Shipshape 2 - Summer 2010

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Shipshape Summer 2010

www.shipshapebristol.co.uk

Celebrating the very best of Bristol’s historic harbourside

Summer festivals Brunel’s ss Great Britain Harbour wildlife l

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Interviews

Features

Events

Watershed’s Dick Penny Bristol Ferry Boat Company

Spyglass Pirate Club Bristol Harbour Festival

Glassboat Summer Fayre At-Bristol’s 10th anniversary

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The Rummer Hotel All Saints Lane Bristol BS1 1JH Tel: 0117 929 0111

Wagyu Beef night 15th July This iconic beef makes its Bristol debut at The Rummer Hotel on 15th July. Bookings are essential for this evening, so please call us to reserve your table.

Tucked away in the back alleys of the Old City, The Rummer Hotel not only boasts the most extensive spirit collection in the region, fine wines and local ales, but an eclectic menu of modern British dishes prepared by Head Chef Greg McHugh from the freshest local ingredients.

Just remember to make a reservation during busy times... email: info@therummer.co.uk | www.therummer.co.uk

contents

Welcome ... to the summer issue of Shipshape.

With the sun finally putting in an appearance, the Shipshape team were able to enjoy their first alfresco aperitif of the season. Hot on the agenda were the summer’s social engagements and, more specifically, what Bristol Harbour Festival would have in store for us this year – read all about our findings on page 10. Elsewhere, an original member of the ss Great Britain’s salvage team shares his memories (p8) and Watershed’s managing director waxes lyrical about the Harbourside (p16). If you missed our spring issue, go to our website to browse through our archive of articles and exclusive online content – it’s all at shipshapebristol.co.uk

Contents Arts & events 4

Things to see and do this quarter

Homeward bound 8

Brunel’s ss Great Britain celebrations

Why it’s all change for Bristol Harbour Festival page 10

Clockwise from above: Memorabilia from Bristol Harbour Regatta (p10); Brunel celebrates (p8); Brunel’s ss Great Britain (p8); Dick Penny (p16); Underfall Yard (p19); top tucker for tots (p21); Patrick the lobster (p26)

Harbour masters 10 Bristol Harbour Festival latest

Getting around 14

Harbourside map & ferry guide

I ❤ Harbourside 16 Watershed’s Dick Penny

Men at work 19

It’s all go around the Harbourside

Ahoy, me hearties! 21

Aquatic activities for your little treasures

Harbourside directory 22 The very best of the waterside

10 things you never knew… 26 … lived on the Harbourside

Shipshape Magazine Issue 2, summer. Shipshape is published by The Group of Seven Editorial, design and production: thegroupofseven.co.uk. Advertising enquiries: 01225 448891/info@thegroupofseven.co.uk Want to get involved in future issues of Shipshape magazine? Call us on 01225 448891 or email us on info@shipshapebristol.co.uk Disclaimer The information contained in this publication is provided as a general guide only. While every care is taken to ensure that the details are as accurate as possible, we make no warranty or representation, express or implied, about the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this publication. The views or opinions expressed 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.

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Summer food festivals Wine and Food Fair: 2-4 July / Organic Food Festival: 11-12 September Both on Bristol Harbourside A summer of fine food and wine await as the Harbourside plays host to two culinary fairs this summer. First up is the Bristol Wine and Food Fair. Taking place on 2-4 July, this three-day event gives visitors the chance to sample the wares of the South West’s artisan food producers, as well as wet their whistles with wine from around the world. Of interest this year is the new International Dining Area, where visitors can taste everything from Lebanese to Portuguese cuisine, and the Bristol’s Young Chef 2010 competition, run in conjunction with Harbourside food emporium Bordeaux Quay. Next up is the perennially popular Organic Food Festival (11-12 September). Organised by the Soil Association as part of its Organic Fortnight, it celebrates 10 years of organic scrumptiousness this year and gives you and your family the chance to indulge in all manner of delicious organic treats, sample delectable skincare, stock up on fabulous clothes and much more.

More

bristolwineandfoodfair.co.uk / soilassociation.org

Portuguese artist Jorge Santos’s first UK solo exhibition (Spike Island, 10 July-12 Sept) will feature sculptural work inspired by the architecture of the Harbourside – spikeisland.org.uk Watch

Bristol Shakespeare Festival Bristol Shakespeare Festival, July and August Bristol Shakespeare Festival (BSF) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to bringing the Bard to the masses. Taking place throughout July and August, BSF will stage a diverse programme of alfresco performances by a wide range of theatre companies, including The Tempest at Queen Square (pictured, 3 July, 7.30pm), Romeo & Juliet at Bristol Zoo Gardens (29 July, 7.30pm) and A Comedy of Errors at Ashton Court (4-7 August). Don’t forget your picnic.

More

bristolshakespeare.org.uk Shipshape

Shop Made in Bristol Summer Fair 3-4 July, Colston Hall The regional art, craft and food market returns to Colston Hall for another colourful outing. Running over two days in July, visitors can browse their way around the best in local art, food and entertainment. Find handmade sculptures, limited-edition prints, ceramics, crafts, clothing and much more. And since we all like to shop to a soundtrack, live music will be played throughout the entire weekend.

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colstonhall.org

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Party Glassboat 11 June-11 July, Glassboat Forget packed pubs, warm beers and Three Lions chants. For the finer way to enjoy the football this summer, dodge and weave your way to Welsh Back’s Glassboat for a posh World Cup party. From 11 June (when the group stages kick off) until 11 July (the final), you can book the lower deck at The Glassboat and enjoy the beautiful game in beautiful surroundings with guaranteed seating for 50 and a halftime buffet. Log on to fifa. com/worldcup for a full fixture list. We guarantee there won’t be a scalding meat pie in sight.

More

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glassboat.co.uk

pic: courtenayphotography.co.uk

arts and events

VISIT

At-Bristol turns10 At-Bristol, Anchor Road, Harbourside, BS1 5DB This July interactive science centre At-Bristol celebrates 10 years bringing educational, entertaining activities to the masses. The month-long celebrations will feature some exciting new activities as well as some old favourites from the At-Bristol archive.

The building itself has been integral to Bristol Harbourside’s history and its changing role over the years. One of the first reinforced concrete buildings in the country, it was originally used as a Great Western Railway goods shed in 1906 in the heart of the booming Canon’s Marsh industrial area.

At-Bristol opened its doors in 2000, helping to transform what was then an industrial wasteland into a thriving cultural quarter. It’s now one of the UK’s largest and most exciting science centres. As an educational charity At-Bristol’s focus is to make science accessible to all through a wealth of educational, outreach and community projects, including the new school engagement programme, which aims to helps schools that may be unable to visit due to economic, social or geographical barriers.

The anniversary will also feature two new major exhibitions currently being developed in-house – All About Us and Our World open in 2011 and will allow visitors to experience some of the latest in technology first hand. Further information will be available online nearer the time. Here’s to 10 more inspirational, educational years…

More

at-bristol.org.uk, 0845 345 1235 five

The Harbourside bistro& boathouse ... at the heart of the city is a place of trade and exchange, a portal that truly caters for travellers, traders and the people of Bristol.

bud. our communit y is your business

‘There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about’ Oscar Wilde Get people talking about your business

Opening this summer...

By City Centre (Cascade Steps) Ferry Landing Stage Watch future issues of Shipshape for the full story

For an informal chat about our services, please call 01225 427175 email: nigel@bud.uk.com or christina@bud.uk.com www.bud.uk.com

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Bud UK Ltd Public Relations Contract Publishing Marketing Business Development

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Pic: Kerry Tribe, H.M., 2009. Double projection of a single16mm film. Photo: Fredrik Nilsen

arts and events

Cook Myristica You may have noticed some delicious smells wending their way round Welsh Back’s cobbled streets in recent months.

