Bristol Life – Issue 348

A FRESH NEW SEASON IN THE ARTS? DON’T MIND IF WE DO…

IN THE NAME OF THE MOTHER

TOP GIFTS FOR THE OLD GIRL CAN’T ROAST, WON’T ROAST?

LUCKILY BANK CAN AND WILL INSIDE INFORMATION PLANNING THE PERFECT KITCHEN

SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND THE BEST OF THE LIGHT FEST

TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED

LET THE CITY SURPRISE YOU

DAVID NICHOLLS

PERFECT

STARTER FOR TEN’S AT BRISTOL OLD VIC, ONE DAY’S ON THE BOX, HIS NEW NOVEL’S OUT NEXT MONTH: LET’S MEET THE AUTHOR

This charming man

Starter for Ten at Bristol Old Vic; One Day on the box; a new novel out next month: David Nicholls – or Dr David Nicholls, to give him his full Bristol University honoury title – is having quite the year, but he’s as modest and delightful as ever

There’s a lot of ground to cover when I meet David Nicholls this month. There’s his time at Bristol University, and how it led to his first novel, Starter for Ten. How the film of the book was effectively sunk by its release on the same week of Casino Royale, then quietly rose again; how he feels about the new musical of the book, which opens at Bristol Old Vic this month.

Then, of course, we have to talk about the new Netflix series of One Day, because every single person is; and we have to find out a bit about his new novel You are Here, published next month. What with one thing and another, our time is up before I manage to ask, “So, David, what was it like to receive an honorary degree from Bristol University in 2016?” Maybe next time.

Starter (or maybe they call it Ten in rehearsals? I probably should have asked that, too) is just one of the frankly thrilling new shows, exhibitions and gigs coming your way this spring, from art about motherhood to wacky ceramic creatures; from Living Spit’s cheerfully irreverent take on the Easter tale to Paloma Faith singing about break-ups; from comedy to tragedy (actually, we’re quite light on the latter, probably no bad thing) – and as predictably as the daffs appearing in Vicky Park in March we’ve compiled our list of must-sees in a big round-up on page 13.

Otherwise it’s very much business as usual, with all the familiar sections you know and hopefully love. The same can’t be said for our next issue though, because we’ll be celebrating a milestone which is making those of us who’ve been steering this mag from the beginning feel absolutely ancient – IT’S BRISTOL LIFE’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY, FOLKS!– so expect a few special features in place of the regulars, along with one of the most beautiful – maybe the most beautiful – covers we’ve ever had, created for us by an absolute local legend Intrigued? Good, that was the general idea.

DERI ROBINS

Bristol Life editor @BristolLifeMag

David Nicholls photographed for Bristol Life

by Jon Craig @joncraig_photos

Cover design Trevor Gilham

ARTS

13 BEST IN SHOW It’s spring, and Bristol’s cultural sap is rising

24 WHAT’S ON More of the above

30 THE BIG INTERVIEW The wonderfully talented and rather lovely David Nicholls

38 BRISTOL HEROES Tales of the unexpected

43 BOOKS What’s known as a ‘companion piece’ to our big interview on page 30

46 RESTAURANT Can’t cook Sunday lunch, won’t cook? Bank can, and will

49 FOOD AND DRINK News, openings, fewer stars, etc

51 CAFÉ SOCIETY The Italian job

SHOPPING

52 ED’S CHOICE Thanks, ma

56 INTERIORS Kitchen sync

60 GARDENS Well, technically, indoor plants BUSINESS

63 NETWORK What’s the secret behind being a great caterer?

82 SHOWCASE Is this the best view in Bristol? (We ask, not for the first and almost certainly not the last time

9

Them

walls won’t stay that pristine for long . . .

Parks and recreation BETTER SK8 THAN NEVER

If three things go together in Bristol, it’s graff, music and skating. The latter doesn’t always receive the credit it deserves for its part in local culture, but at least this month the city is getting its first modern, purposebuilt skatepark in two decades.

The refurbishment of Victoria Park Skatepark is down to the fundraising work of the Bristol Skatepark Collective, which has been campaigning to restore the facility for two years. The new site has been designed by Bristol skatepark builders Wheelscape, and has a new ramp and bowl, a hip, a flat bank and a wall stall that’s simply begging for Krylon. Hi, Upfest..? @bristolskateparkcollective

Conservation

BARK

AT ‘EE

And if for any reason you don’t fancy spending your hard-earned cash on streetart festivals or skateparks, how d’you feel about trees?

The charity behind the unambiguously named Avon Needs Trees wants to create the outh West’s biggest new woodland near Bristol. Named the Lower Chew Forest, the scheme is close to getting the green light, and now urgently needs the community’s crowdfunding help to take things to the next stage.

Think big – no, really big, bigger than eigh Woods and the owns – 20 acres at Wick arm in ompton ando, planted with 100,000 native trees. The green space is intended “for the people, by the people,” and you can sponsor your own tree plots via the fundraiser.

Festivals THINGS ARE LOOKING UP

It’s all change for Upfest this year, as it morphs into Upfest Presents… (yes, the ellipses are part of the name, making it the trickiest thing to navigate in print since we had to write ‘At At-Bristol’) – an 18-day cultural programme supported by Arts Council England which will take place between 18 May-2 June.

Replacing the traditional weekend festival, this year’s artworks will be painted over two weeks, with pop-ups at many different venues across B . s well as gawping at the live art – and we’ll never, ever be able to work out how the artists take those little sketches and turn them into giant murals – you’ll be able to attend free workshops, theatre, comedy and tours. As well as working on their pieces, artists will take part in mini-paint jams, talks and panel discussions.

“Upfest Presents... represents a new incarnation for the festival this year,” said festival co founder tephen Hayles. t’s more focused on programming the mural creation, with a huge spectrum of other activities. This means we won’t have a festival in the park, but it does mean we can spread the joy of Upfest across 17 days including three weekends.”

The Upfest Presents… crowdfunder hopes to raise £10k to support all the activities. The more cash raised, the more events, murals and activities you’ll be able to attend – but you’ve probably worked that out for yourself.

www.fundsurfer.com/crowdfund/ make-upfest24-happen

Avon Needs Trees was formed in 2019 with the aim of to tackling the climate and nature crises; since then the charity has planted over ,000 native trees in the omerset and Wiltshire countryside.

When Wick arm came onto the market we knew we had to act,” said the charity’s nominatively-determined CEO ave Wood. t’s rare for such a large amount of land to come up in one go, particularly so close to Bristol, and we know that biodiversity recovery is far more effective across a large area. t’s the biggest opportunity in a generation for us to turn around the critically low percentage of woodland cover in our region, and create a forest-sized woodland.”

You can donate at the link below. www.avonneedstrees.org.uk

PHOTOS BY WHEELSCAPE

From tiny sapling‘s, etc; pic by Alex Turner. No, not that one

Follow us and tag us with your pics! instagram @bristollifemag

SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A LIGHT FEST

Another year of incredible light illuminations; another batch of beautiful captures by our insta ninjas

@faysperspective

@aishling_jana

@dale_hodgetts

@rogerturner6

@aishling_jana

@faygate @fifi_powell

@faysperspective

@kruggy01

@matthewpriceartist

@rjbcaptures

@rogerturner6

Spring has sprung, and at Bristol’s halls of culture, the sap is slowly beginning to rise…

Words by Deri Robins

he theatres have packed away the last of the Christmas-show puppets, the concert halls no longer ring out to The Messiah, and the galleries have unpacked their big-gun spring exhibitions. There’s a glut of unmissable delights to feast on; here’s a taster, get stuck in…

1FINGERS ON BUZZERS

If the swoonworthy new Netflix adaptation of David Nicholls’s One Day has left you craving more from this author, check out Starter for Ten, Bristol Old Vic’s bright, big-hearted new musical based on avid’s first novel.

Here’s the précis: it’s 1985, and Bristol Uni fresher Brian Jackson has two big ambitions: as well as winning the love of the beauteous Alice, he wants to compete on legendary TV quiz show University Challenge. Against an original soundtrack inspired by the student scene of the ’80s, Brian learns important lessons about love, belonging and the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Until 30 March. www.bristololdvic.org.uk

2

DISCOVER WHAT £132 MILLION OF HARD CASH HAS DONE TO THE BEACON

Bristol Beacon reopened after its mega refit last November. Not been yet? Oh, you must! Pick a gig that appeals to you – fans of ’80s pop in particular will be thrilled at the choice, from Elvis Costello to Echo & the Bunnymen, OMD and more – and come to marvel at the acoustics and sheer beauty of the new auditoriums and foyer spaces. lassical aficionados are

equally well-served, with the likes of Bristol Choral Society, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and so on.

There are far too many big names to list here, though we’ve gone ahead and picked out a few (see 3 and 4) – keep an eye on our What’s On listings in every issue for more details.

3

FIND OUT HOW TO LEAVE A MAN

On 15 April at Bristol Beacon, pop superstar Paloma Faith brings us her new album How You Leave a Man; a zero-tolerance barn-

burner about not sticking with the monotony of domesticity. Paloma warmly recommends packing your bags and driving off into the sunset, ideally accompanied by

1

www.bristolbeacon.org

4GET YOUR COAT Scorchio! Suits you sir! Does my bum look big in this? I’ll get me coat: it’s been 30 years since we all first ed at Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson’s groundbreaking TV sketch series The Fast Show, and now its original cast members – Paul and Charlie, Simon Day, John Thomson, Mark Williams and Arabella Weir (sadly not the brilliant Caroline Aherne, for obvious reasons) – are coming to Beacon with unique behind-the-scenes insights, explaining how they came up with the characters and their catchphrases, and recreating favourite moments. 29 March. www.bristolbeacon.org

violins and a distorted guitar solo.

5

VISIT ANOTHER COUNTRY

No, we’re not suggesting you hop on a plane to the Costa del Something-or-other; we refer to the next exhibition at Martin Parr Foundation, with

work by British photographers Chris Killip and Graham Smith. 20/20 is a revival of Chris and Graham’s 1985 show Another Country. Both had extensively photographed North East England during a time when

heavy industry was still thriving, followed by its collapse; their work documented the communities now faced with an unimaginable upheaval. For 20/20, Graham and Chris have each selected 20 images taken between 1975 and 1987, and

as with Another Country, the work is shown anonymously. That said, the one below, titled Sandy and his Aunty Augusta, is by Graham. Runs 11 April-30 June. www.martinparrfoundation.org

6CALL YOUR MUM

Better still, take her to see Acts of Creation: on Art and Motherhood at rnolfini, which handily opens on Mother’s ay. he aim of the Hayward allery’s touring exhibition is to show that there’s more to motherhood in art than all those pious Madonna and childs, concentrating instead on the lived experience in all its complexity, from creation to caring to loss.

But also, yeah call your mum. Between March 26 May.

www.arnolfini.org.uk

6

7STEP INTO AN ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE

hought the venerable W was all classical landscapes and portraits? Well, it’s not, and this spring’s biggie offers perfect proof. These Mad Hybrids: John Hoyland and Contemporary Sculpture fills the gallery with a host of strange creatures and human forms, and furniture that isn’t functional along with ceramic sculptures by Hoyland, which he affectionately called his mad little hybrids’, there’s complementary pieces by other artists too. n ideal show for anyone who thinks they don’t like art. Until 12 May. www.rwa.org.uk

8FIND OUT WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT

Hamilton is a bona fide phenomenon. in Manuel Miranda’s sung and rapped biographical musical based on the life of merican ounding ather lexander Hamilton has mopped up every award going, from a raft of onys, liviers and rammys to the Pulit er Pri e for rama. t’s now on its first U tour, which takes in Bristol Hippodrome between 0 pril 22 une www.atgtickets.com

ARTS

9BE BOURNE AGAIN

The Hippodrome has always spoiled us when it comes to Matthew Bourne ballets. In the past the dancemeister’s New Adventures company has brought The Red Shoes, Cinderella, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake t o Bristol, and now completists can add Edward Scissorhands, inspired by the Tim Burton movie of the same name. Dancing the part of Edward, a boy with scissors for hands, is fave Bourne leading man Liam Mower; lead dancers admittedly perform on alternate nights, but whichever night you come, between 5-9 March, you’ll have a ball. www.atgtickets.com

ARTS

10

SEE A GIG, DO A BIT OF GOOD

One year after his last charity gig at the same venue, composer and pianist Jimmy Galvin returns to The Mount Without on 11 April with Sacred Frequencies. This time it’s in aid of Doctors Without Borders, who give frontline medical aid to civilians caught up in war. The gig features a solo piano performance by Jimmy, supported by leading Bristol singers and instrumentalists, along with poets Lawrence Hoo and Edson Burton. www.eventbrite.co.uk

To be clear, the gig’s at The Mount Without, not a multi-storey car park. But who knows? In the future that might be cool . . .

11

11MEET CLEVER TREVOR

It seems we can’t get enough of the 1980s these days, despite it being Thatcher’s Britain.

Tobacco Factory Theatres is whisking us back to 1985 in the Midlands: a time of the Handsworth Riots, miners’ strikes and casual racism, where Trevor Prince, one of the region’s first Black police o cers and an acclaimed gospel guitarist, faces conflict on the streets, at work and in church.

Created by internationally acclaimed local company Stan’s Café, the new musical Community Service draws on the life of Trevor for an emotional and uplifting show full of live music and wit.

Between 23-27 April. www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com

12HELP STU NAIL IT

Like everyone else, we were very saddened by the death of Howard Coggins, one half of comedydrama duo Living Spit. Nobody would have wanted the show to go on more than Howard,

so head to TFT this month to see his long-time partner Stu Mcloughlin and pals bring Spit’s trademark cheerful irreverence to The Passion of Living Spit Expect Jesus’s greatest hits: water into wine oaves and fishes Parables! Miracles! Animals! Vegetables! Minerals! There’ll be a holy host of reimagined Easter hymns, and a whole new meaning to the term ‘crossdressing’. Swerve only if you’re deeply religious and/or easily offended. 2 March 1 pril. www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com

13

MARVEL AT THE WORLD’S BEST WILDLIFE PHOTOS

The National History Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is always in town for so long that it’s easy to miss it altogether. “Oh, I’ll go after Christmas,” you promise in November. “Yep; still ages to go,” you decide in February. Then it’s the end of April before you know it, and the thing has packed up and moved on.

14VISIT A SMALL GALLERY

Sure, we want to catch all the big exhibitions at rnolfini, pike Island, RWA, Bristol Museums etc – but don’t miss out on the jewel-like small Bristol galleries such as Clifton Contemporary Art, Huw Richards, That Art Gallery, Clifton Fine Art, Centrespace, Hidden, Lime Tree, Rainmaker and Studio74, or the friendly Clifton Arts Club, which regularly displays the work of its members.

15HEAR THE TALES OF A CITY (THAT’S NOT BRISTOL)

When Stephen Merchant was wooing Christopher Walken for The Outlaws, the latter asked the former what Bristol was like.

“Oh it’s on the water, it’s very hilly and it has a big bridge – it’s exactly like San Francisco,” quoth the Merchant.

He’s not far wrong; both cities have a vibrant, free-thinking, freewheeling, creative vibe. Never been to San Fran? The next best thing is to head to St George’s on 15 March, when author and LGBT activist Armistead Maupin tells us all about Mona of the Manor, the longawaited 10th novel in his Tales of the City series www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

16CHECK OUT THE GROWNUP DRACO MALFOY

We’re heading back to Bristol Old Vic in June for A Child of Science, Gareth Farr’s new play about the pioneers of IVF. In

1978 – and we’re really not sure what’s going on at the moment, simply everyone* wants to go back to this era – Patrick Steptoe, Robert Edwards, and Jean Purdy changed the world, but most people don’t even know their names. You soon will though, if you buy a ticket, and you probably should, given that it’s directed by Matthew Dunster and stars Tom Felton, now all grown up since his evil Draco Malfoy days.

5 June-6 July.

www.bristololdvic.org.uk

*Possibly a slight exaggeration.

