Gromit: not your ordinary beagle. He’s already won over 100 gongs at ceremonies around the world, including three Oscars and seven BAFTAs, and now he can add two Bristol Life Awards to the display cabinet at 62 West Wallaby Street.
To be strictly accurate, this pair of glittering prizes – one being a regular (but still highly coveted) gold award for Leisure and Tourism, the other the platinum for ultimate brilliance – were bestowed on last year’s Gromit Unleashed 3 trail, which saw the city filled with a new pack of oversized Gromits, Wallaces, Feathers McGraws and Norbots in the name of charity. In this instance the trophies were carried off by The Grand Appeal, rather than Aardman. But the way these two Bristol legends have been joined at the hip for 30 years tells you everything you need to know about this city. It’s thanks to Aardman’s generosity, allowing the Grand Appeal to harness the star quality of its globally adored characters, that the latter has already raised around £90m for Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity.
This kind of thing happens in other sectors, too. I once found myself arguing with a restaurant owner from [name of city redacted] who refused to accept my assertion that the best Bristol chefs support each another and collaborate as often as they can. Stuff and nonsense, he said (stuffily and nonsensically). Chefs simply don’t operate that way.
Shall I send him a link to page 43 of this issue, in which our new food columnist Dan O’Regan shares his experience of working in Bristol, which chimes exactly with everything I’ve witnessed here? I’d also be amazed if Josh Eggleton and Jayde Adams didn’t touch on this spirit of co-operation in their new podcast, Centre of the Universe (page 7), which sets out to prove that Bristol is – well, the clue’s in the title.
Redacted city guy should listen and learn.
DERI ROBINS
Bristol Life editor @BristolLifeMag
Issue 382 / May 2026
ON THE COVER
Wake the Tiger for the win at the Bristol Life Awards
Photo by @joncraig_photos
ARTS
9 ARTS INTRO Upfest’s back, and not just in BS3
10 WHAT’S ON Festival season gets into its stride
18 THEATRE Cell regeneration: reviving Kiss of the Spider Woman
22 BRISTOL HEROES On the road
29 BOOKS Top tomes for taxing times
FOOD & DRINK
32 RESTAURANT Moreish and Moorish
36 MIGRATEFUL Can cook, will cook
39 CAFÉ SOCIETY Drizzle in Brizzle
41 WINE Spring in your glass
43 FOOD Yes chef! Our new columnist Dan O’Regan
LIFESTYLE
46 ED’S CHOICE Pimp up your yard
52 GARDENING Gone to Earth
BUSINESS
65 BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS The usual lavish coverage. Can you spot yourself in the pics?
PROPERTY
88 SHOWCASE Rooms with a view
REGULARS
7
98 BRISTOL LIVES Sheila Hannon
Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors Colin Moody, Stan Cullimore, Storysmith Books,
Man-eating lions, marauding pirates, dramatic courtroom showdowns – you can hear all about them in Bristol: It’s Criminal, another new local podcast, but this time shining a light on the city’s more sinister past. It comes to us courtesy of Sheila Hannon, creative producer of the Show of Strength theatre walks, so we know it will blend meticulous research with a flair for storytelling. A walking encyclopaedia of Bristol facts and folklore, Sheila has recently been named as a finalist in the VisitEngland Tourism Superstar Award, celebrating individuals who create unforgettable visitor experiences.
Podcast
BRISTOL v THE WORLD
Actor/comedian Jayde Adams and chef Josh Eggleton – you could scour the city for two more Bristolian voices, but you won’t find them – know that Bristol is the centre of the universe, and they’ve launched a podcast to prove it.
“We’re going to represent our culture and our food and our arts and the amazing stuff that happens here”, says Josh.
“All roads lead to Bristol” – Josh.
“It used to be Rome” – Jayde.
“Not anymore” – Josh.
“**** Rome” – Jayde.
“People that aren’t in Bristol won’t watch a podcast about Bristol, so it’s going to have to be about why other places aren’t as brilliant as Bristol”, says Jayde.
“The first series is going to focus on all of the amazing attributes Bristol has. Then after this, and its huge success, we’re going to be taking it on the road, going to other cities to prove they’re not as good as Bristol. We’re coming for you, Japan.” *
The first episode dropped on 15 April; find it wherever you get your podcasts. Mind how you go, they’ll see you dreckly.
PS More in our next issue once we’ve had a chance to listen to it.
PPS Don’t try Googling ‘Centre of the Universe’ or you’ll find yourself stuck in D&D hell. Instead go to @centreoftheuniversepod on Instagram.
*Technically not a city.
Street life
CHANGE FOR A QUARTER
More on page 98. www.showofstrength.org.uk
Shopping is set to become more fun between 1-4 May when Bristol‘s independent arts company Compass Presents brings a series of live shows, workshops, art installations and other events as part of its A Love Letter to Broadmead project; a bank-holiday culmination of a series of events held in the quarter during April.
It kicks off on 1 May with The Big KneesUp, featuring music in The Galleries; there’ll be street performances, dancers, skateboarders and musicians followed by a party with DJs and skater displays at Shredenhams skate park.
“Broadmead is one of the most democratic spaces in Bristol; people from all over the city pass through it every day”, says Tara Sachdeva of Compass.
“Our May Bank Holiday programme offers an exciting way to see it in a diverse and creative new light, take a fresh and vibrant look at the familiar and think about the future possibilities
All events are free, although some may be ticketed. www.compasspresents.com
Sheila, possibly with a real pirate. Not sure.
Breakdancer Seba at Shredenhams
Jayde and Josh looking proper dodgy down the Wharf
SPRAY FOR BRISTOL
Upfest is back in May with an ambitious new remit and a new festival artist. This year it’s Bristol muralist Melo (Esme Lower, to her mum and dad) renowned for her bold characters, playful palettes and strong connection to place through storytelling. Her work can be found across Bristol and beyond, including a recent large-scale painting at Bristol Amphitheatre during the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
As usual, most of the action takes place in downtown BS3, with the Tobacco Factory as the festival’s creative heart and up to 100 new murals being painted across the neighbourhood.
But Upfest is also expanding its reach this year. There’s a new youth-led project in Hartcliffe, and five major new works will join Dave Bain’s Aardman mural at Quakers Art Lane – a new outdoor gallery at Cabot Circus.
Expect to see big names at work, including Bristol’s HazardOne, Melo, and the legendary Inkie; Greek artist Insane51 will create one of his double-exposure 3D murals, with the line-up completed by My Dog Sighs, best known for his tin-can characters and huge, hyper-emotive eyes.
Upfest launches at Quakers Friars on 24 April and the festival runs 15-31 May; www.upfest.co.uk
She’s the bright one, she’s the right one: official festival artist Melo
WHAT’S ON
24 April22 May 2026
EXHIBITIONS
Until 26 April
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
The NHM’s exhibition of nature photos at Bristol Museum. Just two days to go bristolmuseums.org.uk
Until 3 May
OLUKEMI LIJADU: FEEDBACK
The largest solo exhibition to date by the Nigerian-British artist, filmmaker and DJ; Spike Island, spikeisland.org.uk
PHILLIP LAI
A major solo exhibition of work by the KLite artist, bringing together a body of sculptural commissions that continue his exploration of the material world; Spike Island, spikeisland.org.uk
Until 3 May
PEOPLE’S ART FAIR
Group celebration of culture and expressive art, open to artists, makers, photographers, painters, sculptors and creatives of all shapes and flavours. PRSC; www.prsc.org.uk
Until 13 May
PICASSO, MIRÓ & DALÍ: THE GRAPHIC WORKS
Original work by three titans of 20th
century art, at Hidden; all for sale, if you’re flush. hiddengallery.co.uk
Until 24 May THE LAST RESORT
To honour Martin Parr, MPF gallery is holding an exhibition of Martin’s classic seaside shots of New Brighton, evoking the resilient spirit of ’80s northern England; martinparrfoundation.org
MOUNIRA AL SOLH: A LAND AS BIG AS HER SKIN
A major new solo exhibition from Mounira, including her acclaimed Venice Biennale pavilion installation
A Dance with her Myth which takes visitors on a journey from Middle Eastern mythology to contemporary times. Arnolfini, arnolfini.org.uk
Until 31 May
JASON WESAW: INDIGENOUS ART
Rainmaker welcomes back one of its most beloved artists for a solo exhibition; rainmakerart.co.uk
Until 28 June
OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
If Wildlife Photographer of the Year at Bristol Museum has left you wanting more, try this; it’s at the
ss Great Britain, appropriately enough. ssgreatbritain.org
9 May-9 August
DANCE OUT
New RWA show of paintings, drawings and film celebrating dance as an everyday human activity, both solitary and social. The gallery will shapeshift during the exhibition, hosting a series of evening dance and dance-related events. rwa.org.uk
SHOWS
Until 25 April THE WOMAN IN BLACK
Steely nerves are required to watch Susan Hill’s famously chilling ghost story. Come along to Bristol Old Vic if you think you’re hard enough; bristololdvic.org.uk
Until 10 May
THE GREATEST SHOWMAN: THE MUSICAL
Another ‘first’ for the Hippodrome. In Bristol this is ‘the UK première’, for London it’s the ‘West End tryout’; whatever, it sold out instantly, so it’s returns only. atgtickets.com
27-28 April
KRAPP’S LAST TAPE
Beckett’s classic play invites you
into Krapp’s world of solitude, memories, dreams, elation and despair; directed by Academy Award nominee Stockard Channing and starring David Westhead, at TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com
28 April-2 May
EAT THE RICH (BUT MAYBE NOT ME MATES X)
It’s Jade Franks, fresh from her fivestar, sell-out Edinburgh Fringe run: a politically sharp story of a workingclass Scouser navigating Cambridge University, hiding her cleaning job, and exposing privilege with wit and charm; at BOV, bristololdvic.org.uk
29 April-2 May
JACK
A carpenter turned outlaw, Jack Sheppard slipped through bars and dodged the gallows, turning every escape into a performance with London as his stage. But even legends can’t run forever... A bold, fast-paced new musical inspired by a true story. Bristol Musical Theatre, at Redgrave, redgravetheatre.com
29 April-16 May
KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN
Obsession, or salvation? One kiss from the Spider Woman can change everything; the first major revival of
Knowle West‘s most famous son comes to the Beacon
the show-of-the-novel since 1992.
See page 18; At Bristol Old Vic; bristololdvic.org.uk
30 April-2 May
COULROPHOBIA
Dik and Adam are clowns. They couldn’t fight their way out of a paper bag, let alone a surreal cardboard world. Why are they there and what are they supposed to be doing? Take your seat, relax but don’t get too comfortable, at TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com
5-9 May
DYKE SYSTEMS LTD
Step into the glittery, unhinged world of multi-level marketing mayhem with Fag Packet, Kheski Kobler and Holly Wilson-Guy,. Equal parts corporate seminar and queer fever dream, at Bristol Old Vic; bristololdvic.org.uk
8 May KIOTA
An evening of performance followed by networking opportunities, showcasing Black and People of Colour creatives from various artistic disciplines. At The Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com
10 May
LIBERACE & LIZA
Liberace and Liza Minnelli never performed together, but that didn’t stop David Saffert and Jillian Snow from creating their wildly successful mashup of two over-the-top icons; at TFT, tobaccofactorytheatres.com
13-16 May
PHILOSOPHY OF THE WORLD
Part-tribute act, part-feminist reclamation, a show about power, patriarchy, band t-shirts, daddy issues and three sisters, who didn’t
want to be a band, but it was their destiny. It’s also about who gets to decide if you’re good or sh*t. But it’s mainly about dads Bristol Old Vic; bristololdvic.org.uk
19-20 May PRAYERS FOR A HUNGRY GHOST
Transferring from a sold-out run at the Barbican, Kiss Witness’s mesmerising family drama is set in the underworld (the realm of the hungry ghosts), exploring the intergenerational trauma born from the pressures of meeting society’s impossible standards. At Tobacco Factory Theatres; tobaccofactorytheatres.com
21-23 May PARTY SEASON
The kids are in the ball pit; the entertainer is blowing bubbles; the adults gobble Perelló olives and pretend to like each other. As ancient grudges rear their heads, the tension rises like a helium balloon...
