shipshape free
a guide to bristol in spring
arts / events / history / city map / dining / people pp01_Cover.indd 1
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04 Shipshape 17 spring 2014 Published by thegroupofseven.co.uk Enquiries: info@shipshapebristol.co.uk Past issues & galleries: shipshapebristol.co.uk Advertising: nigel@bud.uk.com 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. © The Group of Seven Ltd 2014 Archive images Shipshape regularly features photographs from Bristol Record Office, which is based at B Bond Warehouse on the Floating Harbour. The record office holds archives documenting over 800 years of Bristol’s history and continues to collect and preserve material on all aspects of life in the city. For more information, visit www.bristol.gov.uk/recordoffice
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We Sit Starving Amidst Our Gold, painted by Stuart Sam Hughes. Courtesy of the British Council. Photograph by Cristiano Corte.
spring
46 With its Michelin-starred restaurants, buoyant microbreweries and thriving festivals, it's safe to say that the region's foodie scene is in rude health. To celebrate our love affair with all things edible, we've joined forces with The Pig (the brains behind local restaurant guide ThePigGuide.com) to bring you news, views and tasty titbits from Bristol's kitchens (page 40). Elsewhere, our Neighbourhood Watch season continues with the story of Wapping Wharf (page 27) while historian Eugene Byrne shares the fascinating story of Bristol's battle with the U-boats in WWI (page 32). We hope you enjoy the issue. 04 Shot! Nomadic art gallery Antlers take up residency in Purifier House
31 Magic maker Jeremy Deller brings his English Magic exhibit to Bristol
06 Tickets The best music, comedy, theatre, art events to attend this spring
34 Savagery at sea The surprisingly little-known story of Bristol's war on U-boats in WWI
10 Details People, performers and points of view
38 News bites News and gossip from the food world
24 City map Ways to navigate the city
40 Eating & drinking Restaurants, cafés, bars and pubs
26 Jailhouse rocked The riotous history of the Harbourside's Wapping Wharf
46 My favourite things Alastair Sawday chooses his top five spring breaks in the South West
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Bull Head, Dorcas Casey Art gallery Antlers produces temporary exhibitions in various locations. This March, it launches a new six-month programme in Purifier House, an old gas purifying station overlooking the floating harbour. First up in the three-part series is Gravitas, a duo show by Abigail Reed and Dorcas Casey, which explores the complex relationships between humans and animals. Exploration, the second show, brings together three UK-based contemporary artists to examine technology and its encroachment on the natural world. gravitas / exploration Purifier House, Lime Kiln Road, Bristol BS1 5AD. Gravitas runs from Fri 21 Mar to Sat 19 Apr, 10am-6pm daily. Preview: Thu 20 Mar, 6-9pm. Artist talk: Wed 2 Apr, 6.30pm. Exploration runs from Fri 25 Apr to Sat 7 Jun. Visit antlersgallery.com/ projects for further information.
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1 & 2. Purifier House Linden Homes invited Antlers to produce a programme of events in the ground floor of their new development. The programme includes exhibitions, talks and pop-up dinners. The space will also form part of the very first Bristol Art Weekender. “Purifier House is one of the most exciting spaces we’ve had to date,” says Antlers director Jack Gibbon.
3. Black Greyhound, Abigail Reed Reed’s large-scale oil paintings portray animals in their ultimate state. She works fast to incorporate the drips and cracks of oil paints into her work, and uses a monochrome palette to allow the images to stand out in a colourful environment. They are neither exact representations nor abstractions – rather existing in a world between the two.
4. Bull, Dorcas Casey Responding to the impressive space on offer, Gravitas brings together large-scale monochrome oil paintings by Reed and lifesized fabric sculptures by Casey. Casey’s work seeks to translate the recurring and mysterious motifs of animals in her dreams into tangible objects. Her large fabric works are hand-stitched from clothing material.
4. Adjacent – You Want To See Forever, Geoff Diego Litherland Litherland’s work explores the tension between the natural world and its appropriation by humans. It melds together painting and science fiction to create a parallel world that seeks to question our perception of and relationship to nature. Litherland’s paintings form part of the Exploration exhibition.
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tickets tickets Arts, culture and family trips around the city
Antlers gallery The nomadic gallery
Architecture Centre
arnolfini
RIBA International Awards to 19.04.14 / Exhibition of architectural projects and models from around the world.
Family Film Screenings 29.03.14/ 26.04.14/31.05.14 / Special film screenings for families, introducing different themes taken from Arnolfini’s exhibitions or events.
Contemporary arts centre
Centre for architecture and design
Antlers is a commercial art gallery, nomadic by design. Based in Bristol, it produces temporary exhibitions in various locations, with its only permanent base being online. Antlers represents a select group of contemporary artists through exhibitions, art fairs, consultancy and private sales. The gallery is committed to showcasing artists who explore the natural world, narrative and folklore through compelling and well-executed work. Gravitas 21.03.14-19.04.14 / Dorcas Casey (whose Bull, 2011 is pictured) and Abigail Reed explore the complex relationship between humans and animals in the first of three exhibitions by Antlers at Purifier House. Purifier House, Lime Kiln Road, BS1 5AD, 10am-6pm. Exploration 25.04.14-07.06.14 / Karin Krommes, Geoff Diego Litherland and Jemma Appleby examine the encroachment of technology on the natural world. Purifier House, as above.
Purifier House, Lime Kiln Road, BS1 5AD 07780 503180 antlersgallery.com
Urban Wandering: Room with a (Harbourside) View? 12.03.14 / Guided walk exploring some of Bristol’s housing developments visible from the water’s edge. 6pm, £6/£4 concs. Grimshaw Architects 19.03.14 (pictured) / Lecture on award-winning architecture and public design projects in New York, including sustainable, affordable housing in the Bronx. Arnolfini, 6.30pm, £6/£4 concs, 0117 917 2300 Inside Inspiration 12.04.14 / Free dropin, family-friendly afternoon of drawing and modelling interior spaces. 1-4pm. Urban Wandering: Redcliffe Dwellings 09.04.14 / Guided walk revealing Redcliffe’s architecture. 6pm, £6/£4 concs. Ask an Architect / 08.03.14/12.04.14/10.05.14 Impartial advice. £10 donation.
We Are Family 29.03.14/26.04.14/ 31.05.14 / Explore Arnolfini’s exhibitions and events through exciting family activities including gigantic drawings. Several 2nds 09.04.14/14.05.14 / Monthly series exploring countercurrents in sound, including Bang the Bore’s Twelve Tapes project, and the Behaviour ensemble. Siobhan Davies Dance: Table of Contents 23-27.04.14 / Innovative dance company presents a performance and installation that explore how dance is archived. Secret World of Sarah Records 03-05.05.14 / Retrospective for this seminal Bristol record label, which from 1987-95 released 100 7” singles from a house overlooking Bedminster station.
Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA 0117 922 1540
16 Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA 0117 917 2300
for booking & info visit architecturecentre.co.uk
arnolfini.org.uk
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tickets
At-bristol
Science discovery centre
Brilliant Brain Week 10-16.03.14 / Meet neuroscientists and investigate the amazing workings of your brain. National Science and Engineering Week 14-23.03.14 / The UK’s widest grassroots celebration of all things science and engineering. War: What Is It Good For? 11.04.14 / How can humanity’s history of warfare inform our future? £8/£7. Seventeen Contradictions and the End of Capitalism 11.04.14 / David Harvey envisions a new fair, rational and sustainable society. £8/£7. After Hours: FOOD 08.05.14 / Delve into a sensory feast of activities for curious foodies. 6.30-10pm. £7/£6. Toddler Takeover: Come Rain, Come Shine 16.05.14 / Activities for under fives, this month with a weather theme. 10am-4pm.
bristol ferry boats
Scheduled ferry services and special interest trips
City Sightseeing Bristol
Classic Gorge 09.04.14/10.05.14/ 08.06.14 / With commentary. £12/£10 concs/£30 family. Departs ss Great Britain. Times vary – check website.
Local guides provide a unique tour with informed, personal and interactive commentary. Weekends until 31 March, daily thereafter.
Grand Tour 24.05.14 / Head down the Gorge to Sea Mills and then back up the New Cut. Departs 1.20pm. £16/£13 concs/£50 family.
The tour takes you around the Harbourside stopping at the ss Great Britain, then out under Clifton Suspension Bridge and onto the Downs. You can also enjoy a variety of shopping experiences: elegant Clifton Village, eclectic Park Street and the bustling Bristol Shopping Quarter (which includes Cabot Circus) with its high-end department stores and St Nicholas Market with its independent stalls.
Sunday Riverside Roast 20.04.14/ 04.05.14/25.05.14/01.06.14 / Head upriver for Sunday lunch at Beese’s Tea Gardens. £21/£15 concs (includes roast dinner). 11am-2pm. Gorge Wildlife 08.04.14 (10.35am)/25.04.14 (1.50pm) / With BBC naturalist Ed Drewitt. £17/£14/ Family £55. Departs ss Great Britain. Private Trips Prices from £290 for two hours. Educational Trips From £120.
Informative open-top bus tours
Explorer Ticket £13/£11 concs/£5 child/£30 family/under 5s free. Bus/Boat Combo £17/£10 child/£47 family. All tickets are valid for two days and allow you to hop on/hop off at any one of 20 stops. Use your ticket for a huge array of discounts.
More About Me 29.04.14-07.07.14 / Investigate the human body and discover more about yourself with hands-on activities.
Ferry services run every day.
Anchor Road, bs1 5db 0845 345 1235
Harbourside 0117 927 3416
07425 788 123
at-bristol.org.uk
bristolferry.com
citysightseeingbristol.co.uk
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colston hall
M Shed
st george’s bristol
Lloyd Cole 24.03.14 / Former Commotions frontman tours new material from album Standards.
Cranes! 14-23.03.14 / Experience a working crane on the dockside, as part of National Science and Engineering Week.
Tord Gustavsen Ensemble 13.03.14 / Norwegian jazz pianist and his band perform an acoustic set.
Premier live performance venue
François and the Atlas Mountains 27.03.14 / French/Bristolian fourpiece play a mix of indie, folk pop and African rhythms. Goldfrapp 01.04.14 / Acclaimed electro duo introduce their new album. Psycho Live! 10.04.14 (pictured) / Screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller, with the British Sinfonietta performing Bernard Herrmann’s score. Brahms Symphony Cycle 10 & 11.05.14 / Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra tackles the German composer’s four great, emotive symphonies. Hauschka 15.05.14 / Düsseldorf’s pianist/composer performs work from album, Abandoned City.
