Ilove a Bedminster feature. This south Bristol neighbourhood – I guess it’s a suburb, though it feels too vibrant to be called one – still feels like a bit of a secret. It’s not exactly hidden from sight, obviously, but if you were only down for a ying isit, heading to shton ate or taking a quick shufti at the latest street art, you might miss the point. It’s certainly not what the Clifton set might regard as pretty; stick around long enough, however, and like an image emerging from a Magic Eye painting, BS3 will slowly reveal its charms.
Its restaurants and cafés are right up there with the best in the city. he shops are fiercely independent, supporting local makers and producers. nd best of all, it s still properly old school; among all the new hipster artisan whatsits you ll find butchers, grocers, fishmongers and bakers. nd of course the cherry on the top, the icing on the cake – there’s the street art.
If you’re unacquainted with the area, have a read of our feature beginning on page 9. If you’re a local who’s lived there all their life, and despise us for leaving out your favourite pub, we’ll doubtless hear from you on social media.
Otherwise, trying to ignore the comically cool weather conditions, we’ve tried to make this issue as summery as possible; we have suggestions for adventurous day trips, and the lowdown on two of the most popular local festivals: Valley Fest – ten years old this year, would you believe? – and the e er so slightly tweaked ristol alloon iesta.
We also discover how Ed Byrne’s new show mines tragedy for comedy, and hear about oug llan s thrilling life as a wildlife photographer. We’ve shopped, eaten and gawped at properties we can’t afford, selected pics from ristol ride and reported back on mega business event EntreConf.
ll of which will hopefully tide you o er until our next issue, when autumn loometh, everything starts to mo e back indoors again, and our inbo es fill up with breathlessly e cited shots about the festi e season. It seems only fair to share the joy, so let me be the first to wish you a ery merry Christmas.
ROBINS
. . . but how about the other 25 letters in our Bedminster alphabet?
Issue 355 / August 2024
ON THE COVER
The North Street Peeking Gull by Irony x Boe
Photo Louis Smith @louisbsmithphoto @studiowhisk
STREET LIFE
9 BEDMINSTER Where old-school meets cool-for-school
ARTS
28 WHAT’S ON It’s quiet up town
42 BRISTOL HEROES Acts of kindness
47 BOOKS The literary armchair traveller
FESTIVALS
32 VALLEY FEST No, we can’t believe it’s 10 years old either
36 INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA Though of course, this one’s considerably older FOOD
& DRINK
48 RESTAURANT One more day-trip of a review, then we’re back to Bristol. Pinky swear
51 CAFÉ SOCIETY It’s a Top Ten rating from Stan
SHOPPING
54 ED’S CHOICE It’s National Tiger Day on the 29th. Cues things with animal print on
SUMMER DAYS OUT
60 WILD IN THE COUNTRY Lashings of ginger beer incoming; we’re making like the Famous Five BUSINESS
Beat the evil algorithms! Follow us on instagram and tag us with your pics: @bristollifemag
PRIDE AND JOY
Winged retrievers, stiletto-wearing angels, rainbows wherever you looked: the 2024 Bristol Pride march was as vibrant as ever, and we love these insta-captures by @fifi_powell. Happy 15th anniversary, Bristol Pride!
TIME FOR BEDMINSTER
Sure, come down for the street art; but if you stick around for a bit, you’ll discover so much more
Words by Deri Robins
Pics by @joncraig_photos and @benrobinsphotography
Artily bokeh-ed in this photo, also shown over the page, the Six Sisters is the UK’s biggest mural by female street artists
Oh look, here they are again
“Not thrillseverybody to the klaxon call of a bougie new housing development”
If you had out-of-towners visiting, and wanted to impress them, you probably wouldn’t take them to Bedminster. You’d haul them up to Clifton, to gawp at the bridge and the Georgian crescents. You’d trail them around the harbourside; maybe go for a beer on King Street.
But Bedminster? They might not immediately get it. You need to spend a little time here before you start to get under its skin and register its less than obvious charms. Once the penny drops, of course, real, actual, envy is liable to set in among your guests. How many other high streets have such a dense concentration of independent cafés, restaurants, shops and bars? Where else can you find proper butchers, fishmongers and grocers among cool galleries and chic little interiors shops? What other neighbourhood acts as a huge outdoor canvas for word-class art? While industry first brought prosperity to Bedminster, today it’s leisure and food which hold sway. Of course, the changes haven’t pleased everybody; many are understandably nervous about the price of gentrification, and not everyone thrills to the klaxon call of a bougie new housing development. Few would deny, however, that the high streets of BS3 are more exciting today than they’ve been in decades. As an entry-level introduction we’ve put together a guide in the form of an A-Z. You know, just for fun.
AASHTON GATE
One of BS3’s big-hitters, Upfest and the Tobacco Factory being the other two, the Gate is many things to many people. The home of Bristol City and Bristol Bears, and a concert venue welcoming international music acts, it has a 27,000 capacity in sports mode and 32,000 in music, as well as being the leading events space in the South West. Major expansions are planned for a 4000-seater conference centre, a hotel, gym, new housing and o ce space, as well as creating a new home for the Bristol Flyers basketball team.
BBRISTOL
BEER FACTORY
Big plans are also afoot for the popular taproom and brewery at 291 North Street. After 20 years they’ve outgrown the premises, but are determined to stay in BS3. Later this year they’ll be moving the tap room a few doors down the road to the Old Brewery, and in September, the brewery moves to Ashton Vale Trading Estate.
CCAFÉS
East, West and North Street, your next superior caffeine hit is never more than a few steps away. Here are some of the local favourites; expect queues out of the door at weekends, when BS3 lines up for its sourdough and croilinder fix.
ALBATROSS CAFÉ
60 North Street Café with cocktails in a divinely pretty interior, attractively dripping with foliage.
BURRA
223 North Street
Antipodeanthemed café with a healthy sustainable offering, founded by former Bristol Bears players Jake Heenan and Luke Morahan. Tim Tams and Vegemite here!
BRISTOL LOAF
96 Bedminster Parade
If confirmation were needed that East Street was on the up, it came with the opening of the Loaf’s second branch; much more than an organic sourdough bakery and café, it incorporates a branch of Hugo’s greengrocer, TwoBelly cheese, and organic & natural wine shop The Bristol Vine.
LUCKY STRIKE
61 East Street
Modern take on a classic British café and bistro with a cool retro décor.
NOOK
24 North Street
Juices, poke bowls, smoothies: a(nother) Antipodean-influenced café that gives a nod to those of coastal Australia, with added Californian and Japanese flavours.
SWEVEN
12 North Street
The white-tiled bar is an insta-vision, the focus is community-based and the team is passionate about delivering high-grade coffees.
TINCAN COFFEE
234 North Street
The company began with a small fleet of festival trucks before opening its permanent shop in Southville. It has a kinda Brooklyn vibe.
DDELIS
BS3 is well-served by three specialist delis: owned by Hugo’s greengrocer, Dio’s at 71 North Street sells legendary sarnies; eco-conscious Southville Deli is at 262; and East Street (also a café) is at 95 East Street.
EEAST STREET
For many, the last bastion of the traditional South ristol high street. entrification is a double edged sword; nobody wants a run-down high-street with empty lots, but upmarket housing developments such as No1 The Factory, and the bold new businesses that keep opening beyond the boundaries of the ‘cool bit , will undoubtedly lead to a changing, more a uent demographic, pricing many locals out.
hile the council and the community try to figure it out, events such as the Eat:Bedminster food festival attract new visitors, but for a real taste of old-school BS3, head to East Street Fruit Market at number 132-134 – the legendary singing Darren – ‘the voice of Bedminster’–may ha e mo ed on, but it s still a family run affair.
At number 27, East Street Emporium, founded by the ebullient ou ack, is a uni ue retail space filled with stalls from an eclectic bunch of traders selling fashion, gifts, art and crafts. “It’s all about creativity, community, affordability and sustainability, says ou a philosophy which should probably be reproduced by Tozer Signs at all major entry points to BS3.
I is for I.N.K.I.E.
TOPOFPAGE: Bristol Beer Factory tap room
TELL US A SECRET
“Ebenezer Pocket Park on North Street – there’s seating, lovely street art and a borrow-a-book cupboard. Hebron burial ground; a very old graveyard, overgrown and not surprisingly, very peaceful, with a unique statue” – North Street Cheese team
“Probably one of the only places you can still get a pint for £2.50 is The Masonic during weekday afternoon Happy Hour.
Shhh”– Katy, Spirited
“If there’s ever a gig at Ashton Gate and you can’t get tickets, grab a picnic, a bottle from KASK, and set up in Greville Smyth Park”
– Charlie, KASK
STREET LIFE
FFOOD
BS3 has proper food shops. Never mind the artisan whatsits and the craft whaddycallits, the great – and we mean really great – thing about this ’hood is the incredible quality of essential shops, from greengrocers and butchers to bakers.
ASHTON FRUIT SHOP
269 North Street
Our resident Bedminster foodie tells us he always shops here, for the quality fruit and veg at reasonable prices.
BRISTOL FISH
252b North Street
Local fishmonger selling the best dayboat catches from the south coast. Pop in and eat an oyster at the counter: “They can be opened eight to a minute, though don’t hold me to that, and eaten there and then,” says Sam.
CLARK’S PIES
259 North Street
The best traditional pies in Bristol. The tip is to get there at around 11am, before they’ve run out of the steak and kidney.
HUGO’S GREENGROCERS
73 North Street
Quality fruit along with stuff you’ll never find down Asdol, from Padron peppers to truffles and tomatillos.
MARK’S BREAD
291 North Street
New bakeries may be springing up all over the shop with their cronuts and canalés, but Mark’s has been here for over a decade. It’s the go-to for every kind of bread, from sourdough to bloomers and rye, along with sarnies, pastries, buns and cakes.
NORTH STREET CHEESE SHOP
55 North Street
Turophile heaven; worth popping in just for the aroma, with a fabulous selection of British and Continental cheeses to choose from.
OCCASION CAKES & CATERING
281 North Street
Bakery making celebration and wedding cakes; it also sells cake-making and party materials, and can cater for any event, big or small.
RARE BUTCHERS
250 North Street
There’s a good reason you’ll find people queueing around the block at Rare to collect their preordered turkeys on Christmas Eve. Winner of best local butchers in the Bristol Good Food awards four years running.
VX BRISTOL
123 East Street
Because every high street needs a vegan junk food coffee shop and vegan grocery shop.
GGALLERIES
At 234 North Street, Upfest, the organiser of Europe’s biggest street art festival, has its permanent gallery selling prints, original art and merchandise (see also U).
North Street Gallery at number 135 is a community affair which supports local, new and emerging artists who might not yet ha e any gallery representation, while lass esigns at number sells art and much more, with its in house stained glass studio adswell at the back. t s the oldest gift shop in Bristol, having opened in 2003.
HHEN & CHICKEN
t orth treet, the en Chicken has been a pub since Victorian times, but since 1998 it’s also been home to he Comedy o , hosting well known names on the stand up circuit along with up and coming local talent. There’s also an eclectic programme of live music, including gigs from The Be-Bop Club – Bristol’s longest-running modern jazz club.
I&JINKIE, JODY
and the rest of the Bristol crew
The Upfest festival attracts top street artists from across the world, but nobody does it better than these local legends, along with fellow ristolians Cheo, Cheba, Sophie Rae, Andy Council… the list goes on. nd don t miss the i isters a row on orth treet featuring murals by e lo er, oe ower, emma Compton, ophie ong, ucas ntics and its. nspired by San Francisco’s famed Painted Ladies, it’s the largest mural project in the UK designed and painted by female street artists.
