Bristol Life - Issue 320

ISSUE 320 / AUGUST 2022 / £3

ISSUE 320 / AUGUST 2022 / MONSTERS AND TIGERS

THE PIONEERS

CELEBRATING THE WINDRUSH ELDERS

PRECIOUS CARGO

WHAT DO THE LATEST PLANS MEAN FOR WAPPING WHARF’S INDIES?

RISING STAR

SO, WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE A HOT-AIR BALLOON PILOT?

HAUS CALL

A SLICE OF MITTEL-EUROPEAN HEAVEN

A MONSTER CALLS

IT'S THE BEST REASON TO VISIT WESTONSUPER-MARE SINCE DISMALAND!

+ WAKE THE TIGER: THE WORLD’S FIRST AMAZEMENT PARK + LUMINARIUM: WELCOME TO THE PLEASURE DOME (YES, IT’S ANOTHER QUIRKY BRISTOL SUMMER…)

EDITOR’S LETTER

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S

ay what you like about Bristol – actually maybe don’t, not in our hearing anyway, not unless it’s something good – but it’s never deficient on the quirk front.

Take the bizarre-looking thing pictured left, for example. And OK, technically See Monster is happening in Weston-superMare, whose residents probably roll their eyes at Bristol’s tendency to claim the town as some kind of coastal suburb whenever something cool happens over there.

I mean, Dismaland was totally a Bristol thing, right..?

Anyway: See Monster, which has gripped our imagination since we first saw those improbablelooking CGIs at the beginning of the year, will finally open over the August bank holiday. As well as being visually incredible, wholly original and wonderfully eccentric, it has a very British preoccupation at its core: it wants to have a chat with us about the weather.

Scarcely less odd and intriguing are the latest visuals for new ‘amazement park’ Wake the Tiger. This one’s located in St Philip’s, an area that’s rapidly becoming the city’s hub for all things new, out-there and creative; it’s brought to you by Boomtown Fair, it looks literally fantastic, and it opens on 30 July.

Finally, we just had time to squeeze in a few lines about a new attraction from Bristol Light Festival.

Luminarium, an immersive, multi-sensory maze of winding paths and soaring domes on College Green, promises to show us what it might be like to step inside a stained-glass window.

Honestly, August in Bristol is set to be trippier than Wonderland. We’ll see you down the rabbit hole.

Here be monster

What’s this coming over the sea? The most exciting thing to happen to Weston-super-Mare since Dismaland, that’s what...

DERI ROBINS Bristol Life editor Follow us on

@BristolLifeMag;

@BristolLifeMag

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Issue 320/ August 2022 COVER See Monster, created by Newsubstance, for Unboxed – oh, just read the feature – is poised to open over the August bank holiday: see page 20

ARTS

13 ARTS INTRO Yet more proof that St Philip’s is fast

becoming one of the city’s coolest ’hoods

14 WHAT’S ON Midsummer madness 20 PUBLIC ART What’s this coming over the sea? Is it a

monster?

44

26 PHOTOGRAPHY Bristol’s Windrush pioneers 32 BRISTOL HEROES Respecting the rainbow

FOOD & DRINK

38 RESTAURANT Our Haus, in the middle of our

shopping quarter...

41 CAFÉ SOCIETY Mere Stan unleashed across the border

BUILDING BRISTOL

44 WAPPING WHARF NORTH The final piece in the

jigsaw, and the future of Cargo

SHOPPING

50 EDITOR’S CHOICE When you can’t see the sunshine,

be the sunshine

53 FASHION The granny edit 56 STREET LIFE Coldharbour Road

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BUSINESS

79 BRISTOLWORKS White-collar Bristol 84 ENTRECONF The full report

PROPERTY

89 NEWS What’s going up next?

90 SHOWCASE A divine conversion

REGULARS

SPOTLIGHT BRIZZOGRAM SNAPPED BRISTOL LIVES Phil Hooper

© BEN GIBSON PHOTO

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Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors Colin Moody, Stan Cullimore, Milly Vaughan 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

Living art

WALK WITH AMAL

Festival

RISE AND INFLATION

The Bristol Balloon Fiesta is back in its full glory between 11-14 August at Ashton Court – and here are two big things you need to know.

Firstly, after the success of last year’s community launches which saw hundreds of hot-air balloons take o from secret locations across Bristol, the organisers are bringing them back for this year. Once again, you’ll be able to nominate locations for the balloons to lift o anywhere from local parks to public spaces, car parks or streets. Nominations are now live on the Fiesta website.

Secondly, there’s the launch of the new Sky Lounge, a private enclosure which allows you to get up close to all the ballooning action at Ashton Court, with a picnic spot, free Wi-Fi for all your insta posts, a private bar and kids’ activities.

With the mass ascents being scheduled for dawn and dusk, Sky lounge tickets are available for Saturday and Sunday morning and afternoon slots, while you can also book for the Thursday and Saturday evening nightglows.

For more bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk

Banksy’s tongue-incheek design for the empty Colston plinth, “For both those who miss the statue, and those who don’t”

We’d seen numerous pictures of Little Amal, of course, but hadn’t quite appreciated how uncannily realistic this giant 3.5m puppet was until we saw her stroll across Clifton Suspension Bridge on 24 June. We probably should have twigged; she is, after all, the creation of Handspring Puppet Company, the creators of the equine stars of War Horse.

Amal, whose name means ‘hope’, represents a young Syrian refugee child. The puppet has captured hearts and imaginations across the world, travelling 8,000 km across Europe to focus our attention on the

urgent needs of young refugees.

Her arrival marked the start of a full day of events as she travelled through the city streets, beginning at Bristol Old Vic where musicians began the welcome to King Street, followed by poet Miles Chambers and the Bristol Community Choir.

DMAC drummers then took over on Welsh Back, before Little Amal walked to Corn Street, where market stalls represented some of the refugee organisations running in the city.

Made in Bristol theatre company and Circomedia acrobats kept the party going before Amal finally headed to Broad Quay, for performances by Bristol Samba and Bristol Old Vic Street Theatre Company.

For more walkwithamal.org Is that you, 007?

WELCOME TO THE PLEASURE DOME

Ever wondered what it would be like to walk inside a stained-glass window? Find out (sort of) when Bristol Light Festival brings the Luminarium, a new, immersive sensory experience to the city centre next month.

Within the inflatable, in a maze of winding paths and soaring domes, natural forms and light meld into an inspiring mix of design and engineering.

It’s free, and it’s on College Green between 4-14 August.

For more: bristollightfestival.org

Street art

THAT’S PROFESSOR BANKSY TO YOU… Like it or not, the gentrification of street art is now complete: Banksy is to be made an honorary professor.

Admittedly it’s at the cool, arty University for the Creative Arts based in

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Kent and Surrey, which wishes to recognise Banksy’s humanitarian e orts and “the impact he has had on the global arts scene .

The award will take place at the Royal Festival Hall in

London on 6 July. Banksy will not be attending in person, meaning that the honour will be conferred on an empty chair. So at least some things never change.

Follow Banksy at @banksy

BRISTOL SOUNDS

THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC And just like that, the live music was back…

A

fter a two-year wait – Covid, etc etc – The Killers finally landed at Ashton Gate on May. Bristol, it’s been a long two years shouted frontman Brandon Flowers, favouring us with his straight-outta- egas megawatt grin. This is a super-spreader event and we’re spreading love.

Brandon’s coat may have been untypically plain and black, and the stage dressed sparsely, but there was no shortage of pazzazz; the jangly opening chords of My Own Soul’s Warning were accompanied by the blast of a confetti cannon so powerful that even those of us near the back had to fish stray bits of ticker tape out of our cider.

We’re told that what audiences really crave right now is a big old singalong, and with everyone seemingly knowing every word to every track, that’s exactly what we got. If the illers’ back catalogue wasn’t such an embarass de richesse, they might have saved crowd-pleaser Mr Brightside for an encore; as it was, they could a ord to slip it in around the halfway mark. When You Were Young and Smile Like You Mean It appeared even earlier.

There were endless moments to cherish, but hearing It’s gurt lush to be here yelled in an incongruous evada accent was a fairly rapturous high. Admittedly we’re still no clearer about what I got soul but I’m not a soldier actually means; nor have we solved the puzzle of whether we’re human or dancer.

Maybe we’ll never know. h, and the actual encore? All These Things That I’ve Done. f course.

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From millennial fan favourites to well, everyone aged eight to 0, judging by the crowd pouring into Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road gig on June, the first of two Bristol stops on what he insists is his farewell tour.

Admittedly he’s said that before, but he’s now, he’s had a hip operation and currently has trouble walking his peripatetic piano conveys him across the stage like a musical mobility scooter, though it doesn’t dim the glitter or hamper his incredible musical skills a jot.

The kid from inner who precociously won a scholarship to the oyal College of Music, whose original game plan was to write songs to sell to other recording stars, who compensated for a lack of rockstar good looks with a preposterous wardrobe, has become a bona fide national treasure. Impressive though the illers’ recording stats are, this is a musician who’s racked up 3 albums, sold over 300 million records and had more than 0 top 0 singles; to put it into perspective, Brandon was still in nappies in , the year in which lton assured us he was Still Standing. icking o with the staccato jabs of Bennie and the Jets, the set moved between rocking bangers to phone-torches-aloft ballads. The only notable omission was Daniel; maybe those high notes are a young man’s game?

After a pre-encore break, lton appeared in a silk dressing gown to tackle Cold Heart, in a digital ua Lipa duet that went ever so slightly wrong. When you don’t play live, it always f s up, said Sir lton, endearing himself even further to a smitten crowd. ur last glimpse of the Treasure saw him ascending in a lift dressed in trackies. It had been a hugely enjoyable night; knowing that this was probably the last chance to see the ocketman live in the West Country although 0 3 Glasto rumours abound also made it a touching and elegiac one. For those who’d followed him down the ellow Brick oad for half a century, it felt like the end of an era. ashtongatestadium.co.uk

PHOTO BY BEN ROBINS

We reckon we don’t need to caption this pic (it’s just a hunch)

While Elton was wooing us south of the river, Noel Gallagher was in characteristic lippy form at Lloyd’s for the opening night of Bristol Sounds.

While it seems almost de rigeur these days for big-name acts to pause their set to check on the wellbeing of someone in the crowd, Noel wasn’t having any of it. “If you’re at the front and don’t want to be pushed, maybe go to the back,”he suggested, before proceeding to wind up the crowd with references to Man United.

The six-night series of gigs also featured a boxfresh set by Paolo Nutini, electronica from Jungle, indie-folk from First Aid Kit and Philly rockers War on Drugs, along with the most feelgood gig of the summer, courtesy of Elbow.

His arm beatifically extended towards the crowd, Guy Garvey, the most avuncular man in pop, instructed Bristol to wave its arms. Bristol waved. To be honest, by the time we’d got to the One Day encore, if he’d told us to jump in the harbour, we’d have jumped. crosstownconcerts.com

The beat-keeping, beatific arm of Guy Garvey TOP: Noel Gallagher; INSET: Brandon Flowers

... and then, just when we thought the Bristol gig summer had reached its apogee, Nile Rogers and CHIC landed on 13 and 14 July. To be continued...

SPOTLIGHT

RESPECT THE RAINBOW

Pride Day returned, the sun blazed down and joy abounded. Our deepest respect to everyone who committed to rubber superhero outfits and furry animal heads in temperatures of 25 degrees

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

BE AMAZED...

Wake the Tiger, the ‘world’s first amazement park’, no less, has landed in St Philip’s, and will open at the end of the month.

Brought to you by the team behind Boomtown Fair, one of the most creative and groundbreaking festivals in the UK, it blurs the lines between an experiential art gallery, interactive theme park and detailed film set.

Stepping through a portal into the parallel world of Meridia, described as ‘an old abandoned factory once inhabited by a mysterious community of adventurers staging wild experiments’, you’ll take an immersive adventure through ‘illuminated singing ice, underwater worlds, mechanical chambers and elder forests, exploring themes of connection and innovation, inspiration and discovery’.

If this is raising far more questions than answers, you’re not alone. Book tickets from 30 July, and all will be revealed . . . wakethetiger.com

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WHAT’S 22 July-12 August 2022

EXHIBITIONS Until 28 July

LOST AND FOUND An exhibition of reclaimed and painted objects by James Reka, at That Art Gallery; thatartgallery.com

Until 21 August

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION 163 The world’s longest running photography exhibition;105 works by 60 photographers show at the Royal Photographic Society; rps.org

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 oorto-ceiling digital projections, headsets, roomsets and more; at Propyard, vangoghexpo.com

Until 11 September

EARTH: DIGGING DEEP IN BRITISH ART, 1781-2022 A look at how attitudes towards the landscape have evolved over the centuries, and how artists’ approaches have changed; RWA, rwa.org.uk

Until 18 September

Explore the interconnected layers above and below the forest oor in an immersive exhibition of sensory delights from a group of international and intergenerational artists, writers, filmmakers etc; at Arnolfini arnolfini.or .uk

Until 31 December

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

LEBOHANG KGANYE: LEAVE THE LIGHT WHEN YOU LEAVE FOR GOOD The Georgian House was once home to a sugar trader and his enslaved sta ; now Lebohang re ects on the legacy of colonialism as a shared history, at the very same site; bristolmuseums.org.uk

Until 25 September

23-27 July

TESSA BUNNEY: MADE OUT OF ORCHARDS A new body of photography exploring the cider industry today; at Martin Parr Foundation, martinparrfoundation.org

Until 2 October

FOREST: WAKE THIS GROUND ou wait years for an earth-themed exhibition (cf also RWA, above), then two come along at once.

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EXPRESSIONS Art created by people supported by social care charity Milestones Trust; milestonestrust.org.uk

27 July-18 September

AMITAI ROMM The first solo exhibition by Amitai explores how scientific modelling relates to more openended forms of world-making; at Spike Island, spikeisland.org.uk

SHOWS Until 30 July

TREASURE ISLAND Le avet 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

Until 31 July

DRAC & JILL It’s been 125 years since Bram Stoker’s Dracula was published, and the Wardrobe is using it as an excellent excuse for restaging their fast, smart and devilishly funny comedy-musical hit; thewardrobetheatre.com

Until 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, all with a side order of French Revolutionary plotting, is your thing; at Hippodrome, atgtickets.com

WHAT’S ON Until 20 August

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Mad, bad lovers, warring fairies, rude mechanicals and the most famous donkey in theatre: Insane oot brings Athens to astville ark Swimming ool in the most alluring, immersive way; insaneroot.org.uk

Until 21 August

RIVERTOWN Back for the first time in three years with its rootsy, country music, with Lee Fields, St aul The Broken Bones, ichard Hawley, Martha Wainwright and many more playing multiple venues; bristolbeacon.org

29 July

28 July

30 July

GROOVE ARMADA Live on Harbourside as part of its th anniversary tour; supported by everyone’s favourite West Countryadopted ew orker, Huey Morgan; sirenbristol.com

28-30 July

31 July

ALOK The internationally acclaimed performance artist whose work explores themes of trauma, belonging, and the human condition.