Local history and art exhibitions
Trips aboard the tug John King 29 & 30.03.14 / This diesel tug was built to tow cargo ships from Bristol City Docks to the mouth of the River Avon. She also helped bring the ss Great Britain home in 1970. Bristol Harbour Railway train rides 05 & 06.04.14 / Be transported back to the days of steam with a ride along the dockside on the Henbury Steam Locomotive. Easter Prints 17.04.14 / Use M Shed’s historic printing machine to make your own Easter card, inspired by the museum’s unique collection of objects from Bristol’s chocolate industry. 11am-4pm. Life Stories and the Photographic Image 15.05.14 / Talk using Bristol Record Office photo archives to tell the stories of some of those committed to the city’s 19th-century asylum. 6-7.30pm.
World-class music just off Park Street
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba 18.03.14 (pictured) / Malian world music stars return. Salsa Celtica 27.03.14 / Afro-Cuban grooves with a Scottish folk twist. War Horse with Michael Morpurgo 28.03.14 / Author tells the deeply moving story of Albert and Joey. EUCO/Lesley Garrett 10.04.14 / Garrett joins the young players of the European Union Chamber Orchestra. O Bro: A Musical Celebration of the Coen Bros. 25.04.14 / Classic songs from your favourite movies. Bristol Ensemble & Leonard Elschenbroich 02.05.14 Late Night Russian Soul 08.05.14 / Russia’s Hermitage Ensemble performs. Jocelyn Pook Ensemble 09.05.14 / The British film composer in concert.
Colston St, BS1 5AR 0844 887 1500
Princes Wharf, Wapping Rd, BS1 4RN 0117 352 6600
Great George St, BS1 5RR 0845 402 4001
colstonhall.org
mshed.org
stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
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spike island
Contemporary art and design exhibitions and events
Cevdet Erek: Alt Üst to 13.04.14 (pictured) / Purpose-built installation by this Turkish artist and musician interested in sound, architecture and rhythm. Baby Art Hour 14.03.14 /11.04.14 / Creative activities for ages five and under, with artist Edwina Ashton. 9.30-10.30am: £3 per child, booking essential. All materials provided. I Am Making Art 05.04.14 / Interactive drawing exercises and workshops for all ages and abilities. 12-4pm: free, no need to book. Spike Open 02-05.05.14 / Return of Spike’s popular annual open studios event. Maximum Irony! Maximum Sincerity 1999-2003 03.05.1429.06.14 / Artist Andy Holden uses film, music and sculpture to explore the output and legacy of MI!MS, an artistic movement founded with friends back in 1999.
tobacco factory theatres
watershed
Dark Vanilla Jungle 11-22.03.14 / Philip Ridley’s drama about one girl’s craving for family and home… and the lengths she’ll go to achieve them.
Translation/Transmission 09.03.1430.03.14 / Season of documentary films celebrating how women activists have communicated their struggle and resistance through film.
Nationally renowned theatres
Kate Tempest’s Hopelessly Devoted 25.03.14-05.04.14 (pictured) / Celebrated poet and rapper Kate Tempest returns with this incendiary new play. Arcadia 27.03.14-03.05.14 / Tom Stoppard’s clever, mesmerising ‘comedy of ideas’ set at the same grand country house in two separate time periods. Helen 23-26.04.14 / A reclusive but successful children’s writer may not be the innocent presence she claims to be. £13 gets you the play, a pie and a pint. Banksy: The Room in the Elephant 08-10.05.14 / Hit play by Bristol’s Tom Wainwright telling how Banksy decided to highlight the plight of Los Angeles’ homeless community – with unexpected consequences.
World-renowned arts and new media centre
Filmic: Jocelyn Pook Composes Sunday Brunch 02.03.14-30.03.14 / Musician and composer, who has worked with Stanley Kubrick, selects five films whose music has inspired her. Under The Skin from 14.03.14 / Sci-fi thriller based on Michel Faber’s novel, starring Scarlett Johansson. The Grand Budapest Hotel from 07.03.14 (pictured) / Wes Anderson’s murder mystery about a hotel concierge caught up in an inheritance tussle. The Rocket from 14.03.14 / Lush coming-of-age story set against the stunning backdrop of Laos. A Feast of Film and Philosophy with Julian Baggini 07.05.14 / Discussing the relationship between food and philosophy.
133 Cumberland Rd, BS1 6UX 0117 929 2266
Raleigh Rd, BS3 1TF 0117 902 0344
1 Canons Rd, bs1 5TX 0117 927 5100
spikeisland.org.uk
tobaccofactorytheatres.com
watershed.co.uk
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details News and views from across the city
see Rich Hall This Georgian funny man has won a devoted following around the planet thanks to his waspish observations and bone-dry, world-weary persona – and he’s also revealed himself as a brilliant documentary-maker, as the likes of How the West Was Lost and The Dirty South have proved Hall, who lives in Montana, pitches up at the Tobacco Factory Theatres from 13-17 May with Rich Hall’s Hoedown, an evening mash-up of music and comedy featuring Hall’s own band of “talented and chronically unemployable urchins”. “The floor will reek of liquor and spent dreams,” we’re promised. We’ll be there… You’ve been known to improvise songs from the smallest nuggets of information from audiences…
I really enjoy what Americans call ‘crowd work’, because I can turn it into improvised songs, which is a big thrill for me. I always have a guitar beside me on stage in case something happens. If you told me I would have to listen to anyone – apart from Richard Pryor – on stage for two hours, I’d think: ‘Oh God’. So it’s good to break up the show with musical interludes.
So is the anger real or something of a persona?
It works because people know that I’m not really that angry. Anyone that angry should not be doing comedy. The worst thing you can do is get really angry on stage – then you’ve lost it. The thing is I have this deadpan, Walter Matthau visage. People think: ‘This guy looks grumpy’ – but that’s just how my face is put together. Your comic demeanour has to match your face, as most comedians know. You go down very well in the UK… perhaps your downbeat style strikes a chord with us?
Yes, and people here also find it refreshing that I’m very detached from America. I’m not waving a flag or pretending that I’m hipper than you, which you can get a lot from American comedians. What do you make of Brit audiences?
Brits like to insult you. Sometimes they come to the stage door after the show and say: ‘We really prefer Lee Mack.’ I get riled by the level of They don’t even say: ‘We really enjoyed incompetence and amount of crap in your show – you’re our second favourite the world. I’m also incensed by the behind Lee Mack’! But I know the fact that we are all turning into button- subtext – they must quite like me if they pushing squirrels. That has brought have waited in line to insult me. about a serious loss of personality in more thecomedybox.co.uk this impersonal, digitised world. Music aside, there often seems to be a simmering fury behind much of your comedy...
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SAVE A DATE FOR
Four days celebrating art across the city 2–5 May 2014
Explore the city through a weekend-long FREE programme of exhibitions, projects, public artworks and performances by outstanding contemporary artists and performers, and discover why Bristol is one of the most vibrant and flourishing centres for art in the UK. www.bristolartweekender.co.uk
The Bristol Art Weekender 2014 is a collaborative project and produced by Situations in partnership with the city’s primary visual arts venues, artist-run initiatives and arts producers across multiple locations in the city. The weekender also sees the launch of Bristol’s first Art Map – www.bristolartmap.com – a quarterly listings printed and online guide to art exhibitions, events and art collections across the city.
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highbrow / lowbrow Keda Breeze Curator of Bristol circus and cabaret nights Hoochie Coochie and Maison Paradiso
meet Ira Rainey One half of the satirical duo That Be Bristle, whose witty Dictionary Of Bristle was published 10 years ago The dictionary offers a witty intro to dialect across the city, from Enlees to Cane Shum. Fat Man To Green Man, meanwhile, is Ira’s account of a training regime that led to him running the 46-mile Green Man ultramarathon around Bristol – followed by the Bath Half Marathon the very next day. What made you embark on this gruelling fitness regime?
Have its effects been all positive?
Some consequences, like running the best performances of my life, have been amazing: others were some of the worst things that have ever happened to me. I won’t spoil the story: let’s say it was eventful from start to finish. Tell us the That Be Bristle story.
Andy Hulcoop and I created the website because we were both doing stand-up comedy, and because people knew us we didn’t want the site to be judged as our work but on its own merit. Once the site picked up its own following, it just seemed like a good idea to keep it going.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Jane Eyre at Bristol Old Vic [to 29 March]. I normally go for more contemporary theatre but I do love the classics. Despite being some 200 years old, Jane Eyre has such strong themes – and a very feisty female lead. The quote “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me…” always reminds me what a potent heroine Jane is. “I really love ‘bad food’ so I’m glad that American-style fast food now seems to be a ‘thing’, so I can eat large quantities and feel I’m having a cultural experience at the same time! Mac ’n’ cheese, chili fries, pulled pork… and milkshake. Especially ones that get you drunk! Bagel Boy [St Nicholas Street and Stokes Croft] is my current haunt for guilty pleasures. more Maison Paradiso returns to Kings Weston House on 4 May as part of the Bristol Food Connections festival, maisonparadiso.com / bristolfoodconnections.com
When a friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer it made me realise that I should take better care of myself and live life. I also knew only a big challenge would motivate me to make the changes I needed. The Green Man – local, long and challenging – fitted the bill perfectly. How would you describe the
Bristol dialect and character?
Bristol is a uniquely laid-back Very up and down. It was painful, city. Couple that with a mellow emotive and it made me stop and sounding accent and it gives the question myself many times. It also city a general warmth and vibe. taught me a lot about mental strength and digging in when things got tough. more notbionic.co.uk And how was the journey?
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Jamie Woodley
details
Follow Me by Jeppe Hein
enjoy Bristol Art Weekender Across the bank holiday weekend (2-5 May), Bristol’s culture-seekers will be spoilt for choice. That’s thanks, in large part, to the debut of Bristol Art Weekender, a weekend celebration of visual art across town. We grabbed a few words with BAW Director Claire Doherty (below)
Performance, sound, film, painting, sculpture and permanent public artworks; open studios, talks, events, exhibitions and installations… there’s a mountain of intriguing art-related fare in the programme – and all of it’s free. The collaborative festival is produced by Bristol arts programmers Situations in partnership with Bristol arts venues and producers including Arnolfini, Spike Island, Bristol City Council, Royal West of England Academy, Antlers Gallery and others.
works of public art in the UK. For example, hidden away in Royal Fort Gardens at the top of Park Street is a mirrored labyrinth designed by Danish artist Jeppe Hein, commissioned by the University to commemorate its centenary. It’s the most dizzying, spellbinding experience disappearing into the maze of mirrors surrounded by the twists and turns of the 18thcentury gardens. The labyrinth is just one of many permanent artworks that can be found on the new Bristol Art Map that we’ll be launching in May.