WHAT WOULD MAKE BEDMINSTER EVEN BETTER?
“Can it improve? Maybe a beach?” – Dave Smeaton, The Spotted Cow
“Personally I’d love a local independent cinema and a shoe shop, but that’s me just being picky” –Steve Hayles, Upfest
KKASK
‘Say no to shit wine’ is the cheerful mantra of North Street’s very own bodega at 51 North Street – a wine shop and bar serving sustainable, organic, vegan, sometimes natural, sometimes biodynamic, always mindexpanding wines. They’re self-styled ‘Bristol’s favourite wine bar’, and we’re not arguing.
LLOCAL, LOCAL, LOCAL
ou d struggle to find a neighbourhood that s more mutually supportive or community-minded. If a shop, gallery restaurant or café can support local producers, artists or makers, then by Jove, it will.
MMARKET
On the corner of Raleigh Road, The Tobacco Factory’s Sunday market (10am-2.30pm) is a buzzing local hangout with around 60 stalls selling sustainable, locally made bits and bobs; combine a visit with brunch at the Café Bar, open from 10 am, and keep an eye on social for the next plant and garden market.
NNORTH STREET
Well, obviously. It’s BS3’s main artery; Bedminster’s heart and soul. As a very loose rule of thumb, the closer you get to the western end –generally known as Southville, though good luck getting anyone to agree where it actually begins – the higher the concentration of great restaurants and shops.
OOLD-SCHOOL
Despite all the new cafés, restaurants and shops, walking through Bedminster still feels like high streets did when you were a kid, with a friendly welcome for been-here-forever families and young incomers alike. The vibe hits the sweet spot between old-school and cool-for-school, with bijou emporiums interspersed with genuinely useful shops typified by ion tores at North Street, where owner Derek Knapman is a font of all DIY and local knowledge. “We’ve stayed true to the open-all-hours type of shop; the last of the dinosaurs in a changing landscape,” he says.
PPUBS
From trad boozers to hip bars, all tastes are covered.
THE BARLEY MOW
1 East Street
Timeless ale and scrumpy hostelry. Many feel right at home in its traditional, dim interior, taking full value of the cheap drink prices, while those baffled by the lack of cool music may decide to slink off to the North Street Standard instead.
BRISTOL BEER FACTORY
291 North Street
The home of independent craft beer in Bristol. There are regular tours and tastings, while the tap room is the ideal spot for a pint and a catch-up. Many of BS3’s most notable pieces of street art have adorned its outer walls, such as the new pink and yellow one by Upfest’s 2024 festival artist, Mister Samo.
THE OLD BOOKSHOP
65 North Street
The Old Bookshop has one of the quirkiest interiors you’ll find in the city, with a street-food style menu to go with the ever-changing keg, cask and bottle list.
THE CORONATION
18 Dean Lane
Hang with the locals at The Corrie; Monday night is pub quiz night, with free grub for players. This place is still Old Bedminster, with a few mad touches including the fish tank behind the bar and a Space Invaders gaming table. Drink prices are famously reasonable.
THE MASONIC
110 North Street
Proper Bristol bar staff, a pint of bitter or Thatcher’s Gold, and a cheese-andonion roll: no better place to spend an evening, with two dart boards, skittle alley and pool room for your entertainment.
NORTH STREET STANDARD
11-13 North Street
Not into trad pubs? The NSS purveys local brews and seasonal grub in an industrial-chic NYC-style space, where the mighty mac’n’cheese gets its own menu.
THE ROPE WALK
5 Nelson Parade
A warm welcome, homemade food with a strong vegan offering and a well-stocked bar. Owner Annie’s a major player on
the street-art scene, and there’s always something interesting on the walls.
THE SPOTTED COW
139 North Street
The BS3 gastropub game is strong at this 200-yearold pub with its huge beer garden. There’s Tony Clark’s legendary Sunday afternoon DJ set, Tuesday quiz and bingo, and, some do say, the best Sunday roast in Bristol.
THE STEAM CRANE
4-6 North Street
Indie freehouse which defines the best of the single-numbered end of North Street. You knew it was named after the Fairbairn steam crane – the world’s only surviving example – on Harbourside, right?
Plenty more fascinating facts where that came from, including the story of a tiger who once killed a man in the bar. True.
THREE LIONS
Legendary boozer offering sport on large screens; the preferred drinking hole of Bristol City fans, with Flag Day celebrated on the first home game of the season with red smoke flares, flags (naturally), singing and blocked roads.
Tobacco Factory market
RRESTAURANTS
The BS3 offering is so much where the Bristol food scene is right now that all visiting foodies should be provided with a shuttle bus between Temple Meads and North Street. New places are opening all the time; we’re keen to discover what Zak Hitchman, former head chef at Casamia, does with his new Bedminster premises. He reckons it’ll be “not posh, just really good”.
THE ASHVILLE
15 Leigh Street
Popular steakhouse, famous for its T-bone steak challenge – 72oz of big and beefy goodness. A charming, cottage-style space with a cosy bar offering beer on tap.
COR
81 North Street
COR lives rent-free in our Bristol top ten restaurants list (and most other people’s, too). It has sustainability and inclusivity at its heart, it works with Bristol Food Union and Square Food, and serves some of the best-tasting, best-looking dishes in the city, inspired mostly by the Med. Lovely staff, too.
EL RINCÓN
298 North Street
Come for the authentic Spanish tapas, return
for the smiling service, and, if you go on the right day, live music.
THE MALAGO
220 North Street
Friendly, independent, family-run bar and restaurant serving modern British cuisine, with a European influence.
SONNY STORES
47 Raleigh Road
Chef-proprietor Pegs Quinn graduated from the kitchens of River Café and Bianchis to opening his seasonal ingredients-led, Italian-influenced restaurant on Birch’s old corner site in Southville. A much-loved local favourite, with highly invested staff.
SOUK KITCHEN
277 North Street
The foods of the eastern Med, North Africa and in fact much of the ex-Ottoman Empire – famed, among other things, for its shakshouka brunch.
THE CLOVE
5 Luckwell Road
Friendly, authentic Indian restaurant near the Tobacco Factory – ideal for a pre- or posttheatre bhuna or biriani.
DID YOU KNOW?
• The Tobacco Factory has a resident beekeeper who keeps hives on the Tobacco Factory roof, producing Southville honey every summer, sold via the Better Food Company.
• Hilary Clinton’s great-grandfather was born in Bedminster in 1866.
• Above Taylor’s estate agents is a sign reading ‘Poet’s Corner 1882’. This is in honour of a Bedminster butcher, whose meat-themed poems earned him the title ‘the worst poet in Bristol’.
• Princess Caraboo of Javasu lived on Prince Street, now renamed Princess Street in her honour. She became a leech seller, gathering and selling to the BRI.
• Part of the underground Malago river could soon be opened up and restored as part of proposals for the new Bedminster Green regeneration; the plan is not without controversy, though.
• The Spotted Cow was originally a coaching inn on the road to Bath; its garden wall would have been the boundary to farmland.
UNCLE WAH
240 North Street
A recent addition to the street, specialising in dim sum along with other Chinese classics such as roasted meats and a variety of rice and noodle dishes.
YAFO
238 North Street
Yafo, named after the old part of Tel Aviv, has a tasty offering paired with local craft beer, gin and wines. There’s an authentic shuk menu, gyros, vegan burgers, street fries and small plates – or how about a savoury brunch of puff pastry with grilled aubergine and feta, tahini and tomato Fil-fel h’arr? Old Middle Eastern hands will be conversant with the likes of matbucha, schug, malawach and lachmagine; others may need to surreptitiously Google.
Q
QUIZ NIGHTS
Fancy yourself as a font of general knowledge? The Coronation pub holds a quiz every Monday, the Tobacco Factory occasionally, there’s one every third Tuesday of the month at Grounded, and every Tuesday at the Spotted Cow there’s a quiz night and bingo.
TTOBACCO FACTORY
It’s impossible to imagine Bristol, let alone Bedminster, without the Tobacco Factory. Saved from demolition nearly 30 years ago, the old Wills building, known as the Franklyn Davy building or ‘Number 2 Factory’ (Number 1 on East Street is currently being de eloped as upmarket ats was bought by architect George Ferguson and gradually transformed into an allpurpose hub for the community.
At the creative heart of the building is Tobacco Factory Theatres, with its main stage and studio. The all-day Café Bar serves a freshly-made vegetarian menu using locally sourced ingredients, much of it coming from their own Five Acre Farm in Backwell; the outdoor yard is ideal for al fresco partaking when the weather plays ball. On the first ridays of the month, between pm pm, ood Truck Fridays has street food, DJs and tap takeovers; on undays it s the site of one of ristol s best markets .
UUPFEST
Appropriately for a festival which sprang from a guerrilla art form, it’s never easy to keep up with Upfest. Founded in 2008, for many years it was an annual e ent it now sometimes takes a year off, and often mo es its dates. t na igated Co id with a digital offering it s expanded into Weston-super-Mare for the annual Weston Wallz. It used to be all about one big weekend event, but it’s now spread out over several weeks, with numerous community events and workshops.
SSHOPS & INTERIORS
The retail offering here is one of the most diverse in the city, with a mix of hip new favourites and old-school classics (see O) up and down North Street, East Street and West Street.
BRISTOL GENERAL STORE
177-179 North Street
Much-loved store packed with chic, ethical treats, from Baggu bags to accessories, Field Kit candles, Maison Louis Marie fragrance, Loops skincare, etc.
HANNAH REDDEN INTERIORS www.hannahredden. co.uk
Ashville Road resident Hannah offers a range of impactful yet affordable interior design and styling services alongside bespoke commissions; she’s also a textile designer, and runs regular lampshademaking workshops.
INDEPENDENT DESIGN COLLECTIVE
76 North Street
Handcrafted gifts made by artists living and working in Bristol.
IVORY FLOWERS
228 North Street
Creative, highly giftable bouquets, for special occasions, or just because.
MON POTE
217 North Street
Southville folk’s go-to for gifts and interiors, particularly top Nordic brands such as House Doctor, Hubsch, Bloomingville, HK Living and Broste Copenhagen. There’s also a lovely lines in affordable jewellery, much of it from local makers, health and beauty products, and a small selection of furniture.
PLANT STUDIO
175 North Street
Everything you need to turn your fingers green, with the team poised to “take you on your plant-parenting journey”. Rare and unusual plants, succulents and sun-lovers, tropicals and terrariums; there’s even a repotting service, custom soil mixes, seeds and pots, with friendly advice always on hand from the enthusiastic staff.
What doesn’t change is that it remains Europe’s biggest street art festival, with hundreds of local, national and international artists turning BS3 into one huge outdoor gallery. Another constant is its struggle with rising costs, relying on Arts Council funding and crowdfunders. It’s a little ba ing that ristol Council does nothing to support an event which brings thousands of visitors to the city e ery year, and in an important way defines it.
VVINTAGE
Thought Bedminster might have a strong vintage presence? You’d be right.
Time, space and furniture folds in on itself at Dear Old Thing at 107 West Street; once you’ve stepped inside you ll ne er think about atpack furniture again.
At number 52, Rhubarb Jumble specialises in 1950s’70s vintage clothing, homeware and furniture; Patina at number 61 has an eclectic mix of high-quality vintage pieces from the 1930s-’90s for men and women; at number 60, Blank Vintage sells what it claims is the cheapest vintage clothing in Bristol; Revival Market stocks clothing, homeware and trinkets, jewellery, crockery and glassware, with baskets full of old photos and postcards. ou ll find two intage and intage inspired shops at East Street Emporium too (see also E) where Lou Mack has clothing from the 1920s onwards, and Vintage Village sells homeware, glassware, toys and books.