Supported by Travis Alabanza, at Bristol ld ic, bristololdvic.org.uk

4-5 August

DON’T LOOK OVER HERE, ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER Sh t Theatre presents a work-inprogress of its brand new future-cult musical. opulism, corruption, compromise and beautiful corpses; part documentary, part disco mega-musical, part public service announcement, and ready to sell out. Hopefully. Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

9-20 August

BAT OUT OF HELL Absolutely no prizes for guessing whose rock anthems inspired this particular musical. The best night out with your clothes on says the blurb. Actually we tend to find that those are the best kind anyway. At Hippodrome, atgtickets.com

HOSPITALITY ON THE HARBOUR Siren, the same team behind the Groove Armada gig, present a day of B curated by Bristol label Hospitality; headlined by Hybrid Minds; sirenbristol.com

1 August

BBC PROMS: ALINA IBRAGIMOVA AND CÉDRIC TIBERGHIE Bristol’s first BBC rom iolinist Alina and pianist Cedric form a chamber music dream-team in soaring romantic showpieces by sa e, Franck and Brian; at St George’s, stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

THE ONE AND ONLY ... ueen of Music Hall, that is, aka the beloved Marie Lloyd, whose singing style embodied a mixture of arch sauciness and gutsy good humour; hear her story at Hen Chicken, henandchicken.com

They see you baby; Groove Armada at Siren THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: Travis are at Valley Fest to sing, sing, sing; So that’s why the trailer park rates were so cheap! Julian Perry tackles coastal erosion at RWA; St Paul and the Broken Bones, all the way from Birmingham (Alabama, not the Midlands)

Until 1 August

BRISTOL SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL Back with its signature blend of indoor and outdoor performances, workshops, and quirky takes on favourite plays; bristolshakespearefestival.org.ukn PLAYING GOD How do you grieve for someone we’re not sure we actually liked but definitely loved? When news of her Mother’s death hits, it forces Meg to examine her past and how she got to where she is or isn’t today...

Loco lub; ea firstbristol.co.uk

OPPOSITE PAGE:

MUSIC

COMEDY Ongoing

CLOSER EACH DAY The world’s longest improv comedy soap has recently performed its 00th episode, and continues to bubble away twice a month at Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

Until 23 July

DANIEL KITSON: OUTSIDE aniel 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

23 July

JARRED CHRISTMAS The ew ealander adept at mixing gags with storytelling brings his dynamism, charisma and rants

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WHAT’S ON LEFT:

Sydney has the Paris Blues at Cinema Rediscovered Whaddyagonna do? See Michael Franzese at the Marriott, that’s what; BOTTOM: Marie Colvin making Homeland’s Carrie look like a desk clerk, in A Private War, Bristol Film Fest

BELOW:

against the word to the Hen & Chicken, henandchicken.com

24 July

PIERRE NOVELLIE & JOHN HASTINGS The Edinburgh Comedy previews continue. In observational comedy for those who think they hate it, Pierre wonders why he can’t just enjoy things, while John reckons he’s come up with the best comedy show ever. That’s fighting talk.

At Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

2 August

GARY STARR: GREECE LIGHTNING An overzealous attempt by Gary to perform all of Greek mythology in under an hour, to save his Hellenic homeland from economic ruin. Never before has Medusa been looser, Achilles sillier, or Uranus so heinous; at Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

OTHER Ongoing

BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL The almost-year-round fest with the something-for-everyone remit.

Screenings at a wide variety of Bristol locations; bristolfilm esti al.com

Until 24 July

CINEMA REDISCOVERED Some of the finest new digital restorations, contemporary classics and film print rarities, with lots of sexy strands to tempt you, including an exploration of local connections that celebrates Bristol’s status as UNESCO City of Film; many venues, book at watershed.co.uk

Until 14 August

LUMINARIUM From Bristol Light Festival; more on page 6. bristolli t esti al.or

Until 31 August

PARKER’S ADVENTURE To celebrate 135 years of helping, the city’s vulnerable animals, Bristol Animal Rescue Centre has created an interactive adventure trail. Parker is, of course, a dawg; arkersa enture.or

Until 3 September

THE BIG SUMMER SEND-OFF AT BRISTOL ZOO GARDENS It’s the last few months for the Zoo at its Clifton site, and they’re pulling out all the stops to make it a memorable one; bristolzoo.org.uk

Until 4 September

BON VOYAGE! AT BRISTOL AQUARIUM ... meanwhile, the Aquarium’s summer plans are to transform the foyer into a port terminal hub and provide an immersive experience for its guests to explore the world’s oceans... bristolaquarium.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 li ton aints inners in t eor e s and more; s o o stren t .or .uk

23 July

NERF FOAM FEST Love foam dart blasters? This is the convention for you, whether you’re a casual player, collector, modder or painter; there’s also a family afterparty. At UWE Centre for

Sport, with a Mod Party at Filton Community Centre on the 24th; oam est.co.uk

29 July

AN EVENING WITH MICHAEL FRANZESE: THE REAL GOODFELLA The first high-ranking Mafiosa chief to have walked away without protective custody (and survived) unveils the secret life of the Mob. At Bristol Marriott, tickets start at £100; no point making an o er, as they can and will refuse; mic ael ran esetour. i t ro.co.uk

30 July onwards WAKE THE TIGER

A new permanent attraction for the city, brought to you by the Boomtown crew; see p13; wakethetiger.com

4-7 August

VALLEY FEST The best-tasting festival in the West returns to Chew Magna.

Music headliners Travis, Clean Bandit, Kosheen and The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Club vie with Arcadia for your attention; alle est.co.uk

11-14 August

BRISTOL BALLOON FIESTA Back at full throttle; see page 6; bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk n

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Bowjangles

Andrews Massey Duo

28 TH - 31 ST JULY - EMERSONS GREEN

Paco y Julian

HFF 2022 headline concerts: Stolen Serenades Andrew Massey uo ute guitar racula in Space Bowjangles string quartet aco y Julian violin guitar, LS - 30 For tickets and full listings, including many other wonderful musical activities and community performances, please visit our website:

www.hamfarmfestival.com

PUBLIC ART

HERE BE MONSTER The weird and wonderful SEE MONSTER has landed at the Weston-super-Mare Tropicana. It’s a giant piece of industrial theatre, it’s a world-first piece of interactive public art, and it’s here to chat to us about the weather . . .

E

arlier this month, a 35m-high decommissioned o shore oil rig was towed into the waters of Weston-super-Mare and parked at the old Tropicana lido. The rig will form the bones of the extraordinary See Monster one of the ’s most ambitious public art installations, and the first of its kind in the world.

Hulking in weight and towering in height, the Monster has spent much of its life in the cold orth Sea, battling the wind and waves in a hostile o shore environment.

Harnessing renewable energy from the natural elements of the coastal town, it aims to stimulate discussions about the weather; could there be a more British conversation? At the same time, it asks how we can plan for a more sustainable future. What do we do with the structures we inherit? And what actions can they inspire? ver the following weeks, visitors and residents of the town will witness the transformation of the rig into the Monster as construction takes place. nce the installation is complete, it can be experienced from the seafront, beach and on board. ising up above the weatherbeaten coastal wall, its silhouette will loom over Weston, providing an imposing backdrop to the daily life of passers-by. In the quiet hours of the morning, a local paper boy may witness the stirring beast, shrouded in a dense sea fog before the dawning sun burns through. At dusk, the Monster will blaze, a golden beacon above the beach that heralds the end of a long summer’s day. isitors will have the opportunity to travel up and inside the Monster, crossing the 0-tonne platform and passing behind the thrashing cascade of a 0-metre waterfall, under the shimmering scales into the cavernous underbelly of the beast. Within the wild garden you can find hidden routes; you may encounter sudden showers of rainfall from above or find yourself engulfed within a playful collection of clouds.

Whatever the weather, See Monster will encourage interaction and playfulness at the heart of this very British cultural cornerstone: creating the sense of children gleefully jumping in puddles, while

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“The Monster aims to stimulate discussions about the weather; could there be a more British conversation?”

ABOVE: Four platforms, a 10-metre waterfall, and so much more to explore RIGHT: What’s this coming over the sea? Is it a monster?

adults grumble at drizzly grey skies and strangers bond over something mutually shared.

The Dr Frankenstein behind the Monster, so to speak, is creative studio Newsubstance, whose impressive previous includes Coachella.

The monster is being created as part of the Unboxed project, a national exhibition of 10 public art displays which aims to open the public’s eyes to creative talent in the UK. It’s all a little behind schedule, having been due to open in July, but Newsubstance’s creative director Patrick O’Mahony is cheerfully unapologetic. As he explains, this is a totally original and ambitious feat of design. Being a world first is always hard. With that comes delays, challenges – we had to get all of the international permits right. These giant rigs are all over the world, but no one has ever tried to do this before. It’s like a rehabilitation. It’s spent its life taking from the earth and now it’s time for it to give back.”

We asked atrick how the Monster first came about.

We wanted a ‘platform’ to tell multiple stories about re-use, the great British weather and renewable futures. We discovered relics of oil rigs that were scattered across the globe, and then this raised the question of if we could use one as our platform.

We wanted to explore conversations about reuse and the intersection between art and design and thought pathways in renewable design. n board the Monster you will find experiments of solar and wind energy and a few surprises on the way.

“What do we do with the structures we inherit? And what actions can they inspire?”

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PUBLIC ART

LEFT: A series of nostalgic sepia illustrations considers how the Monster’s presence will be felt by the residents of Weston-super-Mare. What will it be like to live with a Monster? They’re about to find out . . .

WHAT ELSE?

• In the Garden Lab, around 50 semi-mature trees and shrubs, 100 hedgerow natives, 500 hardy shrubs, 1000 perennials and grasses will be planted – all of them geared to cope with the salt, wind, maximum UV and exposure of the seafront site.

• The world’s first fully functioning WindNest is also coming to the Monster. A form of renewable energy with the capacity to produce up to 36 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per day, the WindNest uses a mix of wind and solar technology.

To put that in context, the average UK household uses 8kWh of electricity per day.

“The Monster will feature four publicly accessible levels animated by a 10-metre-high waterfall; a 6,000-piece kinetic installation forming the monster’s shimmering scales; an onboard oasis of grasses, plants and trees selected to thrive in a seaside micro-climate; and a seated amphitheatre and broadcast studio, forming a platform for conversations about reuse and sustainable futures.”

Weston-super-Mare was chosen, explains Patrick, “because it’s an iconic British seaside town and the perfect location with its specific tidal range making this engineering project possible.”

Unsurprisingly the Monster has been warmly been welcomed by the local council, with the memory of the major boost to the economy brought by Banksy’s Dismaland still fresh in the memory.

Weston has been reimagining itself over the last four or five years and this is the sort of thing that gets the message out there internationally,” said Mark Canniford of North Somerset Council.

“This is a really big stamp that we’ve been able to attract. The idea of bringing this back and showing people how this can be of benefit and the lessons that could be learned is fantastic.”

And Patrick O’Mahony hopes that the Monster will have a permanent legacy, “in the learning and engagement experienced by those who visit, and in ideas proposed for the future reuse of industrial infrastructure. Plants and trees grown on See Monster will also be given to the council to create a new green space for the town.”

As part of Unboxed, See Monster has launched a dedicated education and learning programme to encourage everyone – schoolkids, adults – to consider the big questions. What do we do with the structures we inherit? How do they play a part in our lives? What e ect does the British weather have on our coastlines? ou can design your own energy-inspired artwork in the Art & Energy challenge, while science experiments include an interactive lesson plan to construct a rain gauge.

There will be a phased opening for See Monster at the Tropicana, beginning over the August bank holiday. n For more: seemonster.co.uk

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

SPONSORED CONTENT

PLANNING YOUR KITCHEN SCHMIDT KITCHENS give you practical tips for designing a new space

W

What’s your favourite design appliance/gadget in your new kitchen?

I really wanted a ‘Slide and Hide’ Neff oven – a chef friend of mine had one in his Schmidt kitchen, I loved the practicality of it, and I knew it was a must-have for me.

e’re shining a spotlight on two of our customers John and Nicola Ashley, who recently moved into an extensive redevelopment project in the Cotswolds. We caught up with Nicola to hear about her new kitchen, find out why she went with Schmidt Bristol and what lessons she learnt on the way.

What made you decide that you wanted a new kitchen?

We bought our new/old house in January 2021 as a complete renovation of a small farmhouse.

Knowing it would need extending immediately to home our family of five, and because the existing kitchen was tiny and dated, a new kitchen was a top priority for us.

What did you learn from the design process?

The consultation took a few weeks to complete – we were not in a huge rush as the room was not even fully built at the time so we took our time.

We saw the proposed design options on the VR headset - this was absolutely brilliant for us as when we started the project, the room in which the kitchen would be located wasn’t finished.

When choosing the colour of your cabinets,

“WE REALLY TAPPED INTO THE DESIGN EXPERTISE FROM SCHMIDT BRISTOL” 24 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

VR Headsets show the proposed design

I’d recommend narrowing it down to one or two favourite shades, and then take a moment to consider how they will look in your exact space.

And the installation?

We had a great documentation booklet from Schmidt which made it all easy. Because our kitchen was bespoke, made to the millimetre for our space, it meant we were able to keep any filler panels to an absolute minimum.

What trends inspired your design choices?

Tactility in the home is popular in interiors now, and this was certainly something I wanted to factor in.

Once I had seen them in the Bristol showroom I also knew I wanted a huge island with built-in shelving and extra-deep drawers – they were mandatory to get extra storage.

What advice would you give to a new kitchen buyer?

Ensure you think about practicality and how you can weave in integrated appliances to make life that bit easier. Consider storage too, and what you’d like tucked away and what items you’d like on display.

Why did you choose Schmidt Bristol?

We really tapped into the design expertise from Schmidt Bristol and unpicked their knowledge to get the most out of our space. I now have a beautiful social space, complete with smart storage for practicality and an element of depth and texture to match my personal style, too. n

Bristol 170-172 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2XU. Call us on 0117 301 8888 Be inspired: home-design.schmidt; Email us: info@schmidt-bristol.com

THE PIONEERS In the decades following World War II, thousands of people left their Caribbean homeland and moved to to the UK. Many of them settled in Bristol. Now, a new book celebrates the St Paul’s Windrush elders, and allows them to tell their story

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indrush. The name of the ship which docked in Tilbury on 22 June 1948 has become synonymous with the experience of a generation of workers who came from the Caribbean to help fill post-war labour shortages. Many settled in St auls, creating the unique culture of this Bristol community; their story is commemorated every year at St auls Carnival.

And now a new book has been published to celebrate the St auls elders. Featuring beautiful portraits by photographer Garfield Mc enzie, it’s been written by Wendy Leocque, the founder director of the eal hotography Company a Bristol-based CIC which came together to save a darkroom at St aul’s Learning Centre from closing.

The darkroom facility is now open seven days a week, for photographers in Bristol and beyond. We produce exciting photography projects, while reviving and refreshing traditional and alternative photography techniques, and we also o er a programme of workshops, exhibitions and events, says Wendy.

Wendy had the idea of creating the book after meeting Garfield and seeing his portraits. She curated an exhibition of the photographs for Bristol Central Library; there was a great response, and people asked for them to become a permanent fixture.

Wendy felt that a book of the images could contribute to education surrounding this unique migration. Along with the portraits that Garfield dubbed ‘The ioneers’, Wendy decided to include the voices of the elders, as she felt their words, stories and reminiscences would anchor the images.