Give us a couple of the Weekender’s What do you hope to achieve with more outlandish highlights… this first Bristol Art Weekender?
We’ve commissioned two projects which both promise to alert the senses. Artist Annika Kahrs will fill the Lord Mayor’s Chapel on Park Street with 100 songbirds who will be serenaded on the hour by a concert pianist, while Myriam Lefkowitz invites you to undertake a walk with her across the city on your own, with your eyes shut. I can’t tell you too much about what happens – suffice to say your view of the city won’t ever be the same! Does Bristol do unusual art well?
Bristol has a secret – it’s home to some of the most groundbreaking
The artist’s studio is conventionally a place of seclusion, while art galleries can sometimes be daunting spaces to enter. We’ve put together the Bristol Art Weekender to open up the connections between the rich diversity of visual arts across this city, building on Spike Island’s highly successful Open Studios weekend. Most importantly, I hope the free programme may encourage those who find contemporary art to be intimidating, or worse still irrelevant, to explore how art can change the way in which we see the world. more
www.bristolartweekend.com
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Play away
From storytelling to the science of food, old-fashioned games and more, there’s plenty of child-friendly fun to be had on the harbour this spring Words Mark Sayers
Theatre
Half-term fun
Hiccup Theatre creates beautiful children’s theatre through a mix of inventive storytelling and live music. For their latest show, the troupe has joined forces with acclaimed poet and children’s author Michael Rosen to bring to life the story of Pinocchio. Hiccup’s version follows the adventures of the little wooden puppet boy and his grasshopper friend as they set out on an adventure together. 8-13 April, Tobacco Factory Theatres.
M Shed has some fine family fare lined up for the Easter holidays (4-22 Apr). On Wednesday 9 visitors can handle some of the museum’s extraordinary mechanical objects and even design their own Easter egg delivery machine. The following Saturday, families are invited to play with a range of toys and games from generations past and use them as inspiration to make their own old-fashioned plaything. On Thursday 17, drop in and use M Shed’s historic printing machine to make your own Easter card.
more tobaccofactorytheatres.com more mshed.org
Design Until 19 April, the Architecture Centre is showcasing some of the very best recent architectural projects around the world. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) International Awards celebrate work being done by RIBA members around the world, and the Centre’s exhibition documents last year’s award-winning projects. Highlights include the stunning Gardens by the Bay cooled conservatories in Singapore and Zaha Hadid’s sinuous, futuristic Galaxy Soho office/retail complex in Beijing. more architecturecentre.co.uk
Art and craft The Royal West of England Academy has programmed a host of Easter hols fun around its forthcoming exhibition, The Power of the Sea (from 5 Apr). Explore the colours, shapes and patterns of the creatures living on the coral reef in the Underwater Art Workshop (ages 7-11), led by artist Christine Howes on Thursday 10 April (10.30-12.30, £10 per child). The following day, I Sea You! (10.30-12, £5, ages 3-5) lets kids create their own aquatic collage and/or jewelled fish sculpture. See the website for a full list of events. more rwa.org.uk
Storytelling Arnos Vale Cemetery continues its beguiling Stomping Stories series: a playful stomp around the site, followed by a much-loved children’s story and craft-making activities. The next tales to feature are Superworm by Julia Donaldson (18 Mar), Slinky Malinki by Lynley Dodd (1 Apr), Beegu by Alexis Deacon (15 Apr) and Tony Mitton’s boisterous Bumpus Jumpus Dinosaurumpus (29 Apr). Tuesdays, 3.45-4.30pm: £3 per child. more arnosvale.org.uk
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Science (and food) Junior foodies should make a beeline for At-Bristol’s upstairs Studio for the Incredible Edible Show (weekends and holidays from 17 May, free with standard admission), an exploration of the weird and wonderful science of food complete with exciting live demos and audience participation aplenty. From there, make your way up to the Live Science Zone where At-Bristol’s Live Science team will guide you through a range of exciting experiments. more at-bristol.org.uk
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laugh
Markets Take a stroll around the stalls of these fantastic markets
David Sedaris Literary funny man presents his first UK tour If you like your humour dry, confessional and fiercely articulate, you’d be well advised to head to Colston Hall on Sunday 6 April for an evening in the company of US ‘literary funny man’ David Sedaris. The author and comedian, now based here in the UK, visits the Hall as part of his first-ever full UK tour, launched off the back of his second sell-out run at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Sedaris’s particular strand of humour is dry and uniquely self-deprecating, often featuring reminiscences of family life,
growing up among a Greek expat family in the suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina. The skill with which he slices through cultural euphemisms and political correctness makes him a master of satire, as well as a brilliant observer of human nature and all its foibles, obsessions and absurdities. The Guardian puts it rather well: “David Sedaris isn’t a stand-up, or even much of a showman. But in his own dry and unassuming way, he’s one of the finest comic talents currently living on this planet.”
The Harbourside Weekend Market Every Sat & Sun 10am-4pm Showcasing local produce and creativity with books, music, art, food, children’s toys, home interiors and more along the harbour. Retroville First Sun of the month Taking place at the Tobacco Factory. With vintage and retro clothing, jewellery, homeware and more. Tobacco Factory Sunday Market Every Sun 10.30am-2.30pm Find around 40 food and craft stalls at this thriving, well-established community market. more no1harbourside.co.uk
more
colstonhall.org
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tobaccofactory.com
mayfest Mayfest, Bristol’s annual festival of adventurous theatre and performance, returns from 15-25 May, with a typically eclectic and appetising line-up. Highlights include The Roof (22-25 May), a new largescale, outdoor, parkour-inspired dance work from the makers of 2010’s Electric Hotel. Elsewhere you’ll find a packed programme of theatre at Bristol Old Vic, Arnolfini, Tobacco Factory Theatres, Circomedia, Cube, Trinity Centre and sites across the city. The 2014 programme features punk rock, juggling, ballet, opera, dance, circus and a programme of work for children. Mayfest Radio will accompany the main festival programme. more
www.mayfestbristol.co.uk
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E Shed, 1 Canons Road, BS1 5TX Tel: 0906 711 2191 (calls cost 50p per minute plus network extras) Email: ticharbourside@destinationbristol.co.uk www.visitbristol.co.uk
Opening Hours Open daily 10am–5pm (October–March); 10am–6pm (April–September)
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What can Bristol learn from the Bronx?
This year, musician and composer Jocelyn Pook selects a series of films that have influenced her fascinating and diverse career, which has spanned the worlds of pop, classical, dance, literature and film. Pook has worked with, among others, Martin Scorsese and Stanley Kubrick (her music was used in Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut), Massive Attack, dance company DV8 and former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion. Here are the films that have inspired Pook’s adventures in music and cinema, all screening at Watershed this month. Dancer in the Dark Sun 9 March, 12pm
Björk stars in, and composes the score for, Lars von Trier’s 2000 musical drama. She plays a Czech immigrant in 1960s America who uses music to fantasise her way out of her arduous life. 2001: A Space Odyssey Sun 16 March, 12pm
Stanley Kubrick’s 1968
Pic: Hugo Glendinning
Filmic This March, musician and composer Jocelyn Pook chooses a series of films for Filmic, an annual festival of film and music, presented by Watershed and St George’s Bristol masterpiece (pictured) draws on several short stories by sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke. Kubrick’s unforgettable soundtrack mixes modern and classical pieces to intense effect, as the story follows a series of encounters between humans and mysterious black monoliths that are apparently affecting human evolution. The Great Beauty Sun 23 March, 12pm
Paolo Sorrentino’s 2013 film is a gorgeous tribute to Rome in all of its splendour and superficiality, with a dazzling pop and orchestral soundtrack bringing the action to life. A 2014 Golden Globes & BAFTA Best Foreign Film winner.
How is New York squaring up to the need for well-designed, sustainable and affordable housing? And how can design improve our public spaces? These are among the questions to be discussed at a public lecture at Arnolfini on Wednesday 19 March. Programmed by The Architecture Centre, the lecture introduces the work of UK architects Grimshaw, whose projects have transformed areas of New York. Deputy Chairman Andrew Whalley will discuss Grimshaw’s NYC portfolio, including the Bronx’s award-winning mixed-use and affordable housing development, Via Verde (pictured below). Another example of their work in NYC includes the billion-dollar Fulton Center (above). The Metropolitan Transportation Authority appointed Grimshaw to develop designs for a new transit hub in Lower Manhattan. The Fulton Center, one of the city’s busiest underground interchanges, is designed to be a catalyst for the redevelopment of the area. The project also features in the Centre’s current RIBA International Awards exhibition. 6.30pm, £6/£4: bookings via 0117 917 2300 or arnolfini.org.uk more architecturecentre.co.uk
Eyes Wide Shut
Sun 30 March, 12pm Kubrick’s tense film uses screen music to track one man’s unsettling descent into paranoia – and showcases the work which gave Pook her big film break. more watershed.co.uk
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CAMRA Bristol Beer Festival To coincide with this year’s CAMRA Bristol Beer Festival (Thu 13-Sun 15 Mar Temple Meads Passenger Shed), Bristol Beer Factory will be hosting a special tap takeover at their flagship craft beer pub, The Barley Mow. From the Wednesday, alongside BBF’s award-winning ales, the friendly St Philips boozer will feature perfect pints from Arbor Ales, Ashley Down Brewery, New Bristol Brewery, Rocket Science, Towles Fine Ales and Wiper & True.
