Queen, but she’s certainly done lots over the years. If I could have met her, I’d liked it to have been in the crowd outside Buckingham Palace on VE Day in 1945, when she and Margaret sneaked out of the palace to have a bit of a knees up with the crowd outside. Apparently, they went on to dance the conga at the Ritz.
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Here is a modern parallel during the Jubilee weekend at Love Saves the Day. I find it rather special that this festival kicks off the summer season, so to think how this kind of revelry might, in some small way, link to Her Majesty, before she was aligned to rule, having a bit of a party with the masses, makes me smile.
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Light a fire that can be seen across the land. They turned the whole of Cabot Tower into red, white and blue. When the sky was just right, and it was flashed all red from top to bottom, then it was a bit like parts of our flag, and the people who came to see it all were wandering over it. It is a superb flag we have, but for me it’s the people on this image that really make it.
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Searchlights reach to heaven from the Cabot Tower. After all we have been through, shining our light out and scanning the heavens, just like 20th-Century Fox, is my kind of Jubilee moment. It’s a metaphor for how we all want to bring light where there was once darkness. I’ve met a lot of elders who saw the Queen’s coronation as a beginning of hope after the long war years and ration austerity. With the new food crisis and world situation growing darker, we might need these kind of symbols more than we realise right now.
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Red white and blue. It’s who we are. Maybe we only really get into it for the World Cup and other sports, but now we can add to that the Jubilee. This sideways honour to the three colours comes from the revelry at the weekend with the Love Saves the Day crew. Our musical journey in this country over the last 70 years is extraordinaire. So I think it’s fitting to add some balloons above the grime and garage of a musical festival to mark a story of seven decades.
“After all we have been through, shining our light out and scanning the heavens, just like 20th-Century Fox, is my kind of Jubilee moment” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 23
BRISTOL HEROES
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The recipe for being British. Take some chairs. Some eggs and flour and sugar. Get a whole bunch of locals together via word of mouth or leaflets stuck to lampposts. Cram them all together. Now separate the eggs flour and sugar. Heat them. And serve. Garnish with flags made in China and serve on your mother’s inherited china service. Voila!
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I didn’t go to any street parties. There were many, I hear. But I did get to enjoy tea and a slice at the Hotwells Trinity church. Tea does taste better out of a bone-china cup and saucer. And Jubilees do feel better with crowds all focused on the main attraction… the cake selection. Let them eat cake. And the cake was good. Met people from my area. And that’s not a bad thing, no matter what your thoughts are about monarchy. Majestic moments where we come together are the way forwards. Have we put the worst of Covid behind us now?
“Set your inner punk free. That’s the patriotic thing to do” 24 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
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Did you show your patriotic pride in monarchy in an appropriate way at a festival, or the back yard of your castle, this Jubilee weekend? Wonder where this was made?
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God save the Queen. Saw this in a punked-up charity shop running up to the Jubilee. Can’t stop thinking about how, when you take a sideways look at the punk aesthetic, it has one thing in it that always makes you proud. It’s free. Music so free, just a couple of chords and a big attitude and you can change the world forever. That’s a good legacy for all the red, white, and blue power set loose this Jubilee. Set your inner punk free. That’s the patriotic thing to do.
Colin Moody; content creation, online images Twitter @moodycolin Instagram @colinmoodyphotography colinmoodyphotography.wordpress.com
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EMILY & DAN ROSS STORYSMITH BOOKS
sheepherder whose desperation to please God takes him into some truly unsettling places. It’s divided reviewers, to put it mildly, but we are firmly on board.
Booksellers know that great books aren’t always the easiest ones to read . . .
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hen a bookseller tells you that a book is ‘hard to recommend’, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad book. Sometimes it can mean the opposite, in fact. Great books aren’t always the easiest ones to read, and art which tackles or celebrates difficult subjects can often linger longer in the memory than a literary confection. This puts us in a tricky situation. The solution is to recommend such titles gently, cautiously, but still with enthusiasm and optimism – even if sometimes the subject matter or the stylistic quirks can be, on paper, less than enticing. So here are four brandnew books that lay precisely at this curious intersection of brilliantly difficult books.
Lapvona – Ottessa Moshfegh If you’ve read any of Moshfegh’s previous novels (her formidably sarcastic My Year Of Rest And Relaxation is a modern classic), then you may already know that she’s not an author to shy away from a challenge. She’s also possessive of a totally singular authorial voice, and an equally singular dedication to the grotesque. This tale of the inhabitants of the titular (and fictional) mediaeval town is unsparing in its depiction of the horrid conditions therein: famine, disease, drought, feudal lords and their cruel exertions all come into play, and that’s before you even consider the malevolent and frequently stomach-turning actions of the characters themselves. Our ‘hero’, if you can call him that, is Marek, son of a Lapvonian
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Thread Ripper – Amalie Smith (trans. Jennifer Russell) Not all tricky recommendations are down to content. Some are down to form and expression, and that’s where this oddly delightful new novel sits – on the line between traditional novel and experimental piece. It’s told in two strands, one on the left page and one on the right, and simultaneously details the struggle of a tapestryweaver’s relationship breakdown with a history of significant female innovators, and it’s also somehow mostly about looms and weaving? Like we said, difficult to recommend. But it is so beautifully done, and surprisingly accessible once your eye’s been trained – a unique reading experience. Girl Online: A User Manual – Joanna Walsh Unearthing unpleasant truths about society can also give readers the heebies – imagine implying by recommendation of a particular book that the way someone has been seeing the world until now has been completely wrong! It’s a thorny interaction. With that context, Girl Online should be even harder to recommend: a timely appraisal of how women are
“Art which tackles difficult subjects can linger longer in the memory than a literary confection”
treated on the internet, relayed in a dizzying mix of styles from simulated blogs to programming language. Walsh’s incredible balancing act goes deep into theoretical realms, but the skill of it – the vitality of the message and how its conveyed – is invigorating. And maybe learning something about society’s ugliness isn’t always a bad thing. Life Ceremony – Sayaka Murata (trans. Ginny Tapley-Takemori) These translated short stories from Japan are absolutely typical of author Sayaka Murata’s world view – that is, they take extreme, outlandish, sometimes horrifying ideas and present them as completely plausible tweaks on reality. Hence in this collection we experience a society where the death of a loved one results in deeply unsettling ritual, where soft furnishings can be made of human skin, and where accepted notions of fertility and sex are given a thorough reappraisal. The effect is frightening and can induce paranoia, but you have to marvel at the mechanics of it, and therefore it’s a hearty recommendation. One of our most common requests is for books that are uplifting, books that will inspire hopefulness or a brighter outlook, and we have our go-to recommendations for such requests, certainly enough to fill a magazine column – but the trouble is that life just isn’t that simple, and writers know it all too well. So we celebrate difficulty, we thrust it into the hands of customers with the appropriate caveats, and we hope they come back for more of the same. Storysmith, 236 North Street storysmithbooks.com
THE VERDICT JAMIE REES
Making hoofing appear effortless: Kerry Ellis in Anything Goes
Gotta sing… gotta dance… This Verdict is dedicated to the mighty Bristol Hippodrome, which has a top West End musical playing almost every week of the year
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n the last two months I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying no fewer than five musicals that have all, without exception, seen audiences rise to their feet at curtain call before heading out along St Augustine’s Parade beaming from ear to ear. If the London production of Cole Porter’s Anything Goes fizzed, the touring version which came to the Hippo recently bubbled over with an outstanding central performance from Kerry Ellis in the central role of Reno Sweeney. We knew this girl could sing, but she brought something extra to songs like Friendship and You’re the Top, which elevated her portrayal above others
gone before. The title number, complete with an entire cast tap dancing to Kathleen Marshall’s Olivier award-winning choreography, is possibly one of the finest things I’ve seen on that stage, perhaps any stage, in 20 years of reviewing. If it was the choreography that delighted in Anything Goes, it was definitely the music that took centre-stage in Queen’s We Will Rock You. Here was a show famous for being panned by stuffy critics yet loved by audiences. Ben Elton’s script defies convention for a ‘jukebox’ musical for sure, but there’s no denying the incredible quality of Queen’s music.
