Bristol Life - Issue 343

ISSUE 3 3 / L ATE AUTUMN 2023 / £3

… A N D O F Y O U WA N T T O S E E T H E B R A N D N E W B R I S T O L M O N O P O LY B O A R D , T U R N T O P A G E 6 !

ISSUE 343 / LATE AUTUMN 2023 / IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK DISTURBINGLY LIKE CHRISTMAS

FAIR PLAY

OWN IT ALL! THE ART OF JAYSON LILLEY

+ CHRISTMAS SHOWS AND SHOPPING + POWELL & PRESSBURGER + THE GRANARY + SOME BRISTOL DOGS

EDITOR’S LETTER

B 26

It’s so money

Own it all! With magnificent timing, artist Jayson Lilley’s new collection incorporates the (old) Bristol Monopoly board

efore I go any further, there’s a potentially confusing matter that needs to be cleared up. On our front cover we feature the exuberant art of Jayson Lilley, whose latest collection is based on the Bristol Monopoly board. However, the board Jayson used is the vintage game, now discontinued – not to be confused with the brand new one just released, which you’ll find on page 6. Clear?

Everyone has been understandably curious to discover who’d be featured on the new board. Many of the squares were decided by public vote, with prime real estate going to the usual suspects – Park Street, the ss GB etc – along with three beloved local charities. Taking the boujiest ‘Mayfair’ spot is Clifton Suspension Bridge, with Ashton Gate on the next most lucrative square. Modesty forbids us from telling you who’s on the third.

Oh, OK; it’s us. We were delighted to be asked; the only question was choosing which image to use. We felt our Bristol Life logo wasn’t quite enough, so we delved into our archive and chose our all-time favourite cover, a collaboration with Upfest and artist Gemma Compton, so that square is for them, too.

This is traditionally our ‘gently easing you into Christmas’ issue, but this year we’ve really gone for it.

On page 10 you’ll find the best shows to book now – if you wait too late you’ll find yourself stuck up in the gods, with your kids in the dress circle and your mum in the pit, and you’ll have nobody to hold your hand during the scary bits – while on page 53 we bring you the first part of our Christmas shopping guide.

We could roll our eyes and pretend to be in sympathy with the ‘it’s far too early!’ set, but we’d be lying; we love everything about Christmas in November. Back in three weeks, when we’ll be even more annoyingly jingly.

DERI ROBINS Bristol Life editor @BristolLifeMag

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6

Issue 343 / Late autumn 2023 ON THE COVER Let’s Move to Bristol by Jayson Lilley; see feature page 26

ARTS

10 CHRISTMAS SHOWS Where good triumphs over evil; yes,

IT V STUDIOS GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT PARK CIRCUS

30

19 20 26 30 32 37

even at The Wardrobe ART PAGE Hit the North Bristol trail WHAT’S ON Guess what it’s starting to look unavoidably like ART Boardmaster Jayson Lilley FILM Arrows of desire: The Archers take aim again BRISTOL HEROES Dogs, puddles and celestial beings BOOKS A round-up of the best Christmas celebrity and novelty books. As if...

FOOD & DRINK 38 42 47 49

RESTAURANT Grains of thought FOOD AND DRINK The Anti-Banquet, and other stories RECIPE A winter warmer from that nice Chris Wicks CAFÉ SOCIETY You can’t get closer to the Suspension

Bridge than this

SHOPPING

53 CHRISTMAS SHOPPING Deck the halls, buy presents, try

not to eat all the food and drink

BUSINESS

67 NETWORK ews, profiles and those ristol roperty wards

PROPERTY

95 SHOWCASE Who wouldn’t want to live on Queen Square?

REGULARS

6 SPOTLIGHT 9 BRIZZOGRAM 98 BRISTOL LIVES ane u us

32 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 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 and Bristol. 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

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 5

SPOTLIGHT

We’re on the board! On the posh side too, mind

Game on

DICE, DICE BABY fter months of selecting, and plotting, and much signing of s, the new Monopoly: Bristol game is out in time for Christmas. t’s the first ristol board to be produced in 0 years, the pre ious one ha ing been recently discontinued the new one has been created to tie in with ristol’s 0th anni ersary.

O er 0 of ristol’s finest landmarks are honoured on the board. o, with literally e eryone wanting to bag a s uare, who’s made the cut part from us, ob iously e’ e been wonderfully spoiled with choices when putting this game together, says ohn een omlinson at inning o es , e plaining that many of the s uares were

selected ia public ote. Clifton uspension ridge is ayfair’, by popular demand, while College reen’s position in the game dates back to mediae al times, so it’s a fitting replacement for Old ent oad. n between are the ss Great Britain, ristol ni, the hopping uarter, ristol ride and many other landmarks and organisations, from heritage to tourism, entertainment to education. he four mainline train stations from the classic onopoly pro ed to be a challenge, gi en that the city only has two, so the makers included balloons and the airport. hree much lo ed charities feature he rand ppeal, ristol nimal escue Centre and mpire

ighting Chance. opically, one card fines players for e ceeding 0mph in the city centre, while another rewards players with a scholarship to attend the ni ersity of ristol. nd us hrilled to be in ited to feature and no, it’s not a paid for ad, don’t be cynical , we chose an all time fa ourite co er from 0 years of the maga ine you could say our s uare is technically Bristol Life pfest emma Compton, who created the artwork. ancy a match t’s not uite a runel sto epipe, but bagsy us the top hat token...

Monopoly: Bristol Edition costs £34.99 Available at www.shop.bristolmuseums.org.uk and online

Festivals

ALL THE LIGHT WE CAN SEE ow a fi ture in the city, shining light into the wintry darkness, the ristol ight esti al returns ne t ebruary with what might well be its most da ling edition to date. t the centrepiece of the fest is Ascendance, the world premi re of light artwork from immersi e and mi ed reality artists tudio c uire, who are currently collaborating with ior for Christmas in anhattan. a y and ristin c uire created our fa ourite pieces in the 0 fest haunting Ophelia in her watery gra e in t ary edcli e, and Sirens, mer creatures glimpsed through the waters of the harbour. Ascendance is their most emoti e work to date an interstellar installation inspired by the idea of loneliness, featuring an isolated astronaut oating alone in the cosmos.

Other highlights re ealed so far are Evanescent by telier isu, e ploring the idea of transience through the isualisation of bubbles, and The Nectary by lison mith and r. Chris assall, which in ites us to step inside a giant ower to gain a uni ue perspecti e on nature. ore details in a future issue.

Bristol Light Festival takes place 2-11 February 2024 www.bristollightfestival.org CLOCKWISE: Ascendance; Evanescent; The Nectary

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SPOTLIGHT

PLAY MISTY FOR ME Follow us and tag us with your pics! instagram @bristollifemag

It takes a special kind of dedication to rise early enough to catch the morning mist – and a special kind of talent to capture it as beautifully as these guys have done

@kruggy01

@aishling_jana

@ssgreatbritain

@evieseaside

@sambinding

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@ciarahillyer

@sambinding

@robkingston360

@agracefulview

@brisvadar

@thebristolnomad

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BRISTMAS SHOWS

SHOW PATROL Grab a red cloak, steal a magic lantern, and let us lead you into a world of Christmas shows yet to come . . .

I

t’s Christmas; at least, it soon will be. What we want, what we really really want, are happy, colourful family shows in which good triumphs over evil, innocence is protected and dastardly adults foiled. We crave song, dance and bling. We want to leave the theatre in a fuzzy glow, like the kids in the Ready Brek advert.

Guaranteed to bring all the festive feels are Bristol Old Vic, Tobacco Factory Theatres, The Redgrave and Bristol Hippodrome.

Meanwhile, over in Old Market, we’re plunged into a lawless frontier of bloody violence, cheap beer and line-dancing. What were you expecting from The Wardrobe? Narnia?

1BRISTOL HIPPODROME

“We want to leave the theatre in a fuzzy glow, like the kids in the Ready Brek ad”

Annie the Musical at the Hipppo; OPPOSITE PAGE: Into the Woods at Redgrave

As ever, Christmas at the Hippodrome is dominated by the traditional panto; if he’sbehind-you larkiness isn’t for you, but you still want a big-scale, West End family show, your best bet is to head over in late November for Annie the Musical. If you want to see Craig Revel Horwood as evil Miss Hannigan, and who doesn’t, book for Monday-Friday; if you prefer Corrie’s Jodie Prenger, come on Saturdays.

Oh, and the panto? This year it’s Peter Pan, with a moustachio-twirling David Suchet as Hook; Andy Ford is Smee, Ceri Dupree is (rhymingly) Mrs Smee, Faye Tozer’s a mermaid, and actors you’ve probably never heard of play Peter, Wendy and Tinkerbell – key roles , you’d have thought, but that’s panto for you.

BRISTMAS SHOWS FACTORY THEATRES 2TOBACCO

As ever on Raleigh Road, there’s imaginative, thoughtful loveliness for the main kids’ show, plenty of amusing archness for the grown-ups and some community theatre, too.

Even Dickens’s non-Christmas stories are somehow Christmassy, and in the main Factory Theatre, Oliver Twist is being freshly reimagined by Olivier Award-winning Bristol playwright Adam Peck, and directed by TFT’s new artistic director Heidi Vaughan.

In the Spielman, there’s captivating storytelling in Soap Soup Theatre’s The Selfish Giant for the overthrees. By night the puppets are tidied away to make room for The Sisters, this year without Shesus, for a riotous Christmas at Mum’s. Shesus has transcended and left this pair of offbeat twins all alone, so where do they go for Christmas now? Back to the original matriarch, of course... Expect karaoke, prawn rings and Sister Mary Berry’s festive bangers.

Finally there’s Noel West, a mobile tour of South Bristol: an allsinging, all-dancing spectacular, filled with more lights (they say) than Blackpool Illuminations can shake a snow globe at.

What’s your festive fancy?

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Sisters have gone back home to Mum’s; Know-el, Know-el; presumably these cute mitts belong to Oliver

3BRISTOL BEACON

Endless musical treats await you at this newly reopened marvel, from classic orchestral treats such as The Messiah on 16 December, to Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas in Concert on the 21th. However, to wholly misquote Dylan Thomas, as we plunge our hands into the listings to see whatever we can find in that wool-white, belltongued ball of holidays resting at the rim of the carol-singing harbour, what we bring out is The Darkness and their Permission to Land 20th anniversary tour on 14 December. Come safe in the knowledge that you’ll be hearing the campest Christmas song of all time: Don’t Let the Bells end.

They believe in a thing called love: The Darkness light up the Beacon

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4BRISTOL OLD VIC

While new AD Heidi Vaughan shows us her chops at TFT, it’s a not dissimilar story at BOV, where Nancy Medina unveils her first Christmas show.

Directed by Blanche McIntyre, Arabian Nights is the tale of two sisters who live in a kingdom ruled by a tyrannical king (boo, etc). Every night the king marries a new woman before throwing her in the dungeon the next morning. One sister has a plan to stop this happening, but realises she can’t do it alone – which is where the people of Bristol come in, along with a host of giant serpents, sea monsters and a magical flying horse.

We’re told to expect a show filled with wonder, hope, sparkle and magic; and as winter is a season with many different celebrations, from different cultural backgrounds, BOV wants to include everyone.

“I wanted us to stage a big show that would appeal to every community and every family in Bristol,” said

Sister act: Arabian Nights at BOV

Nancy. “I thought about how stories are passed down through generations, and about the enduring potency of tales from the Middle East that have long appeared in Western culture at this time of year.

“Sonali Bhattacharyya’s wonderful Arabian Nights is far from the stereotypes of the past, and gets to the essence of why these stories endure. It’s a universal story of good versus evil, of two sisters who inspire collective power to make positive change where they live.”

It’ll give you the festive feels for sure – and did we mention that the magical flying horse talks?

For the tinies, Four Seasons is a theatrical love letter to nature by award-winning Little Bulb, skipping through the seasons to a soundtrack that includes a nice bit of Vivaldi. On special 6pm Pyjama Nights you can come in your favourite PJs or onesie, grab a hot chocolate and watch just before bedtime.

“It’’ll give you all the festive feels for sure – and did we mention the magical flying horse talks?”

BRISTMAS SHOWS

“A Wild West of bloody violence, in which the guy you slept with last night is so ugly you’d rather gnaw yo o n a m o than wake him”

One of these shows is for kids. The other is for adults. You’re advised not to mix them up

5THE WARDROBE

Can you smell the fresh gunpowder? Can you hear the thunder of horses? Can you taste the cheap beer? [“Oi!” – Old Market Assembly bar].

The Good, the Bad & the Coyote Ugly takes you to an lawless Wild West frontier: a landscape of bloody violence and passionate romance, where the heroes are good, the villains are bad and the guy you slept with last night is so ugly you’d rather gnaw your own arm off than wake him. The Wardrobe’s latest cheerfully un-woke festive mash-up is a mad, rude, bonkers and hysterical comedy musical with high-noon shootouts, brutal saloon brawls, horse chases and crop-top line-dancing.

Don’t bring the little kids, but do take them to Kid Carpet’s Noisy Nativity, in which Bristol’s king of lo-fi tunes, wonky beats and live toybox animation remixes the traditional Christmas story with the help of his regular animal accomplices.

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BRISTMAS SHOWS

Shaun saves Christmas again, to live orchestral accompaniment

THE FESTIVE SHOWS BRISTOL OLD VIC

Arabian Nights 23 November - 6 January Four Seasons 1 December - 7January www.bristololdvic.org.uk

TOBACCO FACTORY THEATRES

Oliver Twist 1 December - 21 January The Selfish Giant 14 December - 6 January Noel West 14-18 December www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com

THE WARDROBE

The Good, the Bad & the Coyote Ugly 24 November - 20 January.

