Bristol Life - Issue 329

EXERCISE WITH FLUFFY PUPPIES

At the hop: jump on trampolines, then eat pizza

Beat blue Mondays tell me now, how do I feel?

COOK VEGANEATVEGAN ,

Empower yourself through storytelling

LAUGH:

Learn to ride a unicycle IT’S ThE BEST M MeDICINE

DRINK BEER WITHOUT THE HANGOVER

Shake it like Shakira FORAGE 4 TONICS

Go sea swimming: come on in, the water’s… BRACING!!!!!

ICELAND

PROP UP THE BARRE

WHAT’S SUP, DOC? RELEASE YOUR INNER DITA VAN TEESE

GOOD

Channel your Gabrielinner Oak DOYOGA. THEN DRINKGIN

BOX TO THE DRUM

‘N’BEATBASS

PUT ON YOUR BOUNCING BOOTS

Move like an dancerAfrikan

LOOK UP (FEST)

Rent-a-gym

YOUR 2023 BRISTOL REBOOT

Nobody likes a preachy editor; besides, I’m sure you already know that the quickest way to banish any lingering January blues is to haul yourself off the sofa and get outside, even if it’s only for a brisk trot around the harbour. Gym membership? It’s not for everyone. As someone who has trouble committing to a Netflix box set, I know with absolute certainty that I’m unlikely to maintain a thrice-weekly workout routine. But even I might be tempted to burlesque-shimmy my way into fitness, or laugh myself into a happier frame of mind – and to this end we’ve come up with a bunch of imaginative ways to get the adrenalin flowing while teaching you a few new tricks. Just imagine the expression on your mate’s face when you turn up to the pub on a unicycle...

Speaking of laughter – seamless link there – Slapstick’s back this February, with an even more impressive roster of top names than usual, from Bristol homeboy Stephen Merchant to that starry, starry knight, Sir Michael Palin. Is he really the nicest guy in showbiz? Probably, but he still wasn’t doing press interviews. Harry Hill was though, and you can read our chat with him, along with an overview of the other festival highlights, on page 30.

This issue also falls on Valentine’s Day, but we live in tactful times and know that not everyone embraces the festival. We’ve still done a V Day shopping guide though, partly because we’re hopeless romantics, and partly because any boost to the retail and hospitality sector has to be welcomed. And since our tact doesn’t exclude us from getting insanely excited about weddings, we have a feature on trends and venues on page 10. Back in three weeks, when spring will be within touching distance,

The vow factor

Weddings are back with a vengeance for 2023.

Photo of Christina with small bridesmaid by @benrobinsphoto.com

DERI ROBINS

Bristol Life editor

Follow us on @BristolLifeMag; @BristolLifeMag

Issue 329 / Midwinter 2023

ON THE COVER

Feature page 58; cover design Trevor Gilham

WEDDINGS

10 THE HITCH IS BACK The vow factor...

ARTS

21 THEATRE ... rhymingly followed by the plow factor

22 WHAT’S ON he hristmas shows are finally done and dusted; what’s up next?

30 COMEDY Look on the bright side of life – Slapstick’s back

36 AUTHOR, AUTHOR Bristol novelist Emily Koch

38 BRISTOL HEROES Front line heroes (of sorts)

42 BOOKS It’s what winter’s for

&

46 RESTAURANT Plant-based heaven 48 FOOD & DRINK Eat, drink; then eat and drink some more

CAFÉ SOCIETY The Italian job 53 EAT BRISTOL Buy better, eat better

GET ACTIVE

58 SHAKE IT OUT The big Bristol 2023 reboot

Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk

Senior

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

art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors Colin Moody, Stan Cullimore, Joe Wheatcroft, Storysmith Books Commercial manager Neil Snow neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Craig Wallberg craig. wallberg@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Jake Horwood jake.horwood@mediaclash.co.uk Production/distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.

Festival BRIGHTNESS FALLS

In our previous issue we showcased the first installations announced for this year’s ristol ight est.

e’re now in a position to share six more see below. You’ll be able to explore all the light installations as they flicker into life from pm until pm between - ebruary make sure to stop off to shop, eat and drink at the city centre businesses while you’re at it.

Scream the House Down by Marcus Lyall

A large-scale installation acti ated by people’s oices, to illuminate a whole building in ristol’s case, the orn xchange. he louder and longer the outburst, the bigger the response from the building.

Sirens by Studio McGuire

A holographic pro ection that’s set to transform arbourside into a mythical underwater world inhibited by supernatural sea creatures and mysterious mermaids. reated to signify the impact of climate change, it suggests how e en fairytale creatures could be affected by the climate crisis, as mermaids tra el closer inland in an attempt to survive.

Continuum by Illumaphonium

A fun, capti ating installation at Temple hurch which in ites isitors to walk between mirrored monoliths, exploring a maze of reflection and light.

Trumpet Flowers by Amigo and Amigo

ou’ll feel you’re shrinking as you approach these supersi ed trumpet flowers at uakers riars and step inside some unseen giant’s musical garden. Interacti e keys allow isitors to play each flower there are also animated musical scores throughout the evening.

Beam by Pytch ecome fully immersed in ha e as you cross astle ridge while looking up at the lasers crossing in the air as ambient music plays.

Overheard in Bristol

The Alright my Luvver sign is back, this time in ueen quare Cheers Drive is, of course, now permanently installed in ristol bus and coach station. Quite right too.

The Light Festival runs 3-12 February www.bristollightfestival.org

Property ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

It’s a popular boast of estate agents that a period home has many original features. ostly, this means a lot of pretty shutters, fireplaces and cornices rarely does it mean that the house comes with police cells.

o what purpose would you put this handy asset ine cellars tudios A gym ool-off dungeon for delinquent teens pare bedroom for friends and relations you’d rather didn’t linger too long he possibilities are heady and endless.

Anyway, that’s the of number Jacobs ells oad, an early thcentury cop shop ust off Jacob’s ells oad. It doesn’t look much like a police station from the front, because it occupies two buildings, with the business end of proceedings being at the back, and a residential cottage at the front. he house is up for auction with ollis organ on ebruary, with a guide price of k.

For more www.hollismorgan.co.uk

Bristol Light Fest: this year with memaids

THE UPSIDE DOWN

Guess

what; when it rains, and puddles form, Bristol looks equally good both ways up . . .

@becky_leyton

@pod16

@matthewpriceartist

@craigderrick40

@ben.daniels3

@matthewpriceartist

@elizamoreland_

@nicki.abraham

@pod16

@brisvadar

@thebristolnomad

@chrshill

THE HITCH IS BACK

As memories of the dark days of Covid recede, 2023 is set to be huge for weddings, with many couples making up for lost time

Words by Wendy Lyne

Photos pages 10-14 and 15 by Ben

Over the years, we’ve asked plenty of wedding professionals to spill the confetti on what their clients have been asking for, and one response came back again and again. “The thing is,” we were told, “they don’t want it to feel like a standard wedding.”

But then we’d see the photos: all sweeping vistas and golden mansions, white frocks and slick suits, larky capering groomsmen and macaron towers. It was hard not to think: yes, it looks gorgeous, but it also looks ust like a wedding’. Not really all that different, was it

Of course, Covid changed all that. It made tying the knot in 2020, and e en , a compromised and usually small-scale affair. And it made 2022 perhaps the biggest year for weddings in decades; a legion of them, in all shapes and sizes. Getting engaged in 2019 actually turned out to be the chef’s kiss of timings for many, as suddenly there was no need – and little option – to rush.

During a strange 18-month landscape of lockdowns and uncertainty and chaos, there were two basic choices. For the few, it was a race against lockdowns: a wave of quick, cheap dos with just a handful of socially distanced guests. But for the many, it bought time to reassess what they really wanted, and – for the lucky ones whose income wasn’t too badly impacted – save up for it, too.

And through all this, weddings changed, as people reassessed, well, everything. Some of the new trends we’ve been tracking this year are an extension of the shifts and drifts in direction of the past decade, while others seem fresh and surprising and left-field. ere are a few on-point trends we’ve been hearing about.

TREND #1 THE ELOPEMENT

For some, the answer has become a less performative wedding; not so much an in-person extravaganza for family and friends as something smaller and more personal. In other words, a posh elopement – or, as some like to call it, a micro-wedding. The irony, of course, is that these are often just as expensive, elaborate and photogenic as any traditional affair, albeit lacking in physical guests.

Once faintly – or even extremely – scandalous, the earliest elopements involved a couple on the run, at least one livid family in hot pursuit, and a race to Scotland or France where the knot could be surreptitiously tied. These days, they’re much less fractious, and usually involve a small-scale do, albeit often opulent and highly instagrammable, with just a dozen or so guests. With fewer friends and relati es to consider, far-flung locations are suddenly a lot more

Robins

achievable, often scratching that exotic honeymoon travel itch simultaneously with the event itself.

TREND #2 THE ALL-OUT PARTY

Our second post-Covid trend, and more traditional, has seen couples go entirely the other way, dreaming of no-holds-barred spectaculars, big parties with packed dance floors, long rows of dining tables and hundreds of smiling well-wishers. Hey, we’re allowed to get together again, goes the thinking. So it would be churlish not to.

Karen and Il-gu; no Covid restrictions in sight

Paola and Anya had a small lockdown wedding before celebrating properly last year

“A ‘second’ wedding splits the emotional intimacy from the partying,full-scale making it easier to relax and enjoy both”

It suddenly dawned on Rob that the worldly goods with which he’d vowed to endow Christina included his treasured hip flask . . .

“A larger ‘do’ a year after a lockdown wedding is a smart way to make a virtue out of the inevitable”

TREND #3 MODERN AUSTEN

asically, a to-hell-with-reality, think-of-the-glamour egency affair owing as much to Bridgerton or Georgette Heyer as anything the divine Jane actually wrote. Think a perfectly English cottagecore aesthetic gussied up to the max with Transatlantic glamour, a sea of empirewaist dresses and Prussian blue pigment, crawling wisteria and lashings of lace. Gloves, vintage china, and handwritten personal touches everywhere.

TREND #4 ANNI-CEPTIONS

hat’s this It’s simply a second do on the anni ersary of the first, and a smart way to make a virtue of the inevitable. Imagine you managed a bijou lockdown original, but in doing so disappointed the many potential guests who couldn’t attend. What to do? Well, why not organise a large-scale sequel ‘wedding’ now that you can, perhaps following on a year (or two!) to the day, awash with all the family and friends who ine itably missed out the first time hese are generally big but relaxed affairs, perhaps re ol ing around an all-grins, aisle-walking recreation of the original ceremony – but they don’t have to be. The joy of these dos is that they’ve split the emotional intimacy from the fullscale partying, making it easier to relax and enjoy them both.

TREND #5 UNUSUAL ENTERTAINMENT

Everyone wants to leave the guests talking, and unexpected – even oddball – entertainment and activities have become the obvious go-to. Axe-throwing? A petting zoo? (Two options you’d be wise to keep quite far apart.) Circus performers? Face-painting or henna tattoos? Silent discos? A full-on, Paris-is-Burning ball, half-drag race and half-Cabaret? Nothing is too out there, too crazy or too much fun. Go for it, we say.

TREND #6 SUSTAINABILITY, IN ALL ITS FORMS

From rented wedding dresses, Carrie Johnson-style, to sober-curious dos with a wide range of intriguing alcohol-free bubbly alternatives, more low-key, eco-conscious couples are making their mark felt, and often – bonus! – achieving something amazing at a fraction of the normal cost, too. Natural colour palettes, all nudes, rusts and camels, play into this, as do bought (but more casual and versatile) two-piece dresses, with potential re-wearability a big bonus. Ditto upcycled occasion wear, often self-designed or self-curated from charity shop and intage specialist finds. or those lucky enough to ha e access to suitably large spaces, back-garden weddings are booming, too: a patch of grass, a series of tents, and a relati ely affordable bash that flows inside and outside with ease. ure, this is more of a fine-weather choice – but fortune favours the bold!

TREND #7 STATEMENT OUTERWEAR

It’s too hot! It’s too cold! Bristol bows to nowhere in terms of weather chat, but combine that with the long-established fact that many of the best wedding photos combine the rough with the smooth to winning effect a onroe dress paired with a rando biker acket, say and we’re predicting an ever-wider array of interesting outerwear becoming the unexpected stars of the show at an increasing number of weddings. iant furry pimp coats right yellow cod fisherman’s oilskins with sou’westers? Witty varsity jackets? Embroidered tailcoats? Wild West dusters? Shearling and vinyl, feathers and faux-fur? Whatever the look, well-picked outerwear will keep you warm, dry but always cool, as well as adding a fun extra level of synchronicity to any couple’s look. Plus, your chosen snappers will love it.

ABOVE: Modern Austen: the beautiful corset detail of Laura’s dress LEFT: Brad and Marion; who can resist a man in a kilt? (not Marion, apparently)

The choice of wedding venues in Bristol is huge and eclectic. You can exchange your vows on a theatre stage, in a cinema, among the woodland of a Gothic cemetery or aboard a Victorian sailing ship; you can hold a reception anywhere that has a roof, or even one that doesn’t. We asked three ristol enues to tell us what they can offer.

THE LUXURY BOUTIQUE HOTEL Berwick Lodge

Berwick caters for everything from an elopement and intimate weddings right up to lavish celebrations of up to 100 seated, with 150 for evening parties.

What makes you special?

“When you choose Berwick Lodge, you aren’t just booking a venue, you’re choosing a personal service and complete support package for total peace of mind – nothing is too much trouble.