The book is, she says, a tribute first and foremost. Looking at the images was like looking at photographs of my own family, and without even speaking to them I had insight into this story of Caribbean migration to this country, and all of the things they faced.

I was surprised how many people still have no idea about Windrush, and how unique this migration was. It wasn’t people eeing war, or political or religious persecution, and seeking sanctuary; they were invited as British citizens from British colonies. This is a very British story

Mrs Pearl Kuashie Williams; OPPOSITE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Mrs Gloria Watson; Mr Roy Hackett; Mrs Levy; Mr Albert Stuart

PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOGRAPHY Mrs Lynn Collman

and needs to be included in the curriculum under British History, so that we can all find ourselves in the narrative and in the in uences that have shaped this country.

Many of the people who were part of the portraits series attend the Malcolm elders group. Wendy went along there every Monday for nearly four months, to speak with them and record their stories.

Some stories were included of people who did not sit for a portrait with Garfield, but the stories are so similar from person to person within the Windrush community that one story can often speak for all.

A couple of the standout themes in the book include people’s memories of growing up in the Caribbean on sugar plantations. ne lady described ‘cane fields everywhere, and remembering those great houses on the sugar plantation, where her mother was the cook at one such house’. The history is closer than we think, but people don’t really want to accept it.

Another common theme was people leaving their family and children behind. Some children were so young, and they never saw their parents again.

My own mother was just five years old when my grandmother left her to come here in ; it took four years before she had saved enough in order to send for her.

I once read a point about these people leaving their families and their children, to cross an ocean, to care for other people’s families and children.

This is evident with the number of nurses that came from the Caribbean colonies arriving here to work in the newly established HS. HMT Empire Windrush arrived the same year as the HS was founded, in , and it’s no surprise that many of these British citizens from these outposts and former colonies came to help build that service.

To, regrettably, a mixed response from those already living in their new homeland. Strikingly, there is no bitterness from this generation; in the interviews with Wendy their capacity for forgiveness shines through, while their dignity and grace is evident; just as it is in the photos taken of them dressed in their Sunday best.

So looking back, has their experience been a positive one?

Considering what they faced, their portraits re ect their strength, their positivity, and the love they have for life and others, says Wendy.

They did manage to build a life here and made huge contributions.

They have no regrets; they love Bristol and this country. Many of them already believed what they were told, which was that this was their Mother Country and they saw it as such before they even arrived. es, their overall story is a positive one.

Is there a message for the younger generations here?

I asked some of them that very question myself and included their words in the book. A few words from them include: now who you are and don’t let that get away from you. Carry the torch and don’t let that ame go out. Learn as much as you can. Be an upstanding person in your community, do good in life, live loving, and be caring for one another.

Both the book and the photos are clearly a labour of love.

I’m pleased this book contributes to the overall conversation and education of this moment in our shared history, says Wendy. And I’m most pleased of all that the elders and the Windrush generation love this book and are as happy with it as I am. n The book costs £20 and can be ordered from the website: realphotographycompany.co.uk

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

THE PIONEERS

The book highlights the experience of the Windrush generation in Britain, commemorating a unique period of British history between 1948-1971 which is rarely shared, even though its influences are still felt today.

The book pays tribute to a generation of people who left their homeland, to work in the NHS, serve in HMS forces and answer the call to help rebuild a postwar Britain.

These elders paved the way for the generations of BAME British communities living in the UK today.

The Pioneers book is totally immersive, from the tactile fauxsuede cover with its design based on the flag of the former Federation of the West Indies. QR codes take the reader to the music highlighted in the text, which includes a live performance of a Windrush tribute piece composed and performed by Bristol Reggae Orchestra. Readers are also able to hear the voices of the elders who were interviewed and gave their testimonies.

The book also includes a timeline of facts from 1948 to the present day, and the recent discovery of the Windrush scandal, which are reference points for discussion in schools and with community groups.

XXXXX

“Know who you are, and don’t let that get away from you”

Mr Tex Leaford Davis

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SPONSORED CONTENT

SUMMER OF ROCKETS Blast off on an out-of-this-world adventure this summer at AEROSPACE BRISTOL

FOR READY F F? LIFT-O stol are space Bri

Aero at Tickets to book in advance ase to h le rc b u p ila r a v o a stol.org ri b l. e c a a iv n arr aerosp sions upo ded with at admis inclu re a s ie it ies All activ nd activit e mission a b d n a a c m u muse st details . The late cebristol. ily a d ry a v aerospa found at -on org/whats

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

SPONSORED CONTENT

T

he countdown to the summer holidays has started, and your next family day out is go for launch, with Summer of Rockets at Aerospace Bristol!

Visit the museum between Saturday 23 July and Friday 2 September and keep the kids entertained with a packed programme of rocket-themed activities.

Every day throughout the summer, you’ll have the chance to launch water rockets and stomp rockets on the rocket firing range. Place your stomp rocket on the launch pad and get ready to test your aim, as you launch your rocket through hoops, make it fly the furthest, and earn your place at the top of the leaderboard.

Next, you can help Aerospace Bristol in building and decorating a giant rocket model.

The museum will be building the rocket throughout the summer, with visitors helping to

decorate tiles and complete the model ready for display at the end of the holidays.

And as if that’s not enough rocket-fuelled family fun, you’ll also have the chance to enjoy rocket-science shows, design your own spacemission badges to wear home, and discover real rockets in the museum exhibition, where you’ll find out all about Bristol’s involvement in space technologies such as the Hubble Space Telescope.

Aerospace Bristol’s star attraction is the last Concorde ever to fly. It’s displayed in a specially built hangar, with a stunning audio-visual show that tells Concorde’s story projected onto the side of the supersonic jet. You’ll explore underneath and around Concorde, then step on board, glimpse the cockpit, and walk through the passenger cabin, where VIP passengers would fly at twice the speed of sound on the edge of space.

There’s much more to discover at Aerospace Bristol, too. The award-winning museum offers a supersonic family day out that takes visitors on a journey through history, from the earliest aeroplanes to the modern day; you’ll discover fighter jets, passenger planes, helicopters, engines, rockets, missiles and more.

Throughout the museum, you’ll find interactive exhibits and children’s trails, which enable younger visitors to engage with the exhibition by answering questions and finding the cut-out characters from aerospace history. There’s even a free kids’ app – Alfie & Amelia’s Aerospace Adventure – which you can access on your phone upon arrival with no download required.

Finally, don’t miss the Conservation Workshop,

where you can watch and speak to museum volunteers as they work to restore historic Bristol aircraft including the Bristol Freighter, Fighter and Bolingbroke.

Tickets to Aerospace Bristol include free return visits for a whole year. By visiting this summer, you’ll not only get to enjoy the Summer of Rockets, you’ll also have a free pass to bring the kids back for as many weekend and school holiday adventures as you like for the next 12 months. n

Hayes Way, Patchway, Bristol BS34 5BZ 0117 931 5315 | aerospacebristol.org www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 31

ALL WE NEED IS LOVE

Bristol Pride made a triumphant return this month – let’s celebrate in rainbow-coloured style 1

Words and pictures by Colin Moody

PHOTOGRAPHY

I

f I had to choose a world to live in, where anything was possible, I would choose a place where who you were, and how you wanted to live and love, would not just be tolerated but would and should be celebrated. I’m talking about being free. To be who you want. To have a good time.

So let’s throw our own mini-celebration of this year’s Bristol Pride. I’ve watched this festival grow like the multicoloured rainbow of possibility that it has become in Bristol, and it’s such a joy to see and be part of.

1

Let’s take a wander through some of the Pride events (so, so many) that happen around the city. Some small, some big. All lighting up the possibility that we can live in a world that has value and respect.

Love and happiness. For all.

2

It’s a mad, mad world. Doesn’t always make sense. But when we all get behind the ride ag it does. Generations being lifted up by the day. I remember Stonewall being talked about in modern history as school, and knowing how things were for the LGBT IA community when I was in education in the 1980s, and I can see how far we have come. But now is not time to take the hard-fought-for freedoms for our diverse community for granted. There is power here, small hands raising ags, and being seen, being heard.

2

3 3

You have the right to be who you are.

Anything you want to be might be taken down and glammed up a bit.

And then let’s go out-out.

4

“Now is not time to take the hard-fought-for freedoms for our diverse community for granted.

There is power here” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 33

6 5

“Now it’s your chapter; time to write the pages of your Pride history”

7

4

Research tells us that in 2022 the UK is a proudly inclusive country. Yet here we are with another world, a world that rejects liberal society and all its gains and will invade and threaten. The bullies are back (they never went away… they’ve been honing their hate).

Acceptance was on the up. Let’s keep it that way.

Intolerant minority viewpoints are creeping into our media again. And so it’s more important than ever to counter that with respect.

5

England my England.

This royal throne of kings and queens.

This other Eden Is bloody wonderful.

And I want to live here forever.

6

Are you sitting comfortably? Yes? That’s because you are living in a society that respects the rights of all its citizens.

We’ve got some work to do, we ain’t out of the woods yet, but it’s a good beginning.

Now it’s your chapter.

Time to write the pages of your Pride history.

Bristol.

Where dreams can come true

7 8

Want one.

You don’t get Pride?

“What’s this all about?” the fellow front and centre in this photo asked me. Cut a few minutes forwards, and here we are.

Go walk a mile in your shoes next to our shoes, and let’s talk, baby!

Colin Moody; content creation, online images Twitter @moodycolin Instagram @colinmoodyphotography colinmoodyphotography.wordpress.com

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

8

KLOSTERHAUS Go on; treat yourself to a slice of Mittel-Europen heaven.

What’s the wurst that could happen . . ?

Words by Deri Robins

“If we’d asked for tears of unicorn to be substituted for the passionfruit, I’m sure this would have posed no problem at all” 38 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

RESTAURANT

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hat makes you return to a restaurant for a There are plenty of other dishes that won’t scare your great-aunt, second, third and maybe twentieth time? Is from fish and chips to burgers and steaks, which you can follow with it the quality of the food? The charming, such retro delights as Black Forest gateau; once foolishly considered na knowledgeable service? The atmosphere and but now acceptably post-ironic. Vegetarians aren’t ignored, though it’s decor? Some quirky little USP you just can’t fair to say that Klosterhaus may not be their spiritual home. find anywhere else? Actually, if it doesn’t tick Visiting on a balmy evening, we settled ourselves on the terrace, all of those boxes you should go somewhere feeling highly Mittel-European. We then decided that the view of the else. This is Bristol, after all, food capital of the West; there’s no need bar was far nicer than watching shoppers schlepping bags from the to compromise. I can think of dozens of places where I’d happily Zara sale, so we scuttled back inside, settled ourselves into one of the dine every week, drawn by the magnetically stellar cooking, pleasing luxurious booths and immersed ourselves in the cocktail list. surroundings and general loveliness of the sta .

This is inspired by the culture of five cities Hamburg Frankfurt, Klosterhaus is among them. Let’s begin with the building itself, a Berlin, Munich, and Bristol, ‘a city looking to the future, embracing the lovely 18th-century Quakers’ meeting house which looks quite unlike new and exciting’. Well, we thought, we could drink to that. We ordered anything else in the city. It could be a town hall in some Austrian square. up the Cabot, but since we couldn’t quite picture the old seadog sipping tterly unlike its immediate surroundings, it o ers a graceful oasis a non-alcoholic sundowner on the deck of The Matthew as he headed among the glass and steel retail jungle of Cabot Circus. for the New World, we asked for rum to be substituted for the Caleño.

It’s even more striking inside. Doric pillars soar Charming waiter Daniel didn’t bat an eyelid; the to the top of the double-height space, there’s a sta here really are among the most delightful and wraparound gallery and a grand central staircase. DINING DETAILS can-do in the city, and if we’d asked for tears of When the D&D group moved in, back in late unicorn instead of the passionfruit I’m sure this Klosterhaus, The Friary Building, Quakers Friars, Broadmead; 0117 452 3111; klosterhaus.co.uk 2020, they wisely refrained from messing too would have posed no problem at all. much with the mojo. What they did do was create Restaurant hours Monday-Thursday middayWe shared a classic Caesar salad, the lettuce 10.30pm; Friday midday-11.30pm; Saturday a glamorous new central bar – a sea of gleaming crisp and perky, the eggy dressing countering the 11am-11.30pm; Sunday 11am-5pm brass and marble, set o by burnt-orange velvet piquancy of the piquant little boquerones, the We visited Wednesday evening stools on a tiled Deco-esque black-and-white whole topped with salty Cornish gouda tuiles. oor. Here, you can qua everything from wine to Prices Starters £8-£12.50; mains £15.50-£29.50; Next up for the daughter was the Käsekrainer, schnapps, and even clink huge steins of Bavarian a smoked cheese and pork sausage lounging desserts £7.50-£8.50 lager if you’re in an Oktoberfest frame of mind. suggestively on a bed of sauerkraut. For me, a Drinks Cocktails; international wine list; It’s all rather gorgeous. Little wonder that the schnapps; beers served in glasses, mugs or steins chicken Schnitzel; though marvellously tender of location crew for The Outlaws chose Klosterhaus esh and crunchy of crumb, with a rich red wine Atmosphere Elegant but relaxed when they were scouting for a restaurant that sauce to up the succulence factor, its sheer size Service Impeccable epitomised style and luxury, even if they did defeated me; possibly because we’d also devoured Veggie Not the star of the show; a few choices pretend it was a chintzy seafood joint in Clifton. a wholly unnecessary side of Bratkarto eln, a D&D own dozens of hotels and restaurants, heavenly dish of spuds sautéed with bacon and but strive to make each one di erent from the next. Their vision for onion. Whatever you’re having, order these; you can thank me later.

Klosterhaus, possibly inspired by the aforementioned architecture, was Now fully in the Mittel-European swing, we somehow managed to to evoke the Mittel-European grand cafés of the 19th century. That’s shoehorn in a portion of that quintessential Austrian classic, apple a headily evocative phrase right there, suggesting the whirling Strauss strudel, its whisper-thin pastry layers packed with juicy fruit beneath a waltzes of old ienna, the fin-de-si cle caf s of Budapest with their snowy dusting of icing sugar, served with a pot of warm custard. If the barley-sugar pillars and gypsy string quartets, and Bavarian grande Blue Danube waltz was a pudding, it would be this one. Oh, Vienna... dames in ridiculous little hats ordering co ee and cake alles mit Sahne.

Klosterhaus bagged itself a Michelin Plate almost immediately Well, it’s not exactly like that at Klosterhaus, but the menu does after opening, and it’s not hard to see why. With awless food, alluring o er a heady choice of Mittel- uropean delights. ou can feast on surroundings and sta who make you feel special, it’s romantic enough Schweinshaxe, Schinkenknackers and Käsekrainers, and all kinds of for dining deux, but hearty enough to bring the party. As part of a schnitzels; even if such hearty dishes aren’t your bag you’ll be tempted chain, it could feel bland, but it doesn’t; it feels polished, classy and to order them anyway because they’re such fun to say out loud. pampering, which in these slightly lacklustre times is just the ticket. n

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

CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE

Border crossing Wye is Stan not reviewing a Bristol café this issue?

F

ull disclosure time.

This issue’s co ee shop of choice is a bit left-field. Actually, fuller disclosure time.