It’s all thanks to Myristica, the award-winning Indian restaurant (‘Best in Bristol’ at 2009’s National Curry Awards) who made the move from King Street this spring to take up residence in their new home by the Harbourside. With barbecue season just around the corner (ever the optimists…), Myristica has launched a new takeaway service with a twist – order a range of marinated Indian meats, fish and vegetables, take them away and cook at home. The menu costs from £7.50 per person (minimum of four) and you must make your order three days in advance. If you live within three miles of the restaurant, they’ll even throw in free delivery.

More

myristica.co.uk

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See

Dead Star Light 17 July-12 September, Arnolfini

Dead Star Light is a series of new works by LA-based filmmaker Kerry Tribe relating the questions of personal and historical memory. Parnassius Mnemosyne, Milton Torres Sees a Ghost and The Last Soviet all make use of different technology, including 16mm film, reel-to-reel audio and video, and aim to “structurally engage with their material in innovative ways”.

The exhibition will also include a selection of key existing works by the artist, including her most recent film installation H.M. (2009). This experimental documentary is based on the true story of ‘Patient H.M.’ (pictured), an anonymous,

Lovers of marinated meats will find themselves in chargrilled heaven as Grillstock, the mammoth two-day barbecuethemed food and drink festival, heads to the Harbourside on 17 and 18 July. The star of the show has to be the King of the Grill comp, in which 16 teams battle it out in hotly contested heats like Best Chicken, Best Ribs and Best BBQ Sauce to be crowned the best in show.

More

grillstock.co.uk

arnolfini.org.uk

ssgreatbritain.org/brunelinstitute.aspx

Watch

The Crucible 14-26 June, Bristol Old Vic Go see the stars of the future perform Arthur Miller’s classic tale of mass hysteria as Bristol Old Vic Theatre School perform The Crucible.

It’s 1692 and the small town of Salem is thrust into fear, paranoia and religious extremism when a group of young women are discovered trying to conjure the devil. This allegory to McCarthyism, which swept through the States in the 1950s, has been called “possibly the best American play of the 20th century” (Financial Times).

More

Shipshape

More

On 16 September, The Brunel Institute opens its doors, making a world-class specialist library and Brunel archive available to all. See the autumn issue for more More

barbecue King of the grill

memory-impaired man who, in 1953, underwent experimental brain surgery to alleviate his epilepsy.

The unintended result was persistent amnesia, which meant he was no longer able to make lasting memories. His case is widely credited as helping to revolutionise our understanding of human memory.

Tribe will be discussing her work with Nav Haq at Arnolfini on Saturday 17 July at 2pm. Entrance is free.

This is the first time Tribe has held a major exhibition of her work in this country so don’t miss it.

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Homeward bound

All pics (except Lyle): brunel’s ss great britain

It’s been 40 years since a team of salvage workers rescued the ss Great Britain and brought her back to Bristol. To mark the anniversary Lyle Craigie-Halkett (left), a member of the original salvage team, shares his memories of the epic event

My role in the salvage was as a diver/ rigger and, alongside my colleague Stuart Whatley, we were tasked with the job of sealing every hole or split we could find in the hull. We also had to pump out the internal seawater, remove the masts, position the ship over the pontoon and, once the pontoon Mulus 3 was afloat, secure the ss Great Britain for the short tow into the Stanley Harbour [in the Falklands].

Finally, we assisted with the heavy rigging for the lengthy tow back to the UK. I had not seen the ss Great Britain since my childhood – in those days it was an adventure to see or even board the famous ship.

Now faced with the salvage, my first feeling was one of dismay because of the deterioration of both the hull and decks, not to mention the very nasty split that ran from the main deck right round the starboard side and under the ship. In actual fact, the ship was practically broken in two.

Throughout the job we were all mindful of the fact that if she did break in two, complete salvage would be impossible.

It would have been impossible to make the ss Great Britain seaworthy again due to her poor hull condition and structural split. The intention was to make her watertight for long enough to float over the submersible pontoon, the Mulus 3, which would then be towed back to Bristol by the salvage tug, the Varius 2.

We worked very long hours every day. On the final stages of floating and due to violent weather we spent over 36 hours in our diving suits and had meals brought to us. eight

The worst problem we faced was contending with gale force winds, which usually occurred at a critical time.

I was born and raised in the Falklands and knew many of the islanders, or ‘Kelpers’, who helped out on the project. At one stage we appealed on the local radio for mattresses to help plug the split in the hull and were overwhelmed with mattresses of all shapes and sizes kindly donated by the islanders.

My most satisfying moment came when we towed the 2,000-tonne ss Great Britain through the Stanley Harbour narrows and were greeted with a cacophony of vehicles blasting their horns and the chiming of the local church bells.

The salvage team’s work was not quite finished yet as we had to be present in Avonmouth to float the ss Great Britain off the pontoon. Finally, we had to ensure the hull could withstand the long tow afloat from Avonmouth to Bristol – had something gone wrong, the outcome would have been too terrible to imagine.

The coverage given to the return of the ss Great Britain captured the imagination of so many people. This was the first time a major salvage project had been achieved in this way and was without doubt the longest tow of its kind, covering 8,000 miles.

I try to visit the ship annually and every credit imaginable must be given to those who have persevered with her restoration and contend with the nightmare of raising sufficient capital to ensure her future.

SALVAGE FACT FILE The salvage team arrives in Port Stanley, the Falkland Islands on 25 March 1970 ... The ss Great Britain floats for the first time on 7 April ...

She is berthed on to the salvage pontoon Mulus on 11 April ... The ship leaves the Falklands on 24 April ... The ss Great Britain arrives in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 2 May. The world’s media descends to capture the start of the ss Great Britain’s incredible journey across the Atlantic Ocean on 6 May ... She arrives in Avonmouth on 23 June and is floated from her pontoon on 1 July ... The ss Great Britain is towed up the River Avon on 5 July (one day after the planned date) and returns to her dry dock on 19 July ... The salvage operation was underwritten by millionaire Sir Jack Hayward

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Clockwise from left: the ss Great Britain gets towed across the Atlantic on the world’s biggest pontoon; arriving in Bristol; abandoned in Sparrow Cove in the Falkland Islands; negotiating the Horseshoe Bend on the River Avon; under Brunel’s Clifton Suspension Bridge for the first time; how the ship looks today

“The coverage given to the return of the ss Great Britain captured the imagination of so many people” Lyle Craigie-Halkett

Ship to shore Celebrate Brunel’s ss Great Britain’s return to Bristol with a series of exciting events From 17 July visitors to Brunel’s ss Great Britain can enjoy The Incredible Journey, a brand-new exhibition that celebrates the ship’s epic salvage and return from the Falkland Islands to Bristol.

At the heart of the exhibition is the eponymous animated film (pictured above), in which original members of the salvage crew and excited onlookers share their memories of the amazing event. The story will be told in three parts: the salvage, the perilous journey across the Atlantic on a pontoon and, finally, her homecoming to Bristol. It’s a fascinating documentary that reminds us how important this event was to the city – over 100,000 people lined the River Avon to see the ship return with a further eight million watching the story unfold live on television.

Other activities include The Incredible Journey family trail and the 1970 homecoming celebrations, taking place on 17 and 18 July.

Keep your eyes peeled for free fridge magnets!