17FLY AWAY HOME

We’re popping over to Bath for The Wonderful World of the Ladybird

Book Artists, as it’s rather unique, and because our appetite for nostalgia is apparently bottomless this spring. We’re going even further back than the ’80s this time, though – 1940 to 1975 to be exact, the golden years of Ladybird, which is currently being celebrated at the Victoria Art Gallery with rare books and original artwork.

The books covered everything from fairytales to festivals, natural history to history-history, people at work (great fun to look at now), and, of course, the early reader books starring the ultimate mid-century nuclear family of Peter and Jane.

Don’t go with 21th-century indignation over gender expectations. Do go to admire the masterly gouache art of unnicliffe, Badmin, eigh Pemberton, et al. Until 14 April. www.victoriagal.org.uk

‘Peter helps Mother with the household chores’ shock!! Surely he should be watching Father strip down an engine?

WHAT’S

N1-22 March 2024

EXHIBITIONS

Until 31 March

ONE YEAR! PHOTOGRAPHS

FROM THE MINERS’ STRIKE 1984/85

To coincide with the 40th anniversary of the strike, taking a look at the vital role photography played during the year-long struggle against pit closures and Tory rule. At Martin Parr Foundation; martinparrfoundation.org

Until 21 April

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

The very best nature photography in the world; this year at Bristol Museum. bristolmuseums.org.uk

Until 5 May

OLU OGUNNAIKE:

FIX YOUR FACE

site specific commission by lu, centred on a monumental, curved wall, combining handmade board, charcoal screenprints and silt from the Avon with charred objects recovered from the fire at Underfall Yard. Typically intriguing Spike Island fare, then; spikeisland.org.uk

Until 12 May

THESE MAD HYBRIDS:

JOHN HOYLAND AND CONTEMPORARY SCULPTURE

Ceramic sculptures by abstract painter John Hoyland RA in

dialogue with a spectacular international assembly of contemporary sculpture by other artists; at RWA, rwa.org.uk

Until 2 June

IPE 165

r the International Photography Exhibition 165, to give it its full name; the world’s longest-running photography show, with a diverse range of contemporary global images; at RPS, rps.org

21-24 March

BRISTOL GALLERY WEEKEND

This sounds fun: Equinox Bristol brings an opportunity to explore the local gallery scene through a programme of talks, private views, and other events. bristolgalleryweekend.org.uk

SHOWS

Until 2 March

BEAUTIFUL EVIL THINGS

Not a stage version of Mean Girls, it’s far better than that; a high-energy one woman show from d nfinitum that brings us the origin story of the Gorgon and turns the Greek myth on its head. At TFT, tobaccofactorytheatres.com

TWELFTH NIGHT

Love and disguise intertwine with comedic chaos in the Bard’s greatest

comedy; it’s Bristol old Vic Theatre School at Malcolm X Centre. bristololdvic.org.uk

Until 9 March

DEAR YOUNG MONSTER

Struggling at the beginning of his medical transition, a young trans man has dropped out of university and returned to his quiet home town. His friends are away, the locals are hostile, his body is transforming before his very eyes into someone he doesn’t quite recognise yet, and it’s all becoming a bit too much, until he catches a midnight screening of Frankenstein Bristol ld Vic, bristololdvic.org.uk

Until 30 March

STARTER FOR TEN

David Nicholls’s novel about the Bristol student aiming to compete on University hallenge gets the musical treatment, with new tunes inspired by the student scene of the 1980s. See interview page 30. At Bristol ld Vic, bristololdvic.org.uk

5-6 March

VICTORINE: THE ARTIST’S MODEL

An emotive one-woman show exploring the lives of female Impressionists and artists’ models during a turbulent decade in 19th-century Paris; at Alma Tavern, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

All

5-9 March

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS

Matthew Bourne’s magical take on the Tim Burton classic comes to Hippodrome: if you’re a Bournie you’ll be pleased to hear that Liam Mower dances the part of our hero on some nights. atgtickets.com

CLOWN SEX

Blimey, we’re not sure we want to know; but we’re promised a triptych of entertaining and provocative solo tales that unpack social and sexual taboo from Natasha Sutton, at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

7-9 March

JULIUS CAESAR

he B V kids back at Malcolm X, this time with the “unkindest cut of all”; bristololdvic.org.uk

11-16 March

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR he livier ward winning reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical comes to Hippodrome. We’re sure Ian McIntosh is simply marvellous as Jesus, but we’re going because of Julian Clary as Herod. Don’t boo, it’s not panto. atgtickets.com

12-15 March

COWBOYS & LESBIANS

Yes, we thought that might get your attention. Nina and Noa are 17 and

have never been to a party, they’ve never been kissed, and they’re absolutely never going to admit that they fancy each other. That is, until they start writing a Hollywood romance, inventing a fantasy world of lust, betrayal, and sexy cowboys. At Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

12-16 March

GOD OF CARNAGE

What happens when two sets of parents meet up to deal with the unruly behaviour of their children?

A calm and rational debate, or a hysterical night of name-calling, tantrums and tears before bedtime? Boys will be boys, but the adults are usually worse – much worse. Alma Tavern, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

19-20 March

SHAPESHIFTING

Lara Parmiani’s kaleidoscopic solo inspired by her journey from a grey industrial Italian suburb to 1997 London, taking audiences through

time, language, gender cliches and anti-migrant narratives, from Cool to Cruel Britannia, at Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

20-22 March

QUEER PLANET

Bi-curious George, London’s loveable nature boy, takes us on a raucous romp through the animal kingdom – the wildest, queerest kingdom of them all. “Everything you could want in a drag show,” says one review. “Surprisingly educational,” remarks another. At The Wardrobe, where else. thewardrobetheatre.com

21 March

TRIALS OF A GENTLEMAN

Raised on 1940s and ’50s cinema, primary teacher David Martin is arrested for murder. How could a gentleman – a kind and chivalrous man – be responsible for the death of two people? Find out at Alma Tavern, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

COMEDY

Ongoing CLOSER EACH DAY

The drama of Succession. The grit of EastEnders. The rumpy-pumpy of Sex Education. Nothing remotely like Game of Thrones; the world’s longestrunning improvised comedy soap continues to bubble away amusingly at Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

1 March

MATT CHORLEY: POLL DANCER

With a general election on the way, Matt draws on two decades of reporting from Westminster to deliver his guide to winning and losing at the polls. At the Hen & Chicken, henandchicken.com

2 March

STEWART LEE: BASIC LEE

In a stellar month for lols, “the world’s greatest living stand-up” (The Times) is an obvious standout. After a decade of groundbreaking highconcept shows involving overarched interlinked narratives, massive sets and enormous comedy props, Stewart enters the post-pandemic era in streamlined solo stand-up mode. Sure to sell out, if it hasn’t already, at Beacon, bristolbeacon.or

CELYA AB: SECOND RODEO

Expect tales of romance, a hologram and a near-death experience in Thorpe Park, from the Chortle 2022 Best Newcomer; trust us, she’s a delight; Alma Tavern, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

7 March RUSSELL ARATHOON: ASHAMED

“Why are you gays always so proud?” “Well, personally I preferred it when we were more

ashamed, it was certainly less tiring”... Fast-paced stand up from the Manchester-born comedian, who at fortysomething feels the need to teach younger gays about the Stonewall riots, Section 28 and, of course, the time Madonna fell down the stairs at the Brit Awards. Alma Tavern, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

8 February

TAMSYN KELLY: CRYING IN TK MAXX

How have men shaped who Tamsyn is? Will the chicken shop guy ever give her the time of day? Why was Mr Blobby her first crush? brutally honest but fair appraisal of men from a woman who has cried in most high-street shops. Alma Tavern, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

9 March

DANIEL O’REILLY: OUT OF CHARACTER

From losing it all, battling addiction and becoming a father (oh lawd, not another one), the controversial London geezer (though born in Surrey) has been on a rollercoaster, and wants you to join him for a ride at Redgrave; we’re oddly tempted. redgravetheatre.com

PADDY YOUNG: HORNY, HUNGRY, SCARED

The clue’s in the title. Paddy’s hungry. He’s horny. He’s scared. He’s in the gutter, but he’s still looking down on all of you at Alma Tavern, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

10 March WONDERHAUS

Fresh new ideas in comedy, dada, clowning, circus, slapstick, mime and general tomfoolery; at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

16 March

STEVE WILLIAMS & STEVE HALL

Two Steves for the price of one; recently seen opening for Russell Howard on his UK tour. At The Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com

17 March

JAMIE HUTCHINSON: WATERSLIDE

Podcast hero Jamie is one of the brightest sparks on the UK circuit. But from the outside looking in, some would say his life is pathetic. Is it, though? Join him as he works through about an hour of chaos, and decide for yourself, at the Hen & Chicken; henandchicken.com

CLOCKWISE: At a certain age, it behoves one’s rock star to swap black biker leather for peach satin: Chrissie at the Beacon; ee see you at BOV, Mel Giedroyc!; Stewart keeps it basic

FRESH THINKING OVER A FINE LUNCH

Unique social business occasion: live interview with Mark Kelly, CEO of Ashton Gate and the new Sporting Quarter development

GEOFF NORCOTT: BASIC BLOKE

eoff’s trying to make sense of the current cultural and political scene, treading on areas much of comedy leaves well alone. But as well as casting his everyman eye over what’s happening in wider society, he’s trying to unpick what’s happening with your average bloke. emember them? edgrave; redgravetheatre.com

18 March

CHLOE PETTS: WORK-IN-PROGRESS

hloe’s at he Wardrobe, trying out new material about golf, musical theatre star ee Mead, and probably football thewardrobetheatre.com

19 March

ED GAMBLE: HOT DIGGITY DOG

ll your classic amble ranting, raving and spluttering, but he’s doing fine mentally, he promises. t Hippodrome; atgtickets.comg

ROSY CARRICK: MUSCLEBOUND

Newly single, 0 and doling out relationship advice to a teenage

daughter, osy is forced to confront the niggling suspicion that something about her sexual past has never felt uite right; at he Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

21 March

I’M SORRY, I HAVEN’T A CLUE ack ee heads up a host of top flight comedians’ for the uick witted nonsense game. No idea who else’s on the bill, but ack’s enough for us. t Hippodrome, atgtickets.com

22-23 March

ROMESH RANGANATHAN: HUSTLE

omesh has been pondering the human condition. re people inherently good? s charity always a positive thing? s hustling the key to success? r is all this a load of rubbish we’ve made up to keep people working hard for no reason? oin him as he examines all of this and more while providing no real answers, at Beacon; bristolbeacon.org

GIGS

Ongoing

BRISTOL BEACON

With daily gigs, encompassing classical, folk, world, indie, a and less easily classifiable genres; see bristolbeacon.org

ST GEORGE’S BRISTOL lassical, world, folk, talks and more, at t eorge’s; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

1 March

THE BEES

Proving that there’s more to the sle of Wight than beaches and red s uirrels, its most famous musical export brings its Mercury nominated indie psychedelic rock to rinity. trinitybristol.org.uk

2 March

WALDO’S GIFT

Hurtling from the sophistication of a through to experimental electronic music, with the unhinged energy of rock and metal, adding up to one of the most exciting live acts on the circuit rinity Presents at trange Brew. trinitybristol.org.uk

3 March

THE PRETENDERS

he’s gonna to use her style, gonna use her sidestep hrissie Hynde and the boys’ eclectic mix of rock, new wave and punk is as raw as it ever was in the ’ 0s; they’re celebrating their latest album Relentless at Bristol Beacon. bristolbeacon.org

TOPTOBOTTOM: Those nomadic Kahunas at the Folk House; knives out: Edward Scissorhands at the Hippodrome; the Doctor will see you now: John Cooper Clarke; Romesh is still looking for answers – will he find them at the Beacon?

TOPTOBOTTOM: Unacceptable even in the ‘80s: One Year! at MPF; tales of the pretty much expected from Armistead at St G’s; like Cadbury’s creme eggs, the Bunnymen arrive early for Easter

6 March

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN

The post-punk nostalgia continues apace; still fronted by Ian McCulloch, the band take their vast discography on a UK tour which alights at Beacon. bristolbeacon.org

7 March

1OCC

50 years after launching their debut album, the art-pop and soft-rock legends are on a Ultimate Greatest Hits Tour, which along with every act from the ’70s and ’80s seems to be visiting the Beacon. This is not a complaint. bristolbeacon.org

LOLA YOUNG

The south London girl has a dark witty style that encompasses the socially aware lyricism of hip hop with the tender story telling of folk. She’s at Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

THE KAHUNAS

Raw, urban folk music from the nomadic duo (though currently based in Bristol) at the Folk House, where else; bristolfolkhouse.co.uk

13 March

RED RUM CLUB

The six Scousers, we hear, have a unique sound inspired by the likes of The White Stripes and The Arctic Monkeys (so clearly not that unique, then) at Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

14 March

DR JOHN COOPER CLARKE

Literary phenomenon, British cult hero, the Godfather of punk poetry, the bloke who wrote that Evidently Chickentown poem they used at the end of that Sopranos episode: John’s all of those. Come to Beacon to see a living legend, still at the top of his game. bristolbeacon.org

19 March

ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK

The synth pop pioneers have been busy: new album Bauhaus Staircase finds M at its most explicitly political, and at the zenith of their desire to be both Stockhausen and Abba. bristolbeacon.org

22-24 March

BRISTOL JAZZ FESTIVAL

or its 11th outing, the B finds a new home south of the river at the TFT. See who’s playing at bristoljazzandbluesfest.com

OTHER

Ongoing

BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL

The year-round fest with the something-for-everyone remit continues into its 2024 season; look out for a nostalgic weekend of vintage Bristol comedies featuring Ealing’s Passport to Pimlico, A Run for your Money and Kind Hearts and Coronets. Wot, no Ladykillers? ristolfilm esti al.com

2 March

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION

Bristol Women’s Voice once again hosts its free flagship annual event at City Hall; bristolwomensvoice.org.uk

15 March

AN EVENING WITH ARMISTEAD MAUPIN

Following several successful UK tours, bestselling, much-loved author and LGBT activist Armistead is heading back out on the road to celebrate Mona of the Manor, the long-awaited tenth novel in the Tales of the City series. Fans won’t need to be told twice. At St George’s; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk n

10 A PERFECT

In 2003, a little-known author named David Nicholls wrote a book about a student who dreams of competing on University Challenge. Starter for Ten became a bestseller, then a movie, and now it’s a musical at Bristol Old Vic. Oh, and that little-known author? Well, he’s a bit better known these days…

Words by Deri Robins Pics by @joncraig_photos

Near the end of my interview with David Nicholls, I hit him up with a few uickfire uestions. ou know the sort of thing: the kind journalists stick in boxouts, for the benefit of those with short attention spans who are unlikely to read the full article.

o avid your starter for ten. What word do you find yourself overusing at the moment?

“Well, I seem to be saying ‘bliss’ a lot, and that’s got to stop,” he says. Working on the new V series of One Day has been bliss, and working on my last novel with my new editor has been bliss. here have been a couple of very happy collaborations recently, very harmonious. But even so, it’s a bit of an overstatement.”

I’m not sure it is, though, because 2024 is shaping up to be a pretty blissful year for avid Nicholls. he past 21 haven’t been too shabby, either; they’ve turned him into a bestselling, Booker nominated author and a B winning screenwriter; three of his books have been made into films or V series in the case of third novel One Day, both . He’s bringing out a new novel in pril. nd just when you think he’s done it all, bar an immersive experience of One Day perhaps – actually, can I just patent that idea? – along comes a new musical based on his first book, Starter for Ten, at Bristol ld Vic this month.

t’s the kind of success lower list authors fantasise about, but who can begrudge him? He’s so nice – Mike Palin level nice, friendly, self effacing and courteous to fans and interviewers alike. He wears his fame lightly, using the word ‘luck’ a lot, but luck can only take you so far. uck doesn’t sell six million copies of your third book, or inspire the kind of fiercely protective love for your characters that One Day has.

t’s easy to see why his books are so popular.

ften moving, always funny, they hit the sweet spot between popular and literary fiction, attracting gratifying sales figures for the former and a Booker nod for the latter. ixth novel You Are Here is out in pril, and will undoubtedly zoom to the top of the bestseller charts quicker than you can say 202 holiday read’.

