Circus_vol 12_spreads

Plus 

new food 

section! 

An independent journal on style, creativity and community 

Volume 12 Midsummer 2021 

Meet the muralists + Aardman’s Peter Lord 

+ The future of storytelling + Inside Berdoulat 

+ Colourful Minds + Spotlight on Clevedon 

+ 20 awesome things to do this summer

Parkland 

opening 

Summer 

2021 

hello 

New build Georgian-style 4 and 5 bedroom houses 

with contemporary interiors 

l Set in over 6 acres of landscaped parkland 

with country and waterside walks on your 

doorstep 

l Within walking distance to Bath City Centre 

l Ideal for working from home with provision 

for ultrafast broadband connectivity 

l Easy commute to London by train 

from Bath Spa 

Contact us to arrange a Covid-secure viewing: 

01225 302 888 

sales@holburnepark.co.uk 

holburnepark.co.uk 

The Marketing Pavilion, Holburne Park, 

Warminster Road, Bath BA2 6SF 

It’s essential for a life less ordinary; the vivid colour 

between black and white lines. Without it, where would we 

be? Our midsummer issue is all about imagination. 

We meet Aardman co-creator Peter Lord to talk Morph, 

movies and flexing the creative muscle ( p 16), and catch up 

with some of the south-west’s most exciting muralists ( p 22). 

Always thinking about lunch? Us too. Check out our new 

all-singing, all-dancing (but mostly snacking) Food section 

( p 39) for the latest openings, seasonal trends and more. 

Or head to Places for an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek 

at Berdoulat, Bath’s exquisite new interiors shop where 

history runs deep ( p 52). 

We hit Clevedon for ice-creams and beach walks ( p 58); 

while Bristol crafters Colourful Minds suggest a novel way 

to recycle your copy of Circus ( p 74). 

Until next time, happy reading. 

Emily Payne, editor 

l Selection of properties available 

for immediate occupation 

Rosemary McAndrew 

rmcandrew@savills.com 

01225 302 888 

* Price correct at time of going 

to press. Images show Coates 

exterior (L) and Finch show 

house interior (R). Coates 

4 bedrooms plus home office from £1,000,000* 

houses from £1,000,000. 

2 Circus Journal Midsummer 2021 circusjournal.com @circusjournal 3

© Widline Cadet 

contents 

Regulars 

The Edit 9 

Design, community and lifestyle 

The Guide 67 

Awesome things to do in June and July 

People 

Local hero 16 

Aardman’s Peter Lord talks imagination 

Art focus 22 

The south-west’s most exciting muralists 

IN PROGRESS 

Laia Abril 

Hoda Afshar 

Widline Cadet 

Adama Jalloh 

Alba Zari 

20 May – 24 October 2021 

Free admission 

Thu – Sun, 10am – 5pm 

RPS Gallery 

337 Paintworks, Bristol, BS4 3AR 

Book your visit: rps.org/InProgress 

#RPSInProgress #BRSPhotoFest 

New food 

section! 

New talent 32 

Bath Spa University on digital storytelling 

Food 

New openings 40 

New places to eat, drink and be merry 

Trends 43 

Retro cakes, wild tea and keeping it alfresco 

Recipe 47 

Classic dhal from Bath’s Rooted Cafe 

Places 

Interiors 50 

Updates on homes and gardens 

Long read 52 

The story behind 8 Margaret’s Buildings 

Spotlight on... 58 

Shop, swim and catch a movie in Clevedon 

Escape 63 

Delightfully crumbly hotels with history 

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 5

contributors 

We would like to thank the talented people who helped to bring our latest issue to life 

David Watts 

Interiors (p52) 

David is an award-winning photographer 

living in Somerset. He has been published 

in Harper’s Bazaar and Wanderlust. 

Yee Poon 

Cover + illustrations (various pages) 

Yee is a Bristol-based designer and 

illustrator with an appetite for creating 

food characters and juicy lettering. 

Freya Parr 

Art focus (p22) 

Bristol-based Freya is an arts and 

culture journalist, writing for BBC Music 

Magazine, the Guardian, Oh and Frankie. 

Chantelle Horton 

Food (p39) 

Bath-based Chantelle was editor of 

More! and has written for Gracia, 

Stylist, Fabulous and Metro. 

Vishaka Robinson 

Interiors (p52) 

Vishaka writes for Stylist, ELLE and the 

Independent, and is a brand consultant 

for startups in the south-west. 

Tom Ham 

Art focus (p22) 

Tom is a freelance photographer living 

in Bristol. He specialises in portrait, 

documentary, music and art culture. 

Words: Sonia Zhuravlyova and Helen Martin 

Photography: Felix Russell-Saw and Ed Schofield Illustration: Vanessa Lovegrove 

On the cover 

Illustration by Yee Poon 

The team 

Creative director + founder 

Kate Monument 

kate@circusjournal.com 

Publisher + founder 

Simon Tapscott 

simon@circusjournal.com 

Editor 

Emily Payne 

emily@circusjournal.com 

Sub editor 

Camilla Cary-Elwes 

Advertising 

To advertise in Circus Journal, 

please call Simon on 

07816 322056 or email 

simon@circusjournal.com 

Contact 

Subscribe at circusjournal.com 

Web: circusjournal.com 

Instagram: @circusjournal 

If you would like to stock 

Circus Journal, please email: 

stocking@circusjournal.com 

Details 

This issue of Circus Journal was 

first printed in May 2021 

by Zenith Print Group, in 

Pontypridd, Wales. 

Thank you to the advertisers, 

whose support and encouragement 

enables this project to happen. 

© Circus Journal 2021. All 

information contained in this 

publication is for entertainment 

purposes only. Circus Journal is 

published by Do Good Things 

Limited who do not accept 

any responsibility for errors or 

inaccuracies that occur in such 

information. While every reasonable 

care is taken with all material 

submitted to Circus Journal, the 

publisher cannot accept any 

responsibility for loss or damage to 

such material. All rights reserved. 

This publication is copyrighted and 

no part of this publication may be 

used or reproduced without the 

written permission of Do Good 

Things Limited. 

A satisfying exploration 

for the taste buds 

Be one of the first to try the all-new Restaurant and Bar at No.15 Great Pulteney. 

Enjoy 10% off by quoting CircusGP15 when you make your reservation. 

Call 01225 807015 to reserve a table. Discount valid until 31st July 2021. 

6 Circus Journal Midsummer 2021 

www.guesthousehotels.co.uk 

@guesthousehotels

The 

edit 

THE EDIT 

Updates on design, community and lifestyle 

Nurturing wellness amongst nature 

When you become a member of The Club at Combe Grove, you are joining so much more than just a gym. 

Set in 64 acres of woodland we offer unrivalled views of the Limpley Stoke Valley. Members have 

access to a well-appointed nature-inspired gym, studios, indoor and outdoor pool and tennis 

courts, all of which benefit from space and natural light. Join our volunteering opportunities, 

drop into an event or take part in a mindful movement class. 

We look forward to welcoming you. 

STYLE 

Humphries and Begg 

This Stroud-based clothing 

label hits the sweet spot 

between comfort and 

style. Husband and wife 

duo Alice Begg and Robbie 

Humphries’ bold prints 

are designed to elevate 

the everyday. Most pieces, 

including the ever-popular 

playsuits, go up to a size 24 

and each range includes 

unisex items. The summer 

collection ‘Revive’ is 

inspired by the twists and 

turns of the last year, and is 

a mix of vibrancy, delicacy 

and moodiness. Check 

out their homeware, too. 

humphriesandbegg.co.uk 

01225 834644 

newmemberships@combegrove.com 

www.combegrove.com/memberships 

Combe 

Grove 

HEALTH & WELLBEING 


THE EDIT 

SHOPPING 

Persephone Books 

After 20 years in 

Bloomsbury, London, 

Persephone Books – 

champion of neglected 

fiction and non-fiction by 

mid-20th-century (mostly) 

women writers – has moved 

to Edgar Buildings, Bath. 

Recreating its ground floor 

London shop (but with 

added first floor space), the 

new location was described 

in a 1798 house ad sale as 

“particularly cheerful”. Their 

three must-reads? Someone 

at a Distance by Dorothy 

Whipple, The Fortnight in 

September by RC Sherriff 

and Miss Pettigrew Lives for 

a Day by Winifred Watson. 

persephonebooks.co.uk 

FAMILY 

Sleepy Doe x 

Chiara Perano 

Just look at this 

super-cute children’s 

nightwear designed by 

Bath organic sleepwear 

company, Sleepy 

Doe. The exclusive 

collection is illustrated 

by Chiara Perano and 

features mermaids, 

shrimps and more. 

sleepydoe.com 

FOOD + DRINK 

Circus Journal 

We see you, fabulous food and 

drink makers of the south-west! 

That’s why we now have a 

whole new section dedicated to 

deliciousness created in Bath, 

Bristol and beyond (see p39). 

It’s packed with new restaurant, 

bar and café openings to check 

out, recipes to try, and seasonal 

food trends. We hope you enjoy 

tucking in. Get in touch and let 

us know what you think. 

creative@circusjournal.com 

Words: Emily Payne . Photography: Toby Mitchell and Barbara Evripidou. Illustration:Yee Poon 

SHOPPING 

Forest and the Flowers 

You may have spotted its alpine green and candy pink 

shopfront as you saunter through Clifton Village. Step 

inside Camila Forest’s floral design studio and store for 

kaleidoscopic creations delivered by bike, along with 

workshops on all things floral. 

forestandtheflowers.co.uk 

STATIONERY 

Present & Correct 

Forget DMs, letter writing is on point. You can’t 

beat the longevity of a letter, the craft of handwriting 

and thought put carefully into each word. Plus, when the 

stationery is as good as this Wes Anderson-esque vintage 

airmail kit from Present & Correct, it would be rude not to. 

presentandcorrect.com 

LOCAL HERO 

Diana Porter 

In memory of Diana Porter – 

award-winning Bristol jewellery 

designer, champion of women’s 

rights and firm friend and supporter 

of Circus Journal – who sadly died 

in March. “I’m inspired by the 

experience of living – the human 

condition – by words that can 

be ambiguous in their meaning,” 

she said. “I can’t design unless 

something is meaningful to me 

and has some integrity.” 

dianaporter.co.uk 

WORKSPACE 

Flagship 

This slick offering – with sister sites 

in London, Manchester and LA – 

launched late last year on Bristol’s 

Colston Street. With five private 

offices and six dedicated desks, 

it’s a thoughtfully designed space, 

perfect for budding businesses 

to set up roots in the city centre. 

flagship-spaces.com 



THE EDIT 

Vivian Jones-Henry 

Notes of a middle-aged man 

The story... so far 

funniest 

The 

happened 

thing 

the 

open 

road 

STORY... 