Jake Sharp does Jack Black in School of Rock
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While the vocal performances were uniformly stunning, undoubtedly the highlight of the night for me was Jenny O’Leary’s Killer Queen who, in a change to the original production, isn’t stopped before she can sing a full version of Don’t Stop Me Now. She is something else in what is a showstopping number. Another rock musical to hit the stage was School of Rock, a show that is full of surprises. If you’d ask me to guess who might have written the music and book for this musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Julian Fellows would be near the bottom of my list. The title is made famous by the Hollywood film starring Jack Black, and in this stage adaptation its Jake Sharp who takes the lead role of the failing rock guitarist Dewey Finn, who is relentlessly brilliant as he takes his class of students from academia to rockmania and the final of Battle of the Bands. I didn’t expect to enjoy this as
much as I did. I really couldn’t see how Lloyd Webber and The School of Rock would work, but why wouldn’t it? He did write the greatest rock musical of them all, after all, with Jesus Christ Superstar. Mamma Mia! returned to the venue in June and what a shot of ouzo it was, too. The story here is of Sophie, who invites three men who could be her father to her wedding on a Greek Island after reading her mother’s diary. Sophie’s mother Donna is not happy when the three show up and nostalgia becomes the order of the day as they reflect on times gone by with songs like S.O.S, Our Last Summer and Knowing Me, Know You. It’s in the quieter moments that this show finds its real heart, especially in two numbers performed exquisitely by Sara Poyzer as Donna as she realises her little girl is growing up and fleeing the nest. If Slipping Through My Fingers brought a tear to the eye, Poyzer’s The Winner Takes It All brings the house down. She absolutely belts it. Next up for the Hippodrome is The Play That Goes Wrong from 4th to 9th of July, no singing in this one, but an experience that will no doubt prove that this is a venue that is getting it right. Follow Jamie on Twitter and Instagram @theatre_ jam
“We knew this girl could sing, but she brought something which elevated her portrayal above others gone before”
ALUNA
When the cocktail list is longer than the food menu, let the good times roll . . . Words by Deri Robins
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luna. It’s one of those city-centre joints you walk Aluna has no fewer than eight cocktail menus. Hubble Bubble offers past a million times, hurrying on your way to some sparkly wines and spritzers; Antidotes are mocktails; Vaccines and place or another, vaguely glancing at the brownish Potions are shorts; From the Cauldron and Tree of Life offer drinks stone and glass building as you go by. There’s for sharing; Gin Serves is hopefully self-explanatory, while Aluna nothing about it that particularly draws you in, until Signatures are mostly made up of classics. Then there’s the hardcore you cup your hands to the glass and peer through Midnight Madness list, featuring drinks with names like Deadly Elixir. the window, at which point you realise that it’s Ideal, if you have literally nothing to do the next day. rather opulent and sexy inside, and may in fact warrant a closer look. From this last menu I am briefly seduced by a daiquiri involving The décor is a clue to the raison d’etre. Aluna pitches itself squarely marshmallows, but Jason pulls me to my senses, steering me to a very at those wanting a good night out in surroundings that feel a bit special. palatable, very pretty lychee margarita with a raspberry sugar rim. There are witty neon signs on the walls, a long bar stacked with every Meanwhile, the tastebud-challenged one is downing a chocolate orange conceivable kind of bottle, and large luxurious booths. They serve espresso martini, a drink I can never even contemplate after 4pm unless theatrical-sounding cocktails, and nice bits of food to mop it all up with. I want to spend a sleepless night staring at the walls. And now and again, that’s all I want. Of course I still care about Pleasantly lubricated, we flick to the food menu, which is pan-Asian responsible sourcing, slow miles and zero waste, and all the other in its broadest and most crowd-pleasing sense, but also contains steaks practices designed by a thoughtful food industry to halt the planet’s fiery and burgers for the stubbornly traditional. Having exhausted all our demise; for all I know Aluna cares passionately decision-making powers on the drinks, we order about these things too. But if it does, it doesn’t a shared platter of starters. A pair of tiger prawn bang on about it. And there are some evenings cookies tastes lot like those Chinese takeaway DINING DETAILS when the only melting ice I really want to think stalwarts, sesame prawn toasts, but they’re fatter about are the cubes in my cocktail glass, and the and rounder. Chicken pieces skewered and Aluna, 4 Broad Quay; 0117 927 6829; aluna.uk.com only fire I’m interested in are the flames from cooked in a Thai-style peanut and coconut sauce the mixologist’s blow torch as they show off their are pleasingly tender, while a selection of sticky Opening hours Mon-Thurs 5-11pm; Friday midday-1am; Sat 11am-1am; Sun 11am-11pm molecular whizzery. wings and BBQ ribs requires more than the Ask friends if they’ve been to Aluna, and supplied finger bowl to sluice us down; we briefly Prices Starters £6.95-£9.95; mains £11.95£24.95; puds £5.95 they’ll usually mention the bottomless brunches, consider a quick dip in Cascade Steps. nights out with the gang, and hen parties. Aluna In hindsight we probably should have stuck Veggie A good range is a magnet to the young and fun-loving, but you to a clatter of starters and treated them like Cocktails Exhaustive list, £4.50-£14.95, plus don’t need to be wearing sashes reading ‘I’m tapas, but after a second round of cocktails we sharing cocktails with the bride’ or little golden crowns to have a dutifully sample a pair of mains. Ms A’s teriyaki Service Excellent; charming and helpful good time here. salmon is a simple and light option, if a little dry; It seemed like the ideal place for a girly my generous portion of stir-fried prawns with a catch up with Ms A, who has just emerged from long Covid and is mound of jasmine rice is perfectly OK, if not especially life-changing. craving strong tastes and flavours, ideally served in a glass. Our terrific By now we’ve got to the stage when we’re choosing cocktails by waiter Jason pops us into a lovely window booth, from which we are sticking a virtual pin in the menu. A neon signs on the wall advises that entertained by the Broad Quay passeggiata. Shoutout to girl walking ‘your vibe attracts your tribe’. We wonder aloud what kind of tribe we’d past at 8pm on Tuesday 21 June in gorgeous green paisley flares – where attract with the bubbling, dry-ice-streaming concoction served to Ms A did you get them? We’re dining fairly early, so everyone is still mostly – the Weird Sisters perhaps, seeking a bit of downtime after a hard day’s behaving themselves, but we imagine the scenes outside the window toil and trouble? My third drink, charmingly named Puddin’, tastes become incrementally bacchanalian after about 10 pm. exactly like crème brûlée. Cocktail menus seem to fall into two camps. Either there’s a very Another sign reads ‘stay classy, sassy and a bit bad assy’(sic). I’m limited selection of house specials, the kind you get at small indie pretty sure that by the time we stagger outside, four cocktails down restaurants, which never features anything I really want to drink; or, at and three sheets to the wind, we only manage to live up to the last two bars like Aluna, menus as long as novellas, which overwhelm me with imperatives. There again, emerging cold-stone sober would have been choice before suckering me into ordering something that sounds like a a wasted opportunity, and a positive slight on Jason. We’re both relieved dessert, and always turns out to be far too sweet and sickly, making me we ordered an Uber, though. To have elected a designated driver on a wish I’d stuck to a margarita instead. visit to Aluna would have been the height of cruelty.
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 35
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
Summertime, and the living is easy; and as is usual in Bristol, also very, very tasty…
Welcome to your favourite new summertime sipping spot
PHOTO BY LOUIS SMITH
DO YOU LIKE PIÑA COLADA? FIRE WALK WITH ME
Valley Fest: putting the chew into Chew Magna since 2014. And this year, the organisers have taken the foodie offering up an even further notch, with a line-up curated by superstar Eggleton siblings, Josh and Holly. There are the usual feasts – we’re especially excited about the Rob Howell (Root) x Sonny Stores collab – while this year’s chef demos sees the region’s top chefs showing us how to make sensational BBQ food at the Cooking Over Fire stage. “There’ll be theatre, banter and knifesharp attention to detail,” they say. Expect to see all the local big hitters – check out the poster for the line-up. PS We believe there are some bands playing, too.. For more valleyfest.co.uk
QUAY WORKERS Ten years after Temple Quay street food market launched in Bristol, it’s expanded its opening times to twice a week. Due to the popularity of the long-established Thursday lunchtime market, a second one is now also being held on Tuesday lunchtimes. squareroute.co.uk
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There’s a new hub down at the harbour, it’s unambiguously named The Harbour Hub, and you’ll find it at the old Spoke & Stringer site on Gasworks Lane. The Hub is the newest venues from the owners of Rocksalt and Dhamaka. Managers Ed Sargent and Ben Salgueno have turned the building into an all-day bar and kitchen, serving their own blend of Wogan coffee with croissants each morning, light lunches from midday and a full bar service in the evenings with chilled local wines, brews and cocktails – look out for some special tropical flavours for the summer season. How does sipping a frozen Piña Colada while gazing thoughtfully across the harbour at the ss Great Britain sound to you? Thought so. Follow it on Instagram: harbourhubbristol
ICE, NICE BABY
Ever found yourself down Cabot’s on a hot and sticky July day, thinking “You know what I could really murder right now? A Swoon gelato – but I’m way too hot and knackered to schlepp all the way to College Green”? We’ve all been there; which is why we perked up no end at the sight of Betti the Gelato Bike, which has taken up a summer residency at Harvey Nicks. Betti is parked up on the ground floor, just inside the main entrance, and is serving six of Swoon’s most popular flavours. Just a thought; maybe try on all those first-floor designer threads before, rather than after, getting your fingers all sticky with Amerena Cherry Cheesecake . . .? For more swoononaspoon.co.uk
FOOD & DRINK
RIP IT UP AND START AGAIN THE FOOD ON THE HILL
A neighbourhood café bar and restaurant from a new Bristol hospitality group is about to open on Broad Street in Staple Hill. Within the 19th-century site, formerly home to the Red Lion, the Forge & Fern will offer familyfriendly all-day dining and drinking, both indoors and out in the all-weather garden and on the al fresco terrace. There’s a strong environmental and sustainability focus at work here; rooftop beehives have been installed, which will provide local garden and community pollination, as well as providing honey to be used on the menu, and a huge living wall above the outdoor terrace will bring its own ecosystem, promoting biodiversity in the area. Chefs will also use herbs from The Forge & Fern’s own herb garden in the seasonally changing dishes on the menu. Foodwise, expect locally sourced cakes and coffee, brunch, small plates and pub classics, with much of the produce from local suppliers including Buxton Butchers, Hobbs House Bakery, Marshfield Ice Cream, Arthur David, Mevalco and many more. The Forge & Fern will also house its own gin distillery in the pub’s basement, which will be visible to customers through a glass floor. For more theforges.co.uk
RIGHT SAID FED An instant favourite when it opened on the Gloucester Road, a palpable hit when it branched into Cotham Hill, now Fed is bringing all its baked goodness and legendary brunches to Fishponds Road. You’ll find the usual Yallah coffee, overnight oats and pastries for breakfast, while lunch/brunch can be a mix of salads, frittata, sausage rolls or sourdough toasties. For more fedcafe.co.uk
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We’ve loved Casamia long time. We loved it when it was a neighbourhood trat run by Paco Sanchez Iglesias at Westbury on Trym. We loved it even more when his sons Jonray and Peter reinvented the menu with the innovative fine dining that won it a Michelin star, along with endless mentions on ‘best UK restaurant’ lists. We were even more excited when Pete Sanchez relocated the restaurant to The General in Redcliiffe. And yes, for what it’s worth, we also really enjoyed its edgy recent incarnation, with Zak Hitchman in the kitchen; 20+ mini-courses, cooked theatrically over fire and served in a darkened room with graf on the walls and a killer playlist – a daring concept Zak likened to ‘a weird gig with food’. Yes, we loved it; but knew we’d only go very, very rarely, because the tasting menu was £180 a head, and the wine flight £120, without service. Now, after nearly 25 years, the Sanchez-Iglesias family is closing Casamia for good on 20 August. Pete has stated that increasing costs have made the business financially unviable, and that “losing just a few covers per service is often the difference between making a profit and making a loss”. In The Caterer, Pete is further quoted as acknowledging that the current version of Casamia “has served some amazing food – imaginative, complex and fun; for me, personally, it’s been a breath of fresh air, and really invigorating to see a restaurant operate so well in such an original way. But in the spirit of creativity, the team and I are ready for a new project.” The family will still retain the Redcliffe site on the ground floor of The General, and they’ve hinted that it may become a more traditional Italian restaurant. “We have great plans for this site to become something new, and a little more accessible, later this year.” “I have very mixed feelings about this,” says Zak Hitchman. “Part of me likes that it couldn’t exist for long, as it fits the concept of rip it up and start again; it would obviously be great if we weren’t all out of a job, though. “I don’t know that a restaurant quite like this will exist again, and we won’t be going out quietly, so come and see it before we close.” For more casamiarestaurant.co.uk
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SMILE LIKE YOU’VE GOT A STRAW IN SOMETHING TROPICAL Hold the Pimms; park the Aperol. Whether you’re looking for a refreshing sundowner, something to lubricate an al fresco lunch, or even a liquid breakfast (we’re not judgy), here’s a bunch of alternative cocktail recipes dreamed up by Bristol’s best mixologists
THE COCONUT TREE The Drunken Sri Lankan