This week’s co ee shop is so left-field, you have to drive for over half an hour to get there.

You have to cross the Severn Bridge, go past Chepstow and wind your way up the Wye Valley until you get to Tintern Abbey.

Even then you have to go on for a bit until you get out the other side of Tintern itself. But it’s worth it.

Honest. The Old Station Cafe is a complete treat for all the senses.

And the whole family, too.

is eek s co ee s o is so le t fiel ou a e to ri e or over half an hour to get there”

The idea for this jaunt out of town, this tiptoe into Wales, came from an issue of this very magazine, when the Bristol Life team headed to Portishead. Never one to miss an excuse for a spot of adventuring of my own, I decided to follow in their footsteps and find a suitable co ee and cake stop in that neck of the woods.

But somehow, and it’s a long story, I found myself heading across the border instead. Such is life. For now, Portishead will have to wait for another day and another column.

Main thing, is that this café is in a quiet, welcoming and cosy corner of a rather gorgeous part of the world. There’s loads of car parking, a couple of old railway carriages parked up to one side and, as you might have guessed, an old train station which has been turned into a bijou and tasty little café. But none of those things are the main attraction.

That would be the view.

My companion and I went for a couple of scones with co ee; always a winner. However, we did see a few very tasty looking bacon butties being handed over to other customers, so obviously there’s more to the menu than cakes and sugary snacks.

Once our hands were full of foodie goodness, we hurried outside to one of the many picnic benches that are sprinkled around the place like enormous Lego blocks from heaven. There are places in shade, places in sun and places in between. But one thing they all share is the view. The café sits on one side of an enormous natural amphitheatre filled with woods, meadows and of course, a river running through. Gorgeous doesn’t even begin to describe it.

There are also some delightful walks starting right from your table, as well as a bunch of play equipment just right for the small children in your life. You get the idea, I’m sure. It’s like going on a co ee breakaway staycation for the day. A mini adventure with co ee and cake and crisps on tap.

You can even bring your own picnic if you feel like it. Sigh.

Tell you what, I could get into this caf cultural exchange stu .

Fear not though, dear reader, normal service will be resumed in our next issue. Back where we belong, in Bristol. Probably… n Former Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer stancullimore.com

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

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

THE CHANGING CITY

MEETING ACROSS THE RIVER

Umberslade have unveiled the final piece of the Wapping Wharf jigsaw.

Let’s go and ask M Stuart Hatton all about it...

© JON CR AIG

Words by Deri Robins

U

mberslade’s plan for the final stage of its awardwinning Wapping Wharf development has not been wholly uncontroversial; but then what new-build proposal hasn’t?

A big part of the proposals provide for new homes: 0 apartments in a range of sizes, each with an external balcony and shared rooftop gardens. 0 per cent of the ats will be a ordable. There will be new workspaces and green public areas, too. obody was remotely surprised by the above. What sent social media into a bit of a spin was the bold -storey tower, designed to replace the blue shipping containers that currently house the independent Cargo businesses. We’d never even heard of them six years ago; now it feels as if people want to slap a preservation order on them. But as Stuart points out, while the containers have been a huge success, and much loved, they were

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

never designed to be permanent.

When we first put a few shipping containers at the bottom of Gaol Ferry Steps, to bring some life to the street ahead of future development, we never anticipated Cargo would be quite such a success, says Stuart So our plans for the final phases of Wapping Wharf have evolved, as we want to secure the future of these independent businesses by creating a permanent and better home for them.

We also want to create a fully-functioning neighbourhood here, with more muchneeded new homes, exible workspaces and plenty of green public spaces. We believe that thanks to its unique and prominent location on the harbourside, there is an opportunity to create something special, not just for the neighbourhood but for the whole city.

It’s easy to wax nostalgic about Cargo’s blue boxes; they’ve been a perfect launchpad for many an indie business. But as even the traders will admit, they’ve never been perfect.

“The shipping containers have been a fantastic way of supporting many edgling businesses, but it’s the independent businesses themselves, and the people behind them, bringing all the passion, individuality and energy to the area, that make Cargo the success it is today,’ says Stuart.

The containers can also be quite restrictive for the businesses, so we want to help them to ourish in a much more exible space. The new building has been designed to re ect many of the best aspects of Cargo. We will absolutely be looking to retain that quirky vibe everyone has the chance to personalise their own space and we’ll still only allow independent businesses to be part of Wapping Wharf. We invite everyone currently part of Cargo to join us in the next chapter, and we’ll ensure there is space for other small businesses to join our community, too.

In fact, the first people Stuart spoke to about the proposals were the traders. ur priority is to ensure we create a space that works for

them, and the overwhelming majority are not only supportive but very excited. We also have a growing list of independent Bristol businesses who’ve approached us since we announced our proposals who are keen to be part of the future Cargo.

Stuart has also made provision for the businesses to continue trading at Wapping Wharf throughout the redevelopment. ur current plan is to temporarily move them onto the car park area before they move into their new permanent building, during a quiet trading period, to minimise disruption.

Stuart feels that the new centrepiece building will enhance the area’s reputation as a leisure destination for the city.

This incredible building will have a rooftop restaurant on the top, o ering outstanding views across the harbour and the city. Below this there will be a public viewing platform, while the restaurants at lower levels will benefit from outside terraces bursting with greenery.

As you move round the side of the building along Museum Street, there will be an amazing market produce hall, drawing inspiration from the continent, o ering the very best produce of the South West. There isn’t anything else like it in Bristol, and we believe it’s going to be something really special.

We believe that the height is appropriate to this unique site on a key bend in the oating harbour, signalling it as a key destination

ABOVE: The continental-style market hall;

BELOW RIGHT: The view from across the harbour; BELOW LEFT: All the new homes will have balconies and access to roof terraces

WAPPING WHARF NORTH: THE DETAILS

At the heart of the scheme is a 12-storey building with cascading plant-filled terraces, fronting onto Museum Square and facing the Harbourside.

On the ground floor, small independent businesses will sell produce in a new double-height continental-style permanent covered market; surrounding this will be takeaway restaurants and casual dining businesses with outdoor seating.

The floors above will be home to dine-in restaurants, with cascading green outdoor terraces offering views across the harbour. Topping the building on the 10th floor will be a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views.

Around 240 new sustainable, highquality apartments will also be created, including 20% affordable homes. There will also be a range of flexible workspaces, along with a yoga studio, gym and nursery.

Over 30% of the site will be dedicated to landscaped public streets and spaces with wildlife habitats; a new pedestrian route will link Rope Walk and Museum Street.

THE CHANGING CITY on the harbour, and making a positive contribution to the city’s ever-evolving skyline.

By going taller, we are able to give people the opportunity to enjoy amazing views over Harbourside, and we will be able to create significant green public spaces in fact over 30 of the site will be devoted to public areas with seating, pocket parks and playable areas.

“Just as in phases one and two, a management company will ensure that all the greenery that we’ve proposed will be maintained, and it will be watered through a rainwater harvesting system and additional irrigation system when needed.

“We are absolutely committed to ensuring that Wapping Wharf orth boosts local biodiversity, and positively impacts on the wellbeing of the people who spend time there.

We are also talking to one of the restaurants about a hydroponic farm to grow salad crops, and we want to provide areas for residents to grow their own herbs and vegetables.

We want Wapping Wharf to be one of the greenest developments in the city. Trees, seating areas and gardens will line Rope Walk, with public areas between the new buildings featuring planter boxes and places for people to sit and relax. layable spaces such as stepping stones and logs will entertain children visiting with their families.

Subject to permission, Wapping Wharf orth will be developed in two phases over the next to 0 years. n See the full proposals at wappingwharfnorth.co.uk

“There isn’t anything else like it in Bristol. We believe it’s going to be something really special for the city”

ASK THE CARGO TRADERS…

Matt Hampshire, head chef at Tare “The plans look incredible. Stuart and Esme have done great things here, they have created a real community, and this is a continuation of that. It’s such a fantastic vision of the future for both Wapping Wharf and Bristol.”

Helen Symonds, Frankly store “I’m really impressed that Stuart and Esme have managed to keep the independent spirit of Cargo, and that we will all have a chance to personalise the space, which is really important to keeping the special feel of the place.

It’s also great to know that we are all going to have a permanent home. I think the plans are amazing and they will put Bristol even more on the map.”

Alex Hayes, Squeezed “I was bowled over about how progressive the plans were. I know Umberslade plans to create a great big food market and food hall. If there’s one thing missing at Wapping Wharf it’s that kind of communal dining space, which is now part of the plan, so I think that’s really positive.

“The shipping containers are great, and they certainly give this fantastic feel and look to the area; there is another side to it, though. These things physically kind of expand and contract with a change of temperature, so that can be quite difficult when it comes to fixtures and fittings. We won’t lose the essence of that, because it’s the businesses that actually bring that essence. They bring that buzz for the city.

“What will it mean? It’s a big word but I do think it’s a legacy both in the way they (the buildings) look and hopefully in the way that they operate.”

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

TARTE AU CITRON SOFT TOY, £12.75 Yes; it’s a cuddly lemon tart.

Your point being?

From Pod Company, 24 The Mall thepodcompany.co.uk

LOEWE X PAULA’S IBIZA RAFFIA BASKET BAG, £395 Embodying the signature free-spirited vibe of this collaboration; handwoven in a cheerful citrussy shade From Harvey Nichols 27 Philadelphia Street harveynichols.com

GOOD DAY SUNSHINE

This feature is brought to you by the colour yellow: the most cheerful, summery hue in the spectrum

MARSET BICOCA TABLE LAMP, £POA Chargeable, so can be easily moved around the home with cordless freedom – an important feature for the designer, who’s aim was to ‘brighten life and accompany the good times, wherever you go’. We can get down with that!

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

IZIPIZI BABY SUNGLASSES, £27 How cute are these soft-framed sunnies, designed for soft little faces?

No more ‘the sun’s in my eyes!’ pushchair misery!

From Pod Company, 24 The Mall; thepodcompany.co.uk

BAGGU REUSABLE BAG, £14 There’s a reason that the iconic Smiley design came in yellow…

From Truce; 54 Princess Victoria Street truceonline.co.uk

ALESSI CORKSCREW, RRP £43 Alessandro Mendini’s Anna G corkscrew has become a cult object; as well as its witty, gorgeous design it’s a superbly ergonomic bit of kit From Bristol Guild 68 Park Street bristolguild.com

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

SUGARHILL BRIGHTON TEE, £30 Slogan tee in sunshine yellow, in gorgeously soft cotton From Fox + Feather 41 Gloucester Road foxandfeather.co.uk

ED’S ED S CHOICE BIODEGRADABLE GLITTER, FROM £7 Heading for the last of the summer fests? Dazzle sustainably with this plant-based alternative to plastic, helping you to #GlitterWithoutTheLitter From ecostardust.com

JANGNEUS CITRUS DISHCLOTH, £3.20 Add some Scandi style to your domestic chores with this eco-friendly cloth From Movement Boutique, 5 The Mall movementboutique.co.uk

GEO 200 LAMP, £134 Beck Prior’s most popular lamp; bold and confident, with a fun pop of yellow From Prior Shop 58 West Street, St Philip’s, and at Unit M10, Quakers Friars priormade.store

BLOOMINGVILLE ATA VASE, £22.50 Deco-inspired, in a hue to brighten up any space. Fill with fresh blooms from the garden or leave it as it is From Mon Pote, 217a North Street; monpote.co.uk

RICE STONEWARE OVEN DISH, £35-£47 In a vibrant summery yellow to ramp up the sunshine at all your al fresco gatherings From Fig 1, Unit 9, Gaol Ferry Steps fi .co.uk

SASS & BELLE DRINKING BOTTLE, £14 Designed with the future in mind and Earth at heart, this water bottle is the ideal alternative to single-use plastic From That Thing, 45-47 Stokes Croft; thatthing.co RENO SWIVEL CHAIR, £1,376.15 (IN SALE) Elegant, curvy and insanely comfy, with fabulous retro curves in all the right places From Bo Concept 51 - 53 Merchant Street; boconcept.com

ILSE JACOBSEN FLIP FLOPS, £29 With comfy embossed soles, and a glittery thong for extra summer sparkle From Grace & Mabel, 32 The Mall; graceandmabel.co.uk

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Giving the world motion.

It’s natural.

EthicaCBD are offering 30% off their game changing Sports Gel.

Use code “Sport Bristol30” at checkout to get 30% off!

@ethicacbd

|

www.ethicacbd.com

WINDOW SHOPPING MILLY VAUGHAN

Striped towelling midi-dress, Me + Em, £62.50 (from £125.00)

Cayley crochet cardigan, £339, Grace & Mabel

Forever b.young NANI crochet knit vest, £23.99 (from £39.99), Fox + Feather Johnstons of Elgin cableknit cashmere socks, £37 (from £75), Harvey Nichols

The granny edit Do our fashion grandmothers know there’s a credit crisis on?

I

f so, they’d probably approve of the sartorial austerity package that’s been coming our way.

Sprinkle on some Jubilee vibes, and this summer edit is looking a lot like a ashback to the 0s, with crochet galore, socks with sandals and Terry Towelling.

Crochet Have a slice of Victoria Sponge and get your knit-on to rustle up this summer’s must-have crochet tank top for next to nothing.

Think ’ 0’s colours for a retro

look, or monotone for an updated version of the classic. I’ve also spied crochet bucket hats, halter tops, polo tops, and cardigans.

Sometimes the crochet can morph into more of a lighter mesh fabric, but it’s all good news.

You’re saving pennies and you can be incredibly smug; what’s not to love? So get those needles out, and pop along to Knit & Natter.

Socks and Sandals Something happens when I put on socks and sandals, that doesn’t happen when I only wear one or the other. I take on a new persona. Similar to putting on a long owing skirt, which I

“Something happens when I put on socks with sandals that doesn’t happen when I only wear one or the other”

Weekend Maxmara Angolo cotton and linen cardigan, £175 (from £250), Grace & Mabel

Birkenstock Arizona suede sliders, £90, Harvey Nichols

Birkenstock Boston suede sliders, £120, Harvey Nichols

suddenly feel compelled to hitch up as I run up the stairs like a Jane Austen heroine, even if I’m only retrieving more toilet rolls for downstairs.

Likewise with chunky socks and my favourite pair of Birkenstocks, I become some earthy homemaker who wants to go and sweep the porch after having a mug of steaming tea on the verandah that I don’t yet own.

The budget-busting beauty of this trend is that you have two looks for one pair of shoes, taking you from summer through to the cooler months; hot/summer: socks o , cold autumn: socks on.

Terry Towelling Quintessentially retro. This fabric is cheap and highly practical

Towelling shift dress, £95, Me + Em

Nali Shop crochet shoulder bag, £59, Fox + Feather

Ichi Lenka towelling top, £27.99 (from £39.99), Fox + Feather

for summer beach missions and BBQs. It hasn’t been all plain sailing for this fabric, with the likes of the Juicy Couture blip. What the JC tracksuit did to towelling, similar to what Liam Gallagher did to the Burberry print, put us o for a long time.