“We provide the venue, food, drink, accommodation and coordination, meaning that couples can get a lot ticked off their list. This just leaves the suppliers and styling, so everyone can put their own personal twist on things. Food is at the core of what we do here at Berwick Lodge, and something we are very passionate about, with specially created wedding menus using seasonal and local ingredients as much as possible.”

Tell us about some of the trends you’re seeing “Conscious decision-making will be big for 2023. Think thrifting and sustainability, casual yet cool, with a focus on the experience.

“Gratitude. After the last couple of years, we have all done some reflecting and ha e a better understanding of what is truly important

– this has certainly given celebrations a deeper meaning. Think about incorporating special gestures on the day, such as personalised notes, and think consciously about your purchases. A wedding dress, for example, can be a huge portion of the wedding budget; we should also be aware of the manufacturing and how workers are treated. Consider buying a second-hand dress, or perhaps repurposing a relative’s.”

Have you ever gone above and beyond for a bridal couple?

“We like to think we have gone above and beyond for every couple, whether it’s been last-minute sewing, lacing or ironing a dress; standing in for a photographer who has been unable to attend; or delivering a food parcel to a family member who has been under the weather and is unable to attend.”

Tell us about the photo opps...

“Picture an intricate pergola entwined with wisteria and clematis, leading the way to Aphrodite’s Dome – a striking structure with an intricately designed dome roof. The fountain, original Victorian summerhouse, orchard, tree swing and iews across to ales offer additional backdrops for romantic photographs.

“The inside is just as beautiful, the Victorian building exuding luxury and comfort. ou’ll find original wood panelling and open fires, a sweeping staircase and sparkling chandeliers. The reception room is a wonderfully bright and airy room floor-to-ceiling windows o erlook the gardens and out towards the sparkling lights of Wales beyond.” For more: www.berwicklodge.co.uk

ABOVEANDLEFT: Berwick Lodge weaving its magic

Kiss the bride (but be careful not to drop her) – Rob and Christina

Ben Robins is a Bristol-based photographer who has shot weddings worldwide www.benrobinsphoto.com

WEDDINGS

THE FLOATING VENUE Grain Barge

You can hold receptions in the beautiful Hold Bar, which looks out on the harbour at water level. The pescatarian menu uses local, seasonal ingredients, and pro ides either buffet food or la carte.

What makes you special?

“With its cosy, woodlined interior and windows looking out across the harbour at water level, our Hold Bar is a one-of-a-kind location for your reception. Our dedicated events manager will work closely with you to plan your day from start to finish, down to the smallest details, and will be there on the day to make sure everything runs smoothly.

“The space has its own exclusive bar and PA system – perfect if you want to hire a band or DJ for the night – and you can decorate the space to your heart’s content. We also often work with couples to develop a personal cocktail for their big day. We can also request specific beers from local breweries if you want to ha e your fa ourite on tap for the day.

“And for an extra special touch, we create a mural on the door of the room for every wedding, based on the couple’s personality and the style of their day.”

Have you ever gone above and beyond for a bridal couple?

“We once facilitated a proposal on the barge for one of our couples, dropping a beautiful proposal banner, which had been handmade by the couple’s friend, an artist, from the top deck at the exact right time for the proposal to happen across the water – magical!”

Tell us about the photo opps…

e don’t want to brag, but we definitely ha e the best photo opportunities in Bristol, with panoramic vies of the harbour and the ss Great Britain. We always recommend that our couples take a short stroll around the harbour on the day, just to get away from the craziness and enjoy some quiet time together; dreamy.”

For more: www.grainbarge.com

THE ONE WITH ITS OWN VINEYARD Aldwick Estate

From the initial consultation to planning and coordination, to providing the master of ceremonies on the day, the estate offers couples a blank canvas, leading to a truly bespoke event. It’s just been named the TWIA South West regional winner for the wedding venue (barn) of the year.

What makes you special?

“Exclusive use of grounds, including the accommodation and the ineyards. ouples can offer guests our own wine from the ineyard, and there’s an opportunity to have wine tasting on the day.”

What current trends are you seeing?

“Due to the cost of living, couples are booking two years ahead as opposed to 12 to18 months. They’re also wanting more quirky dining as opposed to traditional menus; for example grazing tables and sharing boards, with gin bars and cocktails as welcome drinks.”

Have you ever gone above and beyond for a bridal couple?

“Regularly; from sewing dresses to gluing heels back on shoes, to pushing crying babies in prams during speeches.” n

For more: www.aldwickestate.co.uk

ABOVE: Wine-lovers’ delight: getting hitched at Aldwick Estate LEFT: Fun on a boat = double the fun

SNAPSHOTS OF BRISTOL’S CULTURAL LIFE

THE ARTS DEAD RECKONING

International touring company Complicité’s new play is described by its theatremakers as ‘genre-defying’ – but let’s have a go at defying it anyway.

Conceived and directed by Simon McBurney, Drive your Plow over the Bones of the Dead is based on Nobel Prizewinner Olga Tokarczuk’s “savage, funny and madly beautiful” novel of the same name. The book caused a seismic reaction in lga’s nati e oland, due to its defiant attack on authoritarian structures, with the right-wing press branding her an eco-terrorist and national traitor.

The story’s protagonist is Janina Duszejko, an eccentric engineer, environmentalist, astrologer and Blake devotee, regarded as an outsider in her small remote mountainside community. The story begins in the depths of winter, as men from the local hunting club begin to die in mysterious circumstances. Janina has her suspicions. She’s been watching

the animals with whom the community shares its isolated, rural home, and she believes they are acting strangely… Janina’s actions question the patriarchal world which surrounds her, our deeper human intentions and the value placed on the lives of animals in contrast to our own. A philosophical and poetic murder mystery, Drive Your Plow is both a rallying cry for nature and a love letter to the poetry of Blake. At its heart it’s a playful and profound work that asks us to consider what it means to live in harmony with the world around us, our place in the ecosystem, and the perilous consequences we all face if our connection to the natural world is lost.

If you only see one existentialist comedic-macabre, anarchic-noir feminist eco-thriller this month, make it this one.

At Bristol Old Vic until 11 February; www.bristololdvic.org.uk

WHAT’S ON 27

January17 February

EXHIBITIONS

Until 29 January

BHARTI KHER

Barti’s sketches, drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations, at Arnolfini arnolfini.org.uk

Until 5 March

WE WERE EVERYWHERE

World War experiences from prepartition India at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, combining archival material with objects from the British Empire and Commonwealth ollection bristolmuseums.org.uk

TURNING POINT

our short films inspired by oral histories about the Black Caribbean experience after World War I. At Bristol Museum, bristolmuseums.org.uk

Until 9 April A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF CHEW STOKE VILLAGE

A very local and nostalgic exhibition, this one. Martin shot the images himself, immersing himself in the village back in 1992. At MPF, martinparrfoundation.org

Until 29 May WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

The world’s best nature photography shows at hed bristolmuseums.org.uk

SHOWS

Until 28 January

THE CHER SHOW

Do you believe in life after Christmas? If so, get along to Hippodrome where the goddess

warrior of pop turned Hollywood royalty is celebrated in a new musical atgtickets.com

Until 4 February LIVING SPIT: MORE THAN A FELINE

Told through song and rhyming couplets, Howard and Stu’s new version of Puss in Boots promises the answers to such burning questions as: is Stu’s Irish dancing actually any good? How are they going to do the ogre? And what’s the refund policy? At Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com

Until 11 February DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD

A new work from omplicit see page 21. At BOV, bristololdvic.org.uk

15-25 February

MY FAIR LADY

No musical ever had a betterwritten book (all that Shavian wit) and few had better tunes. None had better hats. From a West End run to the Hippodrome, atgtickets.com

27-28 January

CAITLIN

A one-woman play about Mrs Dylan Thomas, with revealing insights into their mutually destructive behaviour and Caitlin’s unfulfilled ambitions Alma a ern, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

30 January-4 February

GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY

Playwright Conor McPherson reimagines the songs of Bob Dylan, in a universal story about family and love. The Observer named it its number one theatre show of the year, no less. Bristol Hippodrome, atgtickets.com

31 January

THE LAST VAGABONDS

Bill is your archetypal complacent citizen: incurious, sexually normati e, financially stingy. As he meanders through his middleclass life, he is confronted by an acti ist group... Alma a ern almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

3-4 February

ALL THE BEDS I HAVE SLEPT IN A company of refugee performers explores the seam of kindness and care that lies within their experience of leaving their homelands to seek asylum. BOV, bristololdvic.org.uk

I’M ACTUALLY FINE

Through a series of original popbangers, Harry asks the question: is everyone’s brain broken, or is it just his? A funny and touching examination of mental health and the okes we hide behind Alma Tavern, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

5 February WHAT’S LOVE GOT

WITH IT?

TO DO

No prizes for guessing the subject of this tribute show at Bristol Hippodrome, atgtickets.com

7-9 February

BLUFFING YOUR WAY THROUGH BALLET

A handy guide, as Seizing The Day brings funny and moving stories from ballet’s leading performers to Alma Tavern, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

Cheer up; it’s almost time for Slapstick, and here’s that dazzling Cynthia Road . . .

8-11 February

BIG BOYS DON’T CRY

In a riot of colour, dance, clowning and puppetry, Dik and Adam take you on a hysterical journey on what it is to be a man; at Tobacco Factory Theatres, tobaccofactorytheatres.com

12 February

HAPPY HOUR LIVE: THE ROUND SHEEP TOUR

he first and possibly last, depending on how it goes) tour from the hit Spotify podcast; at Hippodrome, atgtickets.com

15-16 February

THE HALF

A no-holds-barred look at being a woman in comedy, from new Bristol company, Tread Softly – the treading being the thin line separating comedy and tragedy. At Wardrobe. thewardrobetheatre.com

17-18 February

EMILIA

In , milia assano is the first woman to have her poetry published in England. For centuries, history has overlooked her in favour of her male contemporaries. Until 400 years later… Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s triple Olivier Award-winning comedy, here directed by Sally Cookson and performed by Bristol Old Vic Theatre School at Circomedia; oldvic.ac.uk

COMEDY

Ongoing CLOSER EACH DAY

The world’s longest-running improvised comedy soap continues to bubble frothily away at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

BELLY LAUGHS

Live gigs and top food and drink across the city, all in the name of raising money for good causes; they sell out quickly, so jump on it. yuup.co

29 January

WONDERHAUS

Showcasing the very best new ideas in comedy; at The Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com

2 February

LUCY PORTER: WAKE-UP CALL

A show about revelations, realisations and epiphanies: we’re talking things like bin collection schedules, the novels of Jean Rhys, cats, school fair booze tombolas, the Scottish Enlightenment and Huel, among other stuff. At the en and Chicken, henandchicken.com

WHAT’S ON

5 February

MAISIE ADAM: BUZZED

Witty observations and some right good jokes: Maisie’s high-energy show promises to be better than whatever else you had planned, unless, we guess, you had plans to go dancing with Cher. At the Hen and Chicken, henandchicken.com

THE LOST CABARET

The global collective of alternative comedy-makers looking to expand the reaches of absurd and physical s comes to ristol specifically, The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

7 February

RHYS JAMES: SPILT MILK

You may have seen him on House Of Games (dressing gown, luggage, decanter). Or Pointless Celebrities (wore a tuxedo, out in round 2). Now catch Rhys’ work-in-progress tour at The Wardrobe. thewardrobetheatre.com

9 February

SOPHIE DUKER: HAG

“The sexy babe from Taskmaster is all grown up” – their words, not ours, we wouldn’t dare – and she’s bringing her new tour to Wardrobe. thewardrobetheatre.com

10 February

GINNY LEMON & SISTER SISTER: YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON

The breakout stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and its two most despised queens, Ginny and Sister Sister promise to bring you the most disappointing drag show you’ve ever seen; at Hen and Chicken, henandchicken.com

11 February

INSTANT WIT

Still improv-ing after all these years; Alma Tav, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

12 February

LOVE AND LAUGHS: THE REAL MCCOY SPECIAL

The ultimate (almost) Valentine’s comedy show at Redgrave, celebrating the much-loved TV show. redgravetheatre.com

13 February

LLOYD GRIFFITH: ONE TONNE OF FUN

Can Lloyd deliver the promise of the show’s title? Only one way to find out head for the en and Chicken, henandchicken.com

14 February LOOKING FOR ME FRIEND

Paulus’ funny and touching tribute

FROMTOP: Sophie Duker, Wonderhaus and Lucy Porter promise to turn your frown upside down

WHAT’S ON

to much-missed national treasure Victoria Wood, through songs and sketches. From Mrs Overall to Barry and reda, you’ll find them all at The Wardrobe. thewardrobetheatre.com

16-19 February

SLAPSTICK FESTIVAL

Silent comedy, mid-century musicals, classic TV and a host of very starry talking heads (feature page 30); slapstick.org.uk

MUSIC

4 February

MARTYN JOSEPH

A raconteur weaving topical tales as well as stories on the fragility of love, with a magical ability to reach out to his listeners; at Bristol Folk House, bristolfolkhouse.co.uk

5 February

KULA SHAKER

The post-Brit Pop psychedelic rockers bring their trademark riffs, mantras and mysticism to Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

6 February

EASY LIFE

The Leicester alternative indie-poppers come to Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

8 February

TUBULAR BELLS LIVE

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, ike ldfield’s masterpiece will be performed live at Bristol Hippodrome. Those still scarred by The Exorcist may be advised to swerve. atgtickets.com

14 February

VALENTINE’S DAY CONCERT

For all classical-loving softies out there: some of the most romantic pieces of music ever written, performed by Bristol Ensemble at St George’s; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

OTHER

Ongoing BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL

The year-round fest with the something-for-everyone remit screens at various venues; bristolfilmfestival.com

28-29 January

LUNAR NEW YEAR

It's the Year of the Rabbit, so whether your favourite bunny is Roger, Fiver or Thumper, this is the year for you. Bristol Museum celebrates with song and dance,

TOP: All white on the night for Kula Shaker at Trinity

MIDDLE: She was once a true love of his: Girl from the North Country BOTTOM: In memory of the queen that was Victoria: Looking for Me Friend BOTTOMLEFT: Nobody puts Bristol Film Fest in the corner

martial arts, craft and traditional Chinese and Korean activities. There are also roving pandas; we have no idea what they’re doing there. bristolmuseums.org.uk

29 January

WINTER WEDDING FAIR

erwick odge offers a taste of what it can offer, with some of the best suppliers in the South West on hand; berwicklodge.co.uk

3-12 February

BRISTOL LIGHT FESTIVAL

The cover star of our last issue returns with an extended tenday edition; more on page 6. bristollightfestival.org

4 February

SOUTH-WEST RECORD FAIR

You know the drill: all the vinyl, CDs etc you can shake a stylus at, spread across all fi e floors of Bristol Beacon; swrecordfairs.co.uk

4-5 February

BRISTOL ANIME AND GAMING CON

What it says on the tin; we’re promised ‘amazing guests from Doctor Who’ (hope it’s an an Ood), a cosplay masquerade, lip-sync battle and talent show. Sounds oddly unmissable, actually. At Mercure, bristolanimecon.com

5 February

EATING FOR RESILIENCE

Nutritional therapist

Sarah Bayliss hosts an interactive metabolic health workshop at ooking It, offering the essential tools in becoming a lifelong balanced eater – the anti-dieting solution. sarahbaylissnutrition.co.uk

8, 15 February

BUSKERS BANQUET

A unique evening showcasing the best of Bristol’s food and music scene; at The Scrandit, buskersbanquet.co.uk n

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SLAP AND GIGGLE

Words by Deri Robins

a work-in-progress extension of his Caveman performance.