Co-owner Rodrigo Rashinthe shares one of the TCT’s favourite recipes, which in the restaurant comes in a ‘Ruby’ elephant mug. Ruby is a real orphaned elephant in Sri Lanka; every time a customer orders a cocktail made from arrack, part of the profits go towards her care 50ml Ceylon arrack 25ml cointreau 25ml lime juice 25ml turmeric syrup* Can of spicy ginger beer Wedge of lime Add top four ingredients to a shaker with ice, and shake well Strain the mixed liquid into a glass filled with ice, and top up with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime wedge
*To make the turmeric syrup, mix a teaspoon of turmeric with 1:1 sugar syrup (equal parts of sugar and water) thecoconut-tree.com
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COCKTAILS THE RAVEN The Raven Daiquiri
"This simple cocktail was created by Dan Bovey to celebrate The Raven’s fantastic rum, made by the Circumstance distillery right here in Bristol. Bright, fresh, and grassy, it makes what we believe to be a truly superior daiquiri"
BOCABAR Sunblush
"This simple yet punchy cocktail is a tequila-forward short, balanced with sweet and sour notes from fresh strawberries and lemon,” says mixologist Roscoe Ware at Bocabar Paintworks
50ml The Raven Rum 25ml fresh lime juice 15ml 1:1 sugar syrup Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass theravenbristol.com
40ml tequila blanco 20ml liqueur de framboise 25ml lemon juice 2 strawberries, quartered Muddle strawberries in a Boston glass. Add other ingredients and shake hard with ice. Finestrain into a chilled martini glass; garnish with fresh strawberries and a lemon twist bristol.bocabar.co.uk
COSY CLUB Pineapple & Coconut Mai Tai
Created by mixologist Charlie Dimbleby during one of the Cosy Club’s in-house cocktail competitions
FILTHY XIII Pornstar spritz
“Summertime cocktails are all about staying as fresh as possible, so being light and easy is key to what makes a spritz the ultimate seasonal drink,” says bar owner Ben Alcock 25ml vodka 20ml passion fruit liqueur 10ml Harvey’s Bristol Cream sherry 10ml passionfruit syrup 5ml vanilla syrup 10ml lemon juice Soda water Passion fruit wedge Shake first six ingredients together, top with soda water and garnish with the passionfruit wedge filthyxiii.com
50ml Mount Gay Black Barrel rum 25ml Bristol Syrup Company falernum syrup 25ml Bristol Syrup Company pineapple and coconut syrup 25ml lime juice Optional garnish: pineapple leaf Add ice to glass. Put all ingredients into a shaker, and shake hard Single-strain into glass over ice, and garnish cosyclub.co.uk
GAMBAS Miel picante
The name means ‘spicy honey’ in Spanish, says mixologist Ander Mendive. Add as much hot sauce and paprika as you can take! 40 ml tequila blanco 15ml manzanilla sherry 5 drops hot sauce (or to taste) 20ml blossom honey syrup 1 lime, freshly squeezed Pinch smoked spicy paprika To garnish: fresh chilli pepper
THE CANTEEN Espresso Martini
“Using just two ingredients, both Bristol-brewed, our Espresso Martini is an impressively simple summer cocktail,” says general manager Liam Stock 75ml 77 black (coffee and vanilla liqueur Double shot of Extract coffee Pour the coffee and vanilla liqueur and double shot of coffee into a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice, and give it a really good shake. Once the shaker is cold, pour your amazing cocktail into a waiting glass. Try to drink it slowly… canteenbristol.co.uk
GOLD BAR AT HARBOUR HOTEL Electric Daisy
According to bar manager Oscar Waters, this refreshing little number makes an idyllic tipple that’s perfect for a summer afternoon. We adore its name 25ml mezcal (or your preferred tequila) 25ml camomile honey 25ml grapefruitcello 25ml lime juice Grapefruit slices Shake and finestrain ingredients into a Collins glass over ice and top up with soda Garnish with a slice or two of grapefruit harbourhotels. co.uk/bristol
Put the tequila, manzanilla, hot sauce, honey syrup, freshly squeezed lime juice and pinch of smoked spicy paprika into a shaker Add some ice and shake for a few second. Pour into a high ball glass full of ice, and decorate with a fresh chilli pepper thecoconut-tree.com
THE MILK THISTLE From Milan with Love – The Quay Head Shakerato
A new Bristolian take on one of the most simple yet elegant serves on the planet, by Sebastiano Fileccia of Milk Thistle, based at Quay Head House “The original Milanese Campari Shakerato consists of one ingredient only: Campari, rapidly shaken to provide aeration until ‘fluffy’. While our Quay Head Shakerato gains its soul from the Milan original, we invite you to swap out proportions of the Campari for your favourite bitter-led spirits. If you’d like to take these concepts further, drop in a handful of fruit; a strawberry and couple of fresh basil leaves go a long way in a Shakerato! If you like sweeter drinks then sugar can be added. “This really is the top home cocktail for me, as it can make use of many things lying around, and the method has such a low margin for error – just a good hard shake and that’s it. As Bristol basks in the sun, we invite you to take in some aperitivo culture and have fun while you’re at it . . .” Original Campari Shakerato 75ml Campari, shaken and strained, served neat
The Quay Head Shakerato 35ml Campari 15ml choice of aperitivo 15ml Amaro Montengro liquer 10ml Bristol Gentian Aperitivo! Co. 1 Dash 1:1 citric acid* Combine, shake, strain and serve neat *1:1 citric acid = add powdered citric acid to boiling water, equal weights. Stir and combine, add to dasher bottle milkthistlebristol.com
COCKTAILS LOKI POKE Easy Summer Orange & Rum Espresso Martini
Mixologist Samuel Livingstone Aird has come up with this super-simple chilled caffeinated summer cocktail in which half the work has been done for you. “The Club Belmont Xpresso Martini is naturally sweetened from the cold water process, making it lower in sugar and alcohol while delivering a fantastic caffeine punch,” says Samuel. “Perfect for summer BBQ’s and picnics with friends”
THE LAST WORD
1 bottle of Cold Brew Xpresso Martini by Club Belmont 20ml of your rum of choice Orange peel, burnt
Geisha
A slinky little number created by bar manager Szilveszter as The Last Word’s July special; “expect fresh, fruity almost blossomlike silky notes,” he says
Shake vigorously until a light foam appears on the top and pour it over lashings of ice, adding a slice of burnt orange peel for some extra coffee orange boozy goodness, lokipokeuk.com
50ml Roku gin 25ml lychee liquor 20ml fresh lime juice 20ml pink grapefruit juice 20ml egg white Lime zest Put top five ingredients into a Boston shaker, including egg, and shake without ice. Add a full shaker of ice, and shake hard to get a nice thick froth. Double strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with grated lime zest thelastwordclifton.co.uk
HYDE & CO
OLD MARKET ASSEMBLY
Solstice
Peach & Elderflower Sparkling Sangria
“Refreshing, original and with a bit of everything: a bit smokey, sweet, sour, fruity, spicy. A good time all over,” says mixologist Dan Winters-González, 30ml tequila (Dan uses Tapatio Blanco) 20ml mezcal (Dan uses Amores Verde) 20ml lemongrass and ginger syrup 2.5ml agave syrup 20ml fresh pineapple juice 15ml fresh lemon Juice 1 dash cardamom bitters Shake hard and strain into a ceramic cup. Garnish with a pineapple leaf and a lemon twist hydeand.co
“Prosecco, peach liquor, elderflower liqueur and apple juice – yummy and sophisticated”, says general manager Amelia Hopkins. This recipe makes a jugful 400ml Prosecco 50ml peach syrup 25ml elderflower liqueur 20ml elderflower cordial 20ml lemon juice 100ml apple juice 100ml soda Half-fill a litre jug with ice, add the Prosecco, peach syrup, elderflower
liqueur and cordial, lemon juice and apple juice. Give it a good stir with a wooden spoon, then top it up with the soda. Stir again, garnish with apples, lime and mint. Gather friends and enjoy! oldmarket assembly.co.uk
No 1 HARBOURSIDE Paloma
“We all love a margarita, but if you ask me a Paloma is just as good!” says general manager Hannah Maskell. “Sweet, sour and refreshing, great for soaking up the summer sun, and still getting one of your five-a-day…” 50ml tequila (Hannah uses Cazcabel Blanco) 50ml grapefruit juice 12.5ml simple sugar syrup 12.5ml lime juice Make the sugar syrup by dissolving sugar in equal amount of water on a low heat (if you make more than you need, store it in the fridge for more cocktails) then leaving to cool Add the tequila, grapefruit juice, sugar syrup and lime juice to a cocktail shaker. And shake! Fill your favourite cocktail glass with ice. Salt half the rim. Strain the cocktail into the chilled glass and top with soda. Garnish with fresh lime, sit back, and sip away. no1harbourside.co.uk
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 41
Rum Cocktails of the month
JULY SPECIALS Revolución de Cuba is a Latininspired cocktail bar & restaurant specialising in tapas and rum, located on Bristol's harbourside.
- Strawberry and Basil Daiquiri - Spiced Pineapple Mojito - Havana Pineapple Punch Shot Board
Visit: Bordeaux Quay, Bristol BS1 5EP. Tel: 0117 456 4981.
Now taking bookings for Christmas parties!
to book visit: revoluciondecuba.com or, email: bookings-bristol@revoluciondecuba.com
Welcome to Koocha, a friendly, cosy escape that brings a taste of Persia to Bristol. Experience plant powered food as you never have before. Vegan or not, you’ll love our fresh, colourful and creative dishes. Step inside for a taste of mouth-watering Persian mezze and a signature gin cocktail. Serving lunch and dinner and everything in between, come visit us for good times and great food!
203B Cheltenham Rd, Cotham, Bristol BS6 5QX. koochamezzebar.com | 0117 9241301
FRESH FISH, DELIVERED TO YOU THE CONSCIOUS FOOD CO FISH, THE CONSCIOUS WAY BRISTOL’S #1 SUSTAINABLE FISH SUPPLIER. Get our fabulous fish delivered to your home, in 4 easy steps!
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It could not be simpler...
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tobypinn.co.uk tel: 0117 251 7251 Toby Pinn Ltd REG No: 13117748 VAT No. 368362861
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CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE
Over easy
Same team, same vibe, new gaff: the excellent Burra has a new perch on the Glo Road…
T
his week’s coffee shop of choice proves that while one excellent thing may be all very well and good by itself, it’s even better when there are two of them. Especially when we’re talking cafés. Oh, yeah, baby. Let me explain. A while back, I popped into Burra on Lower Redland Road, co-owned by three chaps from Bristol Bears: Antipodean teammates Jake Heenan and Luke Morahan, and the Bears’ genial head of comms, Tom Tainton. I had a rather lovely time, and wrote a glowing piece about the experience in this column. Turns out I wasn’t the only fan. Things have been going so well that the owners have gone and opened a brand spanking new café up
“The airy welcoming ambience soaks its way into your soul, like sunshine at a garden party”
on Gloucester Road, somewhere between the Royal Oak pub on Ashley Down Road and the Drapers Arms micropub. And if that isn’t enough of a vote of confidence, then know this: they only went and won the Bristol Life Award 2022 for best café. The new edition, also called Burra, has a similar vibe to the original. Friendly smiling staff, brunch-style menu, along with an airy welcoming ambience that soaks its way into your soul, like sunshine at a garden party. There’s the same emphasis on an ethical lifestyle, through dishes created from organic, locally sourced produce. There are brunches, rice bowls and baked goods galore from the likes of Farro, Hobbs and Exploding Bakery; there are even Tim Tams, to comfort the homesick diaspora. When my dining companion and I arrived, we wended our way through a pleasantly bewildering assortment of modest rooms, each joyously filled with comfy stuff, with a kookaburra mural by street artist Nick Harvey on one wall. This place has a real beehive thing going on, Lots of little rooms, each just begging to be explored. We finally settled on a delightfully private space at the back, which turned out to be right next to the kitchen. Which was a treat in itself. As I’ll explain later. The menu was a masterly reworking of the eggs-witheverything dictum. Though, to be honest, that might just have
been my eyes leading me astray. I was definitely in the mood for eggs with something. As was my companion. He cheerfully admitted he had never ever tasted Eggs Benedict. Not anywhere, ever. As it was on the menu, there was only thing to do. We ordered it, and I got some Eggs Royale so I could keep him company. Both of these dishes hit the spot perfectly; they were top-notch and tastetastic. This second café isn’t just a chip off the original block; some of the staff have moved over, too. Turns out, the lovely waitress who took our order was the self-same cheery soul who looked after us on Lower Redland Road. Chatting to her about the loveliness of our lunches, the chef popped his head out of the kitchen. At which point, my companion pounced. Started raving about the food, about how happy he was to be alive just to enjoy such wonders, etc. Luckily, the chef, obviously used to satisfied customers, took it all in his stride. He also mentioned they are doing the occasional supperclub-style evening openings, with seasonal menus, local ingredients and good things on offer. Sounds like my sort of supper. So, if you’re in the market for a bit of Gloucester Road goodness, for some eggs over easy, you know where to go. n Former Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer stancullimore.com
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 45
Reach the best in the west Affluent, active and influential and just a call away
Bristol Life team 01225 475800
DESIGNED WITH CONSIDERATION, INSTALLED WITH CARE
Our Showroom 36: Woodborough Road, Winscombe, Somerset, BS25 1AG Contact us: www.idesigninteriors.co.uk | 01934 844144
RECIPES PHIL HAUGHTON
FARINATA Ubiquitous in Italy, less so in the UK, this pancake-style side recipe is made from nothing more than chickpea flour, water and olive oil, simply flavoured with flaky sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and rosemary. It’s at its best when served warm with a soup, a dip, a salad, antipasti or a stew. Recipe kindly provided by Lou Marchionne This recipe should make two or three farinata Ingredients 250 g chickpea flour (or gram or besan flour) 1 tsp each of sea salt and black pepper (or less depending on your taste) 50–75 ml good extra virgin olive oil 25g or about 4 sprigs of rosemary, leaves only and chopped into the batter. (Save some leaves to top the farinata – they make it look pretty! Or in the summer you could make it with basil) 400 ml sparkling water 2 tbs olive oil for the frying pan
aside to rest for as long as you can, at least 30 minutes. I start making mine the day before I want it and leave it overnight. It starts to ferment which gives it more life and helps it rise in the pan, making it more like bread and less like a pancake. When I used to make this every day at the Better Food deli I used to treat the batter a little like a sourdough. I would always make enough batter to leave some for topping up the next day. The results were a lovely, well risen, bread-like farinata, served warm with soups, stews or salads). 5. When the batter has rested, place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and swirl in the pan to coat the base of the pan evenly. Gently ladle or pour the batter into the pan. It should sizzle. Then sprinkle a few more of the rosemary leaves or chopped basil on top and cook on the stove for about 5 minutes.