For more information on the celebrations, visit ssgreatbritain.org

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Harbour masters

Pics: bristol city council visual technology

Mark Sayers looks ahead to this year’s Bristol Harbour Festival There are two main thrusts to the changes we’ve made: to give the festival more room to breathe, and to reconnect it with the water. We’re aiming for a more laid-back atmosphere that caters for our everincreasing visitor numbers while keeping the festival’s unique party vibe alive. And we want to strengthen the links with the people living and working around the harbour.”

Bristol Harbour Festival, the hugely popular, Council-run summer shindig, enters its fourth decade this summer. And Jess Noakes, the Council’s festivals and events officer, is explaining some fairly major changes to this year’s event.

The chief difference you’ll notice about this year’s festival is how far it spreads its tentacles into the city and, crucially, along its waterfront.

Since its beginnings in the early 1970s, the Harbour Festival has grown from its original bases at St Augustine’s Reach (the stretch of water between Watershed and Arnolfini) and Prince’s Wharf (outside the former Industrial Museum). Over the past two decades, it has colonised the Millennium Square/ Amphitheatre area, developed in the 1990s, and then Queen Square, a crucial site ever since its centre was sealed off to traffic in 2000.

This year’s festival ventures still further east, with the big, riverside expanses of Castle Park joining in the fun. The park will take over from Queen Square as the main children’s play area, and from Millennium Square as the circus and street theatre hub.

The effect will be to free up more space for the festival’s various attractions – and, says Jess, to reconnect the festival with its traditional raison d’être: the water. “We want to encourage people to explore more of the harbour by extending into new areas and to create a better relationship between the festival and the waterfront wherever possible.

“People might not think of Castle Park as an integral part of the harbour – but it’s only five ten

minutes from Queen Square along Welsh Back, a beautiful, traditional part of Bristol’s waterfront. We want to get as much of Bristol’s waterfront involved as possible and include areas that don’t often get used, as well as spaces that are being developed. There are lots of exciting opportunities!”

A major effect of the changes is to give Queen Square, a real Harbour Festival nerve centre, more space to stretch out and relax. “In recent years Queen Square has become so popular that it was getting a little overcrowded,” Jess explains. “We want to make it feel a bit mellower, and to give it a chance to just sell itself – it’s such a beautiful space, after all.” The festival’s children’s area will find a new home in Castle Park, and the Square itself will retain the happy trio of music, food and drink.

The popular continental food market remains, as does the live music stage, programmed by Colston Hall. Elsewhere on the green sward you’ll find a few traders, a bar, and plenty of places to sit back and absorb the atmosphere.

There will be plenty more seating, in fact, right across the festival site. “The festival can feel a little too busy, and one of the comments we often get is that there’s not enough seating,” Jess acknowledges. “So this year, there’ll be many more places to sit down and relax .”

All change

Alongside its major new site, another big change for Harbour Festival ’10 is the new profile for the Canons Marsh Amphitheatre – formerly home to the weekend’s live music gigs. This year, the Amphitheatre will host the Bristol Village Fayre, featuring dozens of workshops and stalls all promoting Bristol’s sustainable community. Make your way down here and you may find yourself learning to sew, make bread, or plant flowers and vegetables.

Stallholders already confirmed include Bristol Food Hub, Horfield Community Orchard and outdoor performance troupe Tinker & Bloom.

Continued on page twelve

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“We’re aiming for a more laid-back atmosphere while keeping the festival’s unique party vibe alive.

And we want to strengthen the links with the people around the harbour” Jess Noakes, festivals and events officer

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Why the big change? “As well as extending across the harbour we wanted to do something that ties in with Bristol’s green and sustainable ethos,” Jess explains. “It will feel like a village fayre with a Bristol flavour: there’ll be a West Country food market and bar, locally sourced food and drink, a community garden where people can chill out, a music stage powered by renewable energy, street theatre and craft workshops.”

The Amphitheatre will still retain a performance stage, as will the four other outdoor music sites (Queen Square, Cascade Steps, Mud Dock and Anchor Square): the traditional Friday night concert will now take place in Queen Square. The Thekla, Louisiana and Grain Barge, meanwhile, will be the fest’s indoor music venues. Music headliners will be posted on the festival website in early June.

Dance also gets a bigger platform this year, with the main Dance Stage moved from Cathedral Walk into Millennium Square, and Mud Dock will now play host to the festival’s youth area, including the REMIX stage and BBC Blast – find interactive workshops in songwriting, recording and graffiti. Elsewhere, Arnolfini and Bristol short film festival Encounters are co-curating a new audio-visual stage, featuring short films, performances, music and more.

Back to the water

On the southern side of the water, meanwhile, the ss Great Britain will host the Maritime Heritage area, with a weekend’s worth of seafaring shenanigans. It’s just one of the many ways in which the 2010 fest is returning to the traditional theme of its early 70s beginnings: life and work for Bristol’s waterside communities.

This reconnection with the water will be evident right across the festival – for example,

in the increased numbers of waterfront bars and restaurants encouraged to get involved.

As Jess explains, the Harbour Festival team have worked hard to welcome local businesses aboard. “The economic impact of the festival is huge, and we’re always keen to work together with the various businesses on the waterfront and beyond. This year we’re working closely with businesses along the Harbourside and making sure that the festival regains its traditional connection to the water.”

Other waterside areas playing an increased role include the Harbourside’s southern stretch, around the Olive Shed café/restaurant. King Street and Welsh Back, integral parts of Bristol’s port-city history, also get a bigger role. And, with the aim of encouraging crowds down onto Welsh Back, the organisers are looking at holding an art market there, and perhaps a stage and/or busking area beside Spyglass restaurant and The Apple cider barge.

The Harbour Fest hasn’t forgotten its strictly nautical roots, either: ‘feature vessels’ (historic mast ships and tall ships) will also be much in evidence this year. As ever, the much-loved replica of the Matthew, the wooden ship that conveyed John Cabot from Bristol to the Americas, will be in attendance: she’ll be joined by other vessels including the Irene, a West Country trading ‘ketch’ (small, two-masted ship), and the 1925, oak-built sailing ship Tangaroa.

In addition, the last remaining wooden-hull, three-masted top sail schooner Kathleen and May will also be at the festival alongside a replica of HMS Pickle, the schooner famous for its involvement in the Battle of Trafalgar.

The Steamboat Association, meanwhile, will be mooring a fleet of steamboats up at Harbour Inlet beyond the Amphitheatre. And there’s a return for one of the event’s bankable favourites – the twice-daily rescue displays

by Newfoundland dogs (aka the ‘St Bernards of the sea’) in the water in front of Arnolfini.

Planning for success

The event’s increased size does, of course, mean more planning for Jess and the team.“Because of the site changes, we’re more than doubling the level of event safety planning and staffing on site. We’re closing additional roads to traffic, to allow safer routes for the public around the site. We hope that the new design will also ease congestion around Pero’s Bridge and the waterfront, giving the whole festival more of a promenade feel.

And we want to make Welsh Back an attractive route from Queen Square to Castle Park.”

You’ll find signage and mapping across the festival site to help you move around – and, as ever, the Bristol Ferry Boat fleet will be on hand to convey visitors across the water from one festival hotspot to another.

So, Jess. What are the ingredients for a successful festival? “The fact that there’s so much on offer for free is a huge draw. Also, the festival gives you the chance to see local and regional names alongside world-renowned performers. Ashley Russell, who programmes the dance stages, lives in Bristol but has great connections around the world, so he gets some international names in each year.