From Wardrobe Ensemble, a sugarfuelled, bobbin-winding fever dream where class identities collide, social niceties unravel, and underslept parents do their best to hold it all together. BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk
COMEDY & CABARET
Ongoing CLOSER EACH DAY
The world’s longest-running improvised comedy soap continues to froth away at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com
BRISTOL IMPROV THEATRE
For the full programme, see improvtheatre.co.uk
THE GAFFE
Stand-up LOLs from some of the sharpest, funniest comedians on the circuit, at Bristol’s hottest new comedy club: thegaffecomedyclub.com
24 April NURSE JOHN: THE SHORT- STAFFED TOUR
A real-life nurse turned accidental internet sensation, John’s built a global following with his takes on the highs, lows and utter chaos of working in healthcare. Cathartic LOLs at Beacon; bristolbeacon.org
JESSIE NIXON: DON’T MAKE ME REGRET Jessie’s ripped out her heart,
covered it in glitter and squirty cream, and offered it to you, still beating. Don’t make her regret it. If you’re mentally ill, a lapsed Catholic, queer, occasionally distraught, too smart for your own good or have ever cried in a changing room, this is for you; at Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk
25
April
PAULINE EYRE: ANYONE FOR TENNIS?
A Wimbledon line judge for 20 years, Pauline is ready to spill the Pimms on gossip, from the fragrant royal box to the musty locker room. Expect smashing stories, ace anecdotes and a 40-love letter to the game, at Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk
26 April
SIBLINGS: DREAMWEAVERS
Let IRL sisters Marina and Maddy swoop into the surreal world of your sleeping minds as they crack open your brains and backflip in; this was sold-out at Edinburgh. Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com
JOSEPH PARSONS: LINGO
Fearing he’s becoming a little too set in his ways, Joseph’s set himself a challenge: to learn a language in three months and take a big leap out of his comfort zone. The language? Portuguese. The leap? Travelling alone to Brazil. The objective? Love. Maybe. At The Robin Hood, robinhoodbristol.pub
5 May
JOHN ROBINS
Not a stand-up show per se, but John in conversation about alcohol addiction and the journey to sobriety, as documented in his moving and darkly funny new memoir, Thirst At St George’s, stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
7 May
KATHY MANIURA: THE CYCLING MAN
Middle-aged and newly single, The Cycling Man has spent the salary of an NHS nurse in decathlon and he’s on the verge of a breakdown. Get to know this absurd , flawed man as he gets to know himself, at Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk
8 May
TADIWA MAHLUNGE: HAKUNA MA TAD TAD
A new show about how being a refugee forged Tadiwa’s ambition and self-belief, and why he believes you deserve the same Kanye-level confidence he has, without the lifealtering trauma,. He has in no way
top: Bristol Film Fest welcomes an alien invasion above: Eat the Rich (but maybe not her mates): it’s Jade Franks, sold out at BOV
cynically leveraged his life story to profiteer off the tense current mood on immigration in the nation, he says. Hen & Chicken: henandchicken.com
9 May
MOLLY MCGUINNESS: SLOB
Life for Molly didn’t get any better than a good buffet and belting out Meatloaf down the pub karaoke. But when the Salford-born libertine was felled by a life-threatening illness, she was forced to slob out whether she liked it or not; Alma Tavern, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk
12 May
ASHLEY GAVIN: BIG MOMMA
Best known for her social media clips, where her bold, raw audience interactions, authenticity and relentless energy set her apart; Ashley’s latest hour focuses on getting pregnant as a masculine lesbian; Hen & Chicken: henandchicken.com
16 May
SAMI ABU-WARDEH: PALESTINE – PEACE DE RESISTANCE
A Palestinian born in exile, only to be displaced from his country of birth by yet another war, Sami digs deep into his identity and asks: can resistance ever be funny? Comedy in which silliness collides with survival, at The Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com
22-23 May THE SHADE PULLERS & LASH STACKERS SOCIAL CLUB
81-year-old Paul Marsden has been running his northern working men’s club since the 1970s. The place had started to fray at the edges until Paul’s son got into the family business, transforming himself into drag queen, Roxytocin and giving the nicotinestained club a fresh coat of lip gloss. At Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com
MUSIC
For more events see: Bristol Beacon (bristolbeacon.org); St George’s Bristol (stgeorgesbristol.co.uk); Trinity (trinitybristol.org.uk); The Louisiana (thelouisiana.net); Thekla (theklabristol.co.uk): O2 Academy (academymusicgroup.com); Bristol Folk House (bristolfolkhouse.co.uk); Electric Bristol (electricbristol.com); The Hen & Chicken (henandchicken.com); Prospect Building (theprospectbuilding.com) and Gallimaufry (thegallimaufry.co.uk)
3 May
WARSI BROTHERS
The leading exponents of qawwali, the devotional Sufi music of South
Asia, comes to Bristol Beacon; bristolbeacon.org
8 May RITA LYNCH
The Bristol indie-rock/folk/punk singer-songwriter brings her razorsharp lyrics, high energy, glitter and glory to the Hen & Chicken: henandchicken.com
12, 14, 15, 17 May
RIGOLETTO
Tessitoura performs Verdi’s most gripping thriller at various venues with a chamber orchestra, creating an immersive and authentic experience; tessitoura.co.uk
17 May
TRICKY
The Knowle West Boy comes to Beacon with a new show, reminding us why he’s one of the most innovative and uncompromising artists of the past three decades. Expect a bold reimagining of the back catalogue while showcasing his continued evolution as an artist. bristolbeacon.org
18 May
ROBERT MITCHELL’S LITTLE BLACK BOOK
The ‘power trio like no other’ brings a wild mix of rock, jazz, fusion and more, to Beacon; bristolbeacon.org
22 May
COLIN BLUNSTONE: BELIEVE IN MIRACLES
The former lead singer of The Zombies turned solo artist is back, with a national solo tour that’s headed to Beacon; bristolbeacon.org
30 April
YES
The latest prog-rock behemoth to roll into Beacon celebrates over five decades at the forefront of boundarypushing music; they’ll perform their 1971 Fragile in full. bristolbeacon.org
10 May
JETHRO TULL
... followed by these legends, with their prog-rock/folk/blues and classical blend, still led by the charismatic Ian Anderson. Their Curiosity Tour is a sweeping celebration of their 58-year musical journey; at Beacon, bristolbeacon.org
LUCY SPRAGGAN
Lucy’s career has been defined by honesty, resilience, and creative independence; a respected LGBTQ+ voice, she uses her platform to
champion authenticity, inclusivity, and mental wellbeing. She also writes and sings dead good songs. At St George’s, stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
15 May
EMMYLOU HARRIS
Americana/country queen Emmylou comes to the Beacon stage with a poised, heartfelt and unfiltered intimate evening of songs and stories. bristolbeacon.org
22 May
GO GO PENGUIN
The flightless birds return to Bristol with Necessary Fictions, a bold new chapter in sonic exploration, blending jazz, classical and electronica; they’re at Beacon, bristolbeacon.org
FESTIVALS
...and bloc parties
BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL
The usual eclectic selection of classic and popular movies. This May they’re celebrating two very different alien invasion films that both happen to be turning 30 this year. Any guesses? bristolfilmfestival.com
Until 26 April
BRISTOL NEW MUSIC
Returning for its sixth edition, over five nights and days of rolling concerts, performances, audiovisual
works and installations in exhibition spaces, venues, concert halls and unusual locations; bristolnewmusic.org
FORBIDDEN WORLDS
The festival celebrating classic fantasy, action, science-fiction and horror films returns to Megascreen; forbiddenworldsfilmfestival.co.uk
25 April
GREAT BRISTOL WINE FEST
WineAlive’s festival is back at Paintworks, hosted by Oz Clarke and Susy Atkins. wine-alive.com
BRISTOL RADICAL HISTORY FESTIVAL
This year’s themes are propaganda, the Welsh Risings and the 1926 General Strike. Mostly at M Shed and Cube. Bring a rebellious heart. www.brh.org.uk
1-3 May
BRISTOL FOLK FESTIVAL
The fabulous folkie line-up includes The Unthanks, Ye Vagabonds, The Breath, John Smith, Honeyfeet and Sam Sweeney; various venues. bristolfolkfestival.org
1-31 May
BRISTOL WALK FEST
The themed walks with the something-for-everyone remit returns for its annual month-long amble; bristolwalkfest.com
Anyone for Pauline Eyre?
CULTURE
CLUB with Jesse Meadows
Jesse is a member of the Wardrobe Ensemble, bringing Party Season to BOV a razorsharp new comedy about privilege, party rings and the pressures of being a parent.
A film I could watch over and over again
Amelie - the only poster that’s remained on my wall since university. Amelie’s world is a true feelgood happy place.
A painting that means something to me
A print of The Moon by my friend Ben Goodman, a talented local artist and wood engraver.
Best TV show ever…
Bluey. Technically for children, emotionally for everyone. I’m yet to watch it without my four-yearold but I think the time is coming.
My favourite binge watch Love Is Blind – I got sucked into watching ironically via a friend on tour and somehow end up completely invested. Equal parts social experiment and chaos.
The book that changed my life
Feel the Fear and Do It Anywaya regular companion throughout my twenties, and the title alone is the perfect mantra. It shifted how I think about fear and crucially decision making.
The book I could happily re-read Daisy Jones & The Six –immersive, addictive, and written like a documentary you can’t stop watching in book form, reading ‘just one more page’ until you’ve accidently finished half the book.
My desert island disc Mmmbop by Hanson. Pure, unfiltered chaotic nostalgic joy. I’m also known for playing the air drumkit for the entire duration of the song, which feels essential to the experience.
A character you’d love to play Hedda Gabler? Lady Macbeth? Yeah go on then. And in time, Lady Bracknell from The Importance of Being Ernest
My dance floor/karaoke banger
Anything by Katy Perry, preferably Roar or Firework. Full volume, full commitment and maximum feelgood energy.
Podcast pick
Heavyweight. Quietly brilliant storytelling that revisits unresolved moments in people’s lives and gently unpacks them. Honest, genuine, funny and very human.
Best app
Minute Cryptic - my morning ritual of equal frustration and triumph. A great way to wake up the brain and feel briefly very intelligent when a clue clicks.
Guilty pleasure
I got into attempting a Saturday quick cryptic crossword with my dad which quickly escalated into him bringing it to Henleaze Lake where we swim every weekend with friends. We start it in the sauna and finish it outside with a hot chocolate and pastry overlooking the water.
Party Season plays Bristol Old Vic 21-23 May; .bristololdvic.org.uk
2 May
EAT: BEDMINSTER
East Street and Dean Street once again become the site for into a fabulous food festival; between 10am and 4pm you’ll find farmer’s market and street food stalls and places to eat and drink; most allergies and preferences catered for, eatfestivals.org
3 May
SPEKTRA X J2
SPEKTRA and Junction 2 Festival collide in a high-energy outdoor courtyard takeover at Prospect: expect relentless techno, open-air intensity, and a crowd that doesn’t hold back. theprospectbuilding.com
9 May
GIGANTIC ALL DAYER
Twelve hours of non-stop indie and dance, an outdoor real ale and cider festival, street food from the region’s finest vendors, all served up alongside a colossal bill of music heavyweights; at Prospect, theprospectbuilding.com
FRIENDLY RECORDS 10TH BIRTHDAY BLOCK PARTY
DJ Krust and IDLES are just two of the huge names pitching up at
Lost & Grounded for this special birthday bash; there’s also a charity merch sale in aid of War Child; lostandgrounded.co.uk
10 May
STOKES CROFT BLOCK PARTY
Over 16 hours of madness across 25+ stages: bigger bass; sweatier dancefloors; new hidden spots and more banging surprises than ever before. Lakota, lakota.co.uk
15-31 May UPFEST
Europe’s largest street art festival returns; see page 9. upfest.co.uk
22-24 May
BEDMINSTER BEER TRAIL
Independent pubs, breweries and bars serve up tasty craft beers across South Bristol; exclusive brews, a new collab beer, live music, food pairings and more. @bedminsterbeertrail
WELLS COMEDY FESTIVAL
Punching way above its weight as usual; this year’s acts include Sarah Pascoe, Ed Gamble, James Acaster, Nish Kumar, Paul Foot, Tim Key and Mark Thomas. Tickets selling fast. wellscomfest.com n
It’s all right for some, James Acaster! Wells Comedy Fest
SPIDEY
SENSES
It’s been over 30 years since The Kiss of the Spider Woman received a major revival. It’s getting one now…
THEATRE
Back in the 1990s, which is longer ago than most of us like to admit, the stage adaptation of Argentinian novelist Manuel Puig’s Kiss of the Spider Woman was a major event. Following the success of the 1985 Oscarwinning movie, the theatrical version was directed by Harold Prince and scored by Kander and Ebb, the legendary songwriters behind Cabaret and Chicago
The show had over 900 performances on Broadway, 390 in the West End, won seven Tony awards and several Olivier nominations.