Bonce again it’s attracted an impressively starryline-up.

If you’ve ever felt that the festival suffered from ython deficiency, then boy is this the year for

you. There’s an eight-strong event saluting the seminal comedy series, along with solo projects by ir ichael alin, and nods to the myriad performers and writers who were influenced by the show. The famously amiable Sir Mike himself is the guest curator – a major feather in Slapstick’s hat – while other luminaries include ob rydon, aul c ann, raeme arden, eter ord, riff Rhys Jones, Stephen Merchant, Nigel laner, ucy orter, eter Richardson and all three members of he caffold.

As is right and proper, much of the programme is dedicated to silent comedy, with many rare, rediscovered or newly restored films. usic has always been a key ingredient, but this year the organisers are giving it a special focus; as well as live accompaniments to all silent films, there’s a celebration of some notable marriages between comedy and music, with classic mockumentaries, Beatles re elations and family-friendly mo ies filled with hit songs.

oing the extra mile for this year’s festi al is the irrepressible Harry Hill, who presents two separate events on Saturday 18 February at t eorge’s ristol.

episode and a brief live

ca old - a elebration oger c ough and ike c ear’ c artney.

chart-topping favourites, including the Aintree Iron), Lily the Pink and Liverpool Lou

Same place, same date, a few hours later, Harry’s back for The with all three band members, John orman, In the ixties and early e enties, he caffold’s unique blend of comedy, music and poetry packed out theatres at home and across the world. qually lo ed by the mainstream and 1960s counter-culture, they produced hit after hit of Thank U Very Much (for . Superfan Harry Hill presents an evening of stories, sketches, poems and rare footage, including a screening of their short film Plod (1972), and possibly even a song or two. We asked Harry to put

their legacy into context. he says.

hey ha e a unique place in the arts, as they bridge music, performance art and comedy – a bit like me,”

Harry Hill, of course, is something of a Slapstick regular. Remind us – how long have you been involved with the festival, Harry,

and why is it so important?

“I’m not sure how long it’s been – it feels like forever! I think slapstick is something of a dying art. I’ve actually got a lot of it in my show – visual humour appeals in a universal way, a bit like You’ve Been Framed, so it’s important we don’t lose it.”

The kind of ad ecti es frequently hurled at Harry’s comedy style include surreal’, dis ointed’ and madcap’ words which could equally be applied to some of the great early stars of silent comedy, no?

, hosted by loyal

In Breaking the Silence Slapsticker Robin Ince, Harry will talk about Lonely Island, the black & white, silent, slapstick short-film series he directs and stars in, each one located on the same island in a different historical setting, with screenings that include one never before seen. As a bonus there’s

“Yes; today everything is described as surreal, when previously it was just silly,” he says. “There’s a lot of overthinking going on. In the Seventies, silent comedy was on TV a lot, and while some of it has dated terribly the best stuff

Slaphead, sorry, Slapstick hero Harry Hill is here with a double-bubble

The UK’s top comedy heroes are making a beeline for Bristol once again. It can only mean one thing . . .

“Music has always been important to Slapstick, and this year it’s getting a special focus”

SLAPSTICK FESTIVAL

is still great but doesn’t ever get seen. My all-time favourites are Laurel and Hardy.”

Harry’s a busy chap these days; he’s also on the road with his one-man show Pedigree Fun. So what’s it like to be touring again after ten years, and what can punters expect?

“It’s great to be back!” he says. “I’ve been meaning to go on tour for ages, but kept putting it off, but when lockdown told me I couldn’t it made me think: if I don’t do it now, who knows what’s round the corner? The audiences seem really up for it, and glad to be back out and laughing.

“It’s been described as a one-man variety show. I’ve got my baby elephant arah with me, touffer the cat, ary my son from my first marriage there’s a lot of ery silly stuff, plus I’ e had ten years of okes to put in it, so there’s no filler.

Even if you’ve never seen Harry live, I bet you’ve seen him on the telly. He’s probably still best-known for TV Burp, a comedy show that basically involves watching industrial amounts of telly and commenting on it. A dream ob or sheer hell

It was great when you were getting loads of funny stuff from watching a show – like, say, Freaky Eaters or Pineapple Studios – but you try watching three hours of Emmerdale on a Monday morning, and only spotting a rockery that looks a bit like a face…”

atching actual comedy shows must ha e been the best bit. o on Harry, give us your all-time favourites...

“Bruce Forsyth’s The Generation Game, The Two Ronnies, Morecambe and Wise, Crown Court a lot of e enties stuff but more recently I’ e got into Hole In The Wall and Newsnight…”

Did we mention he’d been busy? He’s also written the book for Tony: the Tony Blair Rock Opera, touring this year; it’s not coming to Bristol, but we won’t hold that against him. Interestingly, Harry’s not particularly known for political satire– he leaves that kind of thing to the Stewart ees of this world so what attracted him the sub ect matter, other than the obvious fact that Tony had it coming to him?

It’s ust a great story almost operatic. e starts of as a peaceloving hippy in a rock band, Ugly Rumours, becomes the most successful prime minister of all time then falls from grace spectacularly over the war in Iraq. lus you’ e got all that Nineties stuff as a backdrop rit Pop, Princess Diana: it’s a very rich seam...”

Harry Hill appears at St George’s Bristol on Saturday 18 February

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS:

You, Graeme Garden, Graham Chapman, Phil Hammond, Adam Kay, Scott Gibson, Toby Williams, Simon Brodkin, Paul Sinha, Kwame Asante, the list goes on – why do so many medics become comedians?

They don’t, there’s about four – [Harry, we’ve literally just listed ten] but it’s just a really good story so it persists.

Tell us your very best doctor joke.

A man goes to the doctor’s. The doctor says, “stand by the window and stick your tongue out”.

The man says “Why?”

The doctor says “I don’t like the people living opposite.”

People famously corner doctors on social occasions to regale them with their ailments – is there a similar pressure to be hilarious when you’re a comedian?

I’m a doctor and a comedian, so I get both.

Are you genuinely jolly, or are you the tears-of-a-clown type of comedian IRL?

The former. I’m very upbeat most of the time.

What has been your career highlight so far?

Doing the David Letterman Show and meeting him. I was such a fan.

You’re also a painter, as in oils as opposed to houses – do you have any other secret skills?

I can sing My Way backwards.

If you weren’t a comedian (or a doctor) what other job would you be pretty good at?

Bus driver.

. . . and any you’d have been really bad at? Executioner.

What is your most regrettable habit?

Being flippant about virtually everything.

Harry channelling his inner Caveman

“Today everything is described as surreal, when itpreviously was just silly”

ALSO DON’T MISS…

A few more highlights from this year’s festival. There’s plenty more where these came from; see website for full programme.

THE SILENT CLASSICS: AT THE DOUBLE

This year’s gala special is a Buster Keaton double bill. his e ent’s title reflects that Keaton was, quite literally, working at a breakneck pace in 1924, beginning work on The Navigator within weeks of fracturing his neck in one of the many stunts featured in Sherlock Jr; seen as a double bill, they underscore his extraordinary range as an actor. Keaton superfan, former Goodie and Slapstick regular Graeme Garden hosts.

16 February, at the former IMAX

Coming later, on 1 April is Harold Lloyd’s 1929 comedy Safety Last. The clock sequence may well be the best-known of any in a silent comedy – so good, we once put it on our front cover.

THE TALKIE CLASSIC Some Like it Hot

Billy Wilder’s 1959 triple-Oscar-winning movie is regularly voted the best comedy film of all time, despite the fact that co-star Marilyn Monroe drove Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon up the wall with her terminal lateness and insistence on retakes. It screens on Valentine’s Day, but don’t read anything into that: kissing Marilyn was “like kissing Hitler,” according to Curtis.

14 February, at the former iMAX

THE INTRIGUINGLY OBSCURE ONE

The Cigarette Girl of Mosselprom nlike most films made immediately after the Russian Revolution, this is an endearing rom-com filled with likeable characters and self-effacing insights into the filmmaking process.

15 February, Watershed

THE GAME-CHANGER: A Hard Day’s Night

efore ick ester made this, the first and best eatles mo ie, in , films starring popular chart-toppers tended to be lame cash-ins. anked among the I’s top ritish films, nominated for a BAFTA and two Oscars, A Hard Day’s Night, in which the Fab Four play versions of themselves, captures the moment when the band o cially became the singular, irreverent idols of their generation and changed the genre forever. Great tunes, too, needless to say. Bristolbased actor (and Scouser) Paul McGann interviews Paul’s brother Mike McCartney ahead of the screening.

19 February, Bristol Old Vic

THE ONE WITH THE NATIONAL TREASURE AND THE BRISTOL COMEDY HERO

First up there’s a big-screen showing of 1979 Python’s movie Life Of Brian, hosted by Stephen Merchant and with an on-stage chat with Sir Michael Palin, who explains why he still considers it the most accomplished of the Python movies. Next, in Beyond Python, Mike appears in conversation with Rob Brydon to talk about his career in comedy and TV, from penning gags for Ken Dodd and Roy Hudd to the Michael Sheen/David Tennant lockdown project, Staged 19 February, Bristol Old Vic n

Slapstick 2023 runs 14-19 February and 1 April at various venues –check out the full programme at www.slapstick.org.uk

© JOHN SWANNELL

What did Monty Python ever do for us? How long have you got...

EMILY IN BRISTOL

It’s the decade that brought us lava lamps, the Spice Girls and Friends – now local author Emily Koch is bringing the Nineties back to life in her new novel Photos by Barbara Evripidou

The internet, Nirvana and the end of the old ar. he first Harry Potter book, Pretty Woman and Girl ower. lur s asis. ucket hats, chokers and distressed denim. hese are ust some of the things the ’ s ga e us and the list goes on and on.

It’s hard not to be nostalgic about these golden days. execs ha e cottoned on to this think of last year’s amela Anderson drama Pam and Tommy, and hannel ’s sitcom Derry Girls. here’s e en an upcoming spin off of That ’70s Show on Netflix, called you guessed it That ’90s Show.

A smart mo e then, to set a no el in the middle of this popular decade.

I wish I could tell you it was planned, says ristol author mily och, whose new book What July Knew is set in . hat I saw the trend coming and made my mo e. ut she admits that wasn’t how it happened at all.

In fact it was the pandemic that forced mily to take her characters back in time. he was starting work on a new no el when the went into the first lockdown. er first two books, If I Die Before I Wake and Keep Him Close, were both set in the year they came out. It was a policy that had worked well for her so far her books had made the shortlist for a rime riters’ Association award, won a rench crime fiction award, been longlisted for the Authors’ lub est irst No el Award, and been selected as a aterstones hriller of the Month.

And so, following this formula, the plan had been to set her third book in . ut o id changed that.

he present day was unstable, she says. If I wrote a book set a year in the future, what would the world be like? Would we be wearing masks ould my characters meet in a public place

In the end she opted for the solid ground of the past.

ody hop and learning the lyrics to Waterfalls by .

he ’ s ga e mily somewhere to set her book a family mystery following July as she tries to find out the truth about her mother but it also pro ided an escape from daily life. or those hours at my desk each day, I could pretend o id wasn’t happening, she says. owe er, the idea for the book didn’t begin with the ’ s, or e en July. It started with mily’s former ishopston neighbour. ne day, years ago, I heard a hea ily pregnant Nikki shout through the party wall, mily says. I thought I was going to ha e to deli er her baby. I’d o erreacted, but it got me thinking, what if I can’t say more without spoilers...

hat idea intertwined with a local news story mily had co ered in , when she worked at the Bristol Post, about the horrific murder of i an brahimi.

mily said i an was killed by a igilante mob of neighbours who wrongly belie ed he was a paedophile. ince then I’ e often thought about what happens when communities get the wrong idea about one of their own. What happens when neighbours turn on each other hat is the fallout of igilante ustice

It is this mix of light and dark the fun of the ’ s and the hopeful oice of young July contrasted with the themes of domestic iolence and engeful communities that will ha e readers gripped.

