Bristol Life - Issue 334

BEING MARVIN REES

SO, WHAT’S IT LIKE TO GOVERN THE ALT-CAPITAL OF THE UK?

A BIGGER SPLASH

DON’T LET YOUR BATHROOM BE THE MOST OVERLOOKED SPACE IN THE HOUSE . . .

WE’VE ALL GONE CRAZY FOR BARBIECORE (AND TO A LESSER DEGREE, KENCORE)

DAYDREAM BELIEVER

MAY AT THE IVY CLIFTON BRASSERIE

What does it take to run a city like Bristol? Oh, don’t ask us, we have enough trouble keeping on top of a threeweekly magazine.

In fact, there are only two living people who can give a first-hand account of what it’s like to be the mayor of Bristol; architect George Ferguson, who in 2012 became the first mayor to be elected in modern times, and his successor, the twice-elected Marvin Rees.

But now Bristol has decided it doesn’t want a mayorship after all, and the role comes to an end next year. Maybe that’s why Marvin was so generously candid when speaking about the job at our recent Bristol Life Business Club – read what he had to say about his mission to build a fairer, more inclusive world, and how cities and organisations can work together, on page 66.

Our interview with Marvin kicks off our brandnew, extended, refreshed new business section, rechristened Network; if you have a great local business story to share, get in touch.

Also in this issue you’ll find some expert tips for creating a dream bathroom, inside info on the local property market (spoiler: everyone wants to live at Harbourside or in Bedminster) and the story of how a Bristol-based drama school is making the industry accessible to all.

Hope you’ve had a fabulous May – we could get used to three bank holidays a month, please could they be a regular thing? Back at you in three weeks time, in full-on summertime mode.

Being Mayor Marvin 66

Issue 334 / May 2023

ON THE COVER

Forest Green tiles by Red Dog Glass Design –see bathrooms feature, page 48

ARTS

13 ART PAGE Fool for love 14 WHAT’S ON Springtime shizzle 22 THEATRE Making drama training accessible to all 28 BRISTOL HEROES Lights, camera, Bristol

35 BOOKS Top recommendations from our award-winning booksellers

FOOD &

38 RESTAURANT Perchance to Dream

41 CAFÈ SOCIETY You can’t keep Stan away from the docks for long

SHOPPING

44 ED’S CHOICE Barbiecore. Well, it had to be done

48 BATHROOMS The escape room

65 NETWORK NEW! Our extended and freshened-up white-collar section

PROPERTY

78 NEW HOMES Tell us what Bristol property buyers want, what they really really want

SHOWCASE Estate of grace in Clapton-in-Gordano

REGULARS

6 SPOTLIGHT Immersive art, art installation, street art, portraiture and embroidery; yep, a lot of art this issue 11 BRIZZOGRAM Accidentally Wes Anderson

Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond

Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors Colin Moody, Stan Cullimore, Storysmith

Books Commercial manager Neil Snow neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Craig Wallberg craig.wallberg@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Jake Horwood jake.horwood@mediaclash.co.uk Production/distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager/ production designer Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@ mediaclash.co.uk Bristol Life MediaClash, Carriage Court, 22 Circus Mews, Bath, BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

We’re a West Country-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrates the best of local living: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter. Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help. Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk

Immersive SQUIDS IN

hen ropyard first opened its doors in 2021, throwing a few testing-the-water parties in its groovy, vast industrial space, we immediately liked the cut of its ib e liked it even more when it hosted the an Gogh exhibition, and we’ll be the keenies at the front of the ueue for Beyond Submergence when it opens on 1 uly a world-first, 20,000 s ft immersive experience by art collective uidsoup, which will transform the venue into a ourney through light, space and sound’

ou are about to enter a different kind of space an experience you may not be familiar with, says uidsoup founder Anthony owe, alluringly ake the time, before you begin to forget the outside world, to relax and open yourself to the unexpected Get accustomed to a slower pace, and prepare your eyes and ears Allow

Art DAVE IN AVON

There are national treasures, and then there’s Sir David Attenborough.

This city has long-time links with everyone’s favourite living Briton, with many of his landmark wildlife shows being produced here by the BBC Natural History Unit. It feels fitting, then, that a new portrait of Sir Dave, by renowned artist David Cobley, should have been unveiled at the Unit’s home of Bridgewater House, where it will continue to hang in the events space. It’s open to the public, so pop in and doff a hat, why don’t you? www.productions.bbcstudios.com

your mind to wander, to follow through with the associations that may come to it explore them, en oy the evocations and feelings they bring ropyard is the perfect venue to premi re Beyond Submergence Our values are in sync completely to inspire and excite and the space is a complete one-off in the centre of this very special city ou don’t want to miss this says ropyard’s am atts more about am on page hese artworks are inspirational beyond compare Get ready, ristol we’ve seen what uidsoup are planning, and this is going to be mindblowing limey hat with ake the iger up the road currently planning the third of its celestial celebrations, Sundust , t hilip’s is fast becoming ristol’s trippiest postcode www.beyondsubmergence.com

Installations

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE MARTIAN KIND

here’s only one thing better than a new uke erram installation, and that’s two new uke erram installations

First to land is Mars, at Aerospace ristol from May to une it’s part of a new Journey to Mars exhibition that also includes models of the Mars Express orbiter and Beagle 2 lander uke’s Mars, which measures seven metres in diameter and features detailed A A imagery of the planet’s surface, will be suspended in the oncorde angar alongside its supersonic neighbour ou’ll be able to view it from the air, as if you’re an observational satellite, mapping and studying every valley, crater, volcano and mountain

Mars follows my other touring astronomical artworks, Museum of the Moon and Gaia, says uke hope that visitors will feel transported to its inhospitable desert wasteland and, in comparison, really value our life on arth

www.aerospacebristol.org

Also this summer, at ristol athedral between 1 une-2 uly, you can see uke’s Oil Fountain, a sculpture which ows with artificial oil instead of water, falling into black mirrorlike pools

art of this year’s Festival of ature, the artwork is designed to stimulate discussion about our current reliance on oil www.bristol-cathedral.co.uk

That’s Mars (obviously)

© PAUL BLAKEMORE

© RIKARD ÖSTERLUND

Street art SEA SPRAY

No Upfest for us this year – boo! But Weston Wallz is happening again – hooray!

Returning to the Weston-super-Mare seafront for a second year, Upfest will bring a mini-fest of murals from 24 May to 4 June. If you head over, you’ll be able to admire large-scale work by a diverse range of local, national and international artists over your fish and chips sounds a grand day out to us www.upfest.co.uk

And speaking of street art… DOING IT FOR THE KIDS

Top street artist and Bristol Life favourite Inkie has just returned from his second trip to Sierra Leone, working with street children in some of Africa poorest slums.

“As part of International Street Children’s Day, along with artists

LNADJ, Sen 1 and Nicolas ixon, we created five major walls, one of which is the largest gra ti piece in Sierra Leone,” says Ink.

“One is in the National Railway Museum, and another in the KrooBay community, where the original freed slaves were dropped off hence the name, FreeTown. We also provided workshops at Wayout Arts Centre, and supported the costs and materials for art and music education that is so important to these children. On top of this we managed to play a football match and provided football strips for them …” www.inkie.co.uk

Film SCREEN TIME

Bristol, as you know, rejoices in the accolade of being a UNESCO City of Film –and this year it’s bringing us a Summer Film Takeover between June and eptember here’ll be nine free film events across the city centre, celebrating uni ue aspects of ristol’s culture and identity through a range of different screen experiences; bicycle-powered screenings, family-friendly animation workshops, night-time projections onto the city’s walls, block parties and immersive film installations

The festival will also mark such milestones as the 75th anniversary of Windrush above , 100 years of 1 mm film and 0 years of hip-hop in uence on ristol’s culture, all through different screen experiences

“Film has the power to convey stories we wouldn’t usually encounter,” says Natalie Moore, Bristol UNESCO City of Film manager. “We hope this programme will give the public the chance to explore the city from different perspectives, while sampling excellent work from world-leading creatives and curators working in Bristol.”

More at www.bristolcityoffilm.co.uk/summerfilmtakeover

Exhibition LADY IN RED

The Red Dress has landed in Bristol (well, Wraxhall).

The project features a single dress that has been continuously embroidered over the course of 13 years. Devised by British artist Kirstie Macleod, the project was designed as an artistic platform for women around the world, many of whom are vulnerable and live in poverty, allowing them to tell their personal stories through embroidery.

From 2009 to 2022, pieces of the dress travelled the globe, being continuously embroidered; made from 84 pieces of burgundy silk, it’s been worked on by 362 women and seven men from 49 countries, with all 136 commissioned artisans paid for their work. The rest of the embroidery was added by audience at exhibitions.

Until 31 May at Tyntesfield, www.nationaltrust.org.uk

THE BRISTOL DISPATCH

Work with us here… but don’t you think this city would make a dream location for a Wes Anderson movie?

@ellydeakin

@DanRose95

@alessandro._.r

@I14ope

@porthjess

@ellydeakin

@helenisbell

@marieljanina

@jespionne_avec_mon_petit_oeil

@porthjess

@thepropertyphotographerltd

@richimal.bristol

THE ARTS

SNAPSHOTS OF BRISTOL’S CULTURAL LIFE

PASSION PLAY

This is Anna. She’s about to risk everything for love...

At Bristol Old Vic this June, writer Lesley Hart and (the almost nominatively determined) director Polina Kalinina are reimagining Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina for the stage.

“It’s a play about love, and sex, and family, and human connection,” they say. “It’s also about the public shaming and scandalising of women. It’s not a rom-com; it’s a rom-trag. What attracted us to it was the idea of what it takes to live your life truthfully. What is the cost we pay, in society, for living an honest life? What does it mean to truly live?” Expect a steamy ride...

Anna Karenina plays Bristol Old Vic 7-24 June Book now at www.bristololdvic.org.uk

WHAT’S ON

EXHIBITIONS

Until 21 May

HOWARDENA PINDELL: A NEW LANGUAGE

Surveying the Philly artist’s sixdecade career, from early abstracts to more political works; at Spike Island; spikeisland.org.uk

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Brilliant photos, in a free-to-view outdoor exhibition set between Royal Photographic Society and Martin Parr Foundation; rps.org

SHOW ME THE WORLD MISTER

wo new film commissions shot on location in Nigeria. The Fist is a portrait of the Guinness brewery in Lagos, where histories of colonialism, industrialisation and labour collide; Faluyi looks at familial legacy and mysticism in ancestral lands. Spike Island; spikeisland.org.uk

Until 28 May

GARRY FABIAN MILLER: ADORE

One of the most inventive and original photographers of his time, who uses a ‘cameraless’ practice which

experiments with darkness and light; at Arnolfini arnolfini.or .uk

Until 29 May

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

The world’s best wildlife photography is in its final few weeks at M hed bristolmuseums.org.uk

Until 31 May

THE RED DRESS

ee page at yntesfield, nationaltrust.org.uk

Until 2 June

THE DYNAMIC

The story of Wales’s distinctive but short-lived local newspaper, as told by former staff photographer ebasti n Bruno. MPF; martinparrfoundation.org

Until 10 September

THE CAVE ART OF LASCAUX

Step back 21,000 years in time and visit the Stone Age cave art of Lascaux in immersive 3D. At Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, bristolmuseums.org.uk

19 May

EVERYONE, NOW!

Exhibition exploring the many

facets of human creativity, shown through the work of Bristol artists, some supported by Hft. At People’s Republic of Stokes Croft. prsc.org.uk

20 May-11 June

PINK LADY® FOOD

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

The world’s leading awards for food photography and film holds its 12th exhibition at The Royal Photographic Society; events.rps.org

SHOWS

Until 12 May

A SHINING INTIMACY

Tom Marshman’ narrative follows acting legends Maggie Smith and Kenneth Williams, looking not only at their professional success, but at issues such as depression, OCD, and the loneliness of en’s one bedroom at TFT, tobaccofactorytheatres.com

Until 13 May

FAUN

Ace is 22, trans, queer and sofasurfing o keep a sofa re uires you to act small, smiling, and polite. But eventually everyone messes up –which would be a lot easier for Ace if

they weren’t also unexpectedly growing uffy ears, and a tiny tail A celebration of queer community, at BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk

Until 20 May

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE* (*SORT OF)

It’s the 1800s. It’s party time. Let the ruthless matchmaking begin...Men, money and microphones are be fought over in this Austentatious adaptation (with karaoke); BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk

14 May

THE LOST CABARET

A global collective of alternative comedy makers, curious to expand the reaches of absurd and physical comedy; expect the unexpected, at Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.comk

16 May

SHEWOLVES

Armed with a backpack full of Poptarts and a hunger to tackle climate change, Priya and Lou embark on a covert expedition into the wild. But can they make their voices heard? A coming-ofage comedy for teenagers and anyone who has ever been a teen, at Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

Hello Bristollll! Love, Saving the Day again, at Ashton Court

16-20 May CAttS

Frankie hompson’s anarchic onewoman adaptation of Cats a lip-sync ballet through the distractions and obsessions that help us cope with an increasingly dystopian reality at O , bristololdvic.org.uk

18 May-1 July

THE LION KING

Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba! t’s the third outing for isney’s mega lionfest at ipppodrome, with spectacular set pieces, puppets, masks and songs you know off by heart atgtickets.com

25-27 May HOLES

Stranded on a desert island, three sparring colleagues and a teenager are the sole survivors of the A0 air disaster aiting to be rescued and armed with microwave chicken chasseurs and duty-free boo e, they wrestle with the realisation that they might ust be the all that’s left of humanity… in a double bill at The Wardrobe with Out Of Love, exploring the highs and messy lows of a 0-year female friendship thewardrobetheatre.com

BEAUTIFUL THING

outh ast ondon, 1 ection 2 is in the schools and the AIDS crisis has gripped the media, but in three ats on the scrappy hamesmead state, something small and beautiful is beginning to grow… Bristol School of Acting’s graduating students at F tobaccofactorytheatres.com

29-31 May

HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA

Following the gangland execution of her husband, formidable matriarch Bernarda will do anything to safeguard the dubious fortune of her five daughters

A deal is struck – a marriage of convenience between her eldest, and the son of a business rival All she has to do is ensure that the wedding happens quickly; Bristol School of Acting, at TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com

30 May-3 June

WE NEED NEW NAMES aradise ome of 10-year-old Darling and her friends: four children on the edge of innocence ut when arling moves to Michigan, the Western world she encounters is far from the American utopia of her dreams…Based on the novel by the first lack African woman to be ooker ri eshortlisted, a coming-of-age story full of exuberance, humour and humanity At O , bristololdvic.org.uk