It was filmed again in 2025, but there’s been no major stage revival since – until now. Ahead of its opening at Bristol Old Vic, director Paul Foster and its three leading actors give their take on the show and reveal what it’s been like to bring it back to the stage.
FIRST OF ALL, MEET THE TEAM
Fabian Soto Pacheco: I’m playing Luis Alberto Molina. Molina is as flamboyant and as fabulous as one can be. He escapes the reality of being in prison by retelling and reliving the movies that Aurora, a spectacular actress who is Molina’s biggest obsession, has starred in.
George Blagden: I play Valentin – he’s a Marxist revolutionary who’s been jailed for his beliefs, and for an anti-government movement that he’s involved in stirring up.
Anna-Jane Casey: I play Aurora and the Spider Woman. Aurora is a classic movie star – it’s all about the big hair and glamorous outfits, worlds apart from the Spider Woman, who is the epitome of death in one of her films and who so frightens Molina.
Paul Foster: I started learning Spanish almost forty years ago and studied the original Manuel Puig novel. To be directing this production is a real dream. Although it’s been over 30 years since it’s been staged at scale in the UK it feels like a story for now; I believe at the moment we need stories that transport us, give us hope, and remind us that even when times look dark, we can still find light.
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT, THEN?
characters she portrays. So, while we’ve got the claustrophobia of the cell, we’ve also got this incredible Technicolor routine. For the audience, it’s a real eye-popping show, a real visual feast.
TELL US ABOUT THE SCORE
Paul: It’s got boleros in it, it’s got samba in it, it’s got beautiful ballads, lush harmonic singing, songs of hope, songs that will get your feet tapping, songs that gladden your heart.
Fabian: It has all the brilliance of Kander and Ebb’s music and lyrics, but infused with Latin flavours and rhythms. It’s dramatic, it’s striking, and it has so many great songs.
Anna-Jane: This beautiful music has got a bit of a rumba and a samba feel, some jazzy numbers, but there are also some incredible ballads with heartfelt lyrics. In fact, Kander and Ebb themselves said it was their favourite score – coming from the two men who wrote New York, New York, that’s a pretty good vote of confidence!
Well, it’s a prison drama, but don’t arrive expecting Shawshank George: It’s essentially about two men who are imprisoned in 1970s Buenos Aires and how they change one another through the course of sharing a cell. Molina creates fantasy worlds as a way of dealing with their trauma, removing them from their cell and transporting them to this dreamlike Hollywood world. It’s all about escapism and dealing with suffering in the most magical way possible.
Fabian: The novel is a classic in Latin America, and a staple in queer literature. It is about two people, seemingly very different from one another, changing each other profoundly while sharing a cell in prison. It is also a story that has proven to be timeless – it deals with love being more powerful than hate in the face of political injustice.
Anna-Jane: The show hasn’t been revived for many years; so many people have fought for the rights to do it, and they’ve finally let us have a go at it! We’re doing a very different version to the one seen in the 1990s, which was a massive Broadway production. Ours is a more compact version, which I think will bring the narrative more to the forefront, because it really is a deep and meaningful story. It’s not your traditional jazz-handsy musical, even though there are moments of complete fabulousness.
Paul: It works on a lot of levels – these two men, from opposing backgrounds and with completely different opinions on the world, gradually find common ground. It becomes a piece with a lot of tenderness, where once it started as a story with a lot of anger. But throughout it all, we’ve got this incredible woman, Aurora, this dream actress of the Silver Screen, and she spins a web through the different
WHY THIS CAST?
Paul: Fabian, George and Anna-Jane are triple threats, people who can dance, sing, and act brilliantly. And I think they’re going to tell this story – literally weave this web – with incredible skill, and hopefully audiences will have their jaws on the floor watching them. Along with our incredible creative team we’re all committed to making this as hypnotic and as exciting as we possibly can.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE COSTUMES?
Anna-Jane: I seem to have got all the budget! Everyone else is in prison wear and I’m in some incredible corseted outfits reminiscent of 1940s cinema, but with a twist, using the most gorgeous fabric. So there’s real moments of dark depression in the prison, with the guards and the deliberately drab nature of what they’re wearing, contrasted with this fantastical stuff that comes out with Gabriella Slade’s designs, Howard Hudson’s lighting and Andrzej Goulding’s video designs. There’s an explosion of beautiful, bright colours and excitement. The final number of Act One has an almost carnival-like vibe.
IN A NUTSHELL, WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT?
Fabian: A heartbreakingly beautiful story with captivating music. There’s dazzling new choreography as well – I can’t wait for audiences to see it.
George: Something in a dark, similar vein to Cabaret with lots of different levels and meanings. Taking that big, expansive musical setting that the show had in the ’90s into this intimate space – I hope the effect will be that the audience feel like they’re right there in the prison cell with Molina and Valentin.
Anna-Jane: This is a great, beautiful, political piece of drama underneath, with songs on top. Audiences are going to get fullout numbers with dancing and singing, along with an amazingly compassionate tale about two men finding friendship amid the most awful of circumstances. There’ll be tears, there’ll be laughter and there’ll be beauty.
Paul: You know, some titles come along every week, but it’s been over 30 years since British audiences have had a look at this one. And to do it in this close-up, intimate chamber way... I hope it will feel unforgettable. n
Kiss of the Spider Woman plays Bristol Old Vic 29 April-16 May. www.bristololdvic.org.uk
inset: Fabian Soto Pacheco (Molina) and Anna-Jane Casey (Aurora) inset: George Blagden (Valentin) and Damian Buhagiar (Guard)
“It’s not your traditional jazz-handsy musical, even though there are moments of complete fabulousness”
ON THE ROAD
The Beat goes on: evoking the spirit of Kerouac and Cassady, one sunny Bristol afternoon
Words and pics by Colin Moody
I’d been shooting for years on the same streets, slacklining through life between one corner and another, waiting for that inevitable fatigue to set it. No, not fatigue; that implies an actual tiredness. More a malaise, of the spirit, from treading the same stones and asphalt every day in my work as a street photographer.
I’d seen it happen to them all. Cartier Bresson eventually put his camera in a cupboard and started to paint. Perhaps after you have been everywhere and seen life in every shade and texture your want just… goes.
But somehow here in Bristol, as soon as you meet a few faces doing unexpected things, the fire kicks in. Bam! Every time. So let me take you out on the road over eight photos on a single afternoon, the day the sun came out after the rainy season. You may recall it: a spell from January to early March where it rained every day. These images, and to a lesser extend this beat text, will guide you though that afternoon of wandering, from Hotwells to the centre, around Easton and back along Old Market.
The words I’ve laid down are in one stream of consciousness and should not be attached to any photo in particular on the eight-roll; they’re here more to add a second flavour to the main bite, which for me will always be in the photograph.
I recall that on the warming cobbles a poet could be found tapping new threads on an ancient Olivetti by the Arnolfini. He tells me he posts as @jonnywriteswords.
As I spotted him I could see he was deep in thought. I asked if he would mind if I crouched down and took his photo. There was something on his mind – “I’ve got something in my head, I need to get it all clear” – his fingers already flexing towards the typewriter. I felt I was interrupting him, but he looked up as I spoke again.
“Poets are newtapping threads on ancient Olivettis on the cobbleswarming outside Arnolfini”
“Did you suddenly find everyone was out, in this first day of sunshine, and in desperate need of poetry to put their newfound feelings in the light and the warmth into context?” I said. He smiled and agreed, and already others were stopping. They needed poems, and I was only after cold hard photos. So I stepped back after a couple of snaps and turned
to find two older women had stopped close by to watch this too.
“Do you need a poem?” I asked, somehow wanting to make up for my rude interventions into his word craft by touting for him. Maybe a couple of extra customers would help. But I was wasting my efforts.
“I have a jar of poems at home” said the leader of the two women. She seemed self-satisfied at this. I didn’t like that. I generally don’t photograph the self-satisfied, saving my lens for the needy, the lost and the uncertain. Certainty doesn’t enter my frames. I just smiled, and prepared to move off. A little put-out at my lack of interest in this jar full of words she kept going. “Yes” she said “they are all in little pills on little tiny pieces of paper.”
I put my camera away, and got on my bike, swinging my leg over, and made half-a-dozen other micro-gestures that said goodbye, but before I left I asked, “will you just swallow those pills? And digest the poems, taking the poem into your system?”
Her painted smile seemed to stay but the lines around her eyes were questioning that response.
“And maybe your body will know the poem, feel it as it goes down?”
As is the way with some, it was a wasted moment of wordage because she had expressed to the world that it should show an interest in her glass-preserved poems, but what the world needed, and what was all about us as the city inched closer to the sun today, was live poems, free poems, cast down in little hammers upon paper in an old typewriter to set us free. It was time to move on. And on the journey ahead there were
I needed to see.
Mel was at the Broadmead square, her hair matted and folded in upon itself so as to stuffily rise up on top of her head. It caught the sun and my eye. She was returning a lost toy to a young boy with her mother. She was thanked, and smiled at me as she turned around. It’s funny when you don’t need to speak because your faces and especially the eyes have already introduced yourself to the stranger.
“I like opposites, and the way the boxer moved in such a solid hard brutal space worked for me”
“That was nice, that you did that” I said. We talked for a while about the quality of the busker who had an incredible voice. We introduced ourselves to each other. I hadn’t assumed it, but right then she talked about how hard it was living on the street. There had been a disturbing trend in young teenagers kicking the homeless, literally, while they were down, and she swung her leg round. I hadn’t noticed it at the time but her right leg was in a support, same colour as her trousers. “Yeah, me and my partner we both got kicked by these kids…”
As we talked I was thinking about how whatever fxxkery was washing over the young in the toxic manosphere where weakness, and the presumed weakness that homelessness represents, in closed-off
faces
BRISTOL HEROES
minds might one day be matched by the goodwill that those bruised and hurt bodies can bestow by handing back lost toys to the next young generation. Perhaps the cycle of drought and famine in human behaviour was inevitable. And it was all in the air today, on this first day where you could actually, deeply, feel the warmth returning.
On to Easton. Away from the crowds and the people starting to clump together in little pools in Castle Park, around discarded skateboards and bikes. Reclined like Goya, chatting away. I didn’t need that, so on I pedalled to the East.
Under the M32, under megatonnes of concrete through which the overhead traffic hummed, I heard a different noise. The huff and puff of a boxer in training. Hot-footing his poses over the skate park, by the wildstyle lettering, he jabbed and fell, uppercut the air and rose. Fast little deliberate movements that captured me.
Leaving him to it for several minutes I doubled round on the bike a few times, before boldly braking to a stop at his side and asking if I could take his photograph as he boxed. He was already saying yes with a smile, while a woman with buzzed hair was shouting the odds, a solid concrete echo threat “What do you want to take his photo for?” She shouted.
“Because he’s here, and it’s happening…” I said, and before that died away she was back in, with “You press?” I smiled, maybe a little too big a smile. “No I’m not press, but I might put it in a magazine, for free, to show what life is like boxing under a flyover”.
I scanned a look at my new boxer friend to see if he was still up for this. He was still mid-jab, and he held that while this bonus encounter
unfolded for us both. His eyes told me that he was, so I returned my gaze to the woman, still seated on a huge concrete slab just 10 ft away.
“Twenty quid, you should pay him twenty” she said. I smiled again, but shook my head “I won’t pay for a photo” and to my surprise that was fine. It dealt with the matter. She finished her drink in silence and the boxer resumed to rise, fall and weave around the space.
I like opposites, and the way he moved in such a solid hard brutal space worked for me. I thanked him. He walked off and I went over to the woman and said something that perhaps wasn’t what was needed but I asked it anyway. “Would you like a photo?” She didn’t miss a beat and shot me a look, quick but not as quick as her reply: “No”.
“An earlier flaneur had been here before me, wasting time beautifully”
Always try and get that harderto-get set-up, that’s where the good stuff is. See how deep the rabbit hole goes, don’t just settle for OK, go deep enough so that you are properly exploring.
The bike was low on charge, just enough to head home via Old Market, though Castle Park where the trickle of people had tripled to festival standards of slouching about on the warm grass.
