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Circus Journal Vol 22

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Style, creativity and community<br />

in the south-west<br />

<strong>Vol</strong>ume <strong>22</strong> Early spring 2023 Rituals<br />

8 ways to improve your day<br />

+ The art of bookbinding<br />

+ Joyful seasonal events<br />

Spring hikes + Retail rebels<br />

+ 48 hours in Cheltenham<br />

+ Win a spa treatment & stay


Hello<br />

Welcome to the first issue of 2023. This time,<br />

we turn to rituals – the seasonal customs and<br />

everyday habits that shape our existence.<br />

We shrug off winter with four exhilarating<br />

hikes, taking in sweeping valleys, proper pubs<br />

and a forgotten stone circle. And suggest<br />

simple ways to bring lightness to your days.<br />

A bookbinder in Bath basks in the craft’s rich<br />

history, relishing in centuries-old methods.<br />

Plus, we nip over to Cheltenham for a buzzy<br />

weekend of shopping, food and culture.<br />

Meet the retailers bringing joy back to the high<br />

street – offering everything from homeware<br />

swaps to rug-tufting courses. Then check out<br />

the best local events in early spring.<br />

Finally, head to the back page for your chance<br />

to win a night for two (including dinner,<br />

cocktails and a spa treatment) at No.15 by<br />

GuestHouse, Bath. Happy reading.<br />

Emily Payne, editor<br />

AN EMPORIUM OF TREASURES FOR YOUR HOME<br />

FIND US ON 92 WALCOT STREET, BATH, BA1 5BG<br />

WWW.GRAHAMANDGREEN.CO.UK<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 3


Contents<br />

Regulars<br />

The Edit 9<br />

Design, community + lifestyle<br />

Directory 57<br />

Indie businesses we love<br />

The Guide 63<br />

Events in February + March<br />

People<br />

Win a night<br />

for two at No.15<br />

by GuestHouse, Bath,<br />

including dinner<br />

and a spa treatment.<br />

See p74.<br />

Page turner 17<br />

Meet the bookbinder<br />

Ideas<br />

8 spring rituals 23<br />

Dust away the cobwebs<br />

Retail rebels 31<br />

Shops shaking it up<br />

Places<br />

Best foot forward 39<br />

Hikes in the west<br />

48 hours in... 49<br />

Culture hub, Cheltenham<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 5


Contributors<br />

Meet some of the talented people who<br />

helped to create this issue<br />

Show Home Open Day<br />

Saturday 4th February 10:00am—3:00pm<br />

Please call 01<strong>22</strong>5 302 888 to make your appointment to view<br />

View our<br />

brand new<br />

show home<br />

CGI<br />

Writer Tola Fisher lives in<br />

Cheltenham. Her book,<br />

Still Standing: 100 Lessons<br />

From An ‘Unsuccessful’<br />

Life is out now.<br />

Spring ritual: Wishfully<br />

digging out summer clothes.<br />

James Beck is a<br />

Bristol photographer<br />

contributing to the New York<br />

Times and Channel 4.<br />

Spring ritual: Finding<br />

outdoor pursuits to turn into<br />

photographic projects.<br />

Sarah Baxter is a<br />

Bath-based travel writer,<br />

editor and hiker.<br />

Spring ritual: Attempting<br />

to walk every inch of<br />

footpath on my local<br />

OS Map.<br />

All our stockist deliveries are<br />

made using zero-emission<br />

electric cargo bikes<br />

CBP016816<br />

The team<br />

Creative director + founder<br />

Kate Monument<br />

kate@circusjournal.com<br />

Publisher + founder<br />

Simon Tapscott<br />

simon@circusjournal.com<br />

Editor<br />

Emily Payne<br />

emily@circusjournal.com<br />

Sub editor<br />

Camilla Cary-Elwes<br />

Instagram: @circusjournal<br />

circusjournal.com<br />

Advertising<br />

To advertise in <strong>Circus</strong>, please<br />

call Simon on 07816 3<strong>22</strong>056 or<br />

email simon@circusjournal.com<br />

Stocking<br />

<strong>Circus</strong> is available to pick up for<br />

free at over 395 locations across<br />

Bath, Bristol and the south-west.<br />

To find your nearest stockist<br />

please visit circusjournal.com.<br />

Thank you to the advertisers,<br />

whose support and encouragement<br />

enables this project to happen.<br />

This issue of <strong>Circus</strong> was printed<br />

in January 2023 by Zenith Print<br />

Group, in Pontypridd, Wales.<br />

© <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> 2023. All<br />

information contained in this<br />

publication is for entertainment<br />

purposes only. <strong>Circus</strong> is published<br />

by Do Good Things Limited who<br />

do not accept any responsibility<br />

for errors or inaccuracies that<br />

occur in such information. While<br />

every reasonable care is taken with<br />

all material submitted to <strong>Circus</strong>,<br />

the publisher cannot accept any<br />

responsibility for loss or damage to<br />

such material. All rights reserved.<br />

This publication is copyrighted<br />

and no part of this publication may<br />

be used or reproduced without<br />

the written permission of Do Good<br />

Things Limited.<br />

Reflecting Bath’s Georgian architecture, Bridgetower Drive comprises<br />

four and five bedroom townhouses and villas featuring Bath Stone<br />

facades that add a traditional feel to these contemporary houses.<br />

Northside Townhouses from £1,725,000, ready for occupation Autumn 2023<br />

Southside Townhouses from £1,325,000, ready for occupation Winter 2023<br />

The Marketing Pavilion: Holburne Park, Warminster Road, Bath BA2 6SF<br />

Rosemary McAndrew: rmcandrew@savills.com | 01<strong>22</strong>5 302 888 | bridgetowerdrive.co.uk<br />

6<br />

<strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

Disclaimer: This CGI was prepared from preliminary plans and specifications before the completion of the development. It is intended only as a guide. Details may have changed during construction<br />

and final finishes could vary. Prospective purchasers should not rely on this information but must get their solicitor to check the plans and specification attached to their contract. January 2023.


THE<br />

Edit<br />

Design, community + lifestyle<br />

Colour me beautiful<br />

Welcome spring daylight<br />

into your home with walls<br />

from Anthropologie’s collab<br />

with Morris & Co. The Arts<br />

and Crafts paint brand has<br />

40 colours, available in<br />

chalky matt and eggshell<br />

finishes. We love rich<br />

Madox Madder, pictured,<br />

named after Pre-Raphaelite<br />

artist Ford Madox Brown.<br />

anthropologie.com<br />

BATH BESPOKE<br />

Handmade Interiors<br />

Cabinetry Architectural Joinery Kitchens Flooring<br />

enquiries@bathbespoke.co.uk 01<strong>22</strong>5 920 900 @bathbespoke<br />

Hartley Farm, Winsley, Nr Bath, BA15 2JB<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 9