1-3 June DORIAN

Oscar ilde’s life intertwines with his characters in this dizzying play at ardrobe part of O ummer Festival, showing as part of a nightly double bill with Wasted by ae empest thewardrobetheatre.com

THE ADDAMS FAMILY

lick, click ot the mega touring am omack one, but by AO outh at edgrave, redgravetheatre.com

COMEDY

Ongoing

CLOSER EACH DAY

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

12-13 May

THE SHADE PULLERS & LASH STACKERS SOCIAL CLUB

’ y up lad, the drag show within a drag show’s back 1-year-old Paul Marsden has been running a northern working men’s club since the 1 0s False eyelashes and at-caps, tinsel and tombola, and proper good; at Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com

21 May

SUZI RUFFELL: SNAPPY

u i likes things snappy her standup, her decisions and her suits

TOP: Just a couple more weeks to see this guy at M Shed; MIDDLE: Suzi, looking snappy at BOV; BOTTOM: The Dynamic: “More Valleys than a male voice choir on Prozac”, at Martin Parr Foundation

© DMITRY KOKH, WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Her new show is all about settling down (but not settling), becoming a mother (without becoming mumsy) and still worrying about everything): at BOV, bristololdvic.org.uk

28 May

TIM KEY: MULBERRY

Tim’s back with a new show featuring ruminations about the great indoors, with a bit of stamping around, a velour tracksuit, continental lagers, and some ‘poetry’. BOV, bristololdvic.org.uk

MUSIC

See also Festivals

12 May LANKUM

Dublin bros Ian and Daragh Lynch, with Cormac MacDiarmada and Radie Peat, bring their contemporary Irish folk to Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

THE PROCLAIMERS

The Reid twins are at Bristol Hippodrome with their timeless songs, running the gamut of human emotions, political fire and wit A tenner says I’m Gonna Be is the encore. atgtickets.com

17 May

TUBULAR BELLS

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Mike Oldfield’s groundbreaking album, Bristol Ensemble performs a chamber orchestral arrangement, eshing out the iconic melodies with strings. Those scarred for life by The Exorcist may be advised to stay home. St George’s, stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

18 May

VIEUX FARKA TOURE

The world-renowned Malanian singer and guitarist showcases his virtuosic musicianship at Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

22 May

MORGAN WADE

This country and classic rock artist from Virginia didn’t write for success, critical acclaim or massive concert tours. She wrote to throw a rope to those struggling with the weight of a world moving too fast, loves where you fall too hard and nights that, good or bad, seem to go on forever. Classic country territory, then; at Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

26 May

ODDISEE + GOOD COMPANY

The Washington DC-born rapper with his five-piece band bring a

vibrant mixture of jazz, funk, go-go, gospel, hip-hop, and soul to Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

29 May

THE ARCTIC MONKEYS

Alex and co kick off their tour at Ashton Gate. There’d better be a mirrorball. ashtongatestadium.co.uk

1 June MONO

Japanese instrumental band, whose diverse musical palette eclipses the rock genre and exists within its own realm; NME once called it ‘music for the gods’. Trinity, trinitybristol.org.uk

FESTIVALS

Ongoing

BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL

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

Until 14 May

CRIMEFEST

A convention both for people who like to read an occasional crime novel as well as die-hard fanatics; crimefest.com

FOODIES FESTIVAL

he ’s biggest touring gourmet food festival heads back to The Downs, featuring Master ef, ake and Great British Menu favourites. foo iesfestival.com

Until 31 May

BRISTOL WALK FEST

A heady variety of ways to explore the city and its surrounds on foot, for all ages, interests and levels of fitness bristolwalkfest.com

Until 30 June

FESTIVAL OF VOICE

A month-long celebration of the power, beauty and universality of the human voice returns to St George’s; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

13-14 May

FIRE IN YOUR SOUL

A cooking-over-fire, field-to-fork minifest with music, demos, workshops, competitions etc, down at Chew Valley Lake; yuup.co

13-14, 20-21, 27-28 May

WEEKENDS OF WONDER

Invisible Circus brings a free street performance festival to Broadmead. bristolshoppingquarter.co.uk

18-21 May

FORBIDDEN WORLDS

ristol’s biggest repertory genre film festival, this year celebrating some of cinema’s iconic creatures and their

TOP: The Shewolves are on a mission. They have Poptarts.

MIDDLE: Audrey and Gregory ride again: Roman Holiday at Bristol Film Fest BOTTOM: We’ve zoomed in and squinted, but still have absolutely no idea what Tim Key is holding in his hand

Silk Road Rugs

creators and a selection of genre classics; at the former IMAX; forbi enworl sfilmfestival.co.uk

19-21 May

BRISTOL JAZZ FESTIVAL

Back after a four-year break, and celebrating its 10th anniversary over Bristol Beacon’s foyer spaces; beginning with a star-studded tribute to the late Pee Wee Ellis. bristoljazzandbluesfest.com

27 May

DOT TO DOT

The annual lineup of innovative, exciting and ground-breaking acts in intimate spaces; otto otfestival.co.uk

27-28 May

LOVE SAVES THE DAY

Bristol’s beloved homegrown music fest brings its diverse range of genres and music styles to Ashton Court; headlining are Fatboy Slim, Years & Years, Sugarbabes, Kelis and many many more; lovesavest e ay.or

1 June-31 August

UNICORN FEST

The new public art trail sees a herd of unicorns prancing across the city, painted by Bristol artists; in aid of Leukaemia Care and to celebrate #Bristol650. theunicornfest.co.uk

OTHER

14, 21, 28 May

BRISTOL TRANSATLANTIC SLAVERY WALK

Tour providing a history of Bristol as a port, how it came to participate in the slave trade, and Colston’s divisive legacy; bristoltours.co.uk

14 May

TRINITY GARDEN PARTY

The centre’s annual free music and arts event, with local artists, bands, and performers, workshops and family activities; trinitybristol.org.uk

17-20 May

COMPASS PRESENTS: MULHOLLAND DRIVE – AN EXPANDED SCREENING

Silencio! A theatre of nightmares and illusions awaits. David Lynch’s seminal cult horror movie will be screened in full alongside moments of live performance. Compass invites things strange and uncanny to slip beyond the screen and rub up against you in your theatre seat, bringing the terrifying universe of this most unsettling of films even closer At Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com

1-3 June

ROYAL BATH & WEST SHOW

The ultimate rural bonanza of farm animal shows, horse trials, food (one whole marquee devoted to cheese), dog agility, along with motorcycle feats, llamas, baby animals etc etc; there’s never a dull moment. bathandwest.com n

ABOVE: It finally dawned on The Proclaimers that bike travel was by far the speedier option RIGHT: Soul-scene belter Hannah Williams at Bristol Jazz Fest; BELOW: The Bennet sisters are still holding out for a hero: P&P* Sort of at BOV

© MURDO MACLEOD

FLIP THE SCRIPT

Revolutionising the teaching of drama –that’s the aim of iampro, a new online school founded here in Bristol

LEFTTORIGHT: Meet the Brooks family: Emma, Charlie and Ben

Thanks to Bristol Old Vic Theatre school, and community theatre groups such as Travelling Light, Bristol already has a stellar reputation for training theatre, film and TV stars. Now, bringing a fresh approach to training into the digital age, is iampro – an online drama school founded by the Brooks family –couple Ben and Emma, and Ben’s sister Charlie. Emma is iampro’s MD; Ben, who started out as a child actor, trained in musical theatre and later switched to production, manages the creation of the content for the website and the tech side of things. The third member of the team is Charlie, an actor best known for causing all kinds of chaos in Walford in her long-time role of manipulative villain Janine Butcher.

Ben and Charlie grew up in a tiny village in North Wales. “After much begging from Charlie, their parents finally let them move to ondon when they were 12 and 13 to attend drama school,” says Emma. “At the time, it felt like this was the only option, as there was nothing locally that would help them break into the industry.

“We launched iampro to change this situation, and ensure that no matter where you live, you can access the highest quality training and the

ability to network and get in front of top industry professionals such as agents, directors and casting directors e also offer training for both production and performance, so whether you want to be in front of or behind the camera (or both!), we’ve got you covered.

“We are fully online, which means we can access a wide talent pool and have incredible world-class coaches located all over the world. e also wanted to make sure financial circumstance didn’t affect accessibility, so have priced memberships to offer a variety of terms of payment, and offer scholarships to support those who need it For us, iampro is about democratising an industry that is often accessible only to those who can afford expensive drama school or know someone who can open doors for them. We’re on a mission to change that.”

So who is it for, and can anyone sign up?

ampro is from eight to infinity says mma e have members of all ages, backgrounds, shapes and sizes. Iampro Jnr is for 8-12 year olds, Foundation rama is for 1 -1 year olds and Adult rama is for 18+. We also have a Pro and Grad class for professional working actors. There is a class for everyone!

“Memberships include access to live and on-demand classes, mentoring with Charlie, entry to our Get Seen showcase, Masterclasses

ABOVE: Ben, Charlie and Emma; LEFT: Fancy being coached by Danny Dyer, treacle?

“No matter where you are you can access the highest quality training and get in front of top-industry professionals”

and monthly self-tape and production challenges e also offer standalone courses for people who want access to specific topics such as screen acting, Shakespeare or comedy. We’ve tried to make it so that there’s something for everyone, whether you want to be in front of, or behind, the camera.” There’s also the iAp Talent Group service; an a liated acting agency which offers representation to actors who are ready to apply for professional roles.

One of the most enticing aspects of iampro is the chance to be coached by top professionals. It’s a paid role, with many visiting working professionals working with students; there are 30 coaches, handpicked from the best in-person drama schools, such as RADA and ArtsEd. And that’s even before you get to the starry names...

“We’ve had an incredible selection of guest coaches running workshops for our members,” says Emma. “They are all working in the industry, such as director Rick Platt, who cast someone from an online class; casting director Des Hamilton, and actress Suranne Jones. Sharon Horgan ran a session on how to get ideas from head to paper, Danny Dyer did one on creating a truthful and naturalistic performance and Angela Gri n has done a session on the self-tape era and auditioning. There are so many to choose from.”

It’s still early days for iampro – but have they seen any potentially shining stars coming through?

“Yes. We have actors who have been in shows such as Happy Valley, Heartstopper and Bridgerton; excitingly, members have also started to be recognised for their writing ability with the Arts Council awarding funding for Mackenzie Steed to research and develop a full-length version of her show, That’s My Win!”

Intrigued, would love to sign up, but worried you may not be good enough? Don’t be.

“We have a pathway for everyone, and what makes iampro special is the incredible supportive community, who cheer each other along their own unique journeys.” n

Membership to iampro costs £30 a month, £80 a quarter or £300 a year www.iampro.com

CLOCKWISE: Big-name coaches have included Nicholas Pinnock Suranne Jones, Angela Griffin and Sharon Horgan

NoFit State’s exceptional new contemporary circus production, SABOTAGE, will perform in St Pauls in Bristol from 13 May-2 June. Expect a full-on, boisterous, and audaciously fierce performance with the NoFit State signature style of large-scale circus spectacular, but this time with a darker, grittier edge. It is an energising, uplifting and socially relevant contemporary circus production that challenges the status quo.

SABOTAGE explores the journeys we take;

Ticket info

Tickets: £17-£24.

Family of four can attend for £65

Performances:

Saturday 13 May-Friday 2 June 2023

Matinee and evening available

Relaxed performance: Tues 30 May 2.30pm

Performance address:

NoFit State silver spaceship Big Top tent, Wilson Street, St Pauls, Bristol, BS2 9HH

Age suitability:

SABOTAGE has nothing in it that makes it unsuitable for children, but it is not made for them specifically

Box office: 02921 321 021; www.nofitstate.org/sabotage

the struggles and privileges that shape our lives. We have all travelled different paths to get to where we are today. Yet those different journeys bring us together in the meeting place of the circus tent, to celebrate our common ground.

This production brings an astonishing cast of performers from all over the world – from Eritrea to Ireland, from Chile to Bristol – bringing with them awe-inspiring circus skills and jaw-dropping talent. With SABOTAGE, you can enjoy the power of live performance with an incredible live band at the heart of the show.

After Bristol, SABOTAGE will embark on a European tour, stopping in Lyon in France to perform at the renowned circus festival Les Nuits de Fourvière, and then onto the Czech Republic and Belgium. Make sure to catch NoFit State in Bristol for its only performances in England this year.

SABOTAGE was created by the same awardwinning team that developed NoFit State’s previous productions LEXICON, BIANCO, ImMortal and tabu. BIANCO performed in Bristol at the Creative Common at Temple Quay in 2013. Now, 10 years on, NoFit State is finally back. Make sure to catch the company while it’s in town; book your tickets for SABOTAGE now.

NoFit State Circus will be performing inside its silver spaceship Big Top on Wilson Street in St Pauls, close to the city centre, with a licensed bar and café on site, presented in partnership with Places for People n

After 10 years, the extraordinary NOFIT STATE CIRCUS is returning to Bristol with its latest Big Top production

LIGHTS, CAMERA, BRISTOL

There’s cinematic magic around every corner, if you only take the trouble to look…

Words and pics by Colin Moody

You know how it goes at that start of the Woody Allen film Manhattan moody a y brass darkcorner tones rise and curl and up, up, up to bam kyline of ew ork ity pic ut we have our very own movie set of a city here, street by street the and et ix are rolling the lighting trucks into town, because we set the scene for the writer’s dream

ut believe that if you go for a wander, with your eyes wide open, at the right time, and turn a corner, what looks like cinema magic is ust there for you to en oy, so ’m laying out on the slate eight single photos that felt like they were from a movie o script has been written, they ust feel in that mood, you get me And you can paint the story in for yourself et’s say it’s like one of those films that has a loose script and a massive margin for making it up built in o save on the art department, the gear and the lights camera action, film moment 1 1

Movie 1 cooter skids to a halt, and the exhaust purrs while the young helpers take the blue underlay from the van for the Grand ftar on t Mark’s oad efore ovid, this shot ut for me it’s got all the set up for something fun maybe rad itt’s in it being all cheeky, and it ends, of course, with a big scene in the street ope, that’s not it it’s got Godard vibes, that’s it and everyone’s ust rolling with it, ew ave mixing with the ristol spirit

2Movie 2 Final scene ’m thinking it’s about a kid from that side of the cut who always wanted to y in one of those hot-air balloons, and maybe one lands in his back garden e saves the pilot, greenhouse probably busted, pilot comes inside for some firstaid and sees this kid’s drawings

urprise at the end of the film, the car picks him and his family up early in the morning and they all get to go up in a fiesta mass ascent as s, the sun barely rises, tears in the eyes, the dreams coming true oll credits robably a short film, deffo screening at the atershed

3Movie e’s lost more than he can bear, until one day at the bench he always visits a crow starts to drop in hey become friends, crumb by crumb from his boxed lunch eminds me of that crow which was taking all the pound coins out at Asda a few years back his imaginary movie bird will probably need care after some wing in ury, and through caring for it he’s able to overcome

ou see hese mini-movie imaginations are everywhere, if you look maybe you’ll see one on your way out of the caf in which you were reading this

4Movie An older film, this one o old that ary Grant is still working backstage in ristol theatres

his young fella from edminster has an idea a special kind of aeroplane that can y, not once, but twice the speed of sound arly scene here, when his early ideas are tried out in bamboo cane and paper ut skip forwards and there is the oncorde designer working on the drawings at the raba on hanger

Ah man ’d love to see that film

“ It’s got Godard vibes, and everyone’s just rolling with it; New Wave mixing with the Bristol spirit”

5Movie 5. Surreal, this one. There’s this version of Bristol reality where one guy is a horse, and everyone is ust fine with it, it’s ust this thing, and then one day he finds this other horse person, and it’s wonderful.