Bumped into John Nation around Rough Trade where he was taking three groups of young French students around, breaking all records for quantity and quality of guided art tours in the city centre. One kid at the front looked at me like he was the leader so I took his photo. Thanked John, who always makes you feel like it’s all worth it, and sped home after a quick stop for coffee at The Taste of Napoli and a chat with an artist.
There were small French cigarettes and a dead espresso on the table next to us; an earlier flaneur had been here before me, wasting time beautifully. When my coffee came I took one sip and was transported to Italy. And just at that moment I took stock of where I was, and how lucky I’d been to have a few hours spare to go warm my spirits in this way.
Just then for a second the world ticked forwards into a whole new season. Spring was here and a thousand chrysalises were breaking, we were about to climb free, born away in the freedom that is Bristol on that first warm day of the year.
I came home and wrote this down immediately. And as I climbed into bed, I thought about all the strangers I had met, with a gaze, and in some fashion marked for us all to see, in picture form. And then I sent the copy in, and the photos too and tuned out, fell into sleep and slept well. n
We are not complainers, in our shop, unless you conspire to stem the flow of obscure European biscuits into our communal tub under the counter, but some weeks in bookselling are harder than others.
You can plan all you want, but last-minute train delays will always place stress on an event, unexpected warehouse snafus will have us anxiously checking the tracking links for missing books until our temples are throbbing, and someone will always, always come in asking for empty cardboard boxes for their house move in the middle of a Saturday in December. It is our cross to bear. Due to the idiosyncrasies of the bookselling year, we have
been more stretched than usual in these hopeful spring months, and perhaps our reading diet has naturally evolved in support: accounts of hardship, travail and Sisyphean endeavour from those at the sharp end. Whether the stakes are reassuringly low or disarmingly high, we hope these recommendations might see you through more taxing times.
Called by the Hills by Anuradha Roy Interspersed with the author’s own rather beautiful watercolours, this is the account of Roy’s relocation from the cosmopolitan bustle of city life to the Himalayan foothills of Ranikhet, and the new oasis she attempts to create there in her idyllic garden. But what begins as an enriching project soon becomes
a weather-beaten stress-inducer, as various aspects of the local flora and fauna conspire to challenge her resolve. Local indifference, bizarre bureaucracy and – most alarmingly – wild leopards all play their part in this new chapter, and it is all documented in wise-feeling prose that reveals real depth as you become more attuned to the role of this garden in the author’s life.
A Training School for Elephants by Sophy Roberts
We adored this powerful yet delicately pitched account of four elephants in the 19th century, shipped from their native India and marched along the East African coast towards the Congo on the orders of King Leopold II of Belgium.
“You can always rely on the contours of a book’s message to bend itself to your needs”own
The story of each of these elephants’ journeys is, unsurprisingly, one of incredible hardship at the whim of colonial arrogance, and details an astonishing kind of suffering that seems (mostly) alien to us now. Rendering the quiet stoicism of the elephants without resorting to cheap anthropomorphisation is one of the book’s chief pleasures, and will give you a renewed perspective on these creatures, their lives both so different from and interlinked with our own.
excavation of an entire social movement, Up The Youth Club sees journalist Emma Warren craft a living testament to the importance of youth clubs across the country. From fledgling pre-war boys’ and girls’ clubs, through widespread political indifference and underfunding, all the way up to the network of clubs as it exists today, the stories she plucks from the archives and from directly from their sources are impeccably chosen and beautifully told. It’s hard not to be moved by the determination of the torch-bearing youth workers featured (several from Bristol, we might proudly add), in the face of intolerable industrial setbacks
You may not be shooing leopards from your garden, reckoning with colonial history or instigating nationwide social change this week (or you might be, apologies if so), but you can always rely on the contours of a book’s message to bend itself to your own needs at the time of reading it. As booksellers we hope we continually improve at intuiting this with the people who come into our shop. Well, as long as you don’t ask us for empty boxes on Saturdays, anyway.
Emma Warren
Up The Youth Club by
A richly detailed and evocative
Visit Storysmith at 36 North Street, Bedminster; 0117 953 7961 www.storysmithbooks.com
BASHRA AESTHETICS
Combining medical expertise with natural results
Founded by Dr Fatima, Bashra Aesthetics offers a personalised approach for those seeking natural, yet noticeable results. With patient safety and quality of care at its core, the clinic reflects a careful balance between medical expertise and aesthetic treatment.
A s a GP with over ten years of clinical experience, Dr Fatima brings a strong foundation in medicine to her work in aesthetics. Having grown up locally before studying medicine at the University of Bristol, she went on to complete a Level 7 qualification in Injectables and Cosmetic Dermatology at Harley Academy, London.
She has since continued her professional development through further training with world-renowned experts, maintaining a high standard of practice within the field.
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Bashra Aesthetics?
Bashra Aesthetics was founded as a clinic for those looking for natural, yet noticeable results. As a GP, patient safety has always been my priority, and I wanted to create a space where that same level of care is reflected in aesthetic treatments. It was important to me to offer treatments that are not only effective, but also delivered in a safe and considered way.
What sets your clinic apart from others in the area?
Delivering a high standard of care is central to everything I do. From the initial consultation through to aftercare, patients receive honest advice, thorough assessments and a personalised treatment plan tailored to their individual needs.
I take the time to listen carefully, ensuring that each patient’s goals are clearly understood and that expectations are realistic and achievable. I am also one of the only practitioners in Bristol and the surrounding
“The expertise, care, careful guidance for the specific needs I had and the friendly approach throughout were brilliant. Highly recommended.”
-Ivete, Bristol”
areas to have undertaken this level of training in aesthetics. This allows me to use advanced techniques when delivering treatments, which can help to minimise downtime for patients.
In addition, my interest in skin and knowledge of dermatology allows me to take a more holistic approach when treating patients.
What treatments do you offer?
I offer a wide range of injectable treatments, alongside skin treatments designed to support overall skin health.
These include microneedling using the SkinPen Precision Elite device. A significant part of my work also involves in-depth skin consultations, as well as prescribing medicalgrade skincare to help address concerns such as hyperpigmentation, acne, and signs of ageing.
For those who are interested but not sure where to start, what would you recommend?
The best place to start is with an in-depth consultation. This gives us the opportunity to explore your concerns and goals in detail, and you will be provided with honest, professional advice on which treatments may be most suitable for you.
For more information visit: www.bashraaesthetics.com @bashraaesthetics
Moorish and moreish, this Welsh Back favourite goes from strength to strength
Words by Deri Robins
When Samit and Puja Chadha acquired The Granary three years ago, they didn’t just take over any old venue. They were about to become the new custodians of a Bristol institution: a building of such distinction and beauty that many architects claim that it’s their favourite in the city.
The Chadhas already had form in this respect. Prior to this they’d reopened the old Severnshed site on The Grove, a once-respected restaurant which never quite lived down the shame of its Great Camembert Scandal (Google it, if you’re interested). The newly christened Harbour House took pains to honour the historic bones of Brunel’s former boathouse, its glorious timbered ceiling and long outdoor terrace making it worth the visit alone.
The Grade-II Granary is a very different kind of building. Designed in 1869 in the Bristol Byzantine style, with ornate polychrome brickwork revealing Byzantine, Romanesque, and Moorish influences, it’s one of only a dozen of its kind left in the city. It seems incredible now, in an era when even new homes are frequently designed with all the care of a flat-pack bookcase, that so much pizazz should have been lavished on a humble grain store, but then that was the Victorians for you.
The menu gazes to the Middle East for inspiration, in honour of the Byzantine trading routes of yore. Head chef Matt Nicholson, who previously cooked his way through Lucky Strike, Spiny Lobster, Little French and Kensington Arms, keeps up the fire-cooked tradition The Granary has always favoured, sending out dishes as colourful as spices in a Moroccan souk.
Dips and breads have also always been a big thing at The Granary, and while I still get a faraway look in my eye if anyone mentions the fava hummus, we opt this time for a beetroot borani. It comes with crisp, very-good-for-you-I’m-sure cruditées, but I’m ashamed to say we give these short shrift in favour of a beautifully blistered flatbread dressed in sesame oil.
DINING DETAILS
Portions are generous. Don’t do as we did, do as we say, and pace yourself. A grilled aubergine pide, the veg charred over fire and mixed zingily with San Marzano tomatoes, oregano and pomegranate, would easily have done me for dinner on an average school nights, while a trio of huge prawns come swimming in Turkish butter; make sure you keep back some of your flatbread, because you are not going to want to waste a single drop of this.
The Granary, 32 Welsh Back, 0117 468 0032 www.granarybristol.com
Having long outgrown its industrial purpose, The Granary spent much of the late 20th century as a music venue, its walls echoing to the licks of Clapton, Black Sabbath, Genesis, Thin Lizzie, Billy Idol, the Sex Pistols, Dire Straits and Queen among others. It’s also been used as a filming location; in case you’re one of the very few remaining people in Bristol who aren’t aware of the fact, it was here that Del Boy did his falling-through-the-bar stunt in Only Fools and Horses
Service Friendly and welcoming Atmosphere Laidback and informal
Then it became a restaurant. When we first launched this magazine in 2004 it was still part of the Loch Fyne chain. Before that it was Belgo, whose demise I have never quite understood: what wasn’t to love about a ‘psycho-kilo’ of mussels with chips and Belgian beer, served by youths in cowled monks’ habits, all for around twelve quid in noughties money?
Finally, in 2023, after standing empty and unloved for too long, The Granary was brought back to life as an all-day dining spot. As at Harbour House, Samit and Puja brought a thoughtful attitude to their new venture. Being relatively new to Bristol, and keen to reflect how the city ticks, they realised the importance of sustainability and keeping everything local, from suppliers to craftspeople. For the interior, for example, Puja collaborated with local artisans and women-led businesses to create the murals, hand-painted tiles and fabrics, all with a strong upcycling ethic; the result is a decor that’s welcoming and distinctive.
Mains are on the large size, too. A whole halfchicken is excellent, the meat juicy and tender; a coffee rub used on the skin creates a savoury-sweet, aromatic bark, and it’s served with a beetroot slaw and spiced raisin sauce in case the flavours aren’t already exciting enough.
My pal and I also order the lamb leg shawarma. I’m not sure what happens to our agreement to share, but by the time I’ve done with my chicken there’s not a scrap of lamb to be found on the other dish, which I guess stands as recommendation enough.
From the restaurant to the bar, the staff here all seem deeply invested and knowledgeable, while the flexible all-day food offering will keep you full and happy from dawn to dusk.
The Granary is not just a daytime venue, however, but a nighttime one too. The underground space has been converted back into a club, although it’s a classier iteration altogether than it was back in the day; no longer a sweaty rock’n’roll cavern, it’s now a classy, lowlit bar, its walls as emerald as the Land of Oz. There’s a long cocktail menu containing all the expected classics, some rock’n’roll themed drinks and even a cheeky nod to Only Fools; a Delgroni, anyone? On Wednesday nights there’s retro live music, while even on the Thursday we visited there was a nostalgic feel to the music track – and what Mai Tai doesn’t slip down more easily to the sound of Sade singing Diamond Life?
Come to the Granary for breakfast coffee and pastries, lunch, a pretheatre supper or a sharing feast. Or just call in for a drink; it’s all very laidback, but try not to take that literally by reenacting the Del Boy bar stunt. It wasn’t even that funny the first time around.
CAN COOK, WILL COOK
Following a successful crowdfunder, Migrateful has opened at Windmill Hill City Farm, offering the chance to learn home cooking from many different cultures
Words by Ursula Cole
BY
PHOTO
NARRATED FRAMES
The idea for Migrateful first came about when Bristol teacher Jess Thomson was running a skill exchange programme with a group of refugee women.
“They were all unemployed despite really wanting to work, because their qualifications weren’t recognised, because of language and legal barriers”, says Jess.
“In one of the sessions, I asked them what skill they would give back in return. Every one of them said they would love to teach their community to cook.
“In the room that day, there were women from all over the world: Ethiopia, Syria, Iran, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Congo. I thought British people would love to learn how to cook these cuisines, and maybe this could be a way to help them into work. I tried it out by inviting a refugee woman from Iran to teach my friends. She loved it, they loved it, and the idea naturally grew from there.
“Since then, we’ve run over 5,580 cookery classes with more than 65,390 participants. At the time of starting in 2017, the Brexit referendum had happened, and there was quite a lot of anti-migration rhetoric in the news. I also saw Migrateful cookery classes as an opportunity for the British public to meet refugees, hear their stories, and connect with them over the universal love of food. This could be a way to reduce prejudice towards refugees in society, which continues to be an important topic today.”
cookery school in Windmill Hill City Farm, which is a very exciting development for us.