The Edit<br />

Morning<br />

Words: Natalie Paris<br />

Boat life<br />

Imagine waking up on a narrow<br />

boat decked out like this. The<br />

Bath family behind Marwood<br />

Makes refits boats and vans,<br />

turning them into clean, dreamy<br />

spaces with strong Scandi vibes,<br />

pastel-tiled nooks, genius<br />

shelving and retro-style fridges<br />

tucked between purpose-built<br />

birch ply cabinets.<br />

@marwood_makes<br />

Wild breakfast<br />

Try freshly baked treats<br />

made with ingredients foraged<br />

from the Jurassic Coast at<br />

chef Harriet Mansell’s new<br />

wild food bakery in her Lyme<br />

Regis restaurant, Robin Wylde.<br />

Specialities include woodruff<br />

palmiers, nettle and wildflower<br />

pinwheels, and gorse and<br />

winter citrus Danishes.<br />

@robinwyldedining<br />

One-step beauty<br />

Liha Okunniwa, co-founder of<br />

LIHA Beauty, draws inspiration<br />

from her Nigerian heritage and a<br />

love of aromatherapy. The brand’s<br />

multi-use lotions are designed<br />

to simplify your skin routine. The<br />

Oju Omi Cleansing Mud unclogs<br />

pores, exfoliates and can reduce<br />

breakouts. Products come in<br />

100% recyclable packaging.<br />

@lihabeauty<br />

10 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 11


The Edit<br />

Cosy days in our Restaurant,<br />

Bar and Spa in the centre of Bath<br />

There’s a lot more to love than great stays here. Our kitchen and bar<br />

team serve up the essence of great British escapes, their dishes and<br />

drinks feel familiar and original all at once.<br />

Down in the quiet calm of our spa, skilled therapists listen carefully<br />

to needs before tailoring treatments to address them. All in a gorgeous,<br />

Georgian-townhouse setting on one of the city’s very best streets.<br />

No.15 Bath, 15 Great Pulteney Street, Bath, BA2 4BS<br />

www.guesthousehotels.co.uk<br />

@guesthousehotels<br />

Booming ‘shrooms<br />

The Flushrooms began in a shed<br />

in Montpelier last year. Its<br />

founder Antony Potts now grows<br />

posh funghi for restaurants,<br />

shops and markets at St Anne’s<br />

House – a community centre<br />

run by social enterprise Bricks.<br />

Find its lion’s mane, shiitake and<br />

oyster mushrooms at Poco Tapas<br />

Bar and Hugo’s Greengrocer Deli.<br />

@theflushrooms<br />

Noon<br />

Chocolate fix<br />

Sip a mug of vegan hot chocolate<br />

at Cacao Circle, a tasty pop-up<br />

that opened in December on<br />

Bedford Street in Stroud. The<br />

venue hosts exhibitions and<br />

meditation workshops, and is<br />

run by Coco Caravan – chocolate<br />

makers who blend ethically<br />

sourced cacao beans with<br />

coconut blossom sugar.<br />

cococaravan.co.uk<br />

Frame it<br />

Great art deserves to be framed<br />

and shared, say the people at<br />

Somerset-based frame-makers,<br />

MOUNT. The company’s first<br />

collection is a set of architectural<br />

drawings dating as far back as<br />

the 16th century, carefully<br />

displayed in handmade frames.<br />

Composition I by Iakov Chernikhov<br />

c.1920-40, pictured.<br />

mountcollective.co.uk<br />

12 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 13


The Edit<br />

Sustainable<br />

Night<br />

Garden Rooms<br />

Handmade in Bristol<br />

www.littlegreenrooms.co.uk<br />

Out out<br />

Bristol Beacon has a banging<br />

line-up of live music throughout<br />

the city in 2023. We’re looking<br />

forward to catching Brightonbased<br />

psych-folk duo Native<br />

Harrow, at Crofters Rights on<br />

February 25. The band’s new<br />

album Old Kind of Magic is a<br />

gorgeous set of songs with an<br />

off-kilter 1960s vibe.<br />

bristolbeacon.org<br />

Cuddle up<br />

Wool from smallholdings across<br />

Wales and the south-west was<br />

going to waste until Gather’s<br />

co-operative began making<br />

100% British wool blankets.<br />

Native-breed wool is spun by<br />

British mills and the natural<br />

colour is preserved. Blankets are<br />

numbered, so can be traced back<br />

to individual flocks.<br />

gatherwool.co.uk<br />

Hit refresh<br />

Bed down at the Royal Crescent<br />

Hotel, where the suites have<br />

been given a lick of paint and the<br />

restaurant is about to follow suit.<br />

Visitors to the hotel during Bath’s<br />

reBalance festival (February<br />

7-25) can learn Indonesian Satria<br />

yoga with WE.DNTPLAY, who<br />

teach flowing sequences rooted<br />

in martial arts.<br />

royalcrescent.co.uk<br />

14 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 15


People<br />

3 MONTHS AT BOXWORKS<br />

APPLICATIONS CLOSE FRIDAY 17TH FEBRUARY<br />

MY DESK<br />

By the book<br />

boxworks.co.uk/startup<br />

The dexterous acts of old-world craft<br />

are steeped in ritual. At a Bath bookbindery,<br />

Sim Orme preserves the historic practice<br />

Words Amanda Nicholls<br />

Photography James Beck<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 17


People<br />

This trade might not be<br />

around forever, and with<br />

that comes lost skills. I hope<br />

to one day pass them on<br />

through teaching.”<br />

The age-old processes in<br />

bookbinding can involve<br />

around 100 elements<br />

ost people walk past the Victorian gables of George<br />

Bayntun Fine Bindings and Rare Books without<br />

paying too much attention. But behind the stone<br />

archways and mullioned windows is a wonderfully<br />

antiquarian shop and bindery barely altered since<br />

the 1930s. It’s a singular specimen still crafting the<br />

way it did a century ago, with an old library out<br />

back that looks like the opening setting of an<br />

adventure film.<br />

Surrounded by hefty, ancient Bibles and<br />

Shakespearean tomes stacked in gilt-edged profile;<br />

among brass finishing blocks from early publications<br />

of Winnie the Pooh; and beloved children’s classics sent<br />

in for careful restoration from as far as Hong Kong and<br />

Hawaii, Sim Orme works as a forwarder.<br />

Having studied at the Royal Bindery at Windsor<br />

Castle, and spent time in Europe learning from<br />

bookbinding maestros, Sim receives the text block (the<br />

body of the book) after its pages have been cleaned,<br />

treated, repaired, folded and sewn. Trimming, rounding<br />

and backing the book, they gild the edges, prepare and<br />

attach the boards, sew the end bands, adhere the spine<br />

linings and cover the book in leather. It is then passed<br />

on to the finisher, on the next workbench, for elaborate<br />

gold tooling or decorative debossing.<br />

Sim has recently finished a protective slipcase for an<br />

Art Deco-styled copy of Dickens’ Bleak House, and<br />

is about to bind a prized first edition of Lord of the Rings<br />

for a young Texan collector.<br />

Old habits<br />

It takes at least two months to bind a book at Bayntun’s<br />

– awarded the Royal Warrant in 1950 by Queen Mary<br />

by way of payment for her visits during the wartime<br />

years. The processes often involve around 100 elements<br />

before a book is put into the press.<br />

Over the years it takes to internalise these elements<br />

and their order, the binder will often develop their own<br />

daily customs and idiosyncrasies that get them into the<br />

focused mindset for such painstaking precision work.<br />

In the old days, founder George Bayntun would take<br />

snuff after selling a certain number of books, believing<br />

his subsequent sneezes would release ‘fresh energies’.<br />

Meanwhile, all the binders would stop, like clockwork,<br />

for elevenses, then again at 3.30pm for tea.<br />

18 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 19


People<br />

Libraries<br />

I love<br />

● Birmingham Library<br />

It’s amazing for<br />

working, hanging out<br />

and learning. I took<br />

British Sign Language,<br />

Arabic and French<br />

courses there.<br />

● The National Library<br />

of Malta<br />

For the feels. It’s a big<br />

space; a dark, cool<br />

room lined with a lot of<br />

vellum bindings.<br />

● My personal library<br />

A collection of book<br />

art, fine bindings,<br />

friends’ books and<br />

charity shop finds.<br />

Top: Ancient volumes in<br />

various states of repair<br />

Below: After Sim has<br />

bound the book, it is<br />

passed on to a finisher<br />

for gold tooling or<br />

decorative debossing<br />

For Sim, a creature of habit, mornings<br />

involve black coffee and yoga before<br />

cycling to the bindery, laying out their<br />

go-to tools (bonefolder, scalpel, Japanese<br />

square ruler) and tuning into some<br />

French electro and techno, or maybe<br />

some drill or drone music to get into the<br />

zone. “It touches my body in a totally different way,<br />

although it’s quite intense and gets inside your brain so<br />

can get emotional,” says Sim. “I listen to a lot of music,<br />

pop too. I’ve just recently got back into 50 Cent… Candy<br />

Shop – so good!”<br />

Connection to the past<br />

There are days when it’s easier to bind a book because<br />

the atmosphere is right, and days when the gold just<br />

won’t stick, and procrastination comes with its own set<br />

of practices. “I’m still a bit uncomfortable with buffing<br />

leather so will naturally gravitate towards trimming<br />

books, fraying their cords or making end papers to<br />

avoid it,” says Sim, who shakes off the studiousness by<br />

running and bell-ringing a couple of evenings a week.<br />

Or heading out to favourite haunts Beckford Bottle<br />

Shop, The Bell Inn and Bristol’s Strange Brew.<br />

While there’s access to over 15,000 unique, hand-cut<br />

instruments for carrying out intricate manual work, it’s<br />

not the done thing to borrow another binder’s tools.<br />

“You get attached to them, and they become incredibly<br />

personal. All my weights have personalities,” says Sim.<br />

“Most binders will insist you can’t use their paring knife<br />

because it’s moulded to their hand. And they do change<br />

shape through the way you use them.”<br />

It’s a satisfying craft. “When I started, I couldn’t get<br />

over the fact I’d taken a piece of board, covered it with<br />

cloth, completed all these little steps and ended up with<br />

this object that I was utterly amazed I’d made. There’s a<br />

sense of connection – in the same way that if I took a walk<br />

in a field I’d probably feel better than I would watching a<br />

bit of TV. It’s really nice just to touch all the materials.<br />

“With no bookbinding schools left in England, this<br />

trade might not be around forever, and with that comes<br />

lost skills. I hope to one day pass them on through<br />

teaching. It’s incredible to be doing something so<br />

historic and I do take pride in that.”<br />

georgebayntun.com<br />

Reading list<br />

Local booksellers suggest<br />

books on rituals<br />

The Practice<br />

of Not Thinking<br />

by Ryunosuke Koike<br />

Bookhaus, Bristol<br />

“A simple guide to mindful<br />

living by a Japanese<br />

former Buddhist monk.<br />

This is one of our<br />

bestsellers and it’s a book<br />

that could alter your life.<br />

bookhausbristol.com<br />

Daily Rituals by<br />

Mason Currey<br />

Topping & Company<br />

Booksellers of Bath<br />

“The routines of the<br />

world’s great minds, from<br />

philosophers to artists.<br />

This collection details how<br />

their differing routines<br />

aided their success (vices<br />

and all!).”<br />

toppingbooks.co.uk<br />

Rituals for Life<br />

by Isla Macleod<br />

Hunting Raven Books,<br />

Frome<br />

“A beautifully presented<br />

manifesto on how we can<br />

use everyday rituals to<br />

help connect us to find<br />

peace, joy and intention in<br />

our everyday living.”<br />

huntingravenbooks.co.uk<br />

The Almanac<br />

by Lia Leendertz<br />

Max Minerva’s Marvellous<br />

Books, Bristol<br />

“A month-by-month guide<br />

to the night sky, tides and<br />

gardening tasks, with songs<br />

and recipes. A wonderful<br />

way to reconnect with the<br />

natural world.”<br />

maxminervas.co.uk<br />

20 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal<br />

21


Ideas<br />

INTERNATIONAL<br />

PHOTOGRAPHY<br />

EXHIBITION 164<br />

The world’s longest running<br />

photography exhibition<br />

Discover over 100 contemporary<br />

images by 46 photographers<br />

28 JAN - 7 MAY 2023<br />

Free<br />

Entry<br />

Mon - Sun, 10am - 5pm<br />

RPS Gallery<br />

337 Paintworks<br />

Bristol<br />

BS4 3AR<br />

rps.org/IPE164<br />

#IPE164<br />

© Frederic Aranda, Vogue House<br />

Spring<br />

rituals<br />

Simple tricks to break<br />

the daily grind<br />

<strong>22</strong> <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 23<br />