2. Put the chickpea flour into a bowl with the sea salt and black pepper. (Farinata needs seasoning well or it will taste bland.) Make a well in the centre, pour in the extra virgin olive oil and then whisk in the water. Then add the chopped herbs.
6. When the farinata lifts easily from the pan using a heatproof spatula, turn it over to cook on the other side. This will only take a few minutes. Alternatively, if the pan is ovenproof, put it on the middle shelf of a hot oven and bake it without turning for about 15 minutes until it is cooked through, is golden brown and will easily lift away from the pan. Or you could try putting it under a medium to hot grill.
3. Mix until you have a smooth batter, then set
8. When cooked, slide the farinata onto a plate
Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
or a board large enough to then slice it, drizzle with a little more oil if you would like. 9. After turning it, you could also top it with cheese or caramelised onions, or both.
Phil Haughton is the founder of Better Food, a group of award-winning stores and cafés in Bristol that specialise in organic, local and ethical food and products. Better Food won Best UK Independent Retailer at the 2021 Soil Association BOOM awards. Phil is also a speaker on the subject of organic farming, and author of the book Food For Thought, from which this recipe is taken. Food for Thought is Phil’s first book. Through a colourful mix of inspiring personal stories, tempting recipes, helpful tips and insightful contributions from 12 thought-leaders and change-makers, Phil shares his passion for organic farming and his mission to create a world where food, nature, business and community can all thrive together in harmony.
For more: betterfood.co.uk
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 47
STAY LOCAL Can’t face airport delays and queues? You don’t have to...
GURT YURTS
BATCH CAMPSITE, WOOD VIEW, THE BATCH, CHURCHILL, WINSCOMBE, NORTH SOMERSET, BS25 5PP TEL: 01934852466 / 07496639508 GURTYURT.CO.UK Reconnect with nature at this unforgettable escape. Tucked away in your own private corner of the meadow, the yurt is an oasis for wildlife. You may be lucky to get a visit from the deer who often amble into the meadow, normally in the morning. You will certainly be serenaded by the wild birds. The yurt has a kingsized brass bed, with Egyptian cotton bedding. The verandah is great for watching the sun sink over Wales at the end of the day, the view is stunning. Next to the yurt is a private washroom with shower, and a bush kitchen, although there are half a dozen great pubs with food within easy walking distance.
BLUESTONE RESORT WALES BLUESTONEWALES.COM
Looking for the best place to go for a short break in the UK? From coastal escapes to beach holidays, Pembrokeshire is one of the best places in the UK for a short break away and Bluestone makes the perfect base to explore this enchanting corner of Wales. Bluestone is a unique place where you can run, play, feast, and enjoy the freedom of the great outdoors, with the people who are special to you. Design your perfect break and explore the range of activities, entertainment, and dining options Bluestone has to offer. Book your adventure today.
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LUCKNAM PARK HOTEL & SPA
COLERNE, CHIPPENHAM, WILTSHIRE, SN14 8AZ TEL: 01225 742777 LUCKNAMPARK.CO.UK As well as 42 enchanting bedrooms, Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa also offers six luxury self-catering cottages, ideal for any staycation. These cottages are perfect for couples or families and are each uniquely designed and dressed in a classic British country style. Guests have access to all Lucknam Park’s facilities including the award-winning spa, equestrian centre, Michelin-starred Restaurant Hywel Jones, The Brasserie and the children’s hideaway. There’s even a helicopter pad should you wish to fly in for the weekend.
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Set in a beautiful honey coloured Georgian Terrace, Hotel Indigo Bath opened its doors in September 2020 after a multimillion-pound major restoration project. The hotel is situated on the peaceful street of South Parade, just steps from the city centre. There are 166 guest rooms designed around five beautiful themes reflecting the history and locality of Bath. Modern and stylish, they reflect the influences of the architects and novelists who made Bath famous for its story telling and passionate social scene. All rooms are equipped with comfy Hypnos beds with luxury Egyptian cotton linen, spa-inspired bathrooms, Nespresso coffee machines, high speed Wi-Fi and a variety of channels on a 40” flat screen TV. Within the building sits “The Elder”, an exciting restaurant from multi-award-winning West Country restaurateur Mike Robinson.
Whatley Manor is a grown-up getaway in the heart of the Cotswolds. Come on in and discover a whole new relaxed and enjoyable experience. Try the innovative tasting menu with specially selected wines in The Dining Room, our Michelin-starred restaurant headed up by Executive Chef Ricki Weston. Or enjoy a relaxing evening in Grey’s Restaurant. Immerse yourself in tranquillity at Aquarias Spa, with luxurious treatments, and the soothing ambience of the Thermal Suite. Take a dip in the hydrotherapy pool, or explore our 26 individual garden rooms, where you can escape to the Bird Hide or find a quiet spot on the river bank.
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 49
Come and Fly With Us Champagne Balloon Flights over Bristol, Bath, and Gloucestershire
Book The Experience of a Lifetime with Sky High Ballooning
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Escape to the Cotswolds this Summer Food bursts with flavour. Choose either the Michelin starred restaurant ‘The Dining Room’, or for a slightly less indulgent experience try Grey’s Restaurant. Unwind with a pre-dinner drink on the terrace this Summer. Enjoy luxurious treatments in Aquarias Spa, and take a leisurely stroll around the 12 acres of English country gardens. Whatley Manor welcomes children from the age of 12 and is dog friendly.
Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa Easton Grey Malmesbury SN16 0RB whatleymanor.com
DAZY BUCKET HAT, £19.99 (IN SALE) Off to see your favourite Britpoppers? Nothing encapsulates the attitude of the 1990s quite like a bucket hat. More prosaically, it keeps the sun out of your eyes From Cooshti, 57 Park Street; cooshti.com
FIELD OF DREAMS
MERI MERI TASSEL GARLAND, £18 Long (8ft) cotton twisted rope hung with colourful wool tassels; hang in the garden for instant festival vibes From Mon Pote, 217a North Street monpote.co.uk
SORUKA BAG, £48 Call it a cross-body bag, call it a bum bag; it’ll come in just as handy at a barbecue as a festival field, or in any other situation where you need both hands free From Frankly, Unit5, Cargo Frankly.store
How to get instant festival chic – even if you have absolutely no intention of setting foot in one
GREEN FLAME SUNGLASSES, £16 A fun statement for a day party or festival; or just wear them on the regular. Nobody in Stokes Croft will bat an eyelid From That Thing, 45-47 Stokes Croft thatthing.co
TEVA ORIGINAL UNIVERSAL SANDALS, £44.99 Travel in comfort, from the city streets to the festival field to the beach; the rubber sole gives optimum balance whatever you’re up to From Ellis Brigham 160 Whiteladies Road ellis-brigham.com
52 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
SAVANNAH KIMONO, £79 Does anything say ‘boho chic’ more persuasively than a kimono? With its bold red florals, cut to a boxy silhouette with short sleeves and side splits, we see you slinging this over cut-offs and a bikini top From Mint Velvet, 44 Regent Street mintvelvet.co.uk
ED’S CHOICE WATER BOTTLE, £30 Made with the environment in mind, 24 Bottles offset their production CO2 by planting trees. We particularly like how the glossy finish enhances the greens of the leaves and gold of the lid in this design From Fig 1, Unit 9, Gaol Ferry Steps; fig1.co.uk
GIMAGUAS ONE-SHOULDER KNITTED TOP, £120; SHORTS, £100 Beach, festival or back yard? All three, obviously. Suitable for office wear, even, provided that you’re working from home From Harvey Nichols 27 Philadelphia Street harveynichols.com
FOLK SHIRT, £135 Crafted from 100% linen, in a boxy fifties style, with a unique print design by artist Damien Poulain From Maze, 26-28 The Mall; mazeclothing.co.uk
HELINOX INCLINE FESTIVAL CHAIR, £109.99 Be the envy of your mates with this portable chair; perfect for festivals, with a roll-top sling bag designed to carry it along with other essentials From Ellis Brigham 160 Whiteladies Road ellis-brigham.com
ECOSTARDUST BIODEGRADABLE GLITTER, FROM £7 If you’re going to dazzle, dazzle sustainably with this plant-based alternative to plastic; it biodegrades in the natural environment within weeks, helping you to #GlitterWithoutTheLitter. All imaginable hues available From ecostardust.com
RAE OF SUNSHINE CAMPERVAN, £130 PER NIGHT Tent v van? No contest. This lush ex-courier van to hire has graphics by Bristol artist Sophie Rae, a modern farmhouse-style interior and a woodburning stove From quirkycampers.com
IZIPIZI SUNGLASSES, £40 High-quality, lightweight sunglasses, in yellow for a bit of an edge. When you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine From Grace & Mabel, 32 The Mall graceandmabel.co.uk
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 53
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
CIAO BELLA
If you’re looking for an antiageing boost, but don’t fancy the full nip-tuck, it’s fillers all the way, reckons Deri Robins
I
strongly believe there is zero obligation for any woman to fight the ageing process. Nobody should feel pressured to correspond to some Instagram ideal of youthfulness or beauty. (By the way, I’d also quite like it if the phrase ‘beach ready’ could be banned by law.) I also believe that if a woman wants to undergo procedures in an attempt to hold back the years, there should be no opprobrium there, either. It’s not rocket science: women should be allowed do whatever they want to their
own faces and bodies, and nobody else has the right to comment. The only problem is deciding how far is far enough; that, too, is a personal decision. I’ve often asked myself how much ‘work’ I’d have done, if money and downtime were not an issue. Has any woman over a certain age not looked in the mirror, and briefly pulled the skin back from their temples and chin, to see the tightening effect a little nip-tuck would achieve? Would I undergo a procedure involving a skilled surgeon wielding a scalpel, if one was offered to me on a plate?