“There’s such an amazing range of attractions and performance that there really is something for everyone,” Jess continues. “And, of course, the festival’s fantastic, carnival atmosphere makes it one of the city’s best weekends of the year.”

More Bristol Harbour Festival, 30 July-1 Aug, bristolharbourfestival.co.uk

Masts from the past A brief history of the Harbour Festival 1969 Bristol’s Floating Harbour is threatened by plans to concrete over the whole expanse and build a major road network ...

1971 Partly in celebration of its survival, the Bristol Water Festival is held on the Harbour. Launched jointly

by Bristol City Council and Inland Waterways, it centred on St Augustine’s Reach and Prince’s Wharf. The black and white picture (right) shows twelve

Bill Elston (Commodore of Cabot Cruising Club), Fred Blampied (Inland Waterways Association), John Leech (Cabot Cruising Club), Roy Boucher (owner of the steam whistle from the Bristol Queen, the last of the paddle steamers operated from Bristol by P&A Campbells) and Councillor Edward Wright (Chairman of the Docks Committee)....

1974 Re-named the Bristol Harbour Regatta and Rally of Boats. For the next two decades, it’s a strongly maritime event, with growing numbers of visiting boats (civilian and military) plus displays by sailing clubs and other water users. The Harbour Regatta name is retained until 1999 ...

Early 1980s By this time, the Regatta has become an

established event, drawing in tens of thousands. Highlights include demonstrations by Royal Navy Air Sea Rescue helicopter, skydiving and parachute jumps. Fireworks are let off every year from the roof of the Industrial Museum. Skip races (rowing races using upturned, empty skips) are another common

feature, often with teams made up from Council employees ... 1980s The Spanish trading schooner, the Pascual Flores, is being restored in Bristol and puts in regular appearances at the festival ... Late 1980s Cornish shipyard Square Sail begin sending some of their historic tall ships up for the festival. From now on, tall ships are a major feature ... Early 1990s The Lloyds Shipshape

Pic: Paul box

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Best of the rest This pic and below left: bristol city council

A rundown of Bristol’s other summertime shindigs

Previous spread: the Kaskelot provides a perfect viewing platform for the magnificent fireworks display. Clockwise from this pic: the Soul Mavericks Crew on the Cirque Bijou stage; the Matthew and the Jeanie Johnston at 2006’s festival; Toots and The Maytals in 2007; the festival comes alive at night

Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride Free, Council-run family event that’s gone up a gear (sorry) since Bristol became, in 2008, Britain’s first Cycling City. Choose from five bike rides, all setting off from the Square and heading out into the countryside.

Then it’s back to the Harbourside for food, entertainment and more. 20 June, starts Millennium Square, bristol.gov.uk Bristol Wine and Food Fair Three-day gastronomic get-together, with food and drink producers from the South West and beyond descending upon Bristol for master classes, tastings, stalls and more. New features for this year include an International Dining Area and Children’s Cookery Competition. 2-4 July, Lloyds Amphitheatre and Waterfront Square, bristolwineandfoodfair.co.uk St Paul’s Carnival Hugely popular, colourful and influential community festival enters its 42nd year. Street art, stalls, live music, food and drink – and the unmissable procession. This year’s theme: ‘Heroes and Sheroes’. 3 July, St Pauls, stpaulscarnival.co.uk

pic: james@thegroupofseven.co.uk

Bristol Shakespeare Festival Five weeks of alfresco Bard-worship, with a mix of Bristol companies and well-known touring troupes performing plays from the Shakespeare canon – plus a few adaptations. 3 July-7 Aug, venues including Queen Square and Ashton Court Estate, bristolshakespeare.org.uk

Amphitheatre is built, allowing for big live music concerts and circus entertainment ... 1996 Bristol holds the first International Festival of the Sea, a more exclusively maritime version of the Harbour Festival (which returns as normal), with visits from some historic tall ships. Star of the show is the newly built replica of the Matthew, the boat in which John Cabot sailed from Bristol to America (the voyage was re-enacted the following year) ... 1999 Pero’s Bridge is opened, allowing crowds to flow more freely from the Amphitheatre to Prince’s Wharf

... 2000 New attractions at the newly named SWEB Harbour Festival include a charity raft race, a fairground and a craft market. SWEB sponsors the fest until 2004 ... 2001 Headliners at the Amphitheatre are seminal reggae outfit Misty In Roots and Arabic chanteuse Natacha Atlas ... 2003 Ace Bristol circus troupe Cirque Bijou begin programming the festival’s circus and street theatre stage ...

2004 The festival gains a major new site as the centre in Queen

Square and the dance stage is introduced outside Mud Dock.

A Portuguese area – featuring music, dance and cuisine – joins the now-established French Market ... 2005 The EDF Energy Bristol Harbour Festival includes a replica of HMS Pickle, the small schooner that brought Britain the news of victory at Trafalgar and Nelson’s death.

Vintage R&B singer Geno Washington headlines. EDF continues to sponsor the festival until 2008 ...

2007 Seminal ska/reggae outfit Toots & The Maytals headline as over 150,000 visit the festival ... 2008 For the Still Black, Still Proud concert, legends including Fred Wesley, Pee Wee Ellis and Martha High pay tribute to James Brown. Elsewhere, the Dance Village make its debut on Cathedral Walk, and the Eco Zone is unveiled in Queen Square ... 2009 In the year of the Floating Harbour’s 200th birthday, Candi Staton and VV Brown headline: new arrivals include the Children’s Festival.

Some 200,000 attend

Boogie for Brizzle The Zoo stays open into the small hours for a packed programme of live music, street theatre, dance and kids’ stuff among the animals. 17 July, Bristol Zoo Gardens, bristolzoo.org.uk Bristol International Balloon Fiesta Massively popular annual event, founded in 1978, with hundreds of buoyant creations taking to the skies over Bristol across the weekend. New for 2010: a Bristol food court, with stalls from local food and drink makers including Pieminister.

Bristol brewer Zerodegrees will host bars around the site. 12-15 Aug, Ashton Court Estate, bristolfiesta.co.uk Square Sessions Head down to the green lawns of Queen Square after work to unwind with an evening of free live music. Programmed

by Colston Hall: expect an eclectic mix of blues, funk, soul, reggae and jazz. Dates to be confirmed. Aug, Queen Square, colstonhall.org Bristol International Kite Festival A 25th birthday this year for the festival of all things airborne. Kites in all guises plus flying displays, synchronised routines, weird and wonderful air sculptures and aerial battles between traditional Japanese fighting kites. 4-5 Sept, Ashton Court Estate, kite-festival.org.uk thirteen

harbourside map & ferry guide

getting around the harbourside...

If you’re not familiar with the area (or even if you’re just looking for a little inspiration), our map will help you plan your trip and move around the Harbourside with ease. Use it to find where you are in relation to some of the area’s best-loved landmarks, identify which ferry stops are the most convenient for your journey and locate some of this season’s most exciting events

highlight Glassboat summer fayre Following the success of the Eat Cheese, Eat Chocolate and Fish Fest events, Glassboat is set to transform the dockside into a picture of English village life for the Glassboat Summer Fayre. Taking place on 11 July, you’ll find a scrumptious selection of loose leaf teas, homemade cakes, cucumber sandwiches, English wines and cheeses and more. You can also browse a selection of vintage china and handmade children’s toys while enjoying a variety of family fun and games, including croquet and splat the rat.