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Bristol Ferry Boats This spring sees the return of Bristol Ferry Boats’ popular Gorge Wildlife tours Hop on board for a spectacular cruise down the magnificent Avon Gorge under the Suspension Bridge, with informative commentary throughout from local wildlife expert Ed Drewitt. If you’re lucky you’ll spot redshank, grey heron, peregrine falcon, cormorants, crows, buzzards and more. “The Gorge is lined with a mixture of
ancient woodland and pasture with an abundance of flora and the cliffs are home to a host of unique plants,” says Drewitt. “And spring trips are so fruitful because birds are busy migrating or breeding, back and forth collecting food for young or building nests.” Next trips take place on 8 and 25 April. more bristolferry.com
lesley garrett at St george’s On Thursday 10 April, St George’s Bristol welcomes the feted soprano Lesley Garrett, who’ll be singing her way through an atmospheric mixed bill to an accompaniment by the European Union Chamber Orchestra. The programme includes the Suite from Handel’s elegant Water Music, Bach’s cantata Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren and Deh vieni non tardar from Mozart’s uplifting Marriage of Figaro, and Haydn’s captivating, mournful Trauer Symphony. more stgeorgesbristol.co.uk 19 shipshape
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The Wardrobe Theatre
view Spike Open The annual open studios event returns over the May bank holiday, and this year it also forms part of the programme for the Bristol Art Weekender
The exuberant, wildly imaginative Tap Tap Theatre are one of our very favourite local theatre troupes, so we’re excited to see them hosting a week-long new writing residency at The Wardrobe Theatre in April. A black box space above Kingsdown’s popular White Bear boozer, the Wardrobe is a wonderfully intimate and involving theatre space, so we’ve high hopes for Scratch (7-11 Apr), for which some of Bristol’s finest writers will be bringing their new ideas out of the closet. more
“Spike is home to over 70 artists, as well as many other creative practitioners including designers, film-makers, animators and photographers,” explains Spike’s director Helen Legg. “We also have a top-notch print studio and the UWE fine art course is based on site, so the open is a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase the huge variety of work that goes on under the roof of this former tea-packing factory!” Over the weekend, Bristolians are invited to explore the building in-depth – you can even wander into many of those 70 artists’ studios and chat with the creative folk laboring within. The open, um, opens on the evening of Friday 2 May – as does Spike’s new installation, Andy Holden’s Maximum Irony! Maximum Sincerity 1999-2003, which uses film, music and sculpture to explore the boundaries between reality and fiction, and the nature of collaboration, communication and
friendship. What’s more, Holden’s own band, the splendidly-named Grubby Mitts, will be playing live in the gallery during the launch. The rest of the open programme includes several mini exhibitions around the building, a playful roaming performance by Spike resident Edwina Ashton and screenings of short films for children at locations across town (note: no adults are allowed into the screenings unless accompanied by a child). Pop-up cafés around the building will keep culture-imbibing visitors happily fuelled all weekend. “We’re excited to be part of the Bristol Art Weekender,” Helen enthuses. “Bristol has a rich and vibrant visual arts scene and we hope that a weekend of exhibitions and events across the city will encourage local residents and visitors from further afield to explore and enjoy the fantastic culture that Bristol offers.” more
thewardrobetheatre.com
historic houses Bristol’s brace of historic houses reopen this April after their winter hibernation. The Red Lodge Museum (Park Row), with its Tudor décor and Great Oak Room, and the Georgian House Museum (7 Great George Street), built in 1790 for a wealthy sugar merchant and now furnished and displayed as a typical late-18th-century town house, await visitors from Easter weekend (19-20 Apr) onwards. more
www.bristol.gov.uk/museums
spikeisland.org.uk
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experience Missorts A couple of years ago, Bristol arts programmers Situations released Missorts – a ‘soundwalk’ around Redcliffe, downloadable onto your phone and featuring 10 vivid, Bristol-set stories curated by author Tony White Now White and Situations return with Missorts Volume II, a novella that takes its title from a Post Office term used to describe letters lost in the system – and is set in the shadow of Bristol’s derelict former Royal Mail sorting office. Here’s Tony on the ongoing Missorts story… Have you been pleased with he reception to the sound work? I’ve been thrilled, especially given that Missorts uses GPS technology in a new way, to create a work of fiction. We’re not used to experiencing stories like this, but because it is permanent and free, people can discover it in their own time.
Give us a brief insight into Missorts Volume II… It follows four characters whose lives have all been shaped by loves lost and letters found. It includes a wide slew of references, from Bristol’s boy poet Thomas Chatterton to modern Bristol institution DJ Derek, and the ‘Midnight Miracle’ – the tightly-choreographed, nightly dance of ‘Travelling Post Offices’ and mail bags at Temple Meads in the glory days of the former sorting office. Why did you choose Redcliffe as your setting? Redcliffe is a fascinating, fragmented place. Chatterton wrote in the Gothic shadow of St Mary Redcliffe, and influenced the young William Blake among others. I was also drawn to Bristol student Angela Carter’s early
novels and to medieval poems such as The Visions of Piers Plowman, advocating redistribution of wealth. In medieval times a hospital standing where Redcliffe roundabout is today was closed down for association with such ideas. What’s the fascination with the former sorting office? I worked as a postman, so that’s my excuse but we’re all drawn to ruins, aren’t we? The derelict sorting office is a vast relic of a predigital age when we weren’t all ‘connected’, except by the ephemeral vagaries of post. There’s a melancholia that has to do both with the individual isolation that used to be possible, and the loss of that. more
missorts.com
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Live music at No. 1 Harbourside This welcoming Harbourside café/ bar hosts live music on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9.30pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 11pm. Forthcoming highlights include: Soul Circle Gang Fri 21 Mar Leeds-based, jazzed-up ska troupe (pictured below), a feast of brassiness and cool skanking with a hefty side order of funky Afrobeat.
meet Kate Brindley The former Director of Bristol Museum and Art Gallery is taking over in April as Arnolfini’s Interim Director Brindley was responsible for the £26m M Shed project and for the Banksy v Bristol Museum project (one of the top 10 most visited exhibitions of 2009). Below, Brindley shares her picks from Arnolfini’s spring programme: We Are Family Sat 29 Mar/26 April/31 May, 1pm-5pm, free
“These free family workshops are a great way to explore Arnolfini’s exhibitions and events through exciting and engaging activities. Visitors of all ages can get creative with fun activities such as gigantic drawings, 3D collages and workshops with local artists. Just drop into the Light Studio and see what fantastic creations you can make.” Siobhan Davies Dance: Table of Contents Wed 23-Sun 27 Apr, 11am6pm (Thu 1pm-8pm), free
“Siobhan Davies is an innovative
dance company and this performance and installation will be a highlight of the spring calendar. Its six co-creators have each used their own history as dance artists and choreographers to question how dance is archived. Expect a fascinating insight into what dancers do and how they do it.”
Brass Junkies Fri 25 Apr Dynamic eight-piece brass band inspired by the funky Mardi Gras sounds of the New Orleans street bands. The Duval Project Fri 9 May Combo created by trumpeter Gary Alesbrook, featuring a tight rhythm section and spot-on vocals from Marie Lister. Danceable soul-jazz is order of the day. more no1harbourside.co.uk / thesoulcirclegang.co.uk / soundcloud. com/brass-junkies / soundcloud.com/ theduvalproject
Between Hello and Goodbye: the Secret World of Sarah Records Sat 3-Mon 5 May, 11am-6pm, free
“Arnolfini is delighted to be part of the first Bristol Art Weekender. Our contribution is this exhibition retelling the story of the enigmatic Bristol independent record label Sarah Records (1987-1995). We premiere Lucy Dawkins’ documentary about the label, My Secret World, and there will be an exhibition of Sarah memorabilia, themed walks, and performances by a number of the label’s bands.” more arnolfini.org.uk
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view Death and the Ploughman If death appeared to us in 21-century Britain, what form would it take?
Death and the Ploughman, by Bristol’s Mechanical Animal Corporation, adapts a 500-year-old play into a lyrical exploration of what it is to lose someone. Produced in association with Tobacco Factory Theatres, the Mechanical Animal Corporation’s unique piece of site-specific theatre will take place, appropriately, amid the avenues of Bristol’s rambling, evocative Arnos Vale Cemetery. Here’s director Tom Bailey (above) to tell us more… How did this intriguing piece come into being?
I came across the source text [The Ploughman of Bohemia, a dialogue between death and a bereaved ploughman by the medieval writer
Johannes von Saaz] by chance. I love medieval work – it offers something totally different and compelling to modern performance. Von Saaz wrote it as a dialogue, not a play, and translations have kept this format. So there are no stage directions, and nothing much (on the page) to suggest it’s a piece of theatre. I’ve had a lot of fun building the theatre out of it. What sort of evening are audiences in for?
I hope the cemetery setting invites audiences to consider their own relationship with the idea of death. Death is perceived, personified and dealt with very differently across different world cultures. Audiences may want to reflect on this – and to engage with von Saaz’s compelling
story about the journey taken by a man who has just lost his beloved wife. The title and synopsis suggest an evening of doom and gloom…
I’m aiming to provide the opposite – a real mix of emotional states, from rage and suffering to laughter and love. I want to ask: ‘If Death appeared today, in front of us, what would it look like? How would it move?’ What form will the evening take?
It’s a mix of movement, song, procession, spoken word and a brilliant community chorus. It’s also a semi-promenade performance, partly indoors and partly outdoors. Bring warm and waterproof gear! more www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com
s h a k e s p e a r e tav e r n A new spring and summer menu at Bristol’s historic harbourside boozer The Shakespeare Tavern features some zesty summer salads, alongside rib-eye steak and a South American platter. Plenty of drinking options too: the Shakey is inviting small local breweries into its 4Bs festival, for which they’re serving guest ales from a different brewery each month and inviting customer feedback. more Facebook: Shakespeare Tavern
For more food–related news and features, turn to our expanded eating and drinking section starting on page 38... 23 shipshape
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whiteladies ro
Hop on a bus, ferry or bike – or use your own two feet – for a different view of the city
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Sightseeing
Ferries
markets
City Sightseeing Bristol runs informative open-top bus tours around the city. Local guides provide informed, personal and interactive commentary. Weekends until 31 March, daily thereafter. The tour takes you around the Harbourside stopping at the ss Great Britain, then out under Clifton Suspension Bridge and onto the Downs. You can also enjoy a variety of shopping experiences, from Clifton Village and Park Street to the bustling Bristol Shopping Quarter and St Nicholas Market.
Bristol Ferry Boats operate regular ferry services around the Harbourside, as well as public trips and excursions (see feature on page 19). The ferry stops are illustrated on the map or visit the operators’ websites for timetable information. A cross-harbour ferry also operates from Brunel’s ss Great Britain to the Harbourside (Hotwells).
Make shopping a more home-grown affair and get your clothes, food, books, music and more from one of the city’s fabulous local markets. Turn to our panel on page 16 where we pick out the cream of this season’s markets.
One of Bristol’s biggest and best-loved neighbourhood art trails returns to Southville, Bedminster and Ashton from 17-18 May. Find a welter of arts and performance in homes, churches, community centres and public houses across BS3.
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more citysightseeingbristol.co.uk or turn to page 7.