Umm, yes, possibly, a tiny one; probably. But it’s way out of my budget, and I’d use up all my holiday allowance to recover. However, since my 40s I have enthusiastically embraced a host of smaller tweaks – a bit of Botox here, a touch of coolsculpting there. I have a no-tolerance approach to grey roots, and recently had my eyebrows microbladed, an effect I love. But perhaps my favourite lift of all is that offered by fillers. Fillers are amazing. When done by a medically trained practitioner – never risk having them done by, say, a nail technician who offers them as a sideline – the results can be transformative. Impressed by the accolades on their website, I set off to visit Ciao Bella, which has just expanded into a second branch on Downend Road after a successful first opening in Wrington. The feel and look of the clinic is reassuring; stylish, calm and classy. I’m also happy to learn that they specialise in ‘the natural harmonisation of the face’ – no Donatella Versace-style trout pouts here. Ciao Bella was founded by Harley Street cosmetic injectable trainer and nurse, Alexandria Henderson, in 2010. It’s the only nurse-led clinic in the South West to hold Care Quality Commission Registration. I explained to Alex that the parts of my face I most disliked were the ‘smoker’s’ lines over my lips; most unfair, given that I’ve
never smoked a ciggie in my life; maybe I just spent too many years scowling at small children. Alex suggested a peri-oral rejuvenation treatment; a nonsurgical procedure that can give your mouth a more youthful appearance through injecting hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers into soft tissue, to repair and fill out lines, wrinkles and folds, replace lost volume, restore natural contours and shape to the face and enhance the lips. Alex concentrated mainly on my lips; with these nicely plumped, the skin around my mouth – the dreaded smoker’s lines, and to some extent the ‘marionette’ lines that run from the corner of my mouth to the chin – would be lifted, giving a softening effect. I’m not going to lie; the procedure is not entirely painless, but thanks to numbing cream it’s far from being unendurable, and it really doesn’t take very long. And while my lips initially looked swollen, that only lasted a day; I can now reap the rewards of feeling younger-looking and fresher-faced for at least 18 months. After which I can almost guarantee that I’ll be back knocking on Alex’s door. . . n
“When done by a medically trained practitioner, fillers can be transformative ”
Ciao Bella Aesthetics, 32A Downend Road; ciaobellaaesthetics.co.uk My peri-oral rejuvenation treatment cost £499; laser treatments, body sculpting, medical procedures and many other treatments are also available
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 55
To mark Bristol Pride month, we celebrate a local rugby team offering a safe and open environment for gay, straight and bisexual individuals to participate in sport – regardless of age, ability, experience or sexual orientation
© DAN REGAN
PRIDE ON THE PITCH
B
ristol Pride is back in all its full rainbowfuelled glory this month, with two weeks of events. It all kicked off on 25 June, and continues to build to Pride Day on the Downs and the Parade on 9 July. We all know what to expect from the programme – the Dog Show, Comedy Night, Circus Night, Theatre Night, Queer Vision Film Festival, the glittertastic gigs and parties, etc – so this year we thought we’d zero in on one particular community: rugby club Bristol Bisons. The Bisons were the South West’s first inclusive and queer-friendly rugby team, and have been providing a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community to play the sport for the past 17 years. They currently have over 70 players from across the South West – including Daryn McCombe and Bernie Francis. “Having moved to Bristol from London, I didn’t know a huge number of people outside work,” says Daryn. “I’d also got pretty out of shape in my
BRISTOL PRIDE twenties and early thirties. I’d enjoyed rugby at school, so after 20 years of not playing I decided to give it a shot, and turned up to an open Bristol Bisons session back in August 2019. “The coaches, team and committee were really welcoming and friendly. Since then I’ve made some great friends, had lots of fun, and improved my fitness. The team is a great way to get into organised sport, with people from all walks of life and varying degrees of rugby experience here to help you learn and have fun.” Bernie, as it happens, is another DFL. “I’d recently moved to Bristol, and with it being a new year at the time, I thought joining the Bristol Bisons was a great way to meet some new queer people and learn a new skill and get fit. It was the best decision I’ve made. I love that I now have this massive found family that have got my back through thick and thin, always encouraging me to grow, develop and learn new things…” Head to bisonrfc.co.uk or @bisonsrfc on social for more info about coming along or joining.
“It’s a misconception that you have to be big to play rugby” from top: Daryn
McCombe and Bernie Francis
FANCY JOINING THE HERD?
Here are some of the questions frequently put to the club – and more importantly, the answers… Do I have the right body type for rugby? Yes! Everybody does! It’s a common misconception that you have to be BIG to play rugby. We have players of all body shapes and sizes, there’s a position on the pitch for everyone and you won’t be pushed into
playing full contact if you don’t feel able to. Safety is our priority and you will be coached with the applicable skills to play when you feel ready. Do I need previous rugby experience to join? No! We welcome individuals with different levels of experience with a rugby ball… Do I have to join at the start of the season? No! We welcome new players all season round. Just come along to a training session that works
for you if you want to become part of the herd. I’m not sure that I’m ready for full contact rugby . . . Don’t worry; you will not be expected to play full contact rugby until you and the coaching team believe you’re ready for it. During training we will aim to build your confidence and technique, so you can play rugby safely. Why do inclusive rugby clubs exist? Inclusive teams exist as a way of ensuring that all who want to play rugby have a chance to take
part. We aim to promote equality and diversity, in particular, the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or identification. What kit will I need for my first session? We get that rugby kit can be expensive so it’s best to see if rugby is for you before buying all the gear! You don’t need rugby boots or a gum shield for your first training sessions. Trainers, shorts, and a top that you would wear to the gym will be fine.
BRISTOL PRIDE
“Bristol Pride has a special place in my heart; being able to walk in the parade with all my friends and family and feel so much like part of the wider Bristol LGBTQ+ community. It’s been a joy to see how much it’s grown from 2013 in Castle Park to one of the best prides in the world up on the Downs!” – Bernie “I first went to Bristol Pride back in 2010 with LGBT+ Labour when I lived in London; it was definitely a much smaller event back then, but it’s been great to go along every year it’s been able to run since, and it’s great to be able to go now as a resident in the city. “Aside from Pride Day (and night) being an amazing party, one of the highlights for me has been taking my two sons along during the day with my partner Chris – it’s great that there’s an opportunity for LGBT+ families to be visible in the community, but also to the wider world, and it’s fab how Bristol Pride is really rooted in the community: the boys’ school held a Pride Parade, and a special Pride edition of the school podcast, which really shows how Bristol Pride has influenced the city.” – Daryn
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 59
WORK IT OUT Sure, working at home is amazing in many ways; but sometimes you need the company and support of likeminded people to get you through the day . . . By Deri Robins
MAIN PIC AND INSET: Engine Shed generates income
to run projects which deliver growth, inclusion and sustainability. Dogs also welcome . . .
CO-WORKING
T
he pandemic altered the world forever; and perhaps the biggest change of all was the shift from mandatory 9-5 office attendance to a more flexible approach. In one seismic shift, many companies moved to a working-from-home, or at least a hybrid, model. But not everyone rejoices in a solitary working environment, and many home workers have discovered the benefits of something that freelancers and small businesses have embraced for years: coworking with likeminded people, at one of Bristol’s numerous co-working hubs. So how do you pick the right one for you? We just made the search a little easier . . .
ENGINE SHED
Brunel’s Old Station, Station Approach, Redcliffe engine-shed.co.uk An event venue, office and coworking space with a difference, Engine Shed generates income to run projects which deliver growth, inclusion, and sustainability for the economy and the next generation. “Like many coworking spaces, we saw a dip in demand during the lockdowns,” says marketing manager Tamsin Denbigh, “but we made sure our private offices and coworking spaces remained open as much as possible to support freelancers, start-ups and SMEs who didn’t have a work base elsewhere. Demand has really ramped up in the last six months, and our co-working spaces are buzzing again with individuals and teams.” What’s on offer?
Our Arrivals Lounge offers 18 fixed desks. We also offer coworking in our Members’ Lounge and Platform 14 areas, where you can book a table by the hour or day, with no pre-booking required. Platform 14 is also dog-friendly. What makes you special?
Engine Shed was designed to stimulate interactions across different industries and disciplines, from entrepreneurs to academics. Coworkers find themselves genuinely connected at the heart of regional innovation. They get additional support with free membership of Engine Shed’s Business Lounge, and get discounts on hire of our meeting room and event spaces. Which sectors work out of your offices?
There’s no particular sector but the community tends to align around businesses built on innovation for positive societal impact. How important is after-hour socialising?
Really important, and our tenants affirm this. We’re working hard to bring the social back into Engine Shed, with regular events and meetups including our new Get Up Start-Up event, which is a fun twist on pitching with karaoke! Did you work with any local firms to create your office?
Childs Sulzmann Architects adapted the Grade-I building, designed by Isambard Brunel, into a collaborative space for innovation.
“Coworkers find themselves genuinely connected at the heart of regional innovation” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 61
CO-WORKING part of the Park Street community, we have discounts in several local shops. Which sectors work out of your offices?
We have a wide variety of sectors; remote workers, sole traders and charities. How important is after-hours socialising?
We welcome networking companies and events and have already connected several people through our coworking environment. Did you work with any local firms to create your office?
We worked with Joseph Studios, a non-profit company who upcycle furniture, to build our benches and pods.
GATHER ROUND
above and opposite page: Gather Round, doing what it says on the tin, and a light-drenched working space inset: A groovy stairwell at Origin
ETHICAL PROPERTY
Streamline at Paintworks; Brunswick Court; St Pauls Learning Centre; ethicalproperty.co.uk Ethical workspace to impact organisations across the UK. “Demand for space has been strong; we stayed open throughout lockdown as so many of our tenants provide vital services to the residents of Bristol,” says head of marketing Deborah Hughes. “Those who did work from home during lockdown really value the fact that our centres are full of likeminded organisations and the chance to collaborate. Zoom was brilliant, but real people coming together is unbeatable.” What’s on offer?
We have three locations in Bristol, offering everything from single desk space through to space that makes an impressive HQ. All are built so that people can come together to make real and positive change. What makes you special?
We’re one of the UK’s most popular choices within the third sector for workspace, and for those working within social impact; this mixes well with our more commercial tenants, who tend to be B-Corps. We offer so much more than just a workspace – synergy opportunities, meeting rooms and onsite facilities are all included in the service charge – so no need to find extra budget for meeting space when you need it. Does any particular sector work out of your offices?
Most of our tenants are amazing
62 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
changemakers, wanting to make a real difference to society and the planet.
How important is after-hours socialising?
Our spaces are designed for collaboration from the very start, which leads to a supportive environment. Access to online platforms allows tenants to connect; we also have newsletters across all our centres.
Did you work with any local firms to create your office?
For Streamline at the Paintworks, we wanted to get a vibrant feel to the building, and worked with Interaction.
Brunswick Square, and The Cigar Factory in Southville; gather-round.co Built by creatives, for creatives; a growing family of workspaces, designed to foster a positive community of likeminded people through an open and supportive culture. “Working from home can be lonely and particularly in the creative industries, it can lead to fatigue and burnout,” says head of marketing, Nathalie Crease. “It’s not surprising that since the end of restrictions we’ve seen an increase in people looking for somewhere to work away from home.” What’s on offer?