“Begrudgingly, I have to thank Covid for gi ing me some of the magic of this book, she says. ithout it, I would ha e written a totally different no el. n

ABOUT WHAT JULY KNEW Summer, 1995.

July Hooper knows eighteen things about her mother.

Like number 13: she loved dancing on the kitchen table. And number eight: she was covered in freckles. And then there’s number 2: she died after being hit by a car when July was small.

I remember the day it hit me. I’d been out for my daily allowed exercise with my family my kids were nine months and three years old. he got home and fed her baby in a darkened room, her eyes semi-closed. his young girl appeared in my mind and I knew she would be the one to tell my story. he became the girl July in the title of the book. A bright, optimistic ten-year-old bullied by her father, desperate to know more about her mum. I knew when I saw’ her that she was not li ing through a pandemic. he was a child like the ones I had played with, years ago. he liked reading Judy lume, and going to he

She keeps this list hidden in a drawer away from her father, because they’re not allowed to talk about her mother. Ever. But an anonymous note slipped into July’s bag on her 10th birthday is about to change everything she thinks she knows about her mum. Determined to discover what really happened to her, July begins to investigate, cycling around the neighbourhood where her family used to live. There she meets someone who might finally have the answers. July wants her family to stop lying to her, but will the truth be harder to face?

What July Knew is published on 9 February by Vintage in hardback, ebook and audiobook. You can sign up to Emily’s newsletter at www. emilykoch.co.uk for e clusive news and o ers

“What happens when neighbours turn on each other?

What is the fallout of vigilante justice?”

THE INFINITE RAIL

We got to let the music play What the people need Is a way to make ‘em smile . . .

Words and pics by Colin Moody

Welcome to the Meet Me At The Front heroes. A selection in shu e mode of some of those moments which are a ailable if you dare to get to the front. ight up to the rail. Not halfway back, where you can kick back on your inflatable chair. ight up where the bass speaker makes your teeth ibrate, like it’s the final part of the musical tapestry of the moment.

I’m ery pri ileged to be able to access these spaces to take photos, so the least I can do is take you part of the way there, page by page.

1

irst up we ha e ayla ainter, all fragmented beats and lots of ourneys without ha ing to mo e, who words it so well e’re here together, in e ery possible existence. hat’s right this is about a little taste of the infinite, and it’s there at the front. rom here you can go anywhere, and not a oldplay lyric in sight, thank god. ayla here getting into a li e performance at the release of nfinite ou on inyl. es, inyl is so back, e ery groo e has to be explored. et’s see who else we can find, as you oin me at the front.

2 eats infused into your life from before you were born, so how come so many of us put our dreams away on the shelf and settle on’t settle. emember you once put on an orange animal umpsuit and oined the band. No one was e er gonna stop you, right o don’t settle. Ne er settle. eep on mo ing, start with one chord, half the strings on whate er that is, and maybe later on it’s oundcloud by way of arage and, until one day you are up there with red Again. e a sound sampler, a half-full kind of guy or girl, and be whate er you can be.

3 olomon at the rinity entre. aybe you got a lot to say, maybe you got a list well, here we are in a city that wants to hear it. hare that. aybe remix it though the cerebral to make life more manageable. olomon brings the power open up and let the thoughts around his words tingle your consciousness. here is inherent power in hearing spoken word, and olomon has a lot of power to share. ow you holding up at the rail It’s good here, isn’t it idn’t know you needed to feel like this until you tried it and I think you like it.

aybe you got a lot to maybesayyou got a list well here we are in a city that wants to hear it

4

You are beautiful. And all that pain or joy, all of it in the music is just for you.

Here’s to the people at the front, who bring all possibilities and hope to a world which needs to reinvent itself to survive, but still resists. But while politicians try to con you that we all need to remember where we all come from, some of us are letting go and seeing where the music takes us.

5

Didn’t know you needed to heal?

ntil you were stood in a field at the alloon iesta, and in the corner of the kids’ area an entertainer puts on some kicking beats and puts the foam machine on his head.

It’s pure joy, like unwrapping all your presents at once, and now it’s kids and adults, and grandad is getting jiggy with it. Temperatures rising, and no one knows how to stop it, or wants to.

6 alloon iesta again.

It went to another level in 2022, as we all emerged from silo and could all see the metaphor in freedom as the panther grew and flew away.

7

Life is a way of putting up barriers, so while we are spending all this time as the ones at the front by the stage, let’s go walk a mile in our shoes with the Pride again.

There are all kinds of barriers. Sometimes we might have to get round them by all means necessary.

8

So now we must step away from the rail. We’ve seen who we came for and maybe we’ve been transformed. eels good inside, in a way that words cannot describe. aybe Stevie was right: this music is a language we can all understand. It feels like there’s these things coming out of your head, and connecting you to a wider universe, and maybe, just maybe, you took a glance over your shoulder, and there’s the universe winking back at you.

Now go pass it on. Always room at the infinite rail. Heroes one and all welcome.

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

EMILY & DAN ROSS STORYSMITH BOOKS

Inevitably, January can’t quite keep the pace with December for bookselling activity, which means things are – for now – mercifully calmer in the shop. esides allowing us to finally get round to all the boring jobs we’d been so delighted to ignore before Christmas, this time of refreshment and renewal always throws up some excellent reads. o for our first book column of the year we’re feeling peppy, sprightly, positive – there are dozens of titles we’re excited to tell you about in the coming months, and we’re ready to get started…

Kick The Latch by Kathryn

Scanlan

The slightly improbable premise for this slim and powerful novel is a series of conversations the author had with a woman who had lived their life at the side of a racetrack as a horse trainer, who devoted their whole life to racing, reassembled and rewritten to create a beautifully concise portrait of a life lived in service to something larger. ffortless to read and gently enveloping with its grip on your feelings, the dawn groomings, the bleak landscapes and travelling circus of the horseracing circuit makes for surprisingly irresistible and emotional storytelling.

Fledgling by Octavia Butler

Our bookseller Callum has been greatly enjoying the steady drip of Octavia Butler reissues in recent months, and Fledgling, which hit the shelves just before Christmas, is one of the best yet. In Butler’s final no el, we follow a young lack vampire who awakens burned and beaten in the woods to find her memory completely destroyed. She doesn’t even remember that she’s a vampire, until she finds herself feeding on the first human she meets. It’s a thrilling, fast-paced, plot-heavy book that tackles the big questions: free will, the border between human and non-human, and what it means to be alive.

Strega by Johanne Lykke Holm (trans. Saskia Vogel) Strega arrived just before the end of last year and dislodged some pretty serious competition to make it into our coveted Books Of The Year list.

In this beguiling, melancholy and oppressively atmospheric story, our narrator arrives to work in a hotel perched on an Alpine peak above the town of Strega alongside a group of similarly curious and bashful teenage girls eager for life experience. But things soon take a turn for the hectic, and one girl disappears, seemingly vanished by the mountains themselves. Holm’s electrifying and direct prose appears in a

conspicuously beautiful translation from Saskia Vogel, wringing every counterintuitive impulse and exquisitely wrong-headed linguistic quirk for maximum effect, with a cumulati e effect of being somehow gorgeous and disgusting at the same time, masterful and naive, plain and mysterious. Completely delightful, in the weirdest of ways.

Parisian Days by Banine (trans. Anne ThompsonAhmadova)

A quick mention for this absolute confection of a memoir. Anyone who picked up a copy of Banine’s glorious Days In The Caucasus, which detailed her Azerbaijani childhood amid Russian invasions and political upheaval with unparalleled vivacity, will know what to expect here, but this newly-reissued follow-up sees Banine now in Paris during the 1920s, surrounded by capricious glamour and a new-found desire for meaning. This is everything a good memoir should be: involving, personal and unique.

e hope that January affords you luxurious amounts of reading time in which to discover your new favourite book (not just from this list, though we do stand by it as a starting point). What else is January for anyway efinitely not finishing off obs from ecember

What’s the point of January if you don’t build in a luxurious amount of reading time, ask our (admittedly biased) friendly local booksellers?

“Every exquisitely wrong-headed linguistic quirk is wrung for ma imum e ect

A HAY TO REMEMBER

Beautiful HAY CASTLE warmly invites couples to wed within its ancient stone walls

Sitting proudly at the heart of Hayon-Wye, Hay Castle comprises a beautifully preserved medieval tower alongside a spectacular Jacobean mansion that has been embellished with contemporary design.

Our story goes back almost a thousand years, from medieval sieges to the swinging Sixties.

The castle is found near the top of the town and is set against the impressive backdrop of the

Black Mountains. Recently crowned best town in Wales, Hay-on-Wye is the world-famous Town of Books and home to the globally renowned Hay Festival. Hay Castle is the perfect location for couples inspired by natural beauty, outstanding architecture, rich history, and books.

Offering an elegant and relaxed environment, Hay Castle provides both a beautiful and fascinating space in which to hold weddings, blessings, and civil ceremonies. And with just a small number of weddings taking place at Hay Castle each year, this is a rare opportunity to weave your story into the history of an ancient castle, while starting the next chapter of your new lives together in a majestic and magical setting.

One of the UK’s leading centres for the arts, Hay Castle is open to the public daily between 10am and 5pm. We invite celebrations to begin with a ceremony in the late afternoon in the former state rooms, which have beautiful views across the castle grounds and the Black Mountains beyond. After your ceremony, enjoy a drinks reception in the Sculpture Gallery followed by seated dinner and evening celebrations in the Great Hall, which has original stone flooring, an inglenook fireplace and a grand staircase providing an idyllic banqueting

experience for you and your guests on your special day.

Our catering team, Epicure Events, exclusively based at Hay Castle, will look after all your food and drink requirements. Epicure prides itself on using the best quality ingredients with an impressive list of local producers and suppliers to hand. Their friendly and experienced team will work closely with you in all aspects of menu planning, drinks choices and service, to create a day that’s unique to you.

Hay Castle is best suited to weddings parties between 30 to 70 people. Rates start at £850 for hire of a ceremony space. We can offer ceremonies and evening receptions independently of one another.

Keep an eye on the Hay Castle Trust website for an announcement about our Wedding Showcase, set for early summer n

For more information contact Helen Lowther at Hay Castle: 01497 820079

Email: helen.lowther@haycastletrust.org

KOOCHA

Never mind Veganuary; after one trip to Koocha you’ll be a plantbased fan for all seasons

Words by Deri Robins

If you had to choose just one of its many vibrant, globallydiverse restaurants to explain Bristol to an alien, or perhaps someone from Bath, the obvious choice would be Koocha on the Cheltenham Road.

Firstly, and most persuasively, there’s the cuisine. In Bristol, a city regularly cited as the vegan capital of the world, who was doing the plant-based restaurant thing first hat would be Koocha’s founder and head chef, Noda Marvani.

hen there’s the decor. hose cheeky cheetahs and trailing florals on the exuberant facade bear the unmistakeable mark of Alex ucas, streetart princess of the BS6 ’hood.

inally, there’s a tangible, ery ristol warmth and laidback charm about the place that warms the cockles, or whate er the plant-based alternati e is, as soon as you walk through the door. It helps to explain why on an icy January night, when a glance through the windows of many empty restaurants and bars revealed that most of Bristol had just decided to stop at home, oocha was packed to its twostorey rafters. here may be a hospitality crisis on, but at oocha you’d ne er guess. hey typically ser e around customers a week I know this, because they won the Bristol Life Award for best restaurant last year, and all the stats were in the bumph.

oocha describes itself as a e antine kitchen and bar. Its name roughly translates from the Persian as ‘street corner’, which may seem an odd choice for a mid-terrace building, but when it first launched at its original etland Road site it was, indeed, on a corner.

meat, if you were wondering shared me e plates seemed the fun way to go. here was the usual two to three each’ recommendation on the menu, which, also as usual, we gaily ignored, ordering four apiece. While we waited, we hit up the cocktail list oocha makes excellent ones, including a perfect margarita, fragrant with saffron syrup. here are mocktails too, but there’s a limit to how irtuous I can be in a single night. he food arri ed all at the same time, rather than in the sporadic chef will release the food when he’s good and ready’ style. So many colourful, generously laden plates crowded the table that we had to shift the cutlery pot and the decorati e flower arrangement to the windowsill.

e’d gone for a happy mixture of indulgent, filling, frittery things with simpler eggie dishes portions are large, but the charming staff are happy to box up any lefto ers, and since each me e costs a mere or so, our tip is to o er-order like cra y and get your next-day lunch sorted while you’re about it. our tomorrow-you will thank you.

DINING DETAILS

Koocha Mezze Bar, 203B Cheltenham Road; 0117 924 1301; www.koochamezzebar.com

A plate of kooko turned out to be small, soft balls of spinach and leek studded with tart cranberries and crunchy walnuts, served on a spinach borani. I’m not sure what they use in place of the traditional yoghurt to make the latter so creamy but we didn’t miss the dairy at all besides, there were also dollops of mint and tahini sauce.

Opening hours Sun-Thurs 11.30am-11 am; Fri-Sat 11.30am-11.30pm

We visited Tuesday evening

Prices Mezzes £5-£7 each

Drinks Great cocktails, short but meaningful wine list Atmosphere laidback and local Service Friendly and knowledgeable

alk inside, and the welcome from the smiley staff feels like a hug. here’s more artwork by Alex, set off by richly coloured walls, gold-framed mirrors and trailing greenery. It may stop short of referencing the e ant in a literal fashion, but nevertheless feels full of Middle Eastern promise.

he menu is fully egan, from the brunches to the small plates right through to the doner kebabs. I am not fully egan I’m not e en fully egetarian. oodwise, if in no other aspect, you can take me anywhere. I’ll eat anything well, anything except brains. I once turned up for a noseto-tail e ent by mistake, and had to surreptitiously sho el a pile of the things under a lettuce.

