Shipshape 11 - Autumn 2012

EE FR

Shipshape autumn 2012

www.shipshapebristol.co.uk

ARTS,EVENTS, HARBOURSIDE & HISTORY

Green Ginger | Bristol’s forgotten industry | Bridge trivia

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A £50 GIFT when you book a table for 20 or more guests

C H R I S T M A S 2 0 12 at GLASSBOAT

Indulge in a sumptuous Christmas celebration with Glassboat this season.

The boat will be fully adorned with Christmas trees, holly and mistletoe to help make your event a truly festive one.

We have two separate areas for hire or you can feast in the main restaurant.

MENU Our Christmas menu will be available from Monday 3 December to Saturday 22 December. Enjoy two courses for £25 (lunch only), three courses for £30 or four courses for £35, including cheese boards and a glass of LBV Port.

Seasonal treats include seared scallops, roast partridge and sherry trifle.

G L A S S B O AT Welsh Back, Bristol BS1 4SB 0117 929 0704 Email: events@glassboat.co.uk www.glassboat.co.uk

CONTENTS Welcome We all know a little bit about slave- based sugar production in the West I ndies but did you know there was a whole other side to the industry that mostly took place in Bristol? This issue, we learn all about the city’s forgotten industry sugar refining p . lsewhere, we arm you with fabulous facts and tall tales about the Suspension Bridge p , tal to Chris Pirie of Green Ginger about his plans for a submarine theatre p and get more wildlifespotting tips from e pert d rewitt p .

And don’t forget to turn to our events section, starting on page 7 , to start planning your autumn across the arbourside. e hope you en oy the maga ine.

News & views 04 The Bristol Pound, cruise port and centre revamp

Events 07 Brisfest, contemporary art and oors pen ay

A forgotten industry 16 Bristol’s little- known role in the sugar industry

Harbourside map 20 Plan your route by boat, bus or bike

Life’s rich pageant 22 The Matthew’s skipper shares his J ubilee story

22

Tall tales 26 Fascinating facts about the Suspension Bridge

Beauty and the beasts 29

08

Go wildlife spotting around the Harbourside

Child’s play 30 Top tips to help keep your offspring entertained

Shipshape directory 32 The latest news and offers from our friends

28 s h ip s h ap e m agaz ine is s ue 1 1 autumn www.shipshapebristol.co.uk

published by the group of seven editorial, design &

production: thegroupof seven.co.uk

editorial suggestions: ed itor@ shipshapebristol.co.uk

I ❤ Harbourside 38 reen inger rtistic irector Chris irie

past issues &

galleries: shipshapebristol.co.uk

advertising enquiries: inf o@ thegroupof seven.co.uk distribution: inf o@ shipshapebristol.co.uk

Dis c laim er The information contained in this publication is provided as a general guide only. hile every care is ta en to ensure that the details are as accurate as possible, we ma e no warranty or representation, e press or implied, about the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this publication. The views or opinions e pressed in this publication are strictly those of the authors. The publishers and or any of its associated companies or business partners accept no responsibility for damage or loss, howsoever caused, arising directly or indirectly from reliance upon any information obtained from this publication. The roup of Seven td .

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NEWS & VIEWS

Centre due for major facelift Bristol’s Centre is set for an £8m makeover ahead of the launch of a new network of rapid transit buses, Bristol City Council has announced Large parts of the Centre – the area stretching from the Floating Harbour down to the Quay Street corner – will be pedestrianised to help link the ‘shopping and leisure quarters more effectively’.

The current ‘figure-of-eight’ layout will be replaced by a two-way system running from Anchor Road to Lewins Mead.

Baldwin Street will remain two-way and open to traffic but drivers will only be able to turn left onto the Centre or right from the Centre. This ‘simple, signalised movement in and out of Baldwin Street’ will, the Council claims, significantly reduce congestion.

The changes are due to be made by 2015 and the costs will come out of the £200m budget set aside for the three rapid transit schemes. The proposed routes are from North Fringe to Hengrove

THE BIG IDEA Ways in which we could improve the Harbourside 1 URBAN BEACH

Bring back the urban beach next summer but put it down near Hannover Quay. With the view of the ss Great Britain, it would be a magnet for visitors of all ages.

2 FISH AND CHIPS An early sketch of proposals for the Centre

(supporting residential and business districts at Hengrove Park, Cribbs Causeway and Emersons Green East), Hengrove Park to Long Ashton Park, and Ashton Vale to Temple Meads. s More: www.bristol.gov.uk/page/major-transport-schemes

Did you know… 11 Bristol Parks are now holders of the Green Flag Award, the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales, with Ashton Court, The Downs and Queen Square included on that illustrious list.

Why isn’t there a decent fish and chip shop that sells good pasties on the harbour?

3 FISH FEST

It would be great to have another fish festival on the docks, like Glassboat’s Fish Fest. It would help to bring the process of fishing closer to those who eat it, and we could sell the fish right off the back of the boats.

4 ARTISAN WORKSHOPS

I’d love to see more craftsmen showing off nautical skills like rope making, spar scraping, sail mending and more.

What a fantastic way to teach people more about the fascinating work that takes place around the Harbourside.

5 SUBMARINE THEATRE

Award-winning theatre troupe Green Ginger has plans for a ‘large-scale outdoor animation in which 24 people are taken on a sub-aquatic journey of a lifetime’. See p38 for more.

SNAPSHOT Bristol’s Pyronaut gets lifted out of the harbour ahead of her involvement in the Queen’s Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. The 1934 fire-float was loaded onto a specialist lorry and transported to London.

Turn to page 22 where The Matthew’s captain shares his memories of the Diamond Jubilee weekend.

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Insane, absurd or inspired: email your ideas for a better Harbourside to info@shipshapebristol.co.uk

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NEWS SPRING & VIEWS NEWS Avonmouth set to become cruise port Cruise and Maritime Voyages has revealed that it will launch a programme of new cruises from vonmouth ne t year. t is the first cruise line to set sail from the doc s for years.

Launching in February 2013 , passengers will sail aboard O c ean C ount es s , a 17 ,000- tonne ‘traditional- style’ cruise ship that can hold 800 passengers. There are eight trips in total, including a 28- night cruise to the West I ndies, an eight- night Easter cruise to Spain and Portugal and a 10- night cruise around the British I sles. More: cruiseand maritime.com

Bristol named runner-up in Green Capital bid Bristol’s bid to become European Green Capital in 2014 came to an end at a ceremony held in Brussels on Friday 29 J une. The European Green Capital Award is given to a city that consistently achieves high environmental standards and is committed to ongoing environmental improvement and sustainable development. Bristol reached a shortlist of three alongside Copenhagen and

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Frankfurt, beating competition from cities including Paris and Vienna. Copenhagen was named as the host city.

Council Leader Simon Cook says: ‘To get so far in this competition has been a remarkable achievement for Bristol, particularly when we were up against such strong competitors. We are the only U K city to have ever reached the finals in this competition, and we have done so for the second time.’ s

City launches the Bristol Pound Bristol j oins Brix ton, Totnes, Lewes and Stroud by launching its very own currency.

Called the Bristol Pound, shoppers will be able to buy goods and services from participating businesses electronically or using printed notes.

The idea, says Chris Sunderland, Director of the initiative, is that more money will stay in the area, making the local economy stronger. ‘O f all the money spent in the city, most of it leaves the city almost as soon as it’s spent,’ he says. ‘What people can be sure of with Bristol Pounds is that they’re circulating in the city and that’s where they’ll stay.’ Businesses can use the currency to pay suppliers, staff and even their business rates.

More: bristolpound .org five

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AUTUMN EVENTS VISIT BRISTOL OLD VIC Bristol Old Vic, the UK’s oldest working theatre, returns to action this autumn after an 18-month refurbishment.

Audiences will notice three major changes: a newly extended ‘thrust’ stage that reaches further out towards the audience; some vastly more comfortable seating; and an invisible air cooling system that will make BOV’s sweltering summertimes a thing of the past. There are also two new rehearsal rooms, allowing for more work to be generated within the building.

MORE:

DISCOVER

Encounters The brilliant short film and animation festival returns to atershed and rnolfini for its th instalment this September

bristololdvic.org.uk

Novice mixologists can sharpen up their skills at buzzing Indian restaurant Namaskar Lounge. Sign up for one of their cocktail masterclasses and learn how to whizz up concoctions like the Manhattan or Laughing Lassi. Alternatively, sit back and let the bartenders do the hard work for you. The cocktail menu is split up into four categories – Classics, A Day of Cricket, The Journey and Tranquillity – and features a wealth of Indianinspired flavours. As for Shipshape, we’ll be sipping on a Chai Tea Martini and dreaming of sultry summer nights on the subcontinent...

MORE:

namaskarlounge.com

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PIC: HARMONY KORINE

TASTE NAMASKAR LOUNGE

Encounters (18- 23 S ep) will feature no less than 188 live action and animated short films from all over the globe, selected from almost 2,000 submissions.

Highlights from the Watershed’s Brief Encounters menu include T he Man P honing Mum, in which avant-garde filmma er ohn Smith revisits his cult ic T he G irl C hewing G um, and C are by Amanda Boyle, starring Gina McK ee (T he Si lence, I n the L oop). Elsewhere, U mshini W am (pictured) is an off- the- wall collaboration between South frican rapper duo ie ntwoord and maveric S filmma er armony orine K ids , J ulien D onkey B oy ) , while K arni and Saul’s F ly topia is based on a short story by Will Self. ver at rnolfini, the nimated ncounters strand includes a world premiere of Aardman’s So Y ou W ant to B e a P irate? , a comic game show pastiche featuring characters from their recent film T he P irates! … Y ou can also see an early preview of F ly ing B lind , the feature film shot in

Bristol by a local cast and crew and made under Creative England’s low- budget initiative iFeatures.

A Focus on Finland strand will feature the best of innish short film and animation, complete with splendidly a pop-up cine-sauna, while the classic Soviet surrealist silent A elita – T he Q ueen of Mars will be screened in the Big Top circus tent over at Creative Common (see also page 9) . That one will be scored live by Finland’s Cleaning Women, a band of cross- dressing z ombies who fashion instruments from scrap materials in order to produce their uni ue blend of industrial and fol -pop music.

Another Watershed date for your diary is ov, when the fri a ye film festival loo s in again. To mar the th anniversary of independence for amaica and Trinidad Tobago, this year’s festival will feature a lively menu of Caribbean-themed films, tal s and events. s More: encounters-f estival.org.uk / af rikaey e.org.uk

O pen throughout the autumn and winter, Bristol’s much- loved ‘barbecue boat’ S p yglas s has introduced a new 1 0 @ £ 1 0 wine lis t .

Available by the bottle only, these wines, sherries and dessert wines are part of the restaurant’s forthcoming 10th birthday celebrations, and j oin the affordable ‘Nice’ and ‘Gert Lush’ wines already on the menu. More: spy glassbristol.co.uk seven

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AUTUMN EVENTS EXPLORE

Brisfest With a new location and mouthwatering line- up hello e a Soul and Beardyman , hopes are high for the fifth outing of this annual community festival The 2012 Brisfest (22- 23 S ep) takes place at Ashton Court and features a fantastic line- up of music, comedy, street theatre, circus and art to make the most of its new surroundings. Big noises on the main stage include the brilliant and evergreen hip-hop outfit e a Soul, masters of verbal wiz ardry and effervescent beats, and creators of classic tracks like T he Magic N umber and Me My self and I .