Desks and standing benches that can be set out as our members like. We also have small pods and a boardroom table for larger meetings. The venue can be hired 24/7 for events. The flexibility is enormous, with a cost of only £1.50 an hour per person.
Our spaces are designed around the needs of those who work within the creative industries. Together, they’re home to over 150 creative professionals working in flexible areas with fixed and casual desks, private studios, meeting rooms, studios, hangout areas, communal kitchen, quiet rooms and event spaces. None of our memberships involve lengthy tie-ins or faffy extras. We also introduced a new parttime flexi-membership at Brunswick Square, for those who enjoy a hybrid way of working.
Not only do you benefit from a BS1 address, you can sell goods and host events; we even had a CIC selling Christmas trees in December. As
As creatives ourselves, we know what makes a great workspace. No indoor caravans, TARDIS-style meeting rooms or artificial
ORANGE TREE HUB
51 Park Street; theorangetreehub.com Independent workspace with a collaborative network of freelancers, and small businesses in the city centre. “The pandemic has certainly increased the demand for remote working solutions, but highlighted some of the drawbacks of being at home for both work and home life – and local remote working appears to be the solution,” says founder Nicola Walther. What’s on offer?
What makes you special?
What makes you special?
“No indoor caravans, TARDIS-style meeting rooms or artificial grass in sight; just thoughtfully designed spaces”
CO-WORKING grass in sight; just thoughtfully designed spaces. We provide the right ingredients for creative professionals to flourish; we’ve had businesses born from Gather Round and creative collaboration between people is a natural part of everyday working. Does any particular sector work out of your offices?
Filmmakers, designers, writers, publishers, art consultants, brand strategists, photographers and more... an eclectic and talented bunch.
Did you work with any local firms to create your office?
Working with local and sustainable suppliers was high on our priority list. The Cigar Factory’s Sun Room is fitted with bespoke wallpaper by Katie Pieczenko; at Brunswick Square, the Swyft sofa beckons, with textural artwork from Judi Archer hanging directly above.
ORIGIN WORKSPACE
40 Berkeley Square; originworkspace.co.uk Flexible, ethically minded, beautifully appointed spaces geared to those working in the professional services. “With many businesses now adopting a hybrid way of working due to the pandemic, the demand for coworking spaces has changed,” says Emma Durkin. “At Origin, we believe that offering a flexible and adaptable approach is key to attracting and retaining members.”
What’s on offer?
A range of premium workplace options in a great central location. Private offices, coworking spaces with dedicated desks and hot desks, and a large lounge with ergonomically designed desks and chairs. We offer all-inclusive packages with no hidden costs. As well as of meeting rooms, there’s a presentation suite that can be arranged into a variety of styles, and an event space that can easily fit 300 guests. We have two roof terraces; the largest can be booked for around 40 people. We also offer our spaces ad hoc for people who just require a desk for a day. What makes you special?
Our environmental credentials include 90 solar panels and natural ventilation. Our coffee comes from local companies Clifton Coffee and True Start, both fully focused on ethical sourcing. We have a fully equipped gym and offer a range of classes. We are proud to be the home of Origin Startup. Start-up businesses include All About The Cooks, Where The Wild Is, Gympanzies, and Inkwell are based here. Which sectors work out of your offices?
Professional services, including a large number from the property and creative sectors. How important is after-hours socialising?
Incredibly important, with a full events calendar, including a breakfast buffet every Tuesday, happy hour at the end of every month, fortnightly mindfulness classes, and a running group for the Bristol 10k. Did any local firms create your office?
It was a conscious decision to choose local suppliers such as J4 Projects, 21st century Building, Studio Cwtch, Workspace and AHR Architects.
“We’re passionate about Bristol and it’s been so exciting to see all the coworking communities grow here”
ABOVE: The Origin roof terrace –
where do we sign, please?
meeting rooms etc, we’ve been really busy.” What’s on offer?
Flexible packages, from serviced private offices to hot-desking day passes and everything in between. Highspec meeting rooms and conference spaces, super-fast Wi-Fi, complimentary tea and coffee and reprographics and mail and phone services. We’re also dog-friendly. Members are also members of the Square Club, which gives access to the club’s restaurant and bar; freshly prepared food can be delivered to your desk from the Square Kitchen. They can also attend any of the club’s many events and networking opportunities.
© EVOKE PICTURES
© REBECCA FAITH PHOTOGR APHY
What makes you special?
Which sectors work out of your offices?
ABOVE: Time out at Runway East; RIGHT: Work hard, play hard at Square Works BELOW: Endless opportunities to connect at Square Works
RUNWAY EAST
Temple Meads, 101 Victoria Street, Redcliffe; Bristol Bridge, I Victoria Street; runwayea.st Flexible office space; ideal for growing teams. “The lockdowns were really hard for our members, as they were on most small businesses,” says Catherine Shepherd. “But there’s been a massive boost in demand since they finished. Businesses seem to be craving a flex space offering that also provides great social benefits.” What’s on offer?
Two Bristol sites are right in the centre of the city: our Bristol Bridge across the river from Castle Park, and our Temple Meads site. Both offer a range of flexible memberships including fully customisable private offices and shared coworking spaces. They also have plenty of stylish breakout spaces and access to meeting rooms. What makes you special?
Our community team pulls out all the stops with our famous social events. Members also love our dog-friendly spaces. Our Bristol Bridge site is a stone’s throw from St Nick’s Market with a rooftop terrace and views of the river from our enormous café and event space. At the other end of Victoria Street, our Temple Meads space is ideal for commuters; we’ve just opened a swanky new bar area there as well. Does any particular sector work out of your offices?
From coffee-makers and marketing agencies to tech whizzes and video studios, our members
cover a whole range of industries; there’s always someone interesting to chat to.
How important is after-hours socialising?
Our community is a social bunch and we think it’s really important to provide a space for people to let loose after a hard day at work (or during, we don’t judge). In addition to our ping-pong table and table football, events are organised month by month.
Have you seen any other workspaces that have inspired you?
Just across the road from our Temple Meads site is the famous OVO energy office with a very cool slide that we’re dying to try out…
Did you work with any local firms to create your office?
We try to work with as many local suppliers as possible, including Interaction, UrbanCleaning, Bristol IT, Enviromech and Tandy. One of our own members, TrueStart, supplies all our coffee and is currently working on a custom Runway Roast.
SQUARE WORKS
17-18, Berkeley Square; squareworksbristol.com Tailor-made, flexible packages, in an elegant Georgian square. “There were challenges caused by lockdown,” says Nicola Heaney, “but we found more and more people craved connections and a productive environment. Plus, people and businesses are now working more flexibly, which means that by having the option to expand and contract, add on hot desks,
It’s a real mixture, but the majority of members are from the creative industries: we have film and TV productions, writers, designers, music editors, web developers, tech start-ups . . .
How important is after-hours socialising?
We place a huge significance on providing opportunities for our members to connect. We also provide a range of activities to help improve wellbeing, from creative crafts to meditation, members’ parties and all the events at the Square Club. What other workspaces inspired you?
We’ve taken inspiration from spaces like Soho House in London as we © EVOKE PICTURES also have a private members club. We’re passionate about Bristol and it’s been so exciting to see coworking communities grow here. Did you work with any local firms to create your office?
We used our in-house Bristol-based team to do the design, build and source, and local suppliers as much as possible – electricians, plumbers, plasterers all local to Bristol. Konk furniture is Bristol-based and most of our art is by Jim Starr. ■
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 65
SPONSORED CONTENT
WORK IN PROGRESS Office interior specialist KERR OFFICE GROUP has unveiled its latest office design project at Clifton Heights
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ocated on Clifton Triangle, the project involved a redesign of two third-floor suites, totalling 2,700 square foot office space, and has transformed the offices to fit the needs of the modern business, with over half of the floorplan now dedicated to collaborative and breakout spaces. Despite a perceived popularity of work-fromhome through the pandemic, according to the Office for National Statistics, 85% of employees want a hybrid approach of both home- and office-working in the future, cementing the importance of an effective office space. Drawing on over 30 years of industry experience, Kerr Office Group has therefore conceptualised a space that accommodates the working styles of today’s employees. The open-plan, third-floor workspace has capacity to facilitate hot desking and collaborative work zones, alongside formal and informal meeting spaces and a relaxing area for moments of headspace. Soft seating, various space dividers and angled flooring break up the space into zones in a fun and quirky way, to avoid the need to build solid walls. The space, which is ideally connected to both the city centre and public transport links, is therefore naturally lit and open. With installation of lowered worktop heights and sinks, as well as benches with side-seating that can be pulled out for wheelchair access, the versatile space, which includes reception and waiting areas, is fully accessible for all. “Reimagined to suit companies stepping out 68 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
from business incubators, or serviced offices, who may not be ready to sign a 10-year lease on a new HQ, this project forms the perfect stepping-stone for Bristol’s creative industries and growing tech cluster,” says Alex Kerr, CEO of the Kerr Office Group. “Employees need a workspace that can deliver a diverse range of work types, and businesses want to facilitate the bringing together of their teams post-pandemic. We foster collaboration and the galvanisation of relationships with the aim of powering business growth, while reinforcing our shared purpose and values with our clients.” The project was commissioned directly by the landlord of Clifton Heights who desired a ‘plugand-play’ space to attract start-ups and SMEs in the South West. Acting under the guidance of commercial property agent Avison Young, who identified the rise in requests for ready-to-work space in the region, the landlord selected Kerr Office Group as the partner to deliver on the perfect hybrid working space brief. “We’re delighted to be working with Kerr Office Group on this project,” said Paul Williams, director at Avison Young. “Changes in workplace trends have been accelerated by the pandemic and we’re pleased to be able to offer a workspace which meets the demands of Bristol’s growing start-up and SME community.” The project in Clifton Heights has been designed to accommodate two businesses, but the flexibility is there for one business to occupy the whole floor. n
ABOUT KERR OFFICE GROUP With over 30 years of experience, Kerr Office Group is renowned for developing inspirational and successful workspaces and commercial environments. Founded by managing director Jonathan Kerr in 1986, Kerr Office Group is one of the UK’s top office interior specialists, providing first-rate design, fit-out and consultancy services for clients across the UK including Bechtle, [Here], Dyson, Vectura and Costa. As a B1G1 (Buy 1 Give 1) Business for Good, Kerr Office Group supports charitable causes locally, nationally, and internationally by donating a profit percentage towards initiatives that align with company values. From Manchester to Malta, Swindon to Switzerland, Kerr Office Group operates across a variety of sectors including technology, healthcare, and logistics, delivering environments that improve working lives.
Kerr Office Group 6 Glenmore Business Park, Southmead Close, Swindon SN5 7FP Phone: 01793 611900 Email: sales@koguk.com
SPONSORED CONTENT
FINDING SPACES FOR MEETING FACES Human connection is more important than ever before. So, whether you’re arranging an informal team catch up, hosting a corporate soirée, or a business-changing pitch, choose from a range of flexible meeting spaces and breakout areas at ORIGIN WORKSPACE MEETING ROOMS
PRESENTATION SUITE
Our small, medium and large meeting rooms can be arranged in a variety of layouts and are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and conference calling. Book in to accommodate training days or create an assessment centre in multiple rooms for your team. In need of refreshments? We’ve got that covered. Every booking includes complimentary hot drinks and biscuits to keep you going throughout the day.