We frequently go meat-free at home, but giving up eggs and dairy feels a sacrifice too far. I take toast with my butter, rather than the other way round, and pity the fool who thinks they’ll die ha ing eaten more mayonnaise on their chips than me. So, could Koocha convert me to a healthier, more mindful way of eating

hough intrigued by the doner kebabs they use seitan instead of

he sweetcorn and ucchini fritters looked rather similar, but were smokier, spicier and denser. A pair of samosas stuffed with sweet potato, spinach, garlic and feta in harissa mayo were superb the feta had all the tangy saltiness you’d expect, though with the comparatively light texture that seems to characterise every egan dairy equi alent. here were more cubes of feta to perk up an excellent, super-freshtasting beetroot borani our other fa ourite eggie dish was the roasted artichoke hearts indulgently dressed with sweet aga e, pomegranate molasses and lime. nly the atar carrots with hummus left us a little cold since hummus is plant-based anyway, we’d felt on solid ground with this one, but found the fla our a little bland.

udding was a shared pomegranate cheesecake made with cashew cream, easily the best dairy-free version we’ve ever come across, along with a pudding in a glass in the form of a fabulous Apple rumble ocktail odka, fresh apple uice and liqueur with cinnamon and anilla. It looked and tasted like an unusually light trifle.

We discussed the relative lightness of vegan food on the way home, mar elling that while we’d stuffed oursel es senseless, we didn’t feel unpleasantly full. n the basis of this epiphany, could I go fully egan Not while there is butter in this world. ould I go back to oocha In a heartbeat that egan doner kebab isn’t going to sample itself. n

FOOD & DRINK

SNAPSHOTS

OF BRISTOL’S FOOD SCENE

THERE’S PLENTY TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2023... PONY TALES

A GRAND MEAL OUT

So get those napkins neatly tucked in...

Josh and Holly Eggleton opened their newly revamped Pony Chew Valley for weddings just before Christmas; now they’re taking regular bookings for the restaurant, which offers new menu concepts and dining experiences in a beautiful new space overlooking the kitchen garden and surrounding countryside.

The Garden Room menu offers à-la-carte dining from Wednesday to Friday, focusing more than ever on seasonality and local sourcing, with informal and uncomplicated dishes; guests are invited to take a walk through the gardens and orchard before or after dining.

Then there’s ‘The Pony presents’ series, the special events held at weekends. Look out for the steak nights, with the finest, most traceable beef from the Chew Valley; the fish and shellfish dinners, and naturally (there’d be a riot in Chew otherwise) the Sunday roasts. www.theponychewvalley.co.uk

As one grand café closes, another plans to open its doors… We were saddened by the sudden closure of Klosterhaus, which for a few years offered a beacon of true glamour in the heart of abot ircus. e found the food uniformly good and the staff delightful.

But don’t put that fox-tipped jacket back in the closet just yet, because local restaurant group Aqua has announced it’s transforming the hiteladies oad site into its own grand caf en mithson promises that they’ll be bringing back the classics something new, something exciting, something ery special. www.aqua-restaurant.com

THE GOOD BREWS AND THE BAD NEWS

There was much sadness among craft beer aficionados towards the end of last year when innovative Bristol brewers Wild Beer announced that it was going into administration. Fingers crossed that new investors soon revive the brand. In better news, Bristol’s Lost and Grounded has been named the UK’s best brewery of the year and the winners of the beer of the year award, for their Helles lager, at The Brewers Congress Brewing Awards. We’ll drink to that, as ‘they’ invariably say. www.lostandgrounded.co.uk

THE HOT LIST

Two corking new restaurants that opened towards the end of ha e already made it into quare eal’s op list. he anche - Iglesias family’s asa, the Italian restaurant that’s replaced fine-dining asamia, is in at number , with ark hapman’s editerraneanstyle or at . hey oin fellow ristol restaurants aco apas at number , ilsons at and ulrush at we’d ha e put it higher . ongratulations to all these excellent establishments.

www.squaremeal.co.uk

The beautiful new Garden Room; beet surrender in the kitchen garden; Josh plates up

KIMONA MY HOUSE

After the success of their first site on College Green, Japanese restaurant Izakaya is opening a second restaurant on Apsley Road.

Izakaya bars offer informal eating and dining, and (this) Izakaya’s aim is to bring the spirit, fun and relaxed atmosphere of downtown Tokyo to Bristol, serving street food, katsu curry, ramen, poke bowls, sushi and, our own particular weakness,: those delicious, chewy little mochi ice-cream balls *chef’s kiss*;www.izakayabristol.co.uk

MORE TASTY BITES COMING IN 2023...

‘Good vibes’ Aussie-inspired cafe Nook is due to open its first Bristol site on North Street. Following the successful formula established in Frome and Bath, Nook will serve healthy, tasty and nourishing food in the form of acai bowls, cold-press juices and superfood smoothies, poke bowls and broth bowls etc. www.nooktheshop.co.uk

Vegan pasta dishes, anyone?

Formerly a pop-up at The Nectar House on the Glo Road, Pastan can now be found in its new permanent home at Royal Oak House on Queen Square; there’s also an online shop selling fresh pasta, doughnuts and sauces. If the happy and healthy-looking staff on the website are anything to go by, we want what they’re having. www.pastan.co.uk

Trip Advisor’s best-rated Cheltenham restaurant Muse

is due to open on the old Prince Street Social site. It’s all about Asian/French fusion, with ‘traditional ingredients combined with modern cooking techniques, beautifully presented with love and passion’, they say.

www.musebrasserie.com

Yes, it’s been on the cards for a number of years now, but the unmistakeable activity

BoxHall. It’s OK, you don’t have to wear white

afoot on Welsh Back indicates that BoxHall is finally on track to open this summer. It’s from the team behind BoxPark in Shoreditch and Wembley, but the food, drink and events line-up promises to be blamelessly local and independent. www.boxhall.co.uk

Although ‘streetery’ strikes us as a neologism too far, we’ll be checking out Guru J’s third site when it opens on Cheltenham Road serving the likes of ‘Bombaystyle gourmet burgers, wraps, naanwiches, loaded fries and poppadom nachos’.

www.gurujs.co.uk

Not a tasty bite per se; not yet, though we live in hope.

Opened in 1986 within a floating barge, The Glassboat was for many decades one of Bristol’s most acclaimed restaurants. After a brief stint as fish restaurant FiSH, it’s up for sale; contact www.burstoncook. co.uk if you’re interested.

They have the most puntastic name in local hospitality, and their ‘board games to play with your food and drink’ formula is clearly a hit, because Chance & Counters are opening a second Bristol venue at Finzels Reach; it’s bigger than the one on the Steps, and offers the usual headspinning 850+ games.

www.chanceandcounters.com

Fans of Middle Eastern cuisine should look out for Horus, due to open on 31 January on Cannon Street in Bedminster. Dine in or takeaway from the fresh, colourful and diverse menu; it’s open until 11.30 every night, so you can up your late-night kebab game considerably.

www.horusgrill.co.uk

Pastan

CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE

The Italian job

s I type these few choice words, the new year is upon us. Let’s hope it’s a good one, for sippers and slurpers alike.

ither way, it’s here for another 12 months. Flexing its muscles, getting ready to rock’n’roll.

Which is always nice. Waiting to welcome it in, with open arms, comfy seating and coffees galore, are a clutch of brand spanking new cafés which have recently opened up their doors. ach of them serving smiles and happiness

in flat-white si ed cups. ust admit, here at Café Society HQ, my coffee companions and I are looking forward to trying a few of them out for size in the weeks, months and issues ahead. But enough chitchat. To business.

Airst out of the blocks, first of this new year’s newbies, is La Scala. A most charming and delicious little coffee shop on Henleaze High Street, just a few steps down from the fruit shop. When our crack team of co cianados isited, the team behind the counter, a brotherand-sister combo originally from Italy, were all smiles and busy bustle. Turns out, it was their first caf enture together and even though they had only been open for a few days, they already seemed to have everything up and running. Smooth as silk.

After placing our order and sitting down, first point of business was to take a look around. A good long look. As well as a few cosily placed tables and counters, there is also a whole wall of shel es from floor to ceiling, filled with a tempting range of tasty Italian deli-style titbits, with everything from crackers to pasta, panettone and chocolates.

Must admit, I can resist most things in life, except temptation. specially tasty temptation. o,

after a few seconds, I gave in and picked a couple of treats to take home. Reason I mention all this is because of the ladder. You can’t miss it. Draws the eye and dominates the space, in a good way. A very good way.

Wasn’t surprised to see it; La Scala is Italian for ladder, after all. But I was not expecting such a pretty piece of woodwork. But there it was. A full-scale, floor-toceiling, handmade ladder to help the staff get down the goodies from the top shelves. Most joyful.

As was the coffee. erything you could possibly ask for. Most fab. Turns out, according to friends and family who have isited since, they also do a fine line in edible fare. With tasty toasties, custard-filled croissants and home-baked pastries on offer.

All of which means I will be back. Can imagine this will be one of my fave haunts over the next few months. Yet another reason to take a trip down Henleaze High Street – a part of the city which seems to be blooming right now.

So, if you’re in the market for something to sip, something to nibble and something to take home, climb up to La Scala. n

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

New year, new café: Stan’s crack team of cofficianados are on the case..

“I can resist most things in life except temptation. Especially tasty temptation”

CLOCKWISE: Don’t be fooled by the name, the Jersualem artichoke’s not an artichoke at all; blood oranges have more Vit C than regular ones; bream is just as good as sea bass, and far less expensive

EAT BRISTOL

January is one of those months when, with very few edible fruits available in the UK, we need to look further afield in Europe.

Let’s start with blood oranges from Sicily. These medium-sized sweet and juicy oranges have three types: Moro, Torocco and Sanguinello. The most common is Moro, with dark red segments and a super-sweet taste.

Sanguinello ripens later, and often comes from Spain; it has a lighter shade of red than the others. Torocco is a blend of the two types. Use them in a range of dishes, from a smoothie to a pannacotta,

Jerusalem artichokes. Not an artichoke at all but a member of the sunflower family. In season this month, the hard, potato-sized tubers are lovely when steamed, sliced and fried or simply mashed. Serve them with shaved parmesan, black pepper and butter. Pair them with red meat such as steak or slow-cooked shin of beef, winter greens or a fillet of fresh fish. They also make a superb soup or purée.

pancake or galette; they’re also ideal for

cocktails. Take advantage of these early, sweet sources of vitamin C – they actually contain more than regular oranges. We also have some lovely clementines and unwaxed lemons from Italy and Spain. Use the unwaxed lemons to make a lemon risotto, or use the zest combined with capers, parsley and salt to create a gremolata, to bring a burst of fla our to a grey, winter’s day.

Wild black bream. hese underrated fish are close to the south coast shore at this time of year and are in good supply. With soft, white flesh they are a great alternati e to sea bass, and around two-thirds of the cost. Try roasting them whole, on the bone with lemon and garlic in the cavity, and serve them with leeks and mashed winter veg, or fry the fillets and serve with a thyme and cream sauce.

All our wild bream come from Weymouth or ports along the south west coast. A large fish should feed two, whereas a small one will be ideal for a single serving. Don’t forget to use the bones for stock!

Shin of beef. As daylight is in short supply, it seems like a good time to make a hearty, slow-cooked meal, and when it comes to beef

there are few cuts as well-suited for the job as shin. Buying it on the bone gives you the added benefit of using the bone marrow, which is great for bone and skin cell repair.

his lean and fla oursome cut needs around four to fi e hours of cooking, or o ernight in the slow cooker. rown it first for added fla our, then cover it with red wine or stock and cook until tender. Add root veg and hardy, garden herbs such as thyme and rosemary for yet more fla our, and ser e.

Try to buy from a local farm; here at Source, we use only Somerset beef from a range of selected farms.

If you’re keen to learn more about Source or would like to place an order, use this code to get off your first order bristollife I look forward to hearing from you – thanks for reading. n

Source is a sustainable, local, seasonal alternative to supermarket shopping, with a network of small producers and suppliers For more www.source-food.co.uk

After the excess of Christmas, JOE WHEATCROFT of Source takes a look at a few seasonal treats to explore this winter

“There are few cuts as well-suited to a hearty slow-cooked beef stew than shin”

THE COCONUT TREE

Fancy brightening up these dark and chilly midwinter evenings with some Sri Lankan sunshine?

Paveen Thangiah, co-founder of The Coconut Tree, based at The Triangle and Cheltenham Road, is happy to oblige.

“My mum used to run a catering company back in Sri Lanka,” says Praveen, “so I grew

VEGGIE KOTTHU

Makes 2 servings

“Our veggie kotthu is a classic example of Sri Lankan street food – a real crowdpleaser, and a perfect side dish for friends and family to share alongside our other small plates. It perfectly represents Sri Lankan hybrid food, and is served all over the country as luxury street food. It’s made with finely chopped roti flatbread , cooked with egg, vegetables, and of course meat can be added if so wished.”

Ingredients

Coconut oil

Finely sliced red onion

Pinch of salt

ixed chilli flakes

Ground black pepper

2 free range eggs

150g chopped roti

25g thinly sliced carrot

25g thinly sliced leek

up in a cooking and food environment, although I had only ever been a home cook until we founded The Coconut Tree.