If you like one of his books, you’ll like them all. ach has flawed but sympathetic protagonists, whom David ruthlessly puts through the wringer while making us laugh out loud; read a Nicholls novel on the train or bus and you’re liable to startle fellow passengers. He also has an extraordinarily well honed ear for dialogue; perhaps unsurprisingly, given his extensive experience as a screenwriter.

et’s rewind – picture an old school black VH tape – to the mid 1 0s, when the 1 year old avid pitched up for his first term at Bristol University; the experience that inspired Starter for Ten. How similar was his own experience to that of the book’s hero, Brian ackson?

Well, there’s a bit where Brian first arrives, and meets these incredibly posh kids and they all go out to a tarts and vicars party – that’s basically an evening had in ctober 1 ,” says avid. he student house on t Michael’s Hill, and me feeling extremely insecure, and being noisy and opinionated; that weird mixture you have at that age, wanting very much to

“Starter for Ten is almost like a sports movie, except it’s not about sport”

make an impression but not really knowing what that impression should be. he culture shock, and the insecurity and the foolishness, and the class anxiety –all of that is real, but the element of wanting to be on University Challenge is all made up.

ike Brian, used to watch the show as a kid, and try to answer the uestions. here was something very appealing about that world. hey all looked a bit geeky, like me; was a very swotty kid. ou know can’t play sport, I’m not particularly popular, or a hit with the girls, so I’m going to have a thing, and my thing is going to be being bookish and clever.

nd then, of course, you come to university, and suddenly everyone’s not ust clever, they’re definitely cleverer than you, and more experienced and more savvy, with better taste in music, and certainly richer. suddenly felt very poor and provincial. But it was also a very happy time. met people who are still my best friends. t was a kind of mortifying and glorious time.”

on’t expect to find a rash of familiar Bristol place names in the novel, though. hat was deliberate. It’s meant to represent every university, because the experience is universal. But also thought, well, it can’t ust be all about students getting drunk, and tra c cones, there’s got to be something at stake. nd that’s where the idea of the ui came in. t’s almost like a kind of sports movie, except it’s not about sport.”

His first thought was to write the story as a screenplay, but realised that in the UK, there was “no tradition of the college movie; there was a sense that for students the stakes weren’t high enough. here’s a traditional campus novel but not film or television.

“I originally wrote it as a dramatic monologue; I was very intimidated at the idea of writing a novel. mean, still am… It was a big break, getting it published; it’s very,

Stting in rehearsals for Starter for Ten at Bristol Old Vic. “It was really moving; there was a song in the second half that had me blubbing”

“University was a kind of andmortifying time”glorious

tough for debut novelists and there was nothing really to distinguish it. And then suddenly it was a bestseller, and then it was a film. o ’ve been lucky in all respects.”

What David doesn’t mention is that even by 2003 he’d already established his writing credentials, having written for TV romcoms Cold Feet and Rescue Me. The modesty is typical, as is the self-deprecatory humour that’s mirrored in so many of his characters – Stephen in The Understudy, for example, whose unsuccessful acting career was based on David’s own.

I’ve tracked down an old black-and-white photo of David in a student production. Everyone in the cast looks exceedingly glum. “I think it was a production of The Suicide,” he says. “Yeah, that was a big performance, I was very big in that, I was big in all of them, I was a terrible ham. I worked for about eight years as an actor, and on stage I think I probably said about eight lines. I really loved it, but it was never my vocation.”

On the plus side, he says he learned a lot about writing from acting. t was definitely the way in. t took uite a lot of nerve to say, I’d like to be an actor, but it would have taken an impossible amount of nerve to say, I want to be a writer. It was the writing that I really loved about acting; loved analysing how characters were created, and how jokes and structure worked. It was a great training, even though I didn’t realise it at the time.”

Even with the success of his novels, he’s continued to work on screenplays. ’m not prolific enough as a novelist, I’m always going to have to draw from the same

“It was the writing I really loved about acting; I loved analysing how the characters were created”

well, and I don’t want to repeat myself. With a screenplay. I feel a little bit wider in my range. They feed into each other in really interesting ways.”

It was from screenwriting that he learned the necessity of planning. “I’m not a poet, I’m not making it up as I go along. You can see particularly in my new book, You Are Here, that the book has a very solid structure that was clearly worked out before started doing the fun stuff.”

When Starter was picked up as a film another great stroke of luck”), David wrote the screenplay. Despite starring James McAvoy and Benedict Cumberbatch, it was, he says, terrible flop. t was everyone’s first film; Benedict and James were still unknowns. Our brilliant casting director Nina Gould said, these are the kids who are up and coming, and sure enough, three years later we couldn’t have got anywhere near them. But then the film came out in the same week as Casino Royale . . .”

There was no Barbenheimer-style double bill for Starter. “It was gone from cinemas three weeks later, but it’s had a weird kind of quiet, gentle afterlife and still crops up on the telly now and again.”

He hasn’t watched it himself for 20 years. “It’s quite hard going back to old stuff, you know. ou don’t watch it as a viewer. You watch it as someone giving notes, and you think, that could be tighter, that doesn’t quite land. You watch it not just with the distance of time, but a certain amount of professional criticism.”

Unusually, he’s not directly involved with the new musical at Bristol Old Vic. Does that bother him?

No; with my older work, ’m really happy to let other people run with it. I feel it belongs to my former self, not me. I found this with One Day as well; you can’t say, an you just do it as it is in the book?’ You’d just produce something that’s dead.

“So while I haven’t been creatively involved with the musical, I have very much given them my blessing, and, with a certain amount of trepidation, I did go to a singthrough the other day. nd it was glorious; t was really

David on the Bristol Old Vic stage (with Deri, left); the theatre was one of his frequent haunts as a Bristol University student

moving; there’s a song in the second half that had me blubbing.”

While David swerved musical theatre as an actor –“I couldn’t sing or dance, I could barely act” – music has always been massively important to him. “I’m obsessed with music, and listen to it as a kind of cue, as a sort of inspiration and as a mood setter. It’s the thing that absolutely slams you back into how a certain time and place felt; it’s much more useful than a news headline.”

It’s fair to say that both nostalgia and love run through his novels like a stick of rock; is he a hopeless romantic?

“Mostly, I think I am, actually. I mean, not in a sort of sentimental way; if anything, I’m slightly scared of it. It’s usually the biggest thing that happens to us; it’s rife with dangers, romantic love, and its absence can feel very alarming. That’s what my next book, You Are Here, is about. t’s about loneliness, solitude and finding a virtue in that as well as wanting to escape from it.”

The musical of Starter for Ten and new book You Are Here bookend David’s 21-year career as a novelist to date. And yet, once again, the whole shooting match threatens to be overshadowed by ‘the other book’, One Day – currently available in 40 languages, with sales of 6m and counting, now being discovered by a new generation thanks to its new 1 part Netflix series.

he 2011 film starring nne Hathaway was criticised for its leading lady’s variable Leeds accent (uncool admission uite liked it . he new Netflix show, on the other hand, has been universally acclaimed, reducing strong men and women to sobbing wrecks and causing critics to stumble over superlatives.

Chronicling the friendship of bookish, working-class

mma and a uent golden boy exter, each chapter is set on 15 July over two decades as we follow their ups and downs, their will-they-won’t-they romance, and ultimately… well, it would be criminal to say any more.

Back in the 2010s you couldn’t sit in an airport lounge without spotting at least one copy of One Day’s distinctive cover, the Hein tomato coloured profiles of ex and Em arranged like the optical illusion of Rubin’s Vase.

FINGERS ON BUZZERS

We welcome Nicholls of Bristol University to the chair . . .

What was your favourite book as child?

The Moomins. I love the really depressing late ones like Moominland Midwinter. The more gloomy they got, the more I loved them

And favourite book as an adult?

It used to be Tender is the Night, but I reread it the other day, and while I still loved it I didn’t love it quite as much. I think today I’d say Howards End. I love Forster. My new novel You Are Here is really influenced by A Room with a View, its humanism and romance.

What book do you wish you’d written?

I’m reading a lot of Penelope Fitzgerald at the moment. but I’ll choose Look at Me by Anita Brookner. Just a beautiful little polished jewel. Barely 200 pages, but a masterpiece.

Now, using a similar model to the TV version of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, the book has been adapted into 14 short episodes. Like Normal People it stars a pair of relative newcomers, Ambika Rod and Leo Woodall, both now surely poised for superstardom.

“I completely adore it,” says David, who acted as executive producer and wrote one episode. If you know the book, guess which episode. Correct.

“Music is the thing that absolutely slams you back into a certain time and place”

“It’s the perfect form for the book, because the novel is intrinsically episodic. ach chapter has a different style, a beginning, a middle and end, and an idea, and a miniature story that you work through. Nicole Taylor and her writing team have done an exquisite job. It feels like reading the book in a really magical way; it feels very much like the sensation I wanted to give readers when I wrote it. Even though I’ve only written a tiny part of it, it’s been very collaborative; it’s been a really, really happy experience, and we’re getting the best reviews I’ve ever had in my life – for something I didn’t write…”

At this point, we are summoned to the stage for photos. Just before our meeting, David had been at Radio Bristol. “I thought it was going to be a quick interview, but it turned into a 45-minute chat,” he says. I am unamazed to hear this, because I am equally reluctant to let David Nicholls go. Did I mention he was very nice? Talking to him has genuinely been – well – bliss, actually. n

Starter for Ten runs at Bristol Old Vic until 30 March www.bristololdvic.org.uk

Which books would you love to adapt for film or TV?

I’ve already done all the big ones…Tess, Great Expectations, Far from the Madding Crowd I ‘ve had a go at Tender is the Night too, but I don’t think it’ll ever get made. It’s too difficult. Sometimes the books you love the most are the most resistant to adaptation, because what you’re responding to is the prose, and that’s the one thing as a screenwriter that you’re going to have to let go.

Any piece of literature you feel is overrated?

Oh, there is, but I’ll get into such trouble. I don’t think she’s overrated, because she’s clearly a genius, but I don’t get on with Jane Austen. I find the irony and restraint frustrating, I want her to let rip, and of course that isn’t what you go to Jane Austen for.

How important is literary recognition to you?

Being longlisted for the Booker for Us was thrilling. I know a lot of eyebrows were raised, but that’s okay. I never expected to win it, and I

suspect it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s not something I strained for. It would be ridiculous and pointless to sit down and think, right, I’m going to write a literary novel. Just write as well as you can. Tell the story you want to tell, and try not to be pretentious; but be ambitious.

Where do you write?

I have a little office I go to every day in the Barbican. I never wanted to close the door on my kids, which is why I leave the house, so I don’t have to tell anyone to be quiet. I come home every day at five o’clock; I’m not one of those Hemingwayesque late-night writers.

What is your most regrettable habit?

I have an internet blocker, and I know how to override it, and I’ve got to stop doing that. I find being online and writing incompatible, and yet I haven’t really found a foolproof way to kick that habit. I reach for the internet like people reached for cigarettes. All the days, the years I’ve wasted. I feel very sad.

A 1986 Bristol University production of The Suicide. That’s David on the far left, looking a bit like a young John Hurt

TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED

This is Bristol. You never know what’s just around the corner

Words and pics by Colin Moody

“Mega-squeeze own-brand ketchup optional, enjoyment not”

1Fan of Dizzee leans in with his good arm to hand the Rascal a pen so he can get a signature on his cast. Hurt and heal. Bonkers, right? All down at Cabot Circus while Dizzee promotes his new album. Not your usual gig, and that’s the Bristol magic right there. One young woman tells him how she’d found strength from his first album, and nods and locks in a handshake with her. These are all just moments. But they matter.

2The March of the Mummies. Childcare was one of the main trigger points for banner-making in this march. I took a lot of photos, but this one I really like. You take a little peek around the world and communities where women’s voices are properly heard and you get cooperatives, you get improvements that last. Taking a look at the power men, and this new plethora of chaos we currently have, I can’t help thinking we need a little more of this Kahlo cool and not so much of the shouty angry men.

3The absolute pleasure and joy of a hotdog and chips. And you can never get this experience at home, cracking open an eight-pack on the grill. t has to be right lean in to the hotdog van, get that whiff of onions and real life; mega-squeeze, industrial-sized own-brand ketchup optional, enjoyment not.

4Urban camouflage.

As a street photographer you should always keep your radar on for new signals; it just takes little things to align, and you have a moment.

I think the straight ’tache adds a nice little detail. Here’s to all the fashionistas aligning with, in this case, the unusually horizontal corrugated exterior of a petrol station. I’m pleased to work in Bristol a lot, where so many energies intersect like this all the time.

5At rallies and protests I’m amazed that photographers are always looking for the moment when the arms go wide and the pointed comments match the body language. For me, it’s the quiet moments just after or before a speech that reach me.

Here, a march like so many over recent weeks in Castle Park, where a message of love has just been told. And felt.

6And the winner of the best, most interesting, streets to photograph goes to… Bristol!

7Corvus Angelicus got special permission to walk through St Paul’s during lockdown to bring hope to those oh-so-silent streets. I’d love to have known what it felt like to pull open the curtains to see this sight.

Here the lead angel appears to be holding a wand. It’s just the rather lurid septic yellow street lights we all have on ourt streets. But that’s the power of these heroes; the ordinary becomes extraordinary. And it lifts. Us. All.

8Total eclipse of the sun. By a bridge.

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

“It’s always the quiet beforemoments or after a speech that reach me”

7

A BLUFFER’S GUIDE TO DAVID NICHOLLS

Want to sound clued-up during the Starter for Ten interval at Bristol Old Vic? Here are your pass notes

3

To be fair, you could zip through David Nicholls’ back catalogue in a matter of weeks; his books are that readable. But bearing in mind that press night for Starter for Ten loometh...

1STARTER FOR TEN (2003)

Any adaptations? radio play was created during Covid, with each cast member recording their part at home.

Bristol connection? Negligible. OK, none.

3ONE DAY (2009)

arty Connie informs pernickety, conventional Douglas that she wants to leave him; however, they still decide to embark on their long-planned grand tour of Europe with moody teenage son lbie in tow.

Any adaptations? bsolutely, the excellent 2020 TV series starring Tom Hollander. (He’s from Bristol, by the way.)

The coming-of-age tale that first introduced us to the wry, self deprecating David Nicholls hero we’d come to know and love. What’s the story? 18-year-old university student Brian Jackson is trying not to starve until his grant money comes in. He also really needs to do something about his erupting skin if he’s to win the heart of beautiful, fickle lice; oh, and he wants to compete on University Challenge

Em and Dex, Dex and Em: oh, we fell for them hard. Not for nothing did One Day become the popular novel of the 2010s; though still very much in romcom territory, the book has moving things to say about loneliness and failure. This may be a love story, but it’s never sugar-coated.

5SWEET SORROW (2019)

Any adaptations? he 2006 film starred a bunch of then-obscure actors, if you can believe that ames Mc voy and Benedict Cumberbatch were ever obscure. It’s now getting the stage musical treatment at Bristol Old Vic. Bristol connection? The book was inspired by David’s own experience as a student at Bristol Uni during the 1980s, but the city is never mentioned by name. It is in the film and musical, though.

What’s the story? In 1988, Dexter and Emma spend a platonic night together after their last day at Edinburgh University. Each successive chapter of the novel visits their lives and relationship on the same day, 15 July over the next 20 years. Any adaptations? The 2011 movie was panned due to nne Hathaway’s Leeds accent being all over the place, but if you could overlook that it wasn’t without its charms. Far better is the current 1 part Netflix series, now busily breaking the hearts of a whole new generation.