No-one you know is in it, it’s quite obscure. Early scene here where he is checking to see how his latest TikTok is doing.

6Movie his could be a en oach, suppose, this opening scene of the road worker and his colleagues. Something clever, ironic and witty runs through the whole film about a central protagonist who lays road while the cost-of-living crisis leads to personal cutbacks and heartbreak. Idles do the closing song.

7Movie 7. A rare celluloid fragment of cinematic moment. Martin arr makes a cool funny cameo in this citywide romp think A Hard Days Night reboot, but let’s follow Jayde Adams, not The eatles, and let’s get to parts of ristol some film crews don’t reach Lots of cameos from your Bristol favourites, and maybe it will get another Guardian comment about how ama ing a place this is to live and how we need to look into all these amazing communities.

8Movie eird film, this last one ocial media film that ust appeared and seemed to catch some fire he city, tokes roft and many other parts of town, suddenly seem to be eaten by unstoppable giant monster metal creatures that may or may not be a metaphor for gentrification Bonkers, right?

ow go out, let’s roll our chance to start up the movie of your city life today.

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

“The city suddenly seems to be eaten by unstoppable giant monster metal creatures that may or may not be a metaphor for entrification . . .

IT’S IN THE BAG

Astra Security is supporting a Bristol-based charity that helps men across the South West who have been diagnosed with testicular cancer

It is well known that charities need local business support, but some businesses go above and beyond the call of duty. Astra Security Ltd, based in Bristol has been supporting Testicular Cancer Charity It’s in the Bag since its inception in 2009. This almost 15-year charity partner has now signed up as a bronze sponsor for the Test Fest Music Festival, which takes place on Saturday 17 June.

The national security firm has supported It’s in the Bag from day one, sponsoring a variety of events and campaigns, and are one of the longest of the charity’s partners. They have played their part when supporting those diagnosed with testicular cancer, and celebrating the great work of

volunteers, but this is their first Test Fest which focuses solely on awareness.

A big thank you, as always goes to Paul Beet and the team at Astra Security for their sponsorship and ongoing support; it all makes a huge difference. In the early days Paul was one of the first to offer his support to the newly formed group with their fundraising activities. The first ever Testicular Ball in 2010 was supported by the business; a string of events followed, ranging from golf days to rugby, as well as our cycling event, Le Tour de Balls. This culminated in Astra Security being the main sponsor for the 10-year Anniversary Ball in 2019 and It’s in the Bag awarding a Golden Pants award to the company for its support.

However, the Test Fest is a new venture for the business, as it is an awareness event like no other. Together with G&H Photonics and Sheppy’s Cider, Astra Security have decided to support this one of a kind music festival. Most testicular cancer awareness campaigns focus on sport, colleges, universities and workplaces. However, stats show us that young men are the largest group of attendees at music festivals. So, why not focus on music to encourage awareness? The charity could attend other events and raise awareness; however the voluntary base of the charity prevents this, so the team said, “let’s organise our own festival”.

“We are so pleased to have Astra Security on board again, and this time helping us to raise much needed awareness,” said charity founder and event organiser Sue Brand.

“The team at Astra really do understand what we’re about, and

what we are aiming to achieve, and also have close links to men who have been affected by the disease.”

“We are so proud to be supporting It’s in the Bag once again,” said Paul Beet, managing director of Astra Security. “We all know someone who may be impacted by cancer, and the challenges this brings. The work this charity does across the South West is amazing.

“This time, we’re sponsoring their music event, which is a first for Astra. We’re really looking forward to coming along, having some fun, and helping to raise awareness, We truly hope the event is a great success.”

For Astra Security Ltd, this sponsorship is part of a wider long-term CSR programme. Supporting charities and local community groups is a key part of their ethos and values. The company understands the difference it makes, and takes accountability for the impact its business has on people and communities, as well as the planet.

The festival is one of many areas of the charity that businesses can support and Astra has been with it along this incredible journey. It’s in the Bag is the only Testicular Cancer Charity in the South West of England, and is proud that it can give businesses the opportunity to shine.

Why not take a look at the Test Fest and other events, projects and campaigns to see how you might be able to help? Our aims are to support men at diagnosis and during treatment, raise awareness to encourage early detection and celebrate the 98% survival rate. Come along and join the fun; this is a fun-raiser, not a fundraiser... n

Get your tickets:

The Test Fest, featuring Stereosonics and Filta, Saturday 17 June at Taunton Rugby Club. This fun-filled festival is definitely the place to be. Make it a weekend by camping for two nights. Tickets on sale now at www.tickettailor.com/events/ itsinthebagcancersupport/733209. www.testfest.org.uk

EMILY & DAN ROSS STORYSMITH BOOKS

cringeworthy. More than that, in fact: it’s beautiful. Porter really immerses the reader in the mud and weeds of both the storytelling and the nocturnal surroundings.

A Flat Place by Noreen Masud

Perfectly-pitched reads for the changing seasons . . .

t least three times a week we find ourselves staring out of the shop window, wistfully wishing the glimmer of sunshine or snatch of blue sky will blossom, and that warmer weather – more importantly outdoor-reading weather – is just around the corner. And every time we are cruelly fooled as the rain returns. But, and this is a huge one, things do seem to be moving in the right direction. So for this issue’s selection of new reads, a niche-but-valid theme: books that dwell outdoors but embrace the mud and squelch of not-quite summer.

Max Porter has an almost infuriatingly high hit-rate when it comes to emotionally transformative storytelling, and his third novel-ish book is no exception. We join the title character for a few troubled hours across a single luminous night as he takes his rucksack into the gleaming darkness of the woods, leaving behind the home for ‘troubled’ boys where he’s been living.

Alternating between bulletparagraphs and freeform text that crawls across the page in breathless volumes, Porter builds a compassionate portrait of disgruntled and mis-parented youth and, crucially, manages to write about the teenage experience without making it utterly

This radical and intimate memoir comes from an uncanny place. After growing up in Lahore in lessthan-ideal personal circumstances, Noreen Masud began to notice the comfort found in a landscape you can actually see and interact with. erie atlands of the British isles started to have a new meaning far beyond their mere expanse as they came to represent Masud’s internal dislocation and elements of her longstanding c-PTSD.

The descriptions here are sumptuous and visceral: perhaps appropriately, Masud is herself an academic with a special interest in ‘resistant modes of writing’, and there is much resistance within these pages – emotional, personal and post-colonial.

Lori & Joe by Amy Arnold

Set in the Lake District over the course of one day, this petite but powerful novel begins with Lori, who finds her husband oe dead in bed when she goes to take up their morning coffee nstead of informing anyone, she sets out for a walk across the fells on a grey and foggy day, and looks back on the day-after-day that represents an entire marriage. The style and the language are completely captivating, and appropriately for a novel about inertia you may well

read the whole thing with your heart in your mouth. Arnold takes us on a walk where the threat of danger lurks in the thick fog of the fells, and in the corners of the entrapped female mind.

August Blue by Deborah Levy

Deborah Levy has an unbelievable knack for guiding a reader through high concepts, and August Blue is a low-key mindbender of the most delectable nature.

We are completely inside the mind of Elsa, a troubled young virtuoso pianist recovering from the professional and personal fallout of abandoning a concert mid-concerto. Laying low in Greece, she spots a woman who looks exactly like her, a doppelganger, buying a pair of toy mechanical horses. This is the unlikely starting-point for a journey rich in interiority but expansive in emotional dexterity and location (sweltering Greece tempered by rain-sloshed Paris) making it a perfectly pitched read for the changing seasons.

Until the weather calms down (who knows what it’ll actually be like by the time anyone reads this), we are more than content to be staring out the window and into the pages of our transitory reading material. Unless of course that really does look like outdoor-reading weather on the horizon…

Visit Storysmith at 36 North Street, Bedminster; 0117 953 7961

www.storysmithbooks.com

AShy by Max Porter

“There is much resistance within these pages

– emotional, personal and postcolonial”

CHEERS!

Some favourite country pubs located just a short drive from the city

THE FOX & MAPLE

15 HIGH ST, WICKWAR, WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE

TEL: 01454 299083  @FOXANDMAPLEWICKWAR

WWW.FOXANDMAPLE.CO.UK

The Fox and Maple is a charming and cosy pub in the picturesque village of Wickwar. Focusing on locally sourced ingredients, the menu features a variety of pub classics, as well as creative and seasonal specials, all carefully crafted by the talented chefs, making it a memorable dining experience to visitors and locals alike. The pub also offers a selection of real ales, craft beers, good wines and cocktails, making it the perfect spot to unwind with friends or catch up with colleagues. With its friendly staff, delicious food, large garden and relaxed ambience, the Fox and Maple is a must-visit for anyone looking for a true taste of the English countryside.

THE RAILWAY INN

THE RAILWAY INN, SANDFORD, SOMERSET

TEL: 01934 611518

WWW.THERAILWAYINN.COM

The picturesque Railway Inn in Sandford makes for a unique experience with our own relaxed, characterful style. You’ll find images of four generations of Thatchers’ cider-making heritage and tradition coating the walls of our cosy bar and oak-beamed restaurant.

Expect a warm welcome from our passionate team who will guide you through our tantalising lunch and evening restaurant, and bar snack, menus. We take care to use fresh produce from the local area, cooking with the seasons as much as possible, the best of what the region has to offer brought straight to your table.

At the bar you’ll find our extensive range of Thatchers ciders, crafted just a stone’s throw away at Myrtle Farm. From our family favourites Gold and Haze, our new delicious Fusion flavours, to our traditional Stan’s range and alcohol-free Zero. And for something new and exciting, we’ve a delicious selection of cider cocktails too!

Situated at the foot of the beautiful Mendip Hills, if you’re enjoying a walk or cycle along The Strawberry Line, why not call in to The Railway Inn. We’ve a special children’s menu, and there’s a play area in our garden. Our bar and outside space is doggie friendly. Please check our website for opening hours.

THE PLOUGH INN

PILNING STREET, NR PILNING, BRISTOL

TEL: 01454 632556

WWW.THEPLOUGHPILNING.CO.UK

Set in the beautiful South Gloucestershire countryside, between Pilning, Easter Compton and Tockington, The Plough Inn is the perfect venue for a drink with friends, a business meeting or just for families to kick back. Log-burning fires during the winter months create a warm atmosphere to complement the flagstone floors and traditional pub furniture. Our sun-drenched garden is the perfect place to sit in the summer months and offers a large play area for children while the parents relax. We also host lots of music events throughout the year, so please check our website for all upcoming events.

IVY CLIFTON BRASSERIE

They’ve devised an all-day menu for daydream believers. We’re going in . . .

By Deri Robins

I’m seriously considering a second cocktail when the maître d’ appears at my elbow. He’s considerably better dressed than we are, not that we’ve set the bar astronomically high.

“Would you like another one of those, madam?” he enquires, with the mind-reading super-power of the topclass waiter.

We’re at the Ivy Clifton Brasserie; the kind of place frequented by ladies who lunch. It’s not a tribe I normally hang with. If I have lunch at all it usually involves absentmindedly shoving some kind of sandwich into my gob while trying to keep the crumbs off the keyboard once subbed a whole feature on the health perils of eating al desko while eating al desko. And yet here I was, with Ms A, lunching in an undeniably ladylike fashion at one of Bristol’s most swellegant restaurants. So yes, thank you; I would indeed like another cocktail.

The Ivy Clifton Brasserie – you need to use its full moniker, to distinguish it from its pricer parent restaurant The Ivy – opened in 2016 within the former Nat West on the corner of Caledonia Place and The Mall. The company seems partial to taking over lofty Victorian and Georgian banks; those once-grand temples of commerce whose branches on the high street are becoming as rare as hen’s teeth.

To be honest, we weren’t sure we’d like the when it first opened a moneyed blow-in, threatening the trade of local indies? – but it effortlessly won us over, delighting us with its ambience bu ing , its food awless , and its service (charming).

DINING DETAILS

Drooling over memories of the past excellence of the food, and anticipating the cosseting manner of the staff, we confidently swept in While the décor was as lovely as ever – the pink ladies loo, with its silky hinoiserie wallpaper and paper owers covering the ceiling is carat-gold in uencer heaven the service was a little patchier than we’d remembered, not all of it coming with a smile till, our maitre d’ was terrific, and so were the Honey Bee-Have cocktails made from honey-infused tequila, as if a margarita had been concocted by dipsomaniac bees.

Ms A opted for the Scottish mackerel rillettes, which while delivering a pleasantly smoky avour turned out to be a little dry My prawn and lobster cocktail didn’t quite live up to its promise either; the prawns were too chilled to have much avour, and despite fishing around hopefully in the sauce I failed to discern any trace of lobster. The seafood-tolettuce ratio was also a little less than ideal, as was the consistency of the avocado lurking beneath. The ideal ripeness window for your avocado is admittedly very short take your eyes off an unripe one for a few hours and the thing collapses into mush – and the one in my cocktail had just passed the sweet spot.