Overlooking the beautiful Berkeley Square Gardens, our presentation suite can accommodate 20 to 60 guests. Choose from theatre, classroom, boardroom or cabaret in this light-filled, expertly equipped space. Our comfortable seating and desks make team member participation easy. Want to leave a personal touch? Our lecturn can be branded with your company logo or message.
ROOF TERRACE Located in the heart of Bristol with sweeping views of the city, our roof terrace is perfect for those looking to bring people together in a unique and adaptable outside space. So if you’re searching for somewhere to host a lunchtime gathering or perhaps an afternoon drinks soirée, our rooftop terrace is the perfect place to spend time building relationships with colleagues or clients.
EVENT SPACE You have the freedom to transform Origin Workspace into an elegant event venue for a range of get-togethers. Three linked rooms make up our stylish indoor event space. The lobby, lounge and presentation areas, located on the ground floor can be used separately, or as one for larger corporate functions. ■
Come and see for yourself what life is like at Origin Workspace by joining us for a day. originworkspace.co.uk | 0117 440 0400 www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 71
SURF’S UP
At our Bristol Life business club on 24 May, Nick Hounsfield of The Wave explained how he turned a dream into a successful new attraction for Bristol – the first inland surfing destination of its kind in the world . . .
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BRISTOL LIFE BUSINESS CLUB
he Wave basically took a slice of the ocean and put it in some fields just north of Bristol. This sounds an ambitious, and indeed a somewhat implausible plan, but it was something to which founder Nick Hounsfield was committed. Surfing inland, on a huge pool in the middle of prime pastureland was Nick’s dream; he wanted to create a place where people could get outdoors, be active and connect with themselves and each other. And to do it on surf – even though the connectors might be quite a long way from the seaside. And so the idea of The Wave slowly took shape. Easter Compton, just beyond Bristol, was chosen as the location of what turned out to be a very big engineering feat. Nick was partly inspired by a scene that took place as his father was dying. “I made a vow to him that I would do something that’d be a bit bonkers, a bit out-there. He wasn’t a risk-taker, you see. So, weirdly, at that moment, I was relieved of the person who would be looking over my shoulder saying, ‘You really shouldn’t be doing that’; that was really liberating, while at the same time utterly soul-destroying.” To honour his father’s dying wishes, Nick undertook to find a way of “fundamentally bringing a lot of health and happiness to people”. It has taken ten years of his life, during which time he’s had to clear many hurdles – if that isn’t mixing sporting metaphors too liberally. “I had absolutely no idea what it was, or on what scale it would be,”he says. “But it was a promise, I guess, to do something in my dad’s honour. From that the whole thing just grew.” There are distinct advantages of surfing inland: in Easter Compton, unlike Australia,
you don’t have to say things like “My passion for surfing is greater than my fear of sharks.” Nick wants The Wave to feel authentic, but not that authentic. And for that matter, there are no ripetides on the pastureland of Gloucester, or sharp rocks. Just dependable waves where people can bid each other to “Hang ten, dude”. Nick was first introduced to surfing by his father in the 1970s during visits to Cornwall, and he’s been a passionate surfer ever since. But unlike some surfer dudes, Nick has always had a day job; with a BSc from the British School of Osteopathy, he founded The Family Practice with his wife Juliana. The Wave wasn’t all plain sailing, to add a further maritime metaphor into the mix. “I did zero analysis into the business end of things. I wrote my first business plan on the back of a pad. When I look at it now, I just cringe. It was sketchy, but then maybe that’s what business plans should be – something that sets your soul on fire; a compelling vision of what you want to achieve in the world. “In the early days of fundraising, I was moonlighting, still working as an osteopath. I’d built up a good association with my patients, and couldn’t hide what I was up to with this new idea. So we made a call really early on – the right call, as it turned out – to go really, really public. People bought into the vision and would say, right, that’s amazing. Why would you not build it; why would you go against something like that?” There was a cunning element to this strategy, although not pre-planned. “This was actually before we said where it was going to be built, so it took away the NIMBY-ism of it. “People were coming see me. In fact, the situation developed where people booked in to have an appointment to hear about what I was going to be doing. They’d say things like, my son’s an accountant, my husband’s a lawyer, or whatever –
“Maybe that’s what business plans should be – something that sets your soul on fire”
THE WAVE
The Wave opened in November 2019, just in time for Covid. Over a decade in the making, this feat of watery engineering cost close to £30 million; slightly at variance to Nick Hounsfield’s original estimate, on the back of his notepad, of two million quid. Perfect, rolling surfing waves – up to 1,000 an hour – curl out of a hub, controlled by “wave DJs” into a lake that is “about five or six times the size of an Olympic swimming pool”. Waves come out on two sides of the glassy, fan-shaped pool, bisected by a viewing platform. So if you only like to surf if nobody’s watching, you’re out of luck. The regularity of the waves makes it accessible for those with disabilities. “Adaptive surfing is at the very core of what we wanted to deliver,” Nick says. Then, of course, there’s the après surf. The clubhouse is a buzzing place of beers and burgers, and glamping is available if you want to stay over and catch the first waves in the morning. You won’t need to check the forecast. You know the waves will be there. But just one thing. The water here is just as cold as at the seaside – it is not heated. So don’t expect Hawaii-type balminess…
so steadily that network came to life. “It was a weird six to twelve months, moonlighting between my old world and a new world that could possibly come about.” Nick joined forces with Craig Stoddart, a friend and businessman, to help bring together the overall team required, and to secure the sizeable investment needed. It was a rollercoaster journey of resilience and determination, but eventually the dream became a reality – perfect, consistent waves rolled across a Bristol field for the first time. Nick believed it would be popular from the outset. “I’m so tapped into the surfing community, the Bristol community, so I knew we’d have people there on day one, day two, day three. Then it was about us making sure we were accessible to all people – different pricings, different communities. “I knew that the core audience of surfers is pale, male and stale. In other words, our main audience was going to be white, middle-class men. But I told the Wave team if it just became a white middle-class playground, we’d have failed. “We want to look at breaking down those culture barriers, those gender barriers, disability barriers, so that we can absolutely create a diverse audience. It’s about sharing incredible experiences with anyone who wants to enjoy them, in a naturally healthy space, while having a shedload of fun. That includes people who may often feel excluded by disability, illness, age, gender, background, income, fears or pressures to conform. “Our motto is always: all ages, all backgrounds and all abilities. If we achieve that, or makes strides towards that, then to me that will be a success.” For more thewave.com
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 75
It’s the city’s business
BRISTOLWORKS Enter, stage left
The Big Number
£95M
As Tom Morris prepares to step down as artistic director of Bristol Old Vic, the theatre announces his successor: Nancy Medina, who takes up the role next spring
The funding boost secured by Bristol Temple Quarter – more in our next issue bristol.citizenspace.com
Nancy Medina INSET, Tom Morris
NANCY MEDINA
O PHOTO BY BEN ROBINS
ver the past 12 years, Tom Morris has steered Bristol Old Vic into a new golden age; not only overseeing the theatre’s magnificent multimillion refurbishment, but through creating superb productions, many of which have transferred to the West End and beyond. Big shoes to fill, then, for the theatre’s new artistic director and joint CEO, Nancy Medina. “I feel a great sense of awe and excitement to be embarking on a journey that will contribute to the great legacy of leading England’s oldest working theatre,” says Nancy. “I feel gratitude to be joining the amazing team at Bristol Old Vic, and to further the outstanding work that Tom and Charlotte [Geeves, executive director] have initiated for excellence in creativity, innovation, artist development and engagement with the wider city of Bristol. It will be a great honour to listen, reflect, and engage with the people of Bristol, and together imagine what the future of theatre and the arts can
As a director, Nancy’s recent credits include Moreno (Theatre503), Trouble in Mind (National Theatre), Two Trains Running (Royal & Derngate/ETT), Strange Fruit (Bush Theatre), The Half God of Rainfall (Kiln Theatre/Fuel/ Birmingham Rep), and Yellowman (Young Vic). Her forthcoming production of the world première of The Darkest Part of the Night by Zodwa Nyoni opens at Kiln Theatre on 14 July.
be in this shining city of the South West.” “Nancy is an inspiring visionary, a highly accomplished and award-winning director, and a passionate advocate for Bristol,” said Bernard Donoghue, Chair of Bristol Old Vic. “Her commitment to our ambitions for Bristol Old Vic to be a producing powerhouse, an important civic space for Bristol and the region, and being an accomplice in the work on social justice, diversity, inclusion and equality is clear in everything she does.” “I am delighted that we have appointed Nancy to the role of Artistic Director at Bristol Old Vic,” said vice chair Sado Jirde. “She has worked nationally and internationally to produce plays that engage and enthrall audiences from all walks of society. She is passionate about producing accessible and truthful theatre, and we are extremely excited to be working with her. “At a time in which institutions across the country are looking at the challenging legacies of our history, for Bristol Old Vic to appoint a highly talented Black Latinx woman as artistic director
provides a real opportunity to effect real change in how we express the multiplicity of British identities, experiences, and histories. This is a significant moment in the story of the organisation, and of Bristol’s cultural sector, and Bristol Old Vic is delighted to be at the forefront of this work.” “This is a brilliant appointment made by an outstanding board through a groundbreaking and incisive process,” said Tom Morris. “Nancy is a landmark director at the height of her powers, and a visionary creative leader. Through her own rehearsal rooms and the extraordinary achievement of setting up the Bristol School of Acting, she has established an unmatched reputation in combining radical change with artistic excellence. “To survive and flourish over the next decades, British theatre is going to have to change, and that will need outstanding leadership. Through this appointment, Bristol Old Vic has put itself in the best possible position to be in the vanguard of that process.” For more: bristololdvic.org.uk
Offices in: Henleaze, Whiteladies Road Clifton Village, Shirehampton 0117 962 1205 www.amdsolicitors.com
PRIVATE CLIENT - FAMILY - PROPERTY - COMMERCIAL
FROM LEFT: Terry Wooten, Samantha
Rides, Giles Pushman, Kerry Gilks, Ben Gilks, Jessica Bird, Paige Fillingham, Danni Watts and Holly Grace
OUR JUDGES SAID:
© @JONCR AIG_ PHOTOS
“Rebrand helped power sales up 99% with appliance box numbers soaring. Took a great risk for big reward, and current sales now on track for £13/15m. Thriving.”
BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS 2022 The winner of the Best Retailer Award was NE Appliances – Bristol’s largest independent kitchen supplier. As MD Ben Gilks explains, this is a business with family at its core…
I
RETAILER WINNER n 1982, my dad opened a shop in Nailsea selling appliances and spare parts; in 1988 he opened a second shop on Gloucester Road,” says Ben. “In 2004 I took over the business and added the luxury appliances and kitchens sides to the business. “When the pandemic hit, it became clear that the business needed to adapt to survive. In 2021 I invested in a new e-commerce website and a purpose-built showroom in Hengrove, started delivering nationally, and changed the name from Nailsea Electrical to NE Appliances. “The old name was confusing, as we don’t sell electricals, and are no longer based in Nailsea; we kept the NE, though, to hold on to our heritage. We’ve been NE Appliances for over a year now and so far all the changes have been a huge success. This year we added a showroom for our sister company, 102 Kitchens, to our Hengrove store, which has made us a real onestop shop for kitchens.
What do you most love about working for the company?
I’m carrying on my dad’s business, so it’s important to me that it’s the best it can be while maintaining that family feel. Having good people is key to having a good business; our team is really tight-knit with a good mix of long-standing members of staff alongside talented newcomers. Being a long-standing Bristol business, we also have a loyal customer base, which we work hard to maintain. How does the company engage with the local community?