Kid Carpet’s Noisy Nativity 15-29 December www.thewardrobetheatre.com

BRISTOL HIPPODROME

Annie the Musical 20-25 November Peter Pan 2-31 December www.atgtickets.com

THE REDGRAVE

Out of the Woods 28 November - 7 December Rapunzel 12-31 December www.redgravetheatre.com

BRISTOL BEACON

Various concerts and dates; www.bristolbeacon.org

ST GEORGE’S BRISTOL

Various concerts and dates; www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

“As they book up for the only panto in town, let lesser cities weep with envy over the sheer, heady choice available at Bristmas” 6THE REDGRAVE

“Bring me these before the chime of midnight in three days’ time…” Over at The Redgrave, a bunch of talented Bristol Old Vic Theatre school grads are tackling Sondheim, no less, with Into The Woods, a dark comedic adventure filled with familiar fairytale icons.

After that, it’s straight into panto territory with Rapunzel.

7ST GEORGE’S BRISTOL

The usual delights lead up to Christmas – another Messiah, another live accompaniment to a Briggs classic (The Snowman), all manner of spectaculars and fiestas – but a standout promises to be the special festive screening of Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas, accompanied by Bristol Ensemble on 21-22 December.

So there you have it. Let lesser cities weep with envy over the sheer, heady choice available to Bristmas audiences, as they sullenly book themselves into the only panto in town.

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

TRAIL OF THE UNEXPECTED

Y

ou never know what treasures you’ll unearth at an arts trail, and one of the richest hunting grounds is North Bristol’s, which sees over 100 artists and makers from the Bishopston, Henleaze and Redland areas showing their original work in homes, studios and public venues. As you peruse the paintings, prints, ceramics, jewellery, photos and sculpture you’ll have a chance to meet the artists and learn about their creative process, although you don’t have to; silent browsing is also fully acceptable. ome artists will be o ering demos eo annis, for example, will be demonstrating wood-turning.

Others ha e created unusual one o designs, such as Olga Van Rijswijck’s intricate collage of Bristol Harbourside.

The picture above is Bougainvillea by North Bristol artist Hemali Modha, currently on display at a new exhibition at RWA called Also Artists, a collection of work by 43 of the gallery’s talented behind-thescenes sta . emali has a ery similar piece on sale during the Trail.

The North Bristol Art Trail runs 25-26 November between 10am-5pm; pick up a map around Bristol, or see online www.northbristolartists.org.uk/trail www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 19

WHAT’S 17 NovemberON ecem e Down one shot of Baileys whenever you read the word ‘festive’. For our full lowdown on the Christmas shows, flick back to page 10

Do not attempt this at Bristol Balloon Fiesta: BANFF

EXHIBITIONS Until 22 December

ABANDONED Photographers Jill Quigley and Adrian Tyler explore abandoned homes in Scotland and Ireland, and the household objects that lie within them; at MPF; martinparrfoundation.org

Until 14 January

ANNUAL OPEN The South West’s biggest annual open exhibition is back for its 170th outing; at RWA, rwa.org.uk OFELIA RODGRIGUEZ A major exhibition by Colombian artist Ofelia; at Spike Island, spikeisland.org.uk

Until 18 February

ELIAS SIME: EREGATA he first major solo uropean museum e hibition for lias, one of thiopia’s leading contemporary artists, at rnolfini a nol ni o g

Until 21 April

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR The very best nature photography in the world returns to M Shed for its annual AW residency; bristolmuseums.org.uk

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25-26 November

NORTH BRISTOL ART TRAIL See page 19;

2-10 December

BIG JEFF JOHN ART: STARE he indomitable e is back, with a new exhibition of self-portraits at the Glass Room in the shiny new Beacon; ig e ohn a t com

SHOWS

20-25 November

ANNIE THE MUSICAL If you’re not into panto, alternative festive treats at Hippodrome can always be found in late November; this year it’s the evergreen musical about li’l orphan Annie and her hard-luck life. Craig Revel Horwood steps into the Miss Hannigan role originally earmarked for Paul O’Grady. atgtic et com

21-25 November

BACON n un inching yet humorous look at masculinity, sexuality and power seen through the lens of youth. choolboy angst is clearly bo o ce gold these days; i tolol ic o g

23-25 November DARKNET

Welcome to Octopus Inc, the internet giant that allows users to exchange their personal data for currency. But not everyone is prepared to sacrifice their pri acy From Bristol School of Acting, at TFT, to acco acto ytheat e com

23 Nov-6 January

ARABIAN NIGHTS A daring heroine (didn’t see that one coming) captivating songs and a timeless story of wonder and hope, for ancy edina’s first Christmas show for BOV; i tolol ic o g

24-25 November

JARMAN erek arman filmmaker, painter, gardener, gay rights activist: his in uence remains as strong as in 1994 when he died from AIDS. His extraordinary story has never been dramatised – until now, in a solo play from Mark Farrelly; Alma Tavern; almata e nan theat e co

24 November-20 January

THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE COYOTE UGLY It can only be The Wardrobe’s festive mash-up,. Laugh? You’ll even buy your own beer in the Old Market Assembly saloon afterwards, the a o etheat e com

28 November-7 December INTO THE WOODS “Bring me these before the chime of midnight in three days time...”

Kickstart your festive celebrations at Redgrave with Sondheim’s musical masterpiece, e g a etheat e com

30 November-3 December

FAMILY STORIES Amid the ruins of war-devastated Yugoslavia, four characters play a game, pretending to be a family, reproducing the behaviour of disoriented adults. Little by little, the logic of war is revealed... from Bristol School of Acting, at TFT, to acco acto ytheat e com

30 November16 December

FAIRYTALE OF BRISTOL The ultimate Prohibition-meetsBristol-underworld immersive party as Invisible Circus turns Loco Klub into Santarini’s – a subterranean speakeasy where the booze is chilled, food fabulous and the entertainment exceptional; loco l com

1 December-7 January

FOUR SEASONS It’s the BOV Christmas show for discerning tiny audiences, from Olivier-award winning Little

WHAT’S ON 17 November

JOHN HEGLEY John brings a show devised for adults but of interest to some nine-yearolds. There are songs, poems, stories, cardboard creatures and optional joining-ins. At The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

23 & 24 November

CHLOE PETTS: IF YOU CAN’T SAY ANYTHING NICE Everyone complimented Chloe on how polite she was in the last show so now she plans on being really rude; at 1532, 1532bristol.co.uk Bulb theatre company; expect a “theatrical love letter to nature for children and their families”. Nawhh. bristololdvic.org.uk

1 December-21 January

OLIVER TWIST The Dickensian classic, reimagined for TFT by its new AD, Heidi Vaughan; tobaccofactorytheatres.com

2-30 December

PETER PAN Hippdodrome’s big panto for 2023 features the surprisingly dignified presence of David Suchet as Hook.

Maybe also Mr Darling, if they’re sticking to canon. atgtickets.com

8-30 December

CHRISTMAS AT MUM’S Returning to TFT without Shesus, who has transcended and left this pair of o beat twins all alone. o where do the Sisters go for Crimbo now? Back to Mum’s, the original matriarch, of course. Expect karaoke, a prawn ring and Sister Mary Berry’s festive bangers, at TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com

COMEDY Ongoing

CLOSER EACH DAY All the drama of Succession. The grit of EastEnders. The rumpy-pumpy of Sex Education... the world’s longestrunning improvised comedy soap continues to bubble away amusingly at Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

Until 18 November

TOP: Billy: fighting the system with punk-folk-rock since the ’80s MIDDLE: Get the milk on the pan, it’s Jim and Han at Trinity

BOTTOM: More schoolboy angst at BOV: this time it’s Bacon

HELP! I THINK I’M A NATIONALIST Seamas Carey is confused. House prices soar, the population shifts, tensions rise. Can nationalism be the answer? What’s the line between pride and power? What happens when it all goes too far? Find out at Bristol Old Vic; bristololdvic.org.uk

STEPHEN K AMOS: OXYMORON He’s been playing Mr Doolittle in My Fair Lady up West; now Stephen’s back in familiar stand-up territory, finding opportunity in crisis, joy in sadness and the wisdom of fools: after all, comedy equals tragedy.

At the Hen, henandchicken.com

8 December

ROBIN MORGAN: SNIP SNIP, BITCH He’s quite the rising star, so they say. The snip? Yes, that would be his vasectomy. For(eskin) more, head to Alma Tav; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

MUSIC

17 November

METHODNB tart to finish hea yweights of the d’n’b division, with Manchester’s finest an controlling the mic.

Trinity Centre; trinitybristol.org.uk

18 November

DR NEVILLE STAPLE The legendary co-frontman of The Specials and original Rude Boy brings the Two-Tone sound to The Fleece; thefleece co

20 November

ALFA MIST He’s a little bit grime, he’s a little bit jazz, and he’s coming to Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

21 November

HOT MILK Manc power pop duo Jim and Han seek to celebrate the real, the strong and the beautifully strange, in a warm and welcoming sphere; at Trinity, trinitybristol.org.uk STEELYE SPAN The folk-rock pioneers, still fronted by Maddy Prior, celebrate fi e decades in the bi at t ’s. t’s nearly Christmas so fingers

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WHAT’S ON crossed for a nice bit of Gaudete. stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

23 November

THE WASSAIL Before carolling, there was wassailing, where seasonal songs were exchanged for money, food and ale. Now Eliza Carthy and Jon Boden are doing much the same thing in exchange for your ticket money at St G’s, stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

4 December

ZAK ABEL Soulful vocals blended with R&B and pop gi e us a taste of ak’s first solo project, One Hand On The Future.

At Trinity, trinitybristol.org.uk

29 November

5 December

THE CHARLATANS The West Midlands indie-rock foursome bring a non-stop jukebox of their greatest hits to O2; academymusicgroup.com THE SLEAFORD MODS The Nottingham duo are as irascible as ever, and in latest album UK Grim things are only getting worse; but at least its electro-punk energy makes it dance oor friendly. ust try to dance angrily, we guess. At O2, academymusicgroup.com.

30 November-2 December

BRISTOL BEACON REOPENING WEEKEND icking o on 0 o with Trip The Light Fantastic, a special collaboration between Paraorchestra, Surgeons Girl and Limbic Cinema, followed

by The Housewarming on 2 Dec, a day-to-night party spread over the whole building; bristolbeacon.org

2 December

OH MY GOD! IT’S THE CHURCH The blasphemous ‘party to paradise’ 10 piece are back, celebrating saints and sinners alike while swaggering through their fever-inducing catalogue of rock, soul, R&B and gospel, at Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk SCOTT MILLS & CHRIS STARK’S ULTIMATE 2000S It was the decade that introduced us to Kim Kardashian, The X Factor, Big Brother and Facebook, but don’t let that put you o . cott and Chris set out to prove it was the best era for music ever, at O2; academymusicgroup.com a monopoly on street art, you know: System K at Afrika Eye; BOTTOM: Always wanted to boo Craig Revel H? You’ll have your chance at Hippodrome

SPECTOR Not the disgraced Phil, or his admittedly unbeatable Christmas hits, but a bunch of London indie kids with ’ 0s haircuts, playing Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk OCEAN COLOUR SCENE The guys who lit up the Britpop party have honed their craft in the spirit of the soul, folk and blues greats who inspired them; see where they’re at these days at Beacon, bristolbeacon.org

28 November

TOP: Cheer up, Sleaford Mods, it’s nearly Christmas; MIDDLE: Bristol doesn’t have

and producer rthur e es and his avian ensemble, at Bristol Beacon; bristolbeacon.org

3 December

PENGUIN CAFÉ Avant-pop from musician, composer,

BILLY BRAGG unk rocker, ski e aficionado, sse boy, protest singer’s protest singer, author, lefty polemicist, belligerent optimist and all round decent bloke Billy has been a fearless recording artist, tireless live performer and acti ist for 0 years, so it’s only nice to come to see him at Beacon; bristolbeacon.org

7 December

ALICE PHOEBE LOU Yet another singer-songwriter whose name you may not recognise, but then you check them out on YouTube, and think, wow, Trinity can really pick ’em. trinitybristol.org.uk JOOLS HOLLAND The ivory-tinkler and national treasure brings his r’n’b boogiewoogie to Beacon; bristolbeacon.org

CHRISTMAS

Just a selection; there’s loads...