THE FAR! 

SO Simon Harte 

Aged 39 ₃ ⁄ ₄ 

FALLING 

FOR YOU 

VICTORIA F. RATZ 

MY YEAR IN 

THE LAND OF THE 

RISING SUN 

JONATHAN & ANN SECCOMBE 

Sisters 

REUNITED 

How we found each other again 

Stella Hyland & Poppy Millington 

EXCLUSIVE 

UPGRADE 

ON ALL BOOKS 

FOR CIRCUS 

READERS 

QUOTE: ‘CIRCUS’ 

“There’s no greater agony than bearing 

an untold story inside you” 

TRUTH 

MARIA A. GALICIA 

Master 

BESPOKE BIOGRAPHIES BY THE 

BEST IN THE BUSINESS 

Love ● Life ● Family ● Travel ● Career 

The Accidental 

BETTY & BRYAN WEBSTER 

TRAVELLERS 

Everlasting 

love 

MISADVENTURES AROUND THE WORLD 

BETTY & BRYAN WEBSTER 

Outback 

an australian adventure 

Everlasting 

Monika Gajjer 

MAYA ANGELOU 

Whether a moving memoir, alluring adventure or even a rousing 

romance, your stories - and those of your loved ones - are to be treasured. 

Let us help you keep them alive forever. 

MARY & RANDY STEVENS 

LOVE 

IN THE 

FAST 

LANE 

COMMUNITY 

Bradford on Avon skatepark 

Thirteen-year-old Idris Jones loves to skate. So 

when his local ramp in Bradford on Avon was 

vandalised and removed, he contacted the local 

newspaper and town council, and fundraised 

an impressive £7,000 towards a new skate park. 

Idris also persuaded top artists from around the 

UK, including Will Barras, to donate art and paint 

blank skate decks for an exhibition and auction at 

the West Barn on July 13 and 14. 

@bradfordonavonskatepark 

WELLBEING 

The Eden Room 

From Rebecca Morgan (Huey’s missus) 

and writer and coach Kat Dever, 

comes an online sanctuary of “ancient 

wisdom for modern living”. Their first 

event: Unbound, a Summer Solstice 

celebration, takes place on June 20-21 at 

Marston Park in Frome (pictured). Expect 

ritual dance and celestial mysticism, 

with accommodation in luxurious 

lakeside bell tents. 

theedenroom.com 

ENVIRONMENT 

Finisterre 

“From sailors to surfers, to 

those who prefer to watch 

the waves from the shore, if 

we connect with the sea, we 

will love it,” say the people 

at outdoor brand Finisterre. 

“And if we love something, 

we will always protect it.” 

Which is why, to coincide 

with global leaders attending 

the G7 Summit in Cornwall 

this summer, the brand is 

holding Sea7; an online ocean 

activist training camp and 

debate series from June 8-11. 

Finisterre Petrichor Smock 

Shirt, pictured. 

finisterre.com 

www.master-storytellers.com ● 020 3951 8615 


FROM BAUHAUS 

TO OUR HOUSE 

Mid 20th Century Female Designers 

people 

Who we’re talking about this summer 

1 May - 1 July 2021 

5 MARGARET’S BUILDINGS . BATH . BA1 2LP 

7 July - 11 July 2021 

GALLERY 12 . 4 CROMWELL PLACE . LONDON . SW7 2JE 

gallery@graymca.com 

www.graymca.com 

Writing on the wall 

Murals can shake up a city, turning grey to bold, powerful colour. Bristol painter Zoë Power 

(pictured with her work at Portishead Lido) is involved in projects across the 

UK aiming to bring art to the wider community. Read the full story on p 22. 


Words 

Emily Payne 

Photography 

Felix Russell-Saw 

ANIMATION 

Local 

hero 

MAN 

Aardman co-founder Peter Lord 

is best known for his madcap 

animated films and trusty clay 

sidekick, Morph. This year, the multiaward 

winning Bristol animation 

studio releases its first feature-length 

collaboration with Netflix: Robin 

Robin, starring Richard E Grant and 

Gillian Anderson. We meet Peter to 

discuss imagination, Hollywood and 

snakes in Elizabethan clothing 



PEOPLE 

THE EDIT 

Imagination is just 

making stuff up, isn’t it? 

You are creating – in pictures or sound or 

words or anything – something that didn’t 

exist before. On one level, you do things 

every day that have never happened before, 

little things. 

Plastic cowboys were all the rage back in 

the early 1960s. I remember playing with 

these little figures on the floor, telling stories 

and acting them out, doing the voices, stuff 

like that. Teachers would say “Peter has a 

lively imagination”. It became visible in the 

making up and telling of stories, creative 

writing and later essays. As early as primary 

school I sensed it was a gift in the same 

way that some people were gifted at sports 

or music. 

Animation can do anything... existential 

angst, horror, anything. But Hollywood in 

particular has leaned towards films that 

teach you a grand life lesson. As a kid, I 

watched animation to laugh, to have fun. 

Over the years I’ve learnt that a film needs 

to have a heart, to say something about a 

shared human experience. But essentially, 

we still want to make people laugh. And it’s 

British humour, which I can’t possibly define, 

but which we do instinctively. 

Morph is like my first-born. He’s been 

around since the late 1970s and he’s done 

so much, over such a long time. That means 

he’s had time to evolve organically. He’s also 

changed shape quite a bit – his head has got 

bigger and smaller, but he’s OK now. 

You know damn well that Kermit the Frog is 

a puppet. You can see the sticks under his 

arms. But you believe in him. He is alive. 

With computer animation, you get the 

storytelling, you get the film-making and you 

get the amazing craft. But you can’t actually 

perceive that craft – you can’t see the 

maker’s hand because it’s so brilliantly 

disguised. So you believe the story, and you 

care about the characters, but it’s just a 

bunch of zeros and ones in the computer. 

It is an amazing achievement, but it doesn’t 

have a human element. 

Maybe there is a muscle for imaginative 

thinking. A vivid imagination is an essential 

part of childhood that can quietly atrophy in 

adulthood. A free-flowing imagination stops 

being valid in the same way. But it is a skill 

and, like a concert violinist who plays the 

whole time to keep that muscle going, it 

benefits from practice. 

My cultural 

touchstones 

The Flintstones 

Kids watched it 

because there were 

dinosaurs in it, but 

actually, it was based 

on American TV sitcom 

The Honeymooners, 

which for some reason 

they reinvented in the 

Stone Age. 

Mervyn Peake’s 

Gormenghast 

Trilogy 

As a teenager, I loved 

this crazy imaginary 

world. Peake created 

and populated this 

world in a way that 

others could visit and 

participate in it. 

Spike Milligan 

I still have a sketch 

book I did at school 

when I was about 13 or 

14. I did bits of writing 

which were based 

on Spike Milligan. I’m 

sure it was incredibly 

derivative. I can’t 

actually read it now. 

Magic shows 

I’m a sucker for a 

magic show. Not the 

Derren Brown type, but 

the kind of show you 

think can’t be true, 

but it is true, because 

you can see it. There’s 

something wonderful 

about that tension. 

Grayson Perry’s 

Art Club 

Through art, people 

speak about family, 

illness, life... Then every 

so often somebody 

produces something 

totally unexpected. It’s 

a real demonstration 

of imagination. 



PEOPLE 

Top: Teenage doodles “from an ancient journal” 

made during the 1960s. Middle: A still from 

Aardman’s upcoming film with Netflix, Robin 

Robin. Bottom: Characters from Aardman’s 

CITV show, Lloyd of the Flies 

“Imaginative thinking is 

a skill and, like a concert 

violinist who plays the 

whole time, it benefits 

from practice.” 

When my son was about seven he invented two 

characters called Fred and Joe. They were snakes. 

At a certain stage, they became snakes wearing 

Elizabethan dress. They had the ruffs, the doublets 

and those little baggy trousers. Where the hell did 

that come from? 

224,000,000 

Dollars made at 

the box office 

by Chicken Run, 

Aardman’s first 

feature-length film. 

Aardman by 

numbers 

2.8 

Tonnes of modelling 

clay used to create the 

characters in Wallace 

& Gromit: The Curse of 

the Were-Rabbit. 

30 

Awards won by The 

Wrong Trousers, making 

it one of the most 

successful animated 

films ever made. 

80 

Gromit sculptures 

decorated the streets 

of Bristol in 2013 to 

raise funds for Bristol 

Children’s Hospital. 

1 

Number of Blue Peter 

badges worn by salty 

sea dogs in Pirates! 

In an Adventure 

with Scientists! 

Lloyd of the Flies © Aardman Animations Ltd 2021 / Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon © 2019 

Aardman Animations Limited and Studiocanal S.A.S. / Robin Robin c) Aardman Animations Ltd 

At Aardman we value something that’s impossible 

to bottle. There are thousands of kids’ TV shows 

being made, all using similar formulae. But every 

so often something comes along that transcends 

that. We’re working on something called Lloyd 

of the Flies (for CITV). The way its creator, Matt 

Walker, has put it together comes from a genuinely 

creative imagination. 

I try to use my imagination outside of work. I like to 

indulge myself by telling myself stories. They’re very 

short. It seems liberating to me, because it takes you 

away from the mundane. Especially in recent times. 

It’s exciting to stretch that muscle. 

The most important thing we do at Aardman is 

storytelling. But making stuff by hand, as we still do, 

is very important as well. Working with your hands is 

good for your mental health and your spirit. 

There’s a tone to Bristol. There are creative endeavours 

everywhere, from one-person shows to the big fancy 

studios and everything in between. It is a fertile 

ground for creativity. I was born in Bristol, and 

wherever I’ve gone, it’s always drawn me back. 

facebook.com/shaunthesheep 

youtube.com/user/aardman 



Words 

Freya Parr 

Portrait photography 

Tom Ham 

MEET THE 

MURALISTS 

Seven of the south-west’s most exciting wall 

artists on colour, style and the power of paint 

merican artist Keith Haring, a product of the 

1980s New York graffiti scene, said: “Art is 

A 

nothing if you don’t reach every segment of 

the people.” 

Bristol’s rich street art history is well documented. 

This summer the Vanguard exhibition, Bristol Street 

Art: The Evolution of a Global Movement, comes to M 

Shed, and Upfest, Europe’s largest live street art 

festival, sees 75 walls painted in 75 days. It’s clear that 

the south-west is a desirable destination for muralists. 