What difference has the new site made?
Previously, we struggled without our own venue, but now we can build awareness, train chefs, and run classes in one dedicated space. The response so far from Bristolians has been amazing; the classes are selling really well.
What happens at the cookery school?
We train refugees and migrants, all passionate home cooks, to become Migrateful cookery class teachers. Once trained, they teach the general public. We offer a wide range of cuisines, including Afghan and Trinidadian, with participants learning to prepare five different dishes from the chef’s country, hear stories about their life and cuisine, and then sit down together to enjoy the meal they’ve cooked.
“Migrateful is a chance to meet refugees, hear their stories and connect with them over the universal love of food”
Fast forward, and after a successful crowdfunding campaign, Migrateful cookery school has opened last November at Windmill Hill City Farm.
Jess, how has Migrateful grown and changed since it began?
At the beginning, we mainly ran cookery classes in people’s homes, bringing equipment with us. Now we have cookery schools in London and Bristol, allowing us to offer a much more professional service.
I’m originally from Bristol, and I ran the first cookery class with paying participants on Whiteladies Road in 2017, but Migrateful then grew primarily in London. Meanwhile, we continued to run a training programme in Bristol, with classes taking place in pop-up venues for the last four years. In November last year, we opened our new Bristol
Give us an idea of the range of cultures represented
The Migrateful chef community represents 48 different nationalities, which is amazing. In Bristol, we currently have chefs teaching from Afghanistan, Sudan, Trinidad and Tobago, Egypt, Turkey, Sri Lanka, and Kurdistan. We have seven chefs, with two more (Kamial from Jamaica and Saada from Somalia!) joining our rota in April.
What have its biggest successes so far?
Opening our two cookery schools in London and Bristol, along with receiving public support from chefs Yottam Ottolenghi and Jamie Oliver, reaching £1 million turnover for the first time last year, and delivering over 5,500 cookery classes.
Seeing our chefs go on to open successful food businesses is particularly rewarding. One example is Majeda, a Syrian Migrateful chef who arrived in the UK as an asylum seeker without her family. After teaching classes, she realised how much British people loved her food and went on to start a catering company, employing other Syrian refugees. The business has done incredibly well. We now pass catering enquiries to alumni chefs like Majeda, creating further opportunities beyond Migrateful.
How can we get involved?
Anyone can book a class. It’s a great activity to do with friends or family, enjoying wonderful food and learning new culinary skills. We also run team-building cookery classes for companies. We welcome around 900 volunteers each year who help with set-up and washing up, and they also get to enjoy the meal and connect with our chefs. n
For more: www.migrateful.org
Jess in the centre, with cooks Saada (left) and Kamial
CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE
Just like Philadelphia, it’s always sunny in Drizzle
For this issue’s coffee shop of choice, the CS crew directed its caffeine-seeking feet back towards the lovely street that is Christmas Steps. Come to think of it, is it a street, or an alley? Delightful, either way.
We were in the neighbourhood a while back to check out a place at the lower end of the steps, but this time, our destination, just like Kermit’s favourite stair, was neither at the top, nor at the bottom. In fact, it was sort of halfway up, right opposite 20th Century Flicks. Kermit would definitely have approved.
In case you don’t know it, I’m talking here about the rather beautiful and bijou chocolate-
“It reminded me, once again, of just how much hard work, love and commitment goes into every single little café space we see around us”
box of a café Drizzle. It’s small, a pocket-sized place, but still perfectly formed, with a handful of tables and chairs, a mighty fine display of home baked cakes on offer and a very lush line in coffee. The lovely lady running things behind the counter seemed very nice too. Which means the place definitely ticked all the right café boxes in just the right way.
I was ready to head over to the lovely lady, to have a chat about her cakes, mainly because the CS cake connoisseur had heard a rumour that the ones on offer were partially based on the owner’s grandma’s recipes, when another customer started talking to her.
So, rather than joining in with the chat, I rather sneakily listened in instead. For which I humbly apologise to all concerned. But, in my defence, that is one of the joys of cafés, the random snippets of conversation which fall into your open ears. Like raindrops on a robin.
Anyway, in this case, I hope I will be forgiven for sharing a tiny bit of detail. You see, the lovely lady was telling this customer all about how she had started off the business just
baking cakes, then had found this unit and decided to take the plunge and open a café.
All of which is thoroughly commendable and to be applauded by all lovers of nice things. Including yours truly.
Anyway, the way this proud café- owner was talking put me in mind of another young person I know. This one has just had a baby. Well, actually, come to think of it, his wife actually had the baby. He would be the first to admit she did all the hard work. But I digress.
Main thing is, listening to this (rightfully) proud owner talking about her brand-new business sounded very, very, similar to the way these (rightfully) proud parents talk about their brandnew baby. Reminded me, once again, of just how much hard work, love and commitment goes into every single little cafe space we see around us. Every single one of them being looked after by a team of hardworking, and probably unsung heroes of all things cakey and good.
So, once again, thank you, all you caffeinated kings and queens of coffee. n
Former The Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer; @stancullimore on instagram Google up Stan’s daily substack blog: Diary of an Urban Granddad
Clifton Village, 9 The Mall, Bristol, BS8 4DP
CHARLIE TAYLOR KASK WINE
Springtime in your glass
There’s a moment every year when Bristol seems to collectively exhale.
Heading out for the evening begins with the familiar question: “Is it warm enough to sit outside?” (Usually not, but we all do it anyway.)
Spring isn’t just a change in season, it’s a change in mood. And for KASK (the OG branch on North Street, with garden and heaters) and KASK² (six months in, just past the Arches at the top of Cheltenham Road – no garden, but with high ceilings and big windows that welcome in the sun), it means a refresh of our fridges and shelves. After months of hearty reds and fireside comfort, it’s time to lighten things up.
Enter chilled reds. For years we’ve championed them, but last summer was the first time customers actively started asking for them. Perhaps it’s the result of holidays on the Med, where lightly chilled reds are the norm.
An all-time go-to at KASK is Testalonga’s Chin Up, made from Cinsault – a grape often used in Rhône blends for its softness and floral aromatics. Hailing from Swartland, South Africa’s epicentre of natural wine just north of Cape Town, Chin Up is part of the ‘Baby Bandito’ range: joyful, easy-drinking wines designed for braais (barbecues).
Pop it in the fridge for twenty minutes before opening to highlight its strawberry, raspberry and cherry notes, along with a gentle hint of spice. Other reds that shine with a chill include Gamay (look for Beaujolais), Pinot Noir, Frappato from Sicily, and Austria’s Zweigelt.
DON’T JUDGE A BOTTLE BY ITS COLOUR
Moving from red to pink, this is the time of year when we start hearing the question: “What’s the palest rosé you have?” We have Instagram and White Zinfandel to thank for that.
with five years of Instagrammers at pool parties in Dubai posting pics of magnums of the uberpale Whispering Angel, and the misconception that paler equals better has taken hold. In reality, colour tells us very little about quality. Some producers even use charcoal filtration to lighten the hue, a process that can also strip away flavour. Instagram’s gain is taste’s loss.
“Sane drinkers understand that White Zinfandel is devil’s juice”
Now, part of KASK’s ethos is to take snobbery out of wine, but there are two exceptions: don’t drink Pinot Grigio (it’s generally mass-produced bland rainwater) and don’t drink White Zinfandel. Oxymoronically, White Zinfandel is a rosé made from a red grape – a dark pink, saccharine sweet monstrosity of a wine.
Thankfully most sane drinkers understand that it’s devil juice. Problematically, it’s meant that those who’ve had the misfortune to taste it, avoid any other dark pink-coloured rosé. Combine this
That’s not to say that all pale rosé lacks character. The good winemakers are not using charcoal anywhere in the process. We’re currently pouring a delicious Greek example from Ktima Apostolido by the glass; made from a blend of Syrah and the native variety Karapapas, it’s dry and delicately coloured, yet bursting with flavours of strawberries, white cherries and pink grapefruit, with a subtle hint of cherry blossom – perfect for spring.
Alongside it, we offer a much darker Rosato (the Italian term for rosé) crafted from the Puglian grape Primitivo. Despite it’s redder tone, it remains dry, delivering intense notes of strawberry, cranberry and blood orange, alongside a refreshing saline edge thanks to vineyards close to the southern Italian coast.
A FRESH TAKE ON WHITES
And what about whites? At this time of year, most customers are after something vibrant and thirstquenching –a burst of sunshine in the glass. While Sauvignon Blanc often takes centre stage, there’s a whole world of alternatives worth exploring.
A dry Riesling from Mosel or New Zealand is always going to work thanks to its high acidity and green (Germany) or more tropical (New Zealand) notes. Grüner Veltliner from Austria offers a similarly refreshing profile, with green apple, lime and a signature white pepper note that makes it incredibly food-friendly.
Another grape to seek out is Xarel·lo, a Catalonian variety traditionally used in Cava but increasingly impressive on its own. A current favourite is Pomagrana Blanco by Entre Vinyes – light and fresh, layered with floral aromatics, and with tropical notes.
Whether you’re stretching out in our North Street garden, packing a picnic or simply opening the windows at home, let your wine reflect the energy of the season. Swap the heavy for the lively, the familiar for the exploratory, and embrace the sense of possibility that spring brings.
Visit KASK Wine at 51 North Street and KASK² at 243 Cheltenham Road 07522 198081 www.kaskwine.co.uk
DAN O’REGAN BANK BRISTOL & LAPIN
Ever wondered what it was like to run a Bristol restaurant? Our NEW columnist knows – and he’s happy to share
They tell you about the margins, eventually. They tell you about the staffing, the suppliers, the EHO inspection that lands on the worst possible Tuesday. But the bags – the small, stupid, completely avoidable gaps in your planning – those you discover yourself, in real time, with a guest waiting and your heart somewhere near your throat.
I opened Bank in the summer of 2021. A corner site on the Wells Road, Totterdown –traffic-logged, sun-baked, and finally ours. I’d had a knee reconstruction that January, so the final push was done at a modified pace; a determined hobble toward something that felt like a finish line, until
the doors actually opened and it became obvious it was really the starting blocks.
Opening a restaurant is the ultimate conflict of emotions.
You’re excited –genuinely, almost stupidly excited – to see something you’ve built from nothing start breathing on its own. And then the doors open and the excitement cracks slightly, because now it’s real, and real things can go wrong.
Opening day feels like throwing a party at school.
You’ve sent the invites. You’ve tidied the house. You stand by the door trying to look casual, but secretly terrified that nobody’s coming.
When the first person walked in, she ordered a coffee and a slice of cake to take away. Back then we were more café than restaurant, and a takeaway order
“What keeps me in Bristol is the scale. It’s small enough to know people, big enough for it to matter”
was exactly the kind of thing we should have been prepared for. We had no takeaway bags. I power-walked – couldn’t run, fresh knee, doctor’s orders – around the corner to Sundial Kitchen. Our neighbours. Fellow Totterdown residents. A place I’d admired from the outside, and was now meeting, somewhat ungracefully, from the inside. I explained myself, probably not very elegantly. They handed over a stack of bags without a second thought. I walked back, the guest smiled, and that was that. It sounds like nothing. But it set the tone for everything that followed. Bristol has a reputation, and most of it is deserved. The food here is serious without being solemn. There are kitchens doing work that would hold their own anywhere in the country. But what actually keeps me here – what made me want to plant a flag on a corner of South Bristol in the first place – is harder to put on a menu. It’s the scale. Small enough to know people, big enough for it to matter. Chefs here know each other. Producers know their customers by name. The city has a generosity to it that I don’t think happens by accident – it’s been built, slowly, by people who decided that the person opening up around the corner
was a neighbour, not a threat. Sundial didn’t know me from Adam that morning. They helped anyway.
I’ve spent five years now on the other side of the pass, learning what hospitality actually means when it’s your name above the door. Before Bank, before Lapin, I ate in restaurants the way most people do – gratefully, without much thought for what was going on behind that door to the kitchen. Now I think about almost nothing else. The labour cost behind a dish. The supplier who delivered on a Sunday. The regular who came back the week after a bad service and said nothing about it, just ordered the usual. What I want to do in this column is write about all of it. The food – Bristol keeps giving me material. But also the stuff behind the room. The decisions that don’t make the menu. The meals that stay with you. The industry as it actually is, not as it photographs. n
Dan is the co-owner of neighbourhood restaurant BANK, and French restaurant Lapin
BANK Bristol, 107 Wells Road www.bankbristol.com Lapin, Cargo 2, Museum Street www.lapinbristol.co.uk
BANK Bristol
SPRING INTO KILVER
A one-stop destination for lifestyle, shopping, work and wellbeing.