Until 23 December

BRISTOL CHRISTMAS MARKET The chalets are already up at Broadmead and waiting for you, with the glühwein and mince pies; bristolchristmasmarket.com CHRISTMAS SPIEGELTENT The usual eclectic festive programme of parties, music, circus and cabaret, within the extraordinary time-machine that is the Spiegeltent. Magic guaranteed; christmasspiegeltent.co.uk

25 November17 December

SANTA SPECIALS It’s all aboard the Avon Valley

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

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WHAT’S ON 7-10 December

TREEFEST Annual community-focused spectacular at St Mary billed as ‘Bristol’s favourite Christmas Tree Festival’, which sounds amusingly niche, but go anyway because it’s lovely. tma y e cli e co k

OTHER Ongoing

BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL The year-round fest with the something-for-everyone remit; expect a sleighful of Christmas classics. i tol lm e ti al com

Until 22 November

steam train with the big man in red for kids and well-behaved parents. Imagine if it snowed. It probably won’t, but just imagine. avonvalleyrailway.org

1-23 December

AEROSPACE BRISTOL The venue’s conservation workshop will become Santa’s Workshop, with busy elf activity; you’ll also have the chance to visit the North Pole on a (presumably stationary) Bristol Freighter; if it’s not, we’re coming with. aerospacebristol.org

2-3, 9-10 December

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS The festive weekends are back at ss Great Britain, with chaps in period clothing, carols, mince pies and the only guaranteed snowfall this Christmas in the larger Bristol area; ssgreatbritain.org

2-7 December

FESTIVE WOODLAND Never mind reindeer; at Bristol Zoo Project you can step into a charmingly-decorated festive woodland, surrounded by wolves, lyn es, wol erines, ebras, gira es, cheetahs, geladas and meerkats. Do they know it’s Christmas? Probably not, but never mind; bristolzoo.org.uk

6 December

TOP: Collage meets West African craft tradition: Elias Sime at Arnolfini MIDDLE: Ocean Colour Scene: life after Britpop

BOTTOM: Terry’s gone, but we still have Dr Nev: at The Fleece

HYPE’S STUDIO 54 CHRISTMAS PARTY With Hype, it’s go big or go home, so round up a gang of stylish fellow party folk and make like Bianca, Liza and Andy used to do back in the ’70s – white horse probably not allowed. At Document; hypeagency.co.uk

AFRIKA EYE The South West’s biggest celebration of frican film returns to various venues; a i aeye o g

18 November

TEDX BRISTOL Back in Bristol after an absence of four years, and now held at ssGB. Loads of speakers announced, see website. tedxbristol.co.uk DRAG QUEEN WORKOUT ... the Disco Edition. Fitness with a glam twist, and a celebration of your inner superstar; there’s even a free beer thrown in. At LHG taproom; hamlinandhive.com BANFF The Mountain Film Festival World Tour reaches Redgrave; presumably an easier journey than in the humanpowered adventures documented in this fest. redgravetheatre.com

19 November

BRISTOL FASHION SHOW Showcasing the best of Bristol’s independent artists, at The Mount Without; a hion ho i tol co

25-26 November, 2-3, 9-10 December

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN FAIR Jewellery, ceramics, skincare and slow-fashion from local makers at Prior Shop; priorshop.uk

25-26 November, 9-10 December

MADE IN BRISTOL GIFT FAIR Local creativity spills over all over the Beacon as local crafty types sell their wares; madeinbristolshop.co.uk

1-20 December

POWELL & PRESSBURGER A BFI celebration; see page 30; powellandpressburger.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 25

BOA R MAS

ARTS

RD S TER Artist JAYSON LILLEY has just brought out a new collection of art based on a rather familiar-looking board…

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s the attentive Bristol Life reader may recall, we’ve featured Jayson in these pages before. A highly skilled British screen-printmaker, his signature style is a blend of painting, collage and mark-making in dynamic cityscapes. There’s no mistaking his work; for one thing, he dearly loves a sunburst; for another he’s fond of gold leaf, which he often combines with nostalgic tinted images.

Then there are the recurring themes. He’s strongly drawn to urban icons: in his Bristol work it’s often been the Suspension Bridge, M Shed and Harbourside. His cityscapes have a heightened sense of reality, yet somehow the views seem utterly familiar.

Although he grew up in Devon, he’s no stranger to the city. “I remember many a school trip to Bristol, visiting Spike Island and learning ABOVE: Cumberland Basin features in many of Jayson’s Bristol pieces, including (BELOW): the Bristol or Bust banknote...

“The Monopoly boards ask what preconceived ideas we may have about places and neighbourhoods without ever having visited them” about the maritime history,” he says. “My dad was in the navy, so this always resonated with me. I’ve always gravitated to places where water is a significant part of the landscape.

“When I started working professionally as an artist, the landscapes of Bristol were an obvious starting point, and though I now create works depicting many di erent cities, ristol has remained prominent in my practice as it holds such a special place in my heart. It’s been 1 years since created my first screenprint of Bristol, and I love how you can trace the passage of time through both the changes in the skyline and the evolution of my work.”

It doesn’t take an art connoisseur to detect this evolution. In his latest collection, for e ample, te tured surfaces and ashes of uorescents stand out in particular.

“Recently I’ve been developing techniques which allow me to add a lot more movement and texture,” he says. “My works have always embraced bold colour palettes, but I wanted to experiment with colour application that emphasises the life and dynamism of the city as it’s experienced.

“I’m trying to move away from architecture as being definiti e of the city, and instead to re ect the personality and mood of the place.

By incorporating acrylics, ink and glitters

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

ARTS

... and the new Let’s Move to Bristol Monopoly board art

alongside my trademark gold skies, I’m able to create marks that are more gestural, lively and, importantly, unique to each piece.”

Jayson has incorporated found objects into his work for some time now, from bank notes to bus tickets, Top Trump cards, and most recently, the special city edition Monopoly boards. From concept to realisation, his playful imagination and attention to detail never ceases to impress – we love the Monopoly counters displayed within the framed boards.

“Incorporating found materials into my works has been a really interesting de elopment for me, he says. find that the original object or material forces you to look at the city or the landscape through a di erent lens. The Monopoly boards, for example, ask what preconceived ideas we may have about places and neighbourhoods without ever having visited them.

“I’m interested in disrupting these narratives and providing an alternative look at the city, albeit in a fun and playful way. The existing design of the materials – whether it’s Monopoly Boards, bank notes or book covers – forces me to challenge the composition of the works; it places constraints on the designs that you just don’t have with a blank piece of paper.

“My new Bristol collection includes a Monopoly* and banknote edition. It’s been a pleasure to work on these pieces – exploring how the forms of the Bristol landscape can interact with the existing imagery on the objects. Having come from a design background, find that these limits and constraints force me to find creati e responses which push my ideas further. I’m always looking for a new challenge within my artistic practice, so whether it’s through incorporating found objects, upending traditional print methods or going wild with a set of pens, I’m always in search of the next idea.”

The Bristol collection is sold through Smithson Projects, and a selection of the works can be viewed in Hair at 58 on Cotham Hill. n For more: www.smithsonprojects.com @smithsonprojects; info@smithsonprojects.com

* The board Jayson has incorporated is the original Bristol Monopoly board – for details on the new one see page 6

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

Greta Gerwig

TOGETHER IN TECHNICOLOUR DREAMS They called themselves ‘The Archers’…

Words by Deri Robins

CREDIT IT V GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT PARK CIRCUS) PHOTO BY RUSSELL WEST WOOD

“Powell and Pressburger had a unique cinematic language that was all their own… they were willing to break and reinvent any ‘rule’ that movies had”

Moira Shearer in The Red Shoes.

P&P seemed to love a flame-haired Scottish leading lady; another big favourite was Deborah Kerr

ITV STUDIOS GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT_PARK CIRCUS

FILM

S

IMAGE COURTESY OF PARK CIRCUS/IT V

CREDIT STUDIOCANAL

imultaneously defining wartime and THE SPY IN BLACK (1939); THE SMALL post war ritish cinema, yet uite DARK ROOM (1949) unlike anything that came before or The Electric Cinema, Wootton-UnderEdge, 2 December since, ichael owell and meric ressburger practically created a genre. outh est ilents’ o shoot ilm oir orking together as co producers, writers presents a double bill of owell and and directors, this odd couple – the ery ressburger thrillers, close to ening where nglish owell, the ungarian migr ichael owell li ed from the 1 0s till his ressburger – produced films under the death and burial at ening arish Church. name of he rchers. hile in many ways patriotic, their films were ne er uncritical THE TALES OF HOFFMANN (1951) Churchill famously loathed The Life of Death Clevedon Curzon, 8 December of Colonel Blimp, which while being wholly he historic rt eco cinema is presenting sympathetic to its titular character pulled no owell ressburger’s Oscar nominated punches when it came to criticising outdated comic opera with wraparound entertainment military alues, or the notion of a fair fight . featuring singers, dancers, a period fashion i en the mongrel nature of he rchers’ ad isor and a dress up competition. collaboration it’s unsurprising that their work www.curzon.org.uk should be filled with so much ambiguity. he characters and settings are often as nglish as THE BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE aling, yet with a fre uently surreal uropean (1956) pressionist streak and a decidedly un ritish The former IMAX, 10 December lack of restraint. A Canterbury Tale is mystical. resented by outh est silents although Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes are positi ely yes, it’s a talkie . made se eral wartime febrile. A Matter of action mo ies here, Life and Death is a a eet of ritish romantic fantasy in cruisers must stop which a shot down a i raiders from wartime a iator attacking the llied argues for his life forces, in ol ing a Martin Scorsese before a celestial tough battle against court there’s literally the hea ily armed a stairway to hea en. he heightened emotions erman battleship Admiral Graf Spee. in many of their films are accentuated by a ti to lm noi la ish saturation of echnicolour by renowned cinematographer ack Cardi .

THE RED SHOES (1948) ltimately their films fell out of fashion.

Watershed, 15 December Oddly it was ressburger, the enemy alien’ e’re promised a radiant new mm print of who’d ed from the a is, who retired to the e traordinary ballet mo ie about a dancer a rose co ered cottage retirement in the oira hearer unable to choose between lo e nglish countryside. lying solo, owell went and her career. o belo ed by atthew ourne on to make the 1 0 slasher mo ie Peeping that he based his own ballet on it.

Tom, which while now regarded as ground www.watershed.co.uk breaking, destroyed his career. owe er, his life ultimately had a happy ending when renowned BLACK NARCISSUS (1947) * filmmakers rancis ord Coppola and artin The Mount Without, 20 December corsese set out to reclaim his reputation uns go mad in the imalayas ell, one nun, and celebrate his contribution to cinema. n anyway. site specific screening of owell 1 1, along with ressburger, he recei ed the ressburger’s erotic melodrama in this ellowship. beautiful con erted city centre church. his year, a major nationwide season from One of the most e ulgently beautiful the ritish ilm nstitute celebrates this pair of echnicolor films e er made, and among the daringly sub ersi e, breathtakingly in enti e most into icatingly sensual. n and passionately romantic filmmakers. ti to lm noi ottoncinema com atershed, the Cur on at Cle edon, outh est ilents and newly formed ilm oir BFI’s Cinema Unbound: The Creative Worlds of Powell & are o ering enhanced screenings of Pressburger: www.powellandpressburger.co.uk films, not just by he rchers but also their collaborators, and admirers check website for *FUN FACT: details on the latter.

CREDIT IT V STUDIOS/PARK CIRCUS

CREDIT IT V STUDIOS/PARK CIRCUS

“A reminder of what life and art are all about”

A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH (1946) Watershed, 1 December

FROM TOP: A Matter of Life and Death; The Tales of Hoffman;

The Battle of the River Plate; Black Narcissus (Kathleen Byron, mad nun); Black Narcissus (Deborah Kerr, sane nun)

he orld ar classic starring a id i en as a shot down ancaster pilot attempting to cheat death opens the enue’s a Colour by echnicolour’ season.

Black Narcissus (and also 1943 P&P film The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp) stars Scottish-born but Bristol and Weston-Super-Mare educated Deborah Kerr – one of several performers favoured

by Powell and Pressburger with SouthWest connections.

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

1

BARK LIFE

Move over, hoomans. We got this town.

Words and pics by Colin Moody

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BRISTOL HEROES

ou’re scheming on a thing that’s a mirage. I’m trying to tell you now, it’s sabotage...

Society? Culture? It’s all at three feet high and rising? Nooooooo.

What about life down here? Six inches altitude. All these weeks of Bristol Human heroes, it’s time for something di erent. elcome to our world. Of non-human heroes.

1

Like this legend owning it outside the City ground during Upfest a few years back. We don’t need no beverage held at no jaunty angle to look good. We got this town, you’re just looking after it for us.

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This issue’s heroes is not full of worthy animals who have saved lives, or award-winning racing champion horses. No; it’s more of a random collection of moments from our streets that proves this city has a lot more going on, if we choose to notice it. It’s a bit more of that ristol spirit, because we are a city in which art, culture, stu , etc is literally all churning and turning over in every corner, in a nonpretentious vibration all over the place.

Like the two bikes which rode through this puddle going down the pavement, and made it art. Accident? Chance? But does that even matter? Free art, inspiration, as down-to-earth as you can get… Now smile for the little birdie…

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3 4

All right; this is dog heroes.

It was going that way.

Have you noticed the rise in the dog population has exploded since lockdown ended? I bet there are psychologists sat at cafés right now watching humans with dogs rolling by, nodding sagely about this.

Afghan hounds, handbag dogs, purebreeds and well-mixed, it’s a society of poop-bag-in-the-hand wanderers like I’ve never seen before.

So to our next hero. On East Street, the original high street. It’s had a few knocks recently, and in the shadow of a dozen cranes a new future comes swaggering in like that dude late at a house party who forgot to bring any drinks.

But one good eye is all you need to see how it is.

Legend. Holding himself up straight and ready for the street.

4

We talk about the view from the street, a dog’s eye view, but here at the Balloon Fiesta is one of the crew dogs.

I wonder if any dogs have ever seen the city from way up there? robably not they don’t pay attention to safety briefings, so they’re unlikely to be allowed.

And having taken a ride or two reporting for the Fiesta myself I can confirm that dogs do look up. nd bark. t the bloons. pparently the gas coming out into the jets is a high pitch that they really notice.

Because we humans only see and hear the world in a short wavelength of experience while these four-legged pals get it all super-plus 4k.

“We humans only see and hear the world in a short wavelength of experience, while these four-legged pals get it all super-plus 4k” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 33

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BRISTOL HEROES 5

6 7

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Who do you rely on at work? Who is the one that’s there for you, always reliable, and ready to help? Maybe they stick their head out of the transit on the way to work and dribble, but that’s all part of the charm. By your side, and checking out the nosey photographers in the car across the street.

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You spend your whole life moving forwards, and then you turn on the news, and it’s the old stories of intolerance and hatred.

So right here, right now, a non-human hero. Hell, it might be a white pigeon, not a do e, but ’m gonna let the metaphor take ight on this page.

Bristol is a city of many cultures and lives, with an intersectionality at its heart. The geography and the geology, we are after all a port city, dictates that we understand ebb and ow a lot more than many. o the hero here is this single bird, taking ight, free.

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During lockdown most of us stayed in. All the time. Right? But just once, for the residents of St Paul’s, angels walked the streets.