Leaving behind the middleaged angst of Us, Sweet Sorrow revisits the days of adolescence and first love; a romantic, nostalgic tale with enough melancholy and humour to prevent it from tipping into rose-tinted sentimentality. What the story? School’s out, and Charlie Lewis has probably flunked his exams. t home he’s stuck looking after his depressed dad, and if he thinks about the future at all, it’s with a kind of dread. Then Fran Fisher bursts into his life, and despite himself, Charlie begins to hope…

Any adaptations? No, but surely it’s just a question of time.

6YOU ARE HERE (OUT IN APRIL 2024)

2THE UNDERSTUDY (2005)

Bristol connection? None we can recall; maybe a throwaway line? We’ll quietly drop this bullet point now.

Inspired by David’s own experience as an unsuccessful actor, The Understudy is a comic novel with a soft-centred heart, and a quintessentially hapless Nicholls underdog hero. What’s the story? Stephen C. McQueen (no relation) is stuck in understudy purgatory, playing second fiddle to international megastar Josh Harper – “the 12th sexiest man in the world”. nd now Steve has to wrestle with an added indignity: he’s fallen in love with Josh’s wife, Nora…

4US (2014)

Whereas One Day covers 20 years of a relationship in chronological fashion, Us jumps backwards and forwards in time to gradually reveal the portrait of a marriage.

If One Day was David’s commercial juggernaut, Us was his literary win, being longlisted for the Booker, and (admittedly less gloriously), winning the pecsavers uthor of the ear. What’s the story? fter 2 years of marriage, spontaneous,

David describes his new book as “the most intimate novel I’ve written, a chamber piece that just happens to take place on mountains and along great river valleys. It is, I think, the funniest novel I’ve written, but I hope there’s a poignancy there too.”

What’s the story? Michael and Marnie meet during a ten-day walking holiday across the north of England. Both are lost, both lonely, but as they start to talk and share stories, the possibility of new beginnings opens up.

Any adaptations? Give it a chance, it’s not even out yet.

Starter for Ten is currently running at Bristol Old Vic; www.bristololdvic.org.uk

SECRET LIFE OF PETS

From groomers to vets, shops to shelters, your pet is in good hands

CHEW VALLEY PETHUB

GLEBE HOUSE, HARFORD SQUARE, CHEW MAGNA, BRISTOL, BS40 8RA.

TEL: 01275 627265

WWW.CHEWVALLEYPETHUB.CO.UK

PetHub is in the heart of Chew Magna, only a few miles outside of Bristol. An independent store with an abundance of Foods, Treats, Toys and Treatments for Dogs, Cats and Small Animals.  The team at PetHub pride themselves on providing a bespoke service,  offering nutritional advice, collar and harness fittings. They have a large selection of beds for your pets to try out.   They have a unique DIY DogWash, where owners have their own room, professional bath and all you need to wash your own Dog, for a small fee. Pethub has been awarded Bristol Pet Shop of the year 2022 and Best Natural Pet Treats store 2023.

NATURAL TREATS BRISTOL

TEL: 07774587704 (CHIPPING SODBURY)

TEL: 07385192911 (WARMLEY)

WWW.NATURALTREATSBRISTOL.CO.UK

Natural Treats Bristol is a local family-run business. Both online and in-store, we have the biggest choice of great-quality and great-value natural chews and treats for dogs, hypoallergenic grain-free dog food as well as the widest range of raw food for dogs and cats to fit all budgets. We offer free local same day delivery service for all orders placed by midday MondayFriday. We serve all Bristol postcodes, South Gloucestershire, Bath, and North Somerset. You can find us at two locations:

•High Street, Hatherell’s Yard, Chipping Sodbury BS37 4JL. Open Monday-Saturday.

•Tower Lane (behind Kingswood Heritage Museum), Warmley BS30 8FS. Open seven days a week.

BRISTOL A.R.C

48 – 50 ALBERT ROAD, ST PHILIPS, BRISTOL, BS2 0XA

TEL: 0117 977 6043

WWW.BRISTOLARC.ORG.UK

Since 1887, Bristol Animal Rescue Centre has been the cornerstone of compassion, healing, and hope for Bristol’s most vulnerable animals. With over 137 years of unwavering commitment, Bristol A.R.C. stands as a testament to our community’s profound dedication to the wellbeing of all creatures. From beloved pets to the diverse wildlife in our city, we provide solace and care to all those in need.

Without your support, we wouldn’t be able to provide the vital services that countless animals depend on. Every contribution helps us provide shelter, medical care, food, and love to animals who have nowhere else to turn.

Your support allows us to offer a second chance to animals who have faced hardship and adversity, and it ensures that we can continue to be a steadfast beacon of hope in our community.

Your donation is not just a gift; it’s a lifeline for those who need it most. Join us in our mission to provide love and care to animals in need. Together, we can build a brighter future for all creatures in our community.

OUR SPRING APPEAL

Meet Penny, a cat who found herself in our care after her owner died. Initially grieving and withdrawn, Penny hid under layers of blankets, hesitant and afraid to interact with our staff. Despite our efforts to comfort her, our old cattery doors startled her back into seclusion every time they slammed shut.

To ensure cats like Penny feel safe, we’re raising funds to install new, quieter cattery doors. These doors will not only provide a peaceful environment but also create a cleaner and more private space for cats adjusting to their new surroundings.

Our current cattery doors were installed in 1992, serving as a sanctuary for vulnerable cats in Bristol which have faced abandonment, grief, and trauma. Now, over two decades later, we recognise the need to evolve and ensure our space remains a

haven of tranquillity and safety. With your support, we can breathe new life into our cattery, providing first-class care to our feline friends from day one.

By contributing to our Caring for Cats appeal, you’re guaranteeing that every cat in our care will have a living space which matches the love and attention they receive from our dedicated team. Your donation will help create a cosier cabin where cats like Penny can feel safe and secure. Join us in making a difference in the lives of Bristol’s cats today.

Scan here to find out more about our crowdfunding campaign!

BANK

Don’t be fooled by this photo. Sunday lunch at Bank gets very busy indeed – but in a good way . . .

Words by Deri Robins

As it happens, I quite like to cook. I have a small but meaningful repertoire which almost entirely consists of chucking things into a pan on the hob, turning them into some kind of stew, then popping them in the oven and forgetting about them for an hour or so. It’s not quite as dull as it sounds – mean, do different flavours, moussakas and chillis and parmigiana and so forth; if I’m feeling really fancy and it’s a special occasion I might even stick the whole thing in a pie.

What I don’t remotely enjoy cooking is Sunday roast, which always reduces me to a state similar to Donna Berzatto’s in the Fishes episode of The Bear. here are ust too many fiddly components to fret over, and as for bringing everything to the table piping hot, well! Even if you do pull it off, and try to clean up as you go, your kitchen will end up resembling the aftermath of a small natural disaster, with tray upon greasy tray piling up in the sink. In our house there’s a rule that whoever cooks, cleans, and the knowledge of this fate does nothing for my enjoyment of the meal.

You’d imagine, then, that we’d be endlessly reviewing Sunday roasts for this magazine to save us from having to cook them ourselves. Au contraire; we’ve tended to swerve them, for the simple reason that compared to, say, tapas or an a-la-carte, there’s not a huge amount to write about. You and your dining partner will probably be sharing identical sides at the very least, and while ordering starters is obviously an option, to consume anything at all before a full roast dinner feels unnecessary at best and excessive at worst.

This nicely established, he drafted in experienced mixologists to help him expand the offering to include evening cocktails, and then talented chefs to create an all day offering between Wednesdays and aturdays. he Sunday roasts are a relatively new addition.

Having stormed the gates at exactly one minute past midday, we were shown to a table beneath one of the former bank’s huge windows, making us a source of envy to passers by. he place rapidly filled up with what we guessed were mostly locals; you can tell, somehow. Fortunately, the room is one of those in which ‘busy’ is an asset, with the kind of acoustics in which chat rises up to the ceiling and bounces back down in the form of a companionable, buzzy hubbub.

DINING DETAILS

Bank, 107 Wells Road,Totterdown; 0117 452 7536; www.bankbristol.com

Opening hours Wed-Sat 10am-10.30pm; Sun midday-3.30pm

Prices Sunday roast with all sides from £15.8-£19.20 (or sirlon for two at £67)

Drinks Imginative cocktails, carefully curated wine list

Veggie? One option in four roasts

Service Delightful

We broke with tradition this month, though, because Bristol roasts are in the news again. There must be an unwritten law that to win a national award, a local restaurant must have the name ‘Bank’ in its title, the most famous example being the Bank Tavern, which since reaching fame in the Observer Food Monthly Awards of 2019 has been booked solidly for several years ever since. It should not be confused with The Bank near the bottom of Wells Road, but it’s quite easy to do, so because the latter has just been named seventh best in the UK by Rate Good Roasts.

Keen as mustard to try it, we’d turned up embarrassingly early, at one minute to 12 when the front gates were still locked. (We were equally previous at 1 York Place a few weeks ago, and we really need to stop). On the way down the hill we’d clocked that the Totterdown Canteen was also packed to the gills with brunchers and lunchers; clearly the denizens of this rainbow-coloured, hilariously vertiginous ’hood enjoy like to eat out; the casual observer would struggle to believe there’s a hospitality crisis on.

We’d visited Bank once before, in its midweek guise as a small-plates diner, and been won over by its imaginative cooking. The place has been cleverly and gradually evolved by owner Dan O’Regan, an awardwinning barista who initially opened it as a caf serving serious coffee.

Bank does great cocktails, and there’s always an intriguing, puntastic choice. There’s something about Sunday roast that brings out the traditionalist in us, though, and only a Bloody Mary would do. Bank rings the changes with an aquavit rather than vodka base, and jalapenos for spice. “What level of heat out of ten would you like?” asked our lovely server. split the difference with a five, and like oldilocks, found it ust right. While treating his meats with an unshowy respect guaranteed not to frighten the horses, head chef Jack Briggs-Horan brings subtle tweaks to the mix; a truly luscious pork belly (Middle White, since you ask, though we prefer not to picture the breed too vividly or we’d always end up with the veggie option) came with immaculate crackling with hints of miso; a melting shoulder of lamb had the subtle heat of green harissa. Jack B-H is relentless in his love of cooking over fire, and a side of cauli cheese was smoky beneath a topping of Dorset red cheese, as was a charred Savoy cabbage. Roasties and Yorkies were spot-on, especially when doused in the red wine gravy, which is probably more delicate and jus-like than the one your nan makes.

We didn’t require a pud, but we did need more to write about, so we ordered up a dense hazelnut custard with juicy smoked winter fruits and a no less indulgent caramelised white chocolate mousse. We could tell both were superb, but were far too stuffed to appreciate them

The excellence of our meal proved that the judges at Rate Good Roasts hadn’t just arrived on a lucky day. If we had to niggle, it would be because the advertised smoked beetroot purée failed to make an appearance, and neither did the jug of gravy, until we asked. We also felt that the placing of a little tile bearing the name and arrival time of the diner after us on our table before we’d even hung up our coats made us feel a little less than special, so we’d probably stop doing that if we were them; but this was more than made up for by the unfailingly can-do nature of the staff.

Love roasts, but hate cooking them? Head to Bank and leave all the skilled co-ordination to chefs who can do it in their sleep, and the washing up to some luckless KP. Tip generously if you need to assuage the guilt.

FOOD & DRINK

A TASTE OF BRISTOL’S FOOD SCENE

THE STAR TREATMENT

Twinkle, twinkle…Oh. A a bit of a shock to learn that after the latest Michelin unveiling, Bristol has been left holding one solitary star.

Up until a few years ago it had five. Wilks? one to Bath. he Pony rap? emodelled as the Pony hew Valley. asamia? bandoned its rarefied taster menu model, became asa. nd now tapas restaurant Paco apas has lost the star it’s held almost since it opened in 2016.

hat ust leaves eorge ivesey up at Bulrush to represent the Bristol constellation, with an stle’s Wilsons hanging on to its reen star.

o why the disaffection with Paco, Michelin? Not sure; it still concedes that. ishes are skilfully prepared, packed with flavour and include all the favourites, from am n cro uetas to tortillas where the rich, golden egg ust oo es out. he knowledgeable team will guide you through the menu from start to finish.”

he uestion is, is Bristol bothered by this diminished twinkle? oes it even wish upon a star? Possibly not; it isn’t an especially award chasing city. When the Pony lost’ its star, after all, osh ggleton said he was not disappointed” and that they were not in it for the accolades”. Bristol also has an impressive number of Bib ourmands, awarded to restaurants which provide exceptionally good food at moderate prices”; this year he lifton oins Marmo, Box , oot, and he Blaise nn in the category. o be honest, we’d far prefer to live in a city that prioritises value over flash. www.mic elin.com

GET ‘EM WHILE THEY’RE HOT

ou wait ages for a new hinese restaurant, then fill in the gap . ollowing the opening of Uncle Wah im um on North treet comes 168 Kitchen on Park treet, serving freshly made dim sum, authentic antonese cuisine and seafood dishes. he restaurant is due to open on the old atch 22 fish and chippie site any day now.

ts gaffer is eorge ai, who also owns ai ung afe on Park treet and sian supermarket 16 riental on Nelson treet, which eorge intends to turn into an oriental fishmongers, butchers, bakery and grocers. 16 will replace ittle hinatown estaurant above the supermarket, which closed last year.

@168_kitchen

lso coming soon to Park treet is Fluffy Fluffy – you heard – the anadian chain serving Japanese pancakes and desserts. The soft, bouncy, and light” pancakes promise to deliver happiness, one pancake at a time”. www. u u .com

Prefer the flavours of the aribbean? Bringing its gourmet amaican fried chicken – the first of its kind in the U , claim its owners – to Millennium Promenade is Jamaya t’s the third branch for the Birmingham olihull group, who promise a carnival of culture in a restaurant as vibrant as the amaican flag”, with an incredible rum bar”, island inspired am oc Bottomless Brunch”, a erk unday

roast we’re in and good vibes.”

www. ama a.co.uk

arewell then, losseum – welcome back, Colosseum! ts 1 60s brick exterior was never going to win any beauty pri es – it’s even a stretch to dignify it with the term brutalist’ – but as well as finally regaining its letter , the much loved boo er in edcliffe has received a dandy new interior makeover from its new owners, the World amous ive Bars group who also have Mother’s uin and he rown in their stable.

t ecolosseum ristol

CLOCKWISE: Paco Tapas, The Clifton, COR

CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE

Living la bella vita

Stan says ciao! once again to ‘the Italian hub of Henleaze’

Back then, it was the new kid on the block. Taking baby steps along the way. Starting out on the journey towards full-blown brilliance.

This issue’s coffee establishment of choice is La Scala, on Henleaze High Street, just down the hill from the brightly coloured greengrocers. You can’t miss it. Just follow the smell of success and pastries.

It’s one of those cafés which always seem to be full to bursting. Spilling out at the seams. Packed tables jostling for space, some even on the pavement.

ll filled with oyous, happy customers. Sipping, snacking, gossiping and, by the looks of it, busy living their best lives.

Regular Café Society readers, those sweet souls who savour these modest columns, might well remember we have visited this place before. About a year ago.

“You can’t miss it. Just follow the smell of success and pastries”

If you do remember our previous visit, you may well wonder why we have chosen to return so soon. Don’t normally do that. After all, there are a thousand charming cafés in this town, twinkling away merrily on the corners of countless Bristol streets. Why on earth would you ever go back for a second suck at the same caffeine cherry?

Well, I can answer that question quite simply. In the words of that bloke who was asked why he wanted to climb Everest, “because it was there”.

Must admit, my interest was piqued, because every time I have strolled past their windows, they have revealed a room filled to the brim. Whatever they’re doing, they’re obviously doing it right. People are voting with their feet and coffee cups.

Billing itself, entirely accurately, as ‘the Italian hub of Henleaze’, La Scala is as much a deli and wine bar as it is a café. When we went in, we were only able to squeeze onto a table because nearby customers kindly shu ed aside to give us wriggle room. Which is a big tick, right there. Good vibes always help.