Words<br />

Sonia Zhuravlyova


Ideas<br />

No. 1<br />

Learn<br />

Dry January is over. Here comes Try February (and March,<br />

April, May…). Trying a new skill helps to keep you sharp<br />

and can boost confidence. For something a little different,<br />

Stroud-based School of Larks (schooloflarks.com) offers<br />

classes in everything from handstands to trapeze. Or<br />

go practical with carpentry skills or DIY plumbing at<br />

TouchWood (touchwoodsouthwest.com), a female-led<br />

not-for-profit carpentry and joinery company in Devon.<br />

Want to up your food game? Learn how to make your<br />

own cheese at Bristol’s Coexist Community Kitchen<br />

(coexistcommunitykitchen.org).<br />

No. 2<br />

Mend<br />

The perfect antidote to throw-away culture<br />

is repairing your own clothes. “I love the<br />

ritual of mending and the meditative<br />

process of darning by hand,” says Lizzie<br />

David, who runs darning workshops across<br />

the south-west (@little_moth_mends). “It’s<br />

rewarding to bring clothes back to life.<br />

Darning requires only a few basic stitches<br />

and you don’t need much: a needle,<br />

some yarn and a darning mushroom.” Got<br />

something larger to fix? Try one of the<br />

south-west’s growing collection of repair<br />

cafés – one recently opened in Sea Mills,<br />

Bristol – where you can get things fixed<br />

and learn how to mend things in future.<br />

No. 3<br />

Doodle<br />

Artist Lisa Stickley hosts<br />

online doodle workshops<br />

from her kitchen in London<br />

(lisastickleystudio.com).<br />

Participants are sent a<br />

kit packed with covetable<br />

stationery, including crayons,<br />

neon paint, vintage papers and<br />

a Tunnocks chocolate caramel<br />

wafer for good measure. She<br />

says: “Life has its ups and<br />

downs. Losing my mum two<br />

years ago made me realise<br />

that drawing is my go-to. It<br />

stretches the creative strings,<br />

unblocks the flow. Guided<br />

drawing takes away all the<br />

thinking and allowing you to<br />

just create. It’s then that the<br />

magic happens.”<br />

No. 4<br />

The healing power of singing is well known. A<br />

recent article in the New York Times reported<br />

benefits ranging from the release of endorphins<br />

to beating stress and increasing lung capacity. It<br />

can also help with memory and concentration, as<br />

it involves focusing on multiple things at once.<br />

Luckily, having a ‘good’ voice isn’t a prerequisite<br />

– the Big Noise Chorus (bignoisechorus.co.uk),<br />

which is active from Exeter to Torquay, and the<br />

Birch Tree Folk Choir (birchtreechoir.com) in Bath<br />

and Bristol, are community-based groups that<br />

encourage everyone to join in.<br />

24 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 25


Ideas<br />

No. 5<br />

Breakfast stretches are a thing. “Waking up the vertebrae and<br />

switching on your core releases endorphins and gets oxygen<br />

into your muscles,” Bath-based Olympic skeleton racer and gold<br />

medallist Amy Williams tells us. “If you’re pushed for time, just<br />

stretch your hands up, then bring them down, placing your chin<br />

to your chest and rolling down through the whole vertebrae along<br />

your spine, with a soft bend in your knees. Then slowly come<br />

back up again,” she says. “You can do it while boiling the kettle!”<br />

No. 7<br />

Grow<br />

Tending to plants – whether on an allotment,<br />

in your garden or a window box – can reap great<br />

rewards. You’ll end up with a tasty crop or some<br />

beautiful shrubs, and feel stronger, both physically<br />

and mentally, for nurturing something. Plus, gardening<br />

gets you outside, upping your vitamin D. Roots<br />

Allotments in Bath (rootsallotments.com) has recently<br />

opened in Bristol, and its no-waiting-list patches<br />

are perfect for newbies. Down to Earth Stroud<br />

(downtoearthstroud.co.uk) holds seed exchange<br />

events at Stroud Farmers Market in early spring.<br />

No. 6<br />

Read<br />

2023 is set to be a corker for book releases. The<br />

people at Topping & Company Booksellers of Bath<br />

suggest: Old Babes in the Wood, a collection of stories<br />

by Margaret Atwood; Small Worlds, an exploration of<br />

family relationships by Caleb Azumah Nelson, and The<br />

Late Americans by Brandon Taylor, who is a masterful<br />

chronicler of contemporary life. A good book, whether<br />

a thriller, romantic novel or self-help manual, can be<br />

a tonic. Read Around Bath (readaroundbath.org.uk)<br />

runs Better with a Book sessions at Keynsham Library<br />

for people suffering from bereavement, depression<br />

or chronic pain. Meanwhile, Bristol Central Library<br />

(bristol.gov.uk) holds a range of free events, from<br />

lunchtime lectures to pop culture discussion groups.<br />

26 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 27


Ideas<br />

No. 8<br />

SWITCH<br />

Doom-scrolling, especially first thing<br />

in the morning, can be overwhelming,<br />

leaving us feeling gloomy and<br />

depleted. How many hours have we<br />

lost to Twitter and Instagram et al? A<br />

recent study from the University of<br />

Bath suggests that even a week-long<br />

break is enough to reduce anxiety and<br />

improve overall wellbeing. “We’re still<br />

trying to understand whether taking a<br />

longer break has longer-term benefits<br />

for people,” says Jeffrey Lambert,<br />

lecturer in health and exercise<br />

psychology at the University of Bath,<br />

who carried out the research.<br />

OFF<br />

28 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 29


Ideas<br />

Bringing joy to our high streets,<br />

these new openings have kinship and<br />

creativity at their core. Make way for<br />

the retail revolutionaries<br />

Words<br />

Vishaka Robinson<br />

Mark Welland Harriet Whyatt Amy Magee<br />

Tom White<br />

Angela Melkis<br />

Giles Ward<br />

“I recently purchased a fabulous painting from Clifton Fine Art.<br />

The service was impeccable. The communication throughout was first rate.”<br />

STEVE S<br />

“I’m so pleased we have found Clifton Fine Art. It has a great<br />

selection of quality artwork for all tastes. We’re very pleased<br />

with my purchases from them.”<br />

TINA B<br />

“We recently bought Our Walk by Cat Croxford from Clifton Fine Art and I have<br />

to say, the whole experience was very good indeed.”<br />

ROBIN T<br />

Soul<br />

stores<br />

www.cliftonfineart.com 12 Perry Road BS1 5BG<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 31