They played angelic music, and they waved at the people standing on doorsteps only ever used at that time for clapping or collecting deliveries of warm food.

To those angels.

Thank you.

8

here is this fella, he ies a plane, and e ery now and then writes not words but a smiley face in the sky.

Way, way above all our petty squabbles, above all the noise complaints and anti-social behaviour, above all the pompous empty gestures, even higher than the rent increases.

So here is his face.

And that’s nice.

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

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 35

EMILY & DAN ROSS STORYSMITH BOOKS

staunchly anti-Hollywood while seemingly operating from deep within its confines, and his memoir is everything you’d expect and also everything you wouldn’t. Choice details include close encounters with the wolves that stalked the woods around his childhood home, fraternal ‘pranks’ such as his brother setting his shirt on fire, and meeting the world’s most unlikely ski-jump champion.

Please do not misunderstand us – we are deeply dedicated to making people read the Britney Spears memoir. But when it comes to music life stories this year, there are two essential alternatives that we couldn’t resist. First up is Thurston Moore, darling and legend of the New York experimental noise scene of the ’80s and beyond, and erstwhile figurehead of Sonic Youth.

Sonic Life is the warmly chaotic chronicle of his musical career, his deeply unusual approaches to creativity and a who’s-who of alternative music icons.

“Herzog’s memoir is everything you’d expect, and also everything you wouldn’t”

Predictably, our favourite booksellers are having no truck with the festive novelty market

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ou can’t fail to have noticed the annual surfeit of what we like to call ‘face-books’.

Anything with a gurning comedian on the cover, or a wryly-smiling actor-of-a-certainvintage, or a sports personality cajoled into a ‘but seriously’ expression by the publisher. You know the type of thing: books that appear in late autumn with the sole purpose of plugging your Uncle Martin’s Christmas stocking. We try very hard not to compete in this arena and focus instead on what we do best the weird, delightful stu .

So in that vein, we present to you an alternative to the onslaught of

face-books, our pick of the more esoteric memoirs and non-celebrity tell-alls that Uncle Martin didn’t even know he wanted.

Werner Herzog Every Man for Himself and God against All OK, so this one does technically qualify as a face-book due to quite prominently featuring Werner Herzog’s face on the cover, but when you look deep into the pellet-like eyes of the master of e treme filmmaking, resplendent in haz-mat suit and standing boldly on the edge of a volcano, you can’t seriously lump this in with this year’s crop of celeb memoirs.

Herzog is, as you probably know, a complete one o , uni uely and

Louise Erdrich - Books And Islands in Ojibwe Country The prospect of travelling across the multitudinous lakes and islands of Ontario and Minnesota with only a vague idea of geography and itinerary doesn’t sound like an immediately relaxing or indulgent one. Even more so when you’ve got an 18-month-old baby with you.

But somehow, against the odds, Louise Erdrich’s account of just such a journey becomes e ortlessly engrossing as she haphazardly traverses the islands of her ancestral stomping grounds and reconnects with family both known and unknown in this spectrally gorgeous part of the world.

This is also a book especially for book lovers themselves, and Erdrich’s eventual arrival at the Mecca-like location of Mallard Island, the site of an eccentric and idiosyncratically-stocked library of antiquarian books across a series of ramshackle buildings, it feels like a miracle – a perfect gift.

On the ipside, Sly Stone’s Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again) charts the rise and subsequent disappearance from the spotlight of one of funk’s most inimitable firebrands, a isionary loose canon who has never told the full story of just what made his unique artistry so wildly addictive back in the ’60s.

We know we’re going to be eternally against the grain on this one, and that the face-books will end up in way more stockings than is necessary, but hopefully we can whet your appetite just enough to consider something a little more exploratory this Christmas. Your Uncle Martin will thank you.

Visit Storysmith Books at 36 North Street, Bedminster www.storysmithbooks.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 37

THE GRANARY Something old, something new...

Words by Deri Robins

RESTAURANT

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sk a cross-section of Bristol architects to name a in between courses, especially if you’re dining with someone you’ve been favourite local building, and at least one will choose The married to for 15 years and there’s nothing much new to talk about.

Granary* – the extraordinary red-brick, Grade-II Bristol Mercifully, though, they leave it at that. There are no virtue-signalling y antine edifice on elsh ack, which by rights should be lectures on pro enance from the waitsta as they hold your rapidly incongruous yet somehow seems to epitomise the quirky cooling tory arm kofta tantalisingly just out of reach while you feign swagger of the city. (* That’s not just a wild guess, by the rapt interest in the life story of the sheep. way; we have features and quotes from architects to prove it). ry to make room for the sourdough atbreads as well as dips, starters The Granary was originally built in 1869 as a grain store: a utilitarian and mains; dishes aren’t huge, and two people can easily get through building, but one with attitude and pazzazz. It spent much of the late 20th seven or eight. Besides, who can resist toppings such as oyster mushrooms century as a music venue, its walls echoing to the licks of Clapton, Black in white tru e oil, or fire braised tomatoes with black oli es, chilli and Sabbath, Genesis, Thin Lizzie, Billy Idol, the Sex Pistols – that must have oregano? Not us. The herby, smoky little juice-bombs of tomatoes on been a fun night on King Street – Dire Straits, Queen and many more. the latter were extremely good, ditto the deeply earthy and garlicky t’s also ser ed time as a filming location, and according to www.ofah.net, mushrooms on the former. A fava bean hummus dip was another who should know, it was here that Del Boy did his falling-through-the-bar standout Charlie makes his with home made sun ower seed tahini thing in Only Fools and Horses. instead of sesame seeds. f we worked on elsh ack we’d be mainlining ts last residents were the fish restaurant chain och yne, and before this e ery day for lunch, with a ost rounded beer or ogan co ee. that Belgo, whose demise we have never ceased to mourn or comprehend.

As it was, the night was still young, and we’d only just begun. hat wasn’t to lo e about a sycho ilo of mussels with chips and elgian Onto the small plates. Chunks of juicy white fish came encased in a beer, served by personable youths dressed as monks? light-as-air tempura, with tangy Szechuan sauce for It’s rather a crime that The Granary has stood the dipping. A cracked wheat pilaf with chestnuts DINING DETAILS empty and unloved for so long, but the good news and dates had us feeling astonishingly Christmassy. is that it’s just been brought back to life as an pulled chicken laab with pu ed rice and pickles The Granary, 32 Welsh Back; 0117 468 0032 www.granarybristol.com s all day dining spot. e felt pretty confident it was was piquant and refreshing, but our favourite was a good news, too, because new owners Sumit and densely a oursome cider braised chicken in brown Kitchen hours Open daily 8am-9pm Puja Chadha had impressed us very much with sugar bu alo sauce and blue cheese.

Price Starters £5-9; mains £11-28: puds £7-8 what they’d done at Harbour House, at the former ll the mains are cooked o er fire they’re not Veggie? Good choice, ditto vegan and GF e ernshed site. e liked their respectful treatment Service Adorable much larger than the starters, with everything of the old Brunel boathouse, and found the decor coming to the table all at once, tapas style. An Atmosphere Buzzing and relaxed and food impeccable, the sta can do and sunny. ndonesian in uenced day boat fish grilled in kale If one thing distinguishes Puja and Sumit’s leaves was a memorably delicate dish, and all the approach, it’s thoughtfulness. They’re thoughtful about sustainability. better for an exciting addition of coconut adobo and habanero sambal.

They’re thoughtful about the historic buildings they’ve taken over. And ear oluminous clothing to he ranary to accommodate dessert. as relative newcomers to the city, they’re punctilious (and savvy) about he ar ey’s ristol cream tri e was o the menu, much to the relief of keeping e erything local, from suppliers to craftspeople. or the interior Your Man, who was spared having to listen to me claim for the hundredth of The Granary, Puja collaborated with local artisans and women-led time that no restaurant ever makes one as good as mine. I have few businesses to create new murals, hand-painted tiles, fabrics and weaves, signature dishes, but tri e is among them will re eal secret ingredient for all with a strong upcycling ethic; the result is a decor that’s immediately cash). Instead, we shared The Granary’s take on a Boy Scout stalwart, the welcoming, softly pretty and distinctive. s’more. world away from the a erage dib dib dib e ort, with peanut Sealing the deal for us was the fact that the kitchen would be overseen ice-cream, Belgian biscuit and Italian meringue, it was a fabulous entente

by Charlie James, former owner of the much-missed Jamaica Street cordiale of a pud that vaguely resembled (a headless) Casper the Ghost. tores. Charlie would be cooking e tensi ely o er fire, in a modern Not content with feeding Bristol from breakfast through to dinner, ritish menu with a ours inspired by y antine trade routes. there’s a new bar and dance oor in the basement, so if you’re still able to e isited on a dreich and dreary midweek e ening, cra ing the waddle down the stairs after eating (we weren’t) you can head there for a few kind of soul-enhancing cheer that only a good restaurant can provide. cocktails; live bands will also play here once more. irst impressions were spot on. e couldn’t ha e been greeted more It’s always heartening to see a beloved Bristol building given a new lease enthusiastically if we’d been Mayor Marv dining with Jay Rayner. of life, even more so when it provides the city with yet another excellent he menu is enticing, with a blamelessly fair meat fish eggie egan dining and drinking option in the process. There’s no side or pretension ratio that we can’t imagine anyone not being delighted with. The to The Granary; it’s sensibly priced, yet its cooking is as interesting and seasonal, sustainable, slow-mile ethos is dutifully chronicled in little comple as you’d find anywhere. aunching a new all day opening is potted bios of suppliers on the back, which makes for interesting reading ambitious, to say the least; go and support it, it deserves your custom.

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

Formerly known as Clifton Wine School

Tel: 07854239926 | bristol@localwineschool.com We are your friendly local wine school on a mission to teach wine to anyone who’ll listen. Choose from our Cheese and Wine Matching night, a Fine Wine tasting, Wines of the World evening courses, WSET qualifications Levels 1 to 3, and so much more. We also do unforgettable hen parties and corporate events. We don’t sell wine, we give you confidence to choose the best wines for yourself.

You can purchase any course or tasting as a Wine School Gift Voucher starting from £30 the perfect present for any wine lovers!

Tastings, courses and events now also available online. www.localwineschool.com/bristol

FOOD & DRINK TA S T Y B I T E S F R O M B R I S T O L’ S F O O D S C E N E

HOT OFF THE PASS The freshest stories from the Bristol food and drink scene

FROM LEFT: Ben Harvey, Toby Gritton, Holly Eggleton,

Josh Eggleton, Hannah Catley, George Opondo (Ashton Gate), Shona Graham and Dom Borel

BEAUTIES AND THE FEAST

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ristol Life was relieved to hear that Bristol’s hospitality legends had returned safe and sound after scaling Mt Kilimanjaro in aid of Caring in Bristol. We were worried they’d all be eaten by mountain lions – not even a joke, it was a genuine concern. You can still donate; see the link at the end of this piece.

But the caring work continues, and on 29 February some of the same team will be holding an Anti-Banquet at Ashton Gate, hoping to raise £100,000+ for the Bristol food fund, protecting the city’s most vulnerable people through its most vital projects.

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

Bristol businesses can buy a table, either for team members who don’t normally get to attend such events, or a charity or deserving group. Bosses from the sponsoring companies will also be invited to roll up their sleeves to cook in the kitchen or run front of house.

Bristol chefs preparing dinner for 700 guests will be Josh Eggleton of the Pony group, Peter Sanchez Iglesias of Casa, Ben Harvey of Bianchis, Toby Gritton from the Pump House and pastry chef Hannah Cately; they’re joined

by Cornish chef Jude Kereama and Sunday Brunch’s Simon Rimmer. Holly Eggleton, Shona Graham of Emmeline and Dom Borel of Bianchis will run the front of house, and your hosts will be Jayde Adams and Joe Sims.

JOSH EGGLETON: “We’ve been working

with Ashton Gate for a few years now, looking to create an event which raises money for Bristol’s food charities. It’s more important than ever that we support the existing resources and organisations that we have in the city, and help them to keep doing critical work with many of Bristol’s most vulnerable people.

“We didn’t want to run a standard charity event; we wanted to invite the city’s leaders to come and cook alongside us, while public sector and charity workers dine and are recognised for everything they do for the city.

“We’ve got some great people involved, including Team Love, Boomtown, Team Canteen and Plaster, and we’re looking to

HOT PLATES

CHEF PICS, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Josh, Pete and Ben; INSET: Straight outta Kilimanjaro: Toby, Ben, Josh and Dom

“As a collective, it’s amazing what we can achieve” create a brilliant night of entertainment and some great food. Big thanks to all the chefs who have said they’ll help to lead the kitchens; they all give up so much time to do great things for the city, and as a collective it’s amazing what we can achieve.”

BEN HARVEY: “As a co-founder of Team Canteen ’ e seen firsthand how much some people struggle to make ends meet, skipping meals and generally experiencing negative outcomes. In a cost-of-living crisis we need to pull together, and show them we’re here from them, and to support the charities on the front line keeping them going.

“I’m proud to be cooking alongside this line-up of chefs. It’s going to be great fun in the kitchen, showing people what it’s like to work on the pass, in the kitchen and in front of house. It’ll certainly be a night to remember.

I’ll be bringing some Bianchis inspiration to the menu, with some of our go-to banqueting dishes inspired by family-style eating in Italy.”

PETE SANCHEZ: “Ashton Gate isn’t going to

know what’s hit it when all these chefs come together to take over the kitchens. I love the concept of cooking for the city’s workers, and getting to know some of its business owners on the pass.

“Bristol Food Fund is vital to many of the city’s food charity’s success, so it’s important that we raise as much money as possible through sponsorship, as well as people sponsoring tables on the night. In lockdown we all came together to look at food poverty in the city, and I’m proud to help keep all these initiatives going as the cost of living is pushing even more people into food poverty.”