WWINDMILL HILL CITY FARM
Up at Philip Street, set in 4.5 acres of green space, you ll find e ery edminster family s default day-out destination: 4.5 acres of green space, with a café, play areas, working farmyard with cows, pigs, sheep and ducks, picnic areas and farm shop – an improbable rural oasis in the centre of the city.
SPIRITED
196 North Street
The bar and shop has recently relocated to the Six Sisters row on North Street – find it below Sophie Long’s bee mural. It specialises in spirits, with a particular focus on whisky among the huge selection; there’s always a new and rare drink to try in the bar, and they hold regular events and tastings.
STORYSMITH
49 North Street
Everything a bookshop should be. Independent, passionate about books, strongly integrated with the community. We’d say that even if Emily and Dan weren’t our columnists.
TOYVILLE
20 North Street
Indie toy shop with a wide range of toys and games; a family affair, with young Xander on hand to personally vet each product, where visiting kids are encouraged to be hands-on.
TRYLLA
8 North Street
As well as selling all manner of items from clothing to toys and ceramics, owner Alice hosts regular pottery classes.
Artist Audrey Kawasaki (left!) getting a little help at Upfest this year
You’ll find this piece by Lemak in the car park at the back of the Tobacco Factory
X
XMAS
Thanks to the redoubtable Bedminster BID, Christmas in BS3 has long been the envy of families across the city for its festive markets and imaginative trails, followed by the winter lantern parade in January. While the BID’s term ended last September, Bedminster Town Team is still very active, along with community groups and other organisations. Meanwhile, Tobacco Factory Theatres always puts on some of the most creative Christmas shows in the city.
YYUUP
Bristol’s marketplace for local experiences has plenty of BS3-based suggestions, from ceramic vase workshops at Wild Clay Studios to wine tasting at KASK and Native Vine, whisky tasting at Sprited and, when available, a host of activities including street art tours organised by Upfest. Check out the full offering at www.yuup.co.
ZOK, WE ADMIT IT…
We whipped these two out of the S for Shops section because frankly, unless there’s a handy local zoo, Z is a bit tricky.
ZARA’S CHOCOLATES
200 North Street
BS3’s very own Willy Wonka, Zara Northcott knows that special chocolate isn’t just for Easter or Valentine’s. As well as selling her handmade chocs and hot chocolate (just
SHOUT OUT TO…
“El Rincon: If you haven’t been, you’re missing out. Incredibly friendly, tiny, local Spanish-themed bar that really epitomises everything I love about Bedminster. Owner David makes the best, most authentic tasting Spanish omelette and sangria and you can watch intimate, live flamenco on many Sundays. And Dear Old Thing: carefully sourced second hand furniture and antiques. One of my favourite shops in Bristol” – Katy, Spirited
“Friendly Records, an amazing record shop and a good bunch of lads. Upfest is a brilliant gallery and I have great respect for what they’ve brought to the area with their festival. Also I’m a big fan of Rare Butchers, their sausages are the best! I also love COR, it’s fantastic to have such a great restaurant on North Street”
– Dave, Spotted Cow
the thing, this summer) she holds chocolate-making parties, talks and tasting events.
ZERO GREEN
80 North Street
Eco heroes. At Bristol’s own zero waste shop you can bring your own containers, fill them with loose products, weigh them and pay at the till. All shops should follow suit. n
FROMTOP: Few people have done more for Bedminster than Upfest gaffer Steve Hayles; dim sum at Uncle Wah
SOUTH SPECIFIC
“All the independent bars – the annual Bedminster Beer Trail takes you on a great tour of them all, from Alpha down near Asda to On Point Brewing, The Coronation, The Dame, Steam Crane, KASK, Bar 57, The Old Bookshop, The Spotted Cow, the Tobacco Factory and Bristol Beer Factory tap room. When you see a list like that, you’ve got to wonder why some people never come south of the river” – Charlie, KASK
Inspiring philosophy at the North Street Standard from LA-based street artist WRDSMTH, above The Music Lesson by Jacqui Butterworth
Nursery Village now offer two unique children’s nurseries in Bedminster, both continuing to deliver a friendly and accessible approach to pricing and the expanded Government Funding.
Clear, simple pricing that is only charged when we are open and only for the days you use in a month, with the ability to vary or request sessions through our childcare app. Open on Bank Holiday’s with no hidden charges for our closure for Christmas week and no restrictions on how or when you can use Government funded hours, with everything included in the session prices.
North Street Nursery which turns 6 this year, has achieved Good ratings from Ofsted in both 2019 and again this year, whilst Lydstep Nursery which overlooks Dame Emily Park has also achieve a Good from Ofsted this year and it’s not even 2 years old yet.
Both nurseries are very busy, with waiting lists for babies from 6 months right up to pre-school toddlers, located at the heart of the Bedminster community, with dedicated rooms for each age group and unique outdoor play spaces, including brand new and expanded facilities at North Street Nursery.
z All Inclusive pricing
z Term Time Only available for teaching staff
z 7.30am to 6.30pm including Bank Holidays
UNDER 3’s
z £50 Mornings or £45 Afternoons
z £80 Full Days
OVER 3’s
z £45 Mornings or £40 Afternoons
z £75 Full Days
z Unrestricted Funded Places
z Tax Free Childcare & Childcare Vouchers accepted
Email: info@nurseryvillage.co.uk
Supporting Artists, Designers and Makers Since 2003
We are an independent gift, card and stained glass studio shop on North Street, we support small independent businesses and sell primarily Bristol made cards, prints, glass, textiles, ceramics, homewares and tableware. We have an in house stained glass studio.
Glass Designs & Gallery
261 North St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 1JN, UK 0117 378 9227 | www.glassdesignsgallery.co.uk f Glass Designs & Gallery glassdesignsgallery dadswellglass
THE ARTS
SNAPSHOTS OF BRISTOL’S CULTURAL LIFE
BYRNE’S NIGHT
Tragedy plus time equals comedy. Mark Twain said that, allegedly, and it’s also the formula for Ed Byrne’s 14th stand-up show.
If you’ve seen any of the previous 13, you might be in for a surprise. “It’s something of a departure,” says Ed, warning us to expect “some heartwrenching, soul-bearing stuff” based around the themes of grief and loss – in this case, the death of his younger brother Paul, a comedy director, back in 2022.
Comedy that takes death as its cue isn’t unprecedented, but it’s a path which takes considerable creative courage to explore. “I was in two minds about whether to do a show of this nature,” says Ed. “My main worry was, how funny is it going to be, and is it going to work?
“The first time I performed the show it lasted more than an hour. I had to decide whether to cut funny jokes
or material that’s meaningful. What’s really annoying is that the one person I would have asked for advice on that is the guy the show’s about. It’s like when you get dumped by someone and you’re heartbroken. The one person you’d usually want to talk to about it is the very person who dumped you.
“The show elicits a very pure emotional response in the audience. When somebody dies, everyone else carries on like nothing’s happened, because nothing has happened to them. So there’s an anger in grief, too… how can everyone else act as though nothing has happened?”
Ultimately though, he says “Death is universal. We will all lose someone. The best thing to do is laugh at it.”
Ed Byrne is at Bristol Beacon on 5 September www.bristolbeacon.org
WHAT’S ON
26 July-16 August 2024
EXHIBITIONS
Until 11 August
VALDA JACKSON: MISS POLLY
A thought-provoking exhibition featuring spoken word, text, sculpture and painting which delves into the realms of neurological research and the concept of the unfinished brain a poignant aspect of alda s work is in uenced by experiences of Generation Windrush children. t rwa.org.uk
WINDRUSH: PORTRAITS OF A PIONEERING GENERATION
Ten portraits of remarkable Caribbean-British individuals by ten leading artists a powerful reminder of personal resilience, determination and the positive impact of di ersity across ritain. t rwa.org.uk
Until 1 September
THE HAY WAIN
The Constable masterpiece at ristol useum rt allery is at the centre of an exhibition e ploring landscape through art bristolmuseums.org.uk
WE ARE WARRIORS
Until 8 September
DONALD RODNEY: VISCERAL CANKER
Major exhibition of the late British artist, whose work is known for being incisive, acerbic and evocative in its analysis of the pre udices and in ustices surrounding racial identity. pike sland spikeisland.org.uk
Until 28 September
I’M COM’UN HOME IN THE MORN’UN
Elaine Constantine presents her dynamic and full colour photos of the Northern Soul scene of the s at artin arr oundation martinparrfoundation.org
Until 29 September
ADÉBAYO BOLAJI: PRAISE OF BEAUTY
Sound and light installation in the wildly atmospheric edcliffe Ca es, with thousands of tiny ickering lights and the voices of 130 women and girls from ristol aged inbetweentime.co.uk
Enter the kaleidoscopic and multidisciplinary world of d bayo, whose solo exhibition explores and uestions notions of beauty through painting, sculpture, film and writing. t rnolfini arnolfini.org.uk
NENGI OMUKU: THE DANCE OF PEOPLE AND THE NATURAL WORLD
ourney into the lush landscapes of Nigerian artist Nengi Omuku,
whose human figures blend seamlessly with nature, e ploring the relationship between individual and collective thought, belonging, and psychological spaces that transcend traditional Western landscape painting. t rnolfini arnolfini.org.uk
SHOWS
Until 11 August ALADDIN
ou e seen the isney animation, you may ha e seen the li e action remake, but it s a hole ew orld when the stage musical comes to ristol ippodrome atgtickets.com
THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE COYOTE UGLY
Enter an untamed, lawless frontier a parched landscape of bloody violence, passionate romance and line-dancing, where the heroes are good, the villains are bad and the guy you slept with last night is so ugly you d rather gnaw your own arm off than wake him. he classic ardrobe comedy mash up rides again thewardrobetheatre.com
29-31 July
CAPTAIN MOONLITE
Full name, The Queer History of Australia’s Gay Bushrange created by li er de ohan. t s and the
ictorian old ush has paid off all of ritain s foreign debts. elbourne is on track to be these richest city in the world. Andrew Scott, alias Captain Moonlite, has come for his share...A high-adventure true story featuring bank robberies, prison breaks, naval chases, and transgressive love, at Alma Tavern heatre almatavernandtheatre.co.uk
29 July-3 August
KING ARTHUR
rthur knows that if he doesn t turn things around, his era will be known as nothing more than a rather dull time in ritish history. ut when three hapless squires approach him about changing that legacy, a legend is born. ummer holiday comedy family lols at bristololdvic.org.uk
6-11 August
LORD OF THE DANCE
ichael lately may ha e hung up his dancing shoes but he continues to create, produce and choreograph the enduring rish dance e tra agan a at ristol eacon bristolbeacon.org
10 August
FAITH
Based on true stories of violence against women and girls. Using the mechanics of a friendship group as a microcosm, Faith details the trauma dredged up for those who
Spidey sense: Arcadia at Valley Fest
were never taken seriously when they feared a male in their life, and the choices men can make to ignore how terrifying it is for women. At Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk
COMEDY
Ongoing
CLOSER EACH DAY
All the drama of Succession. The grit of EastEnders. The rumpy-pumpy of Sex Education. Not remotely like Slow Horses; the world’s longest-running improvised comedy soap continues to bubble away at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com
26 July
IAN SMITH: CRUSHING
Ian presents a show about stress, love and driving a tank with your hairdresser. Three classic and timeless themes, at Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk
28-29 July
LOU SANDERS & LUCY PEARMAN
The pre-Edinburgh work-inprogress tryouts continue at The Wardrobe. Lou says, just like Tom Cruise, she’s going to do all her own jokes. Lucy will be wobbling around in a moon costume, hoping for the best; expect a song, a cow, a couple of planets and ideally, you in the audience; thewardrobetheatre.com
16-17 August
I’M SEXY AND I KNOW IT Anna Friend is sexy and she knows it.