Ideas<br />

This page and previous page:<br />

East of Home in Bath, where<br />

you’ll find ethical lifestyle brands<br />

and a host of workshops<br />

For bookworms and<br />

fashion lovers<br />

TwoSixFour, Bristol<br />

From keen bibliophile Cat Dickie and<br />

fashion designer Carla Diogo, St George<br />

newcomer TwoSixFour is the result of<br />

the pals’ overlapping passions. They’ve<br />

filled it with objects they covet, like<br />

Carla Llanos prints, vintage glassware,<br />

Our Lovely Goods candles and Florence<br />

Ceramics. “We didn’t want it to look like<br />

a traditional shop, and wanted everything<br />

we sell to work in harmony,” explains Cat,<br />

who has put together their bookshelves<br />

to focus on under-represented authors.<br />

She started up an in-store book club in<br />

January and book swaps are in the pipeline.<br />

Carla has cultivated her talents, selling<br />

her handmade clothing in-store, where<br />

samples, such as her scallop-necked Ronnie<br />

blouse, are on show. “I only make what has<br />

been ordered so there’s no waste, and no<br />

excess buying or making,” explains Carla,<br />

who also runs popular sewing classes.<br />

@twosixfourbristol<br />

For style seekers<br />

East of Home, Bath<br />

Stylist Felicity Lynch has devised this new<br />

shop, perched at the top of Walcot Street, to<br />

be more than just retail, giving prominence<br />

to a long farm table to use for super clubs,<br />

talks and events. “In our window I have<br />

a quote that encapsulates our ethos: ‘In<br />

community we teach each other.’ I want it to<br />

be somewhere people can feel comfortable<br />

and learn something new among friends.”<br />

Workshops are all based around a slower<br />

lifestyle (e.g. make do and mend with Little<br />

Moth Mends and natural dyeing with Tuck It<br />

In Quilts). And the place is laden with quality<br />

ethical brands like Nadinoo, Jaggery London<br />

and Runaway Bicycle, candles from Wiltshirebased<br />

Sinceris, and dried flowers from Bristol<br />

florist Lunaria.<br />

eastofhome.com<br />

32 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 33


Ideas<br />

APPRENTICESHIPS<br />

& CAREERS FAIR<br />

THURSDAY<br />

9 TH MARCH<br />

10AM-3PM<br />

in the Guildhall, Bath<br />

Meet 80+ national<br />

& local employers<br />

offering jobs &<br />

apprenticeships<br />

REGISTER<br />

TODAY<br />

SCAN ME<br />

bathcollege.ac.uk/apprenticeships<br />

FIND THE RIGHT FIT<br />

If you are a business and<br />

would like to exhibit,<br />

please get in touch<br />

For meeting the makers<br />

The Iron Gates, Frome<br />

Set in a Grade II-listed 17th-century pile (which<br />

was once a pet shop – you can see the old sign<br />

framed in the entrance), the Iron Gates opened<br />

last summer after a six-month renovation. Now,<br />

Forest Symphony green paint by Valspar and<br />

flagstone floors make for stylish digs for a family<br />

of talented craftspeople. “I wanted to create<br />

somewhere people can make and sell in the<br />

same space, so you can see the process behind<br />

the products and engage with it,” explains<br />

co-founder Alfie Lay. Residents include textile<br />

guru Laura Holden (known for her pear-shaped<br />

cushions), upholsterer Electra Danielle and<br />

jewellery maker Emma Aitchison. Workshops<br />

are planned in everything from ring carving to<br />

still-life drawing and plant medicine.<br />

​theirongates.com<br />

For home renovations<br />

Atelier Ellis, Bath<br />

Paint maven Cassandra Ellis has<br />

quietly overseen the transformation<br />

of a townhouse in Bath’s Walcot<br />

area. Set to open this spring, this<br />

concept store will be spread over<br />

the building’s four floors. Cassandra<br />

is creating a set of colours to<br />

celebrate Bath – and each room<br />

will display these. Customers will<br />

be able to shop the collection of<br />

90 paints, all hand-mixed in a<br />

manufactory a short cycle from the<br />

store. “My husband and I love Bath,<br />

and have been visiting for many<br />

years,” says Cassandra. “The paint<br />

is natural and breathable, so perfect<br />

for listed buildings too.” The team<br />

has an allotment nearby, so staff can<br />

lunch together on seasonal produce.<br />

And there are plans to host regular<br />

exhibitions and events which<br />

share stories of the home through<br />

photography and hand-making.<br />

atelierellis.co.uk<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 35


Ideas<br />

AMERICA<br />

IN CRISIS<br />

ORGANISED BY SAATCHI GALLERY<br />

ORGANISED BY SAATCHI GALLERY<br />

A major American<br />

photography exhibition<br />

exploring social change in<br />

the US through the lens of<br />

a diverse group of artists<br />

American Museum & Gardens<br />

Bath BA2 7BD<br />

americanmuseum.org<br />

Matt Bigwood<br />

For surprising<br />

finds<br />

Hidden, Bath<br />

The brainchild of eventsplanner-turned-shopkeeper<br />

Natty Whiting, Hidden is<br />

tucked down a side street of<br />

Georgian houses in the centre<br />

of Bath. Inside it’s split in two:<br />

a shop at the front, laden with<br />

Natty’s cherry-picked finds<br />

(scalloped straw pendants<br />

from Hastshilp, Lola’s Leads<br />

extension cords and Wild<br />

Rising Skincare); then behind is<br />

a high-ceilinged events space,<br />

earmarked for an ever-changing<br />

mix of experiences. “I want to<br />

deliver thoughtful workshops<br />

and experiences,” explains<br />

Natty (who has devised<br />

interactive events for the likes<br />

of Sony Music). A pre-loved<br />

homeware exchange, handpainting<br />

your own candles, and<br />

an Easter table display how-to<br />

are all on the cards. This spring,<br />

it’s set to become a chic toddler<br />

hang-out with kit from Little<br />

Squishy Soft Play Co.<br />

@hiddenstorebath<br />

For timeless crafts<br />

Weven, Stroud<br />

Weven is a hub of craft, community<br />

and creativity. Its frontage is<br />

adorned with medieval emblems<br />

(painted by local artist Alex Merry)<br />

and the whole place – part-shop,<br />

part-workshop space – operates<br />

as a not-for-profit. Founder Rhia<br />

Davenport says: “I wanted to find<br />

a way to support makers who<br />

celebrate folklore alongside ancient<br />

and traditional country crafts, folk<br />

skills and techniques.” The idea<br />

is that you can find out who made<br />

your object and how, often with<br />

the opportunity for you to learn<br />

how to make it yourself at one of<br />

Weven’s workshops. Expect a litany<br />

of interesting events planned for the<br />

coming year, from gansey knitting<br />

and wallpaper-making to rug-tufting<br />

and smocking.<br />

weven.co.uk<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 37


Places<br />

Walk<br />

this way<br />

Putting one foot in front of the<br />

other is often the answer. Try these<br />

energising hikes in the south-west<br />

Words<br />

Photography<br />

Sarah Baxter<br />

Felix Russell-Saw<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 39


Places<br />

Marshfield +<br />

St Catherine’s Valley<br />

Where? South Gloucestershire<br />

What? Hidden-feeling hiking on the<br />

city’s edge<br />

Distance: 8 miles<br />

Time: 3.5-4.5 hours<br />

St Catherine’s is a beautiful valley.<br />

Especially in spring, when the<br />

hawthorns are in brilliant white<br />

bloom. The wildflowers can be<br />

outrageous, sprinkling slopes that rise<br />

and plummet in great green pleats.<br />

Admittedly it can be muddy, so wait<br />

for a dry spell or prepare to squelch –<br />

it’s worth it either way.<br />

The village of Marshfield, with its<br />

grand Cotswold high street, two pubs,<br />

tea room and shop, is a good starting<br />

point for a fairly testing eight-mile<br />

loop. From the church, head south<br />

across the fields towards Ashwicke<br />

Grange, then around Clift Wood – just<br />

beyond are jaw-dropping views. Then<br />

descend steeply to the valley bottom,<br />

with St Catherine’s Court visible<br />

opposite. This striking 16th-century<br />

pile was originally a grange for Bath<br />

Abbey; more latterly it’s been used as<br />

a recording studio (Radiohead made<br />

OK Computer here).<br />

Follow the waymarked Limestone<br />

Link along the brook, eventually<br />

climbing, dipping and climbing again<br />

to reach Cold Ashton’s Jacobean<br />

manor. The Cotswold Way passes<br />

here, but ignore it to traverse a hillside<br />

and return to Marshfield instead.<br />

Pit stop: Order a well-deserved real<br />

ale at the charming 17th-century<br />

Catherine Wheel in Marshfield<br />

(thecatherinewheel.co.uk).<br />

Stand-out views: The whole loop has<br />

the wow factor, but linger on a bench<br />

in front of Cold Ashton Manor and<br />

admire the valley’s dramatic folds.<br />

Info: Use OS Explorer Map 155.<br />

40 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 41


Places<br />

Bradford on Avon Walking Wheel<br />

Where? Wiltshire and Somerset<br />

What? Superb signed network for bespoke<br />

walking adventures<br />

Distance: 46 miles<br />

Time: 3-6 days<br />

Bradford on Avon is an official Walkers are<br />

Welcome hub – which is no surprise. This<br />

handsome Wiltshire wool town is cradled<br />

in cracking terrain, all plunging valleys and<br />

rolling hills, speckled with golden limestone<br />

houses and good country pubs.<br />

Bradford on Avon’s star offering is its<br />

wonderful Walking Wheel. This wellwaymarked<br />

set of trails comprises a 6.5-<br />

mile inner circuit, a 25-mile outer loop and<br />

eight spokes linking the two, which can be<br />

walked in multiple combinations – there’s<br />

something for everyone. There’s so much<br />

scenic variety too, from easy stretches along<br />

the river and canal (look out for spring<br />

ducklings) to yomps via lush fields and<br />

woodland pungent with wild garlic. Also en<br />

route lies 15th-century Great Chalfield Manor,<br />

the impressive aqueducts of Avoncliff and<br />

Dundas, and pretty villages such as Monkton<br />

Combe and Holt.<br />

Pit stops: For good food and stylish rooms<br />

try Timbrell’s Yard (timbrellsyard.com). Also<br />

make a beeline for the New Inn at Westwood<br />

(thenewinnwestwood.co.uk), No.10 Tea Garden<br />

(avonclifftea.com) for cake overlooking<br />

Avoncliff Aqueduct, the fancier Longs Arms<br />

(thelongsarms.com) in South Wraxall, and<br />

Hartley Farm (hartley-farm.co.uk) for locally<br />

grown goodies.<br />

Stand-out views: There are sweeping<br />

southward vistas from Monkton Farleigh,<br />

and lovely valley views from the bench in<br />

Monkton Combe churchyard (last resting<br />

place of Great War veteran Harry Patch).<br />

Info: Buy the Walking Wheel map<br />

(walkbradfordonavon.org).<br />

42 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 43


People Places<br />

Chew Magna +<br />

Stanton Drew<br />

Where? Chew Valley, Somerset<br />

What? Intimate encounters<br />

with a forgotten stone circle<br />

Distance: 8 miles<br />

Time: 3-4 hours<br />

The spring equinox will likely see<br />

1,000-plus revellers descend on<br />

Stonehenge. But 40 miles west lies<br />

another stone circle – England’s<br />

third-biggest complex of prehistoric<br />

standing stones – that most people<br />

have never heard of. Erected<br />

4,500 years ago, the 26 remaining<br />

megaliths of Stanton Drew’s Great<br />

Circle loiter quietly in a farmer’s<br />

field; you might meet a druid or two<br />

on March 20, but usually there’s no<br />

one else about.<br />

See the site on a gentle loop<br />

through the rolling Mendips, from<br />

the village of Chew Magna. Pick<br />

up the Three Peaks Walk and head<br />

northeast over flowery fields to<br />

the villages of Norton Hawkfield<br />

and Norton Malreward, then on<br />

to Pensford, passing beneath the<br />

mighty arches of the abandoned<br />

19th-century viaduct. From here,<br />

return west, following the Two<br />

Rivers Way along the wiggly River<br />

Chew and through Stanton Drew.<br />

Pit stops: The Druid’s Arms<br />

(thedruidsarms.co.uk) sits next to<br />

the stone circle, with a cluster of<br />

three large stones called The Cove<br />

in its beer garden. Find sustainable<br />

seafood and Chew Valley Gin at the<br />

Lazy Lobster (lazylobsterltd.com) in<br />

Chew Magna.<br />

Stand-out views: Gaze at Maes<br />

Knoll Iron Age hill fort from Norton<br />

Hawkfield. See the viaduct loom on<br />

the approach to Pensford.<br />

Info: It costs £1 to see the stones<br />

(english-heritage.org.uk). Use OS<br />

Explorer Map 155.<br />

44 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 45


Places<br />

UPCOMING SHOWS IN 2023<br />

DRIVE YOUR PLOW MOG THE<br />

YOU BURY ME<br />

OVER THE BONES FORGETFUL CAT<br />

OF THE DEAD<br />

Now On Until 11 Feb 14 – 18 Feb | Half Term 24 Feb – 4 Mar<br />

Olga Tokarczuk’s criticallyacclaimed<br />

whodunnit is adapted<br />

for the stage, presented by<br />

international touring company<br />

Complicité.<br />

The Wardrobe Ensemble presents<br />

an enchanting adaptation of the<br />

Judith Kerr classic, with songs,<br />

live music and a menagerie of<br />

creatures little and large. Ages 3+.<br />

Coming of age in the aftermath<br />

of the Arab Spring, six young<br />

Egyptians navigate friendship,<br />

loss and secret Grindr dates in the<br />

city that made them.<br />

WALDO’S CIRCUS OF<br />

MAGIC & TERROR<br />

VENUS<br />

PRIDE & PREJUDICE*<br />

(*SORT OF)<br />

11 Mar – 1 Apr 3 & 4 May 8 – 20 May<br />

A dazzling and uplifting new<br />

circus theatre musical about a<br />

story of forbidden love which<br />

balances on the tightwire.<br />

Feb – May 23<br />

Tickets from £8<br />

A quadruple bill of new work<br />

from IMPERMANENCE following<br />

a decade of creating cutting-edge<br />

dance for stage and screen.<br />

bristololdvic.org.uk<br />

A unique and audacious retelling<br />

of Jane Austen’s most iconic love<br />

story, direct from its triumph in<br />

the West End.<br />

0117 987 7877<br />

Charity No. <strong>22</strong>8235<br />

Dan Booth Round<br />

Where? Bath<br />

What? Terrific trig point tour<br />

offering a full 360 of city highs<br />

Distance: 26 miles (ish)<br />

Time: One long day, or up to<br />

10 day trips<br />

Dan Booth was a local ultra<br />

runner who died suddenly in<br />

2011, aged just 42. This brilliant<br />

memorial challenge, linking<br />

the ten Ordnance Survey<br />

trigonometry points around Bath,<br />

was one of his training runs. You<br />

don’t have to do it in one brutal<br />

dash. Base yourself in Bath and<br />

tick off the stone pillars at a more<br />

sedate pace.<br />

For instance, try a northerly<br />

route, tracing a section of the<br />

Cotswold Way via the trigs on<br />

Penn Hill, panoramic Kelston<br />

Roundhill and Hanging Hill (also<br />

home to a Civil War monument).<br />

From here, you could peel off,<br />

walking via the Norman church at<br />

Langridge and wildflower-strewn<br />

Woolley Valley, to climb to the trig<br />

on Little Solsbury Hill. Drop down<br />

to the Avon and follow the canal<br />

back into Bath.<br />

Or continue clockwise. The other<br />

six markers are at Bannerdown (a<br />

steep haul), Bathampton Down<br />

(lovely open strolling), Widcombe<br />

(the actual marker is inaccessible),<br />

Englishcombe Knoll (big views),<br />

Southdown (more urban) and<br />

Newton St Loe (near the<br />

charming village).<br />

Pit stops: The Yard<br />

(theyardinbath.co.uk) is a smart<br />

Bath base. The Packhorse<br />

(packhorsebath.co.uk) in South<br />

Stoke is a splendid communityowned<br />

inn, and Newton Farm<br />

(newtonfarmfoods.co.uk) has a<br />

brilliant café and deli.<br />

Stand-out views: So many!<br />

But from the top of Little<br />

Solsbury Hill you can see great<br />

green valleys spidering off in all<br />

directions. Listen for skylarks too.<br />

Info: Buy OS Explorer Map 155;<br />

see fastestknowntime.com.<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 47