The Ivy Clifton Brasserie, 42-44 Caledonia Place 0117 203 4555; www.ivycollection.com

Opening hours All-day Dreamers menu Mon-Wed 11.30-10pm; Thurs-Fri 11.30-6.30pm (not bank holidays)

Prices Dreamers set menu £17.95-£22.95

Drinks Substantial wine and cocktail list; local beers Atmosphere Opulent yet relaxed Service Polished and mostly friendly Veggie Limited but some nice options Bring the kids? Sure, if they’re well-behaved; there’s even a kids’ Dreamers menu

The main dining room was, and is, relaxed yet immensely luxurious, with a lovely airy orangery at the back. The original Georgian architect provided the huge arched windows and the impressive portico, which looks an absolute treat when tarted up at Christmas, while Team Ivy brought in the brass-and-glass globe chandeliers and the seductively comfy banquettes. Prints of the ss GB and the Suspension Bridge adorn the walls, dutifully acknowledging Bristol’s industrial heritage. It has a pleasingly grandilo uent, fin-de-si cle vibe

The chain is also rather good at coming up with ideas to keep things fresh, often tying in with local events such as the Balloon Fiesta. Naturally, given the right royal knees-up taking place at Westminster this month, kingly deference is sprinkled like fairy dust over the current menu; at our neighbouring table, three lunching ladies were cooing over a three-tier stand of Coronation afternoon tea, which surprisingly seemed to feature dry ice. And running simultaneously is the monthlong All-day Dreamers menu, “where dreams come true” for a mere £17.95-£22.95.

Ms A’s mains of roast chicken supreme was juicy and tender; my beaten rump steak was fine, though not served pink as re uested it came with a perfectly done egg, a creamed spinach pangrattato with a nice crumby crunch and some slightly oury tru e and parmesan chips– nothing especially memorable, but absolutely OK.

Of the puddings, the ‘Dream dessert’ of ‘Crispy Madagascan vanilla cloud’ was described by Ms A as “a bit odd; like the chocolate Rice Krispies nests you make with the kids at Easter”. I stole a spoonful and agreed she had a point, before returning to toy with a very sweet strawberry ice-cream which I struggled to finish most unlike me

The All-day Dreamers menu is vaunted to be the last word in indulgence, but it seemed to fall a little short of the promised nirvana. We were a little nonplussed; although our meal had been very far from terrible, we’d remembered the food here as being better. Did we order badly, or was chef ust having an off day

The Ivy Clifton Brasserie does a lot of things exceedingly well; most of the service is polished and cheery, the vibe immensely elegant, but with the exception of the very superior cocktails our meal had been a little lacklustre, as if being in such an effulgent milieu should be enough to delight us. If the same meal had been served in, say, a Côte, we’d have felt moderately pleased, but the beauty of the ICB’s surroundings raises the bar to a level that, during our visit at least, the cooking didn’t quite scale. That said, we may well be sneaking back in again for a rematch, because that Coronation afternoon tea looked all kinds of amazing . . .

Yard times

For this issue’s coffee shop of choice, we have once again made our merry way down to the docks, to the beating heart of Cumberland Basin: Underfall Yard. pecifically, to nderfall af Regular readers may notice there is a bit of an ongoing love affair happening with the watery side of ristol life, here at af ociety HQ. In our defence, all I can say is: “Guilty. What’s not to love?”

Strolling round the docks when the weather is fine is surely one

of the very best of Bristol treats for us lucky locals. When we were down there recently, the sun was shining, the air was warming and all was very much right with the world. Everywhere we went, happy throngs of people were out and about enjoying the sights and sounds, strolling happily along the water’s edge.

Among the many wonderful things to see was the number of foreign visitors joining in with the promenading experience. There were loads of them, beautiful bucketloads, another reason for our local little hearts to swell.

Think about it, people. We live in a place so sweet, so cool, so lovely, that people actually choose to come here on holiday. Reckon that’s enough karmic kombucha to put a spring in the step of the most incurable curmudgeon.

Bearing all that in mind, with smiles as broad as the broadest wide beam, my coffee companion and I decided the time was right to treat ourselves to a refreshing spot of cup-si ed caffeination Must say, this caf is the perfect spot to do it.

Even though there were a host of gorgeous cakes on offer, with plenty of savoury fare too, we decided to restrict ourselves to a modest round of toast and coffees Once they had arrived, we sat

down under the fab safari-style awning outside and got ready to enjoy the greatest show on earth. People-watching. Sigh.

A couple of blokes were tinkering with one of the ferry boats right beside us, while over the water, folk were out in dinghies and on SUPs. Was the perfect backdrop, a reminder that this place isn’t just a feast for the eyes. It’s also a thriving corner of nautical derring-do. Nice.

Talking of which, after a delightful few sips, we continued with our stroll. Just a few metres further along, we came across a bevy of boating buddies and got chatting with them. Turns out, they were friends from Swansea who had sailed across to Bristol for a short breakaway together. Sort of city break with a difference Most friendly they were. One of them even gave us a guided tour of their boat, which was an unexpected bonus.

So if you are in the mood for those holiday feels close to home, with coffee on tap, can thoroughly recommend this place. Said it before and I’ll say it again, when it comes to the docks, what’s not to love? n

Former Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer @stancullimore on instagram

When it comes to the docks, what’s not to love?

“We live in a place so cool that people choose to come here on holiday. That’s enough karmic kombucha to put a spring in the step of the most incurable curmudgeon”

WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE

Overlooking The Mall Gardens, THE IVY CLIFTON BRASSERIE brings relaxed, sophisticated all-day dining to the heart of Bristol’s ceaselessly chic Clifton Village

From modern British cuisine to caféstyle classics and fantastic vegan and vegetarian dishes, you’ll find something for everyone to love. As well as the main restaurant, there is a bar, an orangery, and two private dining rooms for those special celebrations.

In the main room, the high ceilings and huge windows give a wonderful feeling of space, while the impressive brass chandeliers,

Art Deco detail and burnt orange banquettes bring a sense of informal luxury. It’s the ideal spot to enjoy breakfast, brunch, dinner, and lunch, or sample the range of bespoke cocktails – from the classic to the contemporary.

The Ivy Clifton Brasserie is here to make all your dreams come true. Whatever the occasion, dine every day at The Ivy with something for everyone.

Indulge in a luxurious lunchtime experience with the All Day Dreamers set menu, brimming with dishes that dreams are made of. Diners can choose two courses for £17.95 or three courses for £22.95, plus a Champagne Dream Cocktail (£9.95), featuring a tantalising blend of Scapegrace Black gin poured over cotton candy and topped with Ivy Champagne. Available Monday to Friday from 11:30am to 6.30pm.

For those looking for a family treat, the Little Dreamers menu is perfect for younger

guests to enjoy, with all main dishes priced at £9.95. Children can choose from linguine with tomato sauce, grilled chicken escalope with sprouting broccoli, hamburger and chips, and much more. For dessert, children can create their Dream Sundae (£6.95), with vanilla ice cream, and a range of toppings to choose from including strawberries, marshmallows, honeycomb, and chocolate akes n

For more information: www.ivycollection.com 42-44 Caledonia Place, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4DN

...MEANWHILE, OVER THE BRIDGE...

THE IVY ASIA brings beautiful fusion flavours, exotic cocktails, and late-night entertainment to the heart of Cardiff, every day of the week

Located in St David’s Shopping Centre, just a short walk from the city’s historic castle and Cardiff Market, The Ivy Asia, Cardiff is perfectly placed to provide a sanctuary for shoppers, tourists, and locals alike.

A glamorous destination restaurant serving incredible Asian-inspired dishes for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, plus delicious cocktails late into the night, it offers all those who visit an experience they’ll remember forever.

Decorated with stunning antiques and artwork, the restaurant also boasts two large blossom trees that pop perfectly against the dazzling, green onyx oor. Meanwhile, you’ll discover a menu every bit as eye-catching as the décor – pan-Asian classics sit alongside

exciting new creations and tantalising plantbased dishes designed to please all palates.

Enjoy a delicious mid-week lunch with the ‘Express Taste of Ivy Asia’ Menu. Available Monday-Friday 11:30am – 4:30pm priced at £18.50, guests can enjoy avocado, cucumber and asparagus rolls, mushroom gyozas and robatayaki sea bass. Or, you can dine from the à la carte and choose from a variety of exciting dishes including sesame-crusted prawn dumplings, salmon sashimi and char siu pork belly.

As well as the main restaurant, there’s a dedicated sushi bar, an enclosed outside area for drinking and dining whatever the weather, plus a bar serving a wide range of spirits and classic cocktails with a theatrical twist.

Every night of the week, the resident DJs

provide the best in soul, funk, house and disco to soundtrack your evening. It’s the perfect accompaniment to after-dinner cocktails, and a sure-fire guarantee that your night doesn’t have to end! n

For more information: www.theivyasia.com

45 The Hayes, St Davids Centre, Cardiff CF10 1GA

MOSCHINO TOY 2 BUBBLEGUM

EAU DE TOILETTE 50ML, £61.50

Fun, outgoing and with playful notes evoking rose and an innocent scent of bubble gum – we can almost smell you, Margot Robbie

From Harvey Nichols 27 Philadelphia St, Quakers Friars www.harveynichols.com

CRYSTAL PINK WAYFARER SUNGLASSES, £26

In Barbie pink, with dark lenses to shade your eyes from all the other jealous girls on the beach

From Oliver Bonas Unit MS9, 21 Philadelphia Street

BIG PALM BAG, £410

Plastic fantastic (OK, nylon), the palm tree logo evoking decidedly LA coastal vibes. We wish we all could be California girls

NAILKIND SMOKIN HOT NAIL POLISH £8.95

Natural vegan nail polish, for the planet-conscious Barbie

From Fox + Feather 41 Gloucester Road www.foxandfearther.co.uk www.oliverbonas.com

IT’S A BARBIE WORLD

From Garment Quarter 47b Merchant Street www.garmentquarter.com

COMPANIA FANTASTICA BAG, £29

Barbie does love her gingham checks, and we can totally picture her carrying her essentials in this cute little pouch bag

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

GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI ARHAMA SANDALS, £449 (FROM £895)

If you wanna be a Barbie girl in a Barbie world, you gotta bring the glamour at all times. We love these platforms in bubblegum pink

From Garment Quarter

47b Merchant Street www.garmentquarter.com

MSGM DRESS, £95 (FROM £465)

Cute as a button; the neckline and puffy sleeves are demure, the mini length hints at a different story

From Garment Quarter 47b Merchant Street www.garmentquarter.com

ALICE + OLIVIA JODY TROUSERS, £400

They’re hot pink. hey’re ared hey’re satin. Barb boxes ticked

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

WEEKEND

MAXMARA BREMA NECKLACE, £120

We’re channelling the Barbie promo shots in which Margot Robbie is seen rocking the cutest daisy necklace and earrings

From Grace and Mabel 32 The Mall, Clifton www.graceandmabel.co.uk

Ever since the movie trailer dropped, we’ve all gone mad for Barbiecore – and, indeed, although he’s just Ken, Kencore . . .

BULLET TRIPLE PADSET, £17.95

o keep the rollerskating en’s knees as blamelessly scab-free as they were when they first rolled off the production line

The Park Skate Shop urc e fiel www.skateshopbristol.co.uk

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

LEATHER HIGH-TOP TRAINERS, £355

Guaranteed to add a muchneeded bit of edge to every Ken wardrobe

From Garment Quarter

47b Merchant Street www.garmentquarter.com

ROLLER SKATE IRON-ON PATCH, £3 No explanation needed, but if it is, see roller skates, below From That Thing 45-47 Stokes Croft www.thatthing.co

BLUE SKY INN SHIRT £250

lightly preppy, slightly kitsch we see Ken slinging this over an immaculate pair of chinos

From Harvey Nichols 27 Philadelphia St, Quakers Friars www.harveynichols.com

AMIRI CALIFORNIA SWIM SHORTS, £390; PLEASURES SATURN DENIM SHORTS £39.99 (FROM £89.99)

All the other Kens will be cutting their eyes in envy

Amiri shorts from Harvey Nichols, 27 Philadelphia St, Quakers Friars www.harveynichols.com; Pleasures shorts from Cooshti,57 Park Street, cooshti.com

VINTAGE LEVI’S FRAYED DENIM VEST, £44

As comprehensively rocked by yan Gosling in the trailer. Bristol’s retro stores are a goldmine for vintage denim – you could also try Loot or Uncle Sam’s on ark treet, e sycho on Gloucester oad or rban Fox in t ick’s ick out a cool set of ares while you re at it

From: Beyond Retro, 20 Broadmead www.beyondretro.com

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER LE

MALE EAU DE TOILETTE, 200ML £106.50

For all Kens aspiring to a devastating sexy-sailor air of mystery (he wishes!) that’ll sweep arbie off her pinkplatformed feet

From John Lewis

The Mall, Cribbs Causeway www.johnlewis.com

SFR VISION LL QUAD

From: Beyond Retro, 20 Broadmead

CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT

MBST stands for Molecular Biophysical Stimulation. It uses exactly the same technology as MRI scanning, just without the detectorcoils and imaging software.

MBST was discovered by a German doctor who noticed that some of his MRI patients had reduced symptoms following their MRI scans. He then assembled a team of biologists and physicists to research these positive effects at a cellular level.

Cells that had not functioned properly due to damage, were stimulated in such a way by the energy transfer that they could again fulfil their original tasks. It does this at cell level in a number of ways:

• Optimising cell oxygen levels

• Improving cell energy production

• Optimising intercellular signalling pathways

• Reducing inflammatory mediators

• Readjusting the Circadian clock of targeted cells, leading to less cell death and stimulating cell reproduction.

To you and I, this translates to a healing process in the tissue which the energy is applied to. This leads to a reduction in pain and an increase in the natural mobility and lifestyle of the patient without any need of invasive therapy. Obviously there are limitations of the effects relating to a number of factors such as severity and complexity of a patient’s case, however the technology is constantly being improved and we’re getting better at selecting the right patients and conditions in order to get higher success rates and better overall results. n

CASE STUDY 1

As you can tell from the picture above, I really enjoy looking after Shaamil! He’s a lovely guy who suffered with severe back pain for 5 years. Physio, chiro and osteopathy only gave short term relief because he had disc damage with vertebral end plate irregularity (bone damage). He’d heard some good stories about MBST, so we treated his spinal discs and bone using magnetic resonance therapy (MRT).

Almost immediately, his pain calmed to a very low level and daily activities that used to cause him flare ups became pain free. To date, he is in a much better place because MBST stimulates healing of the damaged tissues at the cellular level. Thanks for the testimony Shaamil!

CASE STUDY 2

Christine is someone I love looking after, with her great stories and a wonderful attitude to life. As a well known quilter she relys on her hands, but in recent years arthritic changes set in throughout her hands, leading to severe pain and inability to even make a fist.

In April 2022 we embarked on 2 courses of MBST to treat both her hand cartilage and bone marrow oedema in her fingers. She was in the top 30% of fast responders, very quickly being able to close her fist for the first time in years. Her pain is diminished and she is still doing very well with the occasional top up of laser therapy. A real transformation in a difficult condition to treat.