For more: www.antibanquet.co.uk To donate to the Mt Kilimanjaro fundraiser for Caring in Bristol see www.linktr.ee/WeAreCaringinBristol

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 43

HOT PLATES JUST OPEN…

Say ¡hola! to new South American café and bakery Lunita Pastelería at loucester oad. t’s run

by Fabina Greco, who began by supplying her bakes to an Argentinian café in Bath before taking them to markets.

The new café has a rather gorgeous interior, with terra o ooring and counters and a blue, white and gold theme inspired by the rgentine ag. e’ll not only ha e our rgentine facturas, but will be serving up empanadas, milanesa sandwiches and salads,” says Fabina. Keeping it all super local is co ee from riple Co oast in Montpelier, butter from Estate Dairy and cheese from Chew Valley Dairy.

NOW CLOSED…

t’s a great barn of a place, it e en defeated arny Haughton when he ran it as Bordeaux Quay, and now Latino cocktail bar Revolución de Cuba has thrown in the towel too. rankly we’ e always thought this mega corner site on Harbourside might be better divvied up into two or three smaller venues, or even used as a food hall, but we know nothing, so we’ll ha e to wait patiently to see what next occurs in this space. www.revoluciondecuba.com

AMUSES BOUCHES…

Beloved by decades of luvvies, thanks to its proximity to Bristol Old Vic, Renato’s on King Street has been closed for a while, but is reopening as a collab between Pizza is Lovely and Left Handed Giant; expect the cosy, poster-plastered décor to be largely unchanged, and pizza on the menu. @renatosbristol Fundraising goals have been hit for a new caf sta ed by former prisoners. t’s been dreamt up by the Restore Trust, a social enterprise working with charity The Key: Unlock Potential to help rehabilitate o enders back into society. The Key café will open in a disused Ministry of Justice building on Gloucester Road; money raised will also help to rejuvenate the food inside HMP Bristol. www.thekeybristol.com Another Change of Art at the Second Floor Restaurant at Harvey Nicks on 23 November, as Bristol street artist Sickboy, presents Optical Delusions, an exhibition of artwork and light sculptures as you enjoy a three-course menu and cocktail inspired by art. Expect temples, gira es and smurfs to feature. ery guest gets a print, and there’s a complimentary goody bag if you buy any art on the evening. www.harveynichols.com Congratulations to newish ristol fish, chip and seafood restaurant Noah’s, o to a ying fish start by being nominated in the latest National Fish and Chip Awards; the winners will be announced on 28 February.

2024. www.noahsbristol.co.uk

BREW GOES THERE Craft beer taproom and nano brewery Bruhaha has moved into the former Eat Your Greens site in Totterdown.

While based at Windmill Hill City Farm, Steve England and business partner Dave Partridge established a small-batch independent brewery using ultra-sustainable methods; the pop-up tap room events, serving beers using botanicals from the farm, became so popular that the obvious next step was to move to a permanent venue.

“We want to create a neighbourhood bar where everyone feels comfortable and welcome,” says Steve, who feels that the new 156 Wells Road venue is the perfect place to bring ruhaha’s eclectic mix of local brews, music and great

food, with opportunities to use the rooms during the daytime and evenings.

“Producing and serving really good beer is what we are about, and we hope local people will enjoy our brand of local, wild, small batch beers.’’

“We want to provide a social space for all sorts of local activities, including, workshops, exhibitions, yoga and meetings, and will be hiring it out for parties and events,” says Dave.

Bruhaha are not losing the connection with the arm completely, as they’ll still run their mobile pop-up bars for events. hey’ll also continue to use the farm’s botanicals in their brewing process, and feed all the waste product to the pigs.

For more: www.bruhaha.beer

ANOTHER TV COOKERY SHOW, ANOTHER BRISTOL CHEF This time it’s Tommy Thorn, making us proud on Masterchef: The Professionals.

Tommy is classically trained and spent last 10 years working in awardwinning restaurants before ending up at The Ethicurean.

“I wish I had a romantic story about wanting to be a chef while I was growing up, but I don’t,” he says. “I lacked a bit of direction when I was 16, and worked in a kitchen as a KP. I found the theatre of the kitchen magical, and I knew then I wanted to be a chef. I love the buzz of a restaurant, the way food makes people feel, and being part of a team.”

Tommy says that while his travels in Asia have left a big impression on his cooking, he’s still finding his own style: “I believe that takes years. My training under some very talented chefs has a huge influence on how I like to cook, which includes a focus on intricacy and big flavours.

“I’ve always been a massive fan of MasterChef: The Professionals.

I feel ready with my skillset, and think I could do well, although anything could happen on the day…”

For more: www.bbc.com

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

RECIPE

B-BLOCK SALAD

It’s mid-November. We’re poised just before the Christmas excesses yet to come and the inevitable repentance of January. So who fancies a warming, hearty yet ultimately healthy recipe, courtesy of B-Block’s head chef Chris Wicks?

FREEKEH AND ROAST VEGETABLES

Freekeh is green durum wheat that has been sun dried and rubbed. It’s an ancient food derived from Levantine and North African cuisines.

Ingredients

1½ kilo cold water 1 kilo freekeh Olive oil Sea salt Black pepper 4 small aubergines, cut into 1.5 cm dice 500g red cherry tomatoes halved horizontally 500g yellow cherry tomatoes halved horizontally 2 bunches fresh basil 1 bunch fresh Italian parsley leaves 4 bunches spring onions, cut into 0.5cm pieces Dressing

3 cloves garlic, squeezed through a press 5g sea salt 5g black pepper 1 lemon, juiced 200ml olive oil 1. Season the halved tomatoes with salt, black pepper and oregano, and dry at 40ºC overnight on a wire rack in the oven.

2. Whizz the washed parsley with the basil, garlic and some olive oil in a blender, and leave to chill.

3. Preheat oven to 190°C. 4 Combine the water, freekeh, half a tablespoon oil and salt. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain the remaining water if any and u with a fork.

5. Toss the aubergine with three tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and roast in oven until golden.

6. Slice the spring onion and in a large bowl combine with the cooked freekeh and basil.

Add dressing then sprinkle over the roasted tomato and aubergine. Taste and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper as desired. er e immediately with a small pi a or at bread, or refrigerate until ready to serve. n For more www.b-blockpizza.co.uk

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

CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE

Bog standards It used to be everyone’s favourite Clifton loo stop, but now it’s so much more . . .

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his issue’s co ee shop of choice is Chapter olmes, on the approach road to the uspension ridge, coming from the Clifton end. ou can’t miss it this fun si ed emporium is housed within the old bog block, which has, through some miracle of modern design, been turned into a bijou kitchen caf while still also retaining a side order of public loos. on’t know who came up with this brilliant idea, but it’s a superb

“I don’t get the appeal of bubble tea myself, but, there again, kids don’t like whisky, so obviously it’s a case of each to their own”

use of space, so they get an e tra big tick from yours truly. e er could resist a spot of street sa y, sympathetic upcycling. ctually, last time looked, Chapter olmes also ran the rather splendid little tuk tuk co ee outlet at the other end of the bridge, so maybe they are the cle er clogs behind it all. ither way, it’s a fine use of a rather fine little building, in a rather fine location, too. hey do the usual co ees along with an assortment of sweet knick knacks, including a clutch of tasty ice cream a ours. n short, there seems to be a bit of something for e ery palate. hey e en do a range of bubble teas, which, according to arious children of my ac uaintance is the current must ha e caf item. on’t get the appeal myself, but, there again, kids don’t like whisky, so ob iously it’s a case of each to their own. now which prefer. ut digress. oint is, talking of children, that was why we were o er that way in the first place. e had been left in charge of a small dog and a small child, so had popped o er to Clifton to try out the new and impro ed play park just round the corner from the bridge.

Of course, man, woman or small

child cannot live by play alone.

Ca eine is also re uired. y the adults, that is. ike most small children, the one we had with us was full of beans already. o need for adding any e tra ing there. nyway, long story short, we got oursel es a couple of takeaway co ees and sat down on a bench in the shade to watch the kids at play. e weren’t the only ones with co ee cups in hand. ike said, this caf really is in a fine location. ust the right place for parents to pick up a boost before heading o in search of ad entures. s if to pro e the point, we got chatting to a fellow co ee swigger while sharing a picnic bench. he had a couple of toddlers in tow and had come all the way from Chepstow to enjoy the thrills and spills of ristol life. o, if you are in need of an uplifting stroll, with fine iews, a fine playpark, and rather fine co ees to seal the deal, can thoroughly recommend this place. t’s e en got toilets attached. hich is always handy when small children are in ol ed. n Former Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer @stancullimore on instagram

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 49

Introducing our new Eating Disorder Clinic with Specialist Registered Dietitian, Aoife McMahon Welcoming clients with: Restrictive eating patterns Bingeing behaviours Sensory based eating difficulties Seeking the ‘perfect’ diet We welcome anyone, whether or not they have a formal eating disorder diagnosis.

For more information: 077455 24288 info@freshapproachnutrition.co.uk www.freshapproachnutrition.co.uk

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

‘TIS THE DAMN SEASON BEST GET (NUT)CRACKING GROMIT NUTCRACKER FIGURINE, £50

Why do we always kick off our Christmas gift guides with a Grand Appeal figurine? Easy.

(A) Every Bristol home needs at least one.

(B) The festive figurines are lush and will become family heirlooms.

(C) ALL the profits go to Bristol Children’s Hospital charity.

Does that answer your question? www.gromitunleashedshop.org.uk

It’s the most wonderful time of the magazine year! In the first of this year’s festive shopping guides we ease you in gently, with some of the best decorations, lovely things for the home and stuff to eat and drink. More hardcore gifting in three weeks’ time www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 53

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THE RED AND THE GREEN These two pages are for everyone who has ever gazed admiringly at cool Nordic homes and thought, yes, this is how I shall henceforth do Christmas. And then they go and spot a little felt fox in a green jacket, and it’s game over for minimalism

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1. FELT FOX, £12 The moment at which your minimalist dreams crumble; foxandfeather.co.uk 2. FELT DEER, £10.99 each Look at the little knitty jumpers! thepodcompany.co.uk 3. FESTIVE TRACTOR, £12.95 You can’t call it a West Country Christmas tree without a tractor;

grahamandgreen.co.uk 4. CABLE CAR, £5.95 We’re not sure we’d dare go up in one of these, but we definitely want it on our tree; grahamandgreen.co.uk 5. GLASS COCKEREL, £12.95 We love the ‘please don’t eat me for Christmas dinner’ look in his beady eye; grahamandgreen.co.uk

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

6. WINTER VILLAGE, £17 Because Nordic doesn’t have to mean neutral; ikea.com 7. AARDMAN BAUBLES, £9.95 Can’t choose between Feathers or the Wrong Trousers? Best get them both; gromitunleashedshop.org.uk 8. WOODEN FATHER CHRISTMAS, £13

Even the clumsiest family member will be hard pushed to smash this Santa; thebristolartisan.com 9. SWAROVSKI DEER, £70 If you’re the kind of person who likes to spend more on a a single bauble than others spend on the ‘big’ present for their nearest and dearest, this is for you; harveynichols.com

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING 10

10. KNITTED DINOS, £8 You know they’re friendly, because they’re wearing jaunty little scarves; shop.bristolmuseums.org.uk 11. & KLEVERING TIGER, £12 When you’ve wandered so far away from the classic Christmas canon that you may as well have this tiger, too; graceandmabel.co.uk 12. HOUSE DOCTOR METAL CAR WITH TREE, £12-£18 It’s impossible to resist these dinky (as opposed to Dinky) little cars with their fir tree cargo, so don’t even try; fig1.co.uk 13. HAND-PAINTED BAUBLES, £9.50 Toast brings out slightly different versions of these every year, and we’ve been steadily building up our collection; toa.st 14. UNO, DUE, TRE RE MAGI, £50 If you like your decorations Italian designer-style, Alessi is the obvious choice; bristolguild.com 15. FELT PIRATE, £12 See tractor comment, opposite page; frankly.store 16. HARBOURSIDE BAUBLE, £30 Made by hand-painting a glass bauble from the inside out. Bristol views and some other lovely snowy woodland ones, too (we’ve decided they’re Leigh Woods); otherlovelythings.co.uk 17. HOT-AIR BALLOON BAUBLE, £6.49 Need we even explain why you need this on your tree? thepodcompany.co.uk 18. ‘BERT’ FELTED DECORATION, £10 This rad red sk8er dawg is handmade

by Nepalese craftswomen using Fairtrade felt; ustudio.shop

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THE WHITE STUFF

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Stick to white, silver and gold, and you can be as fancy or as simple as you like…

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1. IRON WREATH ANTIQUE BRASS, £21.45 Danish style elegance from Madame Stolz, with just a gleam of bling; foxandfeather.co.uk 2. MAJESTY SWAN HEAD, £48 Either you’ll get it, or you won’t.

Obviously. grahamandgreen.co.uk 3. WALTHER & CO BRASS FLOWER, £30 Beautifully elegant and filigree, with a vintage finish; mazeclothing.co.uk 4. WALTHER & CO SNOWFLAKE BAUBLE, £25 With just the right amount of festive glitter; mazeclothing.co.uk 5. NKUKU GIANT BAUBLE IN AGED SMOKE, £10

An extremely elegant bauble, with more sheen than shine; mazeclothing.co.uk 6. & KLEVERING CANAL HOUSE ORNAMENTS, PAIR £12.50 Reduced from £25, so grab them while you can; graceandmabel.co.uk 7. MOOMIN ORNAMENT, £9 Is it even Christmas if you haven’t added at least one Moomin to the decoration box? fig1.co.uk 8. HUMMINGBIRD GLASS BAUBLE, SMILEY GLASS BAUBLE, £14 EACH Two baubles by Vondels, offering just the right amount of glitz and kitsch; ustudio.shop 9. FOUR POLAR BEAR GLASS BAUBLES, £32

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We love their slightly knowing expression and their tactile fuzzy fur; coxandcox.co.uk 10. BRISTOL BAUBLES £19.99 “It’s nearly Christmas, mind”; six proper merry baubles from ThePaperShedGifts, etsy.com 11. MR BRUNEL CHRISTMAS DECORATION, £13 If you have only one embroidered Victorian engineer on your Christmas tree this year, let it be IKB; shop.ssgreatbritain.org 12. SELETTI MOUSE LAMP, £76.