IN...<br />

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Places<br />

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S48 HOUR<br />

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Thanks to its prized food, shopping and art scene,<br />

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circusjournal.com @circusjournal 49


S AT U R D AY<br />

Places<br />

Ritual Brew Bar is open Friday<br />

to Sunday each week for<br />

coffee, cake and brunch<br />

Ritual Brew Bar<br />

No38 The Park’s rooms are<br />

beautifully designed and<br />

several come with opulent<br />

antique claw-foot tubs<br />

F R I D AY<br />

8pm<br />

Sing for your supper<br />

Head for drinks, nibbles and<br />

karaoke at Filipino haunt Pyesta<br />

(pyesta.uk) on Clarence Street. Its<br />

name means fiesta – and that’s<br />

exactly the atmosphere owners<br />

Rose and Portia bring to this cute<br />

restaurant. Get your song list ready<br />

and sample traditional flavours from<br />

the Philippines while you wait your<br />

turn. Try the delicious ukoy crispy<br />

vegetable fritters served with spiced<br />

white vinegar, or the lechon kawali<br />

– deep-fried pork belly – along with<br />

lashings of local beer.<br />

11pm<br />

Hunker down<br />

No38 The Park (no38thepark.com) is<br />

a beautifully remodelled Georgian<br />

townhouse in leafy Pittville, on<br />

the outskirts of town. This dogfriendly<br />

hotel has members’ club<br />

vibes thanks to its tastefully deckedout<br />

bedrooms and unique art.<br />

Downstairs, there’s an open kitchen<br />

and bright dining room leading out<br />

onto a private courtyard. If all you<br />

want is a bed for the night, check<br />

out the newly opened Crescent<br />

Place (crescentplace.co.uk) with<br />

apartments in the centre of town.<br />

9am<br />

Coffee injection<br />

The Scandinavian Coffee Pod<br />

(thescandinaviancoffeepod.com)<br />

is a sleek glass and yellow steel<br />

container on Royal Well Place.<br />

Sit outside with a flat white and<br />

a tasty ginger and date friand,<br />

baked by Cheltenham local Lara<br />

Bryce-Morris. Or try The Artisan<br />

Baker (theartisanbaker.co.uk) next<br />

to the Town Hall, which does<br />

excellent coffee, croissants and<br />

perfect loaves for lunch. Ritual<br />

Coffee Roasters (ritualcoffee.org)<br />

on Lansdown Industrial Estate<br />

is home to a community-focused<br />

roaster and brew bar. Its new all-day<br />

brunch menu is full of flavour – see<br />

berry-soaked brioches, spicy steak<br />

sandwiches and fried cornbread.<br />

50 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 51


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Hit the shops<br />

Cheltenham Literature<br />

Festival has welcomed<br />

the likes of Joan<br />

Collins, Jamie Oliver<br />

and Stephen King. For<br />

full literary immersion,<br />

pop into Hatchards<br />

(hatchards.co.uk) on The<br />

Promenade, an 18thcentury<br />

bookseller with rare books and first<br />

editions. Towards Montpellier, MIMMO<br />

Studios (mimmostudios.com) is a womenswear<br />

and homeware concept store. Ambitious<br />

founders Lil Gardiner and Katie Brown are<br />

on a mission to reinvent retail, and excellent<br />

local brands – like Stroud-based Mussi<br />

knitwear and LIHA Beauty – take precedent.<br />

Brands like Carhartt, Ganni and Patagonia<br />

find their home at lifestyle store The Union<br />

Project (theunionproject.com) on nearby<br />

Queens <strong>Circus</strong>.<br />

1pm<br />

Cotswold views<br />

Have lunch with a view at the town’s new<br />

rooftop bar and restaurant, The Nook<br />

(thenookcheltenham.co.uk). Since opening<br />

in November 20<strong>22</strong>, this fifth-floor eatery<br />

has wowed diners with dishes like venison,<br />

wild mushrooms and pickled blackberries,<br />

and vista onto the impeccably kept<br />

Imperial Gardens, nearby Cleeve Hill and<br />

Leckhampton Hill. The seasonal menu is<br />

centred around produce from the Cotswolds,<br />

Herefordshire, Worcestershire and<br />

Oxfordshire. Ask the sommelier to take you<br />

through the wine list – one zingy highlight is<br />

the Pulenta Estate Naranjo orange wine.<br />

4pm<br />

Feast the eyes<br />

The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum<br />

(cheltenhammuseum.org.uk) reopened in<br />

20<strong>22</strong>, following huge renovations. It is now<br />

home to resident artists and a changing<br />

rota of exhibitions, including displays from<br />

Clockwise from top:<br />

Rooftop bar and restaurant<br />

The Nook; lifestyle store The<br />

Union Project; Lil Gardiner and<br />

Katie Brown at their beautiful<br />

womenswear and homeware<br />

shop, MIMMO Studios<br />

Grayson Perry and designer<br />

Milligan Beaumont, who<br />

has made clothes for Helena<br />

Bonham Carter. The gallery<br />

also contains fascinating<br />

collections, including<br />

watercolours made by Edward<br />

Wilson, an explorer who<br />

accompanied Captain Scott to<br />

Antarctica, and 43 Dutch and<br />

Belgian paintings given by the<br />

Baron de Ferrières in 1898.<br />

8pm<br />

Dinner time<br />

Awesome diner Smokey Joe’s<br />

(smokeyjoescheltenham.co.uk) hosts live music,<br />

comedy and jazz. A fourth-generation family<br />

business, the burgers, fries and milkshake may<br />

feel like a throwback to Grease, but there<br />

are no sticky tables or cracked linoleum to be<br />

seen. Food is made ‘fresh not fast’, and artists<br />

from across the UK perform here. You’ll find<br />

Japanese and Korean food with your own<br />

table grill at Nagomi (nagomi.uk) and tasty<br />

falafels at Habibah (habibahcafe.co.uk). Or head<br />

to Muse Brasserie (musebrasserie.com), where<br />

Mumbai street tapas meet confit duck, okra<br />

and caviar; thanks to the pairing of Parisien<br />

Chef Grillet and Indian Chef Pramod.<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 53