James Scrimshaw of CURA CLINICAL explains how new technologies are providing effective answers to people’s pain and suffering

Construction of MRI and MBST devices

A BIGGER SPLASH

Your bathroom can be so much more than a perfunctory, utilitarian outpost – it can also be a sanctuary in which you can escape the diurnal whirl. Here’s how to realise the dream

Words by Frances Daniels

It’s where you kickstart your morning with an invigorating shower; but it’s also where you retreat for a relaxing bath after a long day. The bathroom is one of the most important rooms in your house, but sometimes the one that’s most overlooked when it comes to budget and design. While practicality is important, it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style Whether you want to add a splash of colour with decorative tiles or achieve a luxe look with Carrara marble, local experts are here to show us how to create a practical, eco-friendly bathroom while staying on trend.

Think about… PRACTICALITY

According to Ripples designer Chris Payne, the first thing to consider when designing a bathroom is your personal routine.

“When I design a bathroom, I really try to understand the customer’s lifestyle,” says Chris. “I visit their home as part of the consultation process so I can start to build an understanding of their requirements. This helps me to design a bathroom to perfectly suit their needs.”

It’s also important to consider the limitations of the room. Chris says that a lack of understanding of the space and its features leads many people to choose products that are incompatible with their bathroom.

“For example, understanding your water system will hugely affect which products you can use in your bathroom. Knowing what type of water pressure you have and how it’s supplied to the bathroom will allow you to select the right products.”

Think about… THE SPACE

Chris advises opting for a wall-hung WC with a slim concealed cistern in smaller bathrooms to achieve a minimalist look. “You can also try adding shelves above the WC to utilise space and display your favourite products,” he says.

Other tips for maximising space and minimising clutter in smaller bathrooms include wall-mounting vanity units and basin taps. “Concealed, wall mounted basin taps not only look sleek but are also great space savers. A more traditional, deck-mounted alternative may mean compromising on the basin size, which is not always a practical option.”

And walk-in showers also pair well with smaller spaces: “They’re a great option for smaller bathrooms because they give the feeling of spaciousness,which is harder to achieve with a full enclosure.”

“The natural hues of the glass tiles harness the soothing power of nature”

So good, we put it on the cover: Red Dog’s extraordinary glass tiles in Forest Green and (INSET) Atlantic Ocean

Think about… SUSTAINABILITY

If you’re opting for a walk-in shower, remember to choose a shower head that’s fitted with a ow restrictor – especially if you’re looking to make your bathroom ecofriendlier ach ow restrictor shower has been carefully designed to reduce water consumption but still offer a pleasurable showering experience,” says Chris Payne.

Prefer a long, luxurious soak? Tubs don’t need to be bad for the planet.

“If a bath is a must-have, consider choosing a slightly smaller one which holds less water,” says Chris. Alternatively, you can choose a bath where the over ow has yet to be drilled y positioning a lower over ow at a level you’re comfortable with, you can limit the amount of water your bath can hold.”

Looking for other ways to make your bathroom kinder to the environment? Try sustainable engineered wood ooring, says lare rigg, marketing manager at Chaunceys (Home and Interiors winner at the 2023 Bristol Life Awards).

ook for high- uality F -certified engineered ooring, such as haunceys ristol ectonic oak, says lare hese boards are specifically designed to be stable enough to use in bathrooms.”

Apropos, think about… WOOD FLOORING

ood ooring can be contrasted with tiles to add a glamorous and/or unusual touch to your bathroom, suggests lare A stylish transition between wood ooring and tiles is a way to add intrigue. Innovative features and considered design details such as this can elevate a bathroom to luxury.”

peaking of luxury, wood ooring can be paired with on-trend warm metals, such as gold and bronze, to craft a lavish look hoosing dark, rich-coloured wood ooring is the perfect way to complement on-trend metal bathroom fixtures and create an indulgent, luxurious space, says Clare, explaining that Drummonds Bathrooms have collaborated with Chaunceys, “selecting their Deep Smoked oak herringbone to create an opulent interior.”

Over at Gardiner Haskins, designer Zoe Waller agrees that wooden ooring complements warm metals atural materials such as wood-effect oors and matte concrete or rustic stone effects can also work well as a contrast to the metallics,” says Zoe. “Plus, botanical prints and earthy colours, like rich green, work well with them too.”

Think about… THE AESTHETICS

Zoe says that there are many features which can help to achieve an inviting bathroom. “Subtle lighting such as large, backlit mirrors and cabinets can help you to achieve a luxurious look.”

The addition of a large mirror is also an easy way to keep up with the evergreen trend of Art Deco. “Art Deco is gaining in uence in bathroom design, says oe And the easiest way to achieve the aesthetic is by adding large round mirrors, black brassware, and shower enclosures.”

But there’s no need to stick to one style. Colin RobyWelford, creative director of Fired Earth, says that mixing features from different cultures and eras can help to create an eclectic look that’s bang on-trend.

“Today’s bathrooms are beautifully eclectic, featuring everything from Victorian-style roll top baths and Moroccan-inspired tiling to timeless cabinetry, heirloom furniture, leafy plants, and barely-there shower enclosures.”

Zoe Waller shares her dos and don’ts of bathroom design

• Do keep it simple if you have a smaller bathroom – stick to a few materials and colours.

• Don’t assume you need to swap your tub for a shower enclosure if you have limited space. Slipper baths can be fitted at an angle and require much less room.

• Do ensure you have enough tiles – allow 10% to 20% more than calculated.

• Don’t assume that a wall hung WC is mounted directly on a wall. Where is the cistern? It needs to go somewhere!

Think about… TILES

Colin says that dazzling metallic tiles can achieve that luxurious style, too – especially if you’d prefer your bathroom to be striking and regal, rather than calm and minimalist. “Sparkling glass and metallic tiles are ideal for adding a wonderfully decadent, jewel-like touch to a bathroom,” says Colin. “They look spectacular when they’re bathed in ickering candlelight

Metallic tiles are also perfect for those designing a bathroom on a budget; when aiming for an opulent, eyecatching style, a little goes a long way.

“One of the exciting things about adding metallic tiles to a bathroom is that, since bathrooms tend to be uite compact, they’re relatively affordable when compared to tiles with materials that might otherwise be slightly beyond budget,” says Colin. “Even a simple but luxuriously tiled splashback will really make an impact.”

When adding tiles, he says, try to avoid common mistakes. “Always think about scale, particularly if you’re working with pattern. While wall-to-wall decorative tiling might look stunning in a large bathroom, helping to fill’ the room, it could be too busy for a smaller space Instead, smaller rooms should go for a contrast. “Opting for tiled walls and a plain oor or vice versa might be more effective

Another of Colin’s tiling tips: always think ahead. “When working with patterned tiles, dry-lay before installing them,” he suggests. “This can create a naturallooking spread of colour or pattern. Laying your tiles out in this way will also enable you to work out where and how to cut tiles to seamlessly fit the space

Why should living rooms have all the glamour? Richcoloured wooden flooring by Chaunceys teams with Chinoiserie wallpaper and ontrend gleaming metallics

“ Mixing features from i erent cultures an eras can elp to create an eclectic look t at s bang on-trend”

A touch of Seville: Fired Earth’s collection with Nina Campbell INSET: Luxurious Cararra marble in Jenga, also by Fired Earth

Ripples designer Chris Payne has also noticed that many of his customers choose the wrong tiles for their bathrooms A tile will look very different on its own, compared to how it looks when it’s in place in your bathroom, says hris t’s vital that you think about the colour, si e, and placement, as these factors will have a huge impact on the overall design of the bathroom hen planning how many tiles will be needed, oe of Gardiner Haskins recommends overestimating. “To make sure you have su cient tiles, allow 10 to 20 more than calculated, she says A common mistake people make is underestimating how many are needed oe also says that many people underestimate how much maintenance tiles require. “You need to consider the cleaning of tiles, particularly the grout Grouting comes in various colours – it can be a really great feature but it can be di cult to clean he suggests springing for cost-effective tile-effect panels instead, which have the same look as real tiles without the high-maintenance tasks of grouting and

“Walk-in showers are a great option for smaller bathrooms because they give the feeling of spaciousness”

THISPAGE: The Ripples touch that means so much

BATHROOMS

constantly keeping them clean ile-effect panelling is a good alternative, particularly in a shower,” she says. ed og Glass esign offers a uni ue way to keep your wall tiles as low-maintenance as possible. Featuring the original artwork of company founder and award-winning abstract artist Sally Coulden, the company creates hardwearing, waterproof products. Its bespoke glass splashbacks, panels, and wall tiles are also easy to clean, eliminating the risk of mouldy grout.

“Enjoying the perfect combination of being highly practical and yet stunningly beautiful, the only limit to our product’s uses is the imagination,” says Sally. “Whether it’s a small glass splashback behind a washbasin or full-height wall panels for a shower area, we help homeowners create a wow-factor focal point that will enhance the overall design aesthetic of their space.”

Think about… RELAXATION

One trend Sally is captivated by at the moment is the rise of spa-style bathrooms a re ection of the increased emphasis on self-care. She believes that the bathroom should be a gorgeous haven to which you can escape from the demands of modern life, and elegant, artistic features can help create that spa-like atmosphere.

“The spa style bathroom trend has become increasingly popular in 2023, as people continue to seek sanctuary within their homes. As awareness around the importance of self-care continues to grow, homeowners are looking to create a space in which they can relax and unwind after a long day. Spa-style bathrooms provide a luxurious atmosphere that feels like a treat and a complete escape from the day-to-day grind.”

To that end, Red Dog has launched a collection that can help you attain a heavenly, destressing bathroom. The Earth Collection has looked to the natural world as a key in uence, with its colour schemes evoking different

elements of the great outdoors, from calming ocean blues to the fiery reds of raw earth

YOU HAVE BEEN READING Chaunceys Unit 1 St Philip’s Trade Park www.chauncey.co.uk

Fired Earth 65A Whiteladies Road www.firedearth.com

Gardiner Haskins Brunel Rooms, Straight Street www.firedearth.com

Red Dog Design BV Studios, 37 Philip Street www.reddogglassdesign. com

Ripples 88 Whiteladies Road www.ripplesbathrooms. com

“Our new product range, the Earth Collection, was created with the spa-trend in mind,” says Sally. “Drawing inspiration from the beauty and majesty of the natural planet, it features an array of earthy tones and patterns inspired by nature, offering a uni ue way to bring the outdoors inside.”

Sally says the collection’s Deep Forest range – featuring glass panels and splashbacks in a variety of rich, plant-inspired greens – will whisk you away from daily stresses to the depths of serene woodland. “With their natural hues and intricate designs, these glass panels and splashbacks harness the soothing power of nature, while adding a touch of luxury to a bathroom space.”

Colin of Fired Earth suggests that the addition of marble is the easiest way to achieve a tran uil, spa-like look. “Marble tiles are a glamorous addition to any bathroom, and they can be surprisingly affordable Whether you’re looking for crisp white mosaics for a beautifully understated yet undeniably luxurious spa-style scheme, or show-stopping, dramatically veined tiles, there are marbles for every style of bathroom.”

The main thing to remember? Make sure your bathroom is peaceful, but not boring, says Colin. “The main trend is towards relaxed, decorative schemes which are in keeping with – and just as considered as – other rooms in the home, rather than being sparse, utilitarian outposts.” n

THISPAGE: Calming hues and contemporary brushed brass hardware in a bathroom by Gardiner Haskins

GARDINER HASKINS BATHROOMS

The impressive showroom at Gardiner Haskins in Bristol offers a glimpse into the company’s vast specialism in bathroom-planning and design. We caught up with one of its experts, Lee Watkins, who recently completed his biggest design challenge to date – his own family bathroom.

Talking about the project, Lee said: “I’ve designed bathrooms for over a decade now and felt it was a special opportunity to finally put my own bathroom design together. I wanted to create a statement room with a lot of wow factor.”

Lee’s family home was built in 1901 and its bathroom had several typically Victorian features such as a traditionally styled WC, brassware, and metro ‘brick’ tiles. To retain this character, Lee wanted to add an up-to-date twist on the Victorian style and bring in some of the growing trend of ornate brass and gold fittings, to contrast against the green tiles.

To accommodate the needs of all the family, Lee installed a bath and a shower in the room. A deep bathtub, in keeping with the traditional Victorian theme, was positioned perfectly under the window, while a large walk-in shower was

placed on the right-hand side.

The shower tray is perfectly colour coordinated with the rest of the room. Its natural slab-like texture makes it anti-slip and gives it a lovely feeling underfoot. A hinged deflector to the shower glass eliminates splashing, something which is often overlooked when customers aspire to a super-minimal walk-in shower.

In bathroom design, the layout is king. Lee’s number one rule is good design layout and functionality – a feng shui principle.

“To gain the best positioning and good functionality in the bathroom, I ensured the shower, the bath, the WC, and the towel rail were all equally distanced from a central point,” said Lee. “This has enabled easy movement around the bathroom. I also wanted taller fittings on either side of the room to visually frame its centre, thus drawing the eye towards the centrally placed bath under the window.”

Lee likes to use three or four colours in a room – two or three as a backdrop, and one as a highlight. He said: “In this case, the green and anthracite made a great background and contrast for the brass, while the brighter chestnut brown tone of the flooring added warmth against the cooler tones.”

When it came to storage, Lee installed compact-fitted anthracite cabinets in a traditional Shaker style. These were complemented with beautiful brass handle fittings and sanitaryware, complete with a durable and easy-to-clean marble-effect worktop. Clever colourcoordinated storage, custom-built by Lee and his father, around and above the door maximises the full height of the room. A mirrored, double-door cabinet makes another impressive statement in the bathroom. This slim cabinet demists, lights up and the mirrored sides are a nice feature helping it to ‘disappear’ against its surroundings. A downlight underneath the cabinet highlights the splashback

To start your dream bathroom design today, speak to the experts at Gardiner Haskins Interiors.

Gardiner Haskins

Interiors: imagination brought to life.

1 Straight Street, Bristol. BS2 0FQ 0117 9292288

www.gardinerhaskins. co.uk

Lee Watkins of GARDINER HASKINS designs his own dream family bathroom

Words by Carine Butcher and Lee Watkins. Photography by Carine Butcher

Within our large showroom we showcase the industry’s leading brands and more importantly we have an experienced, warm and friendly team to help you choose your dream bathroom.

With over

Five

Facebook reviews come see what the fuss is about!