They’re j oined by the superb Beardyman (pictured) – whom we’d call a beatboxi ng ace, if it did any j ustice to his ext raordinary talent. This 30- year- old ondon musician is able to replicate most sounds under the sun and has a quicksilver talent for improvised music and comedy. Check him out on Y ouTube…

O ther headliners include veteran space rockers Hawkwind and Bristol’s seminal drum and bass

pioneer oni Si e. lsewhere, you’ll find roving performances from magician, mindreader and mentalist Ross Hedley and classical fare from the Bristol Ensemble, not to mention live graffiti painting, a circus and cabaret big top, a traditional funfair, stand- up comedy slots, bars and stalls, and much, much more. There’s even a therapy area where you can have the stresses of the week pummelled away. nd Brisfest five loo s distinctly family- friendly too, with a dedicated children’s area housing storytelling, dance classes, pirate larks, a craft tent, playground, bouncy castle and more.

Tickets are £31 f or the weekend (children under 12 are free) – or there’s a £40 Sunday family ticket, which will get two adults and two under 16s in for the day.

No tickets will be sold on the gate, so you’ll need to book ahead. s More: brisf est.co.uk

VISIT

PIC: NEIL McCOUBREY

Bristol Doors Open Day 2012 Historic, unusual and little- visited buildings and spaces across town open their doors for the day. For this year’s oors pen ay Sat 8 Sep, 10am- 4 pm), go behind the scenes at some fine arbourside locations, including two gems in Redcliffe: the beautiful wooden Benj amin Perry Boathouse and its neighbour, Redcliffe Caves.

Further along the harbour, the doors will also be open at U nderfall Y ard, allowing visitors inside the 19t h- century workshops still used for boat and harbour maintenance. J ust across the water, the pretty s ld oc Cottages – home to dockworkers eight

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and their families, now HQ to the Merchant Navy Association and the Maritime Volunteer Service – will also be open, with exhi bitions of photographs and dock memorabilia inside.

O ther treats include the ornate St Vincents Works, at Silverthorne ane in St Philips, whose Victorian oyal oulton tiles, wrought- iron staircase and mosaic oor have been lovingly restored by its current owners.

Y ou can also visit the top station of the longdefunct Clifton Rocks

Railway (pictured), about whose history there’s also a fascinating exhi bition over at Bristol Record ffice until Sep. s More: bristoldoor sopenday .org / clif tonrocksrailway .org.uk

BOOK NOW! HANSEL AND GRETEL It’s time to start booking one of Bristol’s excellent Christmas shows. Our pick is Hansel and Gretel at the Tobacco Factory (5 Dec-13 Jan, last year’s Cinderella pictured), when the brilliant multi-national troupe New International Encounter transform the Factory into a magical winter woodland.

MORE: tobaccofactory

theatre.com

VISIT THE LAST DAYS OF NOWHERE ISLAND Nowhereisland, the tiny self-governing island state formed from the Arctic’s retreating icecaps, completes its tour of the South West’s coasts in Bristol from Fri 7 to Sun 9 Sep. The island state, founded

by Devon installation artist Alex Hartley and developed

by Bristol’s award-winning art producers Situations, will travel up the Avon Gorge, arriving in Cumberland Basin on Fri 7 Sep. Weekend events will include talks, performances and artist films in Harbourside locations – including the Nowhereisland Embassy down at Cumberland Basin.

MORE: nowhereisland.org

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AUTUMN EVENTS EXPERIENCE

Creative Common e trumpeted its imminent arrival last issue now the doors are fully open at Creative Common, Bristol’s brand new creative and enterprise one down by Temple eads

Bristol Beer Factory and the Tobacco Factory host their annual beer festival Factoberfest from Fri 7 to Sun 9 Sep. This year’s fest will feature 40 craft beers from near and far alongside a selection of local premium ciders – plus some festival-only BBF creations. Held in the Tobacco Factory’s beer garden, the free event will also feature a live music stage, DJs, hot food and kids’ entertainment. Ale aficionados should also make time for the debut Autumn Beer Festival at The Dings’ fine neighbourhood boozer The Barley Mow (19-21 Oct, Fri 5-9pm/ Sat 3pm onwards/Sun 123pm), featuring live music, DJs, a Friday thali night and a Sunday roast.

MORE:

bristolbeerfactory. co.uk

HOW DO YOU FIT A THEATRE ON A SUBMARINE? Turn to p38 to find out

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PIC: BRUCED.SMUGMUG.COM

DRINK BEER FESTIVALS

ver the ne t three years, this patch of undeveloped ground near the station will become one of Bristol’s liveliest creative uarters. oint enterprise

by Bristol’s arts communities, Creative Common includes spaces for performance, eating and drinking and local businesses in the heart of the Temple Quarter Enterprise Z one.

A Community I nterest Company has been set up to manage the space over its planned lifespan, with pro ect partners and advisors including Bristol City Council and local co-operatives and arts providers rtspace ifespace, Coe ist and Circomedia. irst out of the bloc s is The Big Top, a covered performance space in the style of a large circus tent. The Top launched over the ueen’s iamond J ubilee weekend with four nights of circus/ cabaret performances by the nvisible Circus pictured , Bristol’s brilliant roving circus-theatre troupe and rtspace ifespace’s sister organisation. The nvisible Circus is bac in ct with T he H appiness Machine, which expl ores the black arts of PR and mar eting via the troupe’s trademar mi of circus, theatre and audience interaction. f you’ve ever attended one of the nvisibles’ thrilling, unpredictable and utterly immersive evenings of walkabout theatre, you’ll know what to expe ct: if you haven’t, you really should right that wrong. e t up, emerging circus outfit irates of the Carabina present their debut show F lown (1213 S ep), in which acrobats, aerialists, dancers, musicians and stuntmen will mix c omedy, circus

and chaos in an expl oration of the highs and lows of their art form. Flown was the headline circus show at last year’s lastonbury estival, playing to pac ed houses or tents every night and receiving some rave reviews. n-site caterers at rin CreativeCommon will also open this autumn, serving up all manner of locally-sourced food and drin from providers including J osh Eggleton (chef at the award- winning ony and Trap at Chew agna and at rin Bristol ashion, the team behind a much-praised food event in ueen S uare earlier this year. e t year, the plan is to import a series of disused shipping containers and vintage train carriages for use as restaurants, bars and office and studio spaces. ore events and performances are already being added to the autumn line-up chec Creative Common’s website for new additions as they appear. s More: creativecommonbristol.com

Astronomy is order of the day (or, rather, night) at At- Bristol this autumn. The science ex ploratory’s brilliant Planetarium will host an Aut um n N igh t S ky S h ow from 21 Sep- 13 Dec, leading audiences aged five and over through a tour of the heavens.

Better still, At- Bristol is also laying on two brilliant rban Starga ing events on on Sep . pm, adults and Sat ov - pm, suitable for ages seven and over . More: at-bristol.org.uk nine

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AUTUMN EVENTS CELEBRATE

Tobacco Factory autumn season The autumn seasons at both Southville’s Tobacco actory theatre (TF) and its thriving studio- siz ed sister The Brewery (B) are looking packed with intriguing, adventurous theatre Highlights include C asablanca: T he G in J oint C ut (17 - 22 Sep, TF), a lovingly disrespectful homage to one of the classic films of all time. multi- tasking cast will whisk audiences back to Morocco 19 4 1, a Naz i- infested hotbed of corruption teeming with refugees and the otsam and etsam of war-torn urope. Cut to ic ’s bar, where the é migré s gather, desperate to get hold of the all- elusive ex it visa – when who should walk in but the beautiful lsa, ic ’s long-lost love...

Continuing the theme of adapted classics, the brilliant touring troupe Gare St Laz are give us their take on Herman elville’s dar , intense and masterful whaling epic Moby D ick pictured from - Sep T . n S ’s production, Captain hab’s ruthless pursuit of the whale Moby Dick is presented as a solo performance

by Conor ovett who was astounding in their last production, a trio of Beckett one- man plays – with a

live accompaniment by renowned fiddler Caoimhin ’ aghallaigh. little later, The aper Cinema’s O d y ssey (1- 3 Nov, TF) uses illustration, animation, puppetry and live music to retell omer’s epic. e’ve seen The aper Cinema at wor during Bristol’s annual Mayfest and they are a splendid thing to behold. lsewhere, B unnies ov, B by eter’s Bi e Shed Theatre is a dark comedy about a Devon farmer hatching a plan to relieve the county of hordes of invasive animals. nd you should boo now for the annual visit of the brilliant pera ro ect, masters at intimate, accessible ‘chamber’ opera. Their version of E ugene O negin, Tchai ovs y’s tragic tale of love thwarted sung in English, with orchestral accompaniment – plays at the actory from ct. s

VISIT TEMPLE QUAY MARKET Temple Quay’s market takes place on the first Thursday of each month until Oct, featuring seasonal produce and a whole variety of lunch options. You’ll find some 20 stalls offering everything from Pieminister pies to gourmet Szechuan cooking, award-winning Bath Soft Cheese and Chef de Maison, purveyors of top-drawer Mediterranean munchies.

MORE: templequay-bristol.com

More: tobaccof actory theatre.com

SEE

n loan from the ational ortrait allery, this intriguing double- header exhi bition at Shed ct- an as s some chewy questions about identity, fame and anonymity, reality and fiction and how any of us might be remembered.

The I magined L ives half of the show features 14 portraits of people whose identities are uncertain. ating from the th and 17 th centuries, these paintings were once thought to depict famous sitters, including Queen Eliz abeth I , the would- be queen Lady rabella Stuart, and the poet and courtier Sir Thomas verbury. These identities, however, have long since been disputed, and the show introduces the debate about each sitter’s true identity alongside each portrait.

I nspired by these mystery portraits, renowned authors ohn Banville, Tracy ten

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Chevalier, ulian ellowes, le ander cCall Smith, Terry ratchett, Sarah Singleton, oanna Trollope and inette alters have imagined what the lives of these sitters might have been li e. Their fictional biographies and character s etches will be on display.

I n R eal L ives, contemporary photographic portraits of folk with a Bristol connection Ban sy, owling, ic ar , amien irst, Stephen Merchant (pictured) – are presented alongside insights by local writers into these people we thin we now. ntriguing stuff. Themed tal s, tours and special activities will accompany the e hibition. s

SEE BRISTOL: RETROFIT CITY This inspiring show takes up residence at the CREATE Centre this autumn (until 23 Nov). Celebrating Bristol’s legacy of creative re-use of buildings and places, Retrofit City shows a range of retrofit interventions and innovative visions for Bristol’s future, from homes and buildings to streets, public spaces and infrastructure.

MORE: createbristol.org

More: mshed .org

RETROFIT PIC: GCP CHARTERED ARCHITECTS

Real and Imagined Lives

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RETROFIT PIC: GCP CHARTERED ARCHITECTS

AUTUMN EVENTS SEE

Sight of Sound This fine-loo ing and sounding e hibition at Hotwell Road’s consistently adventurous View Gallery expl ores the complex i nterplay between sound and the visual arts SHOP MARKETS After a successful debut this spring, plans are afoot to make the Harbourside’s Suitcase Sale (pictured) a regular fixture, meaning you’ll be able to get your monthly fix of handmade and second-hand goods along the Narrow Quay cobbles. The already established Harbourside Market continues to flourish on the opposite (Watershed) quayside: recent arrivals at the weekend market include jewellery designer Elsie Belle, whose aficionados include Holly Willoughby and Mary Portas. Down in Southville, the Tobacco Factory’s monthly vintage and retro market Retroville is now a fixture on the first Sunday of the month (Dec excepted). Clothing, homewares, jewellery, furniture, records and books are the staples here.

I t does so by showing a broad church of work, both visual and sonic, by 11 artists, musicians and – that intriguing grey area between the two – sound artists.

Artists on show include Bristol’s K athy Hinde, whose Migration of B irds maps avian ight routes in song; and Will K endrick, a resident artist at Bedminster’s BV Studios who creates beautiful, sound- activated light installations. Travelling in the other direction from music to art, musician Faris Badwan exhi bits some of the sketches he creates while touring with his band The Horrors, while

Anne- Marie Wright uses famous song lyrics to create unusual portraits.