We have all come to know Kilver Court and Gardens as the home of Mulberry and TOAST, but a host of new tenants and a carefully considered re-mastering of the site, mean that there are now many more reasons to visit the iconic Shepton Mallet destination.
Once more under the ownership of the Showering family, whose ancestors first purchased the site in the 1950s, Kilver Court and Gardens is now home to new independent fashion and homewares retailers, a chef-run café, yoga, a pilates studio and a coworking space.
Chef Nick Hampson has taken on the renovated Kilver café, a chic, light-filled space, looking out onto a re-paved courtyard that has parasols and seating for sunny days. A fresh, seasonal brunch and lunch menu, as well as all-day pastries, are served from 9.30 to 4.30, using produce from the gardens wherever possible.
The Wiggly Shed, formerly the garden shop on the courtyard, has now been taken over by innovative garden and homewares brand Makers & Merchants, whose founders have an incredible design heritage, via the Conran Shop and Liberty. Travelling Europe to discover ceramicists, glassmakers and homeware designers, they bring a curated selection of their finds to Kilver Court and Gardens, where they have established their first offline store, alongside their Somerset food and drink ranges.
In the main Kilver Court building you will find a new TOAST Home, a gallery-style Makers & Merchants store and homewares brand Courthouse Interiors. Courthouse’s only offline store – the brand holds some 20,000 products online – the Kilver shop shows traditional British brands such as
Mulberry Home and Sanderson alongside a joyfully eclectic selection of light fittings and tableware by leading European brands. With prices ranging from £10 for homewares to £6,000 for a sofa, there is something to suit all budgets and tastes.
Somerset-born brand Coco & Wolf and British fashion retailer NRBY are running pop-ups at Kilver through June 2026.
Coco & Wolf’s exquisite Liberty Fabric bedding, homewares and apparel are only sold here at Kilver and at the Liberty London store itself, while NRBY has stores in London and Bath. The clothing brand prides itself on sustainable, natural fabrics like silk, linen and cashmere and designs that foreground versatility and durability over fast-fashion. New to Kilver too is Distil Coworking, a calm, contemporary environment that offers membership and pay as you go desk space for remote working, with free garden access and bookable meeting room and podcast booth as part of the deal. Yoga classes in the ballroom and a state-of-the-art reformer pilates studio, run by A&M Pilates, complete the wellbeing offer, making Kilver Court and Gardens a truly one-stop destination for live, work and play. n
Kilver Court, Kilver Street, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5NF; See www.kilvercourt.co.uk for up to date events and happenings
Photo by: Dave Watts
Photo by: Dave Watts
DALARNA ICE BUCKET COFFEE TABLE, £350
Who doesn’t love a two-in-one? This beautifully woven wicker ice bucket table is a perfect blend of rustic charm and modern functionality From Cox & Cox www.coxandcox.co.uk
RATTAN SWINGING CHAIR, £565
No sturdy garden tree is complete without a boho rattan egg chair swinging gently from a branch
From Graham & Green, 92 Walcot Street, Bath; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk
GARDENING
Top ways to elevate your outdoor space without even picking up a trowel
allows the Egg to cook restaurant-quality food, it’s the handsomest BBQ on the block From The Belmont Estate Farm, Bristol Road, Wraxall www.belmont.estate www.biggreenegg.co.uk
NIWAKI RATTAN SNIPS, £84
Designed for the lighter kind of flower snipping, and so pretty with its Japanese design and wisteria rattan handles that you won’t want to tidy it away From Maze, 26-28 The Mall; www.mazeclothing.co.uk
SIMONA PLANT POT, £15-£25
Made from fine Italian clay in Denmark, with just enough decorative detail to elevate it above the norm
From Mon Pote, 217a North Street www.monpote.co.uk
SASSARI PELLET PIZZA OVEN, £245
Easy to use, with streamlined good looks and small dimensions allowing it to comfortably fit any outdoor space
From The Big Kitchen, 100 High Street, Portishead www.thebigkitchen.co.uk
GIRAVOLTA 1799T OUTDOOR LAMP, £POA
Candles flicker. This rechargeable table lights from PEDRALI won’t
From Oskar Furniture 47 Whiteladies Road www.oskarfurniture.co.uk
NORDAL CARVI THERMOS JUG, £32
Hot drinks get cool fast when you’re out in the garden, and vice versa.
Here’s a stylish way to keep the temperature just right
From Mon Pote
MEZE BISTRO CHAIR, £215
This is giving distinct Cargo 2 first-floor terrace vibes, no?
From Graham & Green, 92 Walcot Street, Bath
FIORIRA UN GIARDINO SMALL TEA LIGHT, £4 (FROM £8)
Can also be used as a vase for pretty small bouquets
From Maze, 26-28 The Mall www.mazeclothing.co.uk
WILLOW BERRY COLLECTING BASKET, £39
Pretty in buff-and-green willow; designed for foraging, or, you know, just leaving about
From Bristol Artisan
CANCÚN CAFÉ TABLE & DINING CHAIR, £499 EACH
Classic yet contemporary designs which will complement any outdoor setup
From BoConcept, 51-53 Merchant Street www.boconcept.com
JUNE
17-18, WATERSHED
MINDSPA FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Stimulation awaits
Scan for Delegate Passes
Headline Partner
FIND YOUR FOCUS
Introducing LITTLE GREEN ROOMS: a more natural way to work and think
In today’s world, the boundary between our professional lives and our domestic sanctuary has blurred. We often find ourselves in what Johann Hari calls a “shallow whirr”—a state of constant digital interruption where we are neither fully focusing nor truly resting. We’ve been conditioned to believe productivity means staring intensely at a screen, but research suggests this relentless ‘spotlight’ focus is only half the story.
In his book Stolen Focus, Hari explores how we need a balance between deep attention and the ‘floodlight’ of mind-wandering. It is often when we look away from the desk that we make our most creative breakthroughs. This is why a garden room can be the key to finding your flow: by providing a dedicated space to think paired with a view of nature, it invites the creative thought that modern life so often suppresses.
HEADSPACE FOUND
Little Green Rooms is the only garden room company dedicated exclusively to homeworking. While others build gyms or man-caves, its focus is singular. From climate
control to cork walls for pinning inspiration, every detail is designed to create the ultimate working environment, offering professional focus and creative sanctuary.
With floor-to-ceiling glass, these spaces invite you to look out and look up. By watching the breeze in the trees or sliding the door open to hear the birds, you allow your brain to enter its mind-wandering mode – the state where we solve problems subconsciously. And with Farrow & Ball-painted walls, adjustable lighting, and homemade curtains, it feels like a natural extension of your house and style. A space where the boundary between productivity and wellbeing softens, allowing you to work deeply without leaving home.
NATURE-FIRST DESIGN
What sets the company apart is a commitment to craftsmanship and sustainability. As a small, independent business, Little Green Rooms treats every project as a personal collaboration. Their nature-first philosophy means the use of responsibly sourced timber, recycled insulation, and eco-friendly foundations. Plus, every garden room features a gorgeous sedum roof for natural insulation and a positive impact on garden wildlife.
These spaces are engineered for yearround comfort, warm in winter and cool in summer, ensuring your retreat is functional in any season. With a strong architectural design, the friendly Bristol-based team creates customisable spaces that reflect the unique character of your home and lifestyle needs.
A PLACE TO THINK
Ultimately, a garden room is about more than adding square footage; it’s about reclaiming the quality of your attention. Whether you’re navigating a complex project or simply need a quiet place to make sense of a busy day, these spaces provide the perfect environment.
By moving your office into the garden, you aren’t just changing your commute; you’re finding the space to think clearly and find headspace in a chaotic world. A natural sanctuary that is closer than you think. n
Little Green Rooms is based in Bristol but installs across the South of England and Wales.
First, a top tip. When gardening, the best way to make sure you’re removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it was a valuable plant. OK, that more or less sums up our entire knowledge of plant care. You’re welcome.
Luckily, we have some rather more knowledgeable local experts on hand to help you improve your rolling 300-acre estate/handkerchief-sized backyard/balcony this spring, and very soon, you’ll be able to sit out in your own little patch of paradise, glass of Thatchers Gold* in hand (*other brands also available); but before you attain this al fresco nirvana, there’s a bit of work that needs to be done first. Tool up, and read on.
1. Experts, ease us in gently. If we wanted to make one small change to transform our garden, what should it be?
“I’d recommend opting for hardy, native perennials in place of seasonal annuals”, says Nick Woodhouse of Woodhouse & Law. “While they’re a more expensive outlay initially, over time this investment will save you money, with the perennials returning each year and providing muchneeded food and shelter for the garden’s wildlife throughout the seasons.
“In the light of declining insect and bird populations, we also often advocate leaving certain areas of the garden, and the perennials within, to their own devices – avoiding digging if possible and supporting the biodiversity of the space. Perennials are far less demanding in terms of water and feed requirements than annuals, too, meaning their sustainability credentials are far greater.”
“One easy change you can make in your garden is get rid of any small pots – either plant the plants into the garden, or get one or two large statement pots”, says garden designer Eliza Gray. “This reduces maintenance chores, such as daily watering and weekly feeding, it makes the plants happy and also unifies the garden, creating focal points and making it feel less ‘bitty’.
clockwise: We’d happily spend all summer in this corner designed by Woodhouse & Law; or this idyllic poolside by Artisan Landscapes
“Introduce more blossom trees!” says Will Cooke of Artisan Landscapes. “Amazing for structure, screening and encouraging wildlife. One of our favourites for small gardens is Malus Everest (crab apple). It provides beautiful seasonal interest, with pretty light-pink blossoms in April and warm orange leaves in autumn. Their fruit is also wonderful for chutneys and crab apple jelly, perfect for a cheese board.”
“Gardens often just get looked at from the house”, says Chris Tozer of Little Green Rooms. “Don’t make the tool shed the only reason to get out there – create a destination, a purpose and a space that’s designed and dedicated for you to enjoy.”
“Often, the most transformative change is also the simplest: rethink your planting”, says Sheldon Wressell of Eden Garden Designs.
“Swapping out tired or sparse planting for a more layered, intentional mix, combining structure, softness, and seasonal interest, can completely shift how a garden feels. Even in a small space, introducing movement, texture, and pollinator-friendly plants brings it to life. It’s less about adding more, and more about choosing better.”
Finally, “Give your garden a good spring clean”, says Tabitha Tarling. “Throw out old pots, prune back unruly shrubs and give the terrace a good sweep! Technically three things, but all doable in a day.”
2. And if we have the services of a professional gardener?
“We are increasingly being asked to design gardens without lawns”, says Will Cooke. “Honestly, unless there is a specific need for a lawn – young children, pets, etc – most gardens would benefit from more planting than grass.”
And Will’s not alone in this conviction: “Ditch the lawn in favour of a more diverse range of pollinators”, says Nick Woodhouse. “Grass isn’t as maintenance-free as you might think. Not only does it require significant amounts of water over summer, but grass also involves a lot of maintenance; weekly mowing in summer, seasonal feeding, annual scarification and the occasional overseeding after a dry spell.
A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN
“Life has changed”, says Chris Tozer. “More people are working, creating, or even building businesses from home, but most houses were never designed for this.
“We started Little Green Rooms to create a better solution: a dedicated personal space for focus and freedom. A small space to dream big.
“One of our favourite garden rooms happens to be our biggest – it’s 5.4m x 3.5m – but it’s the setting, not the size that we love. It’s nestled in the middle of a forest and the burnt cedar cladding looks stunning among the huge trees. Our rooms are inspired by nature and sustainability, so it’s the perfect spot.
“We’re currently exploring how we can make our garden rooms more soundproof, so our dream project might be to work with a musician or recording studio. They’re the perfect place to write music – and might well be the perfect place to practice or even record it.”
“Little Green Rooms offer small spaces to dream big”
“A garden should make you feel you’ve privilegedenteredspace”
“It’s also a monoculture – one that when mowed regularly, does very little to support the garden’s wildlife. In its place, a varied collection of hardy, resilient grasses, perennials and ground cover offer so much more – not just in terms of food and shelter for wildlife, but also in variety of texture, height and colour interest for us, too.”
