OUR OCTOBER ISSUE IS OUT NOW!

You'll love our marvellous October magazine which features a collection of great reading by our team of wonderful writers as well as beautifully presented advertising by Bath's best businesses.

This month we've embraced the mystery and magic of Halloween. Caleb Ferrari tells us the story of writer Angela Carter’s time in Bath, the doyenne of dark, gothic-themed literature. We also, believe it or not, secured an interview with a self-confessed vampire, Nik Jovcic-Sas. Dame Siân Phillips also spoke to us about her performance in Table Number Seven, part of a Terence Rattigan double bill at the Theatre Royal. There's a celebration of Bath Philharmonia's 25 years, news of a spectacular sound and light experience at the Abbey, and a host of ideas for stand-out interiors and a rich directory of contacts providing inspiration and practical solutions for the home.

Every month we deliver 15,000 copies door to door, but if you don't get a copy at home then you can pick up a copy at many places around town and from our floor stands at: Waitrose, Sainsbury's [Green Park], M&S Foods in Twerton, Tesco in Weston Village, and at The Holburne Museum. 

Click here to enjoy the digital version of our current issue! 

And if you would like to have a copy sent in the post every month, then we offer a postal subscription for just £33 for 12 issues, £18 for six issues or buy a copy for just £4.25. UK mainland prices. For Euro and World zone subscription prices – click here to subscribe on our website. 

Words by Melissa Blease

Roasted Harissa Aubergines with Tomatoes, Red Peppers and Chickpeas

Spice up your autumn menu with this Middle Eastern-inspired traybake, packed with fragrance and flavour.

Both Ras el Hanout and harissa paste are readily available in all big supermarkets and both make a wonderful addition to your store cupboard, on hand to bring intense, vibrant flavour to all manner of stews, roasts, marinades soups and salad dressings.

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Ras el Hanout
1 tbsp harissa paste (plus a little extra, to serve)
2 large aubergines
2 red onions, cut into wedges
3 red peppers, deseeded and cut into chunky strips
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
2 x 400g tins chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
200g thick Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

To serve: freshly-chopped parsley

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Mix 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the Ras el Hanout and the harissa paste. Slice the aubergines in half lengthways and score the flesh with a crosshatch pattern taking care not to cut through the skin.

Put the onions and peppers in a large roasting tray. Brush the cut side of the aubergines with most of the spiced oil, and drizzle the rest over the onions and peppers. Stir well, season with salt and sit the aubergine halves on top. Put the tray in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

Remove the tray from the oven and carefully transfer the aubergines to a chopping board. Add the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas and lemon zest to the tray and stir well to combine. Nestle the aubergine halves on top of the mixture (cut-side up) and return to the oven for a further 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the Greek yogurt with the lemon juice, crushed garlic, salt, pepper and a little more harissa paste (to taste).

Remove the traybake from the oven and leave to rest for around 10 minutes to allow the flavours to fully develop. Scatter with freshly chopped parsley and serve accompanied by the yogurt dressing and warmed flatbread for mopping up the sauces.

Red wines of Italy at The Great Wine Co.

From the Dolomites to the bays of Sicily, Italy's topographic makeup lends itself perfectly to wine production. As a result of her physique Italy boasts a myriad of different soils and climates. Adding to the equation a plethora of indigenous grape varieties, each harvest yields an abundance of diverse and fascinating wine styles. Italy is further blessed with many dedicated and passionate winemakers and vine growers.

• Chianti- Cantine Leonardo Da Vinci 2021 | £14.40
• Barbera - Amonte 2020 | £11.10
• Cerasuolo di Vittoria- PLaneta 2022 | £19.95
• Briccotondo Barbera Piemonte DOC - Fontanafredda 2022 | £15.95

Click here to see this and many more wonderful wines at The Great Wine Co.