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neighbourhood watch: wapping wHarf
Jailhouse rocked As part of our Neighbourhood Watch series, Eugene Byrne looks back at the riotous history of Wapping Wharf, from its shipbuilding successes to the burning down of the New Gaol during the Bristol riots. Over the page, Julian Owen finds out what the future holds for this Harbourside spot
Main image: The Burning of the New Gaol by William James Muller, courtesy of Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives. 28 shipshape
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neighbourhood watch: wapping wHarf
As you’d expect from an area so close to the ancient centre of Bristol, Wapping Wharf has a rich heritage – and an unexpectedly gruesome one. In the middle ages, much of the area was water meadow on the banks of the tidal Avon. The meadows, and the rocky area known as Addercliff, belonged to St Augustine’s Abbey (now Bristol Cathedral) and were used for the pasture of livestock. There were shipyards here by 1700. Related businesses included timber yards and a workshop making anchors. There were blacksmiths, who probably made most of their living forging metal components for ships. A rope-walk ran along the side of the cliff for a few hundred yards to the west of where M Shed is nowadays. Here, long strands of hemp or sisal were laid down, sometimes coated with tar, and then twisted into the lengths of rope required in huge quantities by sailing ships. The big build
Shipbuilding continued here after Bristol’s tidal harbour became a floating harbour, where the water remained at a constant level, in the early 1800s. The western dry dock, part of which was at the eastern end of the Wapping Wharf development, has long since been filled in, but was the site of some of the most exciting technological developments of its day.
The Wye, the first steamship to be completely built in Bristol, was made here in 1826 by William Scott. When Scott went bankrupt, the shipyard was taken over by his assistant William Patterson, who built one of the most important ships in maritime history, Brunel’s Great Western. Displacing 1,700 tonnes, Great Western was, at that time, the largest steamship in the world and made a triumphant maiden voyage from Bristol to New York in April 1838, proving that transatlantic steam navigation was not only possible, but safe and comfortable (though her passengers all complained of the stink of animal fat used to grease the machinery). Great Western’s success led directly to the building of the ss Great Britain, the forerunner of all later passenger ships, and she was built right here. Prison break
One of the best-known historic structures at Wapping Wharf is the gatehouse of what was once called the New Gaol. The New Gaol, which was entirely within the present Wapping Wharf site, took in its first inmates in August 1820. The doors were smashed down in the 1831 Bristol riots and its 170 inmates liberated. Some were so eager to discard their prison uniforms that they fled the scene stark naked. Cheered on by thousands of ordinary Bristolians, the rioters burned the prison records and then set fire to the prison itself, causing extensive damage. It was rebuilt soon afterwards. continued on page 28
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neighbourhood watch: wapping wHarf
The New Gaol was a typical Victorian prison, built to a panopticon design, with four wings radiating out from the central building so that inmates could more easily be observed. There was a treadmill for pumping water, and the gaol operated the ‘separate system’, whereby all prisoners were effectively kept in solitary confinement. The gatehouse doubled as a platform for public hangings. The last woman to be hanged in public in Bristol was executed here, as was John Horwood, whose skin was later removed and used to bind a book of documents about his case that is now in the Bristol Record Office. Hangings were big public spectacles, often attracting huge crowds. The problem was a lack of space; if there was a large gathering, people inevitably ended up being pushed into the New Cut. For at least some of its history the New Gaol was regarded as one of Britain’s most progressive prisons. One particular governor, Captain James Gardner (18081882), was noted for his strict regime and commitment to rehabilitation. Gardner also appears to have been the first person to regularly photograph inmates; prison ‘mug shots’, now used all over the world, may well have been invented right here. Life after shipbuilding
Shipbuilding here had ended by the 1860s and the land was used for extending the port facilities. The new Prince’s Wharf was built, along with associated buildings, including an immense eight-storey granary owned by the council. There was also a warehouse belonging to chocolate manufacturers JS Fry & Sons. The Bristol Harbour Railway, which extended from Temple Meads to Wapping Wharf by 1876, meant that imported goods and raw materials could now be moved from the docks to main rail lines quickly and in huge quantities. The gaol closed in 1883 and the inmates were moved to Bristol’s brand new prison at Horfield. For many years the gaol ruins were a well-known local landmark; they were gradually removed and the ground levelled for rail yards and buildings. By the early 20th century there was also a mill belonging to a firm called Chamberlain Pole, which imported grain, mostly from Canada, to produce animal feed and a brand of porridge called Groaten. The area was severely damaged by German bombing over the winter of 1940-41 and the granary was destroyed (history does not record whether the building and water
were filled with popcorn). New cargo sheds L and M Sheds, were built in the early 1950s. The rail link to Temple Meads was closed in the 1960s, though the Western Fuel Company continued to use the rail yards here for transporting coal until 1987. Part of the Harbour Railway is preserved by M Shed volunteers and often runs trains on summer weekends. By the late 1960s the City Docks were losing money and the council decided to close them down. Princes Wharf was the last berth available to shipping as the docks were being closed. The last cargo vessel berthed here in 1974. M Shed was turned into the National Lifeboat Museum and later the Industrial Museum before being turned into today’s museum of Bristol’s history. Sugar Quay
For all the colourful history detailed above, there’ll be many modern Bristolians for whom ‘Wapping Wharf’ simply translates as ‘ugly, windswept car park’. Not for much longer. Spring 2015 is slated to see the completion of Sugar Quay, the initial phase of an Umberslade development ultimately stretching to 57,000 square metres, comprising around 650 apartments, a boutique 150-bedroom hotel, and up to 15 retail units. With other recent Harbourside developments criticised as unsympathetic to the area, Umberslade’s managing director, Stuart Hatton, says that “one of the best things I did was appoint a Bristol architect, Mark Osborne, at Alec French Architects. He was very aware of Bristol people’s views, of respecting tradition.” Thus, the conversion of the old gaol stable block into Mud Dock Deli. Similarly, the second phase will see the gaol gates on Cumberland Road become a pedestrian entrance, while the third will transform the old Fry warehouse (the building on the Prince Street roundabout). A man with a strong sense of Harbourside history is Andy King, Senior Collections Officer at the M Shed. “I’ve been here 30 years, when you could walk halfway from here to the ss Great Britain without passing another structure apart from a couple of dockside sheds. Since then, Bristol has lost its sense of being a maritime city. Increasingly, and perhaps naturally, it looks more and more like a municipal duck pond than a commercial harbour. Bristol people tend to look inland more than they ever have done in their history, but the harbour is what Bristol is all about. We’ve worked hard to keep Princes Wharf at least feeling a bit like the harbour must
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neighbourhood watch: wapping wHarf
have done in at least the 1950s: an open quayside with the sorts of boats you’d expect to find, the railway and cranes. It’s nice to have a tiny corner of the harbour that reflects the way things used to be, while the rest is transformed around us.” Not that King necessarily regards the coming transformation as a bad thing. “Whenever you get a change in the built environment, people are naturally suspicious; quite often, what you get is quite different from what you’d anticipated, so it makes sense to wait and see. Change is an interesting thing.” Not to mention expensive. When Shipshape asks Hatton for the project’s overall spend, he replies: “Crikey! It’s many millions,” before proceeding to tap away at a calculator and proclaim: “It’ll be £90-£100 million.” Key to the scheme’s success will be attracting more than just wouldbe residents. Hence, a thoroughfare linking Cumberland Road with “the new public square we’re delivering for the council. It’s quite minimal in its approach: resurfacing, some new lighting and utility supplies so the M Shed can mount outdoor exhibitions there.” The new North Street
Ultimately, says Stuart, the plan is for Sugar Quay’s walkway and retail units to do for Wapping Wharf what the Tobacco Factory has done for North Street. “It’s a different situation we’re creating, but we want independent Bristol retailers to come and create a vibrant location. I’d love a butcher, a baker, a florist, some independent restaurants, maybe a dry cleaner, cafe, delicatessen, that sort of operator.” It won’t be the area’s first intake of artisans, of course. In 1976 the Bristol Artspace collective was established in the old McArthur building on Gas Ferry Road, moving 20 years later to its familiar Spike Island home in the former Brooke Bond tea packing factory. Then there’s the new development’s near neighbours. “I’ve been here for 25 years,” says Art Warehouse director Malcolm Ede, “and have seen rather a lot of changes, all for the good. We’re excited at what’s going to happen in the near future.” Along the quayside in the Olive Shed, Emma Seddon is also optimistic. “Things tend to be quieter over this side of the harbour, especially during the winter months, so we’ll welcome the increase in foot traffic,” she says. That, assuredly, is the plan. “You need a critical mass of people to make these things work,” says Hatton, “but I think we’ll achieve that. There’s a huge number of people crossing Gaol Ferry Bridge and, with the new metro bus along Cumberland Rd stopping adjacent to the bridge, there’ll hopefully be hundreds if not thousands of people walking through the site every day.”
Opposite: a 1916 advert for Groaten porridge, which was produced in Wapping Wharf. Above: Bristol Mayor George Ferguson (left) and Stuart Hatton break ground at the Wapping Wharf site. Right and below: artist’s impression of Phase One of the development.
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jeremy deller
Magic maker Jeremy Deller, British Pavilion 2013. Courtesy of the British Council. Photograph by Cristiano Corte.
Artist Jeremy Deller brings his exhibition, English Magic, to Bristol from Venice as part of a special UK tour
“It’s a show of extremes. Something I don’t like being destroyed by something I do like,” says Jeremy Deller of this “very personal exhibition”. Commissioned by the British Council for the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2013, Jeremy Deller’s English Magic was called “a complex and timely show that can make you feel both light of step and heavy of heart” by The Guardian. It ran from 1 June to 24 November 2013 and was seen by over 350,000 people. This will be the first time the British Pavilion has toured Britain following its show in Venice, and gives audiences across the country the chance to see Deller’s work. English Magic reflects Deller’s interest in the diverse nature of British society – its people, icons, folklore, myths, and cultural and political history. The artist worked with a range of collaborators during the project, including archeologists, musicians, prisoners and painters, addressing events or moments from the past, present and imagined future, and drawing on references as diverse as tax evasion, the Iraq war and Ziggy Stardust. Installations will include large-scale murals, drawings, photographs, film and historical artefacts. “There is a lot about money in the show,” says Deller. continued over
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bristol harbour festival
19 & 20 July 2014 For all exhibition and local market information and bookings, please call 0117 927 6614 or email info@rem-events.com
“DID YOU SAY TOURIST INSPIRATION CENTRE?”
IT’S BETTER BY BOAT!
All Aboard!
Winner of 2013 Bristol Small Tourist Attraction
Water bus running every day The most exciting way to experience the sights and sounds of Bristol’s lively harbour is to takea ride on one of it’s blue and yellow ferries. Fantastic rates for day, weekly, monthly, year passes, clippy tickets and £1.00 for all council employees. Look out for exciting new route, double frequency from Temple Meads and get all the way from Temple Meads to Hotwells on one boat!