Or is she? What she does know that she’s had enough of trying to live up to the world’s standards. She’s ready to break free and take back control of her life, and she’s inviting you to join her., with the help of heartfelt comedy, ’80’s nostalgia and a banging soundtrack, at Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk
GIGS
Ongoing
BRISTOL BEACON
With daily gigs, encompassing orchestral, folk, world, indie, jazz and less easily classifiable shi le for full programme see bristolbeacon.org
ST GEORGE’S BRISTOL
Classical, world, folk, talks, more, at St George’s; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
26
July JON HOPKINS
The electronic artist, producer and classically trained composer, whose solo and collaborative works have received widespread acclaim and awards, comes to Bristol Beacon; bristolbeacon.org
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July FUTURE ISLANDS
The Baltimore boys bring their synth-pop to the Beacon; they’ll be Waiting on You, so head on over; bristolbeacon.org
1 August
SIREN BRISTOL: SUGARBABES
Didn’t get tickets for Glastonbury? Here’s the perfect opportunity to catch the Sugarbabes, in the comparatively intimate setting of Lloyd’s Amphitheatre. Electronic powerhouse Jaguar, rising R&B talent Tyler Lewis, female DJ collective Peachin’ and Bristol’s Pop Confessional support; sirenbristol.com
2 August
SIREN BRISTOL: UB40
The UB40 founding members have had as many fallings out as Liam and Noel, and we’ve kind of lost count of who’s left and who’s joined, and when – but what we do know is that UB40 without lead singer Ali Campbell just ain’t UB40, so deep delight that, for this gig, at least, he’s back at the mic; sirenbristol.com
3 August
SIREN BRISTOL: HOSPITALITY ON THE HARBOUR
Bristol’s biggest DNB day party returns with its biggest line-up to date; sirenbristol.com
TOPTOBOTTOM: Sand, sea, street art: come to Weston!; Ali’s back, and so’s Jack: UB40 at Lloyd’s, and Cinema Rediscovered
4 August
SIREN BRISTOL: FISHTALES
Siren ends its summer season with a day party with Fish56Octagon and his fresh-beats and club classics; also, 26-piece orchestra Symphonica and their dance and club classics; sirenbristol.com
FESTIVALS
Ongoing
BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL
The year-round fest with the something-for-everyone remit; ri olfil i al. o
CINEMA REDISCOVERED
The UK’s leading festival of classic cinema and film restorations returns to venues in and around Bristol; various venues; a r . o.uk
FEAST ON
Top restaurants and traders cook up their signature dishes at this new food event up on the Downs; ki l . o
1-4 August
VALLEY FEST
The family-friendly, best-tasting
music festival in the West returns to Chew Valley Lake, showcasing Bristol’s live music scene as well as the best chefs and local food producers; see page 32; all . o.uk
3 August
COLOUR BLOCK FESTIVAL
Trinity’s backyard BBQ’s back, bringing a world of vibrant colours; turn up in your boldest, most eyecatching ensemble and let your creativity mingle with the DJ vibes, Afrobeat, hip hop, r&b, dancehall funky house and more; there’s also a games section, live art and fashion; rini ri ol.org.uk
9-11 August
BRISTOL BALLOON FIESTA
Trimmed back to three main days at Ashton Court, but with supplementary attractions – see page 36; ri ol alloonfi a. o.uk
NEXT MONTH (new dates)
31 August-15 September
WESTON WALLZ
Upfest-goes-to-WSM, with plenty of Bristol faves along with Upfest Artist for 2024, Mister Samo; u . o.uk n
CLOCKWISEFROMTOPLEFT: Michelin star: Bristol Balloon Fiesta; Windrush pioneers: RWA; three Sirens: Sugarbabes at Lloyd’s
HAPPY VALLEY
Can you believe it? Feelgood, family-friendly, food-loving, feast-curating Valley Fest is 10 years old this year – and here are 10 reasons why you’d be mad not to come on down
1COME FOR THE FEASTS
lways a huge draw, with big-name chefs feeding dozens of guests at the uck nn. his year s line up features ahaca founder homasina yers riday , onny tores egs uinn aturday , and Bank’s Jack Briggs-Horan cooking the egen oast unday .
2COME FOR THE COOKERY DEMOS AND MASTERCLASSES
here are o er altogether, from omy ill to C s ark
Chapman, Condesa’s Sean Martin, Ben Harvey from the Bianchis group and Simon Dyer, cooking o er fire, rhymingly enough.
3COME
FOR THE STREET FOOD
t may be fast, but it s class. he 20 traders are hand-picked, offering great taste and a local, ethical sourcing policy there s a wide range of global a ours, with e erything from halloumi fries to raclette, crepes to chips, and e en insects. es, you heard. nsects.
4COME FOR THE ALCHEMIST’S PLAYGROUND
collaboration between alley est, rcadia and he oodland ribe means that by day, kids can build their own stage from reclaimed materials, while after dark the fterburner fires up with ares and ames, and the ords of ightning shooting multi million olt bolts of electricity from their bodies. on etts, abio Grooverider and Huey Morgan are among those ing.
5COME FOR THE LIVE MUSIC
usic plays continually at the ake tage, the ard tage and Back to Mine from around midday between riday to unday. ister ledge, ophie llis e tor, inie empah, he eeling and he kids headline, amply backed by up and coming local talent and established crowd pleasers such as oreen oreen. op along down at the front, or watch from the top of the hill as the sun sets o er Chew alley ake. propos...
sunset glow
6...COME
FOR THE VIEWS
It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful festival site, overlooking Chew Valley Lake with the rolling Mendip Hills in the background. The sun sets at just the right point, bathing everything in a golden, Woodstocky glow.
7COME TO BE PART OF THE SOIL-UTION
Sustainability has always been at the heart of this festival. The Regeneration Area champions most eco-conscious brands, informing you about labelling, helping you reduce climate change, and showing you how to cultivate your own sustainable garden patch.
8COME
FOR THE STAR TREATMENT
Fancy lifting things up a notch? Book for the new Back To Mine area with its exclusive lounge, champagne and cocktail bar and live music.
9ALSO...
There’s comedy; health and wellbeing areas; a hot tub, sauna and spa; workshops, talks and tours, and plenty to keep kids busy.
10FINALLY...
Come if you’ve never been to a festival before – it’s the ideal, friendly, laid-back, entry-level fest – even the loos are pretty decent.
CLOCKWISEFROMTOP: Superior street food; the Afterburner; the Lake Stage; get Lost in Music with Kathy Sledge; feasts at the Fest; you don’t have to have a puntastic name to trade here, but it helps
RISE & INFLATION
Along with the Harbour Festival, the Balloon Fiesta is Bristol’s biggest summer event. As part of a new vision to take it up to its 50th anniversary in 2028, it’s had a bit of a glow-up. Eyes on the skies, then . . .
FESTIVALS
Yes, it’s now just a three-day event, at least at Ashton Court, but in another sense, the festival has actually expanded. No, we don’t know whether or not the weather will play ball. But below are some of the things we can be sure of . . .
1IDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS
Expect to see ‘at least 14’ of the most popular special shape balloons at the arena. Some, brought out of retirement, will just be tethered, but others will be ying get ready to genu ect when stro the lien His Glorious Divine Benevolence, he eader takes to the skies, and give a special wave to Wallace & Gromit in their Moon Rocket.
2BY PUBLIC COMMAND
While fans may be fretting that the traditional Fiesta Thursday has been dropped from the programme, in the run-up to the main event the Fiesta will host a series of other launches across the city at locations nominated by the public, with local heroes chosen by their own communities being offered free ights.
3RAISING THE STEAKS
The award-winning, blamelessly sustainable Pasture is bringing an onsite fine dining steak experience to the iesta field. here are four services a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with a finale ightglow e perience you can book for tables of up to six. They’ve just added a new Sunday roast, too.
4SMELLS LIKE TEAM SPIRIT
From Tuesday 6 August to Sunday 11th, The National Hot Air Balloon Championships will take place over Bristol, with the Fiesta site at the heart of the competition. Approximately 15 teams will compete twice daily, completing a number of set tasks to earn points. During the main Fiesta, the teams will be tasked with dropping a marker in the central arena as part of the competition, so you’ll be able to spot balloons incoming.
CLOCKWISE: The Pasture team at your service; hoping for sunny ascents like this one; it’s the Moon Rocket, Gromit!; that’s Bella and Buster
FESTIVALS
CLOCKWISE: Astro the Alien and his Probe (top) and the Daisy the Cow hopper (bottom) will all be flying; Thomas and Rupert will be tethered at the arena
5SKER BOIZ AND GIRLZ
Ready to jam to the backdrop of an e ening mass ascent his year, thanks to Campus kateparks, the iesta will ha e its own skate ramp for daily ams, and try-it sessions throughout the weekend.
6MOON DANCE
usic nstitute will be bringing the latest up-and-coming talent to the oon tage. ith a li e music programme o er the three days, we re e pecting to hear about amie ost, all rc, a enney, rack ack he ack, and a lot more fre uently after mid ugust get ready to add them to your potify playlists.
7GLOW NOW
The Fiesta will host its famous ightglows on riday and aturday e enings. e e heard a teaser of the new music compilation by the brilliant bods at C adio ristol – and it might just be our new soundtrack of the summer.
8UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
or the first time, you can buy a ticket to be in the main arena, right among the balloons during the ightglow. et your best field friendly dancing shoes on, and say hi to the team from he y as they ser e you a glass of champagne to get the party started.
9IN CASE IT RAINS . . .
er the optimists, we e got a good feeling about this ugust. ut ust in case indy c indface gets his e il way, the organisers ha e programmed in a bunch of
less weather-dependent action: from Meet The Pilot sessions to in ation races, special shape and model hot air balloon tethers, there’ll be plenty of points of interaction to celebrate this aweinspiring industry.
10LOVE ACTION
or ten years, o e uared has been making a real difference in ristol, transforming the li es of children and young people dealing with mental health challenges and . ts mission is to boost mental health, cut down on social isolation, and help kids thri e in education. his year, it s the o cial charity partner for the Fiesta; swing by its ibrant tent for fun kids acti ities, a iesta postcard stand, and classic teddy tombola you might e en win a hot air balloon ride.
The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta takes place Friday 9 to Sunday 11 August . ri ol alloonfi a. o.uk
DID YOU KNOW?
The Pasture team has its own farm, just across the road from Ashton Court, with a market garden supplying their restaurants with fruit and veg, heritage varieties, herbs and micro herbs. You’ll probably see them being wheelbarrowed across Clarken Combe, taking field to fork to a new level. www.pasturerestaurant.com
IN A WORLD IN WHICH YOU CAN BE ANYTHING . . .
. . . be kind.
Words and pics by Colin Moody
YBRISTOL HEROES
ou never know when you’ll next get to experience a random act of kindness in this city.
In some cul-de-sac thinking, it serveth no-one to bring in thy neighbour’s bins. “What’s he moving our bins for? Who does he think he is?” We’ve all had neighbours like that. But if we do nice little things for each other, we pay forward a generous spirit which makes everything better for everyone.