Seletti lamps are design classics; ravens are available too, in both white and black, if you happen to be a House of Usher fan; grahamandgreen.co.uk

13. HOUSE DOCTOR PAPER STAR, £23.50 Guaranteed to be on a Scandinavian Instagram feed near you, right now; monpote.co.uk 14. SKATING HARE GLASS BAUBLE, £9.99 We love the detail, from the tinsel scarf to the little gloves and boots; thepodcompany.co.uk 15. POLAR BEARS, FROM £29 A touch of the Iorek Byrnisons, no? grahamandgreen.co.uk 16. HOUSE DOCTOR SET OF THREE BRASS TREES, £24 At which point the person compiling these pages clicked ‘add to cart’; fig1. co.uk

MATTY & MAISIE MOUSE TEA LIGHT HOLDERS, £35 EACH

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring – except for this mouse... grahamandgreen.co.uk

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1. TOM WILSON WOODEN ROBIN, £85 Or Eriththacus rebecula, as he likes to be known on formal occasions. Not just for Christmas, this little beauty is crafted from black walnut, sycamore and cherry, and sits on an oak perch. bristolguild.com 2. ZINC TEALIGHT HOUSE LANTERNS, FROM £25 In three sizes, so you could create a little village; coxandcox.co.uk 3. TWO QUILLED ANGELS, £6.57 Fairtrade, handmade in Bangladesh, and a bit ‘70s retro; foxandfeather.co.uk 4. HANDWOVEN CANE STAR, £8 Possibly the least tacky tree-topper you’ll ever see in your life. Team with pine cones and other lovely natural things; priorshop.uk 5. HOUSE DOCTOR WIRE CHRISTMAS TREE, £36 With tiny LED lights on wire branches, which you can twist and bend; monpote.co.uk 6. BROSTE DEKO PAPER BIRD, £5.50 Combining the nostalgias of pleated paper ornaments with the Danish cool of this Copenhagen brand; monpote.co.uk 7. SIX PAPER HEARTS, £1 Ubiquitious in Sweden, and not terribly hard to make at home, but why would you bother when they’re six for a quid? ikea.com 8. TWO HANDMADE SEDGE DECORATIONS, £6 Charmingly folksy; a cinch for fans of primitive home style; ikea.com 9. GLASS DALA HORSE, £10 An absolute Swedish mainstay; IKEA have been selling Dala horses from the very beginning and originals are sought-after. Start your collection now; ikea.com 10. HOUSE DOCTOR WILD MOSS WREATH, £17.50 You could jazz this up with fresh holly and ivy, but it’s beautiful just as it is, and very realistic; mazeclothing.co.uk 11. BOXWOOD WREATH, FROM £39 Handcrafted from Zinc in Denmark by cool brand Walther & Co; mazeclothing.co.uk 12. THREE GINGERBREAD HOUSES, £10.50 Each slightly different, and made from recycled craft card; coxandcox.co.uk 13. WOODEN VILLAGE, £44.99 This little pre-lit wooden reindeer scene is giving us all the Scandi vibes; whitehallgardencentre.co.uk

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CHRISTMAS wrapped up

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

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FOR THE HOME

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without any presents, so do try not to keep all these lovely things to yourself

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1. JOE & SEPH’S GOURMET POPCORN MAKER, £50 The gift the movie buff in your life never knew they needed. Until now. harveynichols.com 2. LE CREUSET, £199 When you want to say “I really love your cooking”; harveynichols.com 3. AFRO ART STOCKING, £30 Whether you choose Polar Bear or Elephant, these stockings are

poised to become an integral part of someone’s childhood. Or indeed, adulthood; mazeclothing.co.uk 4. IB LAURSEN EMBROIDERED LINEN NAPKIN, £8 We love how handmade and vintage these soft grey linen napkins look.

Sorry, we’ll be keeping these ones. monpote.co.uk 5. CLARE KINSELLA NORTH END BASKET, £190

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

Made with foraged willow, and as much a sculpture as a useful basket; midgleygreen.com 6. TWO CARMARTHENSHIRE BEAKERS, £45 Raw and earthy yet exquisitely elegant, made by potter Tim Lake in his Carmarthen studio; midgleygreen.com 7. CIRCUS STAR PATCHWORK CUSHION COVER, £72

Primitive home design is all the rage, and we’ve noticed patchwork creeping back into fashion. Naturally, Toast has been doing it for years; toa.st 8. CERAMIC BOTTLE-SHAPED GRINDERS, £POA Nicely Nordic from Audo Copenhagen; use them for salt, pepper, or any spice of your choice; oskarfurniture.co.uk

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12 9. ARBORETUM WOODEN DECORATIVE TREES, £19 EACH Call them decorations, kids’ playthings, desk toys, collectors’ items or or just lovely objets, each of these beautifully stylised trees is unique; thebristolartisan.com 10. FAUX FUR THROW, £295 No fluffy bunnies were harmed in making this luxurious long-pile faux fur throw; coxandcox.co.uk 11. KUHN KERAMIK ESPRESSO CUPS, £39 Curiouser and curiouser; these covetable earthenware mugs draw on historical fonts, and are inspired by Alice in Wonderland; mazeclothing.co.uk 12. RACHEL DEIN CONCRETE TILE, £125 One of a beautiful range using pressed flowers; this one is called Hidcote Manor Gardens. mazeclothing.co.uk 13. RUSTY LETTERS AND NUMBERS, £3-8 EACH Charming little characters; there’s even an ampersand; mazeclothing.co.uk 14. VELVET LEAF SCULPTURE, £139 When accessories meet art; made, not as you might assume at first glance from plaster, but aluminium; boconcept.com 15. VINTAGE EUROPEAN WOODEN BENCH, £440 One of many delightful old European pieces sold by Cart House in Brislington; vintage stock, so changes frequently; cart-house.com 16. SPANISH TERRACOTTA BOWL, £148 Perfect for paella, or anything, really; cart-house.com 17. AERY FIG LEAF SCENTED CANDLE, £27 Black fig, vetiver and cedarwood combine in a comforting antidote to chilly winter days; frankly.store

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

om set Choose fr ild your u b r o s boxe ver 150 o h it own w urced o locally-s by the e d a m treats -scale ll a finest sm artisans.

GET CHRISTMAS WRAPPED UP! Use EXCLUSIVE 10% DISCOUNT CODE ‘BristolLife10’ for orders placed before 30th Nov.

Get in touch and make your order at

www.boxlocal.co.uk

Focus on the Past is a small Antique Centre on 2 floors buying and selling a wide variety of Antiques furniture and collectables for every taste from classic to quirky and traditional to kitsch.

FOCUS ON THE PAST

25 Waterloo St, Clifton Village, BS8 4BT. Tel: 01179 738080. Online: focusonthepast.org

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

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Who are we kidding? You’re not going to be giving any of these away, are you? *pops Chococo salted caramel in mouth*

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1. CHOCOCO FESTIVE SELECTION BOX, £26 chococo.co.uk 2. SPICED ORANGE & CRANBERRY GIN, £37 6oclockgin.com 3. BISCUITEERS NUTCRACKER BISCUIT TIN, £39.95 harveynichols.com 4. CLASE AZUL REPOSADO TEQUILA, £250 harveynichols.com 5. TINY TONY’S CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE GIFT BOX, £6.98

tonyschocolonely.com 6. SIMÓN COLL MILK CHOCOLATE ADVENT CALENDAR, £16 harveynichols.com 7. MAKERS AND MERCHANTS MULLED CIDER SYRUP, £8, MULLED WINE SYRUP, £9 fig1.co.uk 8. NICHOLAS VAHE FLAVOURED SALTS, £9.50; fig1.co.uk 9. GINGERBREAD PRESERVES: ORIGINAL BEER & BACON CHILLI JAM, FIG & SOUR CHERRY

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CHRISTMAS CHUTNEY, £4.99 gingerbeardspreserves.co.uk 10. LIMITED EDITION CRANBERRY SAUCE, £5.25 singlevariety.co.uk 11. APPLE & CINNAMON PANETTONE, £25 shop.thenewtinsomerset.com 12. BEENLEIGH BLUE CHEESE,FROM £11.50 bristol-cheese.co.uk 13. CHRISTMAS LOCAL FOOD HEAVEN HAMPER, £55 boxlocal.co.uk

14. RED WINE AND DRAYCOTT BLUE SALAMI POKERS, £3.90-£45 somersetcharcuterie.com 15. SOFIA COLOMBIAN RUM, £38 thebristolrumcompany.co.uk 16. ZARAMAMA EIGHT TILL LATE POPCORN, £12.69 whitehallgardencentre.co.uk 17. THE SNOW GROMIT CLOTTED CREAM FUDGE TIN, £6.95 gromitunleashedshop.org.uk 18. HARVEY NICHOLS WINTER WARMER HAMPER, £150 harveynichols.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 63

Reach the best in the west Affluent, active and influential and just a call away

Bristol Life team 01225 475800

NETWORK

THE CITY’S HOTTEST BUSINESS NEWS

REWARD AND RECOGNITION

THE RISE OF PROCTOR & STEVENSON ( AND *THAT* MANAGEMENT BUYOUT)

NETWORK

“WE BELIEVE IN FINDING SMALL BUT MEANINGFUL WAYS TO IMPROVE LIVES—NOW AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME” ROGER PROCTOR Proctor + Stevenson

POWERED BY PROCTORS

Innovative B2B marketing agency Proctor + Stevenson has been an outstanding Bristol success story. As founder ROGER PROCTOR hands over the reins to a new team following a management buy out, we find out what’s next for the company

P

roctor and Stevenson (P+S) was established in the final term of Roger Proctor’s graphic design degree course at Bower Ashton Faculty of Art and Design, now part of UWE. It was shortly after the 1979 ‘winter of discontent’, when the country was riven by industrial action and ‘on its knees’, and many people thought that setting up a business under those conditions, and with no experience, was foolish in the extreme.

However, using the £1,200 he’d saved from working in a concrete factory in the holidays, and reasoning that after four years of being a student, another couple of years P&S HQ: The Old Printworks on Easton Road

of having nothing probably wasn’t too much of a risk, Roger took the plunge along with a fellow student.

And it was certainly a bold move – this was a time when there were few agencies in Bristol, and certainly no design consultancies of more than one person.

43 years later, P+S has successfully undergone a management buyout led by Ailsa Billington (managing director), Phil Robinson (creative director), Dan Hardaker (director of digital design), Steve King (director of technology) and Nikki Hunt finance director . eryone in ol ed has grown through the company over many years and is taking it into the next stage of its development.

“The new board members have all

risen through the ranks as employees, which is testament to the culture of reward and recognition at P+S,” says Ailsa. “We believe in providing opportunities for team members across the lifetime of their careers”.

“Building from a two-man operation in a basement bedroom in Clifton to a 60-person business across fi e continents, working in o er 0 di erent languages and e porting over 50%, has been a combination of excitement, laughter, challenge and fear,” says Roger. “It has also led to some amazing experiences, and working with incredible people, and a whole raft of stories.

“P+S has become part of the creative fabric of the city and region, and has always been a strong promoter of design as a vital engine for economic and social improvement. As co-founders of West of England Design Forum, leading on Design South West to develop a creative strategy for the SW, running the SW Student Design Awards since 1988, lobbying the European Commission and Parliamentary Committee on the future of design education, and providing internships and work experience opportunities to many young people, P+S has always played its part. And many talented designers have emerged into senior roles in world class businesses, here and around the globe.

“With this kind of history and

legacy, what were the options for its next big development? The Bristol Vistage Group led by Jon Penn, Bishop Fleming (always more than just the company’s accountants) and exit-planning consultants HGKC helped us map the route. It was concluded that an MBO was the best route, because the directors had always shared in the vision for the company, were already successfully leading the business, and most importantly, had ambitious plans for the future of P+S. “After extensive funding research we stuck with our bank, HSBC, who supported the deal from the outset.

David Culshaw of Porter Dodson, and Richard Hopkins and Michael Clarke of Roxburgh Milkins acted for each party, helping with negotiations, advising on the process and bringing it all to a successful conclusion.”

So, what’s next?

“One of our key goals is to continue Roger’s legacy of innovation with a number of new service launches in the coming year,” says ilsa. One such ser ice will o er s the a ordability and e ibility of design-on-demand services, backed by the expertise of a full-service agency.”

To support the work of marketers across the B2B world, P+S’s newly developed MarTech solution combines the latest technologies with cutting-edge creativity, and enables businesses to gather insights into consumer behaviour, optimise targeting and build data-driven marketing strategies. The new team will also continue many of the CSR commitments Roger spearheaded. he company is awaiting final certification for Corp status, with projects such as making education accessible to women in the Middle East a key part of its social governance strategy, alongside a commitment to the Southwest Net Zero strategy.

For more: www.proctors.co.uk

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

NETWORK

ISLAND LIFE Back in the days when a city-centre arena for Bristol was under discussion, the proposed site was Temple Island. So now the arena is busily being built at Brabazon in Filton instead, what’s next for the site, which has now stood vacant since 1995?