Next up was a visit to the counter display case, which

promises the sweet satisfaction of a beautifully baked selection and a veritable cornucopia of intriguing taste sensations. Tiny Italian pastries, biscuity buns and intricate whatnots float into vision. No idea what any of them are, or what they are called. They all look like they would be well worth a nibble.

However, we were in the mood for savoury stuff so switched our attention to the toastie-type things. They all looked equally inviting. We ended up with an old-school cheese and ham panini, mainly because Rufus the dog likes ham. Sigh. As you would hope and expect, both coffee and panini were fab.

Reminds me, in my excitement I forgot to mention that as well as being an awesome little spot, they’re also dog-friendly.

So, if you are in that neck of town, looking for a spot of talian flavoured style, refinement and taste, enough to keep you smiling like a puppy for the rest of your day, then I can thoroughly recommend this place. And don’t forget to check out those toasties. n

Former Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer @stancullimore on instagram Google up Stan’s daily substack blog: Diary of an Urban Grandad

THE TESSA SUNGLASSES, £129

From our new eyewear crush Jimmy Fairley, in orange acetate to spice up any look. Best suited to medium to large faces, square, triangle or oval, they say From Jimmy Fairley, 90 Park Street; www.jimmyfairly.co.uk

6 O’CLOCK GIN COCKTAIL SHAKER

£16; LONDON DRY GIN, £37 (£42 PERSONALISED)

Mother’s ruin? Well, you probably drove her to it. Keep it classy with 6 O’Clock’s Manhattan-style cocktail shaker and a bottle of gin –for an extra few quid they’ll throw in a personalised label From 6 O’clock Gin www.6oclockgin.com

IN THE NAME OF THE MOTHER

What does every mum want for Mother’s Day? Your presence, to be honest, rather than presents. That said, a little something in a gift bag never goes amiss

CONNEMARA SQUARES SCARF, £65

Woven from 100% Shetland wool by Hilda at her Bristol studio From Honest Weaves www.honestweaves.com

AERY HAPPY SPACE

CANDLE, £21 (FROM £28)

Scented with rose, geranium and amber; the florals lift the spirits, the amber adds calm and comfort

From Frankly Store, Unit 5, Cargo www.franklystore.co.uk

KÜHN KERAMIK PLATE, £35

Enchantingly wobbly little plate by Kühn, who draw on historical archives of fonts and images to create their unique ceramics

From Maze, 26-28 The Mall

www.mazeclothing.co.uk

The

Prior Shop, 23 Philadelphia Street www.priorshop.uk

POSY VASE, £22

perfect size for a small bunch of flowers; thrown on the potter’s wheel and available in a range of pretty glazes which allow the natural speckle of the clay to show through From

NALI SHOP CROCHET BAG, £30.40 (FROM £76)

Many a mother will warm to this retro, ever-so-hippy-chic crochet bag, which is roomy enough for all maternal essentials

From Fox + Feather, 43 Gloucester Road www.foxandfeather.co.uk

TALKING TABLES GLASS CANDLEHOLDER, £14

t is o cially impossible to have too many candleholders. If green doesn’t appeal, Mon Pote have a whole rainbow of alternatives

From Mon Pote, 177 North Street www.monpote.co.uk

MISSOMA 18KT GOLD LEAF BRACELET, £95

SILVER AND AQUAMARINE EARRINGS, £346

Brilliant cut stones set in little etched silver studs

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

MOOMIN LED CANDLE

THE POND, £13

The candle is made from wax, so appears realistic although it’s powered by a battery light which flickers in air currents – clever!

From Fig 1, Unit 9, Gaol err te s www.fig .co.uk

A lovely, delicate little thing with gold leaf hammered charms

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

WEEKEND MAXMARA

ASTOR COTTON POPLIN DRESS, £335 versi ed boat neck with kimono sleeves, finishing ust above the knee of the average height mum

DEVON SALT PIG, £48

No kitchen worktop should be without at least one pig – serious foodies have more – so it may as well be a beautiful one by Devon potter Bethan Jones From Midgley Green; www.midgleygreen.com

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

CURA: TREATING COMPLEX CONDITIONS WITH MBST

Are you looking for relief from pain and immobility caused by osteoarthritis, back conditions and sports injury?

WE CAN HELP.

Here at CURA, we use the latest technologies: MBST Cell Regeneration Therapy and Deep Tissue Laser Therapy to heal and repair the damaged tissues. We combine these technologies with hands-on Chiropractic and Physiotherapy to ensure your body heals itself to its maximum potential.

Regenerative treatment for:

Osteoarthritis | Back & disc problems

Bone conditions & fractures | Cartilage damage

Ligament, tendon & muscle damage | Sports & accident injuries

To talk about your treatment, contact Cura Clinical’s Director, James Scrimshaw, and be one of over 270,000* people worldwide who have been treated successfully with MBST.

Mark is a great advertisement for the regenerative effects of MBST. He may look like a mere youngster but, like many of us, he is of the age where old injuries, sporting injuries and wear and tear were significantly affecting his quality of life.

We’ve treated 3 significant conditions in this case:

1. Chronic Achilles tendinitis.

2. Spinal instability due to a grade 3 Spondylolesthesis.

3. Stage 3 (moderate with bone change) arthritis in his big toe.

His Achilles was hurting him for a long time and didn’t respond to general treatment: MBST achieved 100% remission post therapy. His spine has been very quiet since treatment after treating his discs and facet joints. Improving the integrity of these structures helps to stabilise excess spinal movement allowing less irritation to the joint ligaments and muscular overactivity. He’s since had no pain and needed no aftercare. At the 6 week follow up for his toe arthritis he is noticing significant reduction in pain day to day.

A very good start for what is a tricky condition to manage. All in all, we’re keeping him in great shape with conditions that would otherwise be causing him significant pain and immobility. Had he not had this intervention he would be living a much more painful and restricted life.

Talk to us today

0117 959 6531

www.curaclinical.com

KEEPING CHAOS OUT OF THE KITCHEN

Got a big kitchen refurb in mind, but unsure where to start? We hear you! They’re expensive, disruptive, technically tricky at times – but nothing else will make more of a difference to your home

By Kirsty Lake

This Bristol kitchen by Sustainable Kitchens of Avondale is all space and light, yet awash with clever details. Plain walls need nothing else when interest comes from the play of light and shadow created by a triangular skylight, while pleasing textures on floor and ceiling (like a ’70s Scandinavian ski lodge, in the best possible way) bracket the room. Perhaps most intriguing is the wedge-shaped kitchen island, simple of line but unexpected of shape; as with everything by Sustainable Kitchens, it was designed specifically for this space.

INFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Things I’m asked on the regular, with my current answers – though, as with all things taste-based, these are subject to change

What’s the secret to a welldecorated space?

Some of the loveliest rooms come about when the decor is a by-product of the owner’s passions in life.

Linked to that, what sort of clients do you most enjoy working with?

People who are open-minded, kind, and enjoy doing things that are a little bit different. You’ve got to find your own point of view. I like that one day I’m problem-solving and designing a bathroom, say, and the next I’m working on lighting or a lugging furniture around – and having a client you really get on with makes all this much more fun, and the end result usually better too.

How do you make a stylish interior perfectly Instagrammable?

The world of Instagram has made interiors both more and less accessible. You know in the back of your mind that no-one lives like the perfect rooms you see online, with nothing out of place and often no sign of human life at all, so retaining a degree of cynicism about it all is vital. Yet, at the same time, Insta undeniably offers a wealth of great inspiration. If you want to shoot your home for your grid, create uncluttered vignettes, polished and packed with statement pieces, and hide any real chaos behind you – and the camera! But at the same time, allow a little bit of eccentricity – even mess – at the fringes too. It’ll look much more real, much more you.

What’s your go-to shop for statement wallpaper?

There are so many but, in my own home, I would love wallpapers from Schumacher or Soane Britain. For bolder statements, the likes of Mind the Gap, Timorous Beasties and Divine Savages are fun, too.

Finally, what’s the secret to running a stress-free kitchen makeover?

There’s no such thing, not entirely, but what’ll make stress levels acceptable is planning, planning, and yet more planning. Suddenly realising the tiler is coming in the next few days, and you haven’t seen a single tile yet, is never a good thing.

When redoing a house, everything always seems to come back to the kitchen. It’s the biggie, the space that defines the entire project, encourages radical changes of layout – walls knocked down, extensions tacked on – and where issues with, say, making the sink-ovenfridge triangle work can bring a raft of unexpected complications. It’s a room that has to be both the cosy centre of the home and a practical work space – potentially conflicting re uirements, but thrilling when you get the balance right. And that’s before we even begin to address the aesthetics of the thing…

Though kitchen trends are ever-evolving, one thing never changes: they’re a major investment, a serious hassle, and something you’ll want to tackle as few times as possible. While a number of us are lucky enough to have somewhere else to escape to, thus dodging the dust and the mess, many have little choice but to stay put and live and work through the upheaval, eating microwave meals and wishing the washing up could be done anywhere but the bath. This, of course, means that good, solid planning is vital: mistakes will usually be expensive, and almost guarantee further disruption. Back to the bathroom you go with your dirty spoons.

The marketplace for kitchens is super-competitive. he big name brands – discount or luxe – fight for your attention with glossy advertising and cut prices. But there are alternatives, a personal favourite being the bespoke artisan approach, where talented craftsmen tailor each nook and cranny to suit your home, needs and style. Then, once you’ve made all your decisions on door styles, knob finishes, colours and worktops, in come the appliances – another minefield, and one where good advice really does pay for itself. Standout brands like Gaggenau and ub ero offer tech to make you feel like a Michelin starred chef, but more accessible options still have their place Neff is usually a good place to start .

kitchen spaces and, to make it all work, zoning is key. Ban uette seating areas can be a great use of space, bar stools at the island a wonderfully informal way to create a multifunctional area, while placing a large rug under a dining table brings focus to a separate spot away from the ‘business end’ of the kitchen –though be careful what you choose here. (In other words think of the spills.

he current trend for open shelves is Marmite; the idea of showing off your crockery collection will either fill you with dread not least of the extra dusting re uired or make you beam with pride. But these are the sort of details you can take or leave; getting the fundamentals right first is paramount.

An oversized island may seem like the dream, but will you be endlessly walking around a giant obstacle? And is the fridge so far from an unallocated surface that gathering ingredients for your evening dinner becomes a frustrating back and forth affair?

With kitchens offering so many opportunities, and so many pitfalls, another uestion looms should you pay for design expertise, or will the in-store advice get the job done? Of course, the answer lies in your budget and how comfortable you are with getting your hands dirty, but there’s more to it than that. Some kitchen companies guide you through from start to finish, while others ust deliver the components to your door and leave your trades to it. ou will also need to consider who is filling in the gaps: a kitchen company is unlikely to select a floor finish or blind fabric, then manufacture it to fit your window. nd who will pick the lighting and furniture, or make a seat pad for your ban uette?

Interior designers hold a solution for those who don’t want to take on the logistics of working through all these seemingly minor issues where, nevertheless, decisions have to be made. hey fill in the gaps you didn’t even realise you hadn’t thought about, and integrate the kitchen as part of your home as a whole, with a holistic approach and a single language.

The dominant trend of recent years being to open everything up – linking kitchens to dining and sitting areas and making this combo the social hub of the home – has piled new demands on our

Kirsty Lake is Creative Director at The Curator’s House 01225 696996

www.thecuratorshouse.co.uk

CAUGHT MY EYE

Kirsty’s interiors edit for March

1. Ceramic mug by Rosa Furniture, in red, blue or ochre, £10 each; www.rosafurniture.co.uk

2. Danish dining chair by House of Mobel, set of 4 £1,350; www.houseofmobel.com

3. Arabescato Corchia natural marble by Bristol Marble and Granite, price on application; www.bristolmarbleandgranite.com

4. Kitchen by Nolte, prices vary; www.kitchensbynolte.com

5. Cabinet handles by Neptune, prices vary; www.neptune.com

IMAGE 3 © BRETT CHARLES, BRETTCHARLESPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOUR

How to get the hang of prints and patterns –once and floral

By Morgan Howells

Finally, January, with its 197 days, has gone, taking the miserable blues with it. Flat February, which at least tries a little harder with a Valentine’s Day hurrah in the middle, is nearly done with. And as soon as March marches in we can talk of spring – darling buds, blooming flowers, luscious greens – well it’s ust all so exciting and optimistic. So why not mirror that in our clothes?

Patterns and prints are an easy way to do this, to add a little fresh excitement. This can be ust the route to elevating your look from hiding away in winter woollies to getting ready

to face the world. or the novice, start with a stripe – these lovely lines in all directions have transcended decades of trends and there’s always going to be one to suit your personality type: Breton, pinstripe, Bengal, barcode, horizontal, vertical. ook for a chunky knit striped umper this season, add one pleated skirt and a pair of wellies, and make this your going to the pub outfit. t’s raining but you’ve walked there, and you’re walking home – with a spring in your step.

brooch or wear a whole bouquet – either way you’ve added a touch of spring.

“Animal prints prowl the runways of life ”

Which brings us nicely to the queen of all patterns – the floral. ainty and delicate, garish and go-getting, blousy and bold; pin a bloom

Then there are patterns and prints –herringbone, damask, paisley, animal prints, polka dots, African prints, doodles, geometric shapes – in the kaleidoscope of fashionwear, patterns transcend seasons and trends. They emerge as the unsung heroes, weaving tales of creativity and expression. ach one serves as a cornerstone of sartorial storytelling and helps you choose your own narrative. Bolder styles command attention, while the subtler whisper their whimsy. Animal prints prowl the runways of life, exuding fierce confidence, while abstract motifs provoke thought and intrigue.

SHOPPING LIST

Moreover, patterns and prints celebrate diversity, reflecting myriad cultures, traditions, and narratives. hey blur boundaries and defy norms, inviting individuals to embrace their unique identities and embrace the beauty of self-expression.

hey possess the transformative power to elevate the simplest silhouette into a statement piece. Whether adorning a flowing maxi dress or embellishing tailored separates, they in ect vitality and an energy into every ensemble.

o find a pattern that speaks to you, and wear with a black background staple such as trousers, eans or skirt, to allow your new found style to shout. Or team with another pattern to really make some noise. If a cheeky cheetah print or a Highland fling of a tartan takes your fancy –pair them. his could be the look you’ve been looking for all your life.

If this all sounds a plaid too far, then as luck would have it, one of the biggest 202 trends forecast is the return of the 2010s skinny ean. How easy is it to team a satin leopard print shirt, chunky black boots and a biker acket over your new black skinnies? Slick on some cherry-red nail polish with coordinating glossy lipstick, and you’re good to go and cause a scene.

1. Victoria Beckham tiger-print silk shirt, £690; www.harveynichols.com

2. IchiLuiva lurex tee, £39.99; www.foxandfeather.co.uk

3. Veroma Dress, £155 (reduced from £310); www.graceandmabel.co.uk

Photo by Egle Vasi; www.eglevasi.com

Clothes curated from the pre-loved donations at Dorothy House Shop; www.dorothyhouse.shop

SPECIAL BRANCH

Mint Plants owner Hayley Stephens is on a mission . . .

Words by Nick Woodhouse

Photos by Hayley Stephens

This dragon tree was grown from seed over 40 years ago

GARDENING

It’s early anuary when meet up with Hayley Stephens, founder of Mint Plants, and she is catching up on the many online orders that have been coming in over the festive period. She has orders for the weirdest and most wonderful of houseplants, from rescued cacti to the rarest of succulents. But it’s always a busy time for Hayley – 202 was an eventful, exciting year and 202 looks set to be the same.

ollowing V coverage of her time exhibiting at last year’s Gardener’s World Live, she has been asked by its organisers to take on an even bigger role at this year’s event. or Hayley, this is an opportunity to share with others just how fascinating plants can be, and how much oy and love you can get back from them.