“Re-do a herbaceous border to reinvigorate the overall look, bearing in mind a complete refresh of plants will take at least two years to bed in properly”, says Tabitha Tarling. “For a more manageable change, you could put in a large focal pot(s) with a fantastic selection of plants for summer, which you can then change for the autumn/winter.”
“A well-considered layout is what truly elevates a garden”, says Sheldon Wressell. “Bringing in a designer allows you to reshape the space, introducing structure through levels, built-in seating, or defined zones that guide how the garden is used and experienced. It’s about creating a sense of flow and enclosure, so the garden feels cohesive rather than pieced together.
“There’s a quote I often come back to, by Michael Pollan in Second Nature: ‘A garden should make you feel you’ve entered privileged space –a place not just set apart but reverberant… the gardener must put some kind of twist on the existing landscape, turn its prose into something nearer poetry’.
“That ‘twist’ is often what good design brings, working with the site but elevating it into something more atmospheric and meaningful.”
“Employing a professional garden designer will help you to explore the ways in which you use your garden, making the best use of space and introducing ideas that you may not have thought of”, says Eliza Gray.
“It will also ensure that the specification for the garden build is of a quality that will have longevity, and the plants chosen for your garden are suitable for the space, and so they will thrive and not need replacing within the year”
above: An idyllic workspace by Little Green Rooms; below: The Mortimer Road garden by Artisan Landscapes is wild, sophisticated and full of interest
3. Tell us about a favourite garden you’ve worked on “We loved working recently on the garden of a Grade-II villa”, says Nick Woodhouse.“It was previously overgrown, with very little space to relax in. The brief was to transform this city garden into a serene oasis. Blending contemporary and traditional styles to create lounging and dining areas, we used materials sympathetic to the age and style of the property: natural stone, herringbone pavers, gravel for a softness of touch. We also introduced a new water feature as a focal point that could be enjoyed from the conservatory, while providing welcome ambient noise to counter city life beyond the walls.
“In terms of planting, multi-stem Amelanchier and Prunus trees were added to provide height and year-round interest, underplanted with an array of herbaceous perennials in soft blues, pinks and whites.”
“I have recently worked on two very different gardens, both built last year”, says Eliza Gray. “The first was a series of elegant terraces for a listed Georgian house, where sensitivity to the historic setting was balanced with my clients’ need for an attractive entertaining space. We worked with gentle limestones and pastel planting to create an elegant and beautiful space.
EARLY INSPIRATION
What better place to inspire kids with an love of gardening than at their own school?
At Tockington Manor School just north of Bristol, the 28-acre grounds are far more than a beautiful backdrop. Teachers treat the prep school’s estate as a living classroom where children can connect their learning with real-world experiences.
From creating artwork with the golden autumn leaves that fall from over 200 trees in their private arboretum, to learning the science behind frost that forms on
cold winter mornings, teachers take every opportunity to get the children out into the great outdoor classroom they call home. The beautiful wisteria that flowers in summer offers opportunities to study wildlife, while the bluebells, daffodils and crocuses that linger for Open Day in May give a visible lesson on seasons to nursery learners. Even a fallen oak tree becomes a teacher, as reception children explore the ladybirds living in its trunk.
The school is a fine reminder that what we plant in the garden can be rewarding in more ways than one. www.tockingtonmanor school.com
“The second design is now in the process of being built, and is for a modern house, with large glass walls overlooking a courtyard. Here I have introduced a simple planting palette which is suitable for shade, with focal points of a modern water feature, a Japanese acer and a green and simple moss garden feature. This garden will be further enhanced by very simple lighting to enjoy the space at night.”
“We love our Mortimer Road project”, says Will Cooke. “A perfect example of a no-lawn garden. Wild, sophisticated and full of interest. Well-balanced hard landscaping with deep, wildlife-friendly planting. This project received the industry-revered British Association of Landscaping Industries Principal Award.”
“One project that really captures my approach is a courtyard garden I designed in Chew Magna’, says Sheldon Wressell.
“It’s a relatively compact space, but by introducing strong geometry, rendered planters, built-in timber seating and subtle level changes, it creates a sense of structure and calm. Within that framework, the planting softens everything, with clipped forms and seasonal variation bringing movement and life.
“I love it because it embodies that balance between clarity and atmosphere. The layout is quite architectural, but the experience of being in the space feels immersive and restorative. It’s that idea again of turning something functional into something poetic, creating a garden that not only looks good, but feels quietly special to spend time in.”
“I recently finished a large project which involved a complete overhaul of the existing garden”, says Tabitha Tarling. “It was a really fun project, with clients who were open to exciting ideas like having a slide from the top of the garden down to the football pitch.”
Pastel planting flatters a Georgian home; by Eliza Gray; inset: Eliza’s latest design for a more contemporary house
GARDENS
AND FOR MORE INSPIRATION…
JEKKA’S HERB FARM
Once the site of a derelict blacksmith’s cottage in Alveston, Jekka’s Herb Farm is home to both the country’s first herbetum and its largest collection of herbs, the farm now boasting over 500 varieties at the last count. More recently, its priority has been education, one highlighted by the ongoing success of the farm’s master classes covering all things herbs – from their growing to more specific classes on dividing and potting up. Fresh on the success of its popular spring 2026 master classes, the farm is now taking bookings for its next open days, to be held in June.
Alveston BS35 3SY www.jekkas.com
Gardening books, TV shows and magazine features are helpful, but nothing beats wandering around a beautiful, professionally designed garden to inspire you to dig out the gloves and secateurs. Nick Woodhouse of Woodhouse & Law shares five of his local favourites.
1YEO VALLEY ORGANIC GARDEN
Intersected and cocooned by a matrix of beech hedging, the organic gardens of Yeo Valley sit just above Blagdon Lake, offering a breathtaking and magical patchwork of individual spaces. From the colourful tapestry of the gravel garden to the enchanting silver birch grove, each space offers something distinctly different.
One of head gardener Sarah Mead’s first introductions to the garden was its avenue of crab-apple trees, which really comes into its own in May when in full bloom, with petals dropping like snowfall in the breeze. Towering spires of camassia flower in solidarity in the adjoining meadows, which are also home to the beehives that provide honey to the garden’s café and shop.
The garden has been at its current home in Stoke Bishop for over two decades now, its meandering organic trail leading visitors through a blend of informal and formal plantings from all over the world. Open seven days a week, It’s also home to an extensive programme of talks and workshops throughout the year.
Hartcliffe City Farm is a joint initiative between Bedminster’s Windmill City Farm and local charity Heart of BS13, founded to tackle the health inequality within the less prosperous areas of this postcode. Managed by Sol Harmsworth, the flower farm sells to local wholesalers as well as weddings, with flower such as dahlia, cosmos and zinnia used alongside eucalyptus and ornamental grasses, all grown on site. As a small charity, they are not able to accommodate walk-in visitors, but are delighted to accept booking to offer group tours of the flower farm.
Hartcliffe City Farm BS13 0QH www.heartofbs13.org.uk
YOU HAVE BEEN READING:
WOODHOUSE AND LAW is a full-service interior and garden design company, delivering residential and commercial projects both locally and further afield. www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk
ELIZA GRAY GARDENS Eliza has designing gardens for 20 years, from courtyards to country estates; this year she’s creating an installation based on ‘Beautiful Biodiversity’ at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. www.elizagraygardens.co.uk
LITTLE GREEN ROOMS builds and installs beautifully designed garden rooms. www.littlegreenrooms.co.uk
ARTISAN LANDSCAPES specialises in garden design, build and aftercare. www.artisanlandscapes.co.uk
EDEN GARDEN DESIGN creates thoughtful, contemporary outdoor spaces that balance strong structure with naturalistic planting to support both people and wildlife. www.edengardendesignbristol.co.uk
TABITHA TARLING GARDEN DESIGN specialises in creating beautiful functional spaces for all year round. www.tabithatarling.co.uk
below and inset: Yeo Valley Organic; right: Jekka’s Herbs
5CAISSON
Slightly further afield, but definitely worth the trip. Until recently the gardens at Caisson Combe Hay, just outside Bath, have rarely been open to the public. Since buying the property in 2010, husband-and-wife team Amanda and Phil Honey have immersed themselves in the landscape there. The former canals and waterways cutting through the hillside are sculptural landforms in their own right, each lock providing its own distinct microclimate. Thanks to this sympathetic,
gentle transformation, the gardens are host again to a wealth of wildlife. Numerous pollinating insects, honey and solitary bees and crickets are drawn to repurposed spaces such as the wildflower meadows. Alongside a series of workshops and masterclasses, such as those with awardwinning photographer Jason Ingram on 14 and 15 May, the garden also has a number of open days throughout the coming months. n
Caisson House, Combe Hay BA2 7EF www.caissongardens.com
RHS-qualified horticultural expertise combined with sensitive design and longterm estate stewardship, delivering thoughtful garden creation, restoration, and care across the South West.
Atruly beautiful garden is never accidental. It is shaped through knowledge, care, and a clear understanding of both landscape and lifestyle.
At Greenfolk Gardening, this principle underpins a comprehensive range of professional gardening services, delivered with consistency, attention to detail, and a genuine passion for the craft.
Working across Bristol and the wider South West, their experienced and approachable team provides everything from historic garden restoration and innovative design to full estate management and meticulous year-round maintenance. Each project is approached individually, with solutions tailored to the specific needs of the space and the people
who use it.
At the heart of the business is a simple belief: every garden has the potential to be beautiful. Realising that potential requires both technical skill and sensitivity—qualities that define Greenfolk Gardening’s work. Whether undertaking a complete garden transformation or refining an established space, their RHSqualified horticulturalists bring a measured and thoughtful approach to every stage of the process.
Historic gardens are a particular area of expertise. With extensive experience in restoring and maintaining heritage landscapes, the team works carefully to preserve original character while improving the health and longevity of the garden. From reclaiming overgrown areas to re-establishing topiary
and formal structures, each intervention is carried out with respect for the garden’s history. Where appropriate, comprehensive conservation and management plans are developed, ensuring that restoration work is both sustainable and enduring.
Alongside restoration, garden design and consultancy form a key part of their offering. Their design team works closely with clients to create outdoor spaces that reflect individual style and practical needs. This can range from detailed planting schemes and ornamental borders to vegetable gardens, wildlife-friendly planting, and aquatic features. Whether redesigning an entire landscape or focusing on a single area, every element is carefully considered, from initial concept through to final implementation.
Estate management is delivered with the same level of care and expertise. Maintaining larger properties requires a broad and detailed skill set, and Greenfolk Gardening provides a fully comprehensive service. This includes lawn care, fruit tree training, formal garden upkeep, meadow and hedgerow management, and the maintenance of woodland, pathways, and wider estate features. Their experience spans both historic estates and contemporary landscapes, ensuring that each environment is managed appropriately and to a consistently high standard.
Ongoing maintenance remains central to their work. A garden’s success depends not only on its design, but on how it is cared for over time. The team offers everything from routine weeding and pruning to more specialist services such as soil health management, pest control, and seasonal planting. Lawns are mown, fed, and scarified; borders are tended and refreshed; and planting is managed to ensure year-round
interest and vitality.
This continuity of care allows gardens to develop naturally, maintaining their structure and beauty throughout the seasons. Spring growth, summer abundance, autumn colour, and winter form are all considered, ensuring that the garden remains engaging and wellbalanced at every stage of the year.
Clients value not only the quality of the work, but the professionalism and reliability of the team. With a consultative approach and a strong attention to detail, Greenfolk Gardening builds long-term relationships based on trust, consistency, and shared understanding. Each garden is treated with respect, and every project is delivered with the same commitment to excellence. n
Ready to elevate your garden? Arrange a consultation and discover how we can transform your outdoor space with enduring beauty and expert care. greenfolkgardening@gmail.com www.greenfolkgardening.com
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To explore our portfolio of gardens and begin shaping a landscape of your own...
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: HISTORIC PARK & GARDEN, SOMERSET
This registered historic park and garden in Somerset, originally designed in the late Victorian era by Francis Inigo Thomas, reflects an Arts and Crafts reinterpretation of a classic Elizabethan landscape. Today, Greenfolk Gardening manages the site with a focus on careful restoration and ongoing stewardship.