While some wall art can provoke thought and 

trigger discussion, such as the Seven Saints of St Pauls, 

which celebrates seven Black Bristolians and their 

contributions to the city, others simply use colour and 

form to spread joy in the community. 

As opposed to the spray paint-wielding graffiti artists 

working under the cloak of darkness, many muralists 

pair spray cans with brushes, masonry paints and digital 

design. We spoke to some of the best about motivation, 

creative processes and where to see their work. 

Art 

focus 

Anna Higgie 

What: Bold, geometric shapes with 

a Matisse-like twist. 

Where: Festival stages across the 

south-west and peppered around 

Bristol. Spot Anna’s climate 

change mural at We The Curious, 

the dancing girls on the side of 

The Love Inn in Stokes Croft, and 

the walls of Backyard Chicken 

Company and Oowee Diner. 

“I started creating murals as a way 

of avoiding paying for festival 

tickets! I began making signs for 

a little spoken word stage that went 

to Shambala and Boomtown, and 

then I was asked to paint a 

250-metre mural at Green Man. I 

design everything digitally, working 

in layers. Big, blocky shapes are 

built on top of one another, so 

if you don’t have time to finish, you 

still have the entire canvas painted. 

Often, the bottom part of a mural 

will end up being covered in graffiti, 

which I think looks great. It’s urban 

organic growth.” 

annahiggie.co.uk 



TRUESPEED BRINGS GIGABIT BROADBAND TO BATH 

PEOPLE 

Bath-based Truespeed has officially started rolling out its ultrafast, 

gigabit-capable full fibre broadband network in Bath. The multi award-winning 

broadband provider is propelling the World Heritage city and its surrounding 

areas into the gigabit era. 

Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath said, “Truespeed’s investment will benefit the city 

enormously as ultrafast broadband connectivity can’t come soon enough for 

Bath businesses and residents. It’s great that a Bath-based firm is at the 

forefront of supporting our communities and taking our beautiful city into the full 

fibre fast lane.” 

Evan Wienburg, CEO of Truespeed, commented, “Having been firmly left in the 

digital slow lane, we’re excited to provide Bath’s businesses and residents a 

truly futureproof broadband solution. Bringing Bath the Gigabit connectivity it 

deserves, we’re thrilled to be levelling the digital playing field once and for all.” 

VISIT TRUESPEED.COM TO PLACE YOUR ORDER. 

ULTRAFAST BROADBAND THE 

WHOLE OF BATH CAN ENJOY 

Place your order today 

truespeed.com 

01223 233 060 

Aumairah Hassan 

What: Aumairah is part of female 

street art group Peace of Art, who 

use bright colours, empowering 

messages and mandalas. 

Where: At Bristol’s Stapleton Road 

station you’ll see Peace of Art’s first 

wall mural. At Fox Park, spot their 

decorated pillar. 

“We are a women-only group, and 

most of us are Muslim and women 

of colour. We started when graphic 

designer Emily Richards came 

to Easton and gave workshops 

because a group of us wanted to learn 

how to spray paint. We’d all done 

painting and Arabic calligraphy 

before, but we just didn’t have the 

confidence. For us, it’s not just about 

making a wall look better, it’s about 

creating something positive and 

engaging for the community. We are 

from multicultural backgrounds so 

we create artwork that represents 

this diversity. We wanted to bring 

something that is non-offensive, 

softer and pleasing to the eyes 

and the soul.” 

@peace_of_art_bristol 

Phill Blake 

What: William Morris-style 

designs, flowers and plants, 

and repeated patterns. 

Where: In Cirencester, nip 

into Pretty & Pip to check 

out two of Phill’s garden 

murals. Head to the Church 

Road/East Street wall in 

Bedminster that Phill 

created with N4T4 in 2018, 

before it’s painted over 

during Upfest. 

“I’ve always been a massive 

fan of William Morris: the 

Art Nouveau movement is 

an obvious influence on my 

work. Most of my patterns 

begin with pencil on 

paper and I then colour 

them in with watercolour 

and gouache. I try to stick 

to handmade traditions, but 

occasionally use digital 

tools. The female character 

is a recurring theme in my 

work and represents 

Mother Nature. I want to 

show the harmony between 

humans and the natural 

world. I do use brushes, 

but I absolutely love 

spray paint. It’s an 

extremely quick and 

versatile medium.” 

@philthblake 


PEOPLE 

Richt 

What: 1960s comic book-inspired 

abstractions and graffiti murals. 

Where: In Bristol, check out the 

panther at the Old Market end 

of Castle Park and his collab 

with Mr Penfold on the side of 

Quay St Diner. 

“There is a sliding scale of 

disaster when painting murals, 

with so many variables you can’t 

control. Most art is made in a 

controlled environment, without 

strangers watching, chatting to 

you, telling you they don’t like it, 

or calling the police. It doesn’t 

normally rain when you’re in your 

studio and dogs don’t urinate on 

your paint. Nobody comes and 

writes their name on your work 

when you’re finished. You rarely 

have to dodge human faeces. My 

creative process involves lots of 

drawing, lots of bad ideas, then 

eventually something forms. 

Before kids learn to paint murals 

they often tag and do graffiti. 

You wouldn’t have any murals if 

you didn’t have tags. Yes, they’re 

ugly if done badly but nobody 

will ever get good at anything 

without practice.” 

@richtpaint 

Zoë Power 

What: Bright, graphic, solid figures in a 

screen-printing style. 

Where: At University of Bath, you’ll find the 

Remembering Tree in the library stairwell. 

Nous in Bedminster is an image of two 

overlapping figures. Nearby, above Zara’s 

Chocolates, find Zoë’s contribution to Six 

Sisters, a project in which six buildings were 

painted by six women. 

“I started painting murals and signs out of 

desperation. I had done an art foundation 

years before and was working in cafés and 

restaurants, wanting to do something 

creative. Sign writing is accessible – 

everyone needs a sign, big or small. A lot of 

my favourite artists are women. The street 

art scene is more male, which can be 

intimidating. I’m often commissioned to 

paint buildings that probably should be 

knocked down – it’s like putting a plaster 

on it. Colour is so transformative. It really 

brightens people’s day.” 

@zoepowpower 



PEOPLE 

Farrah Fortnam 

What: Leafy brushstrokes in 

greens, purples and blues. 

Where: Start at Phat Feathers on 

Bristol’s Picton Street and head to 

Southville for Farrah’s piece on 

Lime Road. 

“I saw the damage to the Great 

Barrier Reef in Australia, so 

wanted to paint the shoals of fish 

– their movement and life. I 

started painting wall murals last 

year, because galleries were 

closed so I showed my work 

outside. I recently started a 

training course to use a cherry 

picker, so I can do bigger 

projects. Acrylic paints are great 

for vibrancy and masonry paint 

works for the background. I’ll then 

seal and protect it all with a UV 

exterior varnish.” 

@farrahcontemporaryart 

EXHIBITION 

19 MAY TO 5 SEPTEMBER 2021 

VERONICA RYAN 

ALONG A SPECTRUM 

Free Entry 

Wednesday to Sunday, 12–4pm 

Spike Island, 133 Cumberland Road, Bristol BS1 6UX 

+44 (0)117 929 2266 

spikeisland.org.uk 

Registered charity no. 1003505 

Supported by Freelands Foundation through the Freelands Award 

Image: Veronica Ryan, Pouch (2020). Net, orange peels, black thread. Work courtesy the artist and Paula Cooper Gallery, New York. Photograph by Max McClure 

Sophie Rae 

What: Vibrant, colourful murals, centred around 

botanical themes and wildlife. 

Where: In Portishead, check out Sophie’s mural at 

Mokoko Coffee. In Bristol, catch her statement wall 

on the construction boarding at Temple Way. 

“I’m always striving for balance in my work, using 

colour and negative space. I mix heavy block shapes 

with delicate line work. It’s all quite intuitive – I layer 

a mixture of graphic abstract shapes with botanical 

motifs. Sometimes I sketch out my initial ideas, but 

I’ll then do the main design on my iPad using the 

Procreate app. I occasionally use spray paints for 

texture but it’s predominantly paint. I recently did a 

fully digital project, designing a campervan remotely 

while I was on maternity leave.” 

@sophierae_prints 


New 

festival! 

Circus Journal is proud to be the official media partner of The 7 Hills Festival 

AMERICANA 

DREAM 

Former Noah and the Whale bassist 

Matt Owens introduces The 7 Hills 

Festival – a celebration of all things 

Americana in Bath this September 

Bath-based singer-songwriter Matt 

Owens was bassist for indie-folk band 

Noah and the Whale between 2006 

and 2015, touring the world with the 

likes of Arcade Fire and Laura Marling. 

Today, Matt, who released his second 

solo album Scorched Earth in October 

2020, champions local talent through 

his live show on Radio Bath and monthly 

live music night, Livewired. Here, he 

introduces his exciting new project, 

The 7 Hills Festival. 

The posters on the walls of the 

Bath Pavilion tell a story about a 

long-lost past when the city was a 

major musical destination. Venues 

like Moles hosted legendary bands playing 

pre-Glastonbury shows and massive names like 

Peter Gabriel moved here. 

The 7 Hills 

Festival: 

The breakdown 

What 

A new festival inspired by 

the sounds and culture 

of Americana. Expect 

critically-acclaimed 

musicians from Bath 

and the surrounding 

area, as well as special 

guests from further afield. 

There will also be food 

and drink from local 

independent producers. 

When 

Saturday September 4, 

midday – 9pm. 

Where 

The Pleasure Gardens in 

Lyncombe Vale – a few 

minutes walk from the 

station, between two 

of the seven hills of 

Bath. Lyncombe Court, 

Widcombe, Bath, BA2 4LR. 

Who 

Along with festival 

co-founder Matt Owens, 

performers will include 

Bristol singer-songwriter 

Beth Rowley, Louis 

Brennan and Jimmy Lee. 

Stay tuned for full line-up. 

So where’s it all gone? There are a few 

disparate voices and venues – but it has 

lost its weight. The 7 Hills Festival, I hope, 

is one part of the solution. 

From the age of 13 I listened to Neil 

Young, Cat Stevens, the Stones and The 

Doors, handed down from my dad. For the 

uninitiated, Americana is a broad territory 

covering all roots-based music, from 

fingerpicked folk to rock’n’roll, gospel, 

soul and country. 

The 7 Hills Festival will be a glimpse 

into the culture of Americana and the 

quality and breadth of its music. It will 

be an incredible day of music, set on two 

stages, with superb acts, from singersongwriters 

to rock’n’roll bands, folk 

troubadours and blues singers playing 

back-to-back. 