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Take, for example, the zombies from Fear at Avon Valley, who at Temple Meads were happy to show me when the next train to Keynsham was due to depart.
Kindness. And that’s from the undead!
2
One minute you’re holding open the metal curtain at the butcher’s on Gloucester Road to help a woman out, next thing you know our politics are no longer led by self-serving loons. Just saying. There is a link, you know. f we could ha e a few more people like this in charge of stuff when they grow to power, that would be nice.
3Lead guitarist of Idles needs to get the band higher; the crowd obliges. f you need an e tra three or so feet e tra off the grass at a festival, this is the crowd for you. We’d also give Skinner a bunk up on a portaloo, and take any members of your band for a spin round the field. Any time.
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3 4 2
You know that special time when the sun and the moon align, and you get that eclipse thing happening, and you think, yeah, I can still look at it through a colander ? Maybe not all YouTube advice is good advice. Turns out you can’t, but the nice man next you will lend you his special glasses to save what remains of your retinas.
5
Spread a little bit of positivity wherever you can. Some draw these hearts 600ft wide in the sky from their plane trails. But just a random in the oor on the street will do.
6
We will take extra passengers on the scooters, and on the bicycles, and we will get to where we want to go at a lower cost.
nd we will get there with growing confidence in each other, but maybe with a handlebar groove where the sun don’t shine. Little acts of kindness on show in a city full of sharing, caring, derring-do.
“Little acts of kindness in a city full of sharing, caring, derring do”
7
And after an act of kindness like the Anti Banquet, some of Joe’s fans show their appreciation for his generous nature, with a bit of generous nature of their own.
8
Let them have the whole sausage.
That’s the kind of city I want to live in. You go down the ground to watch City play and you get the whole sausage. We are truly blessed.
Fancy a spot of international travel? You know – without all those airport delays, scorching temperatures and water-pistol attacks malarkey?
It’s by no means unusual to catch our booksellers stuck in a rut of reading translated material. And hey, when real holidays are so expensive, you really need to look into other options to temporarily escape our island existence.
But looking back at our recent reading, there does seem to be a greater-than-usual preponderance of non-English-language authors, deftly brought into our publishing ecosystem by their valiant translators, and gratefully lapped up by us booksellers. (Oh and if you’re wondering: yes, we do have extensive records of all
our booksellers’ recent reading. Not in a creepy way. With their consent. We just like to know. Booksellers understand.) So here we have three of the best, most mind-expanding books from farreaching locales and perspectives, all fresh onto the shelves.
Un Amor by Sara Mesa (trans. Katie Whittemore)
e e noticed a small in u of some brilliantly dark pastoral novels by female authors recently, and if this is something of a trend then we’re wholly on board!
Un Amor is the story of Nat, who ees her city life and rents a house in a small mountain town with a
capricious dog that her landlord brings to keep her company. In the shadow of El Glauco and under the pointed gazes of the small community, nothing goes unnoticed, and when Nat is faced with a morally ambiguous proposition, she is forced to question her character and behaviour. A perfectly taut thriller that makes you want to slow your reading down to take in every last detail.
They Fell Like Stars From the Sky & Other Stories by Sheikha Helawy (trans. Nancy Roberts)
Our bookseller Tasha has been recommending Sheikha Helawy’s collection of short stories documenting the quiet rebellions of Bedouin Palestinian girls and women to all and sundry. From a girl’s passionate friendship with a donkey to an elderly woman’s lifelong obsession with a famous singer, Helawy’s vignettes meditate on the small-yet-determined grasps at independence made by girls and women in a society dominated by marriage and motherhood. Helawy writes of the community with such warmth you feel as though you’re sitting around the dinner table, the room abuzz with noise. The characters are brave, curious, cheeky and passionate - and you’ll be left gladhearted at the sheer love Helawy has for them.
The Bridegroom Was a Dog by Yoko Tawada (trans. Margaret Mitsutani)
As our resident Tawada-nut, our bookseller Callum was first to chow down on the latest from the elusi e legend of apanese fiction, and The Bridegroom Was a Dog is unapologetically weird, even for our gal Yoko.
Bonus factoid: her father was a bookseller! Perhaps this explains our enduring fondness for her. Anyway, the main character of her latest sliver of a novel is a schoolteacher of whom the town is already pretty suspicious, escalating dramatically when a strange man moves in with her who seems to have the soul and temperament of a dog. Throw traditional storytelling logic aside for 80 brief pages and prepare for a lot of butt humour.
“You’ll be gladheartedleftat the sheer love Helawy has for her characters”
If you’re lucky enough to be jetting off somewhere interesting this summer then, well, good for you. We hold nothing against you, we hope your mind is suitably broadened and that your bank balance can shoulder the impact. But the connoisseur’s choice (or at least the economist’s alternative) is to celebrate the travel of the mind, to consult your travel agent of the subconscious (aka your local bookseller) to plan the perfect getaway.
Visit Storysmith at 36 North Street, Bedminster BS3 1JD 0117 953 7961 www.storysmithbooks.com
AT THE CHAPEL
Quaint streets, bijou shops, world-class art – there's no shortage of reasons to visit the charming town of Bruton. But here's one of the best
By Sarah Moolla
Iarri e in a rush. m definitely in a rush. t s a ying isit to check out a pair of galleries the newly relocated o ee and orkman, and the world class auser irth and ha e a uick look around at the art. t s got to be uick, because there s a mountain of work deadlines threatening to a alanche, there s the ignored household chores not so uietly haunting me, and m a busy, stressed person. ike lice s white rabbit, m permanently rushing, always late, with both eyes on the fore er ticking clock.
hen something happens in o ee and orkman, a di ine gallery space located on a uiet corner of hute ane in ruton. aybe it s the original pews on the me anine le el, or the stained glass windows, or the way the sunlight is refracting and dancing amid the e hibition pieces but whate er it is, find myself destressing, unspooling and unwinding like a slow motion ideo, time is becoming elastic. later realise this is the effect most of ruton has on you.
y morning breakfast of coffee and tension has only sustained me so far and need to eat. rica, the gallery assistant, points me in the direction of t he Chapel. t s not hard to find on the igh treet, ust past the super cute tripy uck ook hop and the kerbside house with the fabulous swan door knocker, with me peering into windows of the uber stylish indie shops along the way. his rushing bunny feels like she s fallen down the rabbit hole into a magical, needs to be appreciated, wonderland.
DINING DETAILS
At the Chapel, 28 High Street, Bruton, BA10 OAE; 01749 814070; www.atthechapel.co.uk
Executive chef Tom Blake
Opening hours 8am – 10.30pm with an all-day service
stretch from the bar up to a gallery le el abo e. n the centre of this ast sleek space is a cascading glass bauble chandelier, and pinned where the altar once was is a porcelain white nude sculpture called Faith. t the opposite end is the gleaming stainless steel open kitchen which also houses the legendary wood fired o ens. s ha en t planned a restaurant re iew did mention how busy am , consider asking to be seated at the gallery abo e, accessed by a spiral staircase, so can be tucked away on a uiet table for one but the staff here are as welcoming as the place is beautiful. he Chapel s congregationare an eclectic bunch there are the families, the couples, the solo diners, the groups of colleagues seated at the refectory style tables in the middle.
Type of food served Relaxed mains and small plates of Modern British with a Mediterranean and West Country twist
Recommendations Pizzas made with a sourdough base are legendary here, with the burgers and the Sunday all-day roasts coming in a close joint second
Drinks At The Chapel has its own wine store with more than 50 individual wines
Prices Starters cost between £8-£10, mains £18 -£32 and desserts £7.50-£8.50
Covers 60 inside and another 40 on the southfacing terrace
Disability access The restaurant and bakery are on the ground floor with doors and corridors wide enough for a wheelchair.
Added extra At the Chapel has its own in-house artisan bakery, headed up by baker Tom Hitchmough
f you don t ha e a slightly re erential air when entering through the hefty arched anti ue doors of the former Congregational chapel that houses this place, followed by a holy moley moment when you catch a sweet whiff of the freshly made bread well, then, may the bakers of t he Chapel ha e mercy on your soul.
In a nutshell The food, the service and the space are all divine
nside the restaurant is a striking mi of restored period features and contemporary minimalism, with inno ati e art at e ery turn. ight oods through the building s double height lancet windows, which
o start ha e the onion soup a heady garlicky and utterly hea enly dish, awash with sweet strands of slow cooked, firm to bite white onion in a rich, almost gra y like beefy stock. he generous scattering of snipped chi es and the pop of yellow mustard seeds adds a freshness to stop the soup from tasting too stew like. ccompanied by toasted baguette slices topped with a honeyed and tangy pplewood cheese, this is a meal unto itself. ut ha e also been co eting my neighbour s pi a, and my greed is rewarded. he crust of my funghi sourdough pi a is slightly oily, lightly air puffed, with ust the right amount of chew. here s a hefty layer of creamy aerated ricotto cheese, topped with a more than acceptable amount of meaty, roasted garlic mushrooms and fresh, peppery rocket.
m not going to pretend find religion in the sourdough crust of my pi a, but it s close. t s been such a calming, and spiritually positi e, e perience eating here that m reluctant to lea e. o, instead, head to the bakery, take ages to decide, and end up buying a rosemary and sea salt focaccia loaf and a fi e seed sourdough, oh, and a carrot cake for the dri e home. s soon as get there m making the time to break bread with the family, ll deny the e istence of any cake , and pick a date for unday worship t he Chapel. n
CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE
cool shaded avenues of majestic trees. Cathedrals to calm.
The old café has gone. Long live the new café
At this time of year, when the summer sun is shining and the world is one long smiley, lazy evening fading slowly into salmon pink, there are few places better to be than your local park. hose gorgeous green lungs that give us all space to breathe in, chill out and take time to enjoy life.
You wander in, following your footsteps down winding paths, past banks of wild owers and swathes of neatly trimmed grass, bounded on all sides by
If the time is right, there will be dogs a leaping, kids a playing, grown-ups a-lazing and, quite frankly, you will find yourself in the best of all possible worlds. here e erything will be ust about perfect. nly possible y in the ointment, would be to find a lack of coffee stops. f there s one thing guaranteed to take pleasure to a higher plane, it s a caffeine laden cup of coffee bean delight. Sigh.
All of which is just a long way of introducing this issue s caf of choice, which is hunkered down in the leafy green heart of St ndrew s ark. nd by the by, m not talking here about the lovely old tea-shop style, yellow caravan café which hung out in the park for many glorious years. h, no. adly, those days are o er. o idea why, but either way, it s now a case of, the old cafe has gone, long live the new café”. And what a café it is. lthough, as it s got four wheels and is based in a big old transit an, not sure caf is exactly the right word here. aybe more mobile drinkery with benefits and cake mm not sure. alking of not being sure brings me to the name of this ray of li uid sunshine. t s called, fista arista. nd if you re slightly confused, you re not the only one.
Had a chat to the friendly young chap running the place, who happily admitted he just made up the word afista because he liked the sound of it. Which works for me. Thoroughly approve of that sort of thing. Literary invention is the mother of necessity and all that.
Another thing that worked for me, and the rest of the café society crew, was the coffee on offer. mighty fine cup. op notch. Got a nine out of ten from our resident co cianado.
Another thing that really rocked our socks off was the oy of sitting in the sunshine in the middle of a peaceful park, with small dogs, small children and slightly larger grown-ups milling around in the background while we sat and en oyed the finest cup of coffee we d had all week. Would thoroughly recommend you to do exactly the same.