Elsewhere, Suz anne Partridge (P artridge , Sc apegoat pictured) exhi bits parts of her 20 A lbum C overs collection, in which early original paintings began life as giveaway record sleeves. There are also paintings and music by Bristol’s J immy Galvin, a long- standing innovator in both music and visual art – his bright abstracts owe something to Howard Hodgkin and Mark Rothko. s More: viewartgallery .co.uk

Celebrate the season in style as venerable Chinese restaurant C at h ay R endez v ous takes bookings for its famous Christmas party packages. Set meals start from £19 per person and the price includes crackers, poppers and karaoke and/ or disco.

EXPERIENCE

Victorian dining at Brunel’s ss Great Britain

MORE: bristolsuitcasesale.

tumblr.com / theharboursidemarket.tumblr. com / facebook.com/ tobaccofactorymarket

IMPRESS YOUR GUESTS WITH OUR SUSPENSION BRIDGE FACTS! turn to p26

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Brunel’s iconic boat has a fine new feature for this autumn: a soundscape replicating what life would have been like in its First Class Dining Saloon during one of its epic j ourneys to Australia some 16 0 years ago. Combining sounds with props, the scenes paint a sonic picture of life aboard the ship for passengers and crew on a 6 5- day voyage to the Antipodes.

The launch of the new display coincides with the 16 0th anniversary of the ss Great Britain’s first eventful voyage to ustralia and start of a golden age for the ss Great Britain – when the ship was

the fastest, safest and most lux urious way to travel.

The soundscape features idle gossip and plotting gamblers, grumbling stewards and musicians tuning their instruments.

All the scenes are inspired by true stories taken from passengers’ accounts – chie y the diary of one nnie Henning, a young Somerset girl visiting relatives in Australia – and show the frictions between social classes and how passengers spent their time on long voyages, from polite conversation to getting drunk

and breaking ship regulations. “ This is the Victorian equivalent of U pstairs, D ownstairs on the high seas,” observes Rhian Tritton, the ss Great Britain Trust’s Director of Conservation and Education. s More: ssgreatbritain.org eleven

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AUTUMN SUMMER EVENTS PLAY

Rogue Game at Spike Island or three wee s during September, it’ll be grunts of sporting effort rather than artistic endeavour coming out of Spi e sland. rom - Sep, the ever-adventurous arbourside art space is hosting R ogue G ame, an interactive sports mash-up devised by resident artists onathan osley and Sophie arren and their Tur ish collaborator Can ltay. osley and arren’s ingenious hybrid game brings together three different sports staged simultaneously on the same pitch Spi e sland’s main e hibition space, which will be dec ed out in football, bas etball and volleyball mar ings , each game played according to its own rules. layers must negotiate both their own game and the other two being played on the same pitch, moving between individual and collective tactics and adapting to everchanging rules. Sounds brilliant, in a mad sort of way and it is, arren e plains, an attempt to e plore how we might share our cities, using improvisation and ingenuity. our first chance to see R ogue G ame in action is on ri Sep at a special opening match - pm, match gets under way from pm . The following day from pm, arren and osley will give an informal overview of their game, its rules and strategies.

Scheduled matches between invited sports teams will then ta e place each Sat afternoon during the e hibition at other times visitors are invited to ta e

ENJOY CHAMPAGNE HENRIOT AT GLASSBOAT

part themselves on the court. n Sat Sep, Spi e will also throw open its doors as part of Bristol oors pen ay see also page , with hourly tours revealing the history of the building a former Broo e Bond tea-pac ing factory as well as pee ing inside wor ing artists’ studios. These tours, and the R ogue G ame events, are free, no need to boo . s More: spikeisland .org.uk

The 2 4 t h B ris t ol H alf M arat h on takes place on Sun Sep, and the final deadline for entries is on Sep. ntry is unless you belong to a running club , or for over- s. The race starts and finishes on the arbourside. More: runbristol.com

Henriot is the fabulous house champagne at the harbour’s beautiful floating restaurant Glassboat: normally £8 per 125ml glass or £47.50 a bottle, you can savour this delectable wine for just £5 a glass on weekdays at the boat from 5.30-6.30pm.

Bookings are now being taken for Glassboat’s Christmas menu, served from 3-22 Dec. From £25 (two courses), you can sample a mouthwatering range of treats, festive and otherwise, including roast hake with fennel and clams, turbot with Jerusalem artichokes and – can’t wait – slow-roast pork belly with cabbage, cream and walnuts.

MORE: glassboat.co.uk

STOCK UP

Mud Dock Deli ou’d be forgiven for having missed the arrival of ud oc eli. aunched without fuss bac in ugust, it ta es up residence in a beautiful th-century stone building on Cumberland oad. nside, find a cafe serving everything from pastries to pi as alongside a deli, in which you can stoc up on fresh fruit and veg, cheese, chutneys, loose tea, coffee beans and more.

HEARD ABOUT THE £8M PLANS FOR THE CENTRE? Turn to p4 to see an early sketch

More: mud- doc k.co.uk twelve

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AUTUMN EVENTS TASTE FILINI’S GRAND TOUR Filini Restaurant at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Broad Quay has embarked on a tour of Italian regional cuisines this year, with a special series of tasting menus from four of the country’s richest regional cuisines. After starting out in Sardinia in the spring, attention now turns to mid-Italy, with star turns including porchetta with rosemary and prosciutto di Parma.

Main courses include a tender pork loin wrapped in pancetta, and cappellacci or pumpkin ravioli. Coming up next will be menus from northern and southern Italy.

MORE: filinibristol.co.uk

SHOP CHRISTMAS MARKET Bristol’s brilliant German Christmas Market returns this year from 9 Nov, selling traditional crafts and gifts – many by local makers – alongside crepes, glühwein and all manner of festive Teutonic food and drink. As ever, the market’s 35 decorated wooden chalets will be sited around The Podium, Broadmead East and Merchant Street South.

MORE: visitbristol.co.uk/

events

BOOK NOW

New season at Colston Hall Comedy, a , brooding amenco, vintage synthpop… t here’s something to suit all tastes at Colston Hall this autumn season

Those in search of laughs should see out comics ar atson ct , Stewart rancis ov , surreal elsh curmudgeon hod ilbert ov and, especially, the brilliantly off-the-wall rish stand-up ason Byrne ct . pect, from the latter, some inspired, intelligent lunacy on themes ranging from childhood eccentricity to holiday disasters. ‘Standup so oyous the clinically depressed should get it on prescription,’ enthused one national reviewer. musical highlight is the visit of uotone Sep , whose heady mi ture of looping guitars, cellos, percussion and voices results in some uni ue, ethereal soundscapes.

Barney orse-Brown and ames arrett have won a devoted following not least for their incredible live shows, which move breathlessly from delicate, heartfelt intimacy to powerful thrash cello and driving beats. e can hear Simon and arfun el, ed ouse ainters, enguin Caf rchestra and much more in there. Chec out their sound at duotonemusic.com and be initiated

n ct reggae royalty including the a amaica ll Stars and swad’s Brinsley orde will reinterpret Bob arley’s seminal, game-changing album C atch a F ire. lso, chec out aco e a’s Q uimeras ct, pictured , a pulse-racing story of migration and the lure of a better life, staged to a bac drop of traditional Spanish and frican music and movement. lamenco ing duardo iebla ov and ora master Sec ou eita ct both loo in, as does the brilliantly eclectic -piece Bellowhead ov , whose live shows are the stuff of legend. e can’t leave without mentioning the visit of ’ s synthpop legends The uman eague, who celebrate years of intelligent electropop and a renewed in uence on today’s electro adventurers such as ittle Boots and ady aga with a national arena tour, pitching up at the s all on ov. Together in electric dreams More: colstonhall.org

SEE

Lime Tree Gallery typically fine-loo ing autumn at this lovely waterside gallery includes the e hibition A ll A bout L ight Sepct , in which two very different artists show us how they tac le light in landscape and portraiture. Ceri uc land avies uses egg tempera to capture the particular light of his native ales, while Scottish artist arion rummond uses oil paints to create her beautiful, post- mpressionistic portraits and scenes K irsty , pictured .

More: limetreegallery .com

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28/08/2012 16:46

AUTUMN EVENTS LOOK AHEAD

Arnolfini t rnolfini this autumn you can e pect a genrebusting range of events across the art, film and performance spectrums with e ploration and adventurousness the watchword throughout. e’re e cited about a solo e hibition for erman conceptual artist atti Braun ct- an , whose wor s e plore how cultural forms and crafts pass across different societies. The central wor in the e hibition is an installation inspired

by T he A lien pictured , an unrealised film by Bengali filmma er Satya it ay. hile ay’s film was eventually abandoned after negotiations with ollywood producers, rumours say that the script later became the basis for Spielberg’s classic E T so Braun has recreated the opening scene of ay’s ic as a spatial environment a dar and shimmering la e in the e hibition space, which can be crossed via logs cut from a local tree. rnolfini is also hosting Bristol oetry estival Sep- ct , whose leading lights include the nature-inspired poet and novelist hilip ross, asta performance poet Ben amin ephaniah, surreal lan artridge side ic Tim ey, and a Bristol

RELAX LIDO

versus ublin poetry slam. nd you’ll also find the animation wing of the brilliant ncounters estival see also page , including an ‘in conversation’ with ardman’s founders and yes a selection of stereoscopic discoveries from s ussia. To top it all, intellectual heavyweight ill Self visits on ct as part of the ourishing estival of deas. s More: arnolfini.org.uk

Fes t ival of I deas highlights this autumn include a tal by the brilliant merican novelist R ic h ard Ford oyles boo shop, Cabot Circus, ct and a visit from ’s science presenter Ji m Al- K h alili, who’ll discuss The ine reatest nigmas in hysics at the Brunel nstitute on Sep. More: ideasfestival.co.uk COOK

Glassboat’s pastilla of wood pigeon I ngredient s : wood pigeon medium onion tsp grated fresh ginger cinnamon stic tsp ground nutmeg ml good chic en stoc tsp honey tbsp raisins tsp ground almonds ilo pastry a ed almonds salad ingredients, including bitter cress

mi , adding your ginger, cinnamon, ground nutmeg and chic en stoc .

Braise very gently for minutes. emove the braised meat and cool. educe the coo ing li uor until it becomes syrupy, then add the honey, raisins, ground almonds and braised meat to this mi ture. Butter and layer four sheets of filo pastry. ut a disc of your mi ture in the centre M et h od: emove the crown breast of each sheet and fold the edges in to and breastbone from two wood contain the filling. Sear the crown of pigeon so that you’re left with the pigeon in a pan, s in side down, and legs and wings of the bird , and set aside for later. ice one medium onion roast in a hot oven for - minutes. an fry the pastries or pastillas in and gently fry until softened. Sear the a little oil until the pastry crisps and legs and wings and add to the onion fourteen

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turns golden. Turn over and repeat. emove the crown and rest on the bone. ust the pastilla with icing sugar and cinnamon. emove the breasts from the crown and serve alongside a bitter cress salad with toasted a ed almonds. s

Clifton’s lovely Lido restaurant, spa and pool has introduced its new Sunday breakfast, served from 9am-3pm in the bar, restaurant or on their covered terrace overlooking the pool. The fine-looking, Spanish-derived brekkie features morcilla and chorizo, poached egg, potato and onion – plus a specialist coffee or tea. In other Lido news, Tuesdays are now ‘bring your own’ nights: take along your own tipple with lunch or dinner, no corkage charge applies.

MORE: lidobristol.com

LAUGH WHAT THE FROCK! This fine new all-female comedy night is now onto its third instalment.

WTF3, at Bristol University’s Winston Theatre on Tue 11 Sep, features a headline slot from the very fine Danielle Ward (pictured), a brilliant deadpan comic with a fine line in blackly humorous observations.