One of her passions is raising, rescuing and re homing houseplants – the more unusual the better. his mission has taken her across the country, discovering near-forgotten plant collections that owners have been unable to tend to themselves. he most recent such find was within a large commercial si ed greenhouse in ancashire; the life’s work of the owner who, now in his nineties, could no longer get out to his greenhouse and tend to his plants. he collection, numbering thousands, has now been re potted by the Mint team and is thriving. o Hayley, the business is so much more than a retail offering; it is, she says, an adoption centre for plants. his direction of career wasn’t in the stars from the beginning for Hayley. espite a natural talent in art at school, she opted instead for a course in software development, viewing it as a more sensible career route. he

subsequent decade working in the IT industry was not, however, a happy one, and in 2018 she left the IT world, behind. She left London too, returning to her roots near Bristol and renting a flat; one filled to the brim with what made her truly happy – houseplants.

t was at this time that her mum, ina, was looking at running her own wool shop, and soon the two of them took on a new retail premises, which they would split between their loves – plants and wool. Mint Plants and LoobyLou Yarns were born. But following the pandemic, and a number of untimely life events, ina made the decision to take her wool business online, with Hayley assuming the lease of the shop. Business was booming and Mint Plants soon expanded into larger premises on aston’s tapleton oad. Hayley had fallen in love with the Victorian-fronted shop, soon host to a bright orange floor, local artwork, and vintage shelving for her evergrowing collection of plants.

collaboration – Mint has now moved into independent gift and homeware superstore Prior, in uakers riars, bringing abot ircus an incredible jungle of giant rescued cacti, succulents and statement plants along with a collection of smaller nursery plants.

“They are living things, not possessions, w ic nee s ecific care and attention”

Most of Mint’s plant collections can now be found in a greenhouse on lm ree arm, one of Bristol’s hidden gems; a social enterprise and working farm on a acre site in tapleton. Providing support and training to adults with learning disabilities and autism, the farm’s market garden supplies organic produce and flowers to the onsite farm shop. Here, you can drop off plants in need of rescuing or re homing; the adults the farm supports repot these plants, as well as those salvaged from collections. Mint Plants then buys back the plants from the farm, ensuring a source of income for the social enterprise.

While the store opened to a huge turnout and support from the local community, world events soon conspired to change the business’s direction once again. War began on uropean soil, material and energy costs soared, and the economy began to slow, as did the pandemic fuelled demand for houseplants.

ast summer, the store closed its doors for the last time, the online operation moving to a shipping container in Brislington. However, from ebruary there’s been an exciting further

Hayley’s aim is to bring Mint to as many people as she can, helping them grow and thrive during their own houseplant journey. As she explains, caring for houseplants is very much a ourney hey are living things, not possessions, which need specific care and attention. The reward, however, is huge, and we want every single person we come across to feel the same too.”

For more: www.mintplants.co.uk

Nick Woodhouse is co-director of design company Woodhouse & Law; woodhouseandlaw.co.uk

ABOVE: The new Mint Plants shop at Prior TOP: Hayley in a private greenhouse used to home an extensive collection of succulents

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

WHAT’S THE SECRET BEHIND BEING A REALLY GREAT CATERER? (CLEVERCHEFS KNOW...)

THE BEST POSSIBLE TASTE

As NICK COLLINS, founder and CEO of Cleverchefs explains, his job is “to get people excited about eating”

Ilike to think of myself as a creative entrepreneur, someone with an idea that became so big in my head that I had to bring it to life,” says Nick.

“I want to say ‘I work with food’, but the reality is, I don’t. I work with people. My job is to get people excited about eating, whether you are in school, at work, or a wedding or event; the main objective is for people to fall in love with food. Nowadays, I run the Cleverchefs group, which means wearing many hats.”

When did Cleverchefs begin?

Cleverchefs started back in 2015 with a unique approach to its food. atering for high profile weddings, events and workplace restaurants gave us the attention to detail that still lives on to this day.

How has the business grown over the years?

Since 2015, we have grown and developed in many areas with three

distinctive brands: Cleverchefs catering in the education sector, Métier catering for the workplace setting and Epic Caterers, which focuses on events and weddings.

What makes Cleverchefs stand out in its field?

First and foremost, we are completely chef-led. Every kitchen is equipped with a team of professional chefs. As a chef myself, I drive the business with a high standard for food, paying attention to every detail from farm to table, from taste to looks.

“FOOD HAS TO BE EXCITING! THAT’S WHAT WE AIM TO DELIVER EVERY SINGLE TIME”

NICK COLLINS

In this day and age, we know food has to tick all the boxes. It has to look good, taste good, and come from sustainable resources. Food has to be exciting! Full of colours, textures and packed with flavour. o that is what we aim to deliver every single time.

What’s your own background in food and hospitality?

I’ve been a chef for over 24 years in all sectors, from Michelinstarred kitchens to superyachts and contract catering. I catered for high profile clients and celebrities in the millionaire playground of Courchevel 1850, the Rhône Alps, and on the private super yacht of Paul Allen, founder of Microsoft Plc.

I also had the opportunity to appear on Masterchef: The Professionals in 2008. I was so young; it’s eyeopening to see me back then and how far I have come. A few years later, I ran two successful restaurants called The Pickled Radish, based in ardiff and Bridgend.

So how did that lead to Cleverchefs...?

Before setting up leverchefs, was the regional development chef for a large national catering company, helping to manage the food offering with a £50 million turnover.

However, something was missing; I wanted more. I decided to launch Cleverchefs as I saw a gap in the market for fun and elegant event food. Every wedding or large corporate event you attend always has the same function-style food, that rarely excites or puts a smile on your face, so I thought it was time to bring something to the event business. I wanted to make people excited about event food again.

Why did you decide to focus on catering in the education and workplace sector?

The pandemic and lockdowns hit the UK’s hospitality and catering market quite hard. However, they also opened the doors to other markets for those willing to take the risk. It was

back then that I decided to go into education catering, and I have never looked back. It is a very competitive and enriching market, where we know we can make a difference in how future generations see food.

Workplace catering has seen a revival now, with more people returning to work in the o ce; it is also a very exciting market to be in where we get the chance to innovate and bring a little bit of that highstreet restaurant feel into otherwise ‘boring’ cafeterias.

However, as mentioned earlier, the Cleverchefs Group brand collection also covers leisure centres like The Wa e House in ido Ponty, Wales, and Dinton Cafés at the Dinton Pastures Park in Woking, and events and weddings with Epic Caterers.

We’ve sat through some awful corporate meals in our time; what’s the secret of providing great food to big groups?

I can’t reveal my secrets! It all comes down to having an amazing team, with the same passion for good food and excellent service, which is why I am so selective when it comes to selecting the people I work with.

How have schoolchildren responded to your food?

Kids tend to be more open-minded than adults. Most of the time, it is all about the looks. Giving children the choice to try new foods that look exciting and full of flavour is at the heart of what we do, so very rarely would you see a Cleverchefs plate untouched.

How important is sustainability to the company?

Sustainability is crucial to us. We understand the importance of minimising our environmental footprint and are committed to implementing sustainable practices in our operations. This includes sourcing locally when possible and reducing food waste.

Give us another example...

One way we minimise food waste and include more veggies in our education sector is with our root bakes. These are bakes and cakes packed with parsnip and carrot peels. Not only are they healthy and lower in sugar, but they also give us the chance to use vegetable peels. By prioritising sustainability, we contribute to a

That’s Nick in the circle on page 64; head of food Nathan Philpott is shown this page, bottom left. Other pics show exactly why Cleverchefs food has become so in demand, at weddings, the workplace and schools

healthier planet and align ourselves with the evolving expectations of our clients and the industry as a whole.

Have you seen a change in the local food scene recently?

The UK has had a bad food reputation for many years. It’s wrongly categorised as bland and boring, and maybe it was that way in the post-war era. However, the UK is a very diverse, culture-rich place. Just walk down the high street and tell me what you see. Curry might as well be the UK’s national dish.

Our nation is also obsessed with cooking shows: e ritis ake asterc e atur a itc en and many others. People are now interested in variety and in experimenting with new flavours.

Do you still cook yourself, and what is your signature dish?

I do! Mostly for my daughters Sophie and Frankie, who are aged seven and nine, and a huge inspiration for me to make Cleverchefs a success.

What would your last meal on Earth be?

low cooked and sticky firepit short rib of beef, chips soaked in tru e and coated in parmesan cheese, corn ribs drizzled with spicy honey butter, charred asparagus and peppercorn mayonnaise.

How do you promote the company?

We grow quite organically in a lot of areas of the business. A lot of it is down to word of mouth and recommendations, which is why I’m so proud of the growth, because it means we must be doing some things right at least.

or more www.cle erc e s.co.uk

RACHAEL TAN

Rachael is the director at Greenhouse Learning: the Bristol tutoring school which aims to help students become independent learners

As Rachael explains, Greenhouse Learning covers all the academic subjects as well as providing mentoring support, catering for students of all ages from primary through to A Levels.

We know it’s not just about teaching academic subjects; can you tell us about all the ways you can help students?

Yes, a hundred per cent it’s about way more than the subject! We believe it’s important to take a personalised approach, meeting the student and their parents or carers initially, to find out more about exactly what they need, and about their personality and interests, so we can match them with the best-suited tutor or mentor for them.

For tutoring, in addition to support with the subject(s), our tutors can also provide study skills support to help the student plan

out their revision schedule, and find an efficient way of studying which works for them. And for some students, they won’t be ready to go straight into academics, so the tutor or mentor will then take a gentle approach, supporting them to build up their resilience and dealing with their barriers to engaging with learning, before getting in to the subject(s) later on whenever the student feels ready.

Do you work just with your own private pupils?

Initially we worked solely with private families, but from our second year we expanded to work with schools and councils. Particularly after the pandemic, the need for both tutoring and mentoring in schools increased dramatically, which has meant we’ve been able to support so many young people, and it’s been hugely rewarding.

Which subjects are the most subscribed?

At Key Stage 3 and GCSE level, we

see the most demand for the core subjects, and at A Level, we have the most demand for psychology and sociology, in addition to the sciences.

How many staff do you have, and are they full-time?

We have a roster of over 200 tutors, and a lot of them work a small number of weekly hours around other jobs, but as we have so much work with schools now, we have tutors who work some full days or even full-time hours.

And how many pupils are currently on the books?

We are currently supporting over 150 students.

How flexible are the packages you offer?

Our packages are flexible in that you can take as long as you need to use the hours, and you can also use the hours for a sibling or another subject, so it’s handy if you suddenly realise you need a boost in another subject ahead of exams, for example.

“THE NEED FOR BOTH TUTORING AND MENTORING IN SCHOOLS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY”

What other resources are available to your students?

We have a blog, covering many varied, current topics around education, and we have recently started a podcast, Learning Unplugged, also covering topics around education, relevant to parents and schools. Both can be found in the resources and media hub section on our website.

How has the company grown since it began, and what are your ultimate ambitions?

We’ve had huge growth since the pandemic, with an increased need for catch-up tuition, as well as tutoring and mentoring for young people who are struggling to engage with the school system.

We are passionate in our belief that every single young person can succeed with the right support, so, in addition to continuing our work with private families, we are looking to further grow the work we do with schools and councils, and particularly in alternative provision, as this can be challenging sometimes but so incredibly rewarding, and we feel this is where we can make a huge difference.

Contact office@greenhouselearning.co.uk 0117 3253698

www.greenhouselearning.co.uk

RACHAEL TAN

SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE

Which are the exemplar new projects in the region? What specific challenges will arise?

How will the property sector step up?

16 APRIL 2024. M SHED, BRISTOL

• Top level keynotes

• Stimulating panels

• Networking with region’s leading property companies

COUNTRY FILES

ocal law firm hrings has been distinguished by the im ell xcellence ward from the National armers Union N U for its comprehensive advice” and consistent excellent service” to the agriculture sector.

he award acknowledges the outstanding work of law firms in supporting the N U and its members across the country.

ccording to the udges, hrings provided comprehensive advice for members” in areas ranging from dairy insolvencies and financial agreement disputes to land related issues including flooding and planning.

he firm’s empathy and understanding” for the farming community was also praised, along with the fact it is “always available, even at short notice, to assist with emergency issues”. For more: www.thrings.com

THE COLOUR PURPLE

ormed by oanna andall in 2012, Paintworks based comms and marketing firm Purplefish has become employee owned.

oanna has sold 100 per cent of shares to the new trust, whose aim is to help the company grow and evolve

he company is the first P agency in the city to move to employee ownership. oanna stays on as an executive board director, while associate director ucy Mc erron is promoted to managing director; oining them on the board are two employee trustee directors, senior account manager onathan dams and account manager o awcett.

n recent months, the company has secured a number of new clients wins, including experience company uup and agency collective firm storia. or more www. ur lefis .agenc

Zoë, Joanna, Lucy and Jonathan

BRING THE DRAMA

During National Careers Week (4-9 March), the BBC and Bristol’s Bottle Yard Studios will join forces to showcase the vast range of careers available across the film, V and theatre industries, as part of the nationwide Bring the Drama Festival.

aking place at he Bottle ard tudios on March, Bring the rama is a special free event open to members of the public which is designed to inspire the next generation of creative professionals.

A variety of exhibitors including broadcasters, creative companies, colleges and universities will be on hand to advise on pathways into the industry and share tips and insights. here will be practical displays and a chance to speak to staff from he Bottle ard tudios and Bristol ilm ce about the film and V industry across Bristol and the South West.

xhibitors will include ardman, ccess reative ollege, Babbasa, BB tudios, B cademy, boomsatsuma, Bristol ld Vic heatre chool, Bristol chool of cting, atch 22, ire torm Pyro

, nto ilm, onesMillbank Nine ree tudios, atent Pictures, ocation ne, Mangostone td, MyWorld and Watershed, Paradigm Post Production td, P H agency ltd, uantum Manpower ervices td, creenology, WMU Make Up and University of the West of England.

he six week programme showcases behind the-scenes jobs in the stage and screen, featuring everything from stage managing to wig making, lighting to line producing, set design to make up design. t accompanies the new six part series Bring the Drama, hosted by actor and comedian Bill Bailey, which launched on BB wo on 1 ebruary.

Produced by BB rts and Wall to Wall Media, the series follows eight aspiring thesps who have always dreamt of becoming professional actors but have never had the opportunity, as they are mentored by a renowned casting director.

For more: www.thebottleyard.com/bringthedrama

mmersive visitor attraction Wake the iger has secured investment of 0,000 through local impact investors BB Bristol Bath egional apital to assist the next stage of its growth.

n 202 , the ma ement Park ’, founded in 2021 by the team behind Boomtown estival, welcomed more than 2 0,000 visitors, and

recently reopened after hristmas with its new U verse expansion, which doubles the si e of the visitor experience.

he 0,000 investment complements a total fundraising effort of 2m 1m of secured debt along with 1m in new e uity.

For more: www.wakethetiger.com

Bristol Property Awards

DATES FOR THE DIARY

EntreConf Dinner 12 March www.entreconf.com

Network lunch with Mark Kelly of Ashton Gate; 19 March www.tickets.matterpay.com

Bristol Life Awards 27 March www.bristollifeawards.co.uk

Property Symposium 16 April; www. bristolpropertyawards.co.uk

Network lunch with Sean Clarke of Aardman Animations; 29 April www.tickets.matterpay.com

EntreConf 19-20 June www.entreconf.com

EntreConf Awards 26 September www.entreconf.com

Bristol Property Awards 29 November; www. bristolpropertyawards.co.uk

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS 2024

Congratulations to all our finalists!

Nominations for the 2024 Bristol Life Awards closed on 31 January, and yet again there were a record number of entries, each attesting to the brilliance, resolve, creativity and sheer acumen of Bristol businesses. Somehow our panel managed to whittle them down to the shortlist of finalists, which were announced on the Grand Reveal Day of 9 February.