Incidentally, there were a whole bunch of nice nibbly things on offer too, but we were so contented with our coffees, we decided to leave them until our next visit. n
or or afi a ari a
or r ou ar in gui ari an i no a ournali an ra l ri r an ulli or on in agra oogl u an ail u a k log iar o an r an ran a
YOUR GO-TO VENUE
From Parties to Product launches and everything in between. We’ve got you covered, with five unique spaces on five levels. Come take the tour. Visit us at www.goldbrick.house 69 PARK ST, BRISTOL BS1 5PB HELLO@GOLDBRICK.HOUSE
Rated 5 on Google
Newsnight visit the Southwest’s highest rated flooring company – Conran Carpets
At the start of May this year, Conran Carpets‘s owner, John De Pedro-Sewell was delighted to be visited by BBCs economics editor in chief and Newsnight presenter, Faisal Islam. John was able to share the success story of Conran Carpets, who are now the highest rated flooring company in the Southwest, after receiving more five star certified Google reviews than any other Bristol flooring shop.
Conran Carpets launched on Gloucester Road in 2018 and the last six years have seen the business grow from strength to strength, building a strong following from local customers. Growing up around Gloucester Road, John is delighted to have made it the home for Conran Carpets.
John puts their success down to a great team, with over forty years experience in the industry, good value quality
flooring products and excellent customer service. John shared, “Our ethos of professionalism, and personal service is applied to all aspects of our business, at all times.” John went on to say, “The visit from Faisal marked another part of our success story. He was a nice, professional guy who was great to meet.”
If you would like to pop in to Conran Carpets to discuss your flooring project or simply to say hello and enjoy a complementary chocolate, you will be welcomed.
“Haydn and his team did a fantastic job restoring our bay window, which was a complex project involving structural repair work. They were professional, tidy and friendly throughout. Highly recommend.”
Over 19 years experience
T-LAB WOODEN TIGER, £15 and car ed from a soft wood called lbi ia, and hand painted. en if you re a clutter averse minimalist, the stylish Japanese design is likely to win you over From Maze, 26-28 The Mall www.mazeclothing.co.uk
NALI SHOP CHANTAL
TIGER BAG, £135
Leather mini-tote with grab handles and a shoulder strap, finished with golden studs for a nice bit of bling From Fox + Feather 41 Gloucester Road www.foxandfeather.co.uk
HERE, KITTY KITTY
Both tigers and leopards get their own National Day, the former being on 29 July. There again, every day is animal print day...
e really wouldn t confine this charming shirt and shorts PJ set to the bedroom. We feel it needs to be more widely seen
From Harvey Nichols 27 Philadelphia Street www.harveynichols.com
MARA LEOPARD HOOP EARRINGS IN GOLD, £25 ince we began stocking these gorgeous leopard hoop earrings they have been among our best-sellers,” says Anna at Mon Pote. Sold out at time of going to press, but we fully e pect them to restock if not, try www.marastudio.co.uk Mon Pote, 217a North Street www.monpote.co.uk
LEOPARD-PRINT DENIM MINI-SHIRT DRESS, £129
Remember that episisde when Liz wore manda s old leopard coat and simply e erybody fancied her hat. From Mint Velvet, 44 Regent Street www.mintvelvet.com
SORUKA RECYCLED SUEDE 'OLIVIA' BAG, £55
Good-sized bag, big enough for large notebooks and tablets, made from recycled off cuts that would otherwise ha e gone to landfill From Frankly Store, Unit 5, Cargo; www.frankly.store
AMANDA COLEMAN GOLD AND SILVER NECKLACE, £160
t s like The Jungle Book in necklace form.Tiger here is surrounded by monstera and aralia leaves, a spider monkey, and a snake with ruby eyes. From Fig 1, Unit 9 ,Gaol Ferry Steps .fig . o.uk
EDWIN BUCKET HAT, £39.99 (FROM £79.99)
In the most strokeable brushed jacquard fabric; a cute addition to any festi al style outfit From Cooshti 57 Park Street www.cooshti.com
DAMSON MADDER
TOTÊME CALF HAIR FLATS, £560
That's neat, that's neat, that's neat, that's neat, I really love your tiger feet. Or leopard feet, even
From Harvey Nichols 27 Philadelphia Street www.harveynichols.com
From Harvey Nichols 27 Philadelphia Street www.harveynichols.com
LEXIE LEOPARD-PRINT BIKINI TOP, £55; BOTTOMS, £45
A not too itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny leopard-printed-spot bikini
Make it a classic velour tracksuit, but add an edgy variation. Buy as separates, and tame with plain tops or bottoms, or go full-on, eye-catching animal by wearing as a suit. We double-dare you
From Grace & Mabel, 32 The Mall www.graceandmabel.co.uk
HALTER MIDI BEACH DRESS, £99
Neutral tone midi with a halter neckline, V back with a tassel-tie fastening and a loose, forgiving silhouette
From Mint Velvet, 44 Regent Street www.mintvelvet.com
SUFFER
FROM • OSTEOARTHRITIC JOINT PAIN
• KNEE PAIN
• PLANTAR FASCIITIS
• ACHILLES TENDINOPATHY?
IF SO, FOCUSED SHOCKWAVE THERAPY IS THE ANSWER
Greenway Osteopaths is one of the very few clinics in the Bristol area offering Focused Shockwave Therapy. This cutting edge technology has benefits over the more readily available radial shockwave therapy. Not only is the effectiveness better with Focused Shockwave Therapy but it is far more comfortable than radial shockwave and, as such, higher energy doses can be applied with much greater treatment effectiveness - and ultimately fewer treatments are required.
Very effective for a range of conditions:
• Osteoarthritic joint pain, in particular knee pain
• Achilles Tendinopathy
• Plantar fasciitis
• Lateral hip pain
• Myofascial pain
• Chronic tendinopathies of the knee, elbow, shoulder and hamstring
• Enhanced bone healing
• and more....
We are a 24 hours service provider, Domiciliary Care Services. We are a CQC registered care provider; our services range from: Domiciliary Care: We are committed to providing care which we would like to receive ourselves at the comfort of your home.
Live-in Care: Full-time care in the comfort of your own home. A popular and viable alternative to residential care, especially for individual and couples.
Respite Care / Night care: We are always there to step in, when you need to make time for yourself from caring for your loved ones.
Home Care / Supported Living: 24 hours homecare support in the comfort of your own home.
Community Care / Support: We are always there to step in, to support you with all community activities such as shopping, attending medical appointment and all social activities within the community.
Extra Care / support: We provide specialist care service for people’s special needs / complex care while recuperating / having treatment at home.
Our staff include: Registered Nurses (RN) / Registered Mental Health Nurses (RMN) / Registered Learning Disabilities Nurses (RLDN) /Senior Support worker (Medication competent) / Support Worker.
Build up your fitness and energy levels with the help of a top gym or personal trainer
CLIFTON COLLEGE SPORTS CENTRE
GUTHRIE ROAD, CLIFTON, BS8 3EZ
TEL: 0117 3157 678
WWW.CCSL-CLIFTONCOLLEGE.COM
Situated within the historic grounds of Clifton College, the centre offers excellent sport and fitness facilities. Membership is open to the public, with access during early mornings, evenings, and weekends in term time, and extended hours during school holidays.
Members can use the fitness room, swimming pool, table tennis and badminton courts. Additionally on offer is a variety of group fitness classes for both members and non-members. Join to enjoy the best facilities at the best price.
SARAH WÄSSER PERSONAL TRAINING
LAURIE CRESCENT, HENLEAZE, BS9 4SZ
TEL: 07980 554324
WWW.SARAHWASSER.COM
Are you ready to rock midlife and feel amazing? Sarah is here to help you get stronger, boost your energy, and get joy back in your life. Menopause might be somewhat challenging, but with her support you can make it manageable. Sarah offers a holistic approach looking at both mind and body, and with 1:1 sessions, fun small group training, and her (coming soon) online membership, there’s a solution that fits your lifestyle. Let’s make midlife your best life – join her to discover how to thrive and not just survive!
Personal training | Pilates | Wellbeing coaching
Lins Leisure Trips
Day trips for senior citizens, disabled people and the rest of the community Fri 9th August: BOURNEMOUTH – 8am – 4pm, £29 (£27 conc), age 17 or under £25 Fri 16th August: TYNTESFIELD NATIONAL TRUST or NOAH’S ARK ZOO FARM, Wraxall, 8am – 4/4.15pm. £22 (£20 conc), age 17 or under £18 – TRANSPORT ONLY
Mon 19th August: SWINDON OUTLET CENTRE or STEAM MUSEUM or SWINDON GREYHOUND RACING –8am –3pm. £22 (£20 Conc), age 17 or under £18 –TRANSPORT ONLY BANK HOLIDAY Mon 26th August: WESTON, BURNHAM ON SEA or BREAN 8am – 3pm. £36 (£34 conc), age 17 or under £31)
THE WILD, WILD, WEST
WHO’S UP FOR A SUMMER ADVENTURE?
1
SWIM IN A MARINE LAKE
Clevedon Marine Lake & Ladye Bay
Large tidal pool built in 1929 overlooking the estuary, perfect for a long swim or SUP at sunset. We know a few folk who swim here all year round (brrr...) A mile away is Ladye Bay, a lovely shingle cove swimmable at high tide.
“There’s a world of exploration on your doorstep; you just need to know where to look”
Paradoxically, one of the best things about Bristol is how easy it is to get out of it. And yes, we know you could have a perfectly decent summer without ever leaving its boundaries; the actively inclined can get stuck into endless Harbourside activities, while the rest of us get our vicarious kicks looking on. But if you do fancy venturing a little further afield, you’ll find secret coves, sea caves and gorges, rivers for swimming and canoeing, moors and meadows to camp in, ancient pathways for night-time walks, woods and ruins and subterranean worlds to discover.
The newly published Wild Guide: South West England book handily points you in the direction of the region’s most adventurous places, many of them being off the beaten path. There’s a world of exploration on your doorstep; you just need to know where to look. Here are just 16 ideas we’ve plucked from the book, ranging from right-here-in-the-city to day trips to overnighters on the south coast.
2
BASK IN SUNSET VIEWS
Burledge Hill, Sutton Wick
The meadow plateau was once a hillfort, and has wonderful far-reaching views over Chew Valley Lake. If you’re lucky you might see hot-air balloons glide by at dusk. Most of the area is a ites of pecial cientific nterest nature reserve, cherished for its butter ies and wild owers.
5
2 3
4
3HEAD OFF ON AN ISLAND ADVENTURE
Steep Holm Island; sail from Weston-super-Mare
This steep, craggy island in the middle of the Severn Estuary is rich in defences: six Victorian gun batteries with intact cannons and a host of cliff edge remains. It’s also famed for its muntjac deer, and is home to the remains of a 12th-century Augustinian priory. Trips from , lea ing from eston super-Mare.
4PICNIC BY A LAKE (AND HAVE A CHEEKY SWIM, BUT DON’T SAY WE TOLD YOU SO)
Blagdon Lake, Butcombe During early summer the meadow at this beautiful reservoir, located in the folds of a long, lush valley, is a blissful place to picnic – and despite the ‘No Swimming’ signs, people invariably do anyway.
5HAVE A FOODIE ADVENTURE
The Pony Chew Valley, Chew Magna Renowned dining pub with a daily changing menu that re ects the harvests from the Pony’s own no-dig beds, orchard and polytunnels. OK, so heading over for lunch is hardly exerting, but you can always earn your meal by wandering around the kitchen gardens beforehand.