MORE

glassboat.co.uk

Brunel’s ss Great Britain – world famous

Capricorn Quay l Nova Scotia – local institution

Mardyke l

l Pump House (for Suspension Bridge)

l Grain Barge

l Marina

Brunel’s ss Great Britain (for Spike Island) l

Marina l

Blue Reef – spectacular aquarium

cross harbour ferry

Jacks Brasserie l

l Nova Scotia (for Create Centre, Lockside and Tobacco Factory)

l The Cottage

l Olive Shed

Hotwells Route Temple Meads Route Sightseeing – see panel At-Bristol – interactive science centre

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Shipshape

harbourside map & ferry guide

Cycling

Bristol Ferry Boat Co

What better place to host a dedicated bike film festival than in the country’s first ever cycling city? Taking place at Watershed from 5-8 August, Cyclescreen will feature a collection of inspiring cycling films, documentaries, lectures and interactive events that’ll have riders reaching for their trusty steeds.

Highlights include the pedal-powered cinema and indoor bike racing.

Daily service on both the RED (Hotwells) and the blue (Temple Meads) routes. RED departures from 10.30 at the city centre and blue departures from 10.10 at Temple Meads. Commuter departures Monday to Friday all year round, start 07.25.

Our ferries are like a bus (a waterbus even), so use us to jump on and get to your favourite attraction, cafe, restaurant, pub, place of work or to enjoy a circular tour enjoying the great sights and sounds of this amazing historic harbour. There is lots to see: swans, geese, a whole array of unusual boats of varying shapes and sizes, St Mary Redcliffe’s spire, Cabot Tower, stunning views towards Ashton Court and Clifton – a vista feast, in fact! See also our entry on page 22

MORE

watershed.co.uk

Sightseeing

For full details and timetable visit: bristolferry.com Castle Park (for Cabot Circus, Broadmead) l

Bristol Bridge (for St Nicholas Market) l

City Sightseeing Bristol runs open-top bus tours of the city, from the historic harbourside up to Bristol Zoo in Clifton and beyond.

Running from mid-March to the end of October, the tours last for an hour and a quarter but you can hop on and off as you please. Harbourside stops can be found at the CREATE Centre, Baltic Wharf, Brunel’s ss Great Britain, At-Bristol, Prince Street and Bristol Bridge MORE

citysightseeingbristol.co.uk

Watershed – media and arts centre

Glassboat l

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

Glassboat – fine dining

Temple Bridge l

l l Redcliffe Back Welsh Back (for Old Vic and Renato’s)

Temple Quay (for Temple Meads train station) l

l Spyglass

l Watershed Bristol Visitor Information Centre

l The Apple

River Grille l l Shore Bordeaux Quay l

River Grille – top location

l Architecture Centre

Millennium Square (for At-Bristol and Blue Reef) l

l Arnolfini

l Mud Dock

l Thekla

Spyglass – Mediterranean barbecue

l Myristica Severnshed l l Riverstation

Myristica – award-winning

l Prince Street (for The Louisiana)

l M-Shed

Jacks Brasserie – great views

Shipshape

l Bathurst Basin The Ostrich l

Arnolfini – contemporary art

Look out for the autumn issue of Shipshape - available across the Harbourside from 1 Sept thirteen

interview

i❤ harbourside Watershed’s managing director since 1998, Dick Penny talks to Shipshape about his passion for Bristol’s historic cultural quarter

What do you think makes the Harbourside such a great destination?

I think it’s a fantastic public space on a very human scale that can bring the people of the city together. There’s such a huge range of cultural attractions – Arnolfini, Architecture Centre, CREATE Centre, the Matthew, Watershed, the new museum [M-Shed] to come… and at the core of it is this really exciting historical public space. And because it’s an old river course, it’s quirky.

Parts of the Harbourside can get a bit rowdy from time to time. How are you and other local businesses trying to improve the area?

As a public destination, the Harbourside is still fairly new. It went from a working dock to a semi-derelict space before beginning regeneration in the eighties – and it was pretty slow progress until the millennium when a lot of stuff happened very quickly. But the result was that we ended up with a lot of the same kinds of places. In a funny way, what the recession is doing is filtering out that mono-culture and allowing a more sustainable mix to come through. It became a destination for standup evening drinking but we’ve now got the opportunity to move it to being more about culture: sixteen

whether that’s art, going for a walk or sitting down and eating. Reputations build up and once somewhere has a reputation, people say they don’t want to go somewhere on a Friday or Saturday evening – and by default you get less diversity. But a group of us are really working hard to make the place more attractive and more diverse.

What improvements have particularly pleased you?

A lot more venues are getting active and working together to make the Harbourside a better environment and a destination for everyone. We don’t want to chase anyone away; we want it to be lively and safe and the heart of the city. Schemes like the Purple Flag (see panel right) and marshal scheme, which is there to assist not arrest people, have really helped. Improvements are happening gradually – it will take time but we’re feeling much more positive.

What’s your favourite spot on the Harbourside?

It very much depends on the time of year and weather. What’s great about the Harbourside is that it has lots of different textures. But I think my favourite spot is Queen Square – it’s a really magical place in the heart of the city.

Where do you like to go for a drink or something to eat?

If the sun’s shining, the terrace at Mud Dock is hard to beat. Bordeaux Quay is very close by and great. And these days Watershed is as good as any.

What one thing would significantly improve the Harbourside?

I think more restaurants and less drink-led outlets – a real mix. Food is very much part of our culture now.

What events are you particularly looking forward to this year?

Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride on 20 June. Cycling down a car-free Portway beneath the Suspension Bridge is simply stunning. What’s clever about this event is that it really is geared for families, not just serious cyclists.

It’s just a brilliant, brilliant event. In fact, I’d like to see the area car-free every Sunday.

Watershed,1 Canon’s Road, BS1 5TX, watershed.co.uk

More

This pic and bottom right: courtesy of destination bristol

Tell us a little bit about your role at Watershed.

My job’s all about tomorrow. Our strategy is to ensure Watershed is an organisation that’s always innovating and to make sure we’re sustainable. Part of our mission is to help make sure Bristol is a more interesting place.

Shipshape

interview

Purple patch John Hirst, operations director at Destination Bristol, tells us about the new Purple Flag scheme that’s helping to lift standards in city centres around the country

In a funny way, what the recession is doing is filtering out that monoculture and allowing a more sustainable mix to come through

Clockwise from this pic: Bordeaux Quay; dockside drinkers; the “magical” Queen Square; night time revelry along the waterfront; the ever innovative Watershed

Shipshape

This pic, Queen Square & Watershed: james@thegroupofseven.co.uk

Dick Penny

If you’re looking for a decent beach to visit in the UK, chances are you’ll head for one that’s been awarded a coveted Blue Flag. And now a new scheme aims to do the same job for the UK’s city centres, as Hirst explains.

“Purple Flag is the new ‘gold standard’ that recognises great entertainment and hospitality in city centres at night,” he says. “Places that achieve the standard will be those that offer a first-class, allround positive experience to all evening and night-time visitors and users.”

Since its launch in 2009 only a handful of places have been awarded the Purple Flag – and Hirst, along with representatives from Bristol City Council, Safer Bristol and the police, is hoping that Bristol can join that illustrious bunch.

The application is being submitted in the summer with assessment visits set to take place before September.

“We are continually striving to promote our great city and to improve the overall offer,” he says. “Local businesses should work effectively in a coordinated manner to offer a first-class experience to visitors and customers. This will leave a great impression and lead to future visits and repeat business, which will benefit everyone.”