S U N D AY<br />

Places<br />

VISIT OUR TAPROOM<br />

ON THE EDGE oF BATH<br />

JOIN US FOR<br />

CRAFT BEER<br />

STREET FOOD<br />

LIVE MUSIC<br />

INTL. SPORTS<br />

OPENING HOURS<br />

THU 5-10<br />

FRI 5-10<br />

SAT 2-10<br />

SUN 2-6<br />

ELECTRIC BEAR BREWING CO.<br />

UNIT 12, THE MALTINGS. BRASSMILL LANE, BATH BA1 3JL<br />

DESIGN | SUSTAINABILITY | COMMUNITY<br />

"RETAIL IS BROKEN, LET'S MEND IT"<br />

@MIMMOSTUDIOS<br />

MIMMOSTUDIOS.COM<br />

6 & 7 MONTPELLIER WALK, CHELTENHAM<br />

7am<br />

Get your hike on<br />

Grab your hiking boots, bike or dog and<br />

head to nearby Leckhampton, a Cotswolds<br />

Area of Outstanding Beauty. Here, you can<br />

follow a three-mile circular trail starting<br />

at Old Bath Road, which takes around an<br />

hour and 40 minutes to complete. You’ll<br />

amble alongside Lilley Brook golf course,<br />

Leckhampton Hill and up towards Pilley<br />

Bridge Nature Reserve. Expect livestock!<br />

For a warming coffee and some wholesome<br />

breakfast, stop off at The Sober Parrot<br />

(recoveryhub.co.uk) on St James’ Square, a<br />

not-for-profit café owned and operated by<br />

The Nelson Trust, a charity that works with<br />

people who are affected by addiction.<br />

12pm<br />

Vintage joy<br />

The Suffolks Market takes place on the<br />

last Sunday of every month and hosts<br />

independent traders selling handmade<br />

crafts, candles, one-off pieces of jewellery<br />

and art. This area of town is full of<br />

interesting vintage boutiques, including<br />

Willow Hilson (willowhilson.com), which<br />

famously dressed Kate Middleton. Round<br />

the corner in Tivoli is the wonderfully<br />

named Department of Joy, Hope & Wonder<br />

(thedepartmentofhopejoywonder.com). Owner<br />

Catherine Colebrook stocks an array of<br />

uplifting trinkets, and there’s a secret coffee<br />

shed in the pretty pebbled courtyard.<br />

2pm<br />

One for the road<br />

DEYA Brewery (deyabrewing.com) has two<br />

taprooms on Lansdown Industrial Estate.<br />

The on-site taproom serves up 25 beers on<br />

draft and in cans, and around the corner<br />

is the mixed fermentation taproom, which<br />

also offers natural cider and wine. Think<br />

informal bench seating, food trucks varying<br />

from Thai food to falafels, and a general<br />

hipster vibe.<br />

Above: Rainbow-coloured<br />

candles at The Department of<br />

Joy, Hope & Wonder in Tivoli<br />

Left: DEYA Brewery, home to<br />

a huge range of draft beers,<br />

natural wines and cider<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 55


Directory<br />

Showcasing independent<br />

businesses in the south-west<br />

WOULD YOU LIKE<br />

TO BE INCLUDED IN THE<br />

CIRCUS DIRECTORY? EMAIL<br />

simon@circusjournal.com<br />

REVOLUTION,<br />

PROPAGANDA,<br />

ART:<br />

Printmaking<br />

in Modern China<br />

12 October 20<strong>22</strong> - 3 June 2023<br />

In Partnership with The Muban Educational Trust<br />

Photography: Felix Russell-Saw<br />

SERVICES<br />

Float Projects<br />

A contemporary picture-framing studio in Bristol that combines<br />

conservation methods with experimental design. They also offer<br />

framing services that can be carried out at your home or gallery,<br />

and consultation and management for large-scale projects.<br />

floatprojects.co.uk<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 57


Promoted content<br />

Hot Property and Cold Storage by Richard Walker<br />

SHOPPING<br />

BAM Store + Space<br />

A non-profit, independent shop<br />

in Easton selling art, cards, gifts,<br />

books, vinyl, toys, games and<br />

other treats designed to provide<br />

a mood boost. Shop in-store or<br />

online, and check out the creative<br />

workshops with local makers<br />

in this happy, colourful place.<br />

bambristol.co.uk<br />

ART<br />

Sandra Higgins Art<br />

A tailored art advisory service,<br />

helping clients build art collections<br />

in their homes and commercial<br />

spaces, with work sourced from<br />

a diverse range of established<br />

artists. Artworks can be viewed<br />

in person (by appointment), via<br />

visits to artists’ studios and online.<br />

sandrahiggins.art<br />

WELLBEING<br />

Yoga for Beginners with Eliana<br />

Eliana offers accessible yoga<br />

for beginners in and around<br />

Bristol, with the intention of<br />

growing confidence in a studio<br />

environment. She breaks down<br />

key yogic teachings in a playful<br />

way to build the foundation of<br />

a rounded yoga practice.<br />

yogawitheliana.co.uk<br />

FOOD + DRINK<br />

Corkage<br />

An award-winning restaurant, bar<br />

and bottle shop in Bath, serving<br />

seasonal dishes using local<br />

produce. Wine comes from across<br />

the globe and is served by the<br />

bottle or glass. Open for dinner,<br />

Monday to Saturday, and lunch on<br />

Fridays and Saturdays.<br />

corkagebath.com<br />

INTERIORS<br />

Bath Bespoke<br />

Bath Bespoke designs, makes<br />

and installs handmade interiors.<br />

Offering a single point of contact<br />

for clients with large-scale<br />

projects. Services include dressing<br />

rooms, libraries, kitchens, boot<br />

rooms, hardwood flooring, and<br />

interior and exterior joinery.<br />

bathbespoke.co.uk<br />

WORKSPACE<br />

House of St John’s<br />

The perfect place to work, connect<br />

and grow. The elegant building at<br />

1 Queen Square, Bath, offers coworking,<br />

dedicated desks, offices,<br />

meeting rooms and an events<br />

space. Premium fittings and ultrafast<br />

broadband are complemented<br />

by a relaxing lounge and bar.<br />

hosj.co.uk<br />

FOOD + DRINK<br />

Lo Rapitenc<br />

This Frome deli and tapas bar sells<br />

a range of Spanish specialities<br />

in-store and online. Serving small<br />

plates and daily specials, it’s the<br />

perfect cosy venue for a special<br />

Valentine’s lunch or dinner. Check<br />

their website and socials for<br />

seasonal food events.<br />

lorapitencspanishfood.com<br />

SERVICES<br />

Obladee<br />

A graphic design partnership<br />

aiming to bring your projects to<br />

life while positively impacting the<br />

world we live in. With over 25 years<br />

of collective experience, the team<br />

at Obladee combine great ideas<br />

and good values with a unique<br />

purpose-led design process.<br />

obladee.co.uk<br />

SERVICES<br />

McKenzie & Co Financial<br />

Consultants<br />

Financial adviser Jonathan Knee<br />

DipPFS specialises in providing<br />

high-quality, face-to-face financial<br />

planning advice for individuals,<br />

families and businesses. A<br />

vouched for ‘Top Rated’ adviser<br />

in 2020, 2021 and 20<strong>22</strong>.<br />

linktr.ee/jonathanknee<br />

SHOPPING<br />

Julia Davey<br />

An independent lifestyle shop in<br />

Bath with a focus on locally made<br />

gifts and homeware, including<br />

Julia’s handmade lampshades and<br />

upholstered furniture. Curation is<br />

based on colour, form and natural<br />

materials. Use the code CIRCUS<br />

for 10% off online.<br />

juliadavey.com<br />

SERVICES<br />

Noughts & Ones<br />

The people at Bristol-based<br />

agency Noughts & Ones are<br />

champions of sustainable<br />

commerce. The all-round lovely<br />

bunch partner with planetconscious<br />

ecommerce brands<br />

to help them sell their products<br />

the right way on Shopify.<br />

noughtsandones.com<br />

SHOPPING<br />

Sprouts of Bristol<br />

So much more than a plant<br />

shop, Sprouts stocks botanically<br />

themed gifts and homeware<br />

from over 50 indie brands, artists,<br />

designers and craftspeople.<br />

Plus, there’s a diverse range of<br />

plants and the best plant care<br />

brands in UK.<br />

sproutsofbristol.co.uk<br />

58 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 59


Promoted content<br />

FOOD + DRINK<br />

Retribution Distilling Co<br />

Whisky, rum and gin distillery<br />

based in Frome. Retribution is<br />

the first distillery to start whisky<br />

production in Somerset, and uses<br />

local ingredients to produce a<br />

truly local spirit. The rums and<br />

gins have won awards, both<br />

regionally and internationally.<br />

retributiondistilling.co.uk<br />

SERVICES<br />

Customer IQ<br />

Are you the founder of a new<br />

business, or are you planning<br />

on leading a start-up? If so, then<br />

validation of your business idea<br />

with market research could<br />

be a game-changer for you.<br />

Get in touch with Gideon at<br />

Customer IQ for free advice.<br />

customer-iq.com<br />

SERVICES<br />

Manage My Website<br />

A friendly Bath-based team of<br />

experts who can build great<br />

websites, train people to use<br />

Squarespace, and advise on SEO<br />

and online marketing. Get in<br />

touch if you need a new website,<br />

a refresh or would like to learn<br />

to build your own.<br />

managemywebsite.com<br />

WELLBEING<br />

Hybrid Health Physiotherapy<br />

Bath-based Hybrid provides<br />

physiotherapy and specialised<br />

services for pain, injury or muscle<br />

tension. Treatments include<br />

exercise plans, sports massage,<br />

dry cupping and running analysis.<br />

Book online for 10% off with code<br />

CIRCUS10 in February and March.<br />

hybridhealthphysio.com<br />

SHOPPING<br />

The Bristol Artisan<br />

A curated space for design and<br />

craft, supporting independent<br />

makers from Bristol and beyond.<br />

Stock up on ceramics, jewellery,<br />

clothing, cards, candles, prints,<br />

vegan products and dried flowers.<br />

Get 10% off online by using the<br />

code CIRCUSTBA.<br />

thebristolartisan.com<br />

SERVICES<br />

2A1M Studio<br />

Adriana, Lauren and Josh form this<br />

young architectural practice based<br />

in Bath, Bristol and across the<br />

south-west. They are passionate<br />

about thoughtful design and<br />

believe that understanding a<br />

client’s brief is key to finding<br />

imaginative architectural solutions.<br />

2a1m.co.uk<br />

WORKSPACE<br />

Rengen House<br />

A home-from-home community<br />

to co-work, host meetings and<br />

events, and relax with clients<br />

or colleagues. With a high-end<br />

finish and cool, laid-back vibe,<br />

Rengen House offers a refreshing<br />

change to the traditional<br />

office environment.<br />

rengenhouse.com<br />

PROPERTY<br />

The Curated Property Company<br />

A bespoke high-tech property<br />

management company in Bath and<br />

London. Using cutting-edge data<br />

analytics, international marketing<br />

platforms, guest vetting and<br />

dynamic pricing, the team brings<br />

a more profitable perspective to<br />

the world of short-term letting.<br />

curated-property.com<br />

SERVICES<br />

Plural Studio<br />

An architectural design studio<br />

born in Berlin and based in<br />

Bristol. Whether in the cultural,<br />

commercial, educational or<br />

residential sector, Plural offers<br />

architectural, interior and furniture<br />

design, delivering sustainable<br />

material choices to fit your needs.<br />

plural-studio.net<br />

SERVICES<br />

Second Mountain Comms<br />

Ben Veal is an award-winning<br />

comms consultant specialising<br />

in copywriting, media relations<br />

and marketing support. Based<br />

at Holt’s Glove Factory Studios,<br />

Ben is passionate about working<br />

with charities, not-for-profits and<br />

ambitious company founders.<br />

secondmountaincomms.co.uk<br />

SHOPPING<br />

Luca & Fig<br />

A home, gift and clothing shop in<br />

Widcombe, Bath, just over the river<br />

behind the station. Find a mix of<br />

beautiful, unusual and affordable<br />

gifts for everyone. Luca & Fig<br />

sources everything from ethical<br />

suppliers around the world, as<br />

well as supporting local makers.<br />

lucaandfig.com<br />

SHOPPING<br />

May Hofman Jewellery<br />

Timeless, ethical jewellery infusing<br />

intricate, bold and minimal design,<br />

inspired by the mechanics of<br />

nature. May Hofman crafts all<br />

commissions using consciously<br />

sourced metals, including recycled<br />

and Fairmined gold that supports<br />

small-scale miners.<br />

mayhofman.com<br />

60 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023 circusjournal.com @circusjournal 61


9 . 3 0 A M - 6 P M<br />

THE EDIT<br />

The<br />

Guide<br />

Early spring events in the south-west<br />

Words<br />

Clemmie Millbank<br />

IF YOU WOULD LIKE<br />

TO PROMOTE YOUR EVENTS<br />

ON THESE PAGES,<br />

PLEASE EMAIL<br />

simon@circusjournal.com<br />

Traditional Gentlemen's Barber<br />

Claw cups collection designed by Clare Chandler<br />

31 THE MALL BRISTOL BS8 4JG<br />

0117 973 1342<br />

CLIFTONROCKS.CO.UK<br />

INFO@CLIFTONROCKS.CO.UK<br />

T U E S DAY - FRIDAY<br />

SATURDAY<br />

9 . 0 0 A M - 3 P M<br />

D<br />

S U N DAY - MONDAY<br />

C L O S E<br />

S A N D W A L K - I N S<br />

A P P O I N T M E N T<br />

4 N G<br />

W I D C O M B E B A 2<br />

O O K S Y A P P<br />

B E N I L N O K O O B<br />

W W W . F I N E A N D D A N D Y B A R B E R S . C O M<br />

Photography Kym Grimshaw<br />

Women in Wine at KASK Wine<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 63