6
7
SWIM INTO BRISTOL
Conham River Park, Hanham
The river runs through a minigorge for almost a mile here –a green-blue corridor into the suburbs
of Bristol. Water quality is OK, as it’s upstream of the city, but keep your head above the water. On the south bank, Beese’s riverside tea room and pub makes the ideal stop off.
6VISIT GLASTO (NO TICKET REQUIRED)
Gog, Magog and The Tor, Glastonbury
The two massive, mystical oaks, more than 1,000 years old, are named after legendary giants. og is dead, agog ali e. hey formed part of a long ceremonial avenue, the Oaks of Avalon, said to lead from Wells Cathedral up to the Tor and then on to Cadbury Castle, which legend likes to think of as King Arthur’s Camelot. Now they are at the back of Old Oaks caravan park.
8
PADDLE IN PENSFORD
Pensford Weir, Pensford
A path crosses the arches of the weir to the garden of The Rising Sun, with a little pool beneath, popular for paddling and a dip in summer, with the railway viaduct above. The footpath continues upstream under the towering viaduct arches, so you can explore other pools, too.
9
9
GIANT STEPS
Giant’s Cave, Avon Gorge
You should know this one! A 60m stepped tunnel built in 1837, leading down to St Vincent’s Cave and opening out onto the cliff face, m abo e the oor of the on orge. Treat yourself to tea at Clifton Observatory afterwards.
10
SURF’S UP
The Wave, Easter Compton
Learn to surf on The Wave’s artificial reef, powered by renewable energy. How about a weekender in a safari tent, with plenty of time on the lake? Lessons are available, and there’s a farm shop and café for victuals.
11
GO WILD SWIMMING
Warleigh Weir, Claverton
Now owned by the Warleigh Weir Project, this hugely popular spot has a long, curving weir with cascades, pools, ferryman steps and a long deep section to swim in. There’s also a beautiful meadow island area, and the old Claverton Pumping Station (open two days a month).
12
JOIN ENGLAND’S OLDEST RIVER
SWIMMING CLUB
Farleigh Hungerford, River Frome Sunbathe on the lawns below the changing hut, then step into the pool above the weir beneath a treelined avenue of still waters. The Stowford Manor camping and tea rooms are nearby, and a ruined castle sits on top of a hill.
13
SCRAMBLE UP A TOWER
Browne’s Folly & Farley Quarry, near Bath Built in 1848 to provide employment during a local
recession, this great tower sits on the edge of a woodland nature reserve with views over the River Avon. You can climb right up to the top via a perilous staircase. Farley Quarry lies just below, with the remains of old railway siding levels and gated (for bats) and open caverns though which you can peer into the depths.
14
GO CAVING
Stoney Littleton Barrow & River, Wellow Neolithic catacombs in a mound on a beautiful remote hillside with a streamside walk. You can crawl into the central tunnel and explore several side chambers –try to banish thoughts of Dark
16
SWIM THROUGH AN ARCH
Durdle Door & Man O’War, Lulworth
ust o er two hours from ristol, if the tra c s playing ball, is this most popular of points on the Dorset coast where you can swim through a huge
15GO WILD CAMPING & BIVOUACKING
Asham Wood Lake, Mendips
This vast, wildland area of regenerating open-cast stone
uarry is full of forest, cliffs and wildlife. Deep in the heart is a peaceful wooded lake, perfect for a dip on the hottest of days, though completely hidden; use satellite maps to find it. 15 14
arch in the rocks. an ar beach to the east is more sheltered and uieter, with offshore reefs for snorkelling and jumping; the wonderfully monikered Scratchy Bottom lies to the west. If you e made the trip down it s worth camping overnight in the pretty pitches under the trees, so you can enjoy the beach before or after the crowds.
From Cornwall to the Cotswolds, Dorset to Devon and everywhere in between, this travel compendium reveals the South West’s least known and most adventurous places. With a lavish number of photos, and detailed maps it’s the perfect guide for adventurers, family explorers and even armchair travellers.
For more: www. wildthingspublishing.com
Wild Guide South West England by Tania Pascoe and Daniel Start (£18.99, Wild Things Publishing).
THINK BIG
ENTRECONF, THE GROUNDBREAKING BUSINESS FORUM, RETURNS
PHOTO BY
BIGGER, BETTER, MORE
A popular virtual conference during Covid, then a smash-hit real-life favourite for 2023, EntreConf – the groundbreaking entrepreneur’s forum – returned this summer at twice the length, with twice as many speakers and twice the inspiration
Words by Ben Dawkins
Photos by Jon Craig
MediaClash CEO Greg Ingham sets the tone and gets things moving
Over two rare sunny days during our wettest summer in a hundred years – at least, that’s how it’s currently shaping up, dammit –MediaClash hosted only its second e er real life ntreConf at ristol institution he atershed. usinesses of all shapes and sizes, and at a myriad different stages in their development, descended on the arts and creative tech centre’s cinema and surrounding spaces for a selfproclaimed ‘mind spa’, which mixed academic rigour with entrepreneurial tenacity, hand-on experience with technological insights, and slathered over the top plenty of good oldfashioned inspiration.
Compered by MediaClash’s own Greg Ingham and Steph Dodd, the event hosted, well, a host of worldleading innovators, out-of-the box thinkers, and business leaders from
“YOU HAVE TO HAVE TREMENDOUS SELFBELIEF, BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU’RE NOT GOOD AT”
across the southwest, highlighting just what a hotbed of entrepreneurial talent this region really is.
DAY ONE: PROTEINS, PITTAS AND PUFFERFISH
In the cool air-conditioned Cinema , ay ne was kicked off by ick Spicer of Your Eco, who explored a topic relevant to all entrepreneurs – transition. Giving us on honest appraisal of his personal highs and lows, from his career as a military o cer to a few years acting like a pufferfish with spray and pray business tactics , ick was most entertaining, while clearly knowing all about overcoming obstacles. His crucial parting ad ice e more buffalo and run into the storm .
Keeping on the theme of transition, next up was Asel Sartbaev of Ensilitech, who has developed ground-breaking vaccine technology with the power to save millions of lives. Delivering her talk with humility and simplicity, thus ensuring every audience member understood the basics of such challenging topics as ‘protein denaturation’, Asel convinced all in attendance that transitions are nothing to be afraid of. Indeed, they force growth and e olution , and we’d all do well to remember – even when things are going terribly wrong –that e erything s ust a phase . efore the first of many fruitful networking breaks, Steph then announced the EntreConf Awards nominee shortlist, bigging up an event
CLOCKWISE: Paul V Kelly; Gemma McGrattan of Synergy; Elly Rowley with David Kelly of Storm; Stuart Smith and Emma Millington
NETWORK
which will foreground and champion entrepreneurial excellence across the region this September.
Full steaming ahead through the rest of EntreConf Day One, we saw two incredibly insightful sessions on funding. Lauren Crawley-Moore of the London Stock Exchange championed the region as being full of nation-leading businesses and exciting prospects, whilst highlighting the range of options available for those wanting to access cash. To further encourage attending entrepreneurs to get out there and source funding was a panel on many of the different possible routes, featuring representatives from Link Stone Advisory, Blake Morgan, ICON Corporate Finance and FW Capital.
he first key note of the conference came from Harvard alumni Evelyn Welch, now of The University of Bristol. Evelyn is currently overseeing the new landmark Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, nicknamed ‘Silicon Gorge’, about to spring up near the river and Temple Meads train station, where the goal is to connect academic excellence with commercial knowledge on a much grander scale than hitherto, helping “students realise the commercial potential of academic ideas”.
The next entry in an ongoing series of Entrepreneur’s Tales came from Gemma McGrattan of Synergy Creative, who focussed on the selling
process and the importance of sticking to your strengths – Gemma has never been shy to admit her weaknesses, and encourages all to re ect on where they themselves might most need help.
Lunch time! An opportunity to refuel with a selection of Mediterranean goodies from Bristol’s own Eat a Pitta, providing much needed brain food in prep for the afternoon’s programme.
This wouldn’t have been a business conference in 2024 without discussion of the hot topic du jour – we mean, of course, artificial intelligence or and a triple bill of sessions on Wednesday afternoon got many in the audience thinking critically about when (and if) to employ AI tools themselves.
And that was day one! The conference broke for dinner at The Harbour Hotel, with EntreConf Awards candidates The Social Shepherd providing further massaging of our minds well into the night.
DAY TWO: SONY, SUSTAINABILITY AND SPACECRAFT
Miracle of miracles, the sun escaped the clouds again for Day Two, and the insights just kept coming.
Another day, another worldchanging entrepreneur – and this time an actual rocket scientist! Evangelos Zympeloudi – whose work with iCOMAT, makers of “the world’s lightest structures”, aims to make
CLOCKWISE: Martin Cook; Joyann Boyce of Inclued AI; Zoë Stephenson; Dr Margaret Heffernan
aircraft and spacecraft slighter, more e cient, and more sustainable spoke eloquently about the challenges he’s faced, from the precipice of going bust to recei ing his first e er investment. And, all along the route, he credited the mentors who’ve been key to his journey. “I’m learning all the time, and the reality is you have to balance two character traits,” he said. “You have to have tremendous selfbelief, but at the same time you have to know what you’re not good at.”
Next, a hotly anticipated talk from gaming industry titan Phil Harrison, of Google, Microsoft and Sony PlayStation fame, on the tribulations of pitching. A man who’s been pitched to himself thousands of times, Phil ran through the how-tos and mustknows of putting yourself and your ideas forward, which he describes as a “compelling short story backed with excellent data”. Just remember, don’t sing to him!
Keynote time! Andy Salmon of The University of Bath hit us with some thought-provoking facts on the need for a change in how we learn. He implores that there must be places to provide connective tissue, where we can learn e ibly as careers de elop. The Studio, their city centre home
for micro-businesses, aims to do just that. Joined by his two friends, Jessica and Mathilde, both residents at The Studio, we got to understand just how important this ‘tissue’ can be in connecting emerging talent with the right people and knowledge they need for great ideas to ourish.
After another round of delicious falafel bowls, Cinema 1 began to fill to the brim for none other than Charlie Bigham, of the eponymous posh ready meals business, an idea which had its origins in – of all places – a camper van somewhere between Iran and Pakistan. Enlightening all in attendance with his tips on both scaling a business whilst maintaining ethical values, and on pairing wine with paella, Charlie shared with us
“I’M LEARNING ALL THE TIME, AND THE REALITY IS YOU HAVE TO BALANCE TWO CHARACTER TRAITS”
his eco-elevator pitch on making sustainable choices – when asked why he avoids plastic packaging or uses renewable energy, he answered simply, “because we can”.
For those that hadn’t yet caught the incredible 3D model on display in the networking areas, it was now time to hear all about The Arc, a phenomenal feat of architecture which will pro ide city wide benefit for Bristol. Led by Nick Stubbs, and an idea over a decade in the making, he rc is a city first obser ation attraction – basically a peoplecarrying pod suspended between two super tall carbon fibre masts, which lies at against the ground when not in use set for take off in ebruary 2027. Now with planning permission, and bringing real thrills to the Harbourside, The Arc will not only get people gasping, but help residents and visitors alike learn more about the city.