We have been long-time sponsors of Bristol Bears, and last year the Bristol Army Cadet Force helped us create a display of metal poppies outside the store, which we sold to raise money for the Royal British Legion. What are the biggest challenges facing retail at the moment?
Ensuring we always have enough stock. Costs are also rising across the board, which of course presents a challenge to any business.
78 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
What are your most popular lines and services?
In appliances it changes throughout the year – fridge freezers in the summer, tumble dryers in the winter – but the kitchen side of our business is always busy. What’s the best thing about working in Bristol?
There’s always a good feeling of camaraderie; businesses are always keen to keep their local connections which helps everyone.
“BRISTOL BUSINESSES ARE ALWAYS KEEN TO KEEP THEIR LOCAL CONNECTIONS, WHICH HELPS EVERYONE”
What’s the best bit of business advice you’ve ever been given?
“Don’t do it!” It made me want it more…
What forms of marketing work best for you?
We’re lucky to have a prominent shop-front, which gives us lots of opportunity to catch the eye of passing traffic. Local print advertising works well for us, while more broadly we have invested a lot of time into our online and social presence. What are your long-term plans?
To have a business that is recognised on a national scale as being a serious competitor at the top. We are currently in the top 50 appliances retailers for turnover in the country. I want to strive for top 20 in 3 years. How did it feel to win a Bristol Life Award?
It was a huge honour for us; no matter how much we grow we are a Bristol business at heart and being recognised for our team’s hard work is fantastic. We’ve put the award in pride of place in the entrance to our store. What made 2022 such a good year, and what do you think impressed our judges?
We took a huge risk in 2021, making so many changes to our business, and in 2022 we were able to see those risks pay off hugely. I like to think our achievements really speak for themselves, doubling headcount and turnover after a pandemic while rebranding and launching a new website, our team worked incredibly hard and I am so proud of everything we have achieved. For more: neappliances.com
Reach the best in the west Affluent, active and influential and just a call away
AWARD WINNING LOCAL BUSINESS, PROVIDING JARGON-FREE FINANCIAL ADVICE SINCE 2010. We are an Independent Financial Advisory firm, who help people with planning around Mortgages, Pensions, Investments and Protection to find solutions for you and your family.
Bristol Life team 01225 475800
Visit us: Storage Giant, Suite 9, 821 Bath Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 5NL Tel: 01179 553791 www.elitefinancialconsulting.co.uk
PROPERTY BUILDING THE CIT Y
BEYOND THE BLUE Wapping Wharf as we know it could change dramatically, if new proposals by Umberslade are approved
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hey were only ever designed to be temporary, to test the water(front); and now, after six years, the blue containers of Cargo 1 and 2, which have come to house some of the best restaurants, shops, cafés and bars in the city, are destined to be retired in favour of an ambitious new vision from Wapping Wharf developers Umberslade. Consultation has now begun for Wapping Wharf North – a new scheme that would offer a permanent home for all the Cargo businesses, hundreds of new homes and green public spaces. Among the more startling proposals is a new Harbourside landmark: a striking 12-storey building with cascading plant-filled terraces, fronting Museum Square and facing the Harbourside. On the ground floor, small independent businesses would sell groceries and other produce in a new doubleheight continental-style permanent covered market; surrounding this would be takeaway restaurants and casual dining businesses with outdoor seating. The floors above would be home to dine-in restaurants, with cascading green outdoor terraces offering views across the harbour. Topping the building would be a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views across the docks and city. Around 240 new sustainable, high-quality homes would also be created, including 20% affordable; rising above a two-storey podium, the apartments would be housed in five buildings which step down in height towards Wapping Road. A range of flexible workspaces would be created on the ground and first floors of the new buildings, along with a yoga studio with outdoor space, an indoor/outdoor gym and nursery. Over 30% of the site would be allocated to landscaped public streets and spaces, with wildlife habitats and a new pedestrian route linking Rope Walk and Museum Street. You can see the full proposals and share your views at wappingwharfnorth.co.uk
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THE ZOO AND AFTER
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clockwise from top: This... or this?; an overhead
shot of the plans for housing; the old ticket office would become a conservation hub
The Zoo’s moving out of Clifton. So what should go in its place? nother controversial and divisive one, this, with two very different planning proposals for the Clifton site soon to be vacated by the historic Bristol Zoo Gardens. Firstly, there’s the Our World crew; big names from the UK’s creative and science sectors, who would love to see the site turned into the world’s first augmented reality zoo. However, the Zoo needs funds to finance the new, world-class attraction it wants to build up at Wild Place, and wants to sell the land for housing – a proposal that’s softened by the fact that the plans include a free public park. Proposals for the development have been formally submitted; the application is for 206
high-quality homes; 42 (20 per cent) would be affordable, 75 per cent offered at social rent and 25 per cent offered under a ‘first home’ scheme. There will also be a conservation hub, where the ticket office now stands, with a new café in the 12-acre grounds, which will form the basis of the public park with its lake, play area and exhibition space. Rather than destroying the monkey temple, aviary and former bear pit, these will be restored; however, the pavilion, clock tower and other sites will be turned into apartment blocks of up to six stories. The Zoo says that its plans will “protect the legacy of these important gardens”. The Zoo’s CE, Dr Justin Morris went on to describe the
proposals as “an important milestone and an exciting step forward for the future of Bristol Zoological Society. “We are confident in our plans and proud of the ambition and quality of the design proposals we have submitted,” he said. “Importantly, these plans will secure the site as a vital community asset, so everyone can enjoy its beauty and heritage for many years to come.” It’s thought that housing would not be completed until 2027 at the earliest. The Society is also in the process of selling its West Car Park, to create 62 new, environmentally-friendly homes on the brownfield site. For more future.bristolzoo.org.uk
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A RIVER RUNS PAST IT They had us at “it has an owl tower”. . . Words by Ursula Cole
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o be fair, they probably would have had us with or without the owl tower. In fact, we’re struggling to think of the last time we featured quite such a grand and wholly covetable home as Chewton Place House, in the hamlet of Chewton Keynsham. While the £3.55m tag makes this a lottery-win dream of a home for most of us, it’s still something of a bargain when you consider just how much bang you get for your buck compared to similarly priced properties in, say, Clifton Village – but before we get to the part where we tick off all the many rooms, acres and outbuildings, let’s set the scene. After the urban buzz of Bristol, arriving at peaceful Chewton Keynsham feels like entering a different world. As you cross the charming 18th-century bridge over the River Chew, its water cutting through the sluice gates, you are already bordering the edge of Chewton Place House. The parkland gardens of the house here are exquisite, from the views over the formal gardens, meadow and valley beyond to the riverside walks, the private bathing pool, weir and fishing rights. There’s even a croquet lawn. The current owner has planted a hundred trees in the grounds; imagine having room for a hundred trees! The house has been beautifully restored, recreating its 1860s proportions. A previous house here was even older, having been built in the mid-1700s, while some kind of home is thought to have stood on the same spot for a millennia. Over the ground floor, glorious reception rooms lead from the entrance hall and into each other. There’s an exquisite drawing room with garden views, and an oval-shaped library, its curved windows overlooking the grounds – frankly, if you
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can’t write your novel here you may as well give up. There’s a large and lovely kitchen with stone-flagged floors, a dining room and sitting room, along with all those niche little corners you only ever find in a house as grand as this: plant rooms, pantries, utility, wine stores and so forth. Head up the grand oak staircase to the first floor landing, naturally lit by a cupola, to find three double bedrooms, bathrooms and a large south facing roof terrace; the unfinished East Wing – yes, this kind of house has wings – can be reached from both the kitchen and the landing. Outside stands the beautifully refurbished two-bedroom Lodge Cottage, a further cottage with full consent to convert, as well as approved plans for a new detached coach house. The possibilities for this clatter of buildings are endless, from visitor accommodation to rentals, stabling, a gym or office. We’ve already extolled the beauty of the grounds, but we haven’t yet got to the historic owl tower, built as a folly in the 18th century; there’s also that country house must-have – a balustraded stone ha-ha separating the formal gardens from the grazing meadow beyond. An abundance of wildlife that can be regularly spotted, including otters and deer, rounds off the extraordinary lifestyle opportunity this peaceful estate presents. Tempted to swap the city for a slice of bucolic bliss? We doubt if Deliveroo delivers as far as Chewton Keynsham, but we’d be prepared to risk the inconvenience.
HOUSE NUMBERS Guide price £3.55m Sq ft 6500 (main house); grounds 7.7 acres Bedrooms 5/6; receptions 5/6 Anything else? Lodge, cottage, possible coach house Rupert Oliver, 14 Waterloo Street, Clifton; 0117 452 3555; rupertoliver.co.uk
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BRISTOL LIVES Billy and Meg Abernethy-Hope
“The BillyChip is designed to encourage conversation, as well as providing food or drink” he was going to save it up, and give it to charity, as he always did. But Billy asked him, how could he walk past the homeless and not give the money to them? We lost Billy to a motorbike
MEG ABERNETHY-HOPE The founder of BillyChip explains the origins of this Bristol charity – a legacy of her late brother, Billy
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he BillyChip Foundation was set up to continue the legacy of Billy AbernethyHope, following his death in a
road accident. After a stint of helping the homeless at Christmas, Billy felt disheartened at how little support the public gave to local unhoused people. A common perception is that giving money to a homeless person could fuel alcohol or drug addiction, so following his death in 2018, Billy’s family founded The BillyChip: a token which can be used instead of cash. Let Billy’s sister Meg, tell you how it all works . . .
The BillyChip is a token
that the public can give to homeless people in their community, which can then be exchanged for a cup of coffee or something to eat in a local café. It eliminates some of the anxiety the public feel about handing over cash. And it’s more important than ever, now that many people have stopped carrying cash. It’s been really successful across England, and we’re currently pushing to expand The BillyChip into Wales.
It all began when my brother
Billy asked our dad why he was chucking his spare change into a pot instead of giving it to the homeless. Dad would say that
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accident in Thailand in 2018. Soon after, my dad remembered something Billy had once said: why isn’t there some sort of token we can give to homeless people without any concerns about fuelling addiction problems?
The idea for the charity was born as a kitchen-table idea between me, Mum and Dad, and we’ve now got an office with four employees helping to bring nourishment to the homeless. Many of the people we help have said that they feel invisible, and we are helping to reverse that. The BillyChip is designed to
encourage conversation as well as providing actual food or drink. If you buy a BillyChip for someone, you can scan the QR code on the BillyChip to find all the information about the scheme, and a map of the nearest outlets. That will get people talking, and we hope that connection will help to break down social barriers.
The charity relies on outlets
to stock the chips, and then the recipient can also redeem them at the venue. It’s a super-simple and safe scheme. And it costs nothing.
Outlets can go to our website,
click on ‘outlets’ and they’ll find everything they need, including a short video. They can also download the app, which will do all the accounting for them, order more tokens, contact us, everything. Once they’ve signed up, they
will get 25 BillyChips and a window sticker to tell customers that they can buy them there, and tell the homeless that they can redeem them. There’s a simple app which the shop can use to redeem the cost price of the food or drink purchased, and any profit goes back into the charity.
We are currently running a
trial in Greggs; we are so excited to have the support of such a large company, and we really feel this is going to be an incredible turning point for us. It is proof that if such a conglomerate is able to run the scheme with ease, there is no excuse for the independents and other largescale chains not to follow. n For more: billychip.com