The Circus Kitchen

A small, very busy, much-admired family-run business, The Circus Restaurant is one of Bath’s sparkling culinary gems, serving seasonal, locally sourced, freshly cooked English food. It has a carefully chosen wine list, and exceptionally welcoming staff. Set in a fine Georgian house – between The Circus and the Royal Crescent – you will find sensible and honest prices, and you’ll leave wanting to return some time soon. Voted number four in the UK in The Times’ 20 Secret Restaurants That Foodies Love. Open Monday to Saturday, 10am to midnight (closed Sunday). Booking is advised.

34 Brock Street, Bath BA1 2LN
Tel: 01225 466020
Web: thecircusrestaurant.co.uk

Some Menu Highlights:
-Sharpham brie croquettes, with mustard mayo and black garlic ketchup £9.30
-Chicken Supreme, with lentils a la Française, butternut squash purée, artichoke crisp, and sage jus £26.90
-Blackberry fool, with Bramley apple bread and oat crumble £8.20

Click here to check out the rest of their new autumn menus!

Lunaria by Marco Bicego

For more than twenty years, Marco Bicego has been the creative director of his namesake brand, which is characterised by extremely distinctive product designs, the highest quality and production standards, and excellent craftsmanship of every single piece.

Driven by Marco's deep passion for precious gemstones and the inspiration he finds in the beauty of nature.One of his most distinctive collections, Lunaria is inspired by the beauty and irregular shapes of nature to offer clean, simple and charming designs.

The star of the collection is the 18-carat yellow gold: delicately hand-engraved and sculpted to form fine leaves framed by a fine strand of contrasting polished gold, reminiscent of the Balkan plant which gives the collection its name.

Shown here: The Lunaria diamond band ring. Featuring an irregular surface and linear design, this 18ct yellow gold diamond band ring has been finely hand-engraved using an ancient Florentine technique and is embellished by elegant side profiles featuring a brilliant-cut diamond pavé. £2,650

To see this and more pieces from the gorgeous Lunaria collection click here to visit the Mallory website.

October Birthstone Circle Necklace

Celebrate her October birthday with a dainty pink opal circle necklace. Pink opal is the birthstone for October.

Handmade to order with either sterling silver or 14k gold-fill. The circle is 10mm in diameter. The chain length is 16 inches plus a two inch extender.

Designed and handmade in Bath, England. Honey Willow is a family business, founded in 2010.

Click here to buy now or visit the store at 8 Pulteney Bridge, Bathwick, Bath BA2 4AX

Autumn with Albaray

As the seasonal shift starts to take shape the new collection from Albaray focuses on investment wardrobe updates, seamlessly taking you from autumn onto winter when coats and knitwear become your go-to hero pieces.

A considered edit of outerwear uses luxurious fabrics and a chic colour direction to present hero coats and jackets. Drawing inspiration from timeless classics, including the bomber jacket as well as the always stylish double-breasted overcoat in heritage micro checks and herringbone.

Take a copy of The Bath Magazine into the Albaray store (Bath) and receive 20% off your purchase. Offer is only available in the Bath store and for a limited time only
(1–19 Oct)
Offer redeemable on one piece only No cash alternative to be offered. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers. Please refer to the Albaray website for additional T&Cs.

You can pick up a copy from many places around town and from our floor stands at: Waitrose, Tesco in Weston Village, Toppings and at The Holburne Museum.

Albaray | 24 New Bond Street, Bath.

Click here to check out Albaray's new autumn fashions.

Whale Song Lampshade from Cream Cornwall

This lampshade reimagines the whale, not as a hunted creature, but as the joyful ruler of its watery world, playing beneath the waves with grace and freedom. Drawing on the vibrant tradition of St Ives maritime art and American folk art, the designs capture an enchanting, mythical seascape where whales frolic, their tales told through hand-drawn patterns.
For an extra deluxe feel this collection is lined with a sky blue cotton poplin interior.

’There She Blows' a collection inspired by the majestic giants of the deep and the charm of naïve art. Click here to explore the collection.