Alongside more Rocky Road, courtesy of Edgie Eats, two excellent panels provided nourishment throughout Thursday afternoon, covering “bounce-backability” and scaling up, respectively – a range of perspectives gave actionable advice to avoid burnout, keep true to purpose,
Allowing Steph and Greg some time away from the spotlight, Elly Rowley of NatWest returned, alongside renowned business coach and self-professed ‘wall-hugger’ Olly Reid and his mentee Fran Lucraft of Grace and Green, specialists in ethical period products. Their honest and amusing re ections on the an iety of networking got the crowd laughing and ga e su cient lubrication for further connections to be made.
ounding things off with a triumphant finale, we had ick ounsfield of ristol s he a e on his plans to revitalise the way we live in the UK. After overcoming such ad ersities as suffering two strokes in his thirties, Nick has become inspired by the globe’s many ‘blue zones’, where people live longer, happier, healthier lives. He now wants to bring the benefits of pro imity to the water to our homes, streets, and neighbourhoods. Despite laughs from the crowd, Nick is steadfast in his vision that this isn’t a crazy idea.
nd that s a wrap sharp finish as the clock struck 5pm for an after party to watch England vs Denmark in the hay-bale laden Undershed. A disappointing England performance – certainly belying what was to later to come – wasn’t enough to put a damper on the stimulating two-day extravaganza that was EntreConf 2024. New connections were built, experiences shared and ideas incubated – and we’re sure to see a fair few more success stories born out of the many ‘entre-conversations’ we witnessed during the event.
For more on all things EntreConf, go to: www.entreconf.com
WANT MORE? Of course you do!
EntreConf Awards 2024
The South West’s hottest business awards; 26 September, Aerospace Bristol
EntreConf GO
A new series of conferences for young entrepreneurs (16-25 year olds enter free)
13 November, Engine Shed, Bristol from 1:30pm
19 November, Komedia, Bath from 1:30pm and make working with family members – not something everyone relishes – a pleasure, not a chore.
David Goodall of FW Capital with the funding panel
JOURNEY
AUSTEN CRUICKSHANK
is
partnerships
director at Plaster Creative Communications, connecting brands with events, festivals and venues. So Austen, how did you get here?
If you’re going to end up working for a rock-star Bristol comms company, it helps to have a rockstar musical background…
My first proper job was running PR for an independent record label in London who put out releases from some of the most exciting rock bands at the time. I had almost zero PR experience, but thought I’d give it a go and somehow got the job. I was on tour with Bring Me The Horizon within the week ery much a trial by fire.
I did languages at uni, but knew I wanted to get into music and events, so I just applied for every internship and job I could and eventually it came along. y first ob at isible oise was the most formative – I ended up staying there for over seven years. I went from working in pubs to touring with arena musicians in literally the space of a week, and learnt a lot on the job.
Just prior to joining Plaster, I was senior live music manager for War Child, which involved running all their live music events and projects. The music side is run by a really small but dedicated team with amazing industry connections and it
reminded me that there really are some good people in the music industry.
I already knew Bristol well from music, having been here many times and loving the vibe. I followed my amazing wife Maria here – she came here to continue her production career, as there’s so many natural history units here. I asked around about who the best events/PR/partnerships agency in Bristol was – and everyone said the same thing: Plaster! I was lucky with my timing, as Kellie and co had wanted to increase the brand partnership offering here for a while, so when came along, it felt like the perfect match.
I’m now Plaster’s partnerships director, which in ol es finding interesting partners across brands and businesses to partner with our festivals, venues and e ents to add alue, whether that be financial or promotional. I’m really interested telling the story of why they are a partner, rather than just placing a logo, which I think, these days, doesn’t really move the dial in any significant way.
Our clients really have the best events in Bristol and beyond and it really exciting to be
working across all of them. ach has a different audience, which is really interesting, across community, charity, music, theatre, arts and more. It’s helpful to have such a diverse roster, because if one e ent isn t right for a specific partnership then it’s pretty likely we have another one that is. Of course, I do really enjoy the music-related events, as that’s my background.
Plaster is a really fun team to be part of, with amazing energy and connections across Bristol and beyond. I think a lot of major brands are really sleeping on Bristol right now but it’s starting to change. I like that in Bristol, brands are forced to get more creative to cut through, otherwise they would just be rejected or ignored.
I think my new colleagues would say that fit in well with the Plaster vibe, which is working hard on projects and with people that we love. And as the o ce ob iously.
Moving office has been a long time coming for Plaster; we’ve grown rapidly over the past few years and wanted an ama ing space that re ects our personality. Our new home in Totterdown is part art gallery, called he it, and part o ce area, with a lot of space to welcome clients and potential clients into our world.
The Pit is a brilliant new creative hub and gallery. Our vision for this former gym is to create a vibrant community space, maintaining its historic charm while presenting the best in contemporary art and technology.
Ever since I was a kid, I just loved being in venues before they were open – there was always something quite special about it. I’ve always wanted to run my own venue, but I know how hard they have it these days, so I’m not envious. On that note, everyone should go and support @musicvenuetrust to help keep independent venues alive.
My dad’s an accountant, not really through choice, but that was the only option for him at the time. I really respect what he had to do, but I would go mad doing that full time. Also, my mum’s an artist and I can only draw stickmen, so I guess genes don’t account for everything!
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BURLINGTON ROAD
It’s simply Redland...
Words by Ursula Cole
The bad news is that the dog isn’t included in the price. Nor, we’re sorry to say, is the tastefully curated collection of furniture, with its mid-century vibe.
The good news is that everything else – and by ‘everything’ we mean the arrestingly lovely, honeycoloured Grade-II town house itself, its almost unfairly large garden, its stellar Redland address, and its vibrant décor – most certainly is.
Let’s take the tour. You approach the end-ofterrace house through a side gate, where steps lead up to the front door and porch. From here, a door opens into the main hall, where an elegant balustraded staircase curves up to the landing above.
tripped wooden oors run throughout much of the house, owing from the hall into the open-plan kitchen, where oversized windows look out over the garden, then via a square arch into the family and dining rooms. Despite the contemporary aesthetic, due reverence has been paid to the original ceiling plasterwork, while a wood-burning stove in a simple alcove straddles the modern and traditional.
n the first oor, a full width sitting room has another cast-iron wood burning stove, more wooden oors, more ceiling cornices, more large windows – you get the general picture. Another room makes a study, which could e ually do ser ice as a fifth bedroom, with a shower room already installed nearby.
A luxurious master bedroom suite unapologetically anne es the entire oor abo e. he bathroom, by highly rated local firm oon esign, has a contemporary twin ended bath, his hers sinks and an o ersi ed shower there s also a dressing room and walk in wardrobe. ead on up to the top landing, brightened by a huge arched sash window, and you ll reach an ideal children s oor ser ed by a family bathroom. opping e erything is the loft, currently used for storage but also allowing roof access ia a elu window.
ut we re still not done head back down again to lower ground le el, where a one bedroom apartment has independent access from the front of the house ideal for housing teens, ancient relati es and guests, or for letting out. hatch opens to stone steps leading to e tensi e cellar rooms make a start on a wine collection now. ust as much care has been la ished on the at as the rest of the house a double bedroom has the old butler s dresser along one wall, there s a well proportioned sitting room with a wood burning sto e, a kitchen, and a stylish barrel ceilinged bathroom.
repare for garden en y from your fellow city centre dwellers it has the feel of a small, secluded park, being walled on three sides with the gate shut it s fully enclosed,
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catches much of the early morning and afternoon sun and has plenty of lawned play space for kids along with room for a dining table and a BBQ.
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Where Redland Guide price £1,349,950
Receptions 2/3
Bedrooms 4/5
Bathrooms 3
What else? Self-contained one-bed flat; cellarage
Outside Spacious walled garden
Call my agent: Rupert Oliver; 0117 452 3555 www.rupertoliver.co.uk
That said, we’re not sure how much home cooking will get done, given Burlington Road’s proximity to Cotham Hill, Chandos Road and Whiteladies Road, which between them contain some of the city’s best independent restaurants; if we know you, we know you’ll become a regular at Wilsons. Fortunately, the Downs, and the obligingly steep gradient of nearby Park Street, are also close by to help you shift any extra calories.
DOUG ALLAN OBE
One of the greatest underwater filmmakers of our age, and a vocal champion for eco-awareness, Doug is at St George’s later this year to look back at his astonishing 35-year career
Iwasn t particularly into wildlife when was a wee boy, says oug. ut i idly remember reading ac ues
Cousteau s book The Silent World norkelling was my first passion, encouraged by family holidays in the editerranean. began scuba di ing at school. hat led to a marine biology degree, but on graduating in decided didn t want to be in what termed science at the sharp end , so cut loose and simply looked for e cuses to di e. wo years later applied for a ob as a di er with the ritish ntarctic ur ey , and in was heading south to one of their research bases on a year s contract. est mo e e er made hat was where started stills photography, both underwater and topside.
I followed up the first BAS contract with a second, and it
“To be in the presence of a friendly 50-tonne whale and look it straight in the eye –that’s sheer magic ”
find the new beha iours, producers make the decisions to try for the se uence, production co ordinators pin down the logistics. ll this puts me in the best place at the best time. hen bring the material back, great editors wea e their magic to create the strongest story, before colour graders, sound mi ers, narrators and composers bring their finishing touches.
When we’re all on song the finished film is greater than the sum of its parts. o the fi e s, eight mmys and fi e ildscreen andas that e been awarded indi idually or as a member of a camera team really re ect the skills of many others as well.
friendly tonne whale and look it straight in the eye that s sheer magic.
I was grabbed by a walrus snorkelling off the ice edge in the Canadian rctic. e came up from right below me without warning and hugged my thighs with his ippers, ust as they do when catching seals in the same way. looked down, hit his head with my camera, he let go and swam back to the solid ice. ook less time to happen than it has done for you to read this. ow if he d held on and taken me down well no more oug, guess.
was while in ntarctica in that met a id ttenborough, when he and a film crew came on base to film for Living Planet. er the two days helped them, realised that wildlife filming was a ob that encapsulated so much of what en oyed di ing, photography, tra elling, wildlife and a great sense of ad enture as well.
I then spent a winter with BAS at a base which offered me the chance to capture emperor penguins on cine film. y e perience in the e treme cold compensated for my ery basic skills behind the mo ie camera and the C bought the footage for a forthcoming series. hat was what really kicked off my filming career, and since then it s been my pri ilege to work on many of the classic C series that ha e come out of ristol.
Filmmaking is a wonderfully collaborative process. ithin the production team, researchers
I guess the secret of wildlife photography comes down to being determined to simply get the shot. nd yes, that can often in ol e long periods where apparently nothing is happening, or my efforts are unrewarded. ut all the time m out there in the en ironment, m absorbing elements of it that will mean the images finally take will ha e a deeper le el of understanding, somehow. r ll be readier for the animal action when it e entually happens. y ob is to be out there looking it s up to the animals whether they come out for me.
I was filming right whales in Patagonia. hese are big, slow mo ing whales, up to feet long, and like any mammal, all the indi iduals ha e different characters. met a ery friendly female and it was almost like she didn t want me to lea e. he put her nose against my chest and slowly pushed me though the water while gently rubbed her head. o be in the presence of a
We need to massively ramp up our green ambitions if we re to realistically reach the and targets. e only ha e one planet, a gloriously beautiful blue marble in space we must refind our respect for it. n the plus side, we e made big inroads in the U into renewable energy supplies, particularly in areas such as windpower generation.
Receiving the OBE this year was a complete surprise. he citation that included my promotion of en ironmental awareness was a ery satisfying re ection of what e been trying to do o er the last few years, by speaking to pupils and young adults at schools across ristol and beyond.
My secret skill is pounding out the roclaimers 500 Miles whene er ha e the chance.
Next up ha e a possibly a wolf film in Canada and the show at t eorge s in ristol.
Doug Allan is at St Georges’s Bristol on 28 October; www.dougallan.com www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