More If you’d like to get involved with the Purple Flag application, contact John Hirst on 0117 925 7053 for more information

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Bookshop Café bar Dance Events Exhibitions Film Music Performance

Free admission to exhibition spaces open from 11am Tue – Sun café bar open daily from 10am 10am

T: 0117 917 2300 / 01 E: BOXOFFICE@ARNOLFINI.ORG.UK 16 NARROW QUAY, BRISTOL BS1 4QA

WWW.ARNOLFINI.ORG.UK

rem plan and run every type of event...

2010 Public triPs

Wildlife, Pimms Picnic & champagne down the Gorge. Down the Docks & up the Cut, Beeses Cream and Santa!

Something for everyone!

Carefully.

Creatively.

Meticulously.

Maybe the secret is little more than the years of experience or maybe it’s an obsession with getting things right.

Event Organisers of the Year 2006/2007/2009

Richmond Event Management Ltd 59 Prince Street Bristol BS1 4QH Tel 0117 9276614 Fax 0117 9221497 Email info@rem-events.com

0117 927 3416 | trips@bristolferry.com | www.bristolferry.com

www.rem-events.com

feature

Men at work

All pics: james@thegroupofseven.co.uk

With spanking new gates and smashing new ships, Bristol’s working Harbourside is well and truly thriving again.

Juliette Phillips investigates

Ask Rob Salvidge of the Bristol Ferry Boat Company to summarise his passion for Bristol’s Harbourside and you’re immediately swept away on a wave of evocative exploration. “It’s a gateway to a world of wonder and adventure,” he says. “A fantastic, historic playground that represents the spirit on which Bristol was built.”

Today, Rob has even more reason to celebrate the unique location that he has every right to call home. As we reported in the first issue of Shipshape, a massive technological improvement scheme in the shape of a fouryear, £11m Bristol City Council/BAM Nuttall project is well under way, with the first phase – the urgent task of improving and repairing the dock’s Victorian lock system – already successfully completed. “All those who rely on the harbour need confidence in the technology that goes on behind the scenes,” Rob explains.

“Although the new gates don’t look that different to the ones they’ve replaced, the originals really were on their last legs. I was always worried that one day they’d stick open or shut, which would have been disastrous.”

While Rob need worry no more, the hard work doesn’t end here. The ongoing regeneration project will continue into 2011, while over at the historic Underfall Boat Yard, shipwrights are busy working on four brand new wooden boats that are all set to make a splash sometime soon.

Shipshape

Clockwise from this pic: Tim Loftus of the Underfall Boatyard with the 22ft-long Girl Lauren; BAM Nuttall’s new lock gates; Boat builder Ben Punter works on his own boat; Bristol Ferry Boat’s maintenance crew, James Kemble and Andy Brown, get ready to launch ferry boat Taurus after its winter refit at the Underfall Boatyard. Taurus used to be a tender for cruise ship Canberra, which saw action during the Falklands War

Top trips “We’re currently concentrating on a new 50ft working replica of a Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter, which the client aims to charter out of Bristol later this year,” says Underfall’s Alf Perry.

“We’re also working on a very pretty 1950s-style river launch for a private owner and a six-oared Cornish gig for the newly formed Clevedon club.” Business, it seems, is booming again – and things can only get better.

“Thanks to this scheme, the essence of the dock – and, therefore, Bristol itself – will be retained, with all credit going to the powers that be for having the foresight to support such an investment,” says Salvidge. “I was born and brought up around the Harbourside but, for many people who grew up during the 60s and 70s, it represented a dwindling, declining place,” he recalls. “I was pessimistic about ever seeing it become vibrant again. But the working harbourside is being regenerated; we can once again celebrate, appreciate and fully utilise the navigable water that flows right into the heart of the city – the awesome, unstoppable spirit on which Bristol continues to build.”

Gorgeous Gorge See the Clifton Suspension Bridge as you’ve never seen it before, choosing from a range of themed trips, including champagne breakfasts, Pimm’s picnics and wildlife specials ... River Trips Float alongside the leafy riverbanks all the way to Beeses Bar & Tea Gardens for a full-on cream tea ... Festival of Nature Take an informative cruise around the floating harbour in the company of local wildlife expert Ed Drewitt (part of the Bristol Festival of Nature, 12 & 13 June) ... Down the Docks and Up the Cut This historic adventure gives an insight into the engineering feats of the harbour and the Cut, with commentary by John Penny ... Cocktail Cruise – New for 2010 (private charter) Celebrate a special occasion with a cocktail cruise, day or night, with an on-board performance from ‘The Bartender’ More

bristolferry.com

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lido

f so l er na 009 n o 2 i n wi nat rds ol’ a t e s w tH y a bri rr in cu est ‘b

restaurant, spa & pool

indian summer marinated meat for your bbq now available to take-away

We’re almost full

Get your swimming membership before there’s a waiting list...

bristol’s favourite indian experience in your own back garden Order a fantastic new range of marinated Indian meats, fish and vegetables to enjoy at home from £7.50 per person (a minimum of four people).

Orders must be made three days in advance. Free delivery within a three mile radius or £10 for any deliveries over three miles.

Also look out for Myristica’s new lunchtime Tapas menu For more details visit www.myristica.co.uk Oakfield Place, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2BJ 0117 933 9530 / 0117 933 9533 www.lidobristol.com

new address myristica 51 welsh back bristol bs1 4an tel: 0117 927 2277 web: www.myristica.co.uk

kids

The springtime date when the Spyglass Barbecue and Grill - a converted, permanently moored barge offering sublime waterfront views and menus that read like a paean to the sunshine flavours of the Mediterranean - lowers the gangplank for another season in the sun always gives cause for celebration in Bristol. And while mini diners have never been overlooked at this upmarket barbecue/tapas-themed hotspot (scrumptious scoff for mini-foodies, highchairs, cushions and snuggle-up blankets are always available), summer 2010 brings a raft of singularly special Spyglass surprises to the child- and family-friendly menu.

Ahoy, me hearties!

Clockwise from this pic: Spyglass Barbecue and Grill; Beeses’ beefburger; ice cream at Spyglass; Pirate Pete; Spyglass’s Pirate Pack

illustration: chris dickason

Want aquatic activities for pocket-sized pirates?

Juliette Phillips straps on her eye patch and goes in search of Bristol’s hidden treasures The recent introduction of the Spyglass Pirate Club has already proved to be a great success, with options including a mini Spyglass burger, grilled chicken fillets, fish fingers or tortillas available for £2.50. Upgrade to a full-on feast (including garlic bread, fries, salad and ice cream) for £3.95 and a Pirate Set and colouring placemat come as standard as part of the deal.

But the spectacular seafaring fun doesn’t end there. Should such madcap maritime motivations inspire your little landlubbers, Spyglass Pirate Trips (conceived in conjunction with the Bristol Ferry Boat Company) might well be the most unique party-on option for young Bristol-based revellers this summer.

Gather together a gang of 20 mini mariners aged from around five years upwards (plus one adult for every five children on board) and set sail on a 45-minute boat trip around the harbour, with take-home Pirate Sets (including a sword, hook and eye patch) for all handed out before your voyage begins.

Back on the Spyglass shore, there’s yet more bounty – including a Spyglass Pirate Feast and more pirate-themed activities – awaiting all Jolly Rogers, with a Spyglass mezze dish and soft drink available for grown-up buccaneers.

The cost? A veritable bargain at £12 per person.

Gripped by the swashbuckling bug?