Find us in No1 Harbourside, 1 Canons Road, Bristol, BS1 5UH
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For timetables and information: www.bristolferry.com trips@bristolferry.com or call us 0117 927 3416
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jeremy deller
“About people who’ve accumulated wealth but also how people keep hold of their wealth, which is obviously something we’ve been thinking about for years in this country and has all come to a head recently.” One of the paintings in the exhibition is called We Sit Starving Amidst Our Gold, which is a quote by William Morris and shows the 19th-century designer throwing Roman Abramovich’s yacht into a lagoon. “Maybe it’s a turning of tables,” says Deller. “It’s of the world as you might want to see it. I mean, let’s face it, we would all love to see a giant figure destroy one of those yachts.” Another painting, St Helier On Fire 2017, addresses the issue of tax avoidance. “Jersey is the centre of tax avoidance in Britain,” says Deller. “In 2017, in the future, British tax payers go to St Helier to protest about the situation – all the lost tax revenue and all the secrets that it holds – and by accident they burn down the city.” Starting at the William Morris Gallery in London, the exhibition will then make its home in Bristol for five months before heading on to Turner Contemporary in Margate. But, insists Deller, each venue will be different as the artist will be making changes as the tour progresses. “You should come to the show because, if you come at certain times of the day, you’re going to get two free prints,” says Deller. “So you’ll get some artwork out of it. That’s why I would come. And it might make you angry… for the wrong or right reasons.”
Turner: Watercolours from the West
A Good Day For Cyclists, painted by Sarah Tynan. Courtesy of the British Council. Photograph by Cristiano Corte
Also at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery is this intimate touring show displaying eight works by JMW Turner. Held by collections in the west of England, these watercolours span the artist’s career and include views of Bath, Bristol and the surrounding area. As a teenager, Turner earned the nickname ‘prince of the rocks’, due to the hours he spent climbing and painting in Avon Gorge. Among the exhibition highlights is the recently-acquired The Mouth of the Avon, near Bristol, Seen from Cliffs below Clifton by Turner (pictured). This is the first exhibition delivered by Frameworks, a new partnership between Bristol Museums, Galleries
more Jeremy Deller’s English Magic, Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Queen’s Road, Bristol BS8 1Rl, 12 Apr to 21 Sep. The UK tour is supported by the Art Fund. Visit bristol.gov. uk/museums or jeremydeller.org for further information.
and Archives, Holburne Museum in Bath, The Wilson (Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum), Swindon Museum and Art Gallery and the Victoria Art Gallery in Bath. Don’t miss Professor Sam Smiles’ talk, Art and the Avon Gorge (Sat 3 May, 2pm, Bristol Museum and Art Gallery), in which he discusses how the unique geology, landscape and history of the Gorge – and Turner’s influence – have inspired further generations of artists. more Turner:
Watercolours from the West, Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, 1 May to 6 July. Entry is free but you can make a donation on the door. Visit bristol.gov.uk/museums for more.
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SAVAgery at sea On Tuesday 10 December 1918 a U-boat travelled up the Avon on the morning tide...
Main image: The U-86 in Bristol’s City Docks. Pictured right: The ss Armenian. The wreck was found by divers in 2007. The bones of thousands of animals littered the site. Inset over page: Most of those killed on Llandovery Castle were Canadian. The Canadian government used the episode to advertise war bonds.
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03/03/2014 13:25
World War One centenary u-86
The German navy had been surrendered to the Allies, including the fleet of submarines that had wrought such terrible damage on British merchant shipping, and which at one point had come close to knocking Britain out of the war altogether. Now one of these U-boats – “pirates” the press called them – was coming into Bristol, crewed by a Lieutenant and 13 men of the Royal Navy. Two tugs pulled her up the river and into the Cumberland Basin, watched by small knots of onlookers. By the time she berthed at Narrow Quay there was a sizeable crowd wanting a look. Only a handful of Bristolians had ever seen a U-boat before. Over the coming month, U-86, later joined by a second captive submarine, was a sensation. Later moved to near St Augustine’s Bridge, she welcomed visitors each day. For a shilling (5p) you could look around her deck, see her guns and conning tower and admire the advanced technology of her periscope and radio masts. For two shillings and sixpence (12.5p) you could join one of the parties that was escorted around the cramped spaces below deck. All proceeds went to Royal Navy welfare charities. Bristol’s leading role
Historian Eugene Byrne looks at the part Bristol’s ships and seamen played in the Great War
In 2014, as we mark the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War, attention is mostly focused on the fighting on land. Yet the war was fought at sea as well and the port of Bristol, and Bristol ships and seamen, played a leading role in it. As one of Britain’s two principal Atlantic ports, equipped with modern facilities at the new Royal Edward Dock, Bristol was bound to be important. Avonmouth, Royal Edward and the City Docks became a major centre for the import of everything from grain and raw materials to machinery. Over 300,000 horses and mules were brought in from the United States and Canada for army use, and were processed at the Remount Depot at Shirehampton. New facilities at Portishead brought in petrol for the army’s growing fleet of motor vehicles. Men were sent to battle from here, though Bristol was more important for the assembly and despatch of equipment to the front. There were American-made caterpillar tractors that were used for towing artillery and it is likely that the first tanks ever used in war were sent from Avonmouth in 1916. Bristol ships went to war. The whole of P&A Campbell’s famous ‘white funnel’ fleet of pleasure boats was requisitioned by the Admiralty. ‘The swans of the Avon’ were painted grey at GK Stothert’s dockyard at Hotwells and armed for duty as minesweepers and submarine hunters around Britain’s coast. continued over
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World War One centenary u-86
Minesweeping was notoriously dangerous, but Campbell’s little ships, crewed by men from Bristol, Pill, Shirehampton and Avonmouth, were equal to the task. Of the 13-strong fleet, only two were sunk, and neither with any loss of life. Hunting grounds
Others would be less fortunate once Germany attacked British merchant shipping with U-boats. Their principal hunting grounds were in the Mediterranean and around Britain’s coasts, including the South-Eastern Approaches, the seas west of the Bristol Channel and south of Ireland. Initially they followed international rules under which a ship’s passengers and crew had to be allowed to take to the ship’s boats before being sunk. By 1917, though, with both sides in the war growing increasingly desperate, Germany declared unrestricted submarine warfare. They took a huge toll on British shipping; Britain even then imported most of its food and at one point the country only had six weeks’ supply of grain left. Bristol’s part in this desperate and largely-forgotten war had several dramas. Some Bristol-bound ships managed to evade or even fight off U-boats by outrunning them or fighting back with the guns with which merchantmen were increasingly armed. U-boats usually attacked on the surface using their deck guns in the First World War, saving torpedoes for bigger targets. Local hero
One local hero was Captain James Irickey, master of the Armenian, Avonmouth-bound with a cargo of mules in June 1915. He attempted to ram a U-boat that tried to stop him near Lundy. She got some shots in first, so Irickey made a run for it. The German chased, shooting as it went, killing 29 of his crew before he ordered abandon ship. The Bristol firm of Charles Hill & Sons lost several of its City Line ships, including the New York City, Kansas City, Bristol City and Boston City. The latter had achieved minor fame earlier in the war when a torpedo hit her bows. It was impossible to move her forward so Captain Montagu Crinks sailed her backwards for several miles into Queenstown (Cobh) in Ireland. When she was hit a second time, Captain Crinks and his crew all survived, but 62 of Hill’s seamen on other ships lost their lives in the war. Elders and Fyffes, which had been operating a profitable service importing bananas to Avonmouth from Jamaica and Costa Rica, saw their fleet of 19 ships requisitioned by the Admiralty for use as armed merchantmen. By the war’s end 11 had been lost, though some had successfully fought off
U-boats at one time or another. Several dozen crewmen who were former employees of the company were lost in the war, and most of these came from Bristol. Aside from Bristol-registered shipping and Bristol-based firms, local men worked on ships from all over the country. In 1920 it was estimated that over 14,000 British merchant seamen died; we cannot be sure how many came from Bristol, but by 1918 they certainly numbered several hundred. Probably more than 200 died in one episode alone, the torpedoing of the liner Royal Edward in the Mediterranean in 1915 when she was being used as a troopship. Savagery at sea
As the war progressed, the savagery of the war at sea escalated, with U-boats even targeting hospital ships, contrary to all international agreements. The worst case was that of the U-86 and Llandovery Castle. Heading for Liverpool from Canada, where she had repatriated wounded Canadian soldiers, Llandovery Castle was off Fastnet at 9pm on 27 June 1918 showing a brightly-lit red cross. Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Patzig commanding U-86 could not possibly have mistaken her for anything other than a hospital ship. He torpedoed her. Llandovery Castle sank within 10 minutes. She was not carrying any wounded, but there were 258 officers, crew and medical staff on board, including 14 Canadian nurses. About 100 of the crew were Bristolian. Patzig sought to cover up his war crime by ordering his submarine to surface, deliberately ramming the lifeboats and machine-gunning survivors in the water. Only 24 people escaped. When they surrendered her at the war’s end a few months later, U-86’s crew refused to talk about what they had done in the war. The U-boat was in the city for a month, looked over by thousands of eager visitors. By the time she was taken away, no one in Bristol knew she had taken part in one of the worst atrocities of the war, and had sent almost 100 Bristol men to their deaths. Helmut Patzig, her commander, went into hiding, reemerging under Hitler and joining the U-boat service once more in the Second World War. He survived and lived to be 94. Bravo, Bristol! The City at War, 1914-1918, a history of Bristol’s part in the Great War on the battlefront and at home by Clive Burlton and Eugene Byrne, is due to be published by Redcliffe Press in June.