Organiser Jane Mornement created the night in response to the scarcity of women comedians at Bristol venues, and both previous gigs have sold out. Get your tickets fast.

MORE: whatthefrock.

eventbrite.com

More: glassboat.co.uk Shipshape

28/08/2012 16:48

Bristol’s forgotten industry While the history of slave- based sugar production in the West I ndies is well documented, the other side of the industry is all but forgotten. E ugene B y rne tells us about Bristol’s golden age of sugar refining

Workers shovel sugar in Conrad Finzel’s refinery on Counterslip. Finzel famously took care of his staff with pay and conditions vastly superior to that of other local firms. sixteen

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I f you found yourself transported back to medieval or Tudor Bristol you’d encounter a whole catalogue of horror, discomfort and random disaster. The lack of sugar might not feel too bad compared to public ex ecutions, epidemic disease and open sewers, but it would get to most modern people after a while.

A world without sugar is hard to imagine. To live as sugar- free as your medieval forebears you’d have to give up sweets, cakes and soft drinks, stop stirring it into your tea and do without most processed foods. I f you crave sweetness you’re only allowed honey, seasonal fruit (from the local area only), or the most e pensive dried fruit you can find. any a

Bristol merchant got rich selling imported raisins and currants in midwinter.

THE SWEET SALT

Sugar had been known about since ancient times in sia, orth frica and the iddle ast, but the small uantities reaching urope were hugely ex pensive. The ‘sweet salt’, they called it.

By the 1500s, the Spanish and Portuguese had managed to produce it in commercial quantities on the Canary I slands and the Az ores. I t was a labour intensive business; it was the Spanish and ortuguese who first used slaves to produce sugar.

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feature

Bristol merchants were importing it by the time of Eliz abeth I (if not sooner). For exa mple, Robert Aldworth (died 1634; we’re not sure exa ctly when he was born) was probably the richest Bristolian of his day thanks to the sugar trade. Aldworth built a handsome and ornate house on the Bristol waterfront. I t was destroyed in the Blitz in 1940, but was close to the ruined St Peter’s Church in Castle Park.

Aldworth’s house would become a local landmark. As St Peter’s Hospital, the same building would later become the first wor house in ngland.

I n 1612, r ight next to his house, Aldworth also started a whole new industry in the city. I t would become a maj or local employer through to late Victorian times, but it’s almost forgotten nowadays sugar refining.

Aldworth’s was the only such business in Bristol until the 1650s , when new and cheaper sources of sugar opened up in British colonies in the West I ndies. From then until the early 19t h century, a huge amount of Bristol’s trade would be with the West I ndies, particularly the islands of St K itts, Montserrat, Nevis, Antigua, Barbados and, after its capture from the Spanish in 1655, J amaica.

By the early s, the huge profits from sugar were driving the notorious ‘triangular trade’ in slaves from Africa to work the West I ndies plantations, many of which were owned

by Bristol families.

Sugar cane was cut during the West I ndies’ dry months early on in the year. I t was then crushed in mills powered by water wheels or oxe n, and the j uice was boiled. This had to be done quickly or it would start to ferment, producing molasses, which will not crystallise. The crystallising sugar, known as muscovado, panela or rapadura, was then sealed in barrels for shipping.

I t could be consumed in this state, but people preferred it to be refined pure white sugar is sweeter.

ARMED GUARDS

By the mid- 1700s there were around 20 refineries in Bristol. ne of the earliest after Aldworth’s was at Lewins Mead; the building is still there and is nowadays a Hotel du Vin. I t was plainly a very successful business: a London paper reported in 1755 t hat it was guarded by men with cutlasses to prevent thefts of sugar.

The most important part of the refining process involved boiling the muscovado with various additives to make impurities rise to the top where they could be skimmed off. The resulting hot sugar syrup was then poured into moulds and left to drain and crystallise. The moulds were cone-shaped, and the purified eighteen

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sugar solidified into what were nown as ‘loaves’. When Aldworth died, sugarloaves were carved on his tomb in St Peter’s Church. The trade is also commemorated in the name of the Three Sugar Loaves pub, close to the Lewins Mead house.

From being a luxur y for only the very rich, sugar became a staple part of everyone’s diet, used for baking, sweetening tea, and even sweetening wine. Britons consumed five times as much sugar in 1770 a s they had in 1710.

Bristol’s slave trade declined from the mid- 18th century for several reasons, including growing public revulsion at the slave system. Even some working in Bristol’s sugar industry lobbied against slavery, including Samuel Blackwell, who ran a refinery on Counterslip. is daughter Eliz abeth, who would become the world’s first ualified woman doctor, would later campaign against slavery in the U nited States.

The slave trade was abolished in 1807 , and slavery itself was outlawed in 183 3 . I n practice, the living conditions of former slaves, who now had to be paid to work the plantations, took a long time to improve. Most raw sugar still came from the West I ndies, and it was after Abolition that Bristol’s sugar refining industry entered a golden age thanks to a remarkable asylum- seeker named Conrad Finz el.

“THE GOOD CONRAD FINZEL”

Born near ran furt in , in el ed Germany as a teenager to avoid being conscripted into Napoleon’s armies. He got a ob at a refinery in ondon and was so highly thought of that he was invited to manage one in Bristol before setting up his own business on Counterslip.

Finz el patented a number of new processes and his business prospered. I t eventually occupied most of the site, which has recently been re- developed as Finz els each. hen his refinery burned down in fire was a ma or ha ard for all sugar houses) Finz el hired Bristol’s leading architects, Foster and Wood, to build a huge new state-of-the-art refinery. t covered three acres and its three massive chimneys were visible for miles. Steam engines generated 800 horsepower, consuming 500 tonnes of coal every week. Coal, raw sugar and other materials were all delivered on lighters and Shipshape

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Clockwise from left: Finzel’s stateof-the-art refinery; Conrad Finzel with his family; the Counterslip refinery has now been converted into a high-spec apartment, retail and office complex, known as Finzels Reach; Bristol’s Hotel du Vin – a former sugar refinery

BITTER SWEET A brief history of sugar refining in Bristol 1612

Robert Aldworth builds Bristol’s first sugar refinery, next door to his house near St Peter’s Church on Castle Park 1650s

New and cheaper sources of sugar open up in British Colonies in the West Indies early 1700s

Huge profits from sugar drive the notorious ‘triangular trade’ of slaves mid 1700s

Around 20 working sugar refineries in Bristol 1793

Conrad Finzel is born near Frankfurt, Germany 1807

barges. The factory had its own engineers and brass foundry and would eventually employ 7 00 people feeding 1,200 tonnes of high- uality, fine white sugar each wee to an insatiable mar et. in el famously too care of his staff.

Pay and conditions were much better than in almost every other local firm. e even paid pensions to some retired wor ers, which was almost unheard of at the time. e had always been a devout Christian, and he had found a indred spirit in fellow German George Mü ller (1805–189 8). Finz el gave large amounts of money to Mü ller to help him run his immense orphanage on shley own. e told a friend that he regarded the fire as a warning from God, and so he resolved to give a third of his profits to good causes. e also got oster and ood to build him a grand home in Clevedon, which he called ran furt all, in honour of his birthplace.

I t had a library, an organ and ex tensive grounds overloo ing the Bristol Channel. e moved his family here in .

I n 1859 , Finz el travelled to Germany for the first time since his youth but died on his return. is son, Conrad in el , carried on his father’s wor . Conrad played an active role in the community, giving large amounts to charity, and financing the building of the Colston all with three other local businessmen.

CHEAP FOREIGN IMPORTS

By the s, cane sugar was being augmented by beet sugar from Britain and Europe, but the French government was heavily subsidising its own sugar ex porters.

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Finz el could not hope to compete with cheap foreign imports.

The firm went into li uidation. ran furt all was sold at a third of its value to Bristol shipbuilder Charles ill, who renamed it Clevedon all.

Finz el’s generosity and public spirit – and doubtless the memory of his father – stood him in good stead. A collection among prominent Bristol business people, without any publicity, raised enough to secure him a comfortable income of £500 a year for the rest of his life. The wor ers who were laid off were not so luc y. The everend r oudney, who ran a soup itchen for the poor in Bedminster wrote y heart has bled again and again while I have observed the eagerness and the gratitude with which these poor men have resorted to the above institution in order to avail themselves of a simple slice of bread and a basin of soup, or to ta e a ug of the same home to their all but starving families.”

Temporary relief came for some wor ers when a consortium of businessmen reopened the refinery in , but it lost money and closed for good in 1881.

Bristol’s part in the transatlantic slave trade was shameful, but its history of refining, particularly after bolition and during the heyday of the in el refinery, was of great benefit to the city and to ordinary people. hen Conrad in el died, a local newspaper said The good Conrad in el, as he was nown, used his vast wealth to ma e others happy ... and in passing from amongst us he is greeted by the united voice of the people of the city he loved with a grateful

Slave trade is abolished and eventually outlawed in 1833 1846

Finzel’s sugar refinery on Counterslip burns down. He hires local architects Foster and Wood to build a new state-of-the-art refinery. The new factory employed 700 people 1859

Conrad Finzel dies 1870s

Cheap foreign imports of sugar cause Finzel’s firm, now being run by his son, to go into liquidation

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harbourside map

Map & ferry timetable* Make your way around the harbour with B ristol F erry B oat C o. Ferries run daily throughout September – from O ctober, visit bristolferry.com for an updated timetable Hotwells route This service runs daily throughout September – from October, visit bristolferry.com City centre

10.30

11.10

11.50

12.30

13.10

13.50

14.30

15.10

15.50

16.30

17.10

Millennium Sq./Arnolfini

10.35

11.15

11.55

12.35

13.15

13.55

14.35

15.15

15.55

16.35

17.15

ss Great Britain/New Marina 10.40

11.20

12.00

12.40

13.20

14.00

14.40

15.20

16.00

16.40

17.20

Pump House

11.30

12.10

12.50

13.30

14.10

14.50

15.30

16.10

16.50

17.30

10.50

Nova Scotia

10.50

11.30

12.10

12.50

13.30

14.10

14.50

15.30

16.10

16.50

17.30

Cottage

10.50

11.30

12.10

12.50

13.30

14.10

14.50

15.30

16.10

16.50

17.30

Mardyke

10.55

11.35

12.15

12.55

13.35

14.15

14.55

15.35

16.15

16.55

17.35

Marina

10.55

11.35

12.15

12.55

13.35

14.15

14.55

15.35

16.15

16.55

17.35

ss Great Britain

11.00

11.40

12.20

13.00

13.40

14.20

15.00

15.40

16.20

17.00

17.40

City centre

11.10

11.50

12.30

13.10

13.50

14.30

15.10

15.50

16.30

17.10

–

Temple Meads route This service runs daily throughout September – from October, visit bristolferry.com Temple Meads

10.10

11.10

12.10

13.10

14.10

15.10

16.10

Castle Park

10.15

11.15

12.15

13.15

14.15

15.15

16.15

Welsh & Redcliffe Back

10.18

11.18

12.18

13.18

14.18

15.18

16.18

Bathurst Basin

10.23

11.23

12.23

13.23

14.23

15.23

16.23

Millennium Sq./Arnolfini

10.25

11.25

12.25

13.25

14.25

15.25

16.25

City Centre

10.30

11.30

12.30

13.30

14.30

15.30

16.30

Millennium Sq./Arnolfini

10.35

11.35

12.35

13.35

14.35

15.35

16.35

ss Great Britain/New Marina 10.40

11.40

12.40

13.40

14.40

15.40

16.40

Millennium Sq./Arnolfini

10.48

11.48

12.48

13.48

14.48

15.48

16.48

Bathurst Basin

10.50

11.50

12.50

13.50

14.50

15.50

16.50

Welsh & Redcliffe Back

10.57

11.57

12.57

13.57

14.57

15.57

16.57

Castle Park

11.00

12.00

13.00

14.00

15.00

16.00

17.00

Temple Meads

11.10

12.10

13.10

14.10

15.10

16.10

17.10

Please note this is a timetable for Sep only. For information on the Oct timetable and more, visit bristolferry.com

Grain Barge – great views

Pump House (for Suspension Bridge)

Nova Scotia (for Create Centre, and Tobacco Factory)

No.1 Harbourside – ethical

Watershed – multimedia arts

Za Za Bazaar – global food

Brunel’s ss Great Britain (for Spike Island)

Mardyke

CROSS HARBOUR FERRY

Marina

New Marina Bristol Aquarium – huge fun

Bristol Packet HQ

The Cottage Brunel’s ss Great Britain At-Bristol – interactive science

Spike Island – creative hub twenty

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Mille (for Brist

Turn to the Shipshape directory on page 32 for opening times, offers and more on all of the destinations highlighted on this map

harbourside map

CYCLE THE CITY Foyles – fantastic bookshop

Colston Hall – landmark Glassboat – fantastic views

Castle Park (for Cabot Circus, Broadmead)

Cycle the City is an exciting new bike hire initiative located at Bristol’s No. 1 Harbourside.