So, who made the cut? Who are this years fabulous finalists? Well, the list is far too long for us to name everyone here, though you’ll find them all on our website and our social media channels X, LinkedIn and nstagram. r, even easier, ust flick back to page 0. Now it’s totally out of out hands – it’s up to our independent panel of judges to choose the outright winner in each category, along with the prestigious Platinum Award for the crème de la crème, the best in show.

WHAT DO I DO NEXT?

Rush to secure your tickets – these always sell out, with a long waiting list; the Bristol Life Awards, after all, is the biggest, most glamorous business event in Bristol, casting a wide and eclectic net which includes companies from every imaginable sector, from the smallest independent to the largest of the corporates. Tickets can be purchased on the website, either singly on in groups.

SPONSOR THE AWARDS

Independent chef-led contract caterer Cleverchefs is the Bristol Life Awards headline sponsor for 2024, and other sponsorship opportunities are going fast. o find out more, please contact neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk.

For more: www.bristollifeawards.co.uk @bristollifeawards

Empire Fighting Chance winning the Charity award

MEET THE FINANCE EXPERT

Need to know that your hard-earned cash is in safe hands?

RORY STUART ATOMOS

03301 656 600; www.atomos.co.uk

When is the best time to get financial advice?

As early as possible, although it’s never too late. Whether you re going through significant life events such as purchasing a new home or becoming a parent, or ma ing big financial decisions, engaging with a financial adviser is always prudent.

How will changing interest rates affect the decisions I should be making about my finances?

A very hot topic. f interest rates rise, your mortgage payments could become more e pensive and you could earn more on your savings, for instance. f, as e pected, interest rates fall, savings and annuity rates could fall too. t s wise to see advice to help you navigate changing interest rates and ma e better financial decisions.

What first attracted you to the industry?

y passion for finance began at university with my dissertation focusing on the financial impacts of natural ha ards on an economy. was later attracted to financial advice as a profession where you can use problem-solving s ills and help shape people s lives in a meaningful way.

SIMON KNOWLER

D CT ASS T NANC

www.directassetfinance.com

What challenges do you predict businesses facing in 2024?

The biggest challenges for businesses in are a combination of what they have faced over the past months, with in ation still double the Ban of ngland s target of , interest rates still at their highest since 2008, ma ing borrowing more e pensive, and the

JEFF DURANT

T A TN S TD

07872 601662; www.otiumpartners.com

How will changing interest rates affect the decisions I should be making about my finances?

was a difficult year and many businesses faced real challenges around their funding, whether for wor ing capital or investment purposes. As we enter 2024, there are signs that in ation is wea ening and that interest rates may well have plateaued, with li ely reductions to come this year. Banks are still looking very closely at loan affordability on the bac of increased costs and for many businesses, this will mean that credit and loans are still hard to obtain, even refinancing what they already borrow. We can help in pretty much any situation with both strategic and practical advice and solutions.

What advice would you offer to businesses/individuals who are worried about this upcoming financial year?

Don t be afraid to as for help and advice. Whether that s from your accountant, financial advisor or specialist consultant. There are plenty of us out there who have seen a wide variety of circumstances and can offer practical and helpful guidance and solutions. ic up the phone!

What piece of advice would you offer to someone considering investment this year?

a e sure that any investment you ma e will add real value to your business, ie profit. There are no pri es for growth in turnover and costs if they don t translate to the bottom line.

delay in supply chains across all industries which has still not recovered to numerous macroeconomic events of the last few years. inally, the negative reporting through SN outlets which creates more uncertainty and a drain on confidence within S s however, my feeling is that the landscape is never as bad as reported and the S community are a resilient bunch who will find a way

What sets you apart from other businesses in the sector?

We do the simple things well, we do what we say we are going to do, when we are going to do it, managing our customers e pectations with e cellent communication and are always accessible, delivering a first-class service, providing the funding our customers want for the investments their business needs.

What advice would you offer a small business starting up this year?

or anyone who is loo ing to start their own business, would advise them to get someone around you to lean on for support and advice, a trusted confidante who you can bounce ideas off, let off steam or ust an encouraging word in your ear. unning your own business

can be a lonely e istence and is always a rollercoaster, but also highly rewarding, having someone around you, that you trust is ey. y other piece of advice is don t ever give up, stay strong, be resilient and believe in yourself.

What first attracted you to the industry?

y first glimpse into the industry, went bac to my school days, when wrote to Barclays Ban as ing to do wor e perience. They were so impressed during my placement they offered me a permanent paid position, where continued wor ing at Barclays as an assistant corporate manager.

then moved to The Ban of Scotland and later The Ban of reland where wor ed permanently in asset finance, and continued in this field ever since.

en oyed the wor in asset finance so much started my own Asset inance Bro erage in 2008, where my passion is simple, to make business growth more affordable and more accessible for a wider range of companies throughout the South West of ngland and the UK.

Rory Stuart

eff Durant

JOHN HUGHES

SENIOR RELATIONSHIP DIRECTOR –DEVELOPMENT FINANCE, SHAWBROOK

07765 196 978

www.shawbrook.co.uk/devfinance

Predictions for 2024…?

It’s likely to be a busy year for developers. With a more stable build cost environment and an expected stronger property market in 2025, now is the time to be starting projects for completion next year. We’re certainly seeing a large uptick in new enquiries for development finance.

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

Regional expertise. Our relationship directors and portfolio managers are based regionally with a team of five located in the South West. We have good contacts with local contractors and property professionals to assist our clients.

What first attracted you to the industry?

The idea of supporting local communities to provide more housing, or improve services, initially drew me to the industry and I’ve been involved with property development ever since. The opportunity to start with a blank canvas in the South West back in 2018 with Shawbrook was too good to refuse. Nearly £300m of facilities provided in the region since then makes it one of my better decisions.

CHRISTIAAN COOLEN

OVATION FINANCE

0117/942 4333 / 07704 345 849; www.ovationfinance.co.uk

When is the best time to get financial advice?

For most the catalyst is a major life event that has happened or is on the horizon. A common example may be a 50th birthday, when people start to think about later life or life after work. In truth however, the best

JAMES MILES

THE MORTGAGE QUARTER

01392 660219; www.themortgagequarter.co.uk

Predictions for 2024…?

We’re unlikely to see any further interest rate rises by the Bank of England in 2024. It’s widely predicted that the bank will cut rates this year. Any reductions will most likely happen in the second half of the year. Mortgage rates are already falling and should end the year more favourably than in 2023.

How will changing interest rates affect the decisions I should be making about my finances?

If you plan to buy a new property or need to remortgage your existing one, allow plenty of time to secure a mortgage. When interest rates are changing, locking in a deal can save you money. If rates decrease before your new mortgage starts, you can switch to a cheaper deal, but you’ll be protected if rates go the other way.

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

Often, clients come to us believing all options are exhausted and they won’t get the money to buy their home. With our tenacity, we turn that situation around. We think outside the box and research every lender until we get a positive answer. If we can’t get a mortgage for a client, they probably shouldn’t have one.

When is the best time to get mortgage advice?

If you plan to buy a new home, speak to your mortgage adviser before you start searching so you have an accurate idea of your budget and mortgage options. For remortgaging, it’s best to seek professional advice roughly six months before your current deal ends.

time is as early as possible. This gives you an opportunity to speak with a professional who can tell you if you need advice or not. At Ovation we will give you guidance if suitable and advice only when you really need it.

What advice would you offer to businesses/individuals who are worried about this upcoming financial year?

First and foremost, we would have a conversation with individuals to better understand what their worries are. Every one of us has concerns in one form or another, mine however will be very different to the next person’s. Once we understand the worries, we can look objectively at the situation, and if needs be help develop a plan for the upcoming year.

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

Financial wellbeing. We literally wrote the book on it and set up the ‘Institute of Financial Wellbeing’. At Ovation we believe in making you happier, not just wealthier. For that reason, we talk life first in our meetings. It is our belief that we don’t get to

talk about your money until we know about you. We can’t advise on what you should do with your money before we know what your objectives are. For example, you might decide you want to gift money, or travel around the world on a cruise next year. The money earmarked for either would be better held in cash and not invested. If we don’t know these details, how can we advise?

What first attracted you to the industry?

The opportunity to really help people achieve what they want out of life. We provide a service that needn’t be about the money alone. We fully appreciate that this is important, but life is too short to be obsessing about investment returns. Plus, there is so much more to financial planning and financial advice than just the markets. If you’re not living the life you want to live, what’s the point? At Ovation we see the money as a tool; living your best life is the objective.

John Hughes

James Miles

MATT GOY

CEO OF INTEGRITY365, INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISERS

0117 450 1300

www.integrity365.co.uk

When is the best time to get financial advice?

Quite simply, now. It is never too early to start getting your finances in order, from the youngest clients with junior ISAs, through to workplace pensions, mortgages, investments, tax planning, retirement planning and later-life planning. There isn’t one generation in the family that wouldn t potentially benefit from ta ing advice at the earliest opportunity. The sooner you start to plan, the longer the timescale you have for potential growth, and the earlier you are protected.

redictions for 2024 ?

has already started with a brighter market outlook which we hope will continue throughout the rest of the year. We are seeing a greater desire to invest from clients now that markets

RICHARD HEMMINGS

CLOSE BROTHERS PROPERTY FINANCE

have pic ed up, however the ey to a long-term investment solution is to stay invested. ften, clients who continue to invest whilst mar ets are down will frequently see greater long term returns as their money has had an opportunity to rise with the markets from those lower points. Chasing short-term returns from interest rates can seem attractive now, but as mar ets start to rise and if rates fall, you could be caught short.

What piece of advice would you offer to someone who is nearing retirement?

For those starting to think ‘Will I have enough money for retirement?’ the key is in the ta efficiency of your plans. This can really be the difference between having enough and not. Ta ing your savings out of the wrong place at the wrong time can be detrimental to your financial future, therefore see ing advice and creating a plan based on your individual needs is important. eviewing this plan is also ey, so continued support for the years pre- and post-retirement can ma e all the difference.

www.closepropertyfinance.com

redictions for 2024 ?

The mar et is very difficult to call at present, but it is certainly not benign. There are clearly strong headwinds, but supply and demand dynamics remain in play and well-finished and appropriately priced stoc in good locations should still retain a strong appeal. is no ordinary year, it s an election year, and as such supporting the housebuilding industry needs to be a priority for all political parties if Britain’s economy is to thrive again. We hope the present government prioritises easing constraints for both supply and demand, as the end of the elp to Buy scheme and high interest rates have impacted affordability for many buyers. reater certainty regarding environmental regulations, such as nutrient neutrality and the challenges of the planning system, would also give S s confidence to get bac to building more houses.

How will changing interest rates affect the decisions I should be making about my finances?

There is an increasing confidence that interest rates have pea ed and may perhaps even start tic ing down as the year proceeds. This should in ect some confidence bac into the mar et.

What first attracted you to the industry? have been lending in the property sector for more than years. find the funding of residential development particularly en oyable as well as being profitable for developer and ban , a successful pro ect delivers the much-needed homes for people to en oy living in, which is really fulfilling.

DAMIAN EVANS  EVANS

0117 301 8607; www.evansentwistle.co.uk

What should be your clients’ priorities at the start of the financial year?

We like to conduct a strategic review with our clients every year, enabling them to ascertain what their priorities should be for the forthcoming financial year. We can then advise on the most tax efficient means of delivering achieving those goals. All of our practice principals have worked in business at senior level, so we hope that our practical advice and management experience adds value to the client year round.

What is the most frequent problem you encounter this time of year?

Damian Evans

At this time of year, I’m pleased to say our “problems” are minimal! January is always a challenge as our intention is to ensure that 100% of our clients’ self assessment returns are filed on time. Now that deadline has passed, we’re focusing on reviewing our clients’ current position and helping them strengthen and grow their businesses.

What first attracted you to the industry?

Aside from a fascination with numbers and a penchant for creating Excel models, I relished the opportunity to work with business owners and make a real difference. Sound advice can make all the difference between being in the black versus being in the red, and nothing spurs us on more than seeing our clients succeed.

ichard emmings

ENTWISTLE

MARCUS ROBINSON

01275 370360; www.mortgage-style.co.uk

When is the best time to get mortgage advice?

Early! The more time we have to research deals for clients, the greater our chances of finding the right mortgage for every set of circumstances.

The general consensus in the mortgage industry is that we’ll see a couple of rate reductions between now and the summer, then rates should stabilise into 2025. It’s unlikely we’ll make a return to the historically low levels of recent years, but a plateau around 1% lower than where we are now seems a reasonable expectation.

What piece of advice would you offer to someone who is considering property investment this year?

Get an experienced broker on your team. We’ll help you assess the opportunity, talk you through funding options and likely costs as well as find you the right deal.

Through our

sister firm, Brunel Bridging, you can access specialist finance for development or commercial mortgages if you’re buying as a business, and bridging loans which, arranged at very short notice, can be used in more complex situations like auction purchases, non-standard buildings and even when you’re buying land with or without planning permission.

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

We’re an award-winning mortgage broker and proud of our place supporting clients in Bristol s thriving property sector. Our friendly, professional advisors have over a hundred years’ mortgage experience between them and wor hard to find a deal for every client. This reputation for tenacity extends to our competitors and we sometimes help other brokers when they’ve run out of ideas.

Y AY B SS SS D Y D N T

AY NTS N Y T A .

There may be a fee for mortgage advice. The precise amount will depend on your circumstances, range from £495 to £595 and will be agreed with you at the earliest opportunity.

ROBERT RAWLE

ST D AN D N

0117 945 2500

www.milstedlangdon.co.uk

When is the best time to get financial advice?

It’s important to keep in touch with your accountant regularly, but especially in advance of any changes that are due to take place in your life. or businesses, reviewing financial statements via management accounts will help to identify trends and potential issues –allowing for early intervention. It’s important to use the tools available such as software and apps, to make sure you have accurate, realtime management information, to make better informed decisions. There are also certain times of year when you should be speaking with your accountant, such as pre-year end, to ensure that you’re up to date with all the tax planning opportunities and allowances within that financial ta year.

What do you specialise in?

I help businesses scale-up from where they are today to achieve their ambitions. I specialise in the creative, tech and media sector – something Bristol is well nown for, so have many clients in that field locally. Bristol and the South West is such a hotbed of creative talent and I have been involved in many interesting projects and business sales, with some of my clients winning tech awards, green awards and some even being BA

TA winners

For further information or to get in touch with Robert and the team, email advice@milstedlangdon.co.uk.

DON’T LOSE YOUR FAMILY HOME TO INHERITANCE TAX

Could the value of your home leave your family with an IHT bill? Nick Gwilliam, Founding Financial Adviser from INTEGRITY365 tells us more...

The Nil-Rate Band (NRB) is the amount an individual can own without creating an Inheritance Tax liability. This has been frozen since April 2009 at £325,000, meaning that anything over the NRB will be taxed at the current rate of 40% as a general rule. There is also an additional £175,000 for anyone leaving their main residence to their direct descendants (known as the Residence NRB or RNRB). However, there are certain exemptions and complexities to be considered here, as with most areas of tax planning.

Despite this level remaining in place since 2009, stock markets and housing prices have increased dramatically in comparison, considering that the NRB was frozen directly after the 2008 financial crisis.

To put this into context, in 2009 the average UK home was worth circa £155,000, whereas the average property as of April 2023 was worth over £285,000 (Land Registry UK House Price Index, 2023). This therefore means that estates are worth more and many people are now being pushed above that NRB even without having substantial liquid assets.

This was the case with our clients, Mr and Mrs Clarke, who owned a large family home worth

£1 million and had £400,000 in savings. Together their individual NRBs and RNRBs combine for a total of £1 million. Their pension income was sufficient for their day-to-day needs, along with some additional spending such as booking a special anniversary holiday. They wished to pass the family home down to their two children upon their death, however, they were concerned that there would be an outstanding Inheritance Tax liability which may need to be paid for by selling the family home.

When they initially contacted us for financial advice, we were able to look more closely at their circumstances and options, enabling us to estimate an IHT of approximately £160,000.