SNAPPED

ACROSS BRISTOL, ONE SHINDIG AT A TIME

NEW DIRECTIONS

Nancy Medina and Sherrie Eugene-Hart

Nancy Medina (BOV) and LaToyah McAllister Jones (St Pauls Carnival)

Bristol Old Vic held a reception to welcome new artistic director Nancy Medina, who talked us through her first season

Pics by Barbara Evripidou

Claire Reddington (Watershed), Charlotte Geeves (BOV)

(L) Emma Harvey (Trinity), Marti Burgess (R) and family

Zoe Sear (Triodos) and David Sproxton (Aardman)

Zoe Sear (Triodos) and Laura Marshall (Icon Films)

Nancy speaking at the launch event

CELEBRATING FOUR YEARS

WORKSPACE

Some of our members have been with us at 40 Berkeley Square from the very beginning, and here they are:

Appeal Digital

Website design and development agency Appeal Digital helped launch Origin Workspace in 2019. Having built and managed our website since the beginning, founder Luke Trimmings has experienced the cyclical nature of our space. From working on a pod of desks, Appeal outgrew Origin and moved to its own office, before returning to where it all began. The team have taken part in many events and activities at Origin over the years. Luke runs the weekly BNI networking group hosted in the space and is a regular attendee at the weekly running club.

QODA Consulting

In April 2019, Oli Fuller launched the Bristol branch of QODA. After joining solo on a desk during Origin’s £9 million renovation, Oli soon brought a highly experienced team of engineering consultants into the space to take up residence in a small office. Now, QODA are one of the many property businesses who call Origin Workspace home; they attend the quarterly property networking group hosted here by Pulse Consult and are a fantastic example of how the space at Origin can be adapted for growing teams.

As they look back over the last four years, ORIGIN

takes some time to reflect on their fantastic community who continue to grow alongside them.

The team at Appeal Digital

“ THERE IS SO MUCH ROOM FOR GROWTH HERE.” OLI FULLER

“Upon designing the building, we knew that the spaces needed to be flexible to allow for businesses to grow. Taking out a glass partition has enabled QODA to work in a spacious L-shaped office for 23” – Caroline Hamilton, commercial manager at Origin Workspace.

“There is so much room for growth here. We’ve gone from a three-, to a 10-, to a 16- and now a 23-person office in less than three years. There is also fantastic opportunity for collaboration with other property businesses based in the building” – Oliver Fuller, QODA Consulting.

ea Change

Joining back in 2018 when the building was still under construction, James McNicol and Andrew Oliver saw 40 Berkeley Square transform into an incredible office space with a thriving community. And as their recruitment business, ea Change, continued to flourish, they moved into an even larger private office within the space.

“What we love is the ethos of Origin Workspace and the way we are made to feel part of the family. Clients we bring here are blown away by the space and the amazing roof terrace” – James McNicol, eaChange.

Where The Wild Is

In March 2018, Emma Durkin came to us with an idea, lots of enthusiasm and a strong history of working for tour operators. Emma joined the Origin Start up programme, and launched Where The Wild Is, a luxury travel company specialising in Northern Lights holidays and incredible trips to the top of the world. Challenged by the pandemic, she hibernated the business and helped the team at Origin with their own marketing efforts before returning to travel when the world opened again. The business has grown from strength to strength ever since, and its team of four now work on our dedicated desks.

“I saw Origin Workspace transform from a building site to a premium coworking environment before my very own eyes. Being a luxury brand, I need an office space to reflect this. I’m proud to invite customers here to discuss holiday plans. The space is very impressive, and the meeting rooms here are first-class” – Emma Durkin, Where The Wild Is Travel.

Masterclassing

Industry leaders Masterclassing moved into the space in May 2019 with big plans. Their ambition and drive cemented their place at Origin, and they’ve grown with us ever since. From dedicated desks to hosting intimate, conversation-driven events across the globe, the Bristol team headed by co-founder John Owen continue to thrive within the space.

All About The Cooks

In April 2019, Claire Ladkin joined Origin’s Start up programme with a simple mission: to revolutionise the way we eat at home. In October 2020, Claire’s ambitious tech start-up, All About The Cooks, was born, making it possible for the people of Bristol to buy food from talented cooks who live nearby.

“I have made some fantastic connections and collaborations from being part of the space. I met with BUD to discuss possible ways to approach the Minimum Viable Product from a tech point of view. Cook Corporate, a boutique firm of solicitors here, were responsible for important legals, and by talking to Tech Talent, we found our web developer. The contacts we have found just by being here have been incredibly valuable”

– Claire Ladkin, All About the Cooks. n

THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT, THE FUTURE’S ORIGIN.

From our 28 original members, a whopping 137 businesses now call Origin Workspace home. Interested in joining us? Book a tour of the space or a free day pass online at originworkspace.co.uk or call us on 01174 400 400.

James McNicol & Andrew Oliver, eaChange

Emma Durkin, Where The Wild Is

Origin Workspace, 40 Berkeley Square

Claire Ladkin, All About The Cooks

“WHAT WE LOVE IS THE ETHOS OF ORIGIN WORKSPACE AND THE WAY WE ARE MADE TO FEEL PART OF THE FAMILY.” JAMES MCNICOL

“ THE SPACE IS VERY IMPRESSIVE, AND THE MEETING ROOMS HERE ARE FIRST-CLASS” EMMA DURKIN

“ THE CONTACTS WE HAVE FOUND JUST BY BEING HERE HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY VALUABLE” CLAIRE LADKIN

BUYING CARPET & FLOORING IN BRISTOL MADE SIMPLE

We have one of the largest selections of carpets, laminate, vinyl and karndean flooring in bristol and the south west region. Our flooring showroom is conveniently situated at longwell green bristol with free parking; so when buying your next carpet or flooring, why not come and experience our wide range, first class fitting service and great prices for yourself?

You’ll be spoilt for choice with our wide range of carpets & flooring...

BUILDING A BETTER BRISTOL

At a recent Bristol Life Business Club, Mayor Marvin Rees spoke about working towards a fairer, more inclusive world – and how cities and organisations can work together

The child is father of the man and Marvin ees says his guiding passion for creating e ual opportunities was shaped by growing up in a racially fractured city as the mixed-race son of a single mother

My mum was told that if she was a good woman, she would put me up for adoption he says e ecting on her experiences, realise how much of my drive is actually about all the snobbery and presumptuousness she experienced, the rude dismissiveness watched it as a child growing up, and that really comes into my desire to try to turn things over ith e ual candour, Marvin went on to speak about his embarrassment at losing the 2012 mayoral election to George Ferguson ut actually that embarrassment has become a good opportunity, because ’ve been able to say to young people, listen, stood up in front of 0,000 people as a failure And still came back in 201 and tried again

At which point, he triumphed Overnight, Marvin found himself responsible for aligning ristol’s many different organisations and businesses with his vision for the city

A tough ask erhaps surprisingly, he says, ’m not finding it hard ot because ’m a magician, but because it’s leadership as a collective act

My ob is to get really smart people around me, and not ask them to be any less than they are, even if it makes me feel uncomfortable, and to have the confidence to sit in a room and have super-smart people be super-smart

One of the first things Marvin did was to convene a meeting of the city bigwigs About 0 people turned up asked two things how many people

do you employ, and what’s your financial footprint he footprint of every organisation represented in the room was over £6b. And between us we employed 70,000 people. said, what could we not do if we got ourselves organised f we acted, like a city, like any business would organise itself And that was the beginning of the One ity lan did not write the plan created the conditions in which we all contributed to the plan.

f you want to know how life is shaped in ristol, you’ve got to look at the intersection of local government, the health service, criminal ustice, business, faith groups, civil society And if you want to get stuff done on a city scale, you have to get those things aligned

One of the ma or challenges has been trying to reconcile the need for change with unwanted, unintended conse uences ou implement a solution, and then everyone ust focuses on the price he way we’ve tried to manage that is trying to anticipate those unintended conse uences and mitigate them o clean air ones are classic, right he first letters of ob ection were from the , who said, if you put the clean air one in ark ow the supply chain to the hospital will be impacted aising the issue with h r se offey, Marvin was told to ust get on with it it was a legal re uirement ut we negotiated we’ve got some money 2m for businesses, 10m for households

o give you another example, we want to develop Western Harbour, underneath the paghetti unction yover at the end of umberland asin e can get 2000 homes down there. It’s not a nature reserve at the moment, as some would have you believe it’s concrete, it’s horrible

ristol has a population of 0k people it’s going to rise to 0k over the next 2 years here are 1 k people on the waiting list we have to solve the housing crisis ell, that’s what we’re trying to do o get enough homes in ristol for a growing population And there’s no way of doing that that’s not going to have an impact on people’s lives t’s no good having a thriving cultural sector if no one can afford to live in a city ut when we identify land for high density housing on brownfield sites, it immediately becomes a political spat one of the his campaigns, he says, have ever been about winning popularity points or punting for re-election a moot point, now that the mayorship is scheduled to end in 202 t’s more to do with responsibility not ust to get good stuff done, but to stop bad things happening hen we made the decision not to build the Arena on emple sland,

MAKING A CHANGE

Marvin Rees was elected as Mayor of Bristol in 2016 – the first mayor of black African heritage to serve in a major European city.

After serving an extended five-year first term, he was reelected in May 2021. During his first term in office, he oversaw the building of almost 9,000 homes, announced the development of a mass transit system and provided quality work experiences for over 3,500 children who wouldn’t readily have access.

He has achieved accredited Living Wage Employer status, and introduced Ban the Box. He led the successful bid to bring Channel 4 to Bristol and is leading the city’s response to the climate and ecological emergencies. www.bristol.gov.uk

one of the guys came in the next day and said, what have you done ou’re gonna lose the next election ut we knew it would be a financial disaster to have the Arena on emple sland, it would bankrupt the city Marvin feels he’s been uite ambitious since getting into power and yes, that involves his push for building a mass transit system with underground trains ou know, we need big stuff t’s never going to land in my term, but we’ve put the foundations in place is mayorship, and indeed the role of ristol mayor as a whole, comes to an end in 202 o what’s next for Marvin ees feel there’s some political mileage left in me And the boundary reviews have thrown up a fifth seat in ristol orth ast, so ’ve said ’ll throw my hat in the ring ’ll make an offer, and if people say yeah, they say yeah, if they say no, ’ll have to go and find something else to do ust want to make the world better he says simply, chiming with his mission statement on the ristol ouncil website to make ristol a ity of ope want the outsiders, the marginalised, the unlikely to succeed also want to discover my own significance want my life to have mattered.

think the world is brutal One of the things say to young people is, if anyone comes in tells you that if you work hard, and you have ability, you’re going to make it, then they’re lying to you hat’s not the way the world is he world is full of unfairness and in ustice ight ut there are a lot of things that are going to work against you on’t be one of them on’t oin the powers that suppress your talents and abilities

My ourney in ristol has been about the best and the worst of what the city had to offer At its worst, it was a place that didn’t offer me a chance to be happy At best, it’s the city that gave me a tra ectory to becoming a mayor o like with most things, life is full of contradictions

For our next Business Club, see page 78

Marvin in conversation with Greg Ingham

MARVIN REES Mayor of Bristol

“WHAT COULD WE NOT DO IF WE GOT OURSELVES ORGANISED?”

HOW IT STARTED . . . AND HOW IT’S GOING

SAM WATTS

Heard of ropyard ou really should have ince opening in 2021, the cavernous former torpedo-testing facility in t hilip’s has hosted everything from craft beer fest opyard to the an Gogh mmersive exhibition o wonder it walked off with a Bristol Life Award for est vent this year

Hi Sam! Tell us a bit about yourself, and what you were up to before you opened Propyard was working in the music industry and touring as a still also do this, but not full time efore that, did various different types of work, including promoting music festivals, club events and a tiny bit of working in radio and

What was the lightbulb moment with Propyard?

t was lockdown there was no going out, and almost no work as a was looking for something to get involved with in ristol, and when my now-partners found this massive space we all got together and realised we needed to make this happen

Tell us a bit about how you financed the start-up, and what your original plans were e have had almost no financial support, and are totally independent, so it’s not been easy to get something like this off the ground e’ve been helped by fantastic people who really believe in the pro ect e always had the goal of it being an arts and creative space think the first model we had was for it to be a studio for film and production, but this changed fairly rapidly

How has the venue benefited Bristol, and how do you see the St Philip’s and Old Market Area developing over the next decade?

ristol is clearly changing rapidly, and t hilip’s is going to be the heart of it, if you look at the city’s plans he current redevelopment that’s happening all around us is really huge and it will be so interesting to see how the area develops think these kind of redevelopments can sometimes be a little concerning for people who have been here all their lives, but arts and creative spaces are essential to keep communities thriving, and feel

proud that we manage to deliver this with our space

Is using Propyard as a film studio facility like The Bottle Yard still on the cards?

ottle ard is a specialist film studio and we were never going to be that don’t think we have any plans to concentrate on this area, but the space is still a great place to film he sort of problem is our diary is ust so busy for the foreseeable and those productions need weeks at a time

The Van Gogh exhibition has been your best-known event to date. Do you have any visitor stats you can share?

Around 1 0k visitors last summer

Can you tell us about any future events that are coming up?

e have ust announced Beyond Submergence, which is a world-first immersive light and sound experience coming in uly t’s by uidsoup, who are famed for their beautiful installations and also their tour with the artist Four et e are very proud to have what is their first-ever arts exhibition

You’ve also hosted Hopyard –what makes Propyard ideal for this kind of event?

ristol, firstly we have great brewers on our doorstep and a city of beer lovers and ropyard is a great host as we have plenty of outdoor and indoor spaces t’s relaxed, fun and we always make sure there’s great music

And the main room is used for parties and Awards – what’s the capacity, and what events have you hosted here?

e have two spaces rane oom, with capacity for up to 1,200 and he tudio, which can hold up to k people e have had a fantastic response from the corporate sector, who love the space and see it as something different from what else is out there ropyard is able to play host to various different types of events, from lue arth ummit an environmentally-focused business event to the likes of one of electronic music’s biggest brands, oiler oom

Do you work closely with any other Bristol firms?

e work with lots, so can’t mention them all, but would give a special shout to imon from anging Aging’s team who managed to cater for 2k people at hristmas An astonishing feat

How do you mostly market Propyard?

n any way we can we are open to all ideas and work closely with our teams at laster reative ommunications and Open ays

And what’s the five-year plan?

e will keep the energy going and keep growing things with our events continually getting bigger and better e love arts, music and culture and want to keep offering what ristol lets us know it wants

For more: www.propyard.co.uk

The head of programming at Propyard takes us behind the scenes of Bristol’s hottest multi-purpose venue

WHERE THERE’S MUCK, THERE’S BRASS OUR LEARNED FRIENDS

Economy airline Wizz Air has invested m into ristol firm Fire y Green Fuels, which converts sewage sludge into sustainable aviation fuel AF t marks the airline’s first e uity investment in AF research and development, and is the latest milestone in Wizz Air’s broader sustainability strategy

“We are thrilled to be establishing a partnership with i Air, said ames ygate, Fire y he investment will accelerate the commercialisation of our game-changing Fire y process, with the binding offtake agreement saving a staggering 1 m tonnes of carbon emissions.