This is a festival for music fans, 

championing both established 

and fantastic original artists. 

It will be a lovingly puttogether 

experience, set in 

the Pleasure Gardens in 

Lyncombe Vale – one of 

the most stunning places 

a musician could hope to 

play – with delicious local 

food and craft beer. 

As a performer, I always loved 

the American city festivals, especially 

Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza and 

SXSW. When done right, they take over 

the place and bring out the best in a city 

Book now! 

Tickets are limited, 

so sign up and 

grab yours today. 

the7hills.com 

@The7HillsFest 

THE EDIT 

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

and its people. It brings people together 

to build music memories. There’s a smile 

on everyone’s face, excitement and energy 

like nothing else. 

The gatherings that happen this 

year will be that much more special. 

Humans have reset a lot of what we once 

took for granted. Celebrating music, 

breaking bread, holding a cold beer and 

remembering how fortunate we are to 

have such incredible places to gather is 

simply a good thing to do. 

We need to create new places for 

music to breathe, framed in consideration, 

to come together and give it the best 

chance to thrive. 

In the future, we plan to take The 7 

Hills Festival to the city, running it over 

several days and locations, with talks, 

showcases, acoustic and electric sets, 

and a combination of established 

headliners and exciting new 

music. We can’t change what 

has happened to the world, 

we can only learn, look 

forward and build great 

things with care.” 

Opposite page: The 7 Hills Festival 

co-founder Matt Owens. This page: Artists 

Beth Rowley and Louis Brennan, and the 

Pleasure Gardens in Lyncombe Vale, Bath 

Chris Cook 


circusjournal.com the7hills.com 

@circusjournal @The7HillsFest 

31

New 

talent 

FUTURE 

STORIES 

Bath Spa University’s final year creative 

media students explore the future of 

storytelling with help from the experts at 

Narrative and Emerging Technology Lab 

hatsApp chatter, Zoom meetings, 

the infinite scroll… it’s clear that 

W 

technology is changing the way we 

tell stories. But could new methods 

ever supersede the written and spoken word 

– narrative tools in place for thousands of 

years? This is what the brilliant minds at Bath 

Spa University’s Narrative and Emerging 

Technology Lab (NET) are trying to find out. 

Formed in 2019, NET experiments with new 

types of audio, video and AI to determine to 

what degree technology changes the way 

we interpret narrative and how it affects our 

imagination. It is among a cluster of others 

in the area – including South West Creative 

Technology Network, Watershed: Bristol Stories 

and UWE Bristol: Sustainable Flood Memory – 

working towards a similar goal of facilitating 

creative technology and experimenting with 

the impact it has on everyday life. 

Words 

Artswork Media 

team members 

Rebecca Lomas, 

Thomas West, 

Georgia McDonnell 

and Kiana West 

Illustration 

Bath Spa graduate 

Vanessa Lovegrove 

The power of play 

PhD researcher Naomi Smyth centres 

her work around the idea of play. 

She believes that each of us contains 

infinite possibilities – and that play 

can encompass our struggles, our 

grief and all that makes us human. 

Naomi produces immersive 

theatre, seeking new ways to “create 

a story world and experience a 

narrative through your physical 

body”, while engaging the audience’s 

mind more than traditional theatre. 

The pandemic only fuelled her need 

to create, and deliver a scaled-down 

experience that evokes the same 

emotion in its audience. Hence her 

new-found interest in binaural sound: 

stereo audio that is recorded through 

a dual microphone set-up and best 

enjoyed through headphones. 

Naomi suggests that the 

combination of binaural sound 

and virtual reality is “as close as 

you can get without smell and 

taste to feeling connected to a 

very real human story”. Binaural 

sound can be “beautifully accessible 

and emotive”, and in a world 

which can feel increasingly reliant 

on digital technology, it can 

offer an opportunity to distract 

from negativity and encourage 

interconnectivity. 



PEOPLE 

1968 

Fictional AI 

antagonist HAL 

9000 stars in 

Stanley Kubrick’s 

2001: A Space 

Odyssey. 

Artificial 

Intelligence: 

past, present 

and future 

1997 

Super computer 

Deep Blue 

topples human 

world chess 

champion Garry 

Kasparov. 

2002 

Scientists 

create the 

first robot for 

housework – 

the Roomba 

vacuum cleaner. 

2014 

Google makes 

a driverless car 

prototype, using 

a combination 

of sensors and 

software. 

2020 

The Covid-19 

pandemic 

accelerates 

international 

investments 

in AI. 

2049 

AI expected to 

write a novel 

that could make 

the New York 

Times bestseller 

list. 

2120 

Experts predict 

with 75% 

probability 

that AI will be 

capable of full 

human function. 

Sources: BBC and Global Data 

Enhancing the traditional 

Creative computing expert Lee Scott began 

his journey into binaural sound working on a 

digital opera/ballet installation put on by De 

Montfort University, named Secret Garden. His 

current project, NESS, looks at new ways of 

seeing visual environments by experimenting 

with superimposing binaurally captured live 

sound. This encourages the listener to consider 

the fictional sound as emanating from the live 

environment they’re in. 

“Humans have always told stories, some 

of which are received as transformative by 

audiences, others as unremarkable,” he says. 

“We can be captivated just as strongly by 

someone telling a story alone on stage with 

no technological aids as by a polished 

experience of VR. 

“But the promise of technology is that it 

allows access to the best of these stories to a 

greater number of people. In addition, it serves 

to present them in aural, visual and interactive 

situations that enhance believability, 

immediacy and consumer agency. 

“The technology itself doesn’t make for a 

convincing story. It is the complementation 

of content and technology that leads to 

memorable storytelling experiences.” 

Reclaiming narratives 

Artist-technologist and game developer Coral 

Manton has worked on multiple projects 

involving AI and stereotypes against women 

in the tech industry. She believes AI can help 

women become more dominant by changing the 

existing narrative. 

For her recent project, Women Reclaiming AI 

(WRAI), she and her team designed a chatbot 

created by women, and made for women. 

Chatbots are essentially computer programs 

that simulate human conversation, either 

textually or verbally. And Coral’s chatbot 

allows women to engage in conversations 

with programs that aren’t scripted by men, 

meaning there is potential for more emotional 

connections with consumers. 

“Chatbots are an exciting area for new 

narratives,” she says. “As well as challenging the 

social norms associated with the AI industry, 

they allow their customers a narrative by 

creating characters that personalise connections 

with the user, engaging the audience with a 

distinctive experience.” 

“Humans have always told 

stories... but the promise 

of technology is that it 

allows access to the best 

of these stories to a greater 

number of people.” 

Man and machine 

Amy Spencer is head of Ambient Literature, 

a project exploring how people use their 

smartphones to tell a story via everyday apps 

such as weather and GPS. 

She explains: “Today’s technology is more 

interactive – you personally have a role in it, you 

have a say, it is much more intimate.” These 

technologies could race ahead by introducing a 

personal connection that traditional narrative 

techniques cannot keep up with. 

But digital storytelling faces a large obstacle: 

determining if the products have a significant 

market; people can already access such a variety 

of digital content, including documentaries, 

podcasts or vlogs, all for free on YouTube. 

Amy would love to fund research teams and 

commissioning writers to adapt and explore 

the multiple different avenues this method of 

storytelling has to offer. When addressing the 

battle between the past and the future, she 

explains: “It whittles down to the connection 

between people and technology, and that will 

continue to change over time.” 

While immersive technology can 

potentially provide a more personal 

and customisable experience, there 

isn’t currently the infrastructure 

to support its growth. But it would 

be surprising if developing narrative 

technologies hadn’t already begun 

to overtake the methods that have 

been prevalent for thousands of 

years. These new ways to tell stories 

provide a lot to be excited about, 

and we should look forward to when 

the world is ready for it. 

Artswork Media is a 

production company led 

by final year creative 

media students and media 

professionals at Bath 

Spa University. Based 

at Paintworks, Bristol, 

clients include St Pauls 

Carnival, Somerset Wildlife 

Trust and the Royal 

Photographic Society. 

artswork.media 



food 

Where and what to eat this summer 

TREND 

Top-up trucks 

1 

2 

3 

The Great Wine Company, Wells Road, Bath, BA2 3AP 

Shop – Open to public, Customer car parking 

Visit – www.greatwine.co.uk 

Illustration: Yee Poon 

Oat Float is a new Bristol 

refill shop on wheels 

run by Sam Holland and 

Renwar Karim, both 18, 

and Anna Raphael. The 

trio have kitted out a 1974 

milk float with gravity 

dispensers filled with 

cupboard essentials. There 

are regular ‘float stops’ and 

booking slots available. 

@oatfloatbristol 

Tis the Future is an 

electric-powered mobile 

refill shop run by Tisbury 

Community Benefit 

Society. The charming 

mint green vehicle chugs 

merrily along at 15mph, 

visiting local villages on 

a scheduled route, where 

it stops for people to 

come on board and shop. 

tisthefuture.com 

Bath’s online refill shop, 

RE.STORE, delivers “refills 

on repeat, to your door”. 

The team is hatching plans 

to buy a beautiful restored/ 

converted electric vehicle 

to take its eco wares on 

the road and reach the 

villages and hamlets on the 

outskirts of the city. 

Watch this space. 

@restorebath 


FOOD 

NEW 

We’re 

new 

OPENINGS 

Our pick of the tastiest new food and 

drink spots across the south-west 

Pony Bistro 

Legendary south-west chef Josh Eggleton 

brings his magic to Bedminster 

ans of the kind of laid-back bistros 

where long lunches slowly turn into 

F evening cocktails will love Pony 

Bistro, which opened in May. 

Michelin-star chef Josh Eggleton and his 

sister Holly’s new offering in Bedminster aims 

to recreate the informal vibe of his Chew Magna 

pub, The Pony & Trap (recently renamed The 

Pony Chew Valley) in a more urban setting. 

Says Josh: “We’ll take the essence of what we’ve 

achieved during 15 years at The Pony & Trap to 

an industrial warehouse, and distil it to simple, 

concise dishes and casual dining showcasing 

amazing local ingredients.” 

You might recognise some old favourites on 

the menu (like the steak tartare, pictured) albeit 

in a reimagined way. “When you change your 

surroundings, everything changes. Dishes from 

The Pony & Trap may well go on at Pony Bistro, 

but because you’re in a contemporary setting it 

feels different.” Josh’s menu will also showcase 

North Street’s best producers, including his 

new next-door neighbour, Mark’s Bread. 