Launched in July, harbour visitors can hire a beautiful heritage bike for just £16 per day or you can pay for your trusty steed by the hour: £6 for the first hour and £2 for every hour after that.

All bikes come complete with a lock, a helmet and a puncture repair kit. Card details will be held while the bike is in your possession.

MORE:

Cycle the City at No. 1 Harbourside, 1 Canons Road, BS1 5UH

Cathay Rendezvous

City Centre (for Colston Hall, Wongs, Cathedral, Park St and main bus routes)

Spyglass – barbecue boat

Temple Bridge Welsh Back (for Old Vic)

Temple Quay (for Temple Meads train station)

Redcliff Backs

dia arts

fun

The Apple

Tourist Information Centre

Namaskar – modern Indian

Shakespeare Tavern – cosy

Bordeaux Quay

Architecture Centre Severnshed

Millennium Square (for At-Bristol and Bristol Aquarium)

Thekla riverstation Myristica – fine Indian dining

Bathurst Basin The Ostrich

Mud Dock – bites and bikes

nce

CITY SIGHTSEEING Fancy seeing our fair city from the vantage point of an open-top bus? City Sightseeing Bristol runs tours of the city’s most historic districts in its distinctive red double-decker buses, with a team of friendly and expert commentators to give you the lowdown on Bristol’s eventful past. Tours run daily until September. They last 75 minutes, but you can hop on and off as you please. Harbourside stops include Create, Baltic Wharf, Brunel’s ss Great Britain, At-Bristol, Prince Street, Bristol Bridge, Welsh Back and Arnolfini. CSB is now running ace-sounding pirate and storytelling bus trips for families. With a bus/boat combo two-day ticket, one child travels free with a fare-paying adult.

MORE:

M Shed – must-visit museum

citysightseeingbristol.co.uk

Arnolfini – arts centre Shipshape

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Life p

feature

z z z z z z z z ”

This summer The Matthew j oined over 1,000 vessels in the amaz ing Thames Diamond J ubilee Pageant. Skipper R ob Sal vidge gives Shi pshape a peek into his personal diary as he prepares for the big day

MAIN IMAGE: © JON CRAIG (07778 606070)

WEDNESDAY 14 MARCH

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Nice sunny weather. Hope it stays this way.

Crew working in shorts and T- shirts up on the slipway at Tom’s Y ard on the Fowey River. At the moment there’s a long, thin hole in the side where we found some rot in a plank: this is normal and ex pected during the annual out- ofwater inspection. I t’s good to have the time to do a proper j ob and carefully nail and caulk two fine pieces of larch bac in the ship’s side. The Queen certainly won’t notice, but we’ll know that the ship is good and sound when she’s up there on the Thames.

APRIL

Pretty tricky month, really – wet, cold and windy a lot of the time. Managed some nice day sails out of Falmouth but had to cancel a visit to spectacular St Michael’s Mount j ust round the

Liz ard. Everyone there is getting blown to bits by the south- easterly gales that are lashing in.

SATURDAY 19 MAY

O lympic torch day in Falmouth – it seems the J ubilee and O lympics have got a bit muddled up so for us the O lympic torch is the start of our j ourney proper from the West Country to the J ubilee.

After some pretty tricky weather, the sun is shining over West Cornwall. O lympic gold medalwinning sailor Ben Ainslie, who’s been competing in almouth this wee , was the first torch carrier a few hours ago down at Land’s End. We’re now sailing around Falmouth Bay with one of the local torchbearers, Claire Spargo- Williams, and her entourage, waving the torch furiously at loads of passing yachts all sharing the atmosphere.

Continued on page 25...

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fe’s rich pageant feature

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feature

Clockwise from this pic: the crew sails past Dover and on to Ramsgate; Olympic torchbearer Claire Spargo-Williams joins the crew; the Royal barge; the Matthew during its out-of-water inspection; Captain Rob Salvidge enjoys the Jubilee celebrations

FRIDAY 25 – SUNDAY 27 MAY

Plymouth Pirate Weekend. Plymouth is a great seaport and a fabulous place for the Matthew to visit. We can sail right along the seafront and draw admiring glances from tourists and locals promenading on the famous Hoe. We sailed into the sound right on cue to appear on the BBC local evening news weather slot – they promised some fine sunny weather coming up. Great news for this weekend’s gathering of all people great and small dressed as pirates, and hopefully for our onward passage up the English Channel toward the Thames Estuary.

WEDNESDAY 30 MAY

Nearly in Ramsgate. Dawn breaking over the Grey Cliffs of Dover and some ominous weather forecasts for the following week, which isn’t so good. But it’s great to be here cruising up past Dover and Deal.

We’ve also passed the ancient cinque port of Rye. O ver in the distance to port is the mysterious entrance to the River Stour and the medieval town of Sandwich, which is our calling point straight after the J ubilee. Henry VI I I set up lots of these old harbours along the eastern English Channel and ships like ours would have been commonplace here centuries ago.

ALL IMAGES ON THIS PAGE: © JON CRAIG (07778 606070)

SUNDAY 3 JUNE

So, the great day has arrived and with it even more foreboding clouds building up over north London and heading this way. O ur candy- stripe canopy is up, the catering crew is sweating over a hot stove down below and I ’ve a few moments to re ect on our ourney up the mighty iver Thames. I t was strangely bleak and bereft of modern shipping but gradually we were oined by other sailing vessels heading for the J ubilee celebrations. We passed under the tremendous new alpine- style cable car linking north and south London and moored in the so- called ‘parade of sail’ ust downstream of Tower Bridge.

There’s the K athleen and May, the French square- rigger Belem, so many gorgeous Thames barges, lovely old steamboats and Dunkirk veterans. Looking forward to the main event.

SUNDAY EVENING

Well, the rain lashed down, the wind howled, but the huge crowds on ships like ours and lining the banks got a fantastic view of one of the greatest parades of boats ever. All the sections, rowing boats, steamboats, rescue boats and so on, were punctuated by music barges with full orchestras and choirs – and the whole lot preceded

by the most e traordinary oating belfry pushed by a tug. O h yes, and we saw the Queen and the rest of the royal family! They, too, got wet and windswept so it was all very democratic.

What struck me was how British and bonkers it was, and what endeavour and resilience was shown by all the boat crews. Everyone was ext remely proud and happy to be here – we’d travelled some 700 miles through thick and thin to make it and it was ust a pure spectacle of colour and life. The British love the sea. Even the most rural village has been shaped by the trade that Britain’s island history created over the centuries. Bristol – the Matthew – was only here because of the sea and the long arm of the Bristol Channel reaching out west to fascinating lands beyond.

JULY

The Matthew back in Bristol... phew, the sun is shining at last after a tempestuous six weeks or so. Plenty of sheltering in boltholes on our ourney bac down the nglish Channel and round Land’s End into home waters. So many memories, some great media coverage and nice comments from people who were with us on the Thames or who saw the pictures in newspapers and magaz ines.

We even made H ello! magaz ine and the pages of S hipshape! s T he Matthew is now in B ristol f or the autumn and av ailable f or harbour cruises, R iver A von trips and B ristol C hannel sailings. C heck matthew.co.uk f or schedul es and details of our fa ous fis and c i evenings on board.

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Sus o

feature

mpress your guests, astound your other half and astonish your offspring with these fascinating facts about Clifton Suspension Bridge. By E ugene B y rne 1. It was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but never finished in

his lifetime. t loo s nothing li e Brunel’s original design, which was to be decorated with an gyptian theme, including sphin es at either end. That was the first thing to go when the costs started mounting.

PIC CREDITS: SUSPENSION BRIDGE: DESTINATION BRISTOL; IMAGE OF ZANETTOS: ©2009 JANE KOSZUTA – THEROYALZANETTOS.COM; IMAGE OF LEIGH ABUTMENT: FALCON STRUCTURAL REPAIRS LIMITED

2. A group of young local architects,

artists and engineers mounted two e hibitions of visionary ideas for Bristol. These included a life-si ed statue of Brunel at the entrance barrier who would raise his stovepipe hat as he let you through. Someone else suggested hanging a giant curtain from the bridge painted to ma e the von loo li e the ile. am not ma ing this up.

3. Building work began in the 1830s

but ept being abandoned for lac of money. or years, the bare towers were a popular picnic-spot. Brunel had put a thic iron bar across the orge from which was slung a bas et in which people and things travelled across. t was a popular local white- nuc le ride.

and as she recovered, the story spread and she received several offers of marriage.

She and her father were also approached by showmen who wanted to e hibit her at fairs and frea shows. She lived to be very old.

8. In 1896, Charles Brown,

a ban rupt businessman from the idlands, travelled to Bristol and threw his two young daughters, uby and lsie, off the bridge to spare them the indignity of the wor house. The river was at high tide, and the pilot boat from ill happened to be passing. The girls were saved, and their father ended up in the asylum.

Clifton Suspension Bridge never fails to impress (main pic); the vast interior of the Leigh Abutment (right) – see no. 4; George, Pip and Frank Bale – aka the Royal Zanettos (left) – see no. 12

4. The Leigh Abutment,

the big bric pier supporting the tower on the eigh oods side, wasn’t necessary. The bridge trustees insisted Brunel include it as they feared the bridge might fall down otherwise. ts interior is vast, li e a cathedral, say those luc y people who got to loo inside.

5. They tested it before opening by putting tonnes

of roc s on it.

6. It was completed in 1864.

n opening day, , people turned up. ary riffiths, , of anham, was the first member of the public to cross it she ran all the way as she was determined to beat everyone else.

7. A Victorian woman jumped off the bridge but survived because her big

s irts acted as a sort of parachute. alling into soft mud helped a lot as well. er name was Sarah nn enley twenty-six

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9. In the second world war,

an merican woman named nn ood- elly, serving in the ir Transport u iliary, ew a Spitfire under it.

10. However, flying fast jet aircraft under it is suicidal.

The pilot of a de avilland ampire attempted the stunt in and crashed into the side of the orge.

11. The first ever proper bungee jump was done by the ford niversity

angerous Sports Club off the bridge on pril ool’s ay .

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uspension of disbelief

12. In 1896 a music hall juggler named Zanetto (real name George Bale) stood

beneath the Bridge with a fork in his mouth while an assistant up above dropped turnips on him. e failed to catch the first four because the wind carried them off- course, but succeeded on the fifth attempt, to the great approval of the 5,000- strong crowd. The stunt raised a tidy sum for the Children’s Hospital.