The THE Guide EDIT<br />

Wellbeing<br />

Restore Day Retreat at<br />

Campwell Woods<br />

reBalance Festival<br />

Eating for Resilience with<br />

Sarah Bayliss<br />

Cooking It, Bristol<br />

February 5<br />

Kick-start your metabolism with this<br />

useful workshop and practical cookalong,<br />

which includes essential tools<br />

for becoming a well-balanced eater.<br />

sarahbaylissnutrition.co.uk<br />

reBalance Festival<br />

Bath<br />

February 7-25<br />

Bringing together various venues,<br />

hotels, therapists and practitioners,<br />

Bath’s first ever wellbeing festival<br />

promises a diverse programme of<br />

events to rejuvenate and refocus.<br />

welcometobath.co.uk<br />

PS, I Love You – Writing,<br />

Reflection and Meditation for<br />

Self-Love on Valentine’s Day<br />

Persephone Books, Bath<br />

February 14<br />

Led by local author Sarah Robinson,<br />

this relaxed mini writing workshop<br />

features enchanting tales and a<br />

guided visualisation on love. Don’t<br />

forget to bring a pen and paper to<br />

jot down your own reflections.<br />

persephonebooks.co.uk<br />

Mindfulness for Stress and<br />

Anxiety<br />

Rengen House, Bath<br />

February 16<br />

Nicola MacDonald, founder of<br />

Bath Mindfulness, is hosting this<br />

free event which will introduce<br />

you to the incredible power of<br />

mindfulness as an antidote to<br />

stress and anxiety. The session also<br />

includes a seated body scan.<br />

bathmindfulness.co.uk<br />

All details correct at the time of going to press. Please check event websites and social media for updates.<br />

Photography Felix Russell-Saw<br />

Aromatherapy and Herbs<br />

for Wellbeing<br />

Prior Shop, Bristol<br />

February 16<br />

Follow your nose to this sweetsmelling<br />

workshop. Learn about<br />

the science of blending, and<br />

make two of your own bespoke<br />

products to take away with you.<br />

priorshop.uk<br />

Restore Day Retreat<br />

Campwell Woods, near<br />

Chippenham<br />

February 18<br />

Set in magical woodland, this<br />

one-day retreat is a holistic<br />

experience, with yoga, breathwork,<br />

meditation, reviving cold water<br />

dips, comforting saunas and<br />

healing gong baths.<br />

campwell.co.uk<br />

Metabolic Health Retreat<br />

Combe Grove, Bath<br />

February 20-27 + March 27–April 2<br />

Combining medical science with<br />

a tailored wellbeing programme,<br />

this brand new retreat takes place<br />

in 70 acres of mature woodland<br />

and meadow in Bath. It features<br />

acupuncture, kinesiology, shiatsu,<br />

counselling and more.<br />

combegrove.com<br />

Trika Yoga North Devon<br />

Retreat by the Sea<br />

Watermouth, Devon<br />

March 2-6<br />

Bristol’s North Street Trika Yoga<br />

studio is on tour. This extended<br />

weekend break will be filled with<br />

good food, sea views, lovely<br />

company and dynamic yoga.<br />

trikayoga.co.uk<br />

Spring Equinox Retreat<br />

Somercecil, Badminton<br />

March 17-19<br />

Awaken from your winter<br />

hibernation and embark on a<br />

weekend of foraging, stretching,<br />

meditating, feasting on plantbased<br />

deliciousness and, finally,<br />

taking part in Somercecil’s<br />

memorable cacao ceremony.<br />

somercecil.com<br />

Bright Blue Yoga Mini<br />

Relaxation Retreat<br />

Upper Swainswick, near Bath<br />

March 18<br />

Can’t manage a whole weekend<br />

away? Book yourself in for an<br />

afternoon escape to a countryside<br />

yurt, complete with woodburner,<br />

gentle yoga stretches, guided<br />

relaxation and hot herbal teas.<br />

brightblueyoga.co.uk<br />

Icebreakers<br />

Women’s Wellness Summit<br />

Stoke Bishop Village Hall, Bristol<br />

March 25<br />

Time to talk all things womanhood<br />

and hear from some of the<br />

south-west’s leading experts<br />

on pregnancy, menopause and<br />

mental health. Plus, you’ll pick up<br />

an amazing goodie bag too.<br />

stokebishopvillagehall.co.uk<br />

Icebreakers<br />

Warleigh Weir or Dundas<br />

Aqueduct, Bath<br />

Sunday and Wednesday mornings<br />

Take the plunge with a group<br />

of friendly fellas braving the icy<br />

water each Sunday (at 8am)<br />

and Wednesday (for a spicy<br />

6.30am start!). Message the guys<br />

on Instagram if you fancy an<br />

invigorating start to your day.<br />

@icebreakers.uk<br />

64 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 65


The THE Guide EDIT<br />

Let the power<br />

of a full symphony<br />

orchestra sweep<br />

you away this<br />

spring!<br />

Standard tickets start from £15 incl. bf<br />

Plus £10 tickets available for U26s<br />

Bristol Beacon presents<br />

London Symphony Orchestra<br />

with Barbara Hannigan<br />

7pm, Mon 13 March 2023<br />

Bath Forum<br />

Olivier Messiaen – L’Ascension<br />

Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 4<br />

bristolbeacon.org / 0117 203 4040<br />

bathboxoffi ce.org.uk / 01<strong>22</strong>5 463 362<br />

Art<br />

Wake the Tiger<br />

Bristol<br />

Throughout February + March<br />

Have you been to the Meridia<br />

Luxury Homes marketing suite<br />

yet? No? Well, you’re in for a<br />

treat. Step into Bristol’s own<br />

amazement park, where<br />

everything is something, and<br />

nothing is what it seems.<br />

wakethetiger.com<br />

Photo Open Exhibition<br />

RWA, Bristol<br />

Until May 1<br />

An open-call exhibition which<br />

invites artists at any stage of<br />

their career to submit their best<br />

photographic works. Prepare to<br />

be astounded by the quality,<br />

talent and range on offer.<br />

rwa.org.uk<br />

Rodney Graham: Getting it<br />

Together in the Country<br />

Hauser & Wirth, Bruton<br />

Until May 8<br />

Into photography, painting,<br />

sculpture, film, video and<br />

music? Luckily, polymath Graham<br />

brings all these art forms and more<br />

to his latest exhibition.<br />

hauserwirth.com<br />

Bristol Light Festival<br />

Across Bristol<br />

February 3-12<br />

This ten-day event will light up the<br />

centre with commissioned works<br />

from a variety of artists. Don’t miss<br />

the bright halos in Broadmead<br />

or the mesmerising holographic<br />

Ophelia in St Mary Redcliffe Church.<br />

bristollightfestival.org<br />

The Printed Line<br />

The Wilson Art Gallery and<br />

Museum, Cheltenham<br />

February 18 – May 14<br />

Explore how artists use<br />

printmaking, through works by<br />

Matisse and Picasso, Bridget Riley<br />

and David Hockney, and Rachel<br />

Whiteread’s LOndOn 2012.<br />

cheltenhammuseum.org.uk<br />

Howardena Pindell: A New<br />

Language<br />

Spike Island, Bristol<br />

February 18 – May 21<br />

Absorb Pindell’s six-decade career<br />

with this exhibition, featuring early<br />

abstract paintings and later political<br />

works tackling slavery, violence<br />

against black and indigenous<br />

people, and the AIDS pandemic.<br />

spikeisland.org.uk<br />

Garry Fabian Miller: ADORE<br />

Arnolfini, Bristol<br />

February 18 – May 28<br />

In his third show at the Arnolfini,<br />

Fabian Miller presents an<br />

expansive look at his work and the<br />

recurring themes and characters<br />

that have inspired decades of<br />

no-camera photography and<br />

darkroom experiments.<br />

arnolfini.org.uk<br />

Bath Art Fair<br />

Bath Pavilion<br />

February 24-26<br />

Discover over 80 of the UK’s best<br />

artists at this mega weekend for art<br />

lovers. From original paintings to<br />

hand-finished prints, and unique<br />

jewellery to figurative sculptures,<br />

you can find it all under one roof.<br />

bathartfair.co.uk<br />

Thiébaut Chagué<br />

Messums Wiltshire<br />

March 4 – April 30<br />

Witness the act of making<br />

becoming part of the exhibition, as<br />

Chagué creates an on-site woodfired<br />

kiln, and fires a series of new<br />

pieces to be displayed alongside<br />

existing works.<br />

messumswiltshire.com<br />

Physiotherapy & Wellbeing<br />

Specialising in arthritis pain relief & musculoskeletal conditions<br />

Physiotherapy • MBST ® Therapy • Soft Tissue Therapy<br />

At The Core, Unit 3, Beehive Yard, Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BT info@thecore.health | 01<strong>22</strong>5 46 1205<br />