During the pandemic, Josh worked with 

other Bristol restaurateurs to provide hot 

meals for rough sleepers. His ethos of making 

food accessible will be evident at Pony Bistro, 

where Josh plans for some “if you can’t afford 

a meal – come and eat for free” tables. He also 

has ambitions to work with other restaurant 

owners to roll this scheme out across Bristol. 

To support a superb chef with a massive 

heart, Bedminster’s North Street is where it’s at. 

theponynorthstreet.co.uk 

Words: Chantelle Horton and Emily Payne 

Burrito Boi 

Station Approach, Frome 

A dapper dine-in venue 

(due to open in June) is 

the natural next step for 

this popular ‘naughty 

burritos’ delivery service. 

Expect more banging 

burritos and frozen 

cocktails in a colourful 

and rustic setting. There 

will be a large outdoor 

space shared with a 

few other brilliant food 

vendors, and a bar with 

music at the weekends. 

burritoboi.co.uk 

Rough Hands Coffee 

Five Valleys Shopping 

Centre, Stroud 

“After a mid-lockdown 

redundancy I thought, 

why not? Now is the 

time!” says owner 

Samuel Humphris on 

opening Rough Hands 

Coffee. Working with a 

rotating coffee menu 

from roasters including 

Cotswolds-based Fire 

& Flow, the coffee 

shop puts “planet 

before profit”, ensuring 

“transparency and 

fairness for the farmers”. 

@roughhandscoffee 

Koocha Mezze Bar 

Cheltenham Road, Bristol 

You can’t miss Koocha’s 

dazzling shopfront – a 

scene of disgruntled 

leopards painted by 

muralist Alex Lucas. 

Having moved from 

Gloucester Road in May, 

the Persian-inspired food 

is just as eye-popping 

and tasty. Try the toprated 

vegan kebabs. 

koochamezzebar.com 



FOOD 

NEW SHOP 

Sunday General 

ALFRESCO EATS 

Embrace the great outdoors this season 

A Clifton Village delight, 

with all you need for a 

dream picnic. Founder 

Kyle Clarke suggests 

loaves from FED 303 or 

Bianchis; hummus from 

Moist and smoked treats 

from Chesil Smokery, or 

something from the vegan 

cheese counter. And don’t 

forget the bubbles from 

Tillingham wines. 

sundaygeneral.co.uk 

Cocktails 

to go 

DRINK 

Lovetts 

Outdoor boozing just got 

posh. Cornish takeaway 

and bottleshop Lovetts 

sells four-serving bottles 

of negroni, espresso 

martini, bloody mary or 

manhattan. Share with 

your thirstiest friends. 

lovetts-newlyn.co.uk 

“Outstanding gallery with incredibly helpful staff” 

C.WARD 

“Brilliant gallery. Let me try the picture at home before buying. 

Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Highly recommended” 

B.GUPTA 

“Absolutely 5 Star service” 

T.GUSTARD 

“The offer to deliver and try the painting on the wall before 

committing to payment was very reassuring and the assistance in 

hanging the pictures was really appreciated” 

S.FRASER 

BOOK 

Wild Tea 

Some of Mother Nature’s 

tastiest ingredients are 

blooming right now, says Nick 

Moyle, co-author of new book, 

Wild Tea. Nick recommends 

looking for the bright green 

new growth of spruce and 

pine tips (pictured) for an 

amazing-smelling tea that’s 

packed with vitamin C. 

Others to forage 

Yarrow flowers. The wispy 

leaves make an earthy brew. 

Ground ivy is common around 

the edges of fields and parks. 

Produces a peppery cuppa. 

Rose petals make a subtle drink 

on their own and are delicious 

blended with black or green tea. 

twothirstygardeners.co.uk 

ENVIRONMENT 

The Kind Store 

Goodbye meal deals, hello 

plastic-free picnicking. 

Online eco shop The 

Kind Store stocks all the 

kit you need to embrace 

a greener alfresco vibe. 

We love the food flask by 

Black+Blum, which is 100% 

leak-proof and will keep 

your grub hot for six hours. 

thekindstoreonline.co.uk 

www.cliftonfineart.com 12 Perry Road BS1 5BG 


Words 


FOOD 

Retro 

cakes 

3 of the best 

Our favourite sweet 

treats in the west 

Natural 

Vitamin D, 

only from UV 

Your 

Tanning 

Experts 

DOWNLOAD OUR 

APP TO GET STARTED 

59 The Horsefair, Bristol BS1 3JP 

294 Wells Road, Knowle Bristol, BS4 2QG 

Consol 

THE 

FLOATING 

BAKER 

Find a slice of Paris along 

the Kennet and Avon 

Canal this summer 

What? Fifi Fourcroy lives and 

works on her narrowboat, Hope, 

selling vegan cakes inspired by 

the Parisian patisseries she visited 

as a child. She makes everything, 

from the vanilla essence to the 

raspberry jam, and bestsellers 

include almond and berry mess 

and tiramisu cake. 

Who? Fifi, her husband and their 

18-month-old daughter. As last 

year’s lockdown began, theatre 

director Fifi and her actor husband 

Alasdair were made redundant. 

“I’ve always baked for enjoyment, 

so decided to make it something 

bigger. I started by sending 

celebration cakes in the post. Each 

one took about four hours to bake 

because I only had a camping 

oven,” Fifi says. 

“Living on a boat makes you 

resourceful,” Fifi says. “We’ve learnt 

to generate our own electricity, 

become blacksmiths – you find 

solutions for everything.” But 

it’s not without its challenges. 

“Recently I had a tray of cupcakes 

on the stove, the boat rocked 

and the whole tray ended up on 

the floor!” 

Where? After travelling from the 

Peak District down to the Thames, 

the family moored in Bradford on 

Avon and then Avoncliff. Follow 

@floatingbaker for updates. 

Why? The cakes look beautiful and 

taste even better. “My cakes carry 

all the travelling I’ve done in them, 

as well as my French background,” 

Fifi says. 

When? 10am to 3pm, Saturdays 

and Sundays. Or online at 

floatingbaker.com 

Omaggi 

Cool cannoli with fillings 

including pistachio and lemon. 

At Bath’s Farmers’ Market and 

Bristol’s Harbourside Market. 

omaggi.co.uk 

Relish 

Stunning bespoke vegan 

celebration bakes, from Oreo 

to traditional Victoria sponge. 

relishvegan.co.uk 

Pip’s Railway Carriage 

Cake served in a beautiful old 

railway carriage. You’ll love 

this cool Somerset café. 

pipsrailwaycarriage.co.uk 


Words 


FOOD 

Try 

me! 

Rooted 

classic dhal 

THE FULL 

INDIAN 

Nick Peters, owner 

and head chef of 

Bath’s Rooted Cafe, 

tells the story behind 

their bestselling dish 

and shares his classic 

dhal recipe 

he signature dish 

of Bath’s Rooted 

T Cafe is so iconic 

there’s a whole 

wall inside devoted to it. The 

Full Indian breakfast’s lovingly 

prepared ingredients are listed 

on a graphic background and it’s 

been flying out of the door since 

Rooted opened, three years ago. 

Owner and head chef Nick 

Peters explains: “Our agenda 

has always been to embrace 

multicultural Britain and our 

own backgrounds. I was born 

in Africa, went to school in 

Scotland and have Scottish and 

Madras Indian heritage. 

“The menu reflects the food 

my family would cook. As a child, 

my grandmother would make 

this lovely, spiced marmalade 

and fresh parathas, served 

with fried eggs for breakfast, 

along with any tarka dhal left 

over from the night before. 

I’ve bought all those things to 

the plate here and served it as 

a thali. It’s totally different to 

anything else in Bath.” 

It’s fair to say Nick is flavour 

obsessed. “I love that you can 

use coriander one way and be in 

Japan, or in another way and be 

transported to India or Persia. 

You just need to understand 

flavour combinations. That’s what 

we’re about,” he says. For a bit 

of that magic in your own home, 

try Nick’s classic dhal recipe. 

rootedcafe.co.uk 

Ingredients 

• 380g dry masoor dhal (red lentils), 

sorted and well rinsed 

• 1.5 litres water 

• 1 tbsp oil (coconut oil or neutral 

flavoured) 

• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced 

• 6 cloves garlic, minced 

• 1 tbsp ginger, minced 

• 2 green chillies, minced (can be seeded 

for less heat, use more or less to taste) 

• 1 tbsp Indian curry powder 

• 1 tsp whole mustard seed 

• 1 tsp ground coriander 

• ½ tsp ground cumin 

• 1½ tsp salt, more to taste 

• 1 can diced /425g fresh tomatoes 

• Coriander, for garnish 

• Basmati rice, to serve 

Method 

1. Mix the lentils and water in a large 

pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a 

simmer. Skim off any foam that collects 

on top. Cook, partially covered, until the 

lentils are tender, usually 15-20 minutes. 

2. While the lentils are cooking, make 

the tadka. Heat a skillet over a medium 

heat and add the oil, onion, garlic, 

ginger, chillies and a pinch of salt. Fry 

for about five minutes. 

3. Add the curry powder, mustard seed, 

coriander and cumin. Stir and cook 

for about 60 seconds, then add the 

tomatoes. Cook for seven minutes. 

4. Add the tadka to the cooked lentils, 

and simmer over a low heat for about 

five minutes to infuse. 

5. Serve garnished with fried onions, 

coriander and tempered seeds. 

Local food business with a recipe to share? 

Get in touch on creative@circusjournal.com 


No. 1 Royal Crescent presents 

The Georgian 

Home in Bath 

places 

Where we want to be this summer 

B R A N D 

N E W F O R 

2 0 2 1 

Through this immersive experience you will meet the family, hear from 

the servants and experience a day of the Bath Season. The house comes to life 

around you through new film and sound projections as the family dine, enjoy Bath 

society, share gossip and issues from the period, as well as prepare for the evening ball, 

with the servants working hard to run the household. 

Opens Wed 2 June, pre-booked timed tickets available via www.no1royalcrescent.org.uk 

City sanctuary 

This June, central Bath welcomes The Yard, 

a beautifully restored 14-bedroom hotel 

set around a historic courtyard. The former 

coaching inn now features soft and peachy 

interiors from local suppliers, including 

Katherine Fraser textiles (Walcot Street) and 

furniture from Scumble Goosie (Stroud). By 

night, the courtyard transforms into a relaxed 

bar, perfect for balmy evenings. For more 

hotels with history, see p 63. 

theyardinbath.co.uk 

Thanks to National Lottery Heritage and Cultural Recovery grants, all of our Museums are now open to book. 