13. Bungee jumping off the bridge isn’t big and it isn’t clever. Especially in the

case of the ‘ex treme sports enthusiast’ who umped off in , setting fire to himself as he did so. The idea was to cut the bungee and fall into the water to douse the ames and

emerge from the Avon to the applause of his mates. The knife broke, and he couldn’t cut himself free. Lucky for him that the worldleading burns unit at Frenchay was nearby.

14. The bridge appears in the last scene of the last episode of C asualty to

be made in Bristol in 2011.

W ith thanks to B arton H ill H istory G roup ( bhhg.co.uk) , J ane K osz uta ( theroy alz anettos.com) , F alcon St ructural R epairs L imited ( f alconstructural.co.uk) and t he B ritish A ir T ransport A ux iliary ( airtransportaux .com) who provide d Shi pshape with images.

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feature

RED DEER

O n a crisp, cool morning you may hear the distant bellowing ‘roars’ of a male red deer displaying at Ashton Court.

The deep, guttural sound is part of the animal’s way of telling other male deer how strong and dominant he is, and to advertise his prowess to a harem of females. A stone’s throw from the Cumberland Basin, the red deer herd can be visited close to the mansion house at Ashton Court.

Beauty & the beasts Autumn around the Harbourside is full of spectacle and colour in the natural world, says local expe rt E d D rewitt. Here’s what you should be looking out for

BUTTERFLIES

This spring and summer may not have been great weather for butter ies, but common species such as peacock, large white and, a migrant from southern Europe, the red admiral will be out and about on warm, sunny days.

As the days shorten they will be seeking out rich, sugary foods and often gather on rotting, fermenting apples or late owering buddleia butter y bush . s temperatures drop butter ies will see out a winter refuge in nearby garden sheds and boat homes.

AUTUMN COLOURS

Shortening days and lower temperatures trigger trees to drop their leaves and bed down for the winter. As the leaves die the green pigments break down to reveal an array of yellow, red, orange and brown hues. The Avon Gorge is transformed into a stunning, multi- coloured picture postcard while London plane trees along Hotwell Road and acer trees between the Cottage Pub and Bristol Marina make for a beautiful stroll on a bright autumn day.

food from people’s hands or running up people’s legs! While not wanting to encourage this, it is a good way to get close to our furry friends for some cute autumn photographs.

JAYS

Bristol has one of the largest city populations of a beautiful and colourful type of crow known as the ay. in ish-brown with ashes of sky blue in their black and white wings, j ays suddenly appear in the autumn as they collect nuts and seeds from trees. They take them off to bury and find again in midwinter to eat. Look out for j ays ying in a line across the arbourside and Avon Gorge. They are following

STARLINGS

GREY SQUIRREL

Autumn is the time for grey squirrels to store away food and prepare for the winter. Y ou may see squirrels in Queen Square and Brandon Hill looking rather plump – they are deliberately laying down fat to keep themselves warm on cold days. They are very tame in local parks, often taking Shipshape

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each other with their broad, round wings which, when ying, give the impression they are swimming through the sky.

Clockwise from this pic: red deer at Ashton Court; a male starling sings; the starlings’ airborne display; the Avon Gorge

n the autumn, millions of starlings y from Russia and eastern Europe to spend the winter in the West Country. Alongside local Bristol starlings, evening is a good time to watch for their ight displays. They form spectacular swirling shapes before disappearing into a roost. Small numbers can be seen during the day around Castle Park, Bristol Z oo, Sea Mills and Shirehampton, while hundreds come in at dusk at Avonmouth Docks. During O ctober and November you may suddenly spot large mobile groups feeding on grassland such as Clifton Down – these are migrants on their way to the Somerset Levels to winter. s twenty-nine

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feature

Child’s play Spooky tours, Sunday lunches, theatre visits and arty afternoons: some top suggestions for child- friendly days out

1. SPYGLASS SUNDAYS

Sunday is fun day down at Spyglass. The oating restaurant’s irates’ Club menu includes a choice of main course, a scoop of homemade ice cream and a drin for only . . hat’s more, on selected Sundays you’ll find a children’s entertainer on board from . - pm, complete with balloons, music, face painting, tattoos, a treasure chest fancy-dress bo and more. e t irate Sundays ta e place on and Sep. More: spy glassbristol.co.uk 2. SHIVER ME TIMBERS

Spoo y times on board Brunel’s ss reat Britain this alloween. Step aboard and you’ll find some special haunted tours of the beautiful old boat, with costumed actors, storytelling and wraiths lurking around every corner. More: ssgreatbritain.org

4. TALK THE PLANK

ed Sep, as we’re sure you won’t need reminding, is I nternational Talk Like A irate ay. To celebrate this momentous event, Bristol’s City Sightseeing open-top bus tours are laying on a dedicated trip.

Bristol children’s entertainer and storyteller Captain Barnacle will lead a swashbuc ling tour around the centre and docks, complete with comedy tales of pirates past and present including the epic tale of Barnacle himself.

The two-hour trip leaves Colston Street at . pm and costs . adults or . for unior shipmates. irate clobber recommended.

More: city sightseeingbristol.co.uk 5. FROG MARCH

3. TODDLE ON DOWN

This autumn t-Bristol has in ed in a couple more of its brilliant Toddler Ta eovers, when under-fives get the run of the place. ri Sep’s S plish, S plash, S plosh T akeover will feature watery activities, while visitors to the C olour S pectacular on ri ov can get creative with bright colours, light and mirrors. lder ids should check out G ore B limey ! D issection L ab ct- ov , where they’ll be able to try their hand at dissection, ma e their own fa e blood specimens and use bodypaints to visualise veins, muscles and bones. More: at-bristol.org.uk

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Bristol uarium has welcomed some new arrivals this summer: a collection of some of the smallest and deadliest frogs on the planet. oison dart, tree and banded rubber frogs are among the deadly amphibians on view in the a uarium’s ma on one.

More: bristolaq uarium.co.uk 6. THE BIG DRAW

eighbours rnolfini and the rchitecture Centre are ointly celebrating this fine annual celebration of illustration in all its forms. n Sat ct from - pm, the two art spaces will stage a free, all- ages day of drawing activities that invite you to consider this most curved-ball of uestions

what would you look like as a building S etch your architectural self-portrait, before adding it to a uni ue cityscape of faces. More: thebigd raw.org.uk 7. WHALE OF A TIME

firm favourite on the ids’ des here at Shi pshape, ulia onaldson and el Schef er’s tale about a wander-lusting snail and a very accommodating whale has been adapted for the stage by Tall Stories, who frame the story within a larger narrative about a girl who makes up stories in her room with her dad. Tall Stories’ poetic, lyrical, richly imaginative take on this lovely tale has been much praised and it pitches up at the Tobacco actory on ov.

More: tobaccof actory theatre.com 8. ANIMAL INSTINCTS

ffbeat Bristol electro-popper id Carpet brought his family songs-and-comedy show K id C arpet and the N oisy A nimals to Southville’s Brewery theatre bac in eb, and a very fine thing it was too. Songs li e A B ear on a B oat in the B ath and the deathless D oing a P oo in the F orest have been doing the rounds at the ids’ office ever since. nd the good news is that Carpet and his various muso-bestial creations are returning to the theatre from - ov. ollow gorilla, bear, hedgehog and badger as they ma e friends, cause mischief, contemplate the world and finally roc out at the grand dance contest. brilliant mi of live music, theatre, comedy and animation.

More: tobaccof actory theatre.com s Shipshape

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ay Clockwise from this pic: underwater wonder at Bristol Aquarium; tasty burgers at Spyglass; toddlers take over at the inimitable At-Bristol

Foyles recommends Laura and Ellie from the estimable Foyles bookstore in Cabot Circus pick their top children’s reads BEST FOR THOSE IN SEARCH OF A MAGICAL FAIRYTALE

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

by Catherynne M. Valente, £9.99 September is a 12-year-old girl, Somewhat Grown and Somewhat Heartless, and she longs for adventure. So when a Green Wind and a Leopard of Little Breezes invite her to Fairyland – well, of course, she accepts (wouldn’t you?). This whimsical tale is a beautiful mix of the modern fairytale and those Victorian greats – Barrie, Baum and Carroll.

If you love Never Never Land and Wonderland, you are sure to love this. With the added extra of charming chapter illustrations throughout. Ages 8+ BEST FOR A BEDTIME TALE WITH GRANDPA

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith, £11.99 An incredibly heart-warming and visually stunning picture book for those who love their Grandpa!

Enter Grandpa’s past and see how he remembers all of the things he has done, from when he was a boy all the way up to the present day, when he forgets his hat! Such an original and fresh idea, with Shipshape

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many hidden memories to spot in the gardens – one for every child.

BEST FOR A FEAST

Foxly’s Feast by Owen Davey, £6.99 Foxly’s tummy is rumbling… but what does he eat? This is a beautifully illustrated picture book by the wonderfully talented (and awardwinning) Owen Davey. In his debut picture book he transports you with his bright and exciting illustrations, telling the story of Foxly without the need of a single word! Every page is a feast for the eyes of all ages.

BEST FOR LITTLE PIRATES

The Great Piratical Rumbustification

by Margaret Mahy, £4.99 ‘Yo ho ho! All across the city, the pirates are getting restless and long for a party…’. This exciting and delightful tale comes from the award-winning author and artist team of Margaret Mahy and Quentin Blake. A perfect story to be read to or by those little ones just discovering the joy of reading for themselves. Ages 5-7

BEST FOR THE LITTLE ADVENTURER

Jack and the Flum Flum Tree

by Julia Donaldson, £6.99 Another brilliant tale from the Children’s Laureate. Join Jack on a shipshape adventure filled with magic and excitement. Can he reach the Isle of Blowyernose and get the flum flum fruit he needs to cure Granny’s moozles? The beautiful illustrations by David Roberts are filled with colour and liveliness, really bringing this wonderful rhyming story to life. This is perfect for a bedtime story. Ages 3-5 thirty-one

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Shipshape directory

The Shipshape Directory Find all the information you need to know about Shi pshape’s friends across the Harbourside, from contact details to exc lusive offers and more…

ARNOLFINI CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS 16 Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA 0117 917 2300/01, arnolfini.org.uk Opening hours: exhibition spaces: Tue-Sun 11am-6pm & bank holidays; bookshop: Tue 11am-6pm, Wed-Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 11am-7pm; café bar: Daily from 10am

AT-BRISTOL SCIENCE CENTRE Anchor Road, Harbourside, BS1 5DB 0845 345 1235, at-bristol.org.uk Opening hours: weekends and holidays 10am-6pm; weekdays during term-time 10am-5pm. Open every day except 24-26 Dec. Urban Stargazing: £7 adults, £6 children, members and concessions. To book tickets, call 0845 345 1235 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm (excluding bank holidays)

BRISTOL AQUARIUM

Anchor Road, BS1 5TT 0117 929 8929, bristolaquarium.co.uk Autumn opening times: 10am-5pm (last entry at 4pm).Winter opening times (5 Nov-8 Feb): 10am-4pm (last entry at 3pm). Displays subject to change.

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Based at the heart of Bristol’s Harbourside, in a fantastic waterside location, Arnolfini is one of Europe’s leading centres for the contemporary arts. Arnolfini features a regularly changing programme, presenting visual art, live art and performance, dance, music, cinema, poetry and literature events alongside a busy education programme of tours and talks. It also boasts one of the best arts bookshops in the country and a stylish, lively café bar featuring an Italian-inspired and children’s menu. Free admission to the gallery spaces.

With hundreds of exhibits, science shows and a Planetarium, At-Bristol is one of the UK’s most exciting interactive science centres! Discover ‘Our World – No More Waste’ this autumn: present a weather forecast in the future and play with interactive critters. Celebrate National Biology week and Halloween in Oct with ‘Gore Blimey!