“Sri Lankan cuisine is vibrant and full of fla our, which really does offer something for everyone’s tastes; some of the dishes are spicy, some are really mild and comforting and whether you’re vegan, veggie, love meat, fish, there’s plenty of choice.

Method

1 Heat a wok until hot. Add the coconut oil and swirl the wok until it covers the base.

2 Add the onion, salt, chillies, black pepper, and eggs.

3 Toss and cook until the egg has slightly scrambled, then add the roti, carrot and leeks.

4 Toss the pan rapidly on high heat for several minutes, until the vegetables are cooked but still crisp.

5 Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

FAT SISTER PUMPKIN CURRY

Makes 6 servings

“The ‘fat sister’ in question is the pumpkin, here cooked in coconut cream with curry leaves and mustard seeds. It’s completely vegan, and the perfect warming dish for this time of year.”

Squash can be substituted for the pumpkin.

Ingredients

2 tbsp coconut oil

medium red onions, finely sliced

2 sprigs curry leaves

garlic clo es, finely sliced

3 long green chillies, sliced

½ tsp black mustard seeds, ground

½ tsp fenugreek seeds

1 kg pumpkin, cut into cubes, skin left on

1 tsp ground turmeric

500 ml coconut milk

2 tbsp short grain rice

100 g fresh coconut

Method

1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the onion, curry leaves, garlic and green chilli. Fry for 5 minutes, until the onions are golden brown, then add the mustard and fenugreek seeds and continue frying for another 5 minutes.

2 Toss the pumpkin in a bowl with the seeded mustard and ground spices and season with salt. Add to the pan along with the coconut

milk and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cover.

3 Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan over a medium heat and dry fry the rice and coconut until brown and fragrant (about 10 minutes). Grind to a powder in a mortar or blender.

4 Add the ground rice and coconut powder to the curry.

5 Season the curry with salt and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is cooked – soft but still holding its shape. er e with rice or flatbread.

For more: www.thecoconut-tree.com

YOU’VE GOT THE IDEA? WE’VE GOT THE VENUE!

With spaces available from meetings rooms for a dozen people to a concert venue able to welcome 300, and the stunning Bradbury Hall at Trinity-Henleaze United Reformed Church we could be just the place you’re looking for.

Set in the heart of Henleaze with full access from the street, fully accessible facilities and modern equipment throughout. We are a venue for many children’s and community events, music rehearsals and concerts, and business meetings.

We would love to talk to you about your requirements. Just contact us here: 0117 9623431

Email admin@thurc.org.uk

Find us on FB @trinityhenleazeunitedreformedchurch

www.thurc.org.uk

No, don’t flick hurriedly to the next section; we’ve come up with a bunch of ideas for improving your physical and mental health in 2023 in ways that are actually fun…

Look, we get it, OK? It’s not easy to get up and at ’em after the largesse and indolence of Christmas. In many ways, the deep midwinter can feel like the worst possible time to reboot your fitness regime, but it really is the best way to bust the January blues.

We’re not necessarily talking a full gym membership here, or committing to fi e gruelling workout sessions a week, although more power to your beautifully toned elbow if you do; there are plenty of gentler ways to wake you up out of your winter hibernation.

Below are 23 (see what we did there?) ideas to simply make you feel better in yourself, from exercises that work your muscles to those which soothe the mind and make you smile.

ne e en in ol es gin. ou heard.

See boxout at the end for where to book.

1SHAKE IT OUT

Say what? Beginners’ belly dancing

Where? Barton Manor 5

This two-hour workshop will get you shimmying like Shakira, as you learn the history of belly dance, the different styles of music, dancing and outfits, modern gyptian choreography and how to use the stage as a dancer while connecting with your audience and keeping them engaged. ou’ll shake your way out of the room with more confidence than e er before.

2PEDAL GURU

Say what? : Beginner’s unicycle masterclass

Where? Ashton Park School

Unicycling is more than just a circus act; it’s a fun and rewarding sport. This masterclass pro ides all-round exercise while impro ing your balance and concentration skills. While learning to ride a unicycle like a pro you’ll get a feelgood full body workout as well as a lorra lorra laughs.

3HURRY BOY/GIRL, IT’S WAITING THERE FOR YOU

Say what? Traditional African dance

Where? St. Werburgh’s Community Centre

A one-hour introduction to traditional Afrikan dance.

Afidance’s master drummer will use the beat of the drum to guide

you through the experience; the biorhythms connect you with your mind and body, gi ing you tools to cope with the day-to-day stresses of li ing, while building strength in parts of the body that can often go ignored

4MMM, BEER…

Say what? Alcohol-free beer tasting

Where? Alpha Bottle Shop & Tap oo e without a hango er h, go on then ead o er to edminster’s cool new hangout, Alpha Bottle Shop & Tap to enjoy six stellar, alcohol-free beers showcasing a ariety of different styles and delicious fla ours that can be achie ed within the A beer category. The best bit? ou’ll wake up fresh as a daisy the next day. core

5PUPPY LOVE

Say what? oga with adorable puppies

Where? Bristol City Centre n oy the physical and mental benefits of a yoga-inspired class with the mental benefits of being around animals.

ach puppy comes from a pri ate home and needs to be rehoused – they’re either a ’happy accident’ or from a first litter where the mums are pets and aren’t kept to be bred. A wonderful way to socialise with young puppies, helping them grow into healthier, happier dogs before they go off to their fur-e er homes. ours, possibly, once you’ e fallen for one of them...

9CHANNEL YOUR INNER GABRIEL OAK

Say what? Sheep trekking

Where? Lower Woodram Farm, Taunton Join Somerset Sheep Trekking for the most wholesome day ever. Arrive at the farm, meet the sheep, get matched with your little fu y buddy and set off on a trek around Lower Woodram’s beautiful 100-acre farm, leading your sheep.

10TALES AS OLD AS TIME

Say what? Discover the power of indigenous storytelling

Where? The Garden

Enrich your life in this empowering workshop that teaches you how to become a skilled storyteller. A chance to celebrate the integral role communities and teachings from elders play in our lives.

6THE ONE WHERE YOU HAVE TO EARN THE GIN

Say what? Yin & Gin: yoga-inspired class followed by G&Ts

Where? Clifton Library

A stretchy, candlelit class followed by a cosy catch up over a drink at a nearby pub or bar. Yin is a lovely slow-paced style of yoga where poses are held for longer periods of time; it can feel sensational and works absolute wonders for opening up your limbs – your body will feel as good as new, while calming and balancing the body and mind. Followed by a refreshing G&T? Don’t mind if we do!

7TELL ME NOW, HOW DO I FEEL?

Say what? Beat Blue Mondays with laughter and breathwork

Where? The Hideout

Join Joe Hoare, aka The Laughter Guru and Gus Hoyt, breathwork guide, to battle Blue Mondays. Joe will walk you through the basics of laughter yoga then Gus will guide you through a deep breathwork sequence which will culminate in further deep laughter techniques with Jon.

8ALL ABOUT THE BASS

Say what? Drum’n’bass boxing

Where? GR Fitness, Gloucester Road, Ready to punch to the beat with drum’n’bass under disco lights? Raise that heartbeat, build some strength and have a good laugh. Let the music take you over, and follow your instructor’s warm-up routine; get introduced to boxing combinations, and find your groove with the disco lights. Guaranteed to leave you smiling and feeling energised.

11AT THE HOP

Say what? Bounce, beer and pizza

Where? 2A-C Templegate Park Bounce at Freedog’s sprawling open trampoline court with pizza and beer thrown in (though not on the actual trampolines, obviously). You can jump on the huge, openplan main trampoline court, propel yourself along each trampoline, bounce off the walls, somersault in the foam pits and, swing along the ninja course. Then – and only then – it’s time for pizza and beer.

12THE BEST MEDICINE

Say what? Belly Laughs

Where? Various venues

Back for 2023, the series of stand-up gigs combines indie food and surprise comedy, while raising money for good causes. These always sell out, so keep your eyes on the website for upcoming gigs.

13ON THE REBOUND

Say what? JumpFit HIIT workout

Where? 5 Neptune Court

Raise your heart rate, release endorphins and boost your mood, while fat burning is maximised. You’ll pop your boots on and begin with a gentle warm up. Rebound boots are very safe and much easier to use than they look, and you’ll quickly get used to them and begin happily bouncing along to the music. Routines are simple to follow, there’s no long complicated choreography – fun is the number-one priority here.

9 EASY TIPS TO GET FIT IN 2023

1. Set realistic goals

No point setting yourself up for a fall; set modest targets, and you can always up the ante later

2. Eat well

Diet fads come and go but good nutrition never goes out of style. It’s not rocket science; aim for a good balance of protein, carbs for energy, good fats and fibre from wholegrains, fruit, and vegetables. and you won’t go far wrong

3. Get a fitness buddy

Find a friend or family member who shares your goals. Arrange to meet for runs (or just walks), sign up for the same

classes, and try out new healthy recipes

4. Invest in a fitness tracker

Whether it’s a step and activity tracker or a sleep monitor. many hook up with apps to help you reach your goals

5. Workout in nature

Taking your workouts into the great outdoors has proven benefits for your mental health and wellbeing; walk, hike, run, cycle and explore the beautiful countryside on Bristol’s doorstep.

6. Book an active holiday

There’s more to life than (the admittedly very fun) lying on a beach reading a fat novel. How about

booking for a fitness holiday or more active adventure? See also xxx.

7. Try online workouts

Joe Wicks may be oh-so2020, but online workouts mean there’s no need to join gym or travel. Just log on and get stuck in.

8. …and stre-e-e-tch… Stretching is great for recovery, helps avoid injury, and it feels good.

9.A little of what you fancy does you good No need to cut out the burgers and chips, the margaritas or the chocolates – everything is fine in moderation. Instead, use them as a reward whenever you hit a fitness milestone!

14WHAT’S SUP, DOC?

Say what? Paddleboarding (begins in April)

Where? From The Cottage Inn

Join SUP Bristol for a stand up paddleboarding adventure and the chance to see Bristol’s floating harbour from a brand new perspecti e. tarting with the basic techniques, you’ll first get to grips with how to stand and paddle, while anyone with previous experience will be able to pick up more advanced skills. You’ll then put your paddling techniques into action on a mini adventure through the harbourside, paddling past the ss Great Britain and beyond, in this fun two hour experience.

15ALL THAT JAZZ

Say what? Burlesque chair dance workshop (from February)

Where? toke ifford

Join burlesque performer Kiki Kisses for a workshop that will teach you the classic burlesque chair dance. uild confidence, channel your sass, and have bundles of fun. Kiki will teach you some fantastic burlesque techniques, tricks, and choreography you’ll be desperate to show off solo rendition of Chicago, anyone?).

16LIFE ON THE VEG

Say what? Discover three vegan dishes (from February)

Where? Cooking It, Chandos Road ook up three fla our-filled egan dishes and devour everything you make on the night. This experience is perfect for anyone wanting to discover more about vegan cooking at home –you’ll pick up some great tips and tricks as well as trying out some fresh new recipes with local, seasonal ingredients.

17SUPERTONIC

Say what? Foraging for nourishing spring tonics (from March)

Where? 53 Conham Hill

Early spring is the perfect time to experience a hands-on foraging walk through a series of riverside paths and woodlands before making your own skin-supporting and cleansing tonics using wild leaves and blossoms – which, incidentally, taste great in cocktails.

18LOOK

UP

Say what? Upfest Stories

Where? From Tobacco Factory Café

Instead of aimless ambling, why not learn about Bristol’s street art culture as you walk?

Around 150 artworks can be found in Bedminster, and your guide will explain how a wide selection of them were created.

19ICE, ICE, BABY

Say what?: Reykjavic and Sky

Lagoon Escape

Where? Iceland

A holiday spent vegging beside the hotel pool before diving into the all-you-can-eat buffet may sound appealing in the depths of January, but you’re unlikely to come home any fitter or with any lifelong memories.

Instead, get the blood stirring with a Nordic adventure organised by Bristol travel company here the ild Is you can fly directly from Bristol Airport to Iceland, where you can explore the new geothermal oceanside Sky Lagoon and discover some of the country’s spectacular fjords and sweeping glaciers.

Travel with Superjeep on an exhilarating adventure to witness the Golden Circle with its bubbling mud pools and icy waterfalls before hitting the cultural spots of Reykjavik, with its abundance of first class restaurants, quirky cafés and historic landmarks.

20COME ON IN, THE WATER’S… BRACING

Say what? Yoga, breathwork and cold-water swim

Where? Clevedon

Marine Lake

Ready to feel amazing?

This twice-a-month outdoor wellness experience combines yoga, breathwork and cold water swimming – it brings a ton of benefits, from boosted immunity to building new friendships with people as bold and brave as you are.

21YOU’RE BARRED, MATE

Say what? M Barre exercise

Where? Mohiito Boutique Fitness Studio, Hampton Lane Barre is like Pilates’ fun cousin. The classes

use light weights, props and a barre to target the core, tone the body and create a lean, long and strong physique; no dancing or experience or skill required, this is for everyone. It’s the celebs’ fave for a reason…

22RENT-A-GYM

Say what? The Gymset

Where? Boyce’s Avenue

How about hiring your own personal microgym for you and your mates, and clients? The Gymset works rather like an AirbnB, but one that’s fitted with state-of-the art workout equipment and a top sound system.