INTERIORS 

INTERIORS 

Seasonal updates on homes and gardens 

WALL ART 

The Print Series 

Creative agency Monday Club recently 

launched a series of photographic prints by 

established and emerging photographers. Its 

first collection centres on biophilia – the love 

of all that is alive and vital, and 30% of each 

sale goes to Rewilding Britain. 

theprintseries.com 

Ollie Hammick 

FITTINGS 

Katy Paty 

Look, rainbow retro light fittings! 

Prague-based design partners 

Katarína Rothová and Patrik 

Pokorny were searching for a 

natural, renewable material when 

they fell in love with porcelain. 

Says Katarína: “You touch 

switches many times a day, so let 

them make you happy!” Choose 

from 33 jolly colours. 

katypaty.com 

TREND 

Kintsugi 

“A broken bowl. A dab of lacquer. 

A sprinkling of gold dust.” In 

her book, Kintsugi: The Poetic 

Mind, Bonnie Kemske celebrates 

the Japanese art of mending 

broken ceramics with gold. It’s 

a craft movement for our times, 

urging repair and longevity, 

while celebrating the imperfect. 

Laetitia Pineda Plate, pictured. 

bonniekemske.com 

FURNITURE 

ferm LIVING @ Truce 

Inside, outside… wherever you 

put the elegant Desert Chair you’ll 

want to spend a lot of time sitting 

in it. The interchangeable textile 

seat is crafted from recycled 

plastic bottles and is available in 

multiple designs, including the 

Soil woven pattern, pictured. 

The powder-coated steel frame 

comes in two colours. 

truceonline.co.uk 

HOUSEPLANTS 

Canopy 

Which houseplant to choose? Expert plant 

delivery service Canopy recommends Pilea 

peperomioides. “It’s unusual-looking, fast-growing 

and easy to care for. Best of all, it grows plantlets 

that you can cut off and give to friends.” 

canopyplants.co.uk 

3 joyful 

candles 

GARDENS 

Steve Williams 

Landscapes 

“Even in small residential areas 

there is always an opportunity 

to inject immersive planting to 

benefit people and wildlife,” says 

Bristol-based garden designer 

Steve Williams. We love this 

foliage-clad timber garden 

structure (with log burner and 

hidden toy storage), surrounded 

by lush woodland planting, 

complementing existing trees. 

stevewilliamslandscapes.com 

Words: Emily Payne 

Esh @ Found Bath 

From south-east London-based 

Esh comes a two-tone twist on 

the traditional tapered candle. 

Available in a pink/orange and 

blue ombre as singles or a pair. 

foundbath.co.uk 

The Recycled Candle Company 

Made in Exeter from recycled 

wax, these hand-poured beauties 

come in single and double heart 

shapes. Zippy scents include 

Bitter Orange & Ylang Ylang. 

therecycledcandlecompany.co.uk 

Hebe @ Mon Pote 

We love these nautical numbers 

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monpote.co.uk 



Words 

Vishaka Robinson 

Photoghraphy 

David Watts 

DIVINE 

RESORATION 

Inside 8 Margaret 

Buildings, where many 

original features remain, 

including the original 

shop counters and 

mirrored vitrines 

This summer, the spectacular basementto-roof 

restoration of one of Bath’s most 

iconic buildings will be revealed, as design 

store Berdoulat opens its doors. We take a 

peek inside and hear its fascinating story 



PLACES 

ath has no shortage of structures 

laced with history, but few tell the 

tale of its recent past as eloquently 

as 8 Margaret’s Buildings. Built in 

1768, it was, between 1890 and 1981, 

the uptown outpost of Cater, Stoffell 

& Fortt, a group of department 

stores nicknamed the Fortnum & 

Mason of the west. 

In its heyday it sold everything from custard 

powder to caviar; fish fingers to foie gras, as 

well as 40 different types of cheese and bizarre 

delicacies of the last century, like kangaroo tail 

and shark’s fin soup. The well-heeled customers 

of the surrounding streets, including the Royal 

Crescent and St James Square, would perch 

on chairs beside the counter and dictate their 

shopping list to the staff behind – who’d have it 

delivered to their doors the same morning. 

A unique treasure from a bygone era, its vast 

4,215-square-footage was an amalgamation of 

three buildings, with walls and floors removed 

to create a state-of-the art (at the time) store 

space with a double-height gallery fitted with 

mahogany mirror-backed glazed cabinets and 

marble-topped counters. 

When the shop finally closed in 1981, it 

became an antiques emporium, then lay empty 

for three years before being bought in the 

summer of 2017 by local interior designer Patrick 

Williams and his photographer wife Neri. 

Luckily for them, much of the fabric of this 

history remained. “It’s a museum piece, and 

a miracle that it has survived,” admits Patrick 

as he points out the treasure-trove of intact 

elements. “From the sash windows on the 

façade, which all still have their 1760s glass 

(incredible given that opposite was a bomb 

site); to the mosaic front foyer, which lists all 

the branches of Caters, meticulously restored by 

our friend Al, who colour-matched mosaic tiles, 

having removed the concrete infill sections.” 

But it’s those show-stopping counters 

and mirrored vitrines in the main shop that 

hog the limelight. “There was an application 

in the 1970s to replace them with stainless 

steel refrigerated equivalents, but the locals 

protested,” says Patrick. “When we moved 

in, there was some shelving that had been 

replaced in the 1960s, but we found some of it 

in the neighbours’ garage, buried deep, and the 

Top left: Shop signage dating 

back to 1890. Top right: 

Original mahogany counters and 

sash windows on the façade, 

complete with 1760s glass. 

Right: The building was semiderelict 

with wet rot, dry rot and 

water damage after years of 

rain pouring in 

ingredients, all in pieces, to make up all but one of 

the mirror-backed vitrines up in the attic.” 

The task of restoring this unique building 

would have flummoxed most. The Heritage 

Statement alone was 180 pages long, and the 

planning application “PhD level”. But luckily, 

Patrick – who studied a fine art degree at Oxford 

University and has been on House & Garden’s Top 

100 Interior Designers list two years running – 

was set for the task. 

“It all looked rather sorry for itself,” remembers 

Patrick of the semi-derelict building. “There was a 

lot of water damage, following years of rain pouring 

through the place. Improvised props supported 

precarious floors. Wet rot, dry rot, mould and lots 

of dust.” Plus, all manner of unexpected trials such 

as “discovering that a chimney cleaning brush 

was wedged about five metres below one of the 

drains. This took hours to remove with CCTV and 

improvised coat hanger hooks!” 



A glimpse of 

PLEASURE GARDENS PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS 

BATH’S AMERICANA FESTIVAL H 4TH SEPTEMBER 2021 

H H H 

TOP LOCAL FARE, HAZY SEPTEMBER HEAT, 

LIVE MUSIC FROM AMERICANA’S FINEST 

EXPONENTS – AND ALL IN A SECRET GARDEN 

JUST WHISPERING DISTANCE FROM 

BATH CITY CENTRE 

H H H 

To get a head start on tickets, register at 

www.the7hills.com 

@The7HillsFest 

WITH 

The treasures 

we found… 

Items uncovered 

during the restoration 

A glass vial, intact, 

containing a sterilised 

needle in its alcohol solution. 

We think it is around 130 

years old. 

A Cater, Stoffell & Fortt 

glass bottle. They used to 

sell, among other delights, 

bottled Bath spring water. 

About 20 labels 

for things like ‘Bakewell Tart 

31p’ that track inflation 

through baked produce over 

the past few decades. 

A selection of bags from 

the 1890s through to the 

1970s, with the most 

brilliant typography on each. 

Shopping lists from God 

knows quite when – probably 

late Victorian or Edwardian, 

with ingredients like ‘quarts 

of Guinness’. 

Above: The glorious 

relics uncovered 

in Patrick and 

Neri’s restoration 

of 8 Margaret’s 

Buildings 

The couple moved in after 

selling their award-winning B&B on 

Pierrepont Place, living in just three 

rooms on the top floor with their two 

daughters, Wren, eight, and Bonnie, 

six, while the building works began. 

“Patrick built us a makeshift kitchen 

but there was no sink, so we did 

dishes in the bathtub, and all slept in 

the same bedroom for the first four 

months,” says Neri of their insalubrious start. 

The building’s next chapter pays homage to 

its past. The shop will sell everything from Wax 

Atelier candles to Lydia Hardwick ceramics, 

with spices sold by weight (a nod to Neri’s 

childhood in Istanbul) and Frome’s Rye Bakery 

cranking out drinks and patisserie, beside 

wine expert Ollie Coleman’s mini enoteca. 

The gallery upstairs will be lined with cookery 

books and food novellas, as well as showcasing 

soft furnishing for sale. 

In the basement below you’ll find 

Berdoulat’s freestanding kitchen furniture 

showroom and local florist Nice Bunch selling 

ethical blooms. 

At the heart of the building is the Williams’ 

family home, with its beautiful double-height 

kitchen (which opens onto the shop floor), three 

bedrooms and two terraces (one of which houses 

a roll-top bath, the other earmarked as a wildflower-filled 

bee sanctuary). And opening out 

onto the street behind, a two-bed mews house. 

Here, the Victorian-style shop front has been 

rebuilt, replacing an ugly 1980s garage door. 

The couple’s vision, explains Patrick, is to 

create “not only a retail space selling beautiful, 

locally made furniture, homeware and produce, 

but a nucleus for cultural events, from cookery 

book launches, with authors cooking for 

audiences, to candlelit musical performances, 

to talks about traditional crafts. We hope there 

will be something for everyone.” 

For Neri, who is known in Bath as an 

incredible cook and gracious host, the crux is 

creating a space people enjoy being in, while 

tipping a hat to the building’s multi-layered 

past. “I want everyone to feel welcome and for 

there to be life in the building after all these 

years. The door is finally back open.” 

berdoulat.co.uk 


Words 

Helen Martin 

Photography 

Ed Schofield 

PLACES 

Clevedon Pier 

The Tollhouse, The Beach 

Clevedon’s Victorian pier is the 

only Grade I-listed pier in England, 

standing with delicate grandeur in 

the water and welcoming around 

100,000 visitors each year. Film buffs 

may remember it appearing in Never 

Let Me Go, starring Keira Knightley, 

Carey Mulligan and Andrew Garfield. 