Dissection Lab’! Get under the skin of what makes us so fascinating with dissections and more. Plus, explore astrological views with a selection of telescopes for Urban Stargazing on 24 Sep and 17 Nov. Visit at-bristol.org.uk for more information!

IT’S BACK – TODDLER TAKEOVER 28 SEP!

Enjoy the ultimate undersea safari at Bristol Aquarium.

There’s a world of incredible aquatic adventure just waiting to be discovered with over 40 amazing displays, two underwater walk-through tunnels and spectacular open-top tanks to explore. Encounter thousands of amazing sea creatures, from tropical sharks and stingrays to a giant octopus and elegant seahorses. Highlights include a life-size recreation of a sunken ship (home to jellyfish, native sharks and rays), a Bristol harbour scene complete with murals, and a ‘walk-in’ seahorse display. Don’t miss the stunning Amazon displays in the giant botanical glasshouse!

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Shipshape directory

For full details visit: bristolferry.com For a map of the service – complete with ferry stops and our new timetable – turn to pages 20 & 21 WHY NOT FERRY-IT! Are you visiting one of the many attractions around the docks like Brunel’s ss Great Britain, M Shed or At-Bristol? Or perhaps you’re coming to one of the harbour’s famous events like Doors Open Day or Brief Encounters Festival? If so, why not ferry-it?

Check out the website for more info and hop on!

BRUNEL’S ss GREAT BRITAIN Great Western Dockyard, BS1 6TY 0117 926 0680, ssgreatbritain.org Opening hours: from 10am. Closing times are seasonal, with last ticket sales one hour before closing.

Open every day except 24 and 25 Dec, plus second Mon in Jan.

CATHAY RENDEZVOUS 30 King St, BS1 4DZ 0117 922 6161, cathay-rendezvous.com READER OFFER Cathay Rendezvous’ wonderful food is now available to take away – and, what’s more, you will get 20% off the price too!

Terms and conditions Diners must present the advertisement upon arrival: 20% applies to the food element of the bill. Collection only. Not available with any other offer.

CITY SIGHTSEEING Information Hotline: 09067 112191 Open daily 10am-5pm (winter times 11am4pm), calls charged at 50p a minute plus network charges citysightseeingbristol.co.uk Buy tickets online: citysightseeingbristol. co.uk/timetabled-service/tickets.php Tel: 01930 830050

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These distinctive yellow and blue boats offer relaxed round trips and an efficient service on two routes; one between Temple Meads and the city centre (calling at Cabot Circus), the other from the city centre to the Hotwells area. With better prices and fabulous private hire options, Bristol Ferry Boat Co. is the go-to place for your parties and events. Enjoy a Harbour Pub Tour or River Trip to Beeses Bar & Tea Gardens, sail into the Avon Gorge and under the Suspension Bridge or take your class on a journey of discovery with an Educational Package. Whatever the event, Bristol Ferry Boat Co. covers it all.

BRISTOL’S FRIENDLIEST FERRY SERVICE!

Descend under the glass ‘sea’ and step back in time in the Dockyard Museum! See, hear, touch and smell what life was like for Victorian passengers on board Brunel’s ss Great Britain.

There’s plenty to do to keep everyone entertained at this multi award-winning attraction. In 2012, Brunel’s ss Great Britain invites you to explore the new displays, including the First Class Dining Saloon and dressing up. Tickets give free unlimited return visits for a year. Special themed events include Halloween ghost tours and Christmas lunches. Go to ssgreatbritain.org/whatson.

Cathay Rendezvous offers the finest Chinese cuisine served within a fascinating historical building, which started life in 1748 as the UK’s first purpose-built public library. The menu is inspired by the three main culinary styles of Chinese cuisine – Mandarin, Cantonese and Szechuan – and offers everything from ‘taster’ plates to a full banquet, alongside many more unusual dishes and daily specials. With two private function rooms including karaoke machine and dance floors, it’s a great choice for Christmas parties, family celebrations, corporate entertaining, weddings and civil ceremonies!

PIC: MARTYN POYNOR

BRISTOL FERRY BOAT CO.

OFFER 20% OFF TAKE AWAY

Hop on one of the bright red City Sightseeing buses for an entertaining and illuminative tour with one of their popular, local guides. Share their passion for this diverse city; hear tales of pirates and princes, discover churches, the breathtaking Avon Gorge, street art and the exciting Harbourside. Hop On and Hop Off; visit Brunel’s ss Great Britain, Bristol Zoo, Clifton Village and much more! 1, 2 and 3 Day tickets, plus a 2 Day Bus/Boat Combo ticket – all available online. Buses operate daily every 30, 45 or 90 minutes. Tickets also provide discounts at many attractions and eateries.

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Shipshape directory

COLSTON HALL Colston Street, BS1 5AR 0117 922 3686, colstonhall.org Opening hours: Box Office: Mon-Sat 10am-6pm; H Bar Café: Mon-Sat 8am-late, Sun 9am-10pm when there is an evening show; H Bar Bistro: Wed-Sat and when there is an evening show. Lunch: Wed-Fri 12-2.30pm, dinner: Tue-Sat 5-10pm

FILINI BAR AND RESTAURANT The Radisson Blu Hotel Bristol Broad Quay, BS14BY 0117 934 9500, info.bristol@radissonblu.com filinibristol.co.uk Opening hours: lunch: Mon-Sat 12-2pm; dinner: Mon-Sat 5.30-9.30pm (last orders at 9.30pm), Sun 12.30-2.30pm

FOYLES BOOKSHOP 6 Quakers Friars, Philadelphia St, Cabot Circus, BS1 3BU cabotcircus@foyles.co.uk 0117 376 3975 foyles.co.uk Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 11am-5pm

GLASSBOAT Welsh Back, BS1 4SB 0117 929 0704, glassboat.co.uk Opening hours: lunch: Tue-Fri 12-2.30pm; sinner: Mon-Sat 5.30–10pm; Sunday lunch: 12–4pm CHAMPAGNE HENRIOT HOUR Glassboat’s Champagne Henriot hour runs from 5.30-6.30pm Mon-Fri. Enjoy a 125ml glass of Champagne Henriot for only £5. No reservations required. Available in both the lounge bar and main restaurant.

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Colston Hall is Bristol’s premier live music venue and has seen the likes of the Manic Street Preachers, London Symphony Orchestra, Penguin Café, Staff Benda Bilili and Ricky Gervais perform in the past year. The venue also offers plenty of eating and drinking options: H Bar Café serves a variety of wines, beers, cocktails, spirits and hot drinks, with its tasty Mediterranean food earning the café a spot in The Guardian’s top 10 Bristol budget eateries. For a more formal experience, there’s H Bar Restaurant with its mouthwatering mix of Latin American and Mediterranean flavours.

This stylish modern Italian restaurant and bar, set inside the elegant Radisson Blu hotel, offers the very best in contemporary, seasonal and fresh Italian cuisine. Flavour is the watchword on the menu, which uses a judicious mix of locally sourced produce and the best ingredients from Italy’s vast natural larder.

Another strong suit is the restaurant’s impressive wine selection, with up to 360 bottles sourced from Italy’s various winemaking regions. Elegant wooden floorboards, huge picture windows and a feature glass staircase ensure that all that delicious food and wine is served in a suitably chic setting.

Independent booksellers Foyles have settled into their new home in Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus – their first and only shop outside London. Foyles offer the widest possible range of books, so whether you’re looking for the latest best-seller or something a little more unusual, their expert, local staff will be able to help. On the second floor you’ll find more to read plus a cosy events and exhibitions space, which hosts a regular programme of talks, concerts and signings. Visit their website for more information or drop in and say hello!

Located on the floating harbour in the heart of Bristol, Glassboat affords spectacular views of the city: bridges, churches and, of course, the swans on the water itself. Whatever the celebration, small or large, with work or with loved ones, Glassboat remains the considered waterside restaurant of choice for Bristolians young or old. Glassboat uses only the best local suppliers and cooks classic dishes simply: a selection of game birds, hake, blackberries and runner beans will all feature this season. Groups of up to 40 can be comfortably accommodated on the lower deck, the ideal private space for your event.

ENJOY HENRIOT HOUR

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Shipshape directory

GRAIN BARGE

Mardyke Wharf, Hotwell Rd, BS8 4RU 0117 929 9347, hello@grainbarge.com grainbarge.co.uk Opening hours: Mon-Thu 12-11pm; Fri-Sat 12-11.30pm; Sun 12-11pm

LIDO RESTAURANT, SPA & POOL Oakfield Place, BS8 2BJ 0117 933 9530, lidobristol.com Opening hours: restaurant: 12-3pm and 6-10pm, closed Sun evening; spa: 7am-10pm; poolside bar: Mon-Sat from 8am, Sun from 9am TAPAS HOUR Enjoy tapas with our compliments when ordering drinks from 5.30-6.30pm Mon-Fri.

M SHED Princes Wharf, Wapping Rd, BS1 4RN 0117 352 6600, info@mshed.org, mshed.org Opening hours: Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, closed Mon (except bank holidays), Sat, Sun and bank holidays: 10am-6pm Enjoy harbourside views from the cafe and roof terrace, pop by the shop for some novelty gifts ideas and don’t miss M Shed’s latest exhibition Real and Imagined Lives (20 Oct-7 Jan).

THE MATTHEW

When in Bristol check website for mooring location 0117 927 6868, matthew.co.uk

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Bristol Beer Factory’s Grain Barge has a wellestablished reputation for its food and drink, and for its stunning panoramic views of the harbour from the main bar and eating area, and from the alfresco top deck.

The lower Hold Bar hosts regular live music on Fridays, and is well known as a showcase for some of the best bands from the local music scene. It is also transformed into a romantic restaurant for its regular Slow Food Dating evenings, and offers a great location for private parties. With its programme of events – including outdoor music stages and beer festivals – the Grain Barge is one of the harbour’s top venues.

The Lido is a veritable oasis tucked within a courtyard of Georgian terraces in the back streets of Clifton. It is a unique location where chef Freddy Bird presides over two floors of poolside dining. Feast on wood-roasted scallops, lamb or venison in the first floor restaurant or enjoy the outdoor pool and an opportunity to soak up some sun on the terrace. The ground floor bar spills out on to the poolside in suitable weather. Open for breakfast, hot and cold tapas from midday, and afternoon tea from 2.30-5.30pm.

Bristol’s newest museum tells the amazing history of Bristol through the stories of people who have helped to shape it. Three galleries – Bristol Places, Bristol People and Bristol Life – offer interactive displays and rich collections of objects. Favourites include a World War II bomb shelter, a double decker bus and an inventory of the city’s many brilliant creations down the ages, including music, science, technology and more. Changing exhibitions are displayed in the temporary gallery throughout the year. Read about the latest exhibition, Real and Imagined Lives, on page 10 or at mshed.org

DON’T MISS TAPAS HOUR

FREE ENTRY EVERY DAY!

A magnificent replica of a Tudor merchant ship that recreated the Atlantic crossing by explorer John Cabot. He was searching for a sailing route to Asia but ended up ‘discovering’ Newfoundland. Get the best views of Bristol harbour from the deck on one of their regular public cruises – fish and chip suppers on board are extremely popular – or you can venture down the scenic Avon Gorge under the Clifton Suspension Bridge. There are also offshore sailing opportunities and the ship is available for private hire – check website for sailing programme. thirty-five

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Shipshape directory

51 Welsh Back, BS1 4AN 0117 927 2277, myristica.co.uk Opening hours: lunch: Mon-Fri 12-2pm; dinner: Mon-Sat 5.30-11.30pm, Sun 5.3010.30pm (last orders at 10pm) CHRISTMAS PARTIES Myristica is now taking bookings for Christmas parties and celebrations – visit myristica.co.uk for details.