For more: www.thegymset.com

23IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Say what? Talk Club

Where? Online

OK, so the above have been light-hearted fun ways to tempt you off the couch but we’d like to end with a rather more serious one. Talk Club is an amazing Bristol charity aimed at men who need support with their mental health – you can join the online community for as little as £1 a week. n

For more: www.talkclub.org

MORE INFO AND WHERE TO BOOK

For the first 18 experiences, book via Yuup www.yuup.co

19 Where the Wild Is www.wherethewildis.co.uk

20 Energent Purpose www.emergentpurpose.com

21 Mohiiti Boutique Fitness Studio www.mohiito.com

22 Gymset; www.thegymset.com

23 Talk Club; www.talkclub.org

CLARE CHANDLER SILVER HEART BRACELET, £52

Lovely, delicate little bracelet, designed by Clare and handmade in the Clifton Rocks workshop

From Clifton Rocks, 31 The Mall cliftonrocks.co.uk

FOOL FOR LOVE

PEPPER YOU LOVE GROWS HERE

EARRINGS, £24

Designed and beautifully handcrafted using clay and brass

From Mon Pote 217 North Street monpote.co.uk

LOVE

MOSCHINO QUILTED CROSSBODY BAG, £82 (FROM £115)

If baby pink’s not your thing, it also comes in a Chanellipstick rose-red From Garment Quarter, 47b Merchant Street garmentquarter.com

LOVE POTION KEYRING, £5 (FROM £10)

Does the potion work? You may be asking too much from a small piece of metal. Cute, though From UStudio, 115 Gloucester Road Ustudio.design

GLITTER ‘SWEETHEART’ LARGE STUD EARRINGS, £14

Look, there’s a time and place for subtlety, but sometimes it’s better to go loud and proud. A bold 5.4 cm across; in a number of finishes, but this month let it be pink glitter

From That Thing, 45-47 Stokes Croft thatthing.co

STEP-THROUGH LIGHTWEIGHT BIKE, FROM £975

It’s spritely and smooth, instantly comfortable and familiar – sound like anyone you know?

From Temple Cycles

Unit 22 Brookgate Trading Estate templecycles.co.uk

AGNELLE MOOR RED LEATHER GLOVES, £125

They’ll wear your heart on their sleeve with this luxurious pair of 100% lambskin, 100% alpaca-lined gloves

From Harvey Nichols, 27 Philadelphia Street harveynichols.com

Yep, that’s us! There’s a V in the month, and if it’s not pink, red, in the shape of a heart or embossed with the word LOVE, we just don’t want to know . . .

LUVYA BAG, £37.50 (FROM £50)

Technically, the heart-shaped Luvva is designed for kids, but we also reckon it’s ideal for grown-up fans of the on-trend mini-bag. Handwoven in rattan

From Mon Pote, 217 North Street; monpote.co.uk

LOVE CONCRETE BASE NEON SIGN, £75

Add a lo ely and, may we suggest, seducti e pink glow to proceedings with this neon table light on a concrete base

From Oliver Bonas Unit MS9, 21 Philadelphia Street oliverbonas.com

SILVER ‘LOVING’ RING, £100

A slim silver stacking ring etched with a selection of Diana’s ‘being’ words, inspired by life’s journey and all its stages

From Diana Porter, 33 Park Street dianaporter.co.uk

I LOVE BRISTOL

WILDSTYLE MUG, £12

The unmistakable Stokes Croft hina mash-up of refined bone china with streetwise graphics

From PRSC, 35 Jamaica Street prscshop.co.uk

SUGARHILL PINK LOVE LEOPARD SWEATSHIRT

£37.80 (FROM £54.00)

Hearts and an animal print? Be still our beating, well, heart… 100% organic cotton sweatshirt in an easy fit not too baggy, not too tight

From Fox + Feather, 41 Gloucester Road foxandfeather.co.uk

BELLA FREUD

LOVING CANDLE, £50

We’re talking the heady scent of tuberose with warming amber and sandalwood; earthy yet romantic. Burns for 40 hours; if you haven’t won them over by then, it’s not the candle’s fault From Maze 26-28 The Mall mazeclothing.co.uk

DEAR DIARY LIP BALM, £15

Direct from your school locker in the ’90s comes this super-nourishing natural lip balm. Pucker up for your crush . . .

From UStudio, 115 Gloucester Road ustudio.design

SAINT LAURENT LOULOU

SUNGLASSES, £227 (FROM £325) They say Loulou; we’re thinking Lolita. But in a good way.

From Harvey Nichols , 27 Philadelphia Street harveynichols.com

SNAPPED

ACROSS BRISTOL, ONE SHINDIG AT A TIME

THE SOLSTICE OF THE YEAR

Bristol Life held a festive reception for colleagues and friends at The Mount Without last December

Niki Facey

Nick Jones

Howard Davis

Roberta Garbarino Antichi Decori, Andrea Usai Antichi Decori and Alex Nunns

Awesome reading matter was provided

Amy Lamont

Photos by @JonCraig_Photos

Michael Legge

Hollie Boyd

Melissa Toney

Lewis Wright, Jon Lewis and Jo Emery

Samantha Jenkins, Kelly McGregor and Andrew Sperring

BRISTOLWORKS

2023 is destined to be a big year for Bristol Beacon; not only is it due to reopen as a world-class music venue following a major refurbishment, but CE Louise Mitchell has been named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in King harles III’s first new year’s honours list, in recognition of her services to the arts in Bristol.

Louise’s career spans more than four decades, during which time she has become recognised as a tenacious ambassador for the arts, both nationally and internationally. She has dedicated her career to opening up the world of music, in particular classical music, to wide and diverse new audiences.

As chief executive of the independent music charity Bristol Music Trust, the education hub aligned with Bristol Beacon, Louise has been instrumental in steering the ongoing £107m transformation of the hall – one of the biggest arts regeneration projects in the and led on its significant name change away from that of the slave trader Edward Colston.

Her other achievements at Bristol Beacon include reinvigorating the classical music programme, bringing a landmark staging by Sir John Eliot Gardiner of the three Monteverdi operas to Bristol; voted The Guardian’s classical music event of the year. She is currently chair of the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain, a South West regional council member of Arts Council England, a trustee of Paraorchestra, a council member of the Royal Philharmonic Society and a trustee of Impact Scotland, the charity developing a new concert hall for Edinburgh.

“We are delighted to have Louise leading Bristol Beacon and its mission to put music at the heart of Bristol life,” said Simon Chapman, chair of the Beacon’s board of trustees.

Sounds like team spirit

“She has built and led a team that has transformed the music offering in ristol, reaching new and diverse audiences; created an award-winning music hub providing music education to over 30,000 young people, and led the development of new and exciting community projects.”

And Louise? “I’m delighted that this award can help to raise the profile of the arts in ristol, she says. “None of us work alone, it takes a variety of skills to make special things happen and I’m proud of the excellent spirit of the team working at Bristol Beacon.” For more www.bristolbeacon.org

THE BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS 2023

25 JANUARY 2023

Grand Reveal Day

13 FEBRUARY 2023

Finalists’ & Sponsors’ Reception

16 MARCH 2023

Bristol Life Awards

The noms are in...

Every year, we’re astounded and impressed by the number and calibre of the nominations for the Bristol Life Awards, and this year has been no exception. All that remains is to sift through the hundreds of noms, and submit the shortlist to our impeccably impartial panel of judges – you’ll be able to read a list of the finalists on the website by the time this issue comes out.

Otherwise, it’s all steam ahead for the big Awards night on 16 March at Ashton Gate Stadium. It’s always the most glamorous business event of the year, at which pretty much any and every local organisation – big or small, from shops to restaurants, salons to galleries, and charities to schools – can win one of our coveted awards. Nothing beats being there – and tickets invariably sell out! Anyone can attend the event, whether they’re up for an award or not. Among the company of nearly 700 people, the networking and collaboration opportunities are on another level, and the party, well, that speaks for itself. What goes on at the Bristol Life Awards stays at the Bristol Life Awards. . . www.bristollifeawards.co.uk

SPONSORS

Nominations for this year’s Bristol Life Awards have flooded in – but who will make the final cut?

PHOTO BY AARON GEIS PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY JONCRAIG_PHOTOS

PHOTO BY AARON

GEIS PHOTOGRAPHY

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS

What does it take for a woman to succeed as an entrepreneur? Where does the inspiration come from? And is it ever too late to begin?

Spoiler alert: it’s never too late. Living proof is Maxine Laceby, the founder of Absolute Collagen, and our chief speaker at the EntreConf Female Entrepreneurs dinner held last December at Avon Gorge Hotel.

In a room packed with female leaders and forward-thinkers, in which MediaClash CEO Greg Ingham described himself as “fantastically outnumbered”, the event began with a pre-dinner conversation with Sarah Merrick of Ripple Energy and Lisa Unwin of Reignite Academy, who shared their own inspiring entrepreneurial experiences.

The big interview of the night, however, was with Maxine – a former full-time mother who now runs a £10 million beauty business.

As Maxine was approaching 50, she had an epiphany after waving her youngest daughter off to school one morning. After 25 years of toiling at the maternal coalface, she realised that she was finally free to do whatever she wanted.

I embarked on a fine art degree at Wolverhampton,” she said.

uring my first year at uni ersity I decided to do an art project. I stripped myself of makeup, let my hair go grey, and wore dirty clothes. I wanted to see if, as a woman of a

certain age, would I disappear? It made me realise how desperately insecure I was.

“I had a yellow post-it note on my mirror saying, you are enough. I looked at myself physically, emotionally and spiritually, and one of the first things I did I was to start making and drinking my own bone broth, which finally led to the collagen – with a big leap to the rest of it.”

Tellingly, on LinkedIn, Maxine describes herself as ‘co-founder of Absolute Collagen – and another underestimated everyday woman’. “Well, I underestimated myself,” she admits. She’d soon worked out the benefits of the collagen in the bone broth – “I created the supplement for me and my friends. But nobody would listen to me. Oh my god; this crazy middle-aged woman cooking up bones. Yeah, I probably wouldn’t listen to her either.

“I did lots of research; I could barely switch on a computer, but I did some Googling and worked out that whenever I let the bone broth settle, a jelly would form on top, and something told me it was that jelly that was doing something, and I worked out after a few months that the jelly was collagen.

“What’s so weird is that my eldest daughter Darcy’s work at university was on collagen. So, I discovered

Maxine Laceby in conversation with Greg Ingham

the product, and then she did lots of work on it. o we work together.

Alongside smoother-feeling skin and glossier-looking hair and nails, collagen supports your energy levels and is a great boost of protein.

axine and arcy disco ered that many collagen tablets were filled with fillers and binders, and were also found in low dosages, so they opted for liquid collagen, which is known to offer the best absorption rate. rom here, they talked with doctors and scientists and set out to offer the first premium typehydrolysed marine collagen drink in the smallest, most concentrated ready-mixed liquid dose.

I had no business experience. I didn’t speak the language of business, commerce or finance, and actually I still don’t, and that’s okay. I bring people in to do the stuff that I’m not great at.

oes axine think that the initial sense of being underestimated was a spur for her to prove herself?

h, . I’m now a patron of the rince’s rust a lot of kids come through with very tough backgrounds, and I can relate to them, and I say to them all you’ e got skills that you do not know you’ e got.

hen I started Absolute ollagen, I said to my team of four, I want in and out in three years. But three years came and

went. We had a lot of money in the bank, because we never spent the money, but we needed strategy and investment. And so in December 2020 we secured investment, and we sold shares as a family. We had four offers on the table. e didn’t go for the one which offered us the most money. e didn’t go to the one that would grow as the fastest, because we wanted to enjoy the journey. We went with the one which was most human, which we could work with.

e’ e now got a great and . hen I went for in estment, at the beginning I said, I will not be the going forward. I’ e done all right until now, but I need somebody with experience; so we attracted a brilliant , and a chairman who is the former of he’s ery challenging, but I like that.

Interestingly, axine says that gender isn’t necessarily an issue when it comes to making senior appointments. It really doesn’t matter to me. y intuitions are always really, really good I don’t see male female’.

However, when it came to choosing the , it had to be female. e’re a female-first brand. And we do think differently. And because of the sector we’re in I can see sometimes the chairman might not get that, and that’s okay, because I think you need a mixture for anything to work.

A penultimate question for axine. Is there something inherently recognisable about female entrepreneurs compared with the male equi alent r does it ultimately boil down to skill, luck, personality and circumstance, so that being female is barely a factor?

In my experience, the men that I’ e met tend to go into business for a specific reason. hey see a gap, an opportunity; whereas women go for a purpose.

inally, what ad ice would axine gi e to any wannabe female entrepreneur?

y biggest piece of ad ice to anybody and I say this a lot with the rince’s rust, and it’s something I went through myself is to bring you’ to the party. ou are your biggest asset, regardless of what that looks like.

I spent the early years of my business career looking at other women, looking at other men.

It doesn’t matter what language you speak. It doesn’t matter how you present yourself, whether it’s a product or business or service, because you will appeal to somebody else like you, and actually, every area needs to be covered. So I would say, always bring you to the party.

he e ent was held in association with urges almon and outts our thanks to them, and to the Avon Gorge Hotel.

The next Entreconf event takes place in June; for updates see www.entreconf.com

ABOVE and BELOW: Lisa Unwin of Reignite Academy and Sarah Merrick of Ripple Energy spoke to the room before dinner

“MY BIGGEST PIECE OF ADVICE TO A POTENTIAL ENTREPRENEUR IS TO BRING ‘YOU’ TO THE PARTY”

MODERN LUXE

What’s it like to live in a home that’s as sleek and tech-savvy as a newly built luxury hotel?

Words by Ursula Cole

When you’re the co-owners of a construction company and an estate agency, you’re in a unique position: not only are you able to make savvy property-buying decisions, but you also have all the know-how, and an invaluable book of contacts, to help you create the home of your dreams.

Which brings us to Tina and Shahin Eslami, the joint directors of the Airsat Group, a construction company and estate agents managing a broad portfolio of commercial, domestic, listed building

and public sector clients, with a “very keen interest in the luxury property market”.