It was completed in 1869 as the 

town first boomed, offering a seaside 

escape and a swift route to south 

Wales by steamer. The pier was saved 

from demolition by a community 

campaign after part of it crumbled 

in 1970, and it remains close to local 

hearts. At the end, you’ll find the 

Pagoda café for refreshments. 

clevedonpier.co.uk 

Angelo & Son ice-cream van 

Beachfront 

“When it’s not [busy], I just sit here 

and enjoy the view. It’s amazing,” 

says ice-cream van man Angelo 

about his prime beachfront location. 

It might be blowing a gale or be 

balmy and beautiful; either way, a 

prerequisite of being by the British 

seaside is getting an ice-cream. 

Angelo & Son, an easy-to-spot yellow 

and white ice-cream van parked 

beachside, will absolutely fulfil your 

99 requirements. The van has parked 

here for 11 years now, while Angelo 

himself has lived in Clevedon since 

1969. Get in quick, the van is often 

busy, with eager customers queuing 

for classic ice-creams and lollies. 

Day trip? 

Check out Ladye Bay, 

just along the coastal 

path – it’s a rocky beach 

oasis with colourful 

cliffside flora and fauna. 

Clevedon 

Known for its elegant pier and marine lake with 

Spotlight 

on 

year-round swimming, Clevedon’s community is 

active in caring for its heritage and future. Take a 

dip, catch a movie or browse Alexandra and Hill 

Road’s independent shops 



PLACES 

Midgley Green 

26 Alexandra Road 

A contemporary interiors shop working 

with small-batch British craftspeople. “The 

products we sell tend to be made with natural 

materials like wood, clay and wool,” say owners 

Katherine Midgley and Seamus Green. “We 

want to be a place for our favourite makers 

to show their work within a carefully selected 

collection.” A browse of this charming shop 

reveals a lovely mix of “things that we think 

you’ll love for a long time to come”. Check out 

Bristol’s Wild Grove handmade soaps and Lou 

Tonkin’s nature-inspired tea towels. 

midgleygreen.com 

Did you 

know? 

The Curzon’s high-profile patrons include 

the Aardman founders, and the late, great 

Alan Rickman. Spot a plaque to him on one 

of the cinema seats in the auditorium. 

Clevedon Community Bookshop 

27-29 Copse Road 

Filled from top to bottom with excellent 

donated secondhand books, this co-operative 

bookshop is run entirely by friendly volunteers. 

Inside, you’ll find a corner dedicated to 

children’s books, with bean bags and seating 

upon which to read and research. It also has 

its own small independent printing press for 

budding authors. Light floods in through the 

shop’s large windows and on sunny days you’ll 

find outside seating and flowers. The window 

displays are often a delight. 

clevedoncommunitybookshop.coop 

Hungry? 

Have you tried the 

legendary ‘Brown Owl’ 

brownies from Pullin’s 

Bakery? Do it now. 

pullinsbakery.co.uk 

67 Barista Barber 

67 Hill Road 

Since opening five years ago, this coffee shopcome-barbers 

has become a social hub. Serving 

Buckfastleigh’s popular Voyager coffee and cuts 

coming highly rated, it’s also “a place to make 

social connections”, says co-owner Sue Cooper. 

From swimming groups, cyclists, friends meeting 

for a coffee and cut, to the many passers-by, the 

demographic is wide, and the community, local 

businesses and groups “all work together”, says 

Sue. “There’s a sense of belonging somewhere. 

It’s that human connection.” It’s an ideal spot for 

a friendly flat white. 

@67baristabarber 

The Curzon Cinema & Arts 

46 Old Church Road 

“History and heritage are our most treasured 

assets,” says Petra Mansour-Moffatt of Clevedon’s 

beautiful independent cinema. Running since 

1912 and Grade II listed, look out for sunburst 

stonework, a Neoclassical proscenium arch 

surrounding the screen, retro signs, bar and 

kiosk, and a mighty Christie organ. Saved from 

developers by the community in 1996, Petra says, 

“Without our volunteers and a loyal, cultureloving 

town behind us, the Curzon would cease 

to exist.” A place of splendour, warmth and that 

nostalgic Pearl & Dean jingle. 

curzoncinemas.com 



ESCAPE 

Three of the best hotels with history 

1 

Circus offer! 

Get 10% off at the new 

bar and restaurant at 

No.15 Great Pulteney by 

GuestHouse Hotels by 

quoting CircusGP15 

when you book. 

2 

1. The Bradley Hare 

Wiltshire 

This sumptuous country inn, built in 1865, 

opens as The Bradley Hare in June. It’s in 

the village of Maiden Bradley, named after 

a ‘hospital for maidens’, founded in the 12th 

century. With design from Soho House’s James 

Thurstan Waterworth, its 12 bedrooms are 

decked out in 18th- and 19th-century furniture, 

vintage fabrics and traditional wallpaper. 

thebradleyhare.co.uk 

Traditional Gentlemen's Barber 

U S - T E DAY FRIDAY 9 . 3 0 A P M M 

- 6 

9 SATURDAY 

. 0 0 A M - 3 P M 

S U N DAY - MONDAY 

C L O S E D 

A N D W A L K - I N S 

A P P O I N T M E N T S 

N G 

W I D C O M B E B A 2 4 

O K S Y A P P 

B O O K O N L I N E B O 

A N D Y B A R B E R S . C O M 

D D N A E N I F . W W W 

Words: Emily Payne 

2. No.15 Great Pulteney by 

GuestHouse Hotels 

Bath 

No.15 reopened in May under new ownership 

and with a ‘joyful refresh’. The Grade I-listed 

building keeps its Georgian glory, but 

designer Martin Hulbert has rejigged things a 

little, inspired by saucy 17th-century society 

– think chalky pinks and powder blues. Two 

new suites overlook Henrietta Park and the 

city. We love the little details like vinyl record 

players and handmade Georgian dolls’ houses. 

guesthousehotels.co.uk 

3. Heckfield Place 

Hampshire 

Forbes called it “possibly the most impressive 

country hotel in England”. And with one look 

at the Long Room, above, you can see why. 

Dating back to 1790, the heart of this hotel is its 

farm, which yields flowers and food, including 

dairy and honey for the community. The 45 

bedrooms designed by Ben Thompson feature 

Welsh slate and 1920s-style champagne coupés. 

heckfieldplace.com 

3 


Words 

Sonia Zhuravlyovaa 

ESCAPE 

Upcyling, piggy-style 

BOARISH 

CHARM 

A glimpse at the newest addition 

to the porky family, The Pig-at 

Harlyn Bay in Cornwall 

Not everyone is looking for huge 

spas, modernisation and walls of 

marble,” says Mark Jones, hotel 

director of the newest member of 

the Pig collection. “Here, we’re more rustic and 

it’s all about eating local, sustainability and also 

that special level of comfort. This is us inviting 

you into our house.” 

You’ll find The Pig-at Harlyn Bay in one 

of Cornwall’s most historical houses. The 

Grade II-listed mansion dates back to the 15th 

century, so encompasses medieval, Jacobean 

and Georgian design. Seventh in the Pig’s 

collection of homely ‘restaurants with rooms’, 

begun by Hotel du Vin founder Robin Hutson 

in 2011, this is arguably the prettiest of the litter. 

Inside, interior designer Judy Hutson (wife 

of Robin) has brought the 30-roomed hotel 

to life; filling it with beautiful vintage pieces, 

gently restoring the interiors and adding two 

additional barn-like blocks, which are clad in 

Cornish slate, so they will soon blend in with 

the original buildings. 

Interior designer 

Judy Hutson has 

filled the Grade 

II-listed mansion 

with eclectic 

vintage pieces 

The Lobster Shed, a former pig-sty 

turned alfresco restaurant, houses 

a grill and wood oven made from 

reclaimed materials, and the terrace is 

open for drop-in dining. It’s a casual 

set-up serving delicious local seafood 

and sundowners; there’s even an 

outdoor shower for incoming surfers. 

For those seeking peace and quiet, 

there are four wagon-style shepherd’s 

huts dotted throughout the generous 

grounds. These look weathered on 

the outside but have been constructed 

especially for the hotel. Inside, each one 

comes with a log burner, cosy kingsized 

bed and an en suite bathroom 

with monsoon shower and a glorious 

free-standing bath. 

Those staying in the main house 

won’t be disappointed either – many 

of the generous bedrooms have 

views across the courtyard, orchard 

and gardens towards the Atlantic. 

The house is full of maze-like snugs, 

wood-panelled dining rooms, stone 

slab floors, original beams and inviting 

seating next to roaring fireplaces, where 

you can spend a cosy evening with a 

cocktail or whisky from the bar. 

“Every public area has its own 

distinct personality. You never get 

bored of where you are,” says Mark. 

thepighotel.com 

What’s for lunch? 

What the kitchen garden cannot grow, 

or which cannot be foraged locally, is 

sourced within a 25-mile radius. When 

Circus visits, rainbow chard puffs and 

chargrilled Berryman celeriac are on 

the menu, as well as a mouthwatering 

spread of seafood, courtesy of local 

fishermen, and meat from Cornish 

farms. The chef is happy to discuss 

alternatives, take guests out into the 

garden and prepare a favourite dish, 

or dig something special out of the 

in-house smoke room. 

The Pig’s design team has a 

knack for turning one man’s 

junk into another’s treasure. 

You’ll spot the following at 

Pigs around the country. 

Apple crates --> shelves 

Vintage saris --> light shades 

Carpenters bench --> a bar 

Milk churns --> umbrella 

stands 

Vintage washing bins --> 

bedside tables 



Words 

Velimir Ilic 

gUIDe 

The 

20 awesome things to do this summer 

9-12 SEPTEMBER 2021 

a UNIQUE AND INTIMATE FESTIVAL OF WORLD-CLASS 

COMEDY under canvas in THE STUNNING SETTING 

OF A SOMERSET FIELD, A SHORT DRIVE FROM bath. 

with delicious food from the cross keys rode 

and featuring "the butcombe comedy bar". 

tickets: popupcomedy.org/shows 

1 

Shop in store or online 

Commission and reworking service available 

33 Park Street, Bristol, BS1 5NH 

T: +44(0)117 9090225 

www.dianaporter.co.uk 

Find our 

listings 

online 

Do you have an event 

you would like Circus to 

promote? We have launched 

a new weekly listings guide 

online. Find out more at 

circusjournal.com/whats-on 

FOOD + MUSIC 

Pub in the Park 

Royal Victoria Park, Bath 

June 18-20 

The return of Tom Kerridge’s 

epic food and music shindig. 