more
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03/03/2014 13:25
Eating & drinking A guide to our favourite restaurants, cafés, bars and pubs
In association with
seasonal bulletin Three ways to put a tasteful spring in your step this season
ThePigGuide.com – the insider’s guide to eating and drinking in Bristol and Bath. Follow The Pig on Twitter @thepigguide or visit thepigguide.com
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The Mud Dock Deli has been in temporary hibernation as a result of the building work taking place on Wapping Wharf. Celebrate its coming out party in time for picnic season. more
mud-dock.co.uk/deli/
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Experience the best flavours of the spring season courtesy of the lovely, lively set menu lunch deal at Rosemarino in Clifton village: a dish of the day plus a glass of wine or a soft drink for just £10. more
rosemarino.co.uk
Meet the Three Brothers
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It’s all change at indoor/outdoor barbecue hotspot Spyglass as the Bristol institution returns for spring with a new chef, menu and name…
Sign up for special offers, members-only invites and all the latest news and reviews at ThePigGuide.com
With its strictly seasonal opening hours (spring to autumn only), if Spyglass is open, we know for sure that long days and balmy nights are on the menu. But this year, the new season brings a sea change to the Harbourside hotspot. The biggest change will be the name as the Spyglass moniker makes way for Three Brothers, which refers to the three masts found on the boat. Next up, a new restaurant manager promises to bring experience, energy and a fresh outlook to this established destination. And, most exciting of all, the menu is getting a major facelift as the talented Freddy Bird from the award-winning Lido works alongside
Go wild about wines at former Majestic Wine Tasting Manager Ruth Wiles’s brand new Clifton Wine School venture. Wiles’s courses are hosted by either the Radisson Blu hotel or Goldbrick House, and the lively programme flaunts a tantalising range of informal but highly informative tastings for all, whether you’re an experienced connoisseur or simply want to know a little bit more about what’s going on in your glass. more
cliftonwineschool.com
Three Brothers’ new head chef, Joey MacGibbon – previously of London restaurants Moro and Trullo. The new menu focuses on the best burgers in Bristol, with other goodies including ‘proper’ mac’n’cheese, deep fried pickles, ribs, hot dogs grilled to order, pulled pork and meatball subs. Behind the bar, craft beer, cocktails and picklebacks (a shot of bourbon followed by a slurp of pickle brine – get with the programme, hipsters!) take centre stage, with a milkshake menu guaranteed to bring out the big kid in all of us. Welsh Back, Bristol BS1 4SB, threebrothers.co
more
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03/03/2014 13:46
e at i n g & d r i n k i n g
Craft beer
What’s hot and what’s not this summer
Raise a glass to the drinking revolution that’s turning the humble pint into a highbrow experience Ordering a pint used to be a simple, straightforward negotiation: you simply cast a glance over the pumps behind the bar, spotted your slurp of choice and placed your order – job done. But of late, beer has followed in the footsteps of burgers, barbecues and barista-led coffee houses and gone gourmet. The Bristol Beer Factory established their Bedminsterbased brewery in 2004 with a small selection of standard caskconditioned ales. Fast-forward 10 years and its range has developed to include eight bottled ales, seven cask variations and up to five specials throughout the year. While the term ‘real ale’ solely relates to live, cask-conditioned British brews, craft beer artisans embrace cutting-edge contemporary technology, revel in stylistic diversity and think globally when it comes to fresh inspiration. With their efforts firmly rooted
Out: clams In: cockles
in such a philosophy, it’s safe to say that the BBF crew is at the forefront of Bristol’s craft beer revolution. If you don’t know where to start your foray into today’s most fashionable tipples, the Barley Mow – BBF’s flagship pub on Barton Road – acts as an interactive, informative showcase for all the brewery’s, erm, brews and hosts regular craft beer events. The Grain Barge (Mardyke Wharf, Hotwell Road) stocks the full BBF range too, as does the Tobacco Factory (Raleigh Road, Southville), with whom the brewery works in collaboration. Meanwhile, if you want to take your knowledge of the craft behind the craft to a whole new level, private and public tours of the BBF brewery offer a fascinating insight into the creation of your perfect pint. Cheers! more
bristolbeerfactory.co.uk
Out: pies In: soufflés Out: venison In: lamb Out: old potatoes In: Jersey Royals Out: parsnips In: asparagus Out: sticky toffee pudding In: rhubarb panna cotta Out: porridge with bananas In: granola with yoghurt Out: gravy In: emulsions Out: game pâté In: crab parfait Out: Scotch eggs In: Easter eggs
marvellous myristica Indian fine dining emporium Myristica – recent recipients of a Best Restaurant gong at the British Curry Awards (aka the Curry Oscars) – are relentless in their quest to show us all how Indian food should be done. The recent launch of their takeaway tiffin boxes (£4.95) has helped office workers to liven up their lunch boxes. Meanwhile, Myristica Cookery Courses (£49.50pp/£89.50 per couple) are trending on the coolest foodie-school hotspot charts this spring. more myristica.co.uk 39 shipshape
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03/03/2014 14:01
e at i n g & d r i n k i n g
arnolfini
The barley mow
bordeaux Quay
This stylish, buzzing eatery serves up a Mediterranean-inspired menu using locally sourced ingredients: find slates of antipasti, pizzas and tapas, as well as delicious homemade cakes and pastries – available to eat in or take home. To drink, try expertly made coffee from Extract Coffee Roasters or choose from a small but perfectly balanced global wine list, made by small, independent producers. Beers and ciders come from Somerset and beyond. The outdoor seating right on the Harbourside will be opening again in late March.
The Barley Mow offers the most carefully selected range of craft beers in Bristol. Blending traditional with modern, the cosy interior with open fire makes for a comfortable and welcoming pub. Only five minutes’ walk from Temple Meads and Old Market, the Barley Mow’s location away from the hubbub of the centre makes it a pub that’s worth seeking out. The menu changes daily and is designed to complement the beers, using fresh, seasonal produce. Regular events including Tap Takeovers, Monday Quiz Night and Wednesday Dinner Deal.
This sprawling Harbourside destination serves up great-tasting dishes while keeping one eye on sustainable food practices, responsible energy use and zero waste principles. The staple ingredients on the menus are sourced from the West Country in an effort to minimise food miles. It’s the first eco-restaurant to achieve a gold rating under the Soil Association’s sustainable catering scheme and is winner of the Bristol Hospitality Restaurant of the Year Award.
Bright, buzzing café-bar
Dishes: Chargrilled Somerset asparagus, home-made goat’s curd, wild rocket and shallot vinaigrette (£6.50); seared fillet of mackerel, macerated vine tomatoes, black olives and toasted sourdough (£10.50); brunch served every day 10am-4pm Times: from 10am daily Book: cafebar@arnolfini.org.uk 0117 917 2305
Bristol Beer Factory’s beer paradise
Dishes: Black pudding Scotch egg (£3); devilled kidneys on sourdough toast (£4); poached salmon, crushed new potatoes and purple sprouting broccoli (£9.50); Sunday roast (£9) Times: Mon-Thu 12-11pm, Fri-Sat 1211.30pm, Sun 12-10pm; food served: Mon-Sat 12-3pm and 5-9pm, Sun roasts from 12pm Book: hello@barleymowbristol.com
16 Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA 0117 917 2305
39 Barton Road, St Philips, BS2 0LF 0117 930 4709
@ArnolfiniCafe
barleymowbristol.com
arnolfini.org.uk
facebook.com/ barleymowbristol
Ethical restaurant, brasserie and deli
Dishes: Moules marinieres (£6.50); confit duck salad with muscat grapes, walnuts, celery and raspberry vinegar (£7); BQ cheeseboard (£7.50) Times: restaurant: Sat 6-10pm, Sun 12-3pm; brasserie: MonSat 9-11.30am, 12-10.30pm, Sun 9-11.30am, 12-9pm; deli: Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 9am-4pm Book: brasserie@bordeaux-quay.co.uk, restaurant@bordeaux-quay.co.uk
V Shed, Canons Way, BS1 5UH 0117 943 1200
bordeaux-quay.co.uk
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e at i n g & d r i n k i n g
colston st bar & kitchen
glassboat
grain barge
Fantastic new café-bar from local independent brewer Bath Ales, located in the bright and airy surroundings of Colston Hall. Known and loved for their flagship beer Gem, Bath Ales runs 10 pubs, bars and restaurants in the South West – including Graze and The Hare On The Hill in Bristol – and has forged a reputation for the high quality of its venues. Colston St. Bar and Kitchen is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Choose from an American and European-inspired menu alongside a range of Bath Ales beers, wine list and hot and cold drinks.
Located on the floating harbour in Bristol, Glassboat affords spectacular views of the city: bridges, churches and swans on the water. Whatever the celebration, small or large, with work or with loved ones, Glassboat remains the considered waterside restaurant of choice for Bristolians. Glassboat chef Charlie Hurrell uses only the best local suppliers and cooks classic dishes simply. Groups of up to 40 can be accommodated on the lower deck. The ideal private space for your event.
With its panoramic views, topnotch food and great range of craft beers, Bristol Beer Factory’s Grain Barge is one of the harbour’s best venues. Quiz night takes place every Monday, get a free pint with a pie on Wednesdays, every Thursday is steak night and live music fills the hold bar on Friday nights, plus there are many other events throughout the year. The specials menu is updated daily and uses fresh local produce. Bread and pies are made on the premises.
Dishes: Devilled veal kidneys on toast (£7); roast turbot, cauliflower, caper and almond brown butter (£21.50); fig tarte fine, vanilla ice cream (£6.50); Sunday roast (£21 for three courses) Times: lunch: Tue-Fri 12-2.30pm; dinner: Mon-Sat 5.30-10pm; Sun lunch: 12-4pm Book: restaurant@glassboat.co.uk Offer: two-course lunch for £10
Dishes: Home-made pure steak mince Barge Burger, smoked cheese, home-made bun, herb ‘slaw, handcut chips and salad (£12); salmon and haddock fish pie, crushed new potatoes and cucumber and dill salad (£8.90); sweet potato, mushroom, spinach, blue cheese and truffle pie (£8.90) Times: Mon-Thu 12-11pm, Fri-Sat 12-11.30pm, Sun 12-11pm Book: hello@grainbarge.co.uk
Colston Hall, Colston St, BS1 5AR 0117 204 7131
Welsh Back, BS1 4SB 0117 929 0704
Mardyke Wharf, BS8 4RU 0117 929 9347
@colstonstbar
glassboat.co.uk
grainbarge.co.uk
Sophisticated bistro classics
Hearty meals and craft beers
Brand-new venture from Bath Ales
Times: Mon-Sat 8am-11pm, Sun 10am-10.30pm, food served all day, every day Book: colstonbar@bathales.co.uk
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roB Beckett
BenJamin clementine Joe Driscoll anD sekou kouyate
Fri 7 – Sun 9 Mar Bristol international Jazz & Blues Festival Wed 12 Mar Faustus Fri 14 Mar roB Beckett Sat 15 Mar Wittank Wed 19 Mar Joel Dommett Fri 21 Mar kathryn Williams thu 27 Mar Francois anD the atlas mountains Fri 28 Mar colin hoult: characthorse cancelleD
Best independent retailer & cafe in the south west (Observer Food Monthly) • Delicatessen • Takeaway meals • Cafe • Cookery school
Wed 9 apr BenJamin clementine Fri 11 apr BriDie Jackson anD the arBour
& catering
0117 973 6569
www.papadeli.co.uk
p44.indd 1
Sun 6 apr mokoomBa
www.facebook.com/ colstonhall
angie stone
Sat 19 apr more like trees Wed 23 apr angie stone thu 24 apr Joe Driscoll anD sekou kouyate Sat 26 apr Best in uk stanD up With paul sinha thu 1 May soul acoustic Sun 4 May an evening With Dave sWarBrick thu 8 May the noise next Door Mon 12 May DeBashish Bhattacharya Fri 16 May Dele sosimi aFroBeat experience Sat 17 May the Best in uk stanD up With alun cochrane Fri 23 May phronesis New music in The Lantern sponsored by
@colston_hall Instagram.com/ colstonhall
0844 887 1500 www.colstonhall.org
03/03/2014 12:18
e at i n g & d r i n k i n g
lido restaurant, spa & pool
lockside
myristica
Laid-back waterside café
Fine Indian dining
The Lido is an oasis of calm in the heart of Bristol, where chef Freddy Bird presides over two floors of poolside dining. It’s the only choice for great food and relaxation. As well as lunch and dinner the poolside bar serves breakfast from 8am-11.30am, tapas from noon until 10pm and afternoon tea from 2.30pm-5.30pm.