Their work spans woodland meadows, lawns, intricate parterres, and extensive box and yew hedging, alongside the preservation of specimen trees and shrubs. Particular attention has been given to the wildflower meadows, where three species of orchids flourish within the grassland. Through gradual and considered intervention, the gardens are being restored to their former grandeur while retaining their historic integrity and enhancing their natural beauty.
“Over the last year Ed and the team have restored the garden to its former grandeur.”
Graham, North Somerset
FOR THE WIN
The 10th Bristol Life Awards took place at Ashton Gate Stadium last month. Here’s how it all went down
Ten whole years – where does the time go?
Long-time attendees may remember the very first Bristol Life Awards, which saw hundreds of finalists, judges and guests, along with the just plain curious, assembling in a gurt big marquee right at the heart of the city centre on Canon’s Marsh. Everyone enjoyed it so much we did it again... and again. Nine more times, in fact; once remotely, during lockdown, but latterly at Ashton Gate.
the tiny indies and fresh new start-ups – altogether, an uncommon cavalcade of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
So much went down, so febrile was the atmosphere, that you’d have forgiven anyone for heading home straight afterwards, shattered and exhausted. As it turns out, Bristol is made of sterner stuff, and the afterparty rocked on till the small hours in the Sports Bar.
The 10th edition of the Awards, held on 26 March, had it all going on. There were full-sized Gromit statues and a hot-air balloon basket. Sleek Porsches and heirloom watches; a Thatcher’s cider truck and one of those glass boxes we know you all love to be photographed in.
full-sized Gromit statues and a hot-air balloon Sims,
Our host with the most, our compère beyond compare, was Mr Bristol himself, the one and only Joe Sims, who joined us on stage to greet and congratulate the winners. Because, of course, the night belonged to them: the best of the city’s businesses, the much-loved veterans, the out-ofnowhere heroes, the legendary large corporates,
A huge thank you to all our judges and sponsors – we literally couldn’t do it without you – along with everyone who nominated themselves and/or turned up on the night. Made the shortlist? You’re officially the brightest stars in the Bristol firmament.
without
Bristol, as we know, is the most exciting, creative and independent city in the West, the alt-capital of the UK, but it would be nothing without the people who live and work here. Here’s to all of them (which is to say, all of you), and to next year, when we get to do it all over again.
Turn the page to see who won what this year, and how it all looked through the lenses of our estimable photographers.
lenses
www.bristollifeawards.co.uk
For more: www.bristollifeawards.co.uk
PHOTOS
CATEGORY WINNERS
ARTS & CREATIVE
Sponsored by
WINNER: WAKE THE TIGER
WINNER: TVNET
CIVIC
BAR & PUB
Sponsored by
WINNER: WESTBURY PARK PUB & KITCHEN
CHARITY
Sponsored by
EDUCATION
WINNER: 1625 INDEPENDENT PEOPLE WINNER: BRISTOL CLAMSHELL COURSE
WINNER: BELMONT ESTATE
PHOTOS
EMPLOYER
Sponsored by
WINNER: PARMENION
WINNER: COR RESTAURANT
HAIR & BEAUTY
WINNER: KINDRED CLINIC
HOMES & INTERIORS
WINNER: LITTLE GREEN ROOMS
EVENT Sponsored by
WINNER: WOMEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP 2025 AT ASHTON GATE
HEALTH & WELLBEING Sponsored by
WINNER: GRACE & GREEN
LEGAL & FINANCIAL
WINNER: HARTSFIELD
RETAILER
WINNER: SPARKS BRISTOL
SUSTAINABILITY
WINNER: ECOSURETY
SMALL BUSINESS
WINNER: BIG NATH’S BBQ
TECHNOLOGY
Sponsored by
WINNER: SIGNABLE
PLATINUM AWARD
Sponsored by
WINNER: GROMIT UNLEASHED 3
AWARDS 2026
PHOTOS ON PAGES 71-74 BY JON CRAIG
PHOTOS ON PAGES 77-81 BY ADAM CLUTTERBUCK
PHOTOS ON PAGES 83-85 BY NARRATED FRAMES
PHOTOS BY JON CRAIG
PHOTOS BY JON CRAIG
PHOTOS BY JON CRAIG
PHOTOS BY ADAM CLUTTERBUCK
CREATIVITY CONNECTIONS COMMUNITY
49 North View, Westbury Park
www.kindredclinic.co.uk
hello@kindredskin.co.uk
I have been a doctor in Bristol for over 18 years and founded KinDRed Clinic as a trusted destination for doctor-led skin, aesthetics and wellness. At KinDRed, we believe in quality, safety and natural results. That's why we invest in the latest, most advanced technology and ensure every injectable treatment is carried out by a highly experienced doctor. If you are looking to invest in your skin health, feel like you again and see tangible yet subtle results - we are the clinic for you. We can't wait to meet you.
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Roskilly & Co is a boutique
Bristol-based private client law firm focused on empowering clients through clear, empathetic, specialist legal advice.
Our experienced team combines deep local roots with national reach, supporting clients across a wide range of private client matters from our Bristol office.
We work collaboratively and draw on a trusted network of professionals to provide thoughtful, joined-up support tailored to each client’s needs.
Wills
Lasting Powers of Attorney
Probate and Estate administration
Will and inheritance disputes
Cohabitation Agreements
Unmarried couple (co-ownership) disputes
Family law
Emily Roskilly Partner, Founder, Roskilly
& Co
Want to get to know us better? Listen to our podcasts and hear more from the team on our website.
For more information 07940 984777 www.roskillyco.uk
We provide contract cleaning services for businesses and educational establishments across the South West, with daily, weekly or monthly cleaning tailored to your site. We deliver a consistently meticulous clean, backed by rigorous safety standards & seamless account management.
What you can expect:
● Dedicated Account Manager
A single, proactive point of contact who knows your building.
All staff time is electronically recorded. Safe Contractor approved.
PHOTOS BY ADAM CLUTTERBUCK
PHOTOS BY NARRATED FRAMES
PHOTOS BY NARRATED FRAMES
BANNERLEIGH HOUSE
A penthouse apartment within a Leigh Woods house: do we even need to explain that it comes with a view?
Words by Ursula Cole
The ornate Victorian exterior immediately captures the attention and imagination. In an era besotted with elaborate stone carvings, gables, arches, pediments, tall chimney stacks and what have you, the architect who created Bannerleigh House appears to have been even more in thrall to the Gothic revival than most.
So far, so impressive – but just wait until you see the views from the penthouse apartment.
The historic building is set in Leigh Woods, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that the top floor commands the kind of views of Clifton Suspension Bridge that so much enchant the directors of Bristol-set TV dramas. The house has always had this view, but only just; it’s thought to date back to around 1870, when the Bridge was less than a decade old. This was the heyday of the horse and cart, and the unusually shaped entrance hall with its stained-glass windows, was built with this in mind, although it’s doubtful that the horse appreciated such architectural niceties. The building was converted into flats in 1973.
The apartment welcomes you into a spacious hallway; to your right are three large bedrooms, two luxurious en-suite shower rooms and a fabulous family bathroom with double sinks and a freestanding contemporary corner bath. Whoever pays the mortgage will undoubtedly bag the principal bedroom, where an elegant arched window frames a spectacular view of the Bridge.
There’s a similar view from the reception area; a fabulous open-plan kitchen, dining, and sitting space measuring over 54ft in all, with exposed rafters and charming wood-paned sliding doors. One side of the living space is entirely given over to a fitted bookcase; we love how the owners have stacked logs for the woodburner at the top (though have no idea how they get them down).
The kitchen has been recently updated with contemporary finishes and is upliftingly light and bright. From the dining area the panoramic view extends across to Ashton Court’s parkland and the city.
Thought that was it? Surprise – a terrace reached from the hallway has even further-reaching views across the city and over to distant hills.
The current owners, a young professional family, have enjoyed the apartment for several years.
“It’s been a wonderful place to live”, they say. “The views are fantastic, and seeing the city every day you gain such an appreciation for the beauty of a misty morning, and watching the sunsets bathe the view in gold can be rather magical.
‘It’s a beautiful place to host parties – at New Years Eve you can see fireworks over the whole city, and in the summer during the Balloon Fiesta you can often hear the pilots talking as they fly overhead.”
And in case you’re new to town, let’s spell out the enviable location. With impressive private homes hidden discreetly behind mature hedges, Bannerleigh Road is a peaceful tributary off Bridge Road, the latter taking you straight across the Suspension Bridge and into elegant Clifton Village. At the other end you can cross North Road and straight into Nightingale Valley: town and country in one seductive package.
HOUSE NUMBERS
Where? Leigh Woods
BRISTOL LIVES
SHEILA HANNON
The creative producer of Show of Strength has been an a major player on the Bristol theatre scene for over 40 years
Show Of Strength Theatre Company was founded in Bedminster in 1986.
“We focus on local and often forgotten stories, unusual venues, and increasingly on telling stories in the places where they actually happened”, says Sheila. Oh, and they’ve just launched a podcast.
Where did you grow up?
Liverpool! I’m very proud to have been part of Merseyside Unity Theatre.
When were you first bitten by the theatre bug?
Around nine years old. I was blown away by my first live theatre experience, something clicked, and I wondered what it would be like to be part of it.
Did you really run away from home to join the circus?
Mentally, yes. But not in reality. I’m terrified of heights.
“The nuns at my convent school wired me for guilt but I refuse to add regret”
extraordinary space. We opened Tobacco Factory Theatre in 1998.
How did Show of Strength begin?
I wrote a play based on a forgotten Victorian thriller, and I and another writer decided to produce it ourselves. That show, Double Vision, launched the company and toured widely. Forty years on, true crime still runs through our theatre walks and new podcasts, and I’m developing another piece about Victorian crime in Bristol.
How many walks do you run now?
We run nine, with a tenth, focused on Hotwells, coming next year.
Which is the most popular?
the king for three years before surrendering without a single execution.
The Holy Grail was reportedly kept on Royal York Crescent –our Clifton tour tells the story.
Britain’s most prolific serial killer was born in Bristol (covered in our St George tour).
What has been your proudest moment?
Show Of Strength has contributed significantly to Bristol’s cultural life, especially through the artists we work with. In difficult times, live, imaginative experiences feel more important than ever.
Has the city changed since you moved here?
How did you end up in Bristol?
I first visited with a friend, saw the Clifton Suspension Bridge, and was sold. Later I realised I’d swapped Liverpool and the Mersey for Bristol and the Severn, both West Coast estuary cities looking toward Wales.
We know you helped to found Tobacco Factory Theatres . . . We started at the Hen & Chicken in 1989, producing seasons of new and lesser-known work. People said no-one would come – Bedminster was very different back then – but we regularly hit 90% capacity.
In 1993 we had to move when brewery policy changed, and Bristol City Council offered Bakers Hall in Quakers Friars.
A few years later I discovered George Ferguson had bought an old tobacco factory. When I first saw it there was no water or electricity, and plenty of dead pigeons, but it was an
Probably Blood & Butchery in Bedminster. Bedminster is older than Bristol itself and full of remarkable stories: a lion killing a man in a pub yard, a famous impostor buried locally, and £13 million from the Brinks-Mat robbery laundered there – we can even show you the bank.
We hear you have a new podcast! Give us an idea of what’s in store
Bristol: It’s Criminal begins with Blackbeard and the Pirates, revealing the real Edward Teach – far from the clichéd image of him. Chapter two, The Skeleton in the Cupboard, explores John Horwood, the first man hanged at Bristol’s New Gaol, and what happened to his body. More episodes are coming soon, available on all major platforms and via our website.
Share a few favourite facts about Bristol
In the 1300s, Bristol briefly became an independent state. Castle Constable Bartholomew Badlesmere set excessive taxes and kept the money, prompting ‘The Great Rebellion’, led by the mayor. Bristol held out against
Hugely. Bedminster and Southville are almost unrecognisable. In 1985 there were no real restaurants, just cafés closing at 3pm. When Al’s Tikka Grill opened in the early ’90s, it felt like a revelation.
How would your mates describe you?
“When she was good she was very, very good, but…”
Do you have any secret skills?
An in-depth knowledge of 1950s ‘penny muck’. My dad had a sweet shop, and I served and ate them all.
What is your most regrettable habit?
The nuns at my convent school wired me for guilt, but I refuse to add regret.
Who would play you in a story of your life?
Anjelica Huston.
What are you doing immediately after answering these questions?
Meeting a friend who’s kindly agreed to test an early version of the new Hotwells walk.