Expect chef demos and tasty 

grub from The Pony Chew 

Valley, The Hand & Flowers and 

many others, with a side order 

of great music from the likes of 

Rudimental and Craig Charles. 

pubintheparkuk.com 

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 67 

Circus-Magazine_May_21.indd 1 14/05/2021 14:56:00

GUIDE 

Reginald Ibibio Sound D Hunter Machine play 

performs Farmfest at in the Bruton. Frome 

Festival Opposite this page: JulyJamJar 

Flowers x Thyme in 

Gloucestershire, and 

Reginald D Hunter at 

Frome Festival 

5 

7 

9 

EXHIBITION 

JamJar Flowers x Thyme 

Tithe Barn at Thyme, Southrop, 

Gloucestershire 

June 15 – September 12 

Immerse yourself in gorgeous 

pressed botanicals and 

installations, guided meadow 

walks, conservation talks, a 

garden tour and plant workshop. 

There’s also botanicallyinspired 

dishes and cocktails 

on the lunch menu at Thyme’s 

acclaimed Ox Barn restaurant. 

thyme.co.uk 

ART 

Vanguard: Bristol Street Art 

M Shed, Bristol 

June 26 – October 31 

A celebration of Bristolian, 

British and international street 

art, exploring the evolution 

of the genre and its place in 

underground culture, from 

anarchist origins to global 

phenomenon. It includes work 

by photographers Beezer and 

Henry Chalfant, as well as pieces 

by Bristol’s finest street artists. 

bristolmuseums.org.uk 

MUSIC 

The Garden Sessions: 

STANLÆY 

Trinity, Bristol 

June 11 

‘Enharmonic androgynous 

biohuman’ STANLÆY, aka 

musician Bethany Stenning, has 

been touted as the south-west’s 

answer to Björk. Catch her at 

Trinity for intricate sonics fusing 

otherworldly electronics, folky 

hues and classical arrangements 

to mesmeric effect. 

trinitybristol.org.uk 

2 

3 

4 

6 

8 

10 

ART 

Gustav Metzger 

Hauser & Wirth, Bruton 

June 26 – September 12 

Showcasing the work of German 

artist and activist Gustav Metzger. 

Pieces include the immersive 

Liquid Crystal Environment, 

which magnifies heat-sensitive 

liquid crystals and projects the 

resulting colours and patterns 

into the gallery space. 

hauserwirth.com 

MUSIC + CULTURE 

Frome Festival 

Various venues, Frome 

July 2-11 

Frome’s popular arts festival 

marks its 20th anniversary. 

As well as performances 

from Reginald D Hunter, The 

Lightning Seeds, Aswad, and 

John Hegley, there’s an art trail, 

hidden gardens, opera/dance 

flash mobs and more. 

fromefestival.co.uk 

LGBTQ+ 

Bristol Pride 

Various venues, Bristol 

July 3-16 

The highly anticipated annual 

celebration of the LGBTQ+ 

community. A boisterous line-up 

of comedy, theatre, circus and 

cabaret events take place across 

Bristol for two weeks, leading 

up to the main day – a joyous 

parade on Saturday July 10. 

bristolpride.co.uk 

WELLBEING 

Gentle yoga and guided 

meditation 

American Museum & Gardens, Bath 

Until August 12, various dates 

Surrounded by the sounds 

of nature, these hour-long 

yoga sessions in the American 

Museum’s beautiful sprawling 

gardens will calm both mind and 

body. Suitable for all levels, no 

yoga experience necessary. 

americanmuseum.org 

SHOPPING 

The Somerset Collective: 

summer pop-up 

Jordans Courtyard, Ilminster 

June 12 

Indie businesses including Pearl 

Lowe and Rubbish Portraits sell 

their wares – art, vinyl, food, 

clothing, homeware, jewellery 

and more – to raise money for 

the Rosie Crane Trust, which 

supports bereaved parents. 

thesomersetcollective.co.uk 

FOOD + MUSIC 

Farmfest 

Bruton 

July 30-31 

A lively melting pot of music, 

arts, kids’ activities and festival 

frolics, and this year’s line-up is 

looking pretty special. Must-sees 

include Afro-electronica from 

Ibibio Sound Machine, postpunk 

rockers Snapped Ankles 

and radio legend, Norman Jay. 

farmfestival.co.uk 



GUIDE 

NOW 

OPEN 

11 

THEATRE + COMEDY 

Bath Fringe Festival 

Various venues, Bath 

Until June 13 

The final programme is yet 

to be confirmed, but it’s safe 

to say this will be a vibrant and 

flamboyant melange of theatre, 

live music, comedy and visual 

arts, plus the annual Bedlam 

Fair street event and leftfield 

art, photography and film from 

Fringe Arts Bath. 

bathfringe.co.uk 

14 

ART 

Freud, Minton, Ryan: 

Unholy Trinity 

Victoria Art Gallery, Bath 

July 10 – September 19 

A celebration of the 

rambunctious lives and work 

of figurative painters and 

friends Lucian Freud, John 

Minton and Adrian Ryan. 

The exhibition explores their 

standing in London’s thriving 

art community before and 

after World War II. 

victoriagal.org.uk 

What’s 

on 

12 

A journey of limitless discovery 3-11 years, Co-educational Independent School in Bath 

Registering now for September 2021 

paragonschool.co.uk 

FOOD + DRINK 

Breaking Bread 

The Downs, Bristol 

Throughout June (July dates TBC) 

Some of Bristol’s coolest 

boozers and indie restaurants 

join forces for this sociallydistanced 

outdoor pop-up, 

offering hearty grub, drinks 

and music on the Downs. 

A small number of walk-ins 

are available, but pre-booking 

online is advised. 

breakingbreadbristol.co.uk 

13 

WORKSHOP 

Rustic chair-making 

Westonbirt Arboretum, Tetbury 

June 19-20 

This outdoor workshop in 

Westonbirt’s beautiful, leafy 

surrounds shows you how 

to knock up your very own 

rustic chair from hazel, and 

also includes a talk about 

coppice woodlands. Everyone 

is welcome and no previous 

experience is needed. 

forestryengland.uk 

15 

COMEDY 

Frank Skinner: Showbiz 

Theatre Royal, Bath 

July 4 

As sharp as ever, the veteran 

West Midlands stand-up, 

TV presenter and national 

treasure hits the road. Enjoy 

observational tales, reflections 

on parenthood and ageing, 

and moments of arch-irreverence, 

all relayed in Skinner’s easy style. 

theatreroyal.org.uk 

16 

SIGHTSEEING 

Penny Farthing city tours 

Around Bath 

From June 20, various dates 

Master the art of riding a 

Victorian-era bicycle while 

taking in the essential sights 

of Bath, including the Royal 

Crescent, Bath Abbey and 

Pulteney Bridge. Recommended 

only for those with a reasonable 

level of fitness. Safety 

equipment is provided. 

airbnb.co.uk 

Above: Breaking Bread 

on the Downs in 

Bristol. Below: Frank 

Skinner performs at 

Bath’s Theatre Royal 


GUIDE 

17 

COMEDY 

Russell Howard & Friends 

Komedia, Bath 

June 14 

Join Mock the Week favourite 

Russell Howard for a unique 

night of work-in-progress 

stand-up, alongside some of 

his favourite comedians. Allow 

your sides to split as the Russell 

Howard’s Good News star works 

up hilarious new material before 

your very eyes. 

komedia.co.uk/bath 

18 

FOOD + DRINK 

Jekka’s HerbFest 

Jekka’s Herb Farm, Alveston, Bristol 

July 2-4 

Expert talks, workshops and 

cookery demos from organic 

gardening pro Jekka McVicar 

and chums, featuring renowned 

chefs, garden designers, 

herbalists and authors. You’ll 

also find a huge range of herbs 

and plants for sale, alongside 

crafts and vegan street food. 

jekkas.com 

Catch Veronica Ryan’s 

exhibition, Along a 

Spectrum, at Spike 

Island until September 

Offices to leave home for 

Serviced Offices 

+44 (0)1225 480555 

samantha.curtis@hph.co.uk 

hph.co.uk 

19 

ART 

Veronica Ryan: Along a 

Spectrum 

Spike Island, Bristol 

Until September 5 

A major exhibition by sculptural 

artist Veronica Ryan, featuring 

striking new works (made 

during her extended residency 

at Spike Island). It examines 

environmental and socio-political 

concerns, personal narratives, 

history and displacement. 

spikeisland.org.uk 

20 

FOOD + MUSIC 

Valley Fest 

The Community Farm, 

Chew Magna, Bristol 

July 30 – August 1 

Tunes from Sophie Ellis Bexter 

and The Blockheads, and plenty 

to eat. There’ll be chef demos 

from Bake Off stars Chetna 

Makan and Briony May Williams 

and Root Bristol’s Rob Howell, 

workshops and lots to keep the 

kids entertained. 

valleyfest.co.uk 

All details correct at the time of going 

to press. Please check event websites 

and social media for updates. If you’d 

like to see your event listed, email 

listings@circusjournal.com 

72 Circus Journal Midsummer 2021

Circus 

collab 

MAKE IT! 

Turn these pages into origami stars with Bristol crafters, Colourful Minds 

YOU’LL NEED: 

• Eight pages of Circus Journal, 

trimmed into squares 

• Scissors 

• Glue stick 

1 2 

Start with a square on its side. 

Fold in half diagonally and open out. 

Fold two opposite corners towards 

the central line. 

3 4 

Fold both top sides along the 

central line. 

This will form one point of the star. 

Repeat with seven remaining squares. 

5 6 

Colourful Minds is an arts 

organisation that creates craft 

workshops and kits for all 

ages, in Bristol and beyond. 

It began in 2016 and is run 

by Laura Humpage, a mumof-two 

with a background 

in textile design. The aim is 

to produce projects with an 

emphasis on connecting 

and making together. 

colourfulminds.co.uk 

Glue bottom right of the first point. 

Place the next point’s bottom left 

side along the central fold line. 

Repeat until all points are used. 

Slip the last point under the first 

point to finish off. Glue. 


2 bed living room with balcony 

STUDIO, 1, 2 & 3 BEDROOM 

APARTMENTS FOR RENT NEXT 

TO TEMPLE MEADS STATION 

Roof terrace 

2 bed bedroom 

Residents’ Clubroom 

This isn’t renting as you know it. This is living 

life to the full in a home that feels like your own. 

The best bit? You get a whole host of communal 

spaces and extras included in the rent, like 

a gym, roof terraces, workspaces, bespoke 

furniture and an on-site team. Our apartments 

are available to move in now. Come and join our 

vibrant community. 

BOOK YOUR VIEWING AT BOXMAKERSYARD.COM

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