Fire y will facilitate a step change towards the future of air travel he feedstock, sewage sludge, is available in vast uantities globally and with Fire y we can put it to a truly beneficial use, reducing the use of fossil fuels in the hardest to decarbonise areas or more www. yfire y.uk

HOUSE CALL

Plans to create 196 new homes at the 12-acre site formerly occupied by Bristol Zoo Gardens into 196 new homes have now been approved by o cers at Bristol City Council.

20 per cent of the new homes are billed to be affordable, with free public access to the gardens for the first time since 1 he Grade -listed entrance lodge will be kept by ristol oo ociety, providing a caf , exhibition space, community rooms and public toilets, while providing a permanent base for the Avon Gorge and owns Wildlife Project.

1 on-site off-site construction obs per year are predicted to be generated over the three-year construction period, as well as on-site obs during the operation of the scheme and 1 m of residential expenditure

A planning report drawn up ahead of ristol ity ouncil’s development committee meeting on 2 April noted that while there were “adverse impacts associated with this proposal, on balance, they fail to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the proposal’s benefits For more: www.bristolzoo.org.uk

Members of the ristol team of law firm Osborne larke have advised the niversity of ristol as work begins on its new emple uarter ampus, at a total investment of around 00 million ork will begin this month after the niversity signed contracts with construction company ir obert McAlpine.

he campus is located next to ristol emple Meads tation on the site of the former oyal Mail sorting o ce Opening in 202 , the site will be home to , 00 students and 0 university staff, who will come together with business and community partners to tackle some of the world’s great challenges he building will be home to the niversity’s usiness chool, digital engineering research groups, entre for ntrepreneurship and nnovation entre as well as providing dedicated facilities for enterprise and community partners.

he Osborne larke team was led by partner Chris Wade and associate director arah Mc ool, with associate director aura hornton and partner atherine olfenden advising on procurement matters

For more: www.osborneclarke.com

“FIREFLY WILL FACILITATE A STEP CHANGE TOWARDS THE FUTURE OF AIR TRAVEL”

JAMES HYGATE, Firefly CE

CABINET DECISIONS

usk, the ristol company making affordable custom door fronts and premium worktops designed to work with Ikea or Howdens kitchen units, has opened a new showroom on the t incent rading state in t hilip’s as it expands its kitchen collection The showroom has been designed as a space where customers can sample the quality of the hand-built kitchen doors and drawer fronts made in the workshop next door.

For more: www.madebyhusk.com

RECONNECTING TO THE PLANET

The third Blue Earth Summit will take place at two venues, ropyard and The Wave, between 11-13 October, featuring some of the most in uential voices in business, sustainability, and conservation.

Key themes this year are adventure and the outdoors, harnessing the positive effects of time spent outdoors to bring people together and inspire better business practices; purpose-led business, embracing circular economies, championing regenerative systems, impact investing, and innovation; and reimagining

futures, inspiring active hope for the future with a focus on energy transition, diversity and inclusion, leadership, the built environment and nature-based solutions.

Among the 160 speakers are Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden, den ro ect founder Sir Tim Smit, Riverford CEO Guy Singh-Watson and Nick ounsfield, founder of he Wave.

At the itch ent, start-ups and innovative, progressive, and purpose-led businesses can pitch live to impact investors. ast year’s itch raised over £6m, with investments going

to Dame, an award-winning sustainable period products brand, Shackleton, a luxury endurance clothing brand, and Runna, an app for personalised training plans.

“Business as usual is no longer an option,” said Blue Earth Summit co-founder Will Hayler.

“Blue Earth is about reconnecting the core purpose of business with the needs of people and the planet. Business leaders who understand this will be part of the future. hose who don’t, won’t be t’s as simple as that.”

For more www.blueearthsummit.com

NUMBER CRUNCHING

The Bristol office market has performed strongly in recent times and has led the Big Six city centre office markets, achieving total take-up of 620,211 sq ft in 2022 – above the 10-year average. Prime rents are now at £42.50 per sq ft with an overall vacancy rate of 5% and a Grade A vacancy rate of 1.6%.

OK ROBOT

After securing its largest-ever investment, Bristol intelligent automation and inspection firm erceptual Robotics, which uses AI and drones to inspect wind turbines, is to expand into North and Latin America. It will also be doubling the size of its team.

he 2 m is the latest funding for the firm, which last year raised £1.6m, and earlier this year launched operations in South East Asia.

For more: www.perceptual-robotics.com

TRADING PLACES

Family-owned trading company The RO has ac uired a ristol o ce building in the prime o ce of ictoria treet, connecting emple Meads with the city centre, from Mayfair Capital. The building is fully let and home to a group of companies including Ma ars , etra ech Group td, Francis lark and BJSS Limited.

“We are very pleased to be investing once again in Bristol, one of the most innovative and economically attractive places in the

UK,” said David Kershaw, RO real estate director ts ourishing M , professional, and financial services sectors are a big draw for us, with the city benefiting from a thriving o ce market e look forward to our ownership of a mar uee o ce in a great location where we see the potential for further value creation.”

The RO was advised by Knight Frank; Mayfair Capital was advised by JLL. For more: www.rogroup.co.uk

“BUSINESS AS USUAL IS NO LONGER AN OPTION”

WILL HAYLER, Blue Earth Summit co-founder

en senior staff at ristol e ommerce agency

The Pixel, whose client base includes crewfix, o o Maman b and he ational rust, have become co-owners of the business in a management buy-out.

Founders Steve and Chris Leyton retain a shareholding in the business they created in 2001 and remain in their roles as managing director and development director respectively. www.thepixel.com

Currently celebrating its 75th year, Bristol Junior Chamber has announced its first all-female leadership team. Georgia Corp of Stratton Craig, Emma Carter of Air Ambulances UK and Kate Woosnam of Ibex Gale will lead the chamber, as president, vice-president and immediate past president. Along with the appointment of Catherine Harris of AXA as company secretary, the ’s directorship is now 80% female. www.bristoljuniorchamber.co.uk

Clarks Village owner, Landsec, has announced a new charity partnership to support local young people into employment and education he initiative with Key4Life and Ahead Partnership is funded by Landsec’s new social impact programme, Landsec Futures, a £20m fund which aims to bring more value to the communities in which Landsec invests. Key4Life and Ahead are leading the charge in supporting people from under-represented backgrounds into employment and education; Clarks Village and both charities will deliver education and work experience-led programmes for people in Somerset to increase access to the broad range of careers in the real estate industry. www.clarksvillage.co.uk

GOING UP . . .

Colliers have announced six promotions in its ristol o ce Alex acher and ebs ryantearson have been promoted to director, anek koda, d efferson and hris trat to associate director and Alex an en ogerd has been promoted to senior surveyor.

Our ristol o ce is a true gem, brimming with exceptional talent and vibrant personalities, making it an unparalleled workplace, said o dwards, head of olliers’ ristol o ce www.colliers.com

Mentor Digital has recruited ex-Google senior strategist an att as its digital marketing director A former executive at tech giant Google and global advertising agency Mc ann, an will lead Mentor’s digital marketing efforts and drive growth for clients an will also play a key role in developing and executing the company’s overall business strategy.

www.mentordigital.co.uk

CHANGING ROOMS

Emma Choremi has been trading on Park Street for 34 years – and now her salon McQueens has had a makeover courtesy of BBC One series Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr

In the seventh episode, three designers were dispatched to Bristol to redesign three salons. “It was such a great experience, and gave Park Street a huge bu when they filmed this, says mma he new look is very us. Changes are warmer tones, with lots of attention to the ceiling, and much needed updating.

“Our designer, Monika, has been given harsh feedback about the use of fake foliage but it works so well and our clients absolutely love it. We have had such a brilliant response to the show, with people taking pictures and coming in to see it – it looks so much better in real life. It was a brilliant opportunity for us, and we’re now on the hunt for more staff to cope with the demand of clients who want to sit in our beautiful space For more: www.mcqueenshairbristol.co.uk

SCI SEASON

A prestigious King’s Award for Innovation has been awarded to St Augustine’s Yard-based digital learning specialist LearnSci.

Founded in 2007, LearnSci aims to transform science education, empowering teaching teams and finding innovative solutions to overcome the challenges universities face providing laboratorybased teaching he team now supports over 200 university departments across the world, employing 30 scientists, web developers, designers and learning specialists. Its learning technology accelerates teaching innovation, helps prepare graduates for industry careers and widens access to science across the world.

For more: www.learnsci.com

(HE)ART OF THE GLO ROAD

Room 212 is celebrating a decade in business. en years ago, arah horp took over a pop-up gallery on Gloucester Road with the idea of turning it into a permanent exhibition space and shop for local artists. As a participant in the orth ristol Art rail, arah felt that her fellow artists could do with a space to show their artwork for more than ust one weekend in ovember his idea proved so popular that the shop rapidly expanded to offer a huge variety of paintings, prints, jewellery, lampshades, ceramics, gifts, cards and more, all made by Bristol creatives.

he big windows are perfect for displaying original paintings by regular and guest artists, tying in with the seasons or ristol events, says arah for instance, there’ll be a celebration of unicorns for the upcoming nicornfest in uly arah remembers the first week oom 212 opened, when a customer walked in and exclaimed his is so Gloucester oad he loves being one of the long-time traders on the staunchly independent high street, and is the organiser of the Glos Rd Central Mayfest and Christmas street parties. For more: www.room212.co.uk

Sarah with artists Jenny Urquhart (left) and Emma Catherine

EXPERT TIPS

PHILLIP BATE

Acting director of Business Banking, Triodos Bank UK platform for Thrive Renewables, a ristol-based firm that has been funding clean energy projects since 1994. The crowdfunding platform is an option to enable organisations to raise repayable finance to fund growth plans. Finance can be raised in the form of debt or equity and is raised from a community of investors looking for both a financial and social return.

With environmental and social issues now a top priority for many organisations, sustainability has become an increasingly important factor when choosing a source of finance for a growing business. However, with a lack of clear guidelines on what this means in practice, how can you be confident in choosing an option that’s genuinely going to make an impact?

The best means of assessing whether a financial product is sustainable is to look at a bank’s ethos and at its lending and investment portfolio as a whole. What percentage of their total balance sheet do they deem sustainable? Does sustainability form part of their mission, and underlying principles? How do they put those values into action?

Look for banks that are transparent about where they lend money, and what kind of organisations they support.

HOW WE ASSESS SUSTAINABILITY

Although we have sector policies, we take a case-by-case approach to assessing whether an organisation is legitimately sustainable. Some may be heavily focused on environmental

EXPERT ADVICE

impact, while others could be more centred on socially impactful work –or often a combination of both.

All business banking customers will contribute to our mission to make money work for positive change and share our values. We work with customers on finding solutions to help them create their impact.

Some examples of organisations we’ve recently supported include a loan to Autonomous Investments Properties to expand its commercial property portfolio in the South West and invest in large-scale decarbonisation works. This includes the purchase of the Grade-IIlisted Stable Block at Leigh Court, Bristol, where decarbonisation and modernisation work will be carried out in a way that ensures the building’s heritage is maintained and celebrated.

We’ve also raised £6.8m through a share offer on our crowdfunding

DID YOU KNOW?

The recently released ‘Banking on Climate Chaos’ report has shown that in the last 12 months the five largest UK high street banks have given $37 billion to the fossil fuel industry.

REASSURANCE FOR BUSINESSES

As a business community, we need to think about what kind of community we want to create. There is a growing wave of values-driven businesses prepared to put their money where their mouth is by making more sustainable choices, whether that be in reducing plastic waste, switching energy supplier or buying organic produce. Many now realise that their money can have a positive impact, and want to have a relationship with a bank that understands their values. Banks could be playing a critical role driving change on major issues such as climate change and inequality. Yet our biggest high street banks continue to funnel billions into the fossil fuel sector and other harmful practices. Tighter regulations and greater transparency will make it far easier for businesses to understand the true nature of a bank’s sustainability and help them to find a financial partner that prioritises positive social and environmental impact. But for now, looking for evidence to support their claims and transparency around the customers they support is a good place to start.

For more: www.triodos.co.uk

“AT TRIODOS, EVERYTHING we do is driven by our mission to direct money into positive social and environmental organisations – and this has been the case for almost 30 years of operating in the UK. Plus, we’ve always been clear about where we invest, allowing business customers to judge the impact of our work for themselves and to decide whether we’d be a good fit for them. We publish the names of all of the customers that we lend to on our website.”

John

Sharpe, relationship manager for the South West and Midlands, Triodos Bank UK

“WE PROVIDE INVESTMENT readiness support and help charities, community groups, social enterprises and companies raise money. As ESG becomes higher on the agenda, we welcome calls for greater oversight on sustainability across all companies, not just in banking. Environmental claims need to be substantiated and applied across an organisation’s operations, not just on specific products offered.”

Whitni

Thomas, head of corporate finance at Triodos Bank UK

Bristol-headquartered specialist sustainable bank TRIODOS BANK UK advises how to avoid the greenwash when seeking finance for your business

PHILLIP BATE Triodos Bank UK

“LOOK FOR BANKS THAT ARE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHERE THEY LEND MONEY AND WHAT KIND OF ORGANISATIONS THEY SUPPORT”

CELEBRATING THE CITY

The glittering, supremely glamorous Bristol Life Awards are back on 28 March 2024 – and anyone can win one of its prestigious accolades.

The Awards celebrates the whole of the city – all sectors, all types, from commercial to charity and civic; from new companies to long-established; and from the smallest of the indies to the largest of the corporates.

Everyone comes together to celebrate the very best of their city. As business owners, bosses, managers, teams, how is your success recognised? Where do you get validation ales and profit for many, of course. New wins, great projects, happy clients. But sometimes, just sometimes, public recognition helps.

Imagine gaining the validation of your peers. Your work, your company,

discussed, highlighted, shortlisted – and some chosen as winners by independent experts.

And that’s one of the reasons why Awards matter. Public recognition. As finalists, or possibly even winners After all, it’s pretty rare when people other than teams and customers recognise the quality of what you do.

HOW TO ENTER THE AWARDS

It’s free to enter: keep an eye on these pages to find out when nominations

open for 2024, choose the categories you’d like to enter, and you’ll find a Q&A asking you all about your business or organisation. This is not a time for modesty; you are encouraged to blow that trumpet!