I put my hands up to admit I double sinned and owned both a JC tracksuit and a Burberry bikini. Ahhh! Now and again my iPhone makes me cringe with memory photos bearing witness to these fashion faux-pas. But luckily time has healed both sores, as they are both back from being sent to fashion Coventry with a royal seal of approval this summer. n @millyvaughan on instagram camillapettman@mac.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 53

NEVER MISS AN ISSUE 17 ISSUES FOR

£30

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Never miss an issue of Bristol Life – get your own copy posted to you on the Friday the magazine comes out Get yours for £30 for UK subscriptions (17 issues)

www.mediaclash.co.uk/subscribe

T: 0117 330 6820 E: reception@kjpclinics.co.uk keithjamesphysiotherapy.co.uk

Keith James Physiotherapy has been one of Bristol’s leading providers of Physiotherapy services for over 30 years.

Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy | Acupuncture Sports Massage Therapy | Podiatry and Chiropody Neurophysiotherapy Rehabilitation | Hand Therapy Respiratory Physiotherapy Visit us today: Keith James Physiotherapy 129 Coldharbour Road, Westbury Park, Bristol BS6 7SN

Life isn't perfect, but your hair can be Since 2001 SK109 have been passionate, personal & professional about hair.

109 Coldharbour Rd, Westbury Park BS6 7SD. Need an appointment? Call us now to book 0117 924 7981

www.sk109.co.uk

PARK LIFE Beginning at the point where Redland ends, with a strong sense of its own community, Coldharbour Road is home to a wide number of independent traders. But don’t take our word for it…

Photos by @JonCraig_Photos

STREET LIFE THE HAIR STYLIST: AMY FRANKLIN CASA PELO

Amy is the owner of Casa Pelo hair salon, and has been a stylist on Coldharbour Road for the last 12 years.

What makes Coldharbour Road special?

It’s quaint corner of Bristol with some great independent businesses; it has a huge flow of traffic that brings in passing clients and ample free parking. It has a great community feel, with a mixture of families, professionals, and the occasional student.

Has it changed much since you’ve been here?

The area has stayed really consistent since we’ve been here, with few changes of shops; rarely is somewhere left empty. We’re very lucky, compared to other high streets that are full of vacant properties.

If we’re visiting your ‘hood, where do you recommend we visit?

After a quick blow-dry at Casa Pelo (of course!) try Lavender for a genuine Italian coffee, stop by Beauty Box to get your nails done and grab a freshly baked treat at the Split Tin bakery before you head off.

Fun fact: Casa Pelo, at number 126, literally translates as ‘house hair’ – not to be confused with Haus of Hair at number 103...

THE PHYSIOTHERAPIST: KEITH JAMES KEITH JAMES PHYSIOTHERAPY

KJP offers a full range of musculo-skeletal treatments, with over 30 years of experience behind it.

What’s special about your ‘hood?

Coldharbour Road is in an ideal central location, in a really lovely area of North Bristol. It’s full of really nice, likeminded people, who believe in looking after their own health and wellbeing, be it for general fitness, or rehabilitation following an injury or surgical intervention.

You’ve been here a long time – has it changed much?

Having been here 30-plus years, very notably! There have been many improvements for the better.

I

Kindly recommend a couple of great places for us to visit

above: Pub landlord Joe; inset: Amy at Casa Pelo; opposite page: Lara and Stef of Skyboat Café

f you don’t reside in the leafy, residential ’burbs of Westbury Park and Henleaze, you may be ignorant of their charms. Sure, a few notable new openings in recent years may have put the area on your map – Freddy Bird’s Little French and Little Pantry, for example, both offered persuasive reasons to head on up here – but the main artery of the neighbourhood is long Coldharbour Road. We spoke to a few of the people running businesses here, to find out what makes their manor so special. They didn’t all agree about the parking, though . . .

THE PUB LANDLORD: JOE HANNA THE CAMBRIDGE ARMS

Joe has recently become the landlord of “the best pub in Bristol, the Cambridge Arms!”

Why choose Coldharbour Road?

I think the area is great, which is why I moved here! The only niggle from me would be the lack of on-street parking when our little car park is full.

If we’re visiting your ‘hood, where else do you recommend we visit?

Pizzaland for takeaway; five minutes away on Whiteladies Road, I like Latimer’s for a sandwich and the Jersey Lily for a pint. If you’re lucky, you might get to meet Mason, JL’s friendly furry friend…

Tell us a fun fact

I run the Cambridge Arms, but I grew up in Oxford. Who should I support in the next boat race?

“There are very few changes of shops; rarely is somewhere left empty here” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 57

STREET LIFE The Skyboat Café and Cardamon Bay are great eateries. Lavender does great co ees, too. Barry Toogood for the most beautiful bouquets, and to Bev and Connie for baked goods at The Split Tin Bakery.

Fun fact: epending on the time of year, you may catch our skeleton, Stan, in fancy dress. Why not pop along and see what he’s up to?

THE (OTHER) HAIR STYLIST: SIÂN SPRING SK109

Sian owns this popular hair salon at number 109, which celebrated its 20th birthday last year.

Please sum up the appeal of your ‘hood…

Coldharbour oad is a vibrant area of Bristol with an eclectic selection of businesses and shops which are well-supported by locals and visitors alike. It has a great community spirit and is a great area to have a business. ne thing that would make it better is the parking Has the area changed much over the past 20 years?

Coldharbour oad itself has seen many businesses come and go, but some very well-established long-running businesses are still here and have survived Covid times. We now seem to be quite a mecca for hair and beauty salons Pick out a few places for us to visit

The local pub is very much part of the community, and I definitely need to give a shoutout to Barry Toogood Barry and Jayne have such a great range of owers and cards, and have always been very supportive and friendly.

Tell us a fun fact…

ut of the sta we have had over the years we have had over

babies

“Some very well-established longrunning businesses are still here and have survived Covid times.

We now seem to be quite a mecca for hair and beauty salons…”

TOP: Sian at SK109; MIDDLE: Kabuki beauty salon

TOP: Xxxx; ABOVE: xxxxxxx; BELOW: xxxxx

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

A vibrant, seasonal and healthy cafe

THE PLAY CAFE FOR LITTLE ONES AND THEIR GROWN-UPS

Imaginative space for children to play and learn

4 HARCOURT RD, REDLAND, BRISTOL, BS6 7RG | WWW.SKYBOATCAFE.COM | INSTAGRAM: SKYBOATCAFE

Located in Westbury Park, Bristol, we at Casa Pelo have everything you need to make and keep your hair looking beautiful.

THE SALON As a salon we are proud to be using the markets leading Wella professionals for all hair colouring which is our love, from highlights to balayage or all over colours we trust this brand to do the job perfectly.

TAKEAW AY COLLE CTION SERVIC E NOW AVAIL A BLE!

Our extensive range of services include Wedding hair, mens hairdressing, childrens cutting, luxury blow drying, fashion colouring to name just a few. We are proud to provide a very personal service tailored to all individual needs.

OPENING HOURS

Mon: Closed Tues - Sat: 12pm - 11pm, last orders 9.30pm Sun: 12pm - 9.30pm, last orders 8.30pm 24 KELLAWAY AVENUE, REDLAND, BRISTOL BS6 7XR

0117 924 5450

ONLINE BOOKING SER NOW AVAILABLE

VICE

126 Coldharbour Road, Westbury Park, BS6 7SL Tel:01173294278 | www.casapelohairdressing.co.uk

Established since 1988, Steve Wren leads a team of over 35 highly skilled craftsmen.

Our excellent standards of workmanship, first class customer care and after-sales service have given us an outstanding track record, proved by more than 95% of our business coming from word of mouth and repeat business.

Kabuki Makeup + Cosmetic Studio 127 Coldharbour Road, Redland, Bristol, BS6 7SN

kabukistudios.com | 0117 330 8297 | info@kabukistudios.com

120 Coldharbour Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 7SL Freephone: 0800 9553515 | Tel: 01173 179771 Email: steve@swwrenbuildingservices.co.uk

www.swwrenbuildingservices.co.uk

STREET LIFE FROM TOP: The Wren team; KJP; Sofa Magic owner Scott Davidson

THE CAFÉ OWNERS: LARA SAXBY & STEF CARLEY-SMITH SKYBOAT CAFÉ

Run by local mums Lara and Stef, Skyboat is a boutique play café for young children and their grown-ups, serving vibrant seasonal food. Lara studied at the Royal College of Art, and has used her background to create a design-led environment where kids’ imaginations can run wild. Stef brings her experience of the catering industry and a background working in Michelinstarred restaurants to deliver a top café food experience.

Why are you based on Coldharbour Road?

We both brought our young families up in the area, and saw a gap in the market for somewhere families could go to enjoy delicious food in a child-friendly space. There is a real sense of community here, and we wanted to enhance this by creating a hub where families can connect with other families in a beautiful space that o ers avoursome food and co ee. ur bigger picture aim in setting up Skyboat was to draw a wider audience to the local area, as there isn’t anywhere else in the South West that o ers what Skyboat has to o er its customers.

If we’re visiting your area, where do you recommend we visit?

Well, Skyboat for a start, for a play and some delicious food and co ee, Head across to Haus of Hair or ougie Jones for a pamper and a haircut, then head to across to Barry Toogood to pick up some beautiful owers or a house plant, and then on your way home pick up some Italian produce for dinner from Lavender co ee shop and deli.

THE FURNITURE EXPERTS: SCOTT DAVIDSON & EMMA SNEWIN SOFA MAGIC

Sofa Magic has been making sofas, curtains and reupholstering furniture in the area for over 30 years.

Why are you based on Coldharbour Road?

We love being part of the famous strip of local businesses and couldn’t think of a better location to have our sofa showroom, which is why we decided to open our second shop just across the road.

If we’re visiting your area, what cafés, shops and restaurants do you recommend we visit?

We would recommend popping into Lavender for their delicious co ee and sandwiches while taking a walk up to the owns.

Surprise us….

ur work was recently featured on DIY SOS a few weeks back where we made a wonderful headboard and scatter cushions for a fantastic mother and family.

THE BUILDING SPECIALISTS: SARAH PETERS WREN BUILDING SERVICES Wren carry out all types of domestic and commercial construction work.

Why are you based on Coldharbour Road?

As most of our clients are based within the local area, we wanted to have a base that was in a convenient location for our clients to visit.

Has the area changed much since you’ve been here?

o, we are lucky enough to be part of a thriving high street.

What cafés, shops and restaurants do you recommend we visit?

We love The Split Tin Bakery for their traditional cakes and pastries, Barry Toogood for their beautiful bouquets and plants, and IH Flooring for its wide range of ooring and carpet options. n

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

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

Lucy Hattrup

Melissa Toney Gethin Richards, Hannah Spear and Beth Perry

Claire Ladkin, Tom Woolf, Kate Wyatt and Bethan Arora Kate Peters and Charlotte Sproul

BRISTOL LIFE SUMMER PARTY

Friends, clients and colleagues assembled at the beautiful Florist on Park Street to welcome the summer – and the return of the normality of get-togethers such as this.

Photos by @JonCraig_Photos

Jamie Butt and Nick Smith

Everybody smile...

Stan Cullimore, Deri Robins and Caroline Harris

Xxx

Shannon D’Arcy with Greg Ingham

Pepper Barney Steph Dodd and Hannah Walkiewicz

Hannah Williams

Matt Slade

Colin Ness

Xxx

THE IVY

MediaClash welcomed clients and colleagues to a special dinner in rhe elegant surroundings of The Ivy Brasserie in Clifton. @ Photo_Bristol

Briony Phillips Jon Morgan

Harriette Dixon and Ed Green

SOCIETY

Stuart Choak

Lois Baggott

BRISTOL PROPERTY AWARDS

Maddie Difazio-Wright

Yet another Mediaclash event – it’s been a busy summer! This time it was for the launch of the Bristol Property Awards, which gave everyone a chance to have a shufti at the newly opened Clayton Hotel in Old City.

Photos by @JonCraig_Photos

Sam Bartley Nathan Sheppard

Ross Sheppard Rob Bartlett

Rachel Holmes

James Devey Jon Horwood

Xxx

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 65

SOCIETY

Co-founder Meg Abernethy-Hope,

BILLY CHIP

CEO Jon Hope in snazzy Billy Chip outfit

The Bristol charity hosted a ball at Chew Valley Lake; Radio 1 DJs provided the tunes, Butcombe donated brews for the bar while Strawberry Field Catering in Keynsham provided the food, courtesy of kind couples whose weddings had been postponed, and who wanted the food to go to a good cause. billychip.com Lisa Moon, Izzie Blunsdon and Daisy Brimble

Georgie Humpreys Lucy Russell and Dr Damian Pacini

The team from Halo Giuseppe Dell Anno with Lady Nade and Mark Olver

PARKER’S ADVENTURE

Bristol Animal Rescue Centre held a launch for their new interactive adventure trail around the city. Parker’s Adventure features a special set of animated animal films created with Halo design studios, featuring the voices of prominent Bristol celebrities and figures from the community, led by Sir Tony Robinson in the role of Parker the Dog. parkersadventure.org

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

Shelley Armogie and Giuseppe Dell Anno

MEET THE AGENCY

Need help with promoting your business?

How about strategy, brand-development, content and design, digital marketing or social media? Need tech issues fixed, or new websites developed?

You’ve come to the right place...

SPONSORED CONTENT

JON PAYNE

NOISY LITTLE MONKEY 0117 327 0171; noisylittlemonkey.com What sets you apart from other agencies?

Technical chops + left-field creativity. We love to fix tech SEO and CRM issues and then, when the client is getting traffic and able to track what activity drives revenue, we unleash creative campaigns which drive web traffic and even more revenue.

What’s the most challenging brief you have faced?

A new website which would drive B2B sales leads and HubSpot sales training to enable the team to close more. All delivered in under six weeks. We delivered (in the nick of time) and sales went up a whopping 65%.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Helping people do their job more effectively and better. More effectively normally means we’ve helped them grow revenue or profit. Better means we’ve helped them do that in a more ethical way.

Maybe we’ve helped them reduce their ecological impact by sending less emails that get junked, maybe we’ve helped them be more inclusive in their employment practices or messaging, or

maybe we’ve just shown them that they work in a toxic environment and helped them find something more suitable. We do that through our webinars and in person events, such as Digital Gaggle (tickets on sale now).

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

The anarchic spirit of community in the city, particularly in the tech sector and the creative sector, is inspiring. There are dozens of niche get-togethers like SWmobile, You Get What You Get, #BristolSEO and The Bristol HUG where amazing speakers share ideas in offices and pub back rooms – Bristol is unique in that.

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2022?

Nah – We’ll stick to what we’re brilliant at (tech SEO, HubSpot and digital marketing) and simply attract more people who need it.

HELEN SAVAGE

KATE CLAYTON

What sets you apart from other agencies?

As a small copywriting business with ambitious plans to stay small, we offer clients a personal and flexible service, truly becoming an extension of their team. We can help with all kinds of copywriting, but our passion is for business blogs.

Working with companies that see the value in a blog but don’t have the time to give them the attention they need, we help organisations achieve the holy grail in blogging – consistent copy!

What sets you apart from other agencies?

We have a 28-year history, but Episode Two is only four months old – so we truly know what it’s like to create and grow a brand right now.

BLOG WRITE LTD 07809 395098; blogwrite.co.uk

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Genuinely helping customers and making their lives easier. It might sound cheesy, but it’s extremely satisfying to exceed customer expectations, whether in the quality of the copy, delivering on a last-minute brief, or by presenting work ahead of deadline.