Bristol’s very own Pirate Pete is a legendary character around these parts. Join him at 2pm every Saturday and Sunday throughout the year for a fun and informative hour-long stroll around the city’s quays, taking in Blackbeard’s Lair, the Smugglers’ Cave and the Matthew Shipyard, and discovering Bristol’s turbulent 17th- and 18th-century piracy history as you go. Tickets cost £6 for adults and £3.50 for children; family groups (two adults, two children) pay just £15. Scallywags, meanwhile, will be forced to walk the plank.

Spyglass, Welsh Back, BS1 4SB, 0117 927 7050, spyglassbristol.co.uk; Bristol Ferry Boat Company, bristolferry.com; Pirate Pete’s Pirate Walks, piratewalks.co.uk

Eat up Top 5 child-friendly menus A mini Angus beefburger or an organic Old Spot/Quorn hot dog at Beeses Bar & Tea Gardens – float to this unique Bristol institution with the Bristol Ferry Boat Company: beeses.co.uk, bristolferry.com ...

‘Little meals for little people’ from £2.75£4.50 (Meal Deal £5) at the Mud Dock Café: mud-dock.co.uk ... The ‘Bambini’ menu at the Arnolfini (£2.50-£5): arnolfini. org.uk ... A selection of grown-up dishes downsized to child-friendly portions for £5 at Bordeaux Quay Brasserie: bordeauxquay.co.uk ... Mini burger, chicken fillets or fish fingers served with garlic bread, fries and salad and ice cream for afters, plus a free Pirate Set! £3.95 at Spyglass: spyglassbristol.co.uk

Free pirate kits with kid’s meals at Spyglass Shipshape

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shipshape directory

Arnolfini Arnolfini Contemporary Arts Centre 16 Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA 0117 917 2300/01, arnolfini.org.uk Opening hours: Exhibition spaces: Tue-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat-Sun 11am-7pm Bookshop: Tue 11am-6pm, Wed-Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 11am-7pm Café Bar: daily from 10am

At-Bristol

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 December

Blue Reef Aquarium & IMAX 3D Cinema Anchor Road, BS1 5TT 0117 929 8929, bluereefaquarium.co.uk Opening hours: daily from 10am.

Closed on Christmas Day.

Bristol Ferry Boat Company

For full details visit: bristolferry.com

twenty-two

Based in 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 and a busy education programme of tours and talks. Arnolfini 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 building, exhibitions and café bar.

One of the country’s leading interactive science centres, At-Bristol boasts over 300 exhibits (from becoming an animator for the day to building your own flying object), live shows and a Planetarium, in which you can discover how to spot seasonal constellations and learn more about the science behind the stars. At-Bristol also has a unique venue hire space boasting a dedicated top-floor area with terraces overlooking Millennium Square and Bristol Cathedral. It can be used for any style of event including conferences and weddings. This year marks At-Bristol’s 10th birthday in July with activities running throughout the month so check the website for more information.

The spectacular new Blue Reef Aquarium in Bristol’s Harbourside takes visitors on a spectacular undersea safari. The £4m redevelopment of the former Wildwalk building showcases native and tropical marine and freshwater creatures from around the world in naturally themed habitats. Highlights include a life-size recreation of a sunken ship (home to native sharks, rays and huge shoaling cod) and an open-top giant coral seas display (home to tropical sharks and stingrays). The aquarium also boasts its own IMAX 3D cinema, where visitors can watch a selection of marine-themed films on a fourstorey-tall screen as part of the admission price.

Daily services travel between Temple Meads and the city centre (calling at Cabot Circus) as well as Hotwells and the city centre on their distinctive yellow and blue boats. Public trips include: Gorgeous Gorge, Beeses Tea Gardens for tea or BBQs, and Wildlife. Their private charters are very popular for all your events, with birthdays and booze cruises proving top of the list. Quote ‘Shipshape magazine second edition’ and receive a 10% discount off any of their three-hour charters.

For a map of the service – complete with ferry stops – and more information, turn to pages 14 & 15.

Shipshape

shipshape directory

Bristol Tourist Information Centre E Shed, 1 Canons Road, BS1 5TX 0333 321 0101 (calls charged at national rate), ticharbourside@destinationbristol.co.uk Opening hours: open daily all year round (except Christmas day and Boxing day).

10am-6pm (April-September), 10am-5pm (October–March)

Brunel’s ss Great Britain Great Western Dockyard, BS1 6TY 0117 926 0680, ssgreatbritain.org Opening hours: from 10am Closing: 5.30pm (27 March-31 Oct); 4.30pm (from 1 November) Last ticket sales: one hour before closing Open every day except 24 and 25 December, and 1 January

Colston Hall

Colston Street, BS1 5AR 0117 922 3686, colstonhall.org Opening hours: Box Office: Mon–Sat 10am6pm; H Bar café: Mon-Fri 8am-11pm, Sat 9am-10pm, Sun 10am-9pm; H Bar Bistro: Daily 11.30am-3pm and 5-11pm

Glassboat Welsh Back, BS1 4SB 0117 929 0704, glassboat.co.uk Free Beefeater Gin cocktails Just wave your copy of Shipshape at your server and receive a free glass of Summer Garden Punch for all your guests when dining at the Glassboat. Not available in conjunction with any other offers.

Opening hours: lunch: Tues-Fri 12-2.30pm; dinner: Mon-Sat 5.30-10.30pm; Sunday brunch: 10am-4pm

Shipshape

Bristol’s Tourist information Centre is located in E-Shed, next to the Watershed Media Centre. Services include accommodation bookings, ticket sales for events and attractions, and general advice and assistance on how to make the most of visiting, living in or travelling around Bristol. Find a range of gifts, souvenirs, books, maps and travel guides, and work by local artists.

You can get up-to-the-minute travel information from Bristol City Council’s transport team and a wide range of travel leaflets and timetables are also available.

A unique drop-in information point has also been created by the University of the West of England.

Descend under the glass ‘sea’ and step back in time in the Dockyard Museum! See, hear, touch and even smell what life was like for Victorian passengers and crew on board Brunel’s ss Great Britain. There’s plenty to do to keep all the family entertained at this multiaward-winning and fully accessible visitor attraction.

This summer join in the 40th anniversary celebrations of the ss Great Britain’s epic salvage from the Falkland Islands and return to Bristol. Events range from ‘The Incredible Journey’ exhibition and family trail to reenactors and treats. Tickets provide free return visits for a year. To find out more, visit ssgreatbritain.org

Colston Hall is Bristol’s premier live music venue hosting a varied and regular programme of rock and pop, classical, leftfield and comedy events.

In the past year Snow Patrol, London Symphony Orchestra and Grace Jones have all played at the Hall. In 2009, Colston Hall’s new foyer building was opened to the public. Built with £20 million from Bristol City Council and the Arts Council, the new foyer has improved the customer experience of visiting the Hall with audiences now able to enjoy their new café bar, restaurant and interval bars in light and spacious surroundings.

Well-established and much-loved floating restaurant that’s been serving Bristol’s food fanatics for nearly 25 years and now boasting an entirely glass aft section.