When looking at the available solutions, they clearly had enough savings to continue to live comfortably with some additional funds left over each month and could therefore afford to pay for Whole of Life Cover. We set this up as a joint policy in trust costing £297.13 per month which they would pay for the rest of their lives.

By doing so, this would pay out £160,000 upon the second death of either of the couple. This meant that when the time came for an Inheritance Tax bill to be paid, this amount would cover the costs and the family home could still be passed on to their two children.

Whole of Life Cover is a great option for those with less liquid assets, however, individual circumstances must be considered as the premiums can be expensive due to the high value of this cover. Therefore, it is important to seek independent financial advice to ensure that you get the protection that is right for you.

If you would like to discuss your estate planning or financial protection options with an Integrity365 Independent Financial Adviser, please do not hesitate to get in touch to arrange a no-obligation first meeting on 0117 450 1300 or email enquiries@integrity365.co.uk n

Nick Gwilliam DipPFS, Founding Financial Adviser, 0117 450 1300; www.integrity365.co.uk; enquiries@integrity365.co.uk;

Block & Estate Management

Our goal is to be Bristol’s most customer-centric management company; our clients’ best interests are our top priority

DNA Property Management

St Brandons House, 27-29 Great George Street, Bristol, BS1 5QT

Email: info@dnaproperties.co.uk

Tel: 01179 200141

www.dnaproperties.co.uk

Transparent property management

o ering genuine cost savings with no compromise on service level standards

THRINGS MEETS… TORQUE TRAINING

THRINGS associate Rebecca Stanton meets Anthony Fenton-Wells and Tom Luke, directors of bespoke personal training gym TORQUE TRAINING

Rebecca Stanton: What is Torque Training and how did it get started?

Anthony Fenton-Wells: We are a Bristol-based gym born around the belief that the way you train manifests itself in all aspects of your life, whether personal or professional.

Having been in the gym industry for the past 15 years, first starting in my native South Africa, I wanted to develop a product that stepped up from what you might find elsewhere, creating a positive space where people of all experience and ability levels can thrive in achieving their fitness and wellbeing goals.

Fast forward five years and we have built a community we are proud of with an amazing, diverse and growing membership enjoying the services we provide, whether it is in one-to-one personal training sessions or taking part with others in our small group PT sessions and the regular crazy challenges we set.

RS: What sets you apart from other gyms?

Tom Luke: The attitude we promote is to respect and believe in everyone who comes in, being a support base for their journey and leaving bravado at the door. It doesn’t matter if you’re an elite athlete or a first-timer, you are in a place where you can work on your own skills, not be judged and get the same level of support as the person training next to you.

I have the luxurious sidehustle of being the backs coach for the Bristol Bears Women

and we will often have the girls in the gym training alongside our other members. It is great to have them in with us mere mortals as it not only shows these elite athletes – many of whom are internationals and the best at what they do – as the role models they are, it also shows they are human and sweat, struggle and strive like anyone else.

We also have our Strong Mamas class, giving new mums a place to come and lift weights or hop on a bike with their baby in tow. I started it shortly after my wife had our first child, simply to give her and her NCT group a place to get fit with zero pressure, but it’s grown into a different beast, becoming an amazing and unique social space where they can chat, work really hard and whatever else in between. It has become one of our most popular offerings and is packed every session with mums, babies and the occasional puppy everywhere!

RS: But while you are working with people at all stages of their fitness, you’ve had some real high-end success stories, haven’t you?

TL: It’s true we have had some success stories, people running ultramarathons, going from barely being able to swim to completing Iron Man events and even recently to climbing one of the highest mountains in the world!

It’s a huge achievement for someone who has never lifted 20 kilos of weight before to then turn around and run a marathon and what we enjoy doing is helping people to create that

resilience that enables them to say to themselves that their current ceiling isn’t their limit.

AFW: We very much believe that you take the lead from your leaders and we always try to push our own boundaries. Tom really demonstrated this last year when he took on an insane challenge, breaking the 24-hour world record for skiing in the gym. We also ran a 100km race last year together. The times were nothing to shout about but completing it was the aim and, while it didn’t feel like it at times throughout, it was a truly awesome experience.

RS: What is next for Torque?

TL: For me, I just want this place busting at the seams, we have an amazing vibe at the moment that I want to keep going as we grow so we are in a position where we could incorporate a bigger space, taking our community with us

without anything else changing.

AFW: The question I always ask myself is how we can add more value to our members. It is how our Engine HIIT classes and Strong Mamas came to be. We know we are good at what we do and don’t want to deviate from that, but we want our members to know that they are getting the best from us and will continue to evolve.

To find out more about Torque Training, visit www.torquetraining.co.uk n

A ROOM WITH A VIEW

Several rooms, in fact –and what a view...

Words by Ursula Cole

It’s that old argument again. “Does this home have the best views in Bristol?”

Well, uite possibly; but first, the history. It’s 1864, and the Clifton Suspension Bridge has just opened, spanning the gorge and the river and making easy crossing possible between lifton and eigh Woods for the first time. No longer is there any need to hire a boatman to row you across the Avon; incidentally, vivid descriptions of this era and mode of transport can be found in Helen Dunmore’s final, ma estic, lifton based novel, Birdcage Walk Unsurprisingly, the possibilities raised by the new bridge were of intense interest to Bristol’s property speculators, particularly in regard to the land just across the gorge. Sir Grevile Smyth of Ashton Court put forward plans to create low cost housing on part of his estate at Leigh Woods, but was foiled by one of the great characters of his age: one Joseph Leech, the ‘mad Irishman’ from Co. Clare, a spinner of yarns who embellished his stories so much that it’s now impossible to tell historic fact from fiction.

Though everyone knew Leech to be the owner of the Bristol Times newspaper, he was less widely known as the vice chairman of the Suspension Bridge Company. Grevile Smyth had no chance against the wily Leech, who carefully put together an alternative proposal to build high class housing. He became a director of the company, and in 1872 he built Burwalls: an imposing mansion of orange red brick in the acobethan style, adorned with deep bays, elaborate stone carvings, gables, tall chimney stacks and a deep square porch. The house was later bought by George Wills, a scion

of the Wills tobacco family, who invested considerable amounts of money to extend the house and its estate. He created Burwalls Gardens, acquired Burwalls Wood and the Nightingale Valley, donating them to the National Trust in 1908. Major changes and renovations, designed by his uncle Frank Wills, also took place at Burwalls during 1916.

At the start of World War II, Burwalls was re uisitioned by the War ce, becoming the H of the Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment – an ideal vantage point to protect Bristol and its port. In its next incarnation, Burwalls provided Bristol Uni with halls of residence; finally it came back into the private market when it was sold to property developers ersfield for m in 201 .

uring this final stage of the house’s history, a further 6 million was invested to rid Burwalls of the changes made by the university, and to re-engage with the original purpose of the house.

Nash Partnership was called in to turn the house into luxury apartments in consultation with English Heritage and Bristol’s onservation epartment, restoring the building to its former glory, reintroducing original features such as fireplaces, timber panelling and decorative ceilings while creating thoroughly modern homes. The old stables on the southern boundary of the estate were redeveloped into two houses, and four new detached houses and a studio were also built. n 2016,the new apartments went on sale, with prices ranging between 1.1 million and 1. million.

“While everything is 21st-century spick span,and the Penthouse has immense period charm”

nd now, currently up for grabs, providing you don’t expect much change from your 2 mill, is the ewel in the Burwalls crown – which neatly takes us back to That View. or up on the top floor of the rade building lies a three bedroom penthouse from which you can gaze for as long as your heart desires at Brunel’s uspension Bridge, across the Avon Gorge and over the south of the city all the way to the northern hills of Bath.

Approaching the house, the impressive front porch takes you into an elegant communal hall; depending on your inclination or fitness levels you can then take either the stairs or the lift to the Penthouse. There, beyond the apartment’s front door, a generous hallway possesses a marvellous sense of space that’s enhanced by the pale engineered wood flooring which runs throughout most of the flat.

An open-plan sitting/dining room is bright on even the cloudiest of days, and while everything is 21st century spick and span, immense period charm is provided in the form of exposed wooden beams, cast-iron radiators and a gas fireplace.

HOUSE DETAILS

Guide price: £1.995m

Bedrooms: 3

Receptions: large open-plan living and dining room

Bathrooms: 2

Outdoor space: bedroom terrace, large dining terrace, use of communal gardens

Contact: Savills Clifton, 20 The Mall; 0117 933 5800 www.savills.co.uk

Divided from the living room by an open arch is the thoroughly modern kitchen, in which sleek handleless units conceal all the requisite snazzy appliances. There’s plenty of space for a dining table, and best of all, doors open out to a southfacing terrace with a charming ornate stone wall and finials, beyond which lie the aforementioned enviable views.

The main bedroom shares the same show-stopping outlook; it comes with a beautiful fireplace, and an en-suite with a freestanding roll-top bath and separate shower. Those relegated to bedroom two will have little to sulk about, with similar views of the Suspension Bridge; the third has merely ‘a westerly orientation’ but given that everything in the vicinity is pleasing to the eye, that’s not too much of a consolation prize either. There’s a second, family bathroom, too, awash in a stylish sea of marble tiling.

Perhaps best of all, the Penthouse has sole possession of a large terrace with plenty of space for lounging, view-admiring and dining. And while Leigh Woods and Ashton Court are nearby for extensive rambling, Burwalls House also has its own private communal gardens, mostly in the form of lawns dotted with mature trees; a tranquil and peaceful space that gives no hint that just a short, delightful, bridge-spanning walk away are the buzzy delights of Clifton Village.

Keep up-to-date with our latest news, deals, testimonials and market comment at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk

Bedminster Parade, BS3 FOR SALE – POA

7,269 sq ft (675 sq m)

A fantastic residential development opportunity with planning submitted for 9 residential units plus a large commercial ground floor premises. Very popular location in South Bristol. Freehold for sale. Price Upon Application.

Durdham Park, Redland, BS6

TO LET – POA

1,042– 2,948 sq ft (273.85 - 96.8 sq m)

Two self contained buildings to rent, available as a pair or separately. Currently benefitting from educational use although would suit other uses (STP).

Gloucester Road, BS7

TO LET - POA

2,318 sq ft (215.35 sq m)

A ground floor “Class E” unit available to let of approx. 2,318 sq. ft (215.34 sq. m). Could suit many uses, available from the end of March 2024.

Barley House, BS8

TO LET – POA

16,640 sq ft (1,546 sq m)

Offices to let with 23 car parking spaces. Available as a whole or on a floor-by-floor basis and suitable for a wide variety of alternative commercial uses (STP).

College Green, BS1

TO LET - £23 psf pax 900 – 2,938 sq ft

A stunning, Georgian building in a central location which is due to be refurbished throughout to provide open plan accommodation on each floor. Car parking available plus basement bike storage.

Eagle House, BS1

TO LET – POA

5,565 sq ft – 11,840 sq ft (c 517 – 1,100 sq m)

Contemporary Grade A office accommodation providing open plan space with collaborative zones to include shared break out areas, auditorium, and bookable meeting rooms.

Waterloo House, Clifton Village TO LET - £22 PAX

1,934 sq ft (179.6 sq m)

A self contained office to rent with shop frontage onto Waterloo Street, in the heart of Clifton Village. Would suit other uses under Class E.

Etloe Road, BS6

TO LET – POA

1,273 sq ft (118.27 sq m)

A ground floor, self-contained “Class E” premises available to let in the popular suburb of Westbury Park. May suit a range of uses.

Bath Road, Bristol, BS4

FOR SALE – POA

3,018 sq ft (280.48 sq m)

Fully Let Investment For Sale. Recently refurbished to a high standard, comprising a commercial retail unit let to Subway Realty Ltd plus 2 X two bedroom flats. Within an excellent letting location for both retail and residential occupiers.

Dean Street Works, BS2

TO LET - POA

561 – 1,264 sq ft (52.1 – 117.4 sq m)

A ground floor commercial premises centrally located and available to let in the city centre. Due to be refurbished. Use Class E.

Julian Cook

Finola Ingham MRICS

Tom Coyte MRICS

Holly Boulton AssocRICS

Vicki Grimshaw

Charlie Kershaw MRICS

LISA JONES

The destination director at Cabot Circus on collaborating with local artists, where to get the best cocktails in Bristol, and the danger of being surrounded by payday temptations

Before taking up her duties as destination director, Lisa was Cabot Circus’s facilities manager.

Prior to that, she’d managed regional facilities at hotels and schools.

However, if you’d popped into a department store a few years earlier than that, you’d have found Lisa swathed in expensivesmelling fragrances. “Most people are surprised to hear that I started my career working in the beauty industry, as a beauty consultant on one of the luxury counters,” she says. “I then opted for a complete career change.”

That said, those beauty counters are still very much within tempting range . . .

What are the main challenges of working at Bristol’s biggest city-centre shopping hub?

One of the main challenges is not spending my salary on shopping every day and eating out every lunchtime. It’s a joy to work at Cabot Circus, we have such a

diverse mix of retailers and restaurants, and meeting those who work and shop here is the most interesting part of the job. There are a lot of people who work behind the scenes, so I’m working with a great team to run the centre.

Are you a shopaholic, and which of the shops at Cabot Circus are like catnip to you?

I am actually quite good – you have to be self-disciplined when you work in a retail environment. I do have a weakness for buying beauty products though, and when Rituals and LUSH opened last year I quickly became a regular.

When we’re not shopping ‘til we drop, where should we go for refreshments?

If it’s a quick drink, I honestly think the cocktails at Harvey Nichols Second Floor Bar are some of the best in Bristol. I also love the restaurant at Harvey Nichols, and I am also a big fan of Italian food, so I enjoy dining at Piccolino.

“Our vision is to create a new cultural destination for the city in Quakers

Although Cabot Circus is our go-to for all the chains, there are a few independent shops and restaurants down there too, aren’t there?

We have such a diverse mix or retail and restaurants, but are very much a part of the city and like to nurture and support local talent – especially local independents. We now have a few independent stores in Quakers Friars, and it’s great to see these businesses growing and thriving.

We’ve seen lots of fun initiatives over the past few years, from the mega Aardman mural to pop-up gigs – tell us about those Collaborating with local artists and creatives is just one of the innovative ways we are evolving Cabot Circus, from places where people come only to shop to a destination, offering a real mix of entertainment, leisure and social experiences.

Over the last 12 months we have brought new visitors to Cabot Circus through pop-up gigs with Dizzee Rascal, Roni Size, Daddy G and Jody Wisternoff, supported citywide cultural events including Unicornfest and Bristol Light Festival, and even transformed our car park into a skatepark for half term.

Where do you live, and what’s the best thing about your ‘hood?

I live in South Bristol and feel spoilt for choice – it’s easy access to the airport, Chew Valley for nature, and so easy to get into the city centre for work, restaurants and shops.

Share a few local secrets

I have a new-found love of Clevedon. My friends and

Friars”

I regularly meet there for a walk, or an open-air swim at the Marine Lake, followed by lunch or a coffee to warm us up, which is even needed in the summertime.

What’s your favourite Bristol restaurant for a special meal?

Harvey Nichols Second Floor Restaurant. We absolutely love it, it’s perfect for birthdays and celebrations. The food is consistently excellent and they’ve won awards for both their food and wine.

How would your nearest and dearest describe you?

Workaholic. 100%.

What is your most regrettable habit?

I like everything to be tidy on the outside, but don’t look inside my cupboards! If I see something lying around, I will pick it up and shove it in a cupboard or drawer.

… and do you have any secret skills?

I can do sign language. I was a registered Makaton tutor.

Reveal a guilty secret

I’m a chocoholic – I know that’s a bit boring but I have a sweet tooth. I am straight to the desserts on any menu.

What’s your all-time best Bristol memory?

Having Roni Size, Daddy G and ody Wisternoff perform as part of a one off charity gig we hosted in the Friary Building at Cabot Circus last year was amazing. Our vision is to create a new cultural destination for the city in Quakers Friars, so expect to see more events like this.

www.cabotcircus.com