Why should a business utilise your services?

Producing a consistent business blog requires time and space to think, research and plan. That’s why it can fall down the priority list of in-house teams or full-service agencies who need to prioritise deadline driven work first. Our customers use Blog Write to reap the benefits of business blogging, without the hassle – never suffering the embarrassment of an out-of-date website, safe in the knowledge that their blogs are always our top priority.

EPISODE TWO 0117 933 9400; episodetwo.co.uk

What is the most challenging brief you have faced?

Our own! There’s no better way to fully experience what our clients go through than to practice what we preach… so we took the challenge and did it for ourselves. A complete, full-throttle rebrand from the ground up.

Helen Savage

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Seeing the smile on a client’s face when we deliver the ‘wow’ that will change audience perceptions of their brand.

What bespoke services do you offer clients?

We call them ‘Secret Weapons’. Outside of the day-to-day, these give our clients that edge in the fight for consumer attention. But they’re not on our website, or on our social media, they really are only for our client’s eyes. You’ll have to talk to us to find out…

Kate Clayton

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

Championing creativity is one of our values and the Bristol street art scene absolutely embodies this. We’ve captured that spirit in our studio with a graffiti wall painted by one of the Upfest artists.

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

SPONSORED CONTENT

TANYA ESTRELLA

supports technology companies to accelerate growth sustainably.

ESTRELLA VENTURES 0117 251 0430; estrellaventures.com What sets you apart from other agencies?

We have such incredible people. Our team is so committed and together we deliver a proven growth model for technology marketing which has given us our exceptional client retention rate and satisfaction level.

What’s the most challenging brief you have faced?

Differentiating Oxbotica to compete against Google’s Waymo, which we achieved with the value proposition of ‘Universal Autonomy’, a strategic position that Google couldn’t compete with – empowering autonomous driving anywhere, everywhere, anytime.

What do you find most rewarding about the job?

I get to work with the most amazing customers, innovators, and marketers to accelerate technology’s transformation for the betterment of people and planet.

Why should a business utilise your services?

EV has a proven growth model, developing authentic brands and impactful campaigns. We implement scalable marketing infrastructure that

What bespoke services do you offer clients?

We act like an outsourced in-house marketing department, delivering everything you need: strategy, brand, design, content, digital marketing, social media, account management and HubSpot support.

How has the pandemic changed the way that you work?

As a company which started during the pandemic, we are as resilient and adaptable as you can get.

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

It’s a centre of excellence for the most innovative technology and scientific development – it’s a privilege to be a part of.

Where do you see the business in five years?

We’ve made it our mission to support businesses who want to grow consciously. Over the next five years we hope to evolve our sustainable marketing approach, which focuses on positive impact without compromising on accelerated growth.

Some of our big ideas include building a training academy to support new marketers and becoming a hub for a sustainable marketing community.

of our clients have been with us for over a decade.

What is the most challenging brief you have faced?

Reopening Bristol after the pandemic and restoring public confidence to come to the city centre was a pretty tough one. Hearts in Parks was the result and one of our most iconic pieces of work.

THE PLASTER TEAM

PLASTER CREATIVE COMMUNICATIONS 0117 953 0320; weareplaster.com What sets you apart from other agencies?

Our results. We don’t just write the strategy and create the tone of voice, we deliver the sales or the brand evolution that you’re looking for to truly move the dial for our clients. We’re also in it for the long term. Lots

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

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

We work in culture and technology, both areas which can create incredible consumer experiences.

We love to be on site at an exhibition or event, managing the client’s reputation live but also seeing the audience appreciate our client’s work and creativity.

Why should a business utilise your services?

We’re passionate, creative and brave. We’ll work alongside you, not for you and we’ll deliver above and beyond every single time.

What bespoke services do you offer clients?

We’re a fully integrated agency, so we don’t just design your billboard or write a press release, we deliver completely holistic campaigns.

How has the pandemic changed the way that you work?

We definitely go to London less and into our meeting room more! VC continues to be the most important tool in our days, but it’s so good to be back in the office as a team.

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

The culture scene and the incredibly dedicated people that make it their life to make brilliant experiences for us all to enjoy.

Where do you see the business in five years?

In a new office! We’ve just invested in our own building so look out for an office warming soon. Hopefully still working on hot new openings, cool festivals and brilliant technology.

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2022?

We tailor what we do to deliver innovation and results for our client. We’ll undoubtedly be expanding our offering but goodness knows how until the brief comes in!

Anything else you want to tell us?

We’re hiring! If you love a job where no two days are ever the same then head to the website to check out a couple of roles we’re looking for.

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JAMIE TEDDER

JOANNA RANDALL

What sets you apart from other agencies?

Our bond with our clients. We like to make them feel as much a part of our creative team as we do with theirs. Our welcoming, honest and warm charm breaks down barriers, allowing both sides to speak openly and we believe this achieves the best results.

What sets you apart from other agencies?

We specialise in brand and culture communications delivered from the heart of the businesses and organisations we work with. This means our campaigns are memorable, create impact and resonate with customers and colleagues. We’re a B Corp certified company operating for people, profit and purpose and are as committed to supporting our community as we are delivering brilliant creative comms.

KUBIAK CREATIVE 01275 464836; kubiakcreative.com

What do you find most rewarding about the role?

For me, seeing a brand taken from concept through to completion and hearing the positive feedback our clients receive is a fantastic feeling. It cements the trust and long-term relationships that we build with all of our clients.

PURPLEFISH 0117 925 1358; purplefish.agency

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Supporting our clients to deliver authentic brand experiences is incredibly rewarding. We’re equally proud of our partnerships with organisations that are making huge social impact in Bristol such as Babbasa, Leukaemia Care and St Pauls Carnival.

Jamie Tedder

Why should a business utilise your services?

With over 30 years in the property marketing sector, our knowledge and experience are second to none. Combine this with our team of creative superstars, an open-door approach and a proven track record, you have the perfect start to a working relationship. Plus, we make a good brew and have a great selection of biscuits – so we always welcome clients popping in for a chat!

What bespoke services do you offer clients?

We take great pride in our creative services which are all under one roof. From the day-to-day services of print and website design to animation, CGIs and drone photography, our team are always looking to showcase their talents.

ALEX BURLEY

TMW UNLIMITED 0117 244 0800; tmwunlimited.com What sets you apart from other agencies?

We focus on activating national brands locally. Someone based in Clifton won’t necessarily approach a brand in the same way as someone in Bedminster or Easton.

Likewise, people who live in Mayfair and Middlesborough generally want different things, so brands need to market in these areas accordingly. That’s where we come in. All our work is informed by our Human Understanding Lab, a team of 50 neuro and behavioural scientists and data analysts whose job it is to help us truly understand consumers.

We’re proud of our Bristolian roots but we’re also part of the wider TMW team, with offices in London and Reading, as well as Berkeley Square. We actively seek out the new and the unusual, finding inspiration everywhere we can – we recently sent our strategy team to SXSW in Texas and had them present their findings at an event at our Bristol office.

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

The creativity and innovation in Bristol are secondto-none. We love playing a part in that.

Where do you see your business in 5 years’ time?

We’re on an exciting growth journey and are exploring international opportunities which we plan to realise over the next five years.

Joanna Randall

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2022?

The start of the year saw the launch of our culture service offering, playing a key role in our company heartbeat proposition.

How has the pandemic changed how you work?

We’ve gone all in on hybrid working. An exciting new office space, maintaining the benefits of home working, and trusting our employees. We don’t feel the need to micromanage where people work. It’s up to individuals and teams to do what they feel is right for them. If it works for them, it works for us.

What’s your favourite thing about Bristol?

We love Bristol’s tradition of counterculturalism and innovation – and we try to tap into that in our work. Bristolians like to do things a little differently – diverse influences come together to form a dynamic, colourful, and exciting city that we’re lucky to call home.

Where do you see the business in 5 years?

Our ambition is pretty punchy: to become the most respected agency in the UK. Respected by our clients for the work we do for them; respected by our employees, who feel they can do the best work of their careers with us; and respected by our industry, for not just talking diversity and inclusion, but living it.

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Creative Company of the Year at the Bristol Life Awards! We put narrative and storytelling first when we approach a client brief and deliver it with the perfect technical solution.

What is the most challenging brief you have faced?

We’ve been in operation for over 15 years, so in that time we’ve faced our fair share of challenging (but rewarding) projects. With one, in particular, we were briefed the week before Christmas and then we delivered at the World Economic Forum in Davos in the middle of January. Our team created a stunning virtual elevator to transport viewers from outer space to the ocean floor, a photorealistic animated underwater walkthrough and a holographic explainer. The content went on to win multiple awards.

What bespoke services do you offer clients?

We can offer our clients a wide range of different creative solutions, from animation to film, virtual events, live events, immersive experiences, and digital artwork. We are experienced in everything from augmented reality to virtual production and Unreal Engine.

STEVE GARRATT AND JONATHAN BRIGDEN STUDIO GIGGLE 0117 972 0081 studiogiggle.co.uk

What sets you apart from other agencies?

At Studio Giggle, we perfectly balance creativity and technology; In the last year, we’ve won AV Consultancy of the Year at the AV Awards and

ANDREA BRISTOL (SEXTON) ADMIRE PR 07887997922; admire-pr.com

What sets you apart from other agencies?

Founder of Admire PR, Andrea Bristol (Sexton) believes that the PR industry needs a shake up.

After nearly 17 years as a PR, Andrea is well placed to understand what clients need most and how to get them effective and practical results. Results that build positive reputations and ultimately more sales.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

I love the problem-solving aspect. Creating PR strategies that fit in with clients’ business objectives and marrying those strategies with what the media wants to cover is so much fun. I love finding the angles that will work.

Why should a business utilise your services?

If you feel like you are missing something in your sales and marketing strategy we can help you pinpoint your next steps for growth – and make it happen.

Where do you see the business in five years?

It is our vision to become the UK’s go to PR agency for effective results. Results that translate into business growth for our clients. We are steadily growing and in five years time we will have quadrupled in size.

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

How has the pandemic changed the way that you work?

Pre-Covid we worked predominantly in live events; the pandemic enabled us to focus on our core strengths of content production. We have grown and evolved to find innovative solutions for our clients including virtual/ hybrid events and extended reality experiences. As a result, we have had our most successful year to date, doubling our team and our turnover.

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2022?

2022 is going to be a landmark year for Studio Giggle. We are at the start of a major development that will allow us to expand our virtual production and extended reality offering by building a permanent virtual production studio in the heart of Bristol. So watch this space!

SPONSORED CONTENT KELLY PEPWORTH

RUTH CLARKE

SPEED COMMUNICATIONS 07725 423187; speedcommunications.com

SIX 0117 9150066; six.agency

What sets you apart from other agencies?

I’ve worked in a number of agencies in my career and I can truly say what sets Speed apart is the energy, creativity and determination of the team to deliver for clients. We embed ourselves into the businesses we work for and care passionately that our work makes a positive impact. We are not just a tick-box agency. And we refuse to do PR for PR’s sake. We will challenge client briefs to ensure our campaigns make a difference and this can often see us deliver the unexpected with the commitment and knowledge that it will deliver results.

Why should a business utilise your services?

We prove to clients daily the power of PR in its ability to shape opinion, forge communities, grow brands and influence influencers like no other comms channel can. As one of the longest-standing and biggest PR agencies in the South West, we have core expertise in media relations but have evolved, based on how we now engage with content, to deliver campaigns across a range of channels and formats from social media, influencer engagement and experiential events to video and podcasts. We provide clients with award-winning creativity and help them navigate comms channels and technology to connect and engage with the audiences that matter most to them.

What sets you apart from other agencies?

We make the complex simple and most importantly, human. Our purpose is to strive to think differently to help make an impact with the businesses and relationships we work with. This means we’re known for being a trusted advisor to our clients, helping them turn strategic intent into effective experiences, and for creating the right experience for our talented people to grow their careers and be part of a close-knit culture. That connection and trust is how we create our best work together, whether that’s through brand consultancy, employee experience, digital or a mixture of all three.

Kelly Pepworth

LUKE TOBIN

Ruth Clarke

DIGITAL ETHOS 0333 256 2550; digitalethos.net What sets you apart from other agencies?

We believe a business is only as good as its people, and we think we’ve got some of the most skilled in the industry. We come from various backgrounds, blending our creativity and passion together to create digital marketing strategies with measurable results.

GEORGIE UPTON

WILD CARD 07377 424854; wildcard.co.uk

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Being able to innovate and help develop team members.

What bespoke services do you offer clients?

We offer clients unique strategies that drive growth for their business. It’s a mix of best-in-class technology and service.

What sets you apart from other agencies?

I would say that we don’t stand still – gaining Bcorp accreditation, blurring marketing channels for the biggest benefit, pushing the right boundaries with our creative ideas.

What is the most challenging brief you have faced?

Last year, we were approached by a well-known hand sanitiser brand to turn around a huge stunt to celebrate the end of lockdown restrictions – but with only 2 weeks to pull it off. We succeeded thanks to a clever idea and incredible organisational skills. The brand is now a very valued client.

Luke Tobin

How has the pandemic changed the way that you work?

We have adapted quite well, and are fortunate to work in an industry which allows us to do so. Our offices are open for everyone on Tuesdays and Wednesdays if they wish to use them, meaning we have a healthy balance of working from home and being in the office.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Having happy staff and happy clients is really what drives me. And the thrill of seeing a well executed campaign land brilliantly with media never goes away.

Where do you see the business in 5 years?

We see the business established as one of the leading independent Martech agencies.

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2022?

We will be introducing our own technology to help deliver stronger performances for clients.

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2022?

Having grown our model deeper into UX, strategy, design and digital product areas, we have a strong vision to keep progressing in our core areas of expertise and help our clients be more customer centric. 2022 will see us taking this to the next level with the launch of new products in CX and EX. This will ultimately make it easier for clients to take an insight-led approach and create stronger experiences and growth. We are also growing our ESG offering and delighted to be working in partnership with Future Leap to think of new innovative strategies to deliver on this. We need to think differently about how big businesses adopt more sustainable and accessible tools into the fabric of what they do, and we’re excited to be doing some awesome work in this space with those large complex organisations.

Georgie Upton

Why should a business utilise your services?

Because we can genuinely make a difference to their business. When done well, PR can drive huge impact – whether that’s keeping our hotel clients at 100% capacity throughout the year, or launching new food brands to market and helping them grow.

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BONNIE HARRINGTON

WORDS BY BONNIE 07442 288378; wordsbybonnie.com What sets you apart from other agencies?

I’m a freelance copywriter, meaning I write for businesses. My clients have different goals, such as getting more website visitors, more sales, or building brand awareness. I get to know them and their business really well before I start writing. Usually I write product descriptions, email campaigns, website copy, and SEO blogs, but I’ll write anything my clients need. I can adapt the way I work to suit them, either as a one-off project, or on a retainer.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

I mostly work with sustainable and independent businesses. My clients are varied – amazing small businesses, like a sustainable craft kit creator and a vegan baker, all the way to larger companies such as an eco-friendly financial advice service and ethical digital agency. They all care about having a positive impact. I love writing for them.

Why should a business utilise your services?