Well, that could be partly up to you. Having finalised a 0m deal with ristol City Council for the site in 0 , egal eneral is now seeking public input on its transformation, with the area now set to become a vibrant urban district. heir proposal includes 00 homes, two o ce

What would you do with this space?

Don’t say ‘build an arena’...

buildings, retail spaces, a hotel, and a conference centre. n the deal with ristol City Council, will recei e million for site preparation and 0 years of guaranteed o ce rent in e change for constructing high uality workplaces, o ering employment opportunities, and ensuring 0 a ordable housing. bosses say they want to “facilitate a sustainable district” and “enable low carbon lifestyles by creating new pedestrian and cycle routes alongside enhancing ecological habitats”.

Mayor Marvin Rees says the development will provide “the new homes and inclusive economic growth our city needs in a sustainable location.

Temple Quarter has taken years of work and collaboration with key partners. The plans being developed for Temple Island show the transformational momentum gathering pace in this part of the city.” ublic feedback is being gathered before a 0 planning application.

For more: www.templeislandbristol.co.uk.

THINKING INSIDE THE BOX

KNOW THY NEIGHBOUR

t’s no secret that ristol’s film and industry is booming – and oh look, here comes another new film studio to boost this thri ing creati e sector. aunched with an open day on 1 o ember, o is a e ible and di erse studio that has everything on site for a unique production. With its broad range of mixed-use facilities, nothing is out of limits, catering for a diverse range of uses from filmmaking to shows, music ideos, ad erts, podcasts, rehearsal spaces and fashion shoots. he studio is based at kyline ark – a creati e campus that also includes production company ytch and ytch air, which has its o ce space aboard a retired oeing pri ate jet.

“This studio is our contribution to the creative scene of Bristol; we are excited to see commercial filming happen as well as supporting pro bono work for local artists and indies,” said Johnny Palmer, founder of Pytch.

“The studio was formerly a kit storage warehouse, but we have invested heavily in acoustic and light treatments to make it an ideal filming location. t has been a big investment for us, but we really believe in the creative scene of Bristol, and are honoured to be part of the ongoing development of the UK’s creative scene.”

For more www.box-7.com

bbeyfield ristol eynsham has announced the appointment of dam Rees, formerly the director of charitable impact at St Monica Trust, as its new C O. For the past 18 years, Adam has worked with community-based charities and is passionate about encouraging others to know their neighbours and contribute to local surroundings. In his new role, he hopes to further strengthen bbeyfield’s relationships around its retirement houses and create a li ing e perience that helps the charity’s elderly residents to ourish.

“Throughout my career, I have worked hard to develop local services and improve wellbeing for our older population,” says Adam. he bbeyfield ociety was established to help alle iate loneliness and isolation among elderly people. An essential part of my new remit will be to help our residents feel connected and involved in their local communities.” o mo e a ey el i tol co

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

PRIVATE CLIENT - FAMILY - PROPERTY - COMMERCIAL

BRISTOL PROPERTY AWARDS

IF WE BUILD IT…

THE BRISTOL PROPERTY AWARDS 2023 are almost upon us. The movers and shakers of the region’s sector will be coming together at Ashton Gate Stadium on Friday 24 November to celebrate the finest of local companies. So, how’s it all looking so far?

Thank you to all our sponsors including: Hampshire Trust Bank (Headline), Lambert Smith Hampton (Winner of Winners), Airsat Real Estate, Black & White Bridging, CLS Property Insight, ETM Recycling, JAS Building Services, Marrons, Missiato Design & Build, NE Appliances, Rappor Consultants, SBS Design & Build and Vyoo, Vattenfall Heat UK, Vertex Investment Group, YTL Developments and Bristol Life.

And to our partners: Alide Hire Services, Burston Cook, City & Country, Daniel Woodman & Co Solicitors, The Hill Group, Hydrock, Knights, MDA Consulting, Pride Consulting IMS, Ridge and RWK Goodman Partner tables and tickets are available.

Please check on the website or Bristol Property Awards social media channels for the latest updates.

L

ast November, Bristol’s most successful property professionals took part in the 2022 Bristol Property Awards, a spectacular event which recognised the achievements of this incredible sector. From commercial properties to residential homes, rising stars to dynamic developers, everything and everyone was celebrated. And this year’s event will be the biggest yet.

On 24 November we’ll be crowning the deserved champions of 2023, with hotly contested categories including Sustainability, designed to reward those businesses which has delivered an eco-conscious project, pushed the boundaries of design and ethics with consideration to environmental impact, lifecycle and the local community.

The Rising Star Award is also popular each year, and is given to the individual in a company who is making a huge industry impact, and is on the path to future success.

As in 2022, it’s not just about announcing the winners. The daytime event will be packed with informal networking opportunities, with plenty of time for socialising and catching up

The Bristol Property Awards have been created, designed, promoted, sold and organised by MediaClash, the South West’s leading events company. It also produces client events, from parties to launches, talks, receptions to conferences.

Please contact: harriette.dixon@mediaclash.co.uk

with clients and friends before the three-course lunch and awards ceremony and, indeed, afterwards at the post-ceremony meeting, which may well involve a bar.

Huge congratulations and good luck to this year’s finalists, and a big thank you to e eryone involved in this year’s Bristol Property Awards, from our sponsors to our esteemed judging panel. Speaking of judges, turn the page to meet them, along with the finalists and some of the party pics from our recent sponsors’ and finalists’ reception, held at ocabar in els.

If you’re coming along we’ll see you at midday, suitably suited and booted, on 24 November at Ashton Gate Stadium.

For more: ww.bristolpropertyawards.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 73

BRISTOL PROPERTY AWARDS

THE JUDGES WILL DECIDE… A panel of independent judges, drawn from all areas of the property sector, will decide the winners of the prestigious BRISTOL PROPERTY AWARDS

ALEX KERR, CEO AT KERR OFFICE GROUP Alex joined his father’s business, the workspace design and fit-out company Kerr Office Group, in 2007, dedicating himself to the business and later securing a place on the prestigious Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business programme.

Passionate about sustainability, Alex is currently leading the business towards carbon neutrality.

EMMA PRITCHETT, SALES DIRECTOR AT GALLAGHER Based in Bristol, Emma has over 20 years insurance industry experience. Emma has a passion for providing consultative risk and insurance solutions to clients within the real estate and construction industries. Emma is responsible for heading up sales for the Bristol area, leading a team of development executives and project managers.

PHILLIP KEDDIE, OWNER AT SUNSHINE RENTALS Phil has worked in the South West property market for over 40 years. He now advises and helps private landlords and agents to remain compliant and safe in this everincreasing legislative arena, and is also a qualified mediator who specialises in resolving complex property issues.

ANNA BALL, CLIENT SERVICES DIRECTOR AT VILLAGE DESIGN Anna has over two decades of experience in the dynamic realm of creative marketing within the property industry.

With an extensive portfolio spanning the UK, Barbados, Majorca, and Poland, Anna embodies leadership, creativity and a relentless commitment to clients, helping developers carry out their visions with precision and quality.

KARL BROWN, PARTNER AT CLARKE WILLMOTT Bristol born-and-bred, Karl is a commercial property partner at national law firm Clarke Willmott. In 2014 he became the first black president of the Bristol Junior Chamber and is a social mobility ambassador for the Law Society of England and Wales.

RICHARD PEARCE, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR AT TCN Richard founded TCN in 2006 and has built it into a £100 million business with assets across some of the UK’s leading digital economies. By taking unloved buildings and regenerating them into creative workspaces the business has been at the forefront of the change towards exciting, community-led workspace and the sustainability trend of reusing buildings.

CHRISTIANA MAKARIOU, DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AT GORAM HOMES Working at Goram Homes, Bristol City Council’s housing company, Christiana is accelerating the number of homes being built in the city.

Originally from Cyprus, she moved to the UK and graduated from UWE; she also holds a Masters in Planning and Property Development degree from Radboud University in the Netherlands.

NEIL LEITCH, COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT FINANCE AT HAMPSHIRE TRUST BANK Neil is a highly professional and competent director of property funding with over 30 years experience of handling major clients’ property assets within the financial sector.

He has extensive organisational, problemsolving and decision-making experience as well as leadership, negotiation and communication skills when dealing with stakeholders, management and professional bodies.

TINA RADKA, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT AIRSAT CONSTRUCTION Tina is part of a family-run business with more than 20 years extensive experience in construction, property development and property management, and a newly established real estate company where she is joint director and part of the management team. Tina is currently undertaking studies towards property mark Arla Registration.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 75

BRISTOL PROPERTY AWARDS

Scott Angus, Dee Mckenna and James Cameron Evie Andrews, Hannah Graham, Jack Davis and James Milne-Smith

Ben East, Stacey Bramhall, Karen Norman, Nicole Strong and Mark Finney

BUILDING CONNECTIONS

Gary Fisher, James Pomphrey and Louisa Knowles

Ahead of the 2023 Bristol roperty wards, a finalists and sponsors reception was held on 1 o ember at ocabar. round 100 guests networked and chatted o er canap s and prosecco, in a prestigious curtain raiser ahead of the main e ent on o ember.

Photos by Jon Craig Photography

Angie Nicholls and Ben Nicholls

Gabby Lathall, Neil Urch and Abbie Elkins Around 100 guests attended the event

Megane Leeding, Lauren Gallop, Emelia Clement and Katherine Ogilvie

Home Renovation Project Management That WORKS Every Time

WINNER

WINNER

FAMILY-RUN MULTI-AWARD-WINNING BUILDING SERVICES COMPANY WHO SPECIALISE IN HOME RENOVATION Call us today on: 01454 506108

www.jasbuildingservices.co.uk

Welcome to the Woodstock Homes Group!

We are a family run privately owned SME developer based in Bristol.

Woodstock Partnerships

Woodstock Homes

Woodstock Strategic

Partnerships business working collaboratively with Housing Associations to deliver affordable housing for those who most need it.

Private development business building high quality, energy efficient homes for our customers across the south west.

Strategic land business to promote medium to long term opportunities for residential development on behalf of our landowners.

For any new land opportunities whether that be immediate or strategic, please get in touch via info@woodstockhomes.co.uk

www.woodstockhomes.co.uk

www.thebuildbristolgroup.com | 01179 091969

t: 0117 279 0980 | m: 07956 846307 e: simon@bristolcityroofing.co.uk

www. bristolcityroofing.co.uk

SPONSORED CONTENT

ROGUE LANDLORDS AND TERRIBLE TENANTS: WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS?

Martin Hall of AMD SOLICITORS considers the rights of landlords and tenants.

A

s rents continue to rise, and demand for rental properties continues to increase, disputes between landlords and tenants are becoming more and more frequent. We at AMD Solicitors are frequently instructed to deal with such disputes, and set out below are the answers to the questions we are most frequently asked.

The government has introduced the Renters (Reform) Bill into Parliament, and a second reading is anticipated later this year. This will significantly change the rights of landlords and tenants alike. However, as the bill has not yet become law, we address below the position as the law currently stands.

Can I evict my tenant by serving a S.21 notice?

You cannot serve a Section 21 notice earlier than four months into the tenancy, and they are only valid for six months. In order to serve a Section 21 notice, the landlord must, prior to service of that notice: 1. Have provided the tenant with the How to Rent guide, EPC Certificate and Gas Safety Certificate, ideally at the start of the tenancy.

2. Protected any deposit paid by the tenant by placing the deposit in an authorised tenancy deposit scheme within 30 days of the start of the tenancy.

MOST FREQUENT QUESTIONS FROM LANDLORDS

MOST FREQUENT QUESTIONS FROM TENANTS

My tenant isn’t paying rent – can I evict them?

There are two options for landlords, serving a Section 8 notice or a Section 21 notice. It is typically not worth serving a Section 8 notice unless the tenant is in arrears by at least two months, as the court does not have to order possession and has a discretion.

If the tenant is two months in arrears, while you only need to give the tenant 14 days notice before issuing legal proceedings, the tenant may seek to defend the claim, or even bring a counterclaim in response to seek to set off the arrears. However, the service of a Section 8 notice does allow for the recovery of rent arrears, which cannot be recovered by service of a Section 21 notice.

My landlord hasn’t protected my deposit – what can I do?

Where the landlord has either protected the deposit late or not at all, the tenant can bring a claim for compensation. The Court must order the landlord to pay between one and three times the deposit.

The property is in disrepair – does my landlord have to carry out and pay for the repairs?

The tenancy agreement will usually contain clauses as to the repairs the landlord needs to carry out. However, where this is not the case, Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 requires the landlord to carry out certain repairs. n

The above should not be taken as legal advice.

If you are a tenant or landlord and need assistance, please contact Martin Hall on 0117 9733989 who will be able to advise you more fully. Email info@amdsolicitors.com or call into one of our four Bristol offices: 100 Henleaze Road, Henleaze, BS9 4JZ 15 The Mall, Clifton, BS8 4DS 139 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, BS8 2PL 2 Station Road, Shirehampton, BS11 9TT

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

SPONSORED CONTENT

THRINGS MEETS… KELPI THRINGS solicitor Kiran Maher meets Neil Morris, co-founder and CEO of award-winning sustainable biomaterials pioneer KELPI Kiran Maher: What is Kelpi and how did it get started?

Neil Morris: We are a sustainable biomaterials business, founded in Bath but now based in Bristol, that has patented seaweedbased coating to replace fossil fuel-based plastic packaging.

The idea came from a simple piece of plastic packaging for fish that I had bought from a supermarket. While the fish had a shelf life of eight days, the plastic would hang around for another 1,000 years releasing microplastics and other toxins behind even once it’s gone.

Along with my co-founder Murray Kenneth, I walked into the office of University of Bath Professor Chris Chuck, put the packaging on his desk and said “we think we can do better.” Kelpi was born!

KM: Why seaweed?

NM: Seaweed is nothing short of a miracle crop, especially where climate change is concerned. It grows prolifically, sequestering huge amounts of carbon dioxide as it does and in doing so, deacidifies the ocean.