Lovely, laid-back café on the edge of Cumberland Basin offering a range of tasty breakfasts (served all day), brunch and lunchtime treats. Formerly known as the Venturers’ Rest and Popeye’s Diner (not to mention acting as the location for Sid’s Café in Only Fools and Horses), Lockside is bright and airy, boasting fantastic views of the surrounding docks. In the warmer months customers can make the most of the alfresco seating. Lockside is also available for private hire and can cater for up to 75 people. Celebrations can be tailored to meet your requirements.
Named the Best Curry House at the British Curry Awards 2013, 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 deep-fried 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.
European-inspired dishes
Dishes: Crab, apple, tarragon & paprika on toast (£8); Iberico pig’s cheeks, cooked in Asturian cider, parsnip and vanilla purée, watercress, apple (£17.50); Amaretto cherry and pistachio tart, or freshly churned Lido ice cream Times: restaurant: 12-3pm and 6-10pm, closed Sun evening; spa: 7am-10pm; poolside bar: Mon-Sat from 8am, Sun from 9am Book: spa@lidobristol.com
Dishes: Early bird breakfast with tea and toast (£5.95); poached egg with bubble and squeak and crispy pancetta (£8.95); warm salad of pan-fried calamari and chorizo and sweet chilli sauce (£9.50); blueberry cheesecake (£3.75) Times: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm, Sat 8am4pm, Sun 9am-4pm Book: 0117 925 5800
Dishes: Rabbit varuval (£6.95); achari venison (£12.95); okra stir fry (£4.95); chocolate samosas (£3.45) Times: lunch: Mon-Fri 12-2pm; dinner: Mon-Sat 5.30-11.30pm, Sun 5.30-10.30pm (last orders at 10pm) Book: myristica.co.uk
Oakfield Place, BS8 2BJ 0117 933 9530
No 1 Brunel Lock Road, BS1 6XS 0117 925 5800
51 Welsh Back, BS1 4AN 0117 927 2277
lidobristol.com
lockside.net
myristica.co.uk
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e at i n g & d r i n k i n g
No.1 Harbourside
Colourful and friendly dockside venue
ROSEMARINO
Award-winning Italian
shakespeare tavern
Traditional Harbourside pub
Rather wonderful restaurant, bar, music venue, home of the Tourist Inspiration Centre and birthplace of the Harbourside market. The restaurant produces a short, weeklychanging menu that showcases the best in regional produce. The bar serves a wide range of brewed-inBristol craft beers, Somerset ciders, specialist spirits and a European wine list featuring some great English whites from just down the road. If live music is your thing, catch the best of Bristol’s musical talent on the little stage on Wednesday to Saturday nights – visit no1harbourside.co.uk/ music for listings and current menu. Dishes: Beetroot and toasted almond salad with honey cumin dressing (£7.50); River Exe mussels served with freshly baked bread (£6); new seasonal small plate menu Times: Mon-Thu 10am-12am, FriSat 10am-1am, Sun 10am-11.30pm; lunch: 12-3pm, dinner: 5-9pm (weekends: food served all day) Book: ahoy@no1harbourside.co.uk
Located on a wonderfully sunny corner just outside Clifton village, Rosemarino are the winners of Best Breakfast and Best Italian at the Bristol Good Food Awards 2012 and 2013. Their emphasis is on freshly prepared, Italian-inspired food created using a combination of ingredients from locally based suppliers and exclusively imported Italian produce. Rosemarino really is a little gem to enjoy any time of the day, whether you visit for a full Italian feast, the legendary breakfasts or simply a coffee over the papers. Dishes: Duck and lemon thyme meatballs with porcini pappardelle (£7.25); pan-fried cod fillet wrapped in lardo with squid ink vermicelli (£14.75); white peach compote, zabaglione, poppyseed tuille (£5.75) Times: Breakfast and brunch: MonSun 9-3pm; lunch Mon-Sun 12-3pm; dinner Tues-Sat 6-10pm; Sunday lunch: 12-3pm Book: info@rosemarino.co.uk
1 Canons Road, BS1 5UH 0117 929 1100
1 York Place, Clifton, BS8 1AH 0117 9736677
no1harbourside.co.uk
rosemarino.co.uk @rosemarino1
This beloved old harbour boozer (and longest-serving ale house in Bristol) serves up an appetising mix of traditional dishes and sharing platters. Great deals include a sandwich, side and drink for £5.99, burger and drink for £7.99 and a sharing platter and two drinks for £12.49. The new spring/summer menu launches in March and features zesty salads alongside a South American platter. Behind the bar, choose from seven cask ales (including guest ales and the pub’s very own Shakespeare ale), draught cider and lager and more than 15 types of wine. Guest ales from local breweries will be served each month as part of the pub’s 4Bs festival. Dishes: Cheesy garlic ciabatta (£3.29); hunter’s chicken (£6.49); mac ‘n’ cheese (£5.49); Sunday roast (£8.99) Times: Mon-Thu 11am-11pm, Fri-Sat 11am-12am, Sun 11am-11pm Book: @shakespearestav, facebook.com/theshakespearetavern 68 Prince Street, BS1 4QD 0117 929 7695
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e at i n g & d r i n k i n g
three brothers Floating diner
tobacco factory
Watershed CAFé/bar
A popular social hub in the heart of Southville and Bedminster, the industrial feel of the large café bar reflects the building’s history - and with the music, art exhibitions and young, friendly staff, it has a great atmosphere. The kitchen serves a healthy British/ Mediterranean-inspired menu with evening and weekend specials updated to reflect the seasons. There’s a covered terrace, open-air yard, numerous events throughout the year, and the weekly Sunday market has up to 40 stalls offering locally produced food and crafts. With its nationally acclaimed theatre, The Tobacco Factory is one of Bristol’s leading cultural centres.
Open every day from early in the morning to late at night, Watershed Café/Bar offers breakfast, lunch and evening meals all following a simple policy: stay fresh, local and seasonal. The ‘plot to plate’ policy means all ingredients are sourced from local suppliers, so you can eat a healthy, balanced menu while supporting the local economy. The bar stocks local favourites like Cotswold Lager and Cider, Arbor Ales and Bath Ales alongside a range of bottled drinks (which can be taken into the cinema), spirits, wines and hot and cold drinks. Free Wi-Fi is available to use throughout the Café/Bar.
Contemporary café-bar
It’s all change at the Harbourside’s popular summer spot as it announces a new name, chef and management team. Now called Three Brothers, this long-established destination will boast a brand-new menu thanks to the input of sister venue The Lido’s chef. Freddy Bird has been working alongside new head chef Joey MacGibbon, who cut his teeth at acclaimed London restaurants Moro and Trullo. Opens early April 2014. Menu highlights: burgers, ‘proper’
mac’n’cheese, deep fried pickles, ribs, hot dogs grilled to order, pulled pork, Philly cheese steak and meatball sub rolls Drinks: a range of craft beers, cocktails, picklebacks (a shot of bourbon followed by a shot of pickle brine, if you don’t know), milkshakes Times: Mon-Sat 12pm-late, Sun 12-6pm
Menu highlights: Confit duck leg served with sautéed red cabbage, orange, sweet potato and raisins (£10); seafood paella served with lemon wedges (£10.50); artichoke heart, lentil and coriander tagine (£9) Times: Mon-Thu 12-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-12am, Sun 10am-11pm Book: 0117 902 0060 cafebar@tobaccofactory.com
Social space serving seasonal food
Menu highlights: Charcuterie board (£8); seasonal vegetable tart (£5); slow-roasted belly of pork baguette (£7); Watershed fish and chips (£11); hot chocolate brownie (£3.50) Times: Mon 10am-11pm, Tue-Fri 9.30am-11pm, Sat 10am-11pm, Sun 10am-10.30pm Book: cafebar@watershed.co.uk
Welsh Back, BS1 4SB
Raleigh Road, BS3 1TF 0117 902 0060
1 Canons Road, BS1 5TX 0117 927 5101
threebrothers.co
tobaccofactory.com
watershed.co.uk
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m y fav o u r i t e t h i n g s
Spring breaks Alastair Sawday, founder of Sawday’s, chooses five great spring breaks in the South West 1. Sapperton Yurt, The Cotswolds
The glade in which Sapperton Yurt sits is enchanting. In the morning, it feels crisp and light and in the afternoon, there are trees to sit under and ponder. Sit back and relax in the remarkable roll-top bath that overlooks the 70 acres of stunning scenery. One of a kind. From £111 per night (sleeps 2), canopyandstars. co.uk/sapperton, 0117 204 7830 2. Coombe House, Devon
Prepare to be awestruck at this aristocratic house. There are medieval flagstones, stately bedrooms and outstanding views. Explore 3,500 acres and, best of all, dogs are welcome! From £220 per night based on two sharing, sawdays.co.uk 01404 540400 3. The Byre at Quercus Bluff, Gloucestershire
A reclamation masterpiece, this Cotswold hideaway of huge character appears to have come straight out of the 1600s. It’s a wonderfully warm place with sweeping limestone floors and valley views through windows in lead casements. From £775 per week (sleeps 6), sawdays.co.uk, 01453 752503
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4. Flint House, Somerset
Smart, yet relaxed – think roll-top baths, roaring fires and low valley views. An elegant 18th-century home with a rich history – both Agatha Christie and Princess Margaret were regular guests. From £60 per night based on two sharing, sawdays.co.uk, 01761 232419 5. Home Orchard Cabin, near Bath
Vintage design and retro touches meet luxury. Sit out on the veranda or cosy up next to the woodburner. A bolthole perfectly placed for secluded country walks or the nearby beautiful attractions of Bath. From £120 per night (sleeps 2), canopyandstars.co.uk/ homeorchardcabin, 0117 204 7830 more
sawdays.co.uk
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wapping wharf
car park Cheap City Parking Next to M Shed Monday to Friday Up to 1 hour
Saturday £1
1-2 hours
£1.80
2-4 hours
£4
Over 4 hours
£7.50
Week
£30
Month
£90
Any period
£3.50
Sunday & Bank Holidays Any period
£3.50
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 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
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2014
24-27 July Charlton Park sn16 9dg
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