Without good writing a business won’t have a

strong website, or traffic-driving blogs, or a regular newsletter, or a consistent social media presence. Often my clients know exactly what they want, but lack the time or confidence to do it themselves. So, I write for them. I can draw on my qualifications, my experience, and take a customer’s perspective to make sure the copy works. Then, my clients can focus on what they do best – running their business.

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

Coffee shops, especially when they have delicious vegan treats, like Loaf and Sweven. I love the gorgeous indie shops in Clifton Village, Gloucester Road and North Street and finding little treasures. Walking around the harbour and getting dinner in Wapping Wharf. We’re spoiled in Bristol; I love living here.

NEIL ROGERS & JOE REID

KATE SIKORA

What sets you apart from other agencies?

Relationships. Our approach to client and partner services enables us to act as an extension of our client’s business and marketing teams, rather than as an external, paid-for service. We are the digital marketing department for our clients. What does this look like? At a foundational level, it’s joining strategy meetings and being a part of bigger conversations around growth and future aspirations.

We then identify how we can support these goals using key digital channels and how each channel best integrates with the new business process.

We’re also big advocates of supporting local businesses in Bristol, which is reflected in our partnerships with Bristol City FC and Huboo. These partnerships allow us to form stronger connections in the location community while providing tools and resources to our client base that we would otherwise be unable to offer.

What sets you apart from other agencies?

The connection between Noble UK and Noble US is really special – when you work with us you’re not just getting one agency, you’re getting the combined knowledge of our team and our experts across the pond. Business goals are at the heart of what we do, but what sets us apart is that we’re constantly looking for ways to evolve and be better every day for our clients. We’re consultants, not just service providers, and pride ourselves on having the knowledge and expertise to approach challenges in a unique way.

DIGITAL NRG 0333 7000 787; digitalnrg.co.uk

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Always the people. I’m really proud of the team that we have here at DNRG. Watching them join fresh out of university, school or apprenticeship programmes is fantastic to see.

In particular, I enjoy watching the team grow and develop, and the passion that they share. You can’t teach passion. They really care about what they do and the work they produce for our clients so watching them succeed and develop into who they are is what I find most rewarding.

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

NOBLE PERFORMANCE 0117 251 0073; nobleperforms.co.uk

Neil Rogers

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

I’m so proud of the team we’ve built at Noble Performs, we have a real sense of camaraderie, openness and authentic connections. It’s so rewarding to deliver great results for our clients and we’re always looking for ways to make our performance even better. Finally, we couldn’t be more excited to launch Noble Deeds this year; it’s going to be so rewarding to give back to the community in ways that will have a real impact.

Joe Reid

Kate Sikora

Why should a business utilise your services?

Noble Performs is unique because we offer a wealth of knowledge from both sides of the pond, with expertise across B2B, travel and health/wellness.

We’re proud of the long-lasting relationships we’ve built with our clients and businesses can be confident that they’re getting expert knowledge from a team that’s truly passionate about what they do.

It’s the city’s business

BRISTOLWORKS Two wheels good

Kristian Crews of Spoke & Stringer with Sam Blakeney of nippychecks

The Big Number

£10M+

The amount that Bristol’s Blue Earth Summit aims to raise for businesses, adventures and projects that have a positive impact on people and planet.

Applications are now open for entrepreneurs, founders and adventurers to pitch live for funding and sponsorship: blueearthsummit.com/the-pitch-tent

Bristol’s fully electric, eco-efficient and trackable mobile plumbing and heating service is go…

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his summer witnessed the launch of nippychecks – a fully electric service by which a team of engineers can ride to properties and businesses to maintain boilers, central heating and electrical systems and appliances.

The innovative service is already making waves in Bristol, with likeminded businesses jumping on board to incorporate the service; among them Spoke & Stringer, which operates out of two sites in Whiteladies Road and Temple Quay, selling food, co ee, surf kit and clothing.

Sustainably sourcing our food, co ee and products is a major part of what we do,” says Spoke & Stringer’s founder, Kristian Crews. “So when we saw nippychecks launching we thought how well it re ected our values.

“Hopefully many more service providers are going to follow suit in terms of creating ecofriendly ways of managing and maintaining Bristol’s property and facilities. What businesses need from the service industry are a ordability

and reliability, and nippychecks ticks both of those boxes.

“Cargo bikes are the perfect method of transport for small in-and-out jobs, so nippychecks will certainly be the first plumbing service we call on in future.”

The new venture comes after a £24,000 investment in two new cargo bikes by South Gloucestershire business West Country Heating and Plumbing (WCHP). With a range of 40 miles and a top speed of 15 mph, the bikes are cycle-lane permitted and can carry up to 150kg of cargo – easily enough for a toolbox and spare boiler parts.

Sam Blakeney, managing director of nippychecks and WCHP, said he was delighted with the initial attention the company was already receiving.

“We went big and bold on the branding and wanted to make an impact in the city, but I’m still surprised about how much of an in uence we’re having,” he said. “We’re happy to support Kristian and Spoke & Stringer, and we’ve had

many other businesses – from lettings agents to plumbing parts wholesalers – commenting on the service and how innovative they think it is.

“It’s a great start and we’re going to carry on our emissions mission, to cut congestion and improve air quality in Bristol by providing a service free from the constraints of tra c problems. f course our service is cost-e ective and ethical, too, so we’re expecting many more businesses to come on board over the coming weeks and months.”

For more nippychecks.com

Offices in: Henleaze, Whiteladies Road Clifton Village, Shirehampton 0117 962 1205 www.amdsolicitors.com

PRIVATE CLIENT - FAMILY - PROPERTY - COMMERCIAL

BRISTOLWORKS

WHISKY GALORE To Bristol gardener Jane Porter, who has taken gold at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The Still Garden, Jane’s Scottish-inspired design was also awarded ‘Best in’ the Balcony and Container category.

The Still Garden was Jane’s first show garden at HS, and showcased plants that thrive across the Highlands and islands; it also featured reclaimed whisky casks transformed into unique planters, against a backdrop of a dry-stone slate wall constructed to look like a glen between mountains.

The RHS judges praised both the planting and the unique wall as being “one of the most exciting pieces of construction here”.

Having a first show garden at RHS Chelsea is jumping in at the deep end, and I loved every minute,” said Jane.

“Show gardens allow you to work without the parameters usually set in residential or public projects. I really didn’t expect this, and I am so grateful to the amazing people I’ve worked with on this project.”

For more: @plantyjane on instagram

A LOTTA (MORE) BOTTLE The Bottle Yard Studios has announced details of its new expansion site. It’s called TBY2, and will open for business this autumn.

TBY2 will be the studio’s stateof-the-art second facility, o ering three premium quality sound stages, which are now available for advance booking, operating from September 2022. Less than half a mile from the main Bottle Yard site in South Bristol, TBY2’s fully sound insulated and acoustically treated stages o er 0,000 sq ft, , 00 sq ft and ,000 sq ft of clear span build spaces, with maximum heights of 34ft.

More than 40,000 sq ft of ancillary space is also available, including serviced production o ces, prop stores, construction workshops, costume/makeup and breakout areas. The TBY2 site is supported with up to 0GB secure connectivity and site security.

The three new stages at TBY2 increase the total number of stages at The Bottle Yard Studios to 11. The Studios’ expansion is intended to maintain and grow film and T production in Bristol and the West of England.

For more thebottleyard.com

CHANGE FOR A QUARTER

Bristol Temple Quarter – the city’s largest regeneration project – has secured a £95m funding boost.

“This will represent a new phase for Brunel’s historic station,” said mayor Marvin Rees. “Bristol Temple Meads is set to double its capacity to 22 million passengers per year. It will support three new or significantly improved station entrances planned to the north, south, and east of Temple Mead, and crucially, a new public transport interchange on the Friary on the northern side of the station, becoming a new transport hub with easy connections for pedestrians, cycling and the bus network.

“Importantly, it will further unlock the area around Bristol Temple Meads as a new residential quarter, with up to 22,000 new jobs and 10,000 new homes in 30 hectares in a sustainable location. The first phase alone looks to build 2,500 homes and provide at least two thousand jobs. This combines with the investment the University of Bristol are making in the area, with its Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus programme, and the council’s plans with Legal & General to invest in the mixed-use site at Temple Island, with a conference centre, new a ordable homes, and retail space.

Plans are already underway in Temple Quarter, with a development brief for Mead Street, part of Temple Quarter which could provide 1500 new homes and 500 jobs, out to public consultation. You can read the proposals and complete the survey online at: bristol.citizenspace.com

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BRISTOLWORKS

“A HUGE, AND EVOLVING, PART OF EV IS SUSTAINABILITY”

BIZ Q&A

Tanya Estrella Tanya is the founder of Estrella Ventures – a Business for Good marketing company which works with evolving technology companies

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e do everything from marketing strategy to planning and implementation – with skills in design, content, social and digital – to give our clients a scalable infrastructure that accelerates growth,” says founder Tanya Estrella.

“My aim when I started EV was to help businesses which are doing amazing things, giving innovators trying to make the world better a strategic marketing foundation to scale. Starting out as a five-person business during the pandemic, we’ve come a long way, now with over triple the team and four times the clients.”

How important is sustainability to you?

A huge, and evolving, part of EV is sustainability. To us, this means several things. Firstly, we’re trying to champion a sustainable approach to marketing, inspired by the desire for our actions to be positive and purposeful. We don’t want to employ noisy, overly reactive, or disruptive techniques in our clients’ or our own marketing, or try to win at all costs.

From experience, this never succeeds in the long run.

We want to create impacting brands and deliver material that o ers genuine value to the end customer because it’s based on real solutions, and encourage activity that can literally be sustained long-term. In doing this we are providing better, more strategic, higher value results for our customers.

We’ve also made sustainability part of our business model. Whether it’s working with social charities, giving back to environmental causes, or introducing internal initiatives, we’ve placed huge importance on looking for and implementing new ways to be a more sustainable business.

It’s something that has guided our internal culture as well. We prize diversity, honesty and support, and always encourage an open environment where we all advocate for one another. It’s also important to us to have a lot of fun.

We absolutely love being superdriven for our clients and have a brilliantly committed team – but we absolutely want work to be somewhere people enjoy being and working.

You are a Business for Good – tell us about this EV partnered with B1G1 because we wanted to contribute positive impact to the causes we believe in, and this was a great opportunity to help us do it. The more we get, the more we give. With every action our businesses takes, big or small, for example when we invoice a client or post on social media, we match this with a charitable donation, such as a day of school for girls in Kenya.

It’s an amazing demonstration of how businesses can achieve so much across the globe, and collectively add so much value just by completing seemingly day-to-day work tasks.

Can you give us an example of some of your recent or current Bristol customers?

Bristol is an incredible place for tech companies, so many of our clients are based here or have o ces, including CameraForensics, a digital imaging forensics company combatting child sexual exploitation, Riskaware, incident modelling experts who work on global challenges; Lumi, a smart lab

assistant that captures and analyses operational data, and Extracellular, a manufacturing partner which is accelerating cellular agriculture. 4EI, an Earth Intelligence company. ur clients tend to be technologyor science-led companies accelerating good for people and/or planet. We work with an array of sizes from those with investment scaling at speed who need our complete support, to larger global technology company requiring an authentic strategy and brand to take them to the next level.

As an ‘all-in-one’ agency with diverse expertise, we can act as their outsourced marketing department and build a scalable, strategic infrastructure for fast growth. Clients also choose us because we have vast industry knowledge and experience in the technology sector, making us uniquely equipped to help them succeed.

How do you work with charities and up-and-coming businesses?

Over the years, we’ve worked with a number of charities and early-stage businesses. These are all organisations who are having a positive impact on the world and so we want to support their work by o ering our services pro-bono, or at costs that are more accessible based on what they can a ord, or by donating to their cause.

We’re always on the lookout for more charities to get involved with, but a few we’re currently working with include nseen, the Bristol-based modern slavery charity. We have also launched our own entity supporting the refugee crisis, RefYouMe. Our team also has close partnerships with several of the incubators and accelerators in Bristol where we support their community of entrepreneurs, including ScienceCreates, Engine Shed and SetSquared to name a few.

For more: estrellaventures.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 83

© TONY AT TILE, BL ACK INK PHOTOGRAPHIC

LEFT TO RIGHT: Phil Harrison; Georgia Stewart and Levi Roots

The future is unwritten

One of the freshest new conference and networking events in the South West, EntreConf returned on 30 June with a day packed full of insights, stimulation and inspiration

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he challenges involved in funding; the need to close the gender gap (and how to make it happen); the wish for sustainability in financial planning; how best to grow your business; how to devise a good exit strategy – these were just some of the topics tackled by our panel of experts at the latest EntreConf, which was held online in order to reach the maximum number of businesses.

The day-long event o ered a series of dynamic, insight-packed talks, designed to inspire the sector while bringing together some of the most exciting companies of our time to share their opinions and experience. Tech giants and innovators, strategists, business leaders and creatives all joined us to talk about their philosophies, their backgrounds, and their plans for the future, as well as dispensing invaluable advice.

As well as the three starry keynote speakers, the day involved two panel discussions and three expert insight talks, all interspersed with networking opportunities.

There was also the unveiling of the EntreLeague: a list of the region’s leading entrepreneurial businesses, as chosen by a panel of experts (see pages 86-87).

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

THE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

PHIL HARRISON The VP and GM for Google has been at the forefront of the games industry as a creator, developer, investor and executive for more than 35 years. Phil formerly ran Xbox games development for Microsoft, and was president of Sony’s PlayStation games studios worldwide.

“I think every entrepreneur shares many amazing characteristics that are common to

“MAKE SURE EVERYONE IN YOUR TEAM CAN DO YOUR VERSION OF THE FIVESECOND, FIVE-MINUTE AND FIFTY-MINUTE PITCH” anyone who is a risk-taker, and who has that determination and vision and tenacity to follow through,” Phil said.

And success, he added, isn’t necessarily driven through the desire for financial gain. It’s often driven by an ethos of, ‘I want to change the world… I want to change my piece of it.’”

Speaking about those who have inspired him, Phil revealed he was once lucky enough to spend a few hours with Steve Jobs.

“I thought he was challenging, but I could see his single-minded vision coming through in that conversation. It was not an easy conversation, but it definitely resonated, and I could see how he had achieved everything he has.”

Phil’s advice to any entrepreneur steering a company is to “be crystal clear on what you are building and for whom, and make sure that every member of your team, whether you have five people or 500 people, knows that vision.” And the key to that? “Over-communicate: make sure everyone in the team can do your version of the five-second, five-minute and fifty-minute pitch.

GEORGIA STEWART Georgia is CEO of Tumelo, a company that gives investors and pension members visibility of the companies they are invested in, and a shareholder voice on the environmental and social issues those companies are facing. Her experience across the sustainable investment sector includes equity investment analysis at Jupiter, cleantech venture capital at IP Group and conservation projects at Fauna and Flora International.

Georgia’s journey started at Cambridge University. “Like so many other universities, it has a big pot of money, an endowment, invested in the stock market. But like many other investors,

BRISTOLWORKS

it has very little transparency about where that money is actually invested, or which companies are actually being invested in. It had very little voice over how those companies were being run, even though theoretically they are owners of these companies.”

This entangled world of shareholders ownership and stewardship inspired Georgia to set up Tumelo. “It’s what made me passionate about this idea: if you could get investors to be more responsive, then you could drive change.”