Shahin and Tina, therefore, were perfectly positioned to create their ideal home when they bought their Coombe Dingle property in 2015.

“The main point of initial attraction was the rural feel to the area, being surrounded by beautiful greenery, and hearing the birds chirping when we woke up in the morning,” says Shahin. “The neighbourhood is safe and quiet, with all detached houses well spaced out, which was very important to us. Another beauty of the area is how well linked it is to all routes of regular commute for our work.

“Besides, I felt an instant excitement in gaining a great renovation project out of it, as it was initially a bungalow, which was going to be converted to a two-storey house.

“When you have your own construction company, the bigger the challenge, the more leeway there is to showcase your ability and put your own signature on it. The main idea was the conversion to a two-storey luxury modern house. We decided to create a large loft space, converted to four bedrooms, and a super-large family bathroom. I optimised the downstairs space by adding a side extension and an open-plan kitchen-dining area to open up the whole space, specifically by adding the bi-fold doors to create that perfect inside-outside space.”

Keeping within the set budget, Shahin says, was quite di cult, gi en we were constantly facing price variation in an ascending order, and bearing in mind there was no cutting corners or opting for cheaper options, as we did not want to compromise on the luxury standard. It meant stretching the initial budget by some margin.”

For many people, including Shahin and Tina, luxury equates with having the very latest tech and e ciency something this home showcases perfectly. There’s a Rako lighting system, which remotecontrols most of the internal and external lighting displays, operated by both an app and motor switches. The unique-looking 100% lighting shouts e ciency. here’s a combined onos system a Bose home sound system plays throughout the house, including the bathrooms and outdoor system it’s controlled through multi- ones which means different music or radio stations may be played in different rooms simultaneously.

A custom-made media wall in the living space has an integrated electric panoramic fireplace and flash-fitted using a natural slate finish there’s also a cinema room fitted with a -inch recessed

motorised screen and Bose surround-sound system, with a 4K BenQ pro ector. or added luxury, the recliner cinema chairs offer a massage function there’s a drink chiller and cinema lighting control.

ully smart tankless toilets offer heated seats and a wash-and-dry functionality, with automatic flushing in all bathrooms the mixer shower has a control panel with lighting.

he futuristic list goes on. otorised double layered blinds and curtains are controlled by remote control and an app. here are kw solar panels on the flat roof a commercial water softener system is fitted throughout the whole property the garage has been con erted to a home gym there’s fully ducted air-con heated flooring, and a large nature slate wall in the hallway. nsurprisingly, the tech-sa iness extends to security a ermax eet entry system remote-controls the door and gate opening, with full access to the security camera system and its two monitors installed on each le el it’s app-enabled, too.

hat said, the thing that hahin and ina are most thrilled about is the Italian custom-made kitchen.

e decided to go with black on black, to create a sleek look against our white stone flooring it looks ama ing, says hahin.

I’ e placed a big island in the middle, which has gi en the kitchen a nice in iting centre whene er we are hosting, it’s often where e eryone gathers around. e ha e dressed the island with four comfy stools, and there are integrated iele appliances. ur uooker mixer tap pro ides instant boiling water as well as sparkling water more cost-effecti e than ha ing to use a kettle, and less cluttering on worktops. e’ e also created a tea and coffee corner, fitted with a shutter to keep it neat when not in use.

hahin and ina ha e also created a second kitchen utility area for the option of using a gas cooker where most of the cooking and washing up takes place, to keep the smell and the mess well away from the beautiful front kitchen. here’s also an In ink rator wastedisposal system, while the washer dryer is located on a high le el creating a few underneath drawers for dirty and clean laundry.

All in all, says hahin, there is nothing I wish I’d done differently I spent almost a year designing the property, considering e ery aspect quite thoroughly, and luckily being able to execute e erything as planned means we are quite pleased with the end product. There’s no limit to luxury, so of course I had other ideas for the house, but there was a point where we had to draw the line.

And as well as being incredibly easy to li e in, the work has almost trebled the house’s alue the reno ation has added o er a million pounds to the estimated alue, making it worth around . m in the current market. n

For more information about Airsat estate agency, see www.airsatrealestate.co.uk; for Airsat construction see www.airsat.co.uk

“A custom-made media wall has an integrated electric panoramicfireplace and ash-fitted T

FOR SALE OR TO RENT

Situated just off Queen Square and overlooking the River Station. Due to undergo an extensive refurbishment. The building is approx. 4376 sq ft GIA, orsuites are available from 793— 1,727 sq ft. Freehold offers considered! Suitable for an owner occupier or investor with resi-potential (STP).

STUNNING NEW REFURBISHMENT

Prominently positioned with attractive views across Queen Square. The property is superbly appointed and has been refurbished to a high standard to provide bright, contemporary accommodation with stunning period features.

A STONES THROW FROM PARK STREET AND COLSTON AVENUE

A ground floor office suite which has been newly refurbished to offer modern space benefitting secure bike storage and shower facilities. Could suit a range of uses under Use Class E!

THIS VIEW FROM YOUR OFFICE...

A top quality, contemporary office which has been refurbished to a high standard offering studio-style space with exposed services, bike storage, showers and up to 6 car parking spaces in a secure under-croft car park.

Julian Cook FRICS Jayne Rixon MRICS

Finola Ingham MRICS

Tom Coyte MRICS Holly Boulton BSc(Hons)

Vicki Grimshaw BSc (Hons) Charlie Kershaw MRICS

Harbourside House, 4-5 The Grove, Bristol, BS1

60 Queen Square, Bristol, BS1

Quayside, 40-58 Hotwell Road, Bristol, BS8 Griffin House, 15-16 Lower Park Row, Bristol, BS1

• A fine, Grade II Listed property benefitting an excellent position on Queen Square.

• The property provides well proportioned office accomodation over four floors, with the potential for the lower ground floor to be separated to provide a self contained studio with its own private entrance.

• For sale by way of the long leasehold, alternatively to let as a whole or on a floor by floor basis.

• Approximately 3,539 sq ft (329 sq m) in total, or on a floor by floor basis offering suites from approximately 489 sq ft (45.43 sq m) upwards.

• If let, due to be refurbished throughout to a contemporary and high standard.

• Permitted use is as offices under Use Class E.

• Easy access to Temple Meads Railway station.

Julian Cook FRICS Jayne Rixon MRICS Finola Ingham MRICS Tom Coyte MRICS Holly Boulton BSc(Hons) Vicki Grimshaw BSc (Hons) Charlie Kershaw MRICS

A STUNNING GEORGIAN HOUSE, FULLY REFURBISHED, TO PROVIDE

AN EXQUISITE FAMILY HOME

Guide Price £3,450,000

BACKWELL HOUSE - JUST 15 MINUTES DRIVE FROM CLIFTON, BRISTOL

The main living accommodation is principally arranged over two floors and would ideally suit a growing family.

The ground floor provides 4 beautiful reception rooms plus conservatory and kitchen / utility around a stunning central staircase leading to the first floor which provides 7 ensuite bedrooms, each with beautiful views over the grounds.

The second floor currently provides a further 2 ensuite bedrooms, which could be readily adapted for other uses within this family home. The property also benefits from a good sized basement, partially fitted out and ideal for a variety of ancillary uses.

The house is approached via a sweeping driveway and sits within approximately 14 acres, comprising front lawn, a rear private garden and surrounding paddocks. There is an outdoor swimming pool which can be readily recommissioned along with a former tennis court.

In addition, there are numerous outbuildings which could offer scope for useful rental income to include fitted offices, a billiard room with garaging below, further garaging, stores and stables.

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

Westfield Office Park, Clevedon

TO LET - £12.50 psf pax

1,722 sq ft (160 sq m)

A modern office building offering open plan accomodation which has been newly refurbished to a high specification. Junction 20 of the M5 Motorway is within 2 miles away.

Queen Square, BS1

TO LET – POA

2,506 sq ft (233 sq m)

A bright office suite with dual aspect outlook towards Broad Quay and across Queen Square. Attractive, high quality fit out to include air conditioning and LED lighting.

St Augustine’s Parade, BS1

TO LET – POA

2,170 sq ft (201.60 sq m)

Modern, loft-style office suite located in the heart of the city centre providing open plan space with period features and excellent natural light. Benefits showers and secure bike storage.

Harbour Crescent, Portishead TO LET – POA

1,395 - 4,964 sq ft (130 - 461 sq m)

Two new-build commercial units forming part of the Harbour Crescent development to be fitted to a high standard. Use Class E –would suit a range of uses.

Queen Square, BS1 TO LET – POA. 313 - 2,106 sq ft (29 - 196 sq m)

An attractive, self-contained office building benefiting a corner position on the Square and which is due to be fully refurbished to a high standard. Potential for two car parking spaces!

Buckingham Court, BS32

TO LET - £15.50 psf pax

3,089 sq ft (287 sq m)

A self-contained office building offering modern accomodation within an established business park with good road connections. Excellent parking ratio being 1:257 sq ft.

Marsh Street, BS1 TO LET - £16,000 pax 983 sq ft (91.35 sq m)

A prominent, ground floor commercial unit with selfcontained entrance. Provides open plan space and benefits Use Class E so is therefore suitable for a range of uses.

Coldharbour Road, BS6 TO LET / FOR SALE

1,841 sq ft (171 sq m)

A commercial retail unit over ground and basement benefiting from a return frontage offering excellent visibility for passing motorists and pedestrians. Class E- could suit many uses.

Station Road, Shirehampton FOR SALE - £150,000 plus VAT 578 sq ft (53.7 sq m)

A first-floor office suite within a converted Coach House providing open plan accommodation and benefitting from period windows and car parking to the front.

Warminster, BA12 FOR SALE - £850,000 exl. 7,810 sq ft (729 sq m) on 0.4 acres

An income-producing commercial investment opportunity with future development potential, subject to necessary consents. Situated in a stunning, rural setting with river frontage and large parking.

Julian Cook FRICS

Jayne Rixon MRICS

Finola Ingham MRICS

Tom Coyte MRICS

Holly Boulton BSc(Hons)

Vicki Grimshaw BSc (Hons)

Charlie Kershaw MRICS

IAIN GILCHRIST

Ever felt someone was watching you while you were watching someone else…?

Iain is Professor of Neuropsychology at the University of Bristol. He’s spent the last fi e years looking at what happens to people when they are immersed in a creative experience – and if you’re headed to Bristol Old Vic this month, he may well end up studying you…

Of course we know – ahem – but just in case there’s someone out there who doesn’t: what exactly does a neuropsychologist do?

A neuropsychologist is a scientist who tries to understand how the activity in the brain creates our mental lives, and by mental lives I mean our senses, perception, memory, emotions etc.

How did you get into this specific area of research, and what fascinates you most about it?

That previous answer may sound a bit dry, but just think about it for a moment. Everything in your

mind – the colour of the sunset, the memory of your first day at secondary school, the fear from a horror movie – is all from your brain: a slightly wobbly physical thing which weighs not much more than a bag of sugar. How is that even possible? And how can that not be fascinating?

How long have you been working in this area?

I’ve been working on the relationship between the brain and the mind for 30 years. or the last fi e years, a ma or focus of my work has been understanding audiences.

What is it about audience behaviour that you find so intriguing? (Personally we’ve sat with some real corkers)

Humans are very easily distracted. i e us a slightly boring, tedious job and we can hardly stick at it for fi e minutes. However, when people sit down to watch a play, or film then we get completely immersed – we

don’t notice that time has passed; don’t hear phone notifications, and even forget to eat or drink. So the question is: what is happening to people’s brains when we become immersed, and how and why does that happen?

Can you tell us a bit about the project you’re running with Bristol Old Vic?

We want to understand in more detail how audiences respond to a live theatre performance. So we will be asking members of the audience to wear a recording wristband while they watch the new production at Bristol Old Vic – Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead. This will allow us to monitor moment-by-moment heart rate, skin conductance and fidgeting. ristol ld ic is also live-streaming the production, and we will use the same technology to monitor people watching the live stream.

What are you hoping to discover? One important question is how the live-stream experience differs from the live experience in the theatre. This information might help us disco er how we can film the production differently to try to at least partially recreate the live experience.

Why did you choose this production as the vehicle for the research?

Quite simply, it’s an amazing play being produced by Complicité, one of the best and most innovative theatre companies in the country. Anyone who has read the book will also know that it’s a story full of suspense, surprise and emotion.

Who are you observing?

We’re recruiting randomly from anyone who has bought a ticket.

So if you have a ticket, watch out for an email inviting you to take part in our study.

How could this sort of research help in the long run? (We’d just be happy if you could recommend anything sciencey that would stop people unwrapping boiled sweets)

Theatre audiences used to be noisy – if they didn’t like a show they would boo and throw cabbages. At some point we were told to sit still, in the dark, in silence. We hope that the methods we are developing will once again allow us to know how the audience are responding to a performance moment by moment without having to reintroduce the cabbage as feedback!

Where in Bristol do you live?

I li e ust off the loucester oad by the Arches. he loucester road is unique – it’s the longest high street in Europe. So many good shops, bars, restaurants, such a strong community feel, eccentric at times and so open and welcoming. Whether it’s out on a Friday night or shopping on a Saturday morning you just know you are part of something special and very, very Bristol.

Do you have any secret skills?

I do like to cook – I always ha e done, but the loucester oad and its independent food (and wine) shops are a constant inspiration. My gingerbread Cabot Tower was a high point… And your most regrettable habit?

I get bored very easily!

For more about Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead see page 21; www.bristololdvic.org

“Theatre audiences used to be noisy – if they didn’t like a show they would boo and throw cabbages”