SPONSOR THE AWARDS

With more and more interest in being closely associated with the most prestigious event in the Bristol business calendar, sponsorship opportunities are going fast o find out more, please contact neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk

GET TICKETS

Nothing beats being there. With the company of 500 people, the networking and collaboration opportunities are on another level. Dates for 2024 ticket release will be announced later this year. For more: www.bristollifeawards.co.uk

Bristol’s Watershed is hosting EntreConf on 22 June

DATES FOR THE DIARY

– MAY AND JUNE

13 June: CNWM Bristol summer networking

Come Network With Me holds a day of networking, sharing, connecting, discussion and inspiration at No 4 Clifton Village; www.eventbrite.co.uk

16 May: Bristol Life Business Club

The team behind the phenomenal Wake the Tiger are the guest speakers, at Bristol Harbour Hotel; www.eventbrite.co.uk

18 May & 25 June: Good Business Meet-up

Hosted by members of The Good Business Club, the Meetup events make it easy to discover and build relationships with other good business owners and teams. At Watershed on 18 May and The Square Club on 8 June; www.thegoodbusinessclub.com

8 June: Bristol & Bath

B Local Lunch

An opportunity for local B Corps to meet with one another to encourage and share hints and tips on improving their impact; at The Square Club; www.thesquareclub.com

31 May: EntreConf Awards –nominations close NEW: Nominations close for The EntreConf Awards, highlighting entrepreneurship in multiple areas, to be held on 28 September at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery; www.entreconf. com/entreconf-awards

16 June: Collaborate Bristol

The South West’s leading UX, Ai and Design conference, at Watershed; www.allevents.in/ bristol/collaborate-bristol-2023

22 June: EntreConf

The region’s leading conference for entrepreneurs and partners at Watershed, with a full day of keynotes, forums (funding, marketing, exit-planning); advice clinics, along with the return of The EntreLeague; www.entreconf.com

The Bristol Life Awards 2023 was an exuberant, joyful smash hit – let’s do it all over again!

“IMAGINE GAINING THE VALIDATION OF YOUR PEERS”

© @JONCRAIG_PHOTOS

HOME TRUTHS

Yes, there was a nationwide wobble – but in Bristol at least, the property market is healthier than ever, with demand far exceeding supply. But what do people really want from their homes? Which are the areas to watch, and what are the must-haves? We spoke to three leading local developers.

SAVILLS, ESTATE AGENTS

Q: How is the Bristol property market right now?

n recent months, we’ve noticed a marked difference in the market, with renewed commitment to purchase,” says Vicky Dudbridge, director at Savills residential development sales in Bristol his is re ected in the results of our recent national buyer-andseller survey, which reveals that commitment to move has returned to a level not seen since February 2022. Buyers have seen interest rates stabilise, with mortgage lenders becoming more competitive once again, which has resulted in a wide range of buyers looking to make a purchase this spring, from first time buyers to upsi ers and downsi ers

Q: Is it a sellers’ market or a buyers’ market?

“Relatively low levels of stock coupled with strong buyer demand means that the Bristol new homes market is still very competitive. High-quality development is sought after, especially in prime locations; the beauty of new developments is that they bring volume and choice to the market, unlocking more opportunity for prospective buyers to purchase their ideal home.”

Q: What are the hotspots and areas to watch?

“The harbour area has long been in demand. Luckily, some of this appetite is being satiated, thanks to the recent launch of McArthur’s ard, the first waterside development to come to the market in five years

“Bedminster is another regeneration hotspot. Its proximity to the city centre and harbourside, along with a vibrant local community and the great amenities on North Street, make it incredibly popular amongst those looking for urban lifestyle.”

MCARTHUR’S YARD

The latest residential development on Bristol’s harbourside has a prime position adjacent to the ss Great Britain, making it one of the last remaining development sites right on the waterfront. Comprising a series of warehouse buildings, once the HQ of Bristolbased metal merchant, McArthur’s Group, the site has been derelict since the late 1990s.

McArthur’s Yard includes a collection of 142 one-, two- and threebedroom apartments and duplexes, arranged over three sensitively designed contemporary buildings. The new homes, many of which will enjoy impressive views, have contemporary, open-plan layouts and high-specification interiors. www.mcarthursyard.co.uk

CITY & COUNTRY, HERITAGE DEVELOPERS

Q: How is the Bristol property market right now?

e’ve seen an upturn in buyers’ confidence since the beginning of the year, says in ie owland, sales manager at ity ountry’s Factory No.1 development in Bedminster.

“There was undeniably a slight dip when interest rates rose at the end of last year, but it was very shortlived! There is always an upturn when we get into spring, but for the past few months it’s just skyrocketed – April has been our bestselling month so far, we’re selling one apartment a day at the moment. We launched our new apartments, he utting oom, earlier than we had planned due to the increased demand, and it’s already 50% sold despite the fact that our show home isn’t launching for another few months.”

Q: What are the hotspots and areas to watch?

“Bedminster is a very trendy location, and the culture on offer, from the music to the street art to the cafés and restaurants, just make Factory No.1 a great place to put down roots and invest in as a first home, while avoiding the endless chains of the second-hand market. Given the interest so far this year, and the context of extortionate rent costs and mortgage rates returning to normal, we’re optimistic for the year ahead.”

Q: Are people wanting different things from their homes since Covid?

“There is no question that people live differently now than they did pre- ovid, and this has translated into the expectations of our buyers. With the majority of people working from home, space and natural light are really important, and are the most commented-on features when people look around the show homes.

“We continue to adapt our designs to ensure there is exible space to suit the changing needs of buyers – for example, we have buyers who have created home o ces in spare rooms, or working stations in the huge amount of open space, while others have created home gyms. Alongside this, highquality broadband is non-negotiable.

“Another key consideration for buyers is outdoor space; we have communal gardens at Factory No.1 which prospective buyers always ask about; they are very popular with our current residents and provide a hidden oasis right in the heart of the city. Bedminster is a great location because it offers the vibrance and variety of city life, but there are also great green spaces such as Victoria Park, and a lovely local community.

n the last year or so, think we’ve really seen energy e ciency top the list of buyers’ needs, which will likely have more of an in uence on the design of homes over the next few years than ovid has had We incorporate many energy and water-saving features into our developments, which help keep bills low, and this is something buyers are asking about more and more.”

It’s no secret that Bristol is one of the top property hotspots in the UK – and despite a slight recent coolness in the market, temperatures are rising once again…

Heritage meets contemporary open-plan in Factory No.1

McArthur’s Yard offers a chance to buy into one of the last remaining development sites on Harbourside

NEW HOMES

KNIGHT FRANK, ESTATE AGENTS

Q: Is it a sellers’ market or a buyers’ market?

e are returning to a more normal market re ecting pre-pandemic conditions, with fewer peaks and troughs, and in that sense it is a market which is good for both buyers and sellers, says partner aniel arris raditionally, the spring market is when we would expect to see increased activity, and we’re finding this in particular in our city-centre markets, which have been more subdued over the last 12 months Much of the demand is coming from first-time buyers, who are returning to the market on the back of rising rents and falling mortgage rates e can expect demand for property to continue to increase, driven in part by the lack of new-build supply coming to the market, and the first-time buyer group to continue to drive activity at the lower end of the market, which in turn will stimulate activity at higher price points

Q: What are most buyers currently looking for?

ypically, at this time of year buyers start to focus their attention on outside space homes with gardens and our seaside developments such as Atlantic eights in eston-super-Mare tend to perform particularly well in the spring and summer months e are already seeing increased demand for these apartments, which en oy far- reaching sea views

Q: Are people wanting different things from their homes than they did pre-Covid?

es, internet connectivity is obviously more important with more people working from home A space to work which isn’t the kitchen table or a desk in the corner is also more in demand, so two-bedroom, three-person apartments have become more popular with buyers where the second smaller bedroom doubles as a work area

Access to green or open space is now as important to buyers as having private outside space, so being near to a park, green area or the sea is very much in demand

Q: How important is sustainability to buyers and renters, and how are you responding?

t is more important now than ever before, as are the cost savings associated with living a sustainable lifestyle Many of the schemes we are selling now have very strong eco credentials n

YOU HAVE BEEN READING

City & Country

www.cityandcountry.co.uk

Knight Frank

www.knightfrank.co.uk

Savills

www.savills.co.uk

FACTORY NO. 1

“As the former Imperial Tobacco Company factory, and an iconic landmark building offering both conversion and new build apartments, the Factory No. 1 development is incredibly unique,” says Lizzie of City and Country.

“The city centre location, alongside the high specification, is very appealing and makes the development hugely popular with young professional firsttime buyers, who make up the majority of the residents.“

PARK F

By Ursula Cole

Need it be a dream? Admittedly, the £2.695 mill price tag is slightly more than a snip, but it’s no more than you’d expect to pay for a top-of-therange Clifton town house – and the last time we checked, there were no town houses offering three acres of grounds, a swimming pool, lake, tennis court, ‘party barn’, orchard, dining terrace, paddock and a detached annexe. This, and quite a lot more, is what you will find at rook Farm on Moor Lane in Clapton in Gordano, just eight miles west of the uspension ridge

Picture a quintessential English country home, with a delightful Grade-II farmhouse set at the heart of expansive gardens. Imagine a beautiful interior refurbishment, using skilled artisan firms such as Mark ilkinson to create beautiful kitchens and bathrooms; add a study area with lavish amounts of storage, and a new family room – and you still have only half the story.

First impressions are reassuringly grand. The private drive that lies beyond an entrance framed by oak electric gates leads up to a wide parking place and a 30ft barn – garage, workshop, gym, your call. The formal entrance is via the front door at the end of a pretty courtyard

There’s something about the spring that makes us fantasise about owning a great big pile in the country . . .

garden, although the current owners tend to use the side door into the utility room.

Inside, a sense of history pervades every nook and cranny. Thick stone walls, some of them exposed, keep the house cool in the summer and warm in the winter; there are timber beams and agstone ooring through much of the ground oor, along with many original wooden doors and latches.

he house ows pleasingly from the dining room at one side of the entrance hall to the drawing room on the other a delightful room with a huge inglenook fireplace at one end and a woodburning stove at the other.

At the back, the charming kitchen and breakfast room ow into a casual home o ce space, and on into the striking family room with its pitched ceilings and double doors opening out onto the paved dining terrace.

A clatter of additional rooms provide a utility room, gym, pool house, a second prep kitchen (perfect for pool parties and a den or cinema room pstairs, the five bedrooms include a fabulous master suite with bath and shower room and a walk in wardrobe; bedroom four has

been adapted to create a ‘safe room’ with a reinforced steel door and panic button. Well, you never know.

A detached one-bedroom annexe offers a kitchen, a large sitting room opening to a small courtyard terrace, an upstairs double bedroom with French windows and covered balcony, and a family bath and shower room.

he three-acre grounds offer the ultimate family lifestyle, from the heated pool and outdoor speaker system to the enclosed toddlers’ play park, to a state-ofthe- art astro tennis court, the lake with its sunbathing deck, gated orchard and enclosed vegetable garden; beyond lie miles of open country walks, footpaths and bridleways, all a short stroll to the rather delightful Black Horse village inn.

How’s that town house with its tiny garden looking now? Sometimes, more, or indeed Moor, is more . . . n

HOUSE NUMBERS

Where? Clapton-in-Gordano

Guide price £2.695m

Reception rooms

Drawing room, dining room, kitchen/ breakfast room, family room Bedrooms 5

Bath/shower rooms 2

Anything else? Cinema room, gym, sun room, utility areas, etc

Outside Three-acre grounds: lake, pool, tennis court, paddock, orchard, veg garden, barn, two-storey annexe

For more: Rupert Oliver; 0117 452 3555; www.rupertoliver.co.uk

Raising the bar in block and estate management services across Bristol.

TOM PAINE

Festival

Igot into the events and music business accidentally, says om came to ristol for Uni, and got a bar job to help fund my studies then started managing bars, and then running club nights met the owner of Motion when it was ust a skate park e explained that he wanted to turn it into more of a venue and nightclub space ended up going to work for him, so was involved in the very early start of Motion, helping it turn it a club ust loved festivals aving going to Glastonbury for years, managed to get a ob there did a lot of administration, laminating passes etc, and learnt from the very bottom and worked my way up

The first proper festival I went to was Glastonbury in 1 didn’t have a ticket, walked what seemed like miles to get to the fence, went over a ladder and got in that way ust fell in love he creativity there, and the mixture of people from so many different cultures and communities, from hippies in their psytrance fields to the dance music tent to theatre, circus, everything as a kid from a small town had never seen anything like it before, and it set me on my path

Glastonbury is the best festival ’ve ever been to ’ve also been to urning Man, an experience you never forget ’ve been to oachella, ’ve been to rimavera, ecret Garden arty, finding the kind of weird

and wonderful little tents there, and ust having a strange little kind of communal experience with people that you only met five minutes ago, but with whom you’re now genuinely having the best time of your life

Last year’s Forwards was just brilliant. t was everything we wanted it to be, and the audience really got behind what we were trying to do he performances were great, too ittle im and hruangbin were ama ing, and bringing hemical rothers to ristol for the first time in 1 years was incredible

Some of the up-and-coming acts we booked have gone on to be massive e had Fred Again, who has since headlined Madison uare Gardens and last week headlined and closed oachella, which is insane e’re really proud of getting that new, exciting talent to ristol and playing for us before going off to con uer the world

Another Forwards highlight is getting the nformation tage and the talks up and running, and having huge crowds in for that he talk with awrence and John Barnes saw around 00 people take time out to hear people talk about race, e uality and e uity e’re really keen to show that festivals can be used as a space to educate, debate and champion social change

The Information Stage is something we want to keep developing here’s been a real interest in it, and so many people want to come to speak this year

Forwards is an eclectic festival. Music-wise, I don’t think there’s any genre that typifies it, and that’s very much a decision we made on purpose we want to book music we love, and we think ristol and the outh est will love, but also that’s interesting and challenging Aphex win, headlining this year, typifies that e’s completely uni ue, and his music has inspired so many electronic artists – that’s the kind of act we want to be putting on

The nice thing about Team Love is that we all have different ideas go for more rock and pop and ave arvey, co-founder is more into electronic and rap My dream headliner would be adiohead, but at the same time would love to get Miley yrus

I think Bristol Pride is amazing, and the ristol ounds line-up is really interesting elfsteem this year will be fantastic also try to catch gigs at various venues rinity, he ouisiana, The Exchange or anywhere where new, exciting gigs are taking place

My favourite Bristol restaurant is either asta oco, asta ipiena, ianchis or oot ub love he lough, love he tar and Garter, and am uite happy to have a drink in he Masons in tapleton as well

My most regrettable habit is also one of my most positive things think ’m sometimes overly optimistic

For more www.teamlove.org

Tom’s the co-founder and director of Team Love, which specialises in producing festivals across the South West – including Bristol’s Love Saves the Day and Forwards

“We’re really proud of getting new, exciting talent to Bristol before it goes off to conquer the world”