LEVI ROOTS A businessman, food writer and musician, and currently chair of St Paul’s Carnival, Levi found national fame in 2007 when he appeared on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, pitching the Dragons the Reggae Reggae Sauce he’d been selling at food fairs and carnivals for 16 years. And yes, he clinched the deal; you can still watch him charming the room on YouTube.

His breakthrough business moment came about through a stroke of luck: a BBC researcher sampled his sauce, and he was invited on to Dragon’s Den. “I always loved a challenge, and I wanted to overcome this challenge,” he said.

On the show, two Dragons said they were prepared to invest £50,000 for 40 per cent of the business. One, Richard Farleigh, Levi believes, invested in the sauce, the other, Peter Jones,

invested in him a huge confidence boost for this budding entrepreneur.

The first major order came in, from Justin King from Sainsbury’s. “That was the moment that I knew this was going to be something amazing.” The news came back fairly soon that Reggae Reggae Sauce was outselling Heinz Tomato Ketchup.

Levi told us that his mentoring by Peter Jones had been key in his financial success. Another plus has been the fact that he has become the public face of the company; the person branding. He is aware that this strategy won’t work for everyone, but for Levi it has worked extraordinarily well.

He also added: “Anybody can be an entrepreneur…”

PANEL DISCUSSIONS

PANEL 1: FUNDING With Claire Ladkin, All About the Cooks; Nick Hounsfield, The Wave; ichard Spilsbury, Link Stone Advisory; Roger Saul, Sharpham Park.

Wise words: “Whenever you bring funds in, you have to understand that while you are captain of the ship, it is now owned by a number of people. You’re there to guide it, but it isn’t yours. It’s now everybody’s. I think that’s a vital lesson” – Roger Saul.

TOP ROW, FROM LEFT: Richard Spilsbury, Claire Ladkin, Roger Saul; MIDDLE ROW: Nick Hounsfield,

Leanne Olivier, Alison Ettridge; BOTTOM ROW: Claudia May, Elly Rowley, Jane Ellis-Brush

EXPERT INSIGHTS WE HEARD FROM: EXIT PLANNING

Dominic Davis and Julie Book of Burges Salmon

SUSTAINABILITY & PHILANTHROPHY IN FINANCIAL PLANNING

Duncan MacIntyre, Florence Kiss, Maximilian Martin of Lombard Odier

THE ENTREPRENEUR’S GAME PLAN Dimo Dimov, University of Bath School of Management

“One of the advantages of crowdfunding is that it doesn’t come with a lot of interventions from the investor. However, it’s quite a fickle market, depending on the sector; crowdfunding is best suited for consumer businesses” – Richard Spilsbury.

PANEL 2: THE OPPORTUNITY GAP (AND HOW TO FILL IT) With Leanne Olivier, The Female Edge; Alison Ettridge, Stratigens; Claudia May, Storm Consultancy; Elly Rowley, NatWest; Jane Ellis-Brush, University of Bath Wise words: “The greater diversity of entrepreneurs and business leaders, the greater and more positive impact we have on our business eco system in the UK” – Leanne Olivier.

“In 2019, £250b could have been added to the UK economy if female-led businesses had grown as the same rate as men’s. In the last year, 140k new female-led business were founded; so plenty of progress has been made, but there’s much to do” – Ellie Rowley.

“Women still undersell themselves. We need to be really strong and confident about what we can bring. There’s a di erence between resilience and bloody-mindedness; noting the di erence is important” – Alison Ettridge.

“Build your network and keep asking for support; be persistent – keep on until you get a response” – Jane Ellis-Brush.

Watch the full event at entreconf.com/videos

FOR THE DIARY Our next EntreConf event takes place over dinner at the Avon Gorge Hotel on 12 September For more entreconf.com/dinner

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

PROPERTY BUILDING THE CIT Y

A NEW GATEWAY

As part of the Temple Quarter’s massive regeneration project (see page 81) a landmark 20-storey building on the old Robins and Day Peugeot dealership site has been proposed, with 00 ats, new shops and commercial units.

Developers Dandara say the aim is to create “a striking new gateway to the city” and that the apartment block is “appropriately sensitive” to views and surrounding heritage sites.

For more dandara.com

CROFTERS, RIGHT

BEST IN CLASS

It’s hard to halt the onrush of gentrification, but if any part in Bristol is going to give it a shot, it’s Stokes Croft, whose Land Trust aims to transfer land and buildings in the area into community ownership.

The Trust has announced that it has reached its minimum target to purchase the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft building in Bristol through their community share offer campaign. after significant investment from Booster Fund, managed by Co-operatives UK. In all, £328,430 was raised by 204 supporters.

“Gentrification might seem inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be,” say the organisers. “By organising as a community we can pool together to break the cycle, starting here in Stokes Croft.”

To find out more about SCLT’s community share offer campaign, visit their official Fundsurfer page or subscribe to their mailing list.

For more: fundsurfer.com/community-share/stokescroft-land-trust

Time was when the phrase ‘red brick university’ carried the dismissive implication that any hall of learning less than several centuries old was somehow inferior to more hallowed halls of learning, its architecture rather perfunctory.

Times have changed,; just look at UWE’s rather gorgeous new Bristol School of Engineering, which has just won a RIBA award (South West and Wessex) for AHR Architects.

The new academic building has been designed to support the university’s vision of promoting multi-disciplinary, collaborative learning.

“The success of this project is in the quiet, background architecture, legibility and connection to the learning and research, resulting in a bustling environment full of inspiration from the activities within,” said the judges. “As with many of the most successful education buildings, the design re ects the current pedagogical thinking while allowing for future adaption.”

For more architecture.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 89

PROPERTY

PRINCESS VICTORIA STREET Outer appearances can be deceptive – as this spacious home on a favourite Clifton backstreet goes to show Words by Ursula Cole

O

ne of Bristol’s great charms is the sheer variety of its cityscape.

Mediaeval, Georgian, Byzantine, Victorian, Modernist and modern; anyone armed with a Spotters Guide to Architecture would have a field day ticking all the boxes.

Some streets we love for their deep sense of history, others for their drop-dead elegance; some for their cheerfully defiant grunginess, or their brave-new-world coolness. We love Princess Victoria Street for the singular sense of calm that seems to pervade this pastel-coloured terrace, especially the bit between The Mall and Sion Hill; for a street in the very heart of Clifton Village, it’s wonderfully bustle-free.

Unlike some of it’s grander Georgian neighbours, the street is not remotely homogeneous or symmetrical – the homes here are mixed in with shops, an old garage, studios – but that’s part of its appeal. Somehow, we always feel as if we’ve stumbled down a peaceful side street in some southern European town.

We’ve often amused ourselves by speculating what the homes here might look like inside, wrongly assuming they’d be fairly poky. What a surprise, then, to see inside number 50 – a former coach repair shop, still with its big timber doors and carved Bath stone detail – whose narrow frontage gives no hint of the spacious, impressive space beyond.

Beautifully converted, substantial and light-filled, this home is a rare find, balancing original character with a streamlined minimalist style. The oversized front door admits you to a large oak- oored hallway leading to a dramatic open-plan kitchen and living space. A fullyglassed far wall opens to a brick-walled courtyard. (If you share our admittedly rather fanciful belief that Princess

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

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 91

PROPERTY Victoria Street possesses a sleepy backstreet Andalucian vibe, this will fuel the fantasy; stick a bowl of olives and a jug of sangria on the table, and the illusion will be complete.)

The kitchen area has a polished concrete oor and a central island; sleek handleless units team with a stainlesssteel worktop, e appliances, white brick-style tiles and oating timber shelves. A cast-iron log burner sits next to the dining area, and a cantilever staircase leads up to the first oor, where an oak oor, timber shelving and wood panelling emphasises the consistent use of natural materials.

In the living room at the front, three large sash windows overlook the street, while at the back there’s a room with a glass door to a roof terrace. As this area is fitted with both an en-suite and a built-in desk, whether you use it as a bedroom or an o ce is entirely up to you. ossibly both?

Stairs continue up to the second oor, where three double bedrooms are served by a supremely stylish slate-tiled shower room. And this house has a final trick up its sleeve; the master bedroom at the front opens to yet another private roof terrace, this time a south-facing sun-trap with views up and down rincess ictoria Street.

A good-sized utility room, and that most unusual of Clifton bonuses, a 29ft garage, make up the rest of the house.

It all adds up to an ideal urban home in one of the city’s pleasantest and most attractive thoroughfares with the delights of the illage close to hand. ou’re unlikely to find another house exactly like this one; just what you’d expect from singular, intriguing rincess ictoria Street.

“We love Princess Victoria Street for the singular sense of calm that seems to pervade this pastel-coloured terrace ”

HOUSE NUMBERS Where Clifton Village

Bedrooms

4

What?

Converted coach repair shop

Shower rooms

2

Outside Two roof terraces and a walled courtyard

Guide price

£1.75m

Main rooms Large open-plan kitchen/diner; living room

Contact Elephant, 37 Princess Victoria Street; 0117 370 0557; elephantlovesbristol.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 93

0117 934 9977

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

(0117) 934 9977

North Street, BS3 FOR SALE £225,000+VAT 695 sq ft

Rennisons Yard, BS6 FOR SALE - POA 2,988 sq ft

Sheene Road, BS3 TO LET - £10.00 PSF PAX 2,859 sq ft

Bath Business Park, BA2 FOR SALE £900,000 excl.

5,580 sq ft

Unit 251 Central Park, BS14 TO LET - £9.00 PSF PAX 3,486 sq ft

Unit 2A Quedgeley, GL2 TO LET - POA 1,870 sq ft

A large, first floor workspace with kitchenette and WCs. Currently fitted to provide recording studios and rehearsal space but may suit range of uses under Class E. Car parking can be made available.

A ground floor retail unit in a popular retail park, with neighbouring occupiers to include Aldi, Boots, and Dominos. The property benefits a predominantly glazed frontage, and customer parking.

6 Marsh Street, BS1 TO LET - POA 3,534 sq ft

Quayside, BS8 TO LET - POA 2,375 sq ft

Serbert Road, BS20 TO LET/FOR SALE - POA 8,727 sq ft

Number One Bristol, BS1 TO LET - POA 743 – 1,518 sq ft

A prominent ground floor retail unit fronting North Street. The property has a large sales area which has been recently fitted out to a high standard and benefits from a fully glazed retail frontage.

A unique opportunity to purchase within this thriving new development. There are 6 commercial units available totalling approx. 3,000 sq ft, which can be purchased separately or combined.

The accommodation comprises well-presented first floor offices with air conditioning. There is excellent on-site car parking, and the property is situated within 1 mile of Temple Meads Station.

A fully let investment opportunity with a well-established tenant offering a Gross Initial Yield of 7.4% and rising to 8.6%. The building comprises a modern, two storey office building.

The property comprises a stunning period property which has been fully fitted to a high standard with benefit of a premises license and is ready to trade! There is accommodation over ground and basement.

An open plan, newly refurbished, contemporary office suite in a waterfront location benefitting stunning views across Bristol Harbourside & SS Great Britain.

On-site shower, secure car parking and bike storage.

Two adjacent office suites which have been newly refurbished and form part of the prestigious Number One Bristol development.

Can be available separately or combined and may suit a range of uses.

A fantastic opportunity to acquire a detached, modern building on a secure site of 0.52 acres. Suitable for a variety of uses STP. The property is available to let or for sale.

• Sales/Lettings

• Development advice

• Acquisitions advice • Investment

Julian Cook FRICS

Jayne Rixon MRICS

Charlie Kershaw MRICS

Finola Ingham MRICS

Tom Coyte MRICS

Holly Boulton BSc(Hons)

Vicki Grimshaw BSc (Hons)

• Valuations

• Dilapidations

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BRISTOL LIVES

“We’ve got Don Cameron to thank for Bristol being obsessed with balloons”

PHIL HOOPER

Does Phil have the ultimate Bristol job?

He flies hot-air balloons for a living . . .

G

rowing up in Bristol, you’re always going to see hot-air balloons oating across the skies,” says Phil. “It fascinated me as a young boy, and I used to go to Ashton Court to watch them launch. One day I was in the right place at the right time, when a pilot asked for some help setting up his balloon. I was 11 years old; the rest is history…”

I’ve flown around 450 flights to date as a pilot. I love that

I get to let people experience a balloon ight for the first time, helping to settle any nerves. very ight is di erent, even when taking o from the same place multiple times, and I still get that excitement every single time, as we never know where we might end up.

I’ve taken part in some amazing flights in great

locations, ying some very well-known people. One of the best was ying in Switzerland at 10,000 feet above the Alps. To see that mountain range in such crisp, fresh air was incredible. ne place still on my list to y is ew ealand.

I’d been flying as a private pilot for a number of years

before I decided to get my commercial licence. Once I did get it I ew for a few other companies in the area before venturing out on my own.

We have two balloons, one that carries up to five passengers and another that carries just two plus the pilot. We like to y small balloons to keep it more personal and friendly, and sell exclusive

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

tickets for our smaller balloons, essentially hiring out the entire balloon for yourselves – people usually buy this to help celebrate a birthday, or even to propose to their other half at 2,000 feet…

I’m Bristol born and bred and

We have Don Cameron of Cameron Balloons to thank

The Knowle pub is our local

for Bristol being obsessed with balloons. He started building them in his garage, and started the Balloon Fiesta with a few friends in the pub after a few drinks. It grew and grew to the event we know today, with over 100 balloons of all shapes and sizes taking to the skies.

I will be at this year’s Balloon Fiesta. We have both of our

balloons there, we’ve sold out of our general ight vouchers, and I’m looking forward to taking all of our passengers ying.

We always try to land in a field that has gate access to the road; this makes it easy for the retrieve crew to come in after speaking to the landowners. Sometimes it’s not always as simple as that, and we come across a locked gate, but our crew are trained to deal with this and find the owners of the field by various means.

Once, when we were flying low to make a landing, during

an early-morning ight, people heard the noise of our burners from their houses. One of them opened the curtains of his fulllength glass windows and saw my passengers waving at him, while he had not a single item of clothing on. The curtains got closed very quickly again afterwards!

now live in Knowle with my wife Becca, daughter Amelia, and dog Scrumpy. The area has lots of open spaces; Redcatch Park has a great little community garden.

for a good drink and a really good roast dinner, while Baristas just o ictoria Street in town is my wife’s favourite place to get a good co ee. The ova Scotia pub on the dockside is a particular haunt for balloonists after a ight, along with The Lockside Café.

I have a head full of useless knowledge, with answers to

questions that nobody ever asks!

The type only useful for a pub quiz. My most regrettable habit is saying “I’ll do that later,” and then completely forgetting about it.

Fun fact: the passengers of the first balloon flight were a

sheep, rooster and a duck. This was back in the 18th century, when ballooning was being invented . They all survived, too.

Immediately after answering these questions I’m getting

prepared for a balloon ight. We have lots to prepare, from making sure the bottle of champagne is chilled, to arranging with our crew to meet up and collect the balloon trailer. I’m ying out of Ashton Court and we have an exclusive ight for two, for a lovely couple. They’ll get to see all the sights of the city on a beautiful summer’s evening.

Fanc in it il ea to sk i balloonin .co.uk