Wildlife Photographer<br />

of the Year<br />

M Shed, Bristol<br />

Until May 29<br />

With entries from over 90<br />

countries across the world, this<br />

treat of an annual exhibition<br />

showcases the beauty and<br />

brutality of nature in 100<br />

powerful images.<br />

bristolmuseums.org.uk<br />

The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 67


The THE Guide EDIT<br />

Women in Wine at KASK<br />

In partnership with<br />

CASTLE FARM<br />

Bath<br />

Bistronomie<br />

February 4<br />

This February, for one day only,<br />

enjoy an indulgent, lazy bistrostyle<br />

lunch in the barn. Guests<br />

will be treated to an Italian feast<br />

where homemade pasta is the<br />

star of the show.<br />

Food + drink<br />

Wellness Cookery and Yoga –<br />

Three-day Course<br />

Natural Cookery School,<br />

Nailsworth<br />

February 17-19<br />

A nurturing course stuffed with<br />

restoring yoga sessions and cookery<br />

classes. Rebalance your body and<br />

mind, and master the skills of baking<br />

and seed sprouting along the way.<br />

naturalcookeryschool.com<br />

Feast Night<br />

Yard Space, Cirencester<br />

February 21 + March 24<br />

Need a little more banqueting in<br />

your life (don’t we all)? Book in for<br />

a feast at Old Gore Barn and wait for<br />

a plethora of delicacies and delights<br />

to come your way.<br />

yardspace.co.uk<br />

A Fermentation Deep Dive by<br />

Get Pickled<br />

Redford House, Frome<br />

February 25<br />

Give your gut some love by learning<br />

how to make your own ferments,<br />

including milk kefir and fermented<br />

vegetables (which are a lot tastier<br />

than they sound). Includes a<br />

nutritious fermented lunch.<br />

getpickledsomerset.com<br />

Curing and Smoking Day<br />

Empire Farm, Templecombe<br />

February 26<br />

Learn about hot and cold smoking<br />

processes, salt curing and more.<br />

Plus, you’ll produce plenty of<br />

appetizing preserved treats to take<br />

home with you.<br />

empirefarm.co.uk<br />

Photography Kym Grimshaw and Leah Morrison<br />

Wassail Prune<br />

The Newt, Bruton<br />

March 3<br />

Combine the ancient pagan<br />

custom of chasing off evil winter<br />

spirits and welcoming in good<br />

spirits, and the practical tradition<br />

of giving the apple trees a final<br />

prune before spring arrives.<br />

thenewtinsomerset.com<br />

Women in Wine<br />

KASK, Bristol<br />

March 8<br />

Celebrate International Women’s<br />

Day – with wine! KASK will pop<br />

the cork on bottles crafted by<br />

some of the bar’s favourite female<br />

winemakers, and offer a selection<br />

of cheeses to pair with each.<br />

kaskwine.co.uk<br />

Spring Feast at fforest<br />

Spring Feast<br />

fforest, Cardigan<br />

March 31 – April 2<br />

Featuring plenty of smoked<br />

stuff, cured stuff, stuff roasted<br />

over fires, sharing plates piled<br />

high with fish, meat and cheese<br />

– and even some vegetables.<br />

A bountiful celebration of the<br />

greenest season.<br />

coldatnight.co.uk<br />

Bristol Cider & Cheese Festival<br />

Cider Box, Bristol<br />

April 1<br />

Indulge in a day of cider and<br />

cheese from the finest indie<br />

suppliers, while participating in<br />

talks and workshops, and jiving<br />

along to live music.<br />

theciderbox.com<br />

That’s Amore<br />

February 11, 18 + 25<br />

Exploring the theme of<br />

romance in Italian culture and<br />

history, the Castle Farm supper<br />

clubs for February will share a<br />

love for Italian food.<br />

Indian Road Trip<br />

March 4, 11, 18, 25<br />

Inspired by a road trip around<br />

India, exploring Kerala, Delhi,<br />

Agra and Jaipur, Chef Pravin<br />

returns with the dishes he<br />

experienced on his travels. A<br />

journey through Indian food,<br />

not to be missed.<br />

castlefarmcafemidford@gmail.com<br />

castlefarmmidford.co.uk<br />

All supper clubs are<br />

booked through<br />

the website<br />

68 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 69


The THE Guide EDIT<br />

Beautiful Design, Wholly Considered<br />

Architecture & Interior Design Studio<br />

room-studio.co.uk<br />

info@room-studio.co.uk<br />

01<strong>22</strong>5 311528<br />

Workshops<br />

Moonrise Face Oil Workshop<br />

Weven, Stroud<br />

February 5<br />

Learn how to blend your own<br />

skincare potion and welcome in the<br />

Snow Moon with an afternoon of<br />

plantlore, plus a gentle introduction<br />

to the wonder of folk magic.<br />

weven.co.uk<br />

Sew Your Love Embroidery<br />

Workshop<br />

Hidden Store, Bath<br />

February 9<br />

Personalise a favourite shirt with<br />

details, emblems or initials, guided<br />

by fabric fanatic Clemency Calkin.<br />

Bring a shirt or choose from a<br />

selection in store. Hot drinks and<br />

snacks provided.<br />

@hiddenstorebath<br />

Weave a Cushion Cover<br />

Creative Space, Bristol<br />

February 10 + 11<br />

Weaver and textile designer Angie<br />

Parker will thread up the loom with<br />

your desired colours (there’s loads<br />

to choose from) and guide you on<br />

technique and weave structures, until<br />

you have your own cushion cover.<br />

creativespacebristol.co.uk<br />

Robots Stay & Play<br />

Children’s Scrapstore,<br />

Bristol<br />

February 17<br />

Scissors and glue sticks at the<br />

ready! The Scrapstore is inviting<br />

children and their parents in to<br />

design and build their very own<br />

scraptastic robots.<br />

childrensscrapstore.co.uk<br />

My Wild City: Winter Bird<br />

Survey Walk<br />

Lawrence Weston Moor,<br />

Bristol<br />

February 19<br />

Take a walk in the low winter sun<br />

and be wowed by the local wildlife.<br />

Your guide will explain where and<br />

how to record what you see, and<br />

help conservation action.<br />

avonwildlifetrust.org.uk<br />

Papermaking & Sculptural Forms<br />

Hole & Corner, Bruton<br />

February 25<br />

Follow artist Jane Ponsford as she<br />

demonstrates how to make paper<br />

sheets, then explore this medium<br />

creatively by making a vessel or<br />

sculptural organic paper form.<br />

holeandcorner.com<br />

Casting with Plaster<br />

East Quay, Watchet<br />

February 25<br />

Sculptor Melanie Deegan goes<br />

through the process of casting with<br />

plaster to create simple tiles and<br />

ornaments. Design a mould, cast a<br />

plaster object and decorate it.<br />

eastquaywatchet.co.uk<br />

Embroidery Workshop at<br />

Hidden Store<br />

Paint by Wine Workshop – Lupins<br />

Studio LX, Bath<br />

March 10<br />

Enjoy a leisurely afternoon painting<br />

pretty lupins in this fun instructorled<br />

boozy art workshop with all of<br />

the kit supplied.<br />

paintbywine.com<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 71


The THE Guide EDIT<br />

Performance<br />

Generously supported by:<br />

The Quantum Horse<br />

The Cube Cinema, Bristol<br />

February 4<br />

Take an adventurous canter<br />

through time and space with this<br />

21st-century re-imagining of the<br />

classic panto. It’s behind you,<br />

it’s in front of you... it’s all over<br />

the place!<br />

cubecinema.com<br />

Lissie at Komedia<br />

Until 8 May 2023<br />

finance<br />

now available.<br />

Terms apply.<br />

INSPIRATIONAL GLAZING<br />

ASPIRATIONAL LIVING<br />

Stuart and Bianca Roden<br />

HS339 – HM_Alberta Whittle_<strong>Circus</strong> half_150mm W x 103.5 mm H_AW.indd 1 12/01/2023 10:58<br />

Ready to make the most of your Vyoo?<br />

To arrange a visit to our Saltford showroom call 01<strong>22</strong>5 874 676 or email info@vyoowindows.com<br />

vyoowindows.com<br />

Sophie Duker: Hag<br />

Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol<br />

February 9<br />

The Taskmaster favourite is back<br />

on tour and taking us on a chaotic<br />

journey into her thirties, complete<br />

with travels across Ghana with her<br />

badass fedora-clad grandmother.<br />

thewardrobetheatre.com<br />

The Shawshank Redemption<br />

Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham<br />

February 13-18<br />

Based on the Stephen King novella<br />

and following in the footsteps<br />

of the acclaimed movie, this<br />

stage show charts the life of<br />

Andy Dufresne as he is handed a<br />

double life sentence for the brutal<br />

murders of his wife and her lover.<br />

everymantheatre.org.uk<br />

Slapstick Festival<br />

Various Bristol<br />

February 14-19<br />

Get ready for belly laughs at this<br />

multi-venue celebration of silent<br />

and visual on-screen comedy.<br />

This year, to celebrate patron Sir<br />

Michael Palin’s 80th birthday, you’ll<br />

be treated to his hand-picked<br />

comedy film favourites, plus<br />

introductions from him and his<br />

Monty Python pals.<br />

slapstick.org.uk<br />

Lissie<br />

Komedia, Bath<br />

February 16<br />

Taking her fifth, and most personal<br />

album, Carving Canyons, on tour,<br />

be dazzled by Lissie’s indelible<br />

melodies and honest vocals.<br />

komedia.co.uk<br />

Spark<br />

Tobacco Factory Theatres, Bristol<br />

February 18<br />

An antidote to all the sickly<br />

sweet Valentine’s messages,<br />

this show is a celebration and<br />

exploration of unconventional<br />

love in all its surprising and<br />

wonderful forms.<br />

tobaccofactorytheatres.com<br />

Noughts and Crosses<br />

Theatre Royal, Bath<br />

February 28 – March 4<br />

Malorie Blackman’s Romeo and<br />

Juliet-inspired story of racial<br />

and social divides comes to<br />

the stage in this adaptation by<br />

Sabrina Mahfouz. A captivating<br />

tale of love and revolution.<br />

theatreroyal.org.uk<br />

Gordon Buchanan: 30 Years<br />

in the Wild<br />

Cheese & Grain, Frome<br />

March 23<br />

Having produced some of the most<br />

popular wildlife programmes on the<br />

BBC, Buchanan draws on stories<br />

from 30 years of working both<br />

behind and in front of the camera.<br />

cheeseandgrain.com<br />

Ritual Union<br />

Dareshack, Bristol<br />

March 23<br />

Taking place across four Bristol<br />

music venues, this one-day festival<br />

features headliners such as Porridge<br />

Radio and Bristol fave Rozi Plain,<br />

plus plenty of undiscovered gems.<br />

dareshack.com<br />

Orbital<br />

O2 Academy, Bristol<br />

March 31<br />

The electronic music duo are back<br />

with their tenth album, Optical<br />

Delusion. Partly written during<br />

lockdown, there’s a darker edge<br />

to the infectious beats.<br />

academymusicgroup.com<br />

circusjournal.com @circusjournal 73


Competition<br />

Win a stay<br />

Fancy a night at No.15 by GuestHouse, Bath with<br />

dinner for two and a spa treatment? We thought so…<br />

EOH<br />

How to enter<br />

For your chance to win,<br />

head to Instagram<br />

on February 14.<br />

@circusjournal<br />

A sustainable lifestyle store,led by the changing seasons.<br />

EAST OF HOME<br />

74 <strong>Circus</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Early spring 2023<br />

Competition time<br />

The lovely people at No.15 by<br />

GuestHouse, Bath are offering one<br />

lucky <strong>Circus</strong> reader the chance to<br />

win dinner, bed and breakfast for<br />

two, plus a Time Together spa<br />

treatment worth £230. The<br />

indulgent 60-minute treatment<br />

features a side-by-side massage and<br />

tailored-to-you mini facial with<br />

relaxing face, neck and shoulder<br />

massage. The winner and their<br />

guest will sleep in one of the hotel’s<br />

elegant high-ceilinged Pulteney<br />

rooms, which come with dreamy<br />

super-king four-poster beds and<br />

marble-topped washstands.<br />

guesthousehotels.co.uk<br />

7 LONDON STREET BATH<br />

Follow our programme of forthcoming<br />

seasonal workshops @eastofhomelondonst<br />

www.eastofhome.com


THE CURATOR’S<br />

APARTMENT<br />

THE FAIRYTALE<br />

WRITER<br />

THE ASPIRING<br />

COOK<br />

MODERN HERITAGE<br />

STAYS IN THE<br />

HEART OF BATH<br />

THECURATEDCOLLECTION.CO.UK<br />

@THECURATEDCOLLECTIONUK

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