NAMASKAR LOUNGE Welsh Back, BS1 4RR 0117 929 8276, namaskarlounge.com Opening hours: restaurant: Tue-Thu 1210.30pm, Fri-Sat 12-11pm, Sun 12-10.30pm; lounge bar: Tue-Thu 12-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm12am, Sun 12-11pm. The restaurant is closed from 3-6pm every day.

COCKTAIL MASTERCLASS Book now for one of our cocktail masterclasses – a great gift idea too!

THE SHAKESPEARE TAVERN

68 Prince Street, BS1 4QD 0117 929 7695 Opening hours: Mon-Thu 11am-11pm, Fri-Sat 11am-12am, Sun 12pm-11pm

SPIKE ISLAND

133 Cumberland Road, BS1 6UX 0117 929 2266, spikeisland.org.uk Opening hours: galleries: Tue-Sun 11am-5pm; café: Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm, Sat and Sun 11am-5pm

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Gazing serenely over Welsh Back, Myristica is one of the highlights of the harbour’s impressive dining landscape. The menu features a range of beautifully crafted dishes from across the Indian subcontinent. Kick off with baby squid deepfried and tossed with bell peppers, chilli flakes and honey, and move on to pista murgh (breast of chicken in a mild cream sauce with ground pistachios and saffron). Then round things off with a luxuriant chocolate samosa dessert and ice cream. Myristica is now taking bookings for the Christmas season – call now to reserve your table!

The food of Mumbai inspires us! From the ingredients and recipes fine-tuned over generations to the mesmerising sight of our skilled Indian master chefs working their magic, our take on Indian food is modern and fresh. The food is exciting, the bar is buzzing, the décor is stunningly elegant and we are passionate about the experience that we offer. Our day-long menu has something for all tastes, or why not try our ‘Ati Uttam’ menu – a selection of our very best dishes served with rice, naan and a drink costing just £11.95 for two courses.

BOOK XMAS NOW!

20% OFF FOR READERS SEE OU

R ADVERT ON PAGE 24 FOR MORE

This beloved old harbour boozer serves up an appetising mix of traditional dishes and sharing platters. Don’t miss out on the midsummer night’s dream deal: get 15% off your food bill on production of a valid theatre ticket from any of the city’s playhouses. Behind the bar, find the pub’s very own Shakespeare cask ale alongside new additions, including Golden Hen cask ale and Japanese draught lager Kirin Ichiban. For the latest deals, you can follow the pub on Twitter or Facebook: @shakespearetav, facebook.com/ theshakespearetavern

Spike Island is a centre for the production and exhibition of art and design based in an 80,000 square foot former Brooke Bond tea-packing factory. Its year-round public programme features free exhibitions by local, national and international artists, as well as regular talks, events and activities for all. Spike Café is open seven days a week, serving hot and cold drinks, snacks and homemade meals in a relaxed setting overlooking the river.

Spike Island is also a busy working building, home to a range of artists, designers, students, creative businesses and other arts organisations.

PIC: STUART WHIPPS

MYRISTICA

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PIC: STUART WHIPPS

Shipshape directory

SPYGLASS Welsh Back, BS1 4SB 0117 927 7050, spyglassbristol.co.uk Spyglass has a non-reservation policy for groups of fewer than 8. To book a table for 8 or more please contact groups@spyglassbristol.co.uk Opening hours: every day from 12pm. Check Twitter feed if weather is bad – @spyglassbristol READER OFFER Free glass of sangria or tumbler of house wine for all guests who mention Shipshape.

TOBACCO FACTORY SUNDAY MARKET

Opening hours: every Sun 10am-2.30pm tobaccofactory.com facebook.com/tobaccofactorymarket

WATERSHED

1 Canons Road, BS1 5TX 0117 927 5100, info@watershed.co.uk, watershed.co.uk, dshed.net Opening hours: cafe/bar: Mon 10am-11pm, Tue-Thu 9.30am-11pm, Sat 10am-12am, Sun 10am-10.30pm

ZA ZA BAZAAR Opening hours: dining: 11am-11pm; bar: 11am-1am Bristol Harbourside, Canons Road, BS1 5UH (Located next to Pero’s Bridge) 0117 922 0330, ZaZaBazaar.com enquiries@ZaZaBazaar.com facebook.com/ZaZaBazaar @ZaZaBazaar READER OFFER Celebrating a birthday, arranging a stag or hen do, or planning a work night out? For parties of six or more, one person can eat free. T&Cs apply.

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Spyglass, Bristol’s favourite BBQ restaurant, offers delicious, simple, carefully sourced food at great value prices. All of our chicken is free range; our burgers are made with 28-day aged beef and Hobbs House Bakery buns; and all of our ice cream is made from scratch on the premises. We always offer 10 wines at £10 a bottle and children can choose from a special Pirates Club Menu for only £5.50. A children’s entertainer is on board most Sundays from 12.30pm making it the perfect venue for family celebrations this summer.

FREE DRINKY

FOR EVER DINER

The Sunday market is a cornerstone of the buzzing Southville community, with up to 40 stalls offering locally made bread, fresh farm food, homemade cakes, cheese, chutneys, books, records, flowers, clothing, jewellery… and much more, including a resident bike mechanic and children’s entertainment. The first Sunday of every month features ‘Retroville’, with vintage and retro stalls alongside the regular market. With its welcoming atmosphere, plenty of seating and delicious food and drink on offer, the market is a great place to shop and to meet up with friends and family.

Watershed is the perfect social space on Bristol’s historic Harbourside, showing the best independent films from across the world. With three cinemas to choose from and a welcoming, relaxed café/bar enjoying unique waterside views, it’s the ideal place to meet friends, grab a tasty coffee or drink, enjoy a meal and watch a film. Come and try their Plot to Plate organic menu showcasing the tastes of the South West, or treat yourself to a drink before or after a film in the buzzing bar. For current film and events listings, visit watershed.co.uk.

Za Za Bazaar offers diners a rich variety of global cuisine in a buzzing oriental ‘night market’ environment. It is the UK’s biggest restaurant, with 40 specialist chefs and room for 1,000 diners.

Za Za Bazaar is a remarkable place to relax and celebrate with dishes that will appeal to all. There is a guest cuisine each month and something from every corner of the world for diners to sample and enjoy. With 300 different drinks inspired by five continents, the bar is as adventurous as the cuisine.

Find 35 cocktails, spirits, wines and champagne, plus beers from China, India, Portugal and Brazil.

ONE PARTY MEMBER EATS FREE! IN GROUPS OF SIX OR MORE

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feature

R um ours are c irc ulat ing ab out your p lans f or a ‘ S ub m arine T h eat re’ : wh at will it inv olv e?

I t is a theatre ex perience that will take members of the public underwater. assengers will first watch a complete dive sequence of the previous ride and, while waiting for its return, will receive an almost reassuring safety briefing in elsh.

O nce the submarine has resurfaced and the previous group have safely disembarked, a small number of life- vests will be distributed (for sharing – one between three – in the almost unlikely event of emergency) and passengers will be herded into the embarkation building where further instructions will be barked

Chris Pirie photographed at Green Ginger’s headquarters on the Albion Dockside Estate

I ❤ Harbourside ant to now how you can fit a theatre on a submarine C hris P irie, Artistic Director of award- winning animation and puppetry company Green Ginger, tells us how

at them in an unprofessional but hard- tomisunderstand manner.

The passengers will finally climb aboard, ta e their seats (four to a porthole) and strap in for the ride of a lifetime. The murky gloom beneath the harbour’s surface will be lifted by special underwater lights along the vessel’s hull – these will illuminate the waters as we take a dive into the unknown…

W ill t h e ex p erienc e b e m ore Captain Nemo t h an Das Boot? e thin that the e perience would be disappointing if it did not deliver a bit of both.

Nemo and Nautilus conj ure up a wonderful world of an age of adventure and ex ploration, couched in fine velvets, mahogany and brass.

And because it is a theatrical j ourney, we want to give people a truly visceral ex perience in which all the fears of confined spaces and the dangers associated with sub- aquatic travel are played upon for max imum effect. But it will be totally safe and nothing can go wrong...

W h ere will it b e b as ed?

Back in 2009 we were involved in negotiations with the management of the ss Great Britain about siting the Submarine Theatre alongside the ship, in the berth often taken up by The Matthew. I t certainly made a lot of sense to be associated with an ex isting and hugely popular tourist destination. e are also loo ing at alternative sites around the Harbourside thirty-eight

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and have been in discussions with promoters and producers in London’s Docklands, Manchester and Amsterdam with a view to the proj ect having a long life after Bristol.

T h e p roj ec t is f unding- p ending: h ow m uc h do you need t o rais e? e estimate that fabrication, siting and presentation of a summer- long programme in Bristol would cost up to £3 00,000. e were about to shelve the whole idea when it won a place at the I deas Summit at the I ndependent Street Arts Network. This national event is an opportunity for artists to present proposals to producers from around the U K in a ‘speed-dating’ format. ith the help of regular collaborator Dan Danson, I revisited and updated the entire Submarine Theatre proposal and we travelled up to the event in Glasgow and came away with really positive feedback and strong declarations of interest from a number of established producers.

C an p eop le donat e? bsolutely. e are open to all offers of financing solutions as well as support- in- kind for raw materials, fabrication premises, marketing ex pertise, people to j oin our fundraising team... interested parties can email chris@ greenginger.net Do p art ic ip ant s need t o b e ab le t o s wim t o t ake p art ?

No, swimming is not a prerequisite. However, bailing out and plugging the occasional overhead leaks are.

I’m

c laus t rop h ob ic : s h ould I s t eer c lear? e thin that anyone who is ust the slightest bit curious about what a submarine voyage might be li e should definitely buy a tic et that includes those with fears of water, confined spaces, funfair rides, puppets, clowns and the dar . e’re not e perts but optimistic about the cathartic powers of meeting one’s fears head on.

Green Ginger is b as ed on t h e Alb ion Doc ks ide E s t at e. I s t h ere a s t rong s ens e of c om m unit y am ong b us ines s es h ere? bsolutely. ithin months we were ma ing strong connections with neighbouring workers, many of whom were in the creative industries too. Spike I sland artists were beginning to use the old diving school for studio space, the BO V Scenic or shop was a constant hive of activity and we were outsourcing to the steel, fibreglass and wood fabricators who serviced the boatyards in the Albion Docks and U nderfall Y ard. Green Ginger was also fortunate to offer its services to Aardman when they needed puppeteers.

What one thing would significantly improve lif e around t h e h arb our? a) Giving the harbour loop a sense of completion. I t’s almost there but when done it will give visitors and Bristolians an amaz ing way to enj oy the city and it’s centrepiece. b) Rip down The Point and rebuild something beautiful and sustainable. And while developers are at it, they should honour the word ‘affordable’. c) A submarine!

Do you h av e a f av ourit e p lac e t o eat or drink?

A few. Cider always tastes best in the O rchard I nn, whereas a cheeky pint of No. 7 i s best sunk aboard the Grain Barge. The Buttery and O live Shed are both waterside dining expe riences that no one should miss, atershed’s a long-standing favourite, and, when the pay cheque’s in, I ’d have a toss- up between River Station and Bordeaux Q uay. s Shipshape

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WAPPING WHARF

CAR PARK Cheap City Parking Monday to Friday Up to 1 hour

Saturday 80p

1-2 hours

£1.50

2-4 hours

£3.80

Over 4 hours

£7

Week

£28

Month

£85

Any period

£2.50

Sunday & Bank Holidays Any period

£1.50

Special corporate rates available for 5 cars or more.

Monthly season ticket enquiries: 0207 563 3000

To all our customers, Please note that the car park will remain open and fully operational for at least the next two years whilst we build phase one of the Wapping Wharf Development.

We will keep you informed of progress.

SAT NAV: BS1 4RW www.wappingwharf.co.uk/cheapparking