For Kelpi though, its real advantage is that it also provides an outstanding feedstock for us to build the biomaterials we can use to replace fossil fuels. The biomaterial we have created, that is already being trialled by our high-profile partners like L’Oreal, sheds no microplastics or toxins at all. When it breaks down, it does so into fully natural materials.

KM: What motivates you as a business?

NM: To us, the most important way to bring about solutions to tackle climate change is to

bring the worlds of science and business together, it is very much at the core of our organisation with everything about amplifying both together to accelerate change.

There is a huge ambition shared by everyone at Kelpi to have an impact on a global scale, and it is fantastic to work with some of the most environmentally focused commercial organisations in the world who are series about what sustainable packaging can mean for their business.

I’m also extremely proud that our diverse team comes from a range of nationalities and is 50 per cent female. Our focus, however, is not on ticking a diversity box but is on creating a world-class team which will allow us to look at challenges and opportunities from a range of viewpoints. We might have been born in Bath and are now in Bristol but what we are committed to addressing is a whole-world problem.

KM: What inspired you to establish yourself in Bristol?

NM: Having spent the first two years building the business in the labs at Bath University, once we outgrew them, Bristol was always the natural step for us. We have people come from all over the world to work for us and our being in Bristol is often a major attraction.

There is a different attitude here to many other places.

Bristol is fantastic when it comes to thinking differently and challenging the dominant logic around plastics with the city home to some incredible businesses and charities that are all about championing sustainability.

KM: What are the challenges your sector faces in being able to achieve its targets?

NM: Regulation is both a great enabler and the creator of significant obstacles for us, providing us with opportunities but also failing to take account of the huge progress we can achieve through biomaterials.

Legislation like the plastic tax, while introduced with the intention of reducing the reliance on virgin fossil fuel plastics, fails to exempt bio-plastics from the tax and doesn’t address the issues related to plastics in a holistic way.

The other challenge is access to feedstocks and the production capability. We are on the leading edge of a new industry and it will take time to get to the economies of scale to match the convenience of plastics.

KM: What does the future hold for Kelpi?

NM: We are focused on

continuing to scale rapidly and have unlimited ambition in taking on the huge challenge before us.

Next year we are opening another investment round which will enable us to double the size of the business and then double it again so we can continue to have an impact on a global scale and bring products more rapidly to market.

Kelpi has developed a world leading solution to the microplastics problem and will remain a science-led organisation as we play our part in the massive tide of change across the industry.

To find out more about Kelpi, visit www.kelpi.net. n

The Paragon, Counterslip, Redcliffe, Bristol BS1 6BX; tel: 01225 340000; solicitors@thrings.com www.thrings.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 87

MEET THE CONSTRUCTION SPECIALIST The people building Bristol

SPONSORED CONTENT PAUL TAKLE

TIM WESTWOOD

CW DUKE 0117 924 0578; www.cwduke.co.uk

KIER CONSTRUCTION 07981 918065; www.kier.co.uk

What sets you apart from other construction companies?

Ultimately, what sets a construction company apart will depend on its unique strengths and how well it aligns with the needs and preferences of its clients; in our case, it’s the team’s delivered experience that is our greatest asset.

What do you specialise in?

Contract management is my role, playing a pivotal role in maintaining the contractual integrity of construction projects, mitigating risks, and ensuring that all parties involved fulfil their obligations, ultimately contributing to the successful completion of projects.

What do you specialise in?

To sustainably deliver infrastructure which is vital to the UK. As a general contractor we have the capacity to operate across the whole built environment; we are specialists operating in all the central government departments of health, education, defence and the prisons sector, as well as local government and in the private arena commercial office building.

What bespoke services do you offer clients?

Early client engagement through many of the recognised collaborative frameworks that are available to public and private sector operators alike, is our normal route in to contract. Our ability to interpret our clients’ unique requirements and articulate these into a defined set of proposals, fully costed and to an agreed programme, is our proven route to success.

We position ourselves as a key integrator in the whole design and construction service, and a strategic partner to many of our long-term clients.

Paul Takle

What’s your favourite thing about construction in Bristol?

It’s constantly evolving through its buildings and their designs. Bristol is great at encouraging, celebrating and delivering new construction projects, without forgetting to retain and manage the older buildings.

How has your business changed in the last five years?

On a positive, we’ve evolved, especially with our environmental and community focus; however the negative has been a lack of younger generations entering the sector despite being one of the safest and compliant industries with higher than average pay and flexible career options.

Tim Westwood

GARY FISHER

MODE CONSULT LTD 07581 189083; www.modeconsult.com What bespoke services do you offer clients?

We are project managers and quantity surveyors in the construction industry and we develop our service around our clients for their individual needs, working with, not for, them. Our ethos is to work in a smart manner with only good people from our wider Mode family.

HANNAH WALKIEWICZ

THE BUILD BRISTOL GROUP 01179 091969; www.thebuildbristolgroup.com What do you specialise in?

We’re a design and build company who provide full design and construction services for residential projects within Bristol, Bath, London and the South West.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

I can do things my way, now utilising my 30 years of in-depth experience and challenging the way we work in a positive and smart manner.

What sort of businesses do you collaborate with?

We collaborate/integrate with all kinds of businesses, both in and out of the construction industry. The reason why we set up our wider Mode family: with other consultants, contractors and clients working together in total integration.

Anything else you want to tell us?

Watch out for us in many ways. We also have our own development arm and are looking for potential sites to develop. We’re always looking for joint ventures, ways to collaborate and integrate to help one another. Construction can be a difficult industry, which we are disrupting from old-school thinking to a more smarter, diverse way. There is always a better way. #bethebluefish #mode #construction #smarterthinking

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

I enjoy the interaction between our clients and their professional consultants, working with our own team in delivering great project solutions. We work extensively in the education and healthcare arena, and the joy we experience handing over new and refurbished school and hospital buildings, such as the University of Bristol new Dental school, to pupils and health professionals respectively can be overwhelming. Construction is a dynamic and everevolving industry and its great to be a part of it.

Gary Fisher

What sets you apart from other construction companies?

We work closely with clients from beginning to end, so they can enjoy seeing their build take shape, while we handle every step of the construction process – from applying for planning permission to the last lick of paint.

How has your business changed in the last five years?

Post-Covid people want a space to work from home.

More investment is happening in terms of interiors as clients want to create a haven.

Hannah Walkiewicz

Anything else you want to tell us?

Of all the people working in construction, women comprise only 10.3%, so when I’ve come up against male-led competitors in the city, it hasn’t always been easy. But the relationship I build with clients has shown I’m more than capable in a man’s world. It has shown my 15-year-old daughter Matilda that you can do anything you want with hard work and determination. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 89

PROPERTY

QUEEN SQUARE Thought you knew what to expect from a house on this venerable square?

Now turn the page . . .

Words by Ursula Cole www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 95

PROPERTY

T

hey had us at “Regency town house on Queen Square”. They piqued our interest still further with “It was used as a location for Sherlock, you know”.

And then we saw what they’d done to the interior, and we lost our hearts completely.

Set back from the square, behind elegant railings enclosing a stone agged courtyard, the house was built in 1833 with more than its fair share of grandeur with a facade that features both Corinthian and Doric pillars. Thanks to careful and respectful curators down the years it’s hung on to many of its gorgeous, classical features inside, too you’ll find shuttered sash windows, cornices, period doors and architra es, open fireplaces and – be still our beating hearts – an intricate, filigree, wrought iron canopied balcony, from which you can observe the endlessly diverting comings and goings on the square.

So far, so Georgian, but this knockout of a home also comes with the added twist of a wholly contemporary two-storey extension centred around an oasis-like inner courtyard, which somehow utterly complements rather than clashes with the original building. Its fair to say that the architect who designed it earned his fee.

Permit us to take you on the tour. From the front entrance, inner double doors take you into the main hallway with its harlequin-painted cream-and-ochre ooring. door to the right takes you into the sitting room, from which ornate pillars frame a back room overlooking the courtyard. Don’t be fooled by the latter’s modest name of ‘the snug’, by the way; at 15ft it’s more spacious than many people’s main receptions.

The long hallway takes you down past the inner courtyard to the double-height glass extension housing the kitchen breakfast room – an e traordinarily light, colourful mood-changer of a space, with underheated

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

“The house was built in 1833, with more than its fair share of Regency grandeur” HOUSE NUMBERS Guide price: £1.65m Receptions: 3 in main house Bedrooms: 4 in main house Bathrooms: 2 in main house Where? Queen Square Anything else? Galleried kitchen/dining area; selfcontained flat; fabulous inner courtyard Contact Rupert Oliver 14 Waterloo Street, Clifton 0117 452 3555 www.rupertoliver.co.uk

ooring and bright contemporary units. teps at the far end take you up to the mezzanine dining room, which in turn opens to a roof terrace, which links to the first oor half landing we do lo e a surprising layout.

In classic Georgian style, the ‘best’ rooms are up on the first oor, with the drawing room at the front. t over 19ft, the room runs the full width of the property, framing serene views of the square through its three tall sashed windows, which open to the canopied balcony.

There’s a further living room at the back of the house. amily room ome o ce hrine our call. he ne t oor is dominated by a master suite of opulent splendour; a photo is worth a thousand words, so we’ll merely direct you to the pic of the bathroom opposite, which is connected to the bedroom by a hidden door. Three more bedrooms and a bathroom lie above. nd we’re not finished here. ead back downstairs to the lower ground oor and you’ll find a large self contained at within the aulted stone barrelled cellars. Furnished to the standards of a boutique hotel, the space is currently used as an established Airbnb business, with an understandably high occupancy rate; there’s still inner access to the main house though, if you’re keeping it in the family. For added historical uirk, there’s a repurposed safe door – a sou enir of the property’s former life as a private bank.

Parking is all sorted, with a designated permit space right opposite the house. And need we explain the location? “Within walking distance of just about anything worth visiting in Bristol” mostly covers it.

The house is on the market at £1.65m; maybe we’ve just become desensitised to prices while compiling these pages, but for a home of this elegance, size and style, at this location, with potential rental income, and compared to similar homes in Clifton, that actually strikes us as something of a bargain.

© NEIL PHILLIPS

BRISTOL LIVES

“I seem to have found my niche identifying where women should be but are missing” si th non fiction book. t’s about an internationally popular independent record label based in Bristol from 1987 to 1995.

Sarah was co-founded by Clare Wadd and Matt Haynes

JANE DUFFUS

This Bristol author has spent much of her working life championing female talent. However, it’s pure coincidence that her latest book happens to be about a record label named Sarah . . .

Y

ou can tell Jane’s a journalist; she’s the only Bristol life subject in living memory to have sent back answers in under an hour, and kept to the wordcount. She’s also an author, who gives a lot of talks, generally about her books in The Women Who Built Bristol series.

She’s just brought out a book on Sarah Records – the Bristolbased label that signed acts no major label would touch but who you really wanted to hear.

I moved to Bristol in 2008 as

the time felt right for me to escape London. I was being blinded by all that glittering gold on the streets.

I seem to have found my niche

identifying gaps where women should be, but are missing, like in the history books and on the comedy scene.

Between 2012 and 2018, I ran What The Frock! comedy

nights to put female comedians in the spotlight. I was frustrated by an industry that was knowingly excluding women performers from the club circuit, which was in no way a re ection of a lack of female comedy talent. Over six years, I ended up putting on almost 70 shows in seven UK towns and cities, and worked with almost 150 comedians.

Attitudes towards female comedians have changed a little

but not as much as I’d like. The clubs are still dominated by male performers, which is a shame given how many brilliantly funny women aren’t being given a fair shot. The situation on TV and radio panel shows is fractionally better than it was, but there’s still a long way to go.

These Things Happen: The Sarah Records Story is my

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

in 1987. Both had been fanzine writers, and put out some e idiscs, which had gi en them a taste for releasing records and working with bands. Clare said she was reading Jane Austen’s Emma at the time, and thought that if a book could be called Emma then a label could be called Sarah. . .

Sarah quickly built an international reputation. It did a lot for the ristol ourist O ce, too, with quite a few people claiming they decided to move to Bristol because of the label.

Sarah flourished through

the early Britpop era, which was wildly di erent in sound and ethics to the genuinely independent and ethical stance that Sarah was taking. In a mainstream industry dominated by rock-ism, sexism and being as macho as possible, arah o ered a viable and credible alternative for music fans.

Clare and Matt had released 100 singles, and decided that

100 was a tidy number to bow out on, because if you don’t stop at 100, where do you stop? They took out some big ads in the music press to announce they were closing the label, and to make it clear they were ending things on their own terms.

While interviewing for the book, I asked people about

unusual places they had slept to save money and got some really bizarre answers – such as

sleeping in an arcade machine at a motorway service station, in a sleeping bag on the side of a hill, and in an unused monastery in France.

I moved from Windmill Hill to Hanham two years ago and love

it as there’s much more space and it’s so quiet. I’m a runner, but I’m not fond of road running, so I’m spoilt for choice with woods and river trails around here.

My guilty pleasure is secretly watching TV reality shows

such as The Traitors and The Circle, where people have to psychologically outwit each other – they’re so addictive.

Secret skills? My brother taught me to walk on stilts

when I was young. It’s not a skill I’ve found useful so far, but you never know.

Last year I fell in love with Bernard Butler and Jessie Buckley’s folky album For All

The Days That Tear Our Heart, and I still can’t stop playing it. It’s beautiful in every single way.

I’m a terrible cook, so number

one on my Christmas wishlist would be for someone else to do all the cooking on the day.

Immediately after answering these questions I’m writing

a big feature for a national magazine about Sarah Records.

Stop distracting me!

These Things Happen: The Sarah Records Story by Jane i li he y Tangent Books at £40 For more ane com