Beautiful views of Bristol Bridge and beyond, knowledgeable staff, an extensive wine list and a locally sourced, seasonal menu can all be found here. The lower deck can also be hired out for breakfast, lunch, dinner and half- or full-day events for up to 40. Take advantage of their Express Lunch menu: two courses for £10 (Tuesday to Saturday).

free summer garden punch

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shipshape directory

Jacks Bar & Brasserie

1 Hannover Quay, BS1 5JE 0117 945 3990, bristol@jacksbrasserie.co.uk Opening hours: daily 10am-11pm (food served 10pm-10pm)

Lido Restaurant, Spa & Pool

Oakfield Place, BS8 2BJ 0117 933 9530, lidobristol.com Opening hours: restaurant: 12-3pm and 6.3010pm; spa: 7am-10pm; poolside bar: all day

The Matthew

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

Myristica

51 Welsh Back, BS1 4AN 0117 927 2277, myristica.co.uk Opening hours: Mon-Fri 12-2pm (lunch), Mon-Sat 5.30-11.30pm (dinner), Sunday 5.30-10.30pm (dinner, last orders at 10pm)

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Jacks Bar and Brasserie, based on the Harbourside in Bristol, is one of two independently owned restaurants. With wall-to-ceiling windows, a large outdoor terrace and a stunning waterfront location, Jacks is the perfect spot to spend a summer’s day or evening. The menus are seasonally changing with a range of daily specials and a great value lunchtime Express menu. The menu is contemporary British using local produce from in and around Somerset and the South West and includes Devon mussels steamed with cider, shallots and bacon, Brixham fish of the day and a Welsh lamb rump.

A 21st century spa, restaurant and alfresco pool housed in beautifully renovated 19th century surroundings. The Lido originally opened its doors in 1850 and remained in business for over 100 years before falling into disrepair in 1990. The Glassboat Company saved the building from developers (who wanted to turn the site into flats) and restored the buildings to their former glory, reopening in November 2008. Find a heated, low-chlorine infinity pool, sauna and steam room, restaurant and poolside bar, and luxurious spa.

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.

Having recently taken up residence on Bristol’s Welsh Back, Myristica joins a host of wellknown establishments delivering a five-star food experience along Bristol’s waterfront. You’ll find a delicious range of authentic, delicious regional Indian food served up by chefs from some of India’s top hotels. Specialities include pista murgh (chicken breast cooked in a mild cream sauce with ground pistachios and saffron) and prawn chettinad with Kerala paratha (black tiger prawns cooked with a roasted blend of fennel, peppercorns and curry leaves).

Shipshape

shipshape directory

Shore cafe bar

Narrow Quay, BS1 4QF 0117 923 0333, doylecollection.com Open daily

Spyglass

Welsh Back, BS1 4SB 0117 927 7050, spyglassbristol.co.uk Spyglass offer Free Pirate Kit and colouring pencils with all Kids’ Pirate Club meals Opening hours: daily 11am-11pm

The River Grille

Narrow Quay, BS1 4QF 0117 923 0333, doylecollection.com Open daily

Watershed

1 Canons Road, BS1 5TX 0117 927 5100, info@watershed.co.uk, watershed.co.uk, dshed.net Cafe/bar opening hours: Mon 10.30am-11pm, Tues-Thurs 9.30am-11pm, Sat 10am-midnight, Sun 10am-10.30pm

Shipshape

The Shore Cafe Bar, inspired by Bristol’s heritage, affords great people-watching opportunities as you park yourself in front of the big windows and observe the hustle and bustle of the harbour outside. Food ranges from a simple bagel and coffee to a zesty light luncheon all the way through to a classic fish and chip supper. If you’re looking for something a little lighter, take your pick from a delicious selection of olives, wraps, charcuterie and more. This chic cafe bar also boasts an extensive wine and cocktail list, a good selection of lager and bottled beer, and an exclusive patio area – the perfect spot for those late summer evenings.

Contemporary 170-seater alfresco-style restaurant split between a converted barge and quayside with ample heaters, should the British weather not be playing ball. Serves simple, tasty, well-priced Mediterranean fare, including a selection of main courses from the barbecue (average price: £7), salads, tapas and desserts. Groups of eight or more can order a party menu, which includes mezze to share and a choice of mains and desserts.

Also plays host to a range of food-related events and live music.

free Pirate Kits

What better setting for sharing fine food or a refreshing drink than on the water’s edge? Take a seat in The River Grille and enjoy unparalleled views of Bristol’s historic Harbourside that calm the soul and offer tranquillity in the heart of a vibrant city. The River Grille has recently appointed executive chef Wayne Third, who brings a new culinary concept to this light and airy restaurant: the finest West Country ingredients, simply prepared. He uses meats from Somerset farms, poultry from the Forest of Dean and the best of local cheeses to create handcrafted dishes.

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, enjoy a meal and watch a film. Come and try their Plot to Plate organic menu showcasing the tastes of the South West, or tempt yourself to a drink before or after a film. For detailed film and events listings, visit watershed.co.uk or head to dshed.net for an online gallery and creative content. twenty-five

and finally

1 3 24 10 things Patrick the lobster This 5kg giant could be 60 years old and was saved from the pot after a fish merchant donated him to Bristol’s new Blue Reef Aquarium

Wallace & Gromit They officially live at Aardman Animations’ headquarters on Cumberland Road - take a ride on the open-top bus and you can sneak a peak at them through the window

Sand martins We have only the second known colony of sand martins in the Avon area living alongside the Feeder Canal

Cormorants (above) You can see around a dozen cormorants flying or swimming around the Harbourside at any time – most of them fly in from nearby Chew Valley lake and enjoy a day’s fishing before going home to bed.

Cormorants can swim under water very well but their feathers get waterlogged so you’ll often see them perched around the harbour with their wings open to dry them

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Father Christmas On an almost daily basis, Father Christmas can be seen enjoying a chat and a bacon sandwich at the famous Brunel Buttery!

Fish! You can catch roach, bream, perch, eel, dace and carp in the harbour and Feeder Canal (providing you have a valid rod licence!)

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... you never knew lived on the Harbourside

Sylvester the Chinese goose (right) The only one of his type in Bristol harbour, Sylvester has lived here for around 20 years. Word has it that he was once someone’s pet, but is now quite happy swimming around the harbour trying to make friends with the swans. He is genetically related to swans – many centuries ago they were domesticated and crossbred from wild swan geese and used in China and Russia for meat. They are also good as grazers in water meadows and paddy fields

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Foxes The number of foxes in central Bristol is increasing after a nasty disease wiped them out in the early 1990s. Now there are regular sightings of attractive, healthy looking foxes around the Hotwells and Redcliffe areas.

The first ever film of urban foxes’ nocturnal habits was made by the BBC in Bristol in the 1970s

Fig trees Growing out of the massive harbour walls, which used to form part of the fortifications at Castle Park, are two massive fig trees. Fig trees are native to all equatorial and sub-tropical regions so it’s likely that the Harbourside’s great fig trees originated in southern Europe and arrived on a ship (probably a bird or maybe the curious fig wasp transported the seeds to crack in the Castle Park wall where they flourished because of their sheltered location)

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Cygnets There’s a regular community of swans in Bristol harbour and has been for hundreds of years. Many pairs fly away from Bristol to breed because of a lack of nesting sites, but for the past few years a pair have made a nest near the ss Great Britain and have successfully hatched lots of babies

Look out for the autumn issue of Shipshape – available from 1 September throughout the Harbourside

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Shipshape

Executive Chef Wayne Third Executiveintroduces Chef Wayne Third a newintroduces culinary concept a new culinary concept The finest of West Country ingredients The finest of West Country ingredients - simply prepared - simply prepared To book, please call 0117 9230333 To book, please call 0117 9230333 Narrow Quay, Bristol BS1 4EF www.doylecollection.com Narrow Quay, Bristol BS1 4EF www.doylecollection.com

Sunday’s at the Boat Bloody Marys Chilled-out Soul tunes Sunday Papers All day Brunch menu Sunday Roasts freshly roasted coffee Home baked cakes & pastries

Welsh Back Bristol BS1 4SB 0117 929 0704 bookings@glassboat.co.uk glassboat.co.uk