Cream Cornwall | £48
Click here to buy now or visit the store at 29 Milsom St, Bath BA1 1DG

Catriona Archer- Interior Design

Providing half-day interior design consultations to full end-to-end renovations for homeowners, holiday lets and boutique commercial projects. Catriona takes a flexible, affordable approach by working with your existing items to quickly identify where savings and further investment is best placed: Because interior design should be accessible to all and needn’t cost the earth.

Tel: 07823 884945;
Web: catrionaarcher.com

Click here to see our Homes,Interiors & Gardens Guide for 24/25!

ALLURE HOMME SPORT SUPERLEGGERA- Limited Edition

A new take on a classic fragrance from Chanel, available as a limited-edition release.
ALLURE HOMME SPORT SUPERLEGGERA is an intense fragrance with fresh, woody, ambery notes. A work of precision and balance that has been tuned to perfection. A tension between lightness and intensity, which reveals the allure of a man who is free and who strives for the ultimate in performance.

The lively, fruity freshness of a grapefruit accord combines with vibrant, full-bodied amber notes, lending the scent density and depth. A powerful musk note gives the fragrance its distinctive intensity.

CHANEL | £130 (100ml)
Click here to buy now

Curated by Daniel McCabe

We’ve had a few magazines over the years that are technically gardening magazines but tend to riff on the subject to explore wider artistic and cultural avenues. Pleasant Place is a Dutch gardening magazine that is very alternative but more rooted (sorry) in practical matters with a growing (sorry again) library of self-explanatory titles: enclosures, nasturtiums, artichoke, compost etc. What lifts PP out of the ordinary is what it calls its ‘unexpected approaches' to everyday garden tasks and garden design via collaborations with non-conventional experts. It’s a very fresh approach that appeals to both gardeners and people who simply like the idea of gardens. Issue 6 explores topiary with host of fascinating examples – epic, artistic, historical and so on, while accepting that many of us simply hate it.| £12

magalleria.co.uk

Helen Simmonds, Ahsraf Hanna and Anthony Scott at Beaux Arts,
14 October - 9 November

Beaux Arts hosts one of the most eagerly anticipated exhibitions of the year – that of Wiltshire-based still-life painter Helen Simmonds. Helen is a graduate of Bath Academy of Art and is the epitome of Giorgio Morandi’s self-description as “essentially a painter of the kind of still life composition that communicates a sense of tranquillity and privacy, moods which I have always valued above all else.” 

Helen is ably backed up with the inventive hand-built ceramics of Ahsraf Hanna, who has work in the collections of the V&A and the Fitzwilliam Museums respectively. Sculptures, inspired by Irish mythology, are by gallery favourite Anthony Scott.

Featured artwork: Autumn, Nasturtiums, oil on gessoed paper
Helen Simmomds

beauxartsbath.co.uk
Beaux Arts, 12-13 York Street, Bath

The Korgis for The Lily Foundation
24 October

1980s chart toppers The Korgis are performing in support of The Lily Foundation!
Don't miss out on this fabulous fundraiser.
2 course charity dinner followed by an acoustic set by The Korgis.

The Lily Foundation was founded in 2007 by Liz Curtis in memory of her daughter Lily, who died from mitochondrial disease at 8 months old.

For more information about The Lily Foundation click here.

Book with Woods Restaurant
Tel: 01225 314812 Web: woodsrestaurant.com
9-13 Alfred St, Lansdown, Bath, BA1 2QX

Bath Camerata: God & the Universe – Stanford & his Students
Saturday 12 October, 7.30pm

Join award-winning chamber choir Bath Camerata for a concert in St Mary’s Bathwick to celebrate the legacy of Charles Villiers Stanford and his illustrious pupils on the 100th anniversary of the great composer's death.

The programme includes an enticing selection of English songs, from Vaughan Williams’ charming Five English Folksongs to Holst’s exquisite The Evening Watch, and Stanford’s masterly setting of Tennyson’s poetry in God and the Universe. The choir will be joined by guest conductor Paul Spicer for this concert – an acclaimed conductor and specialist in English music.

Tickets are £20. Under 25s £10.

Click here to book your tickets now. 
Or call the Bath Box Office: 01225 463362

St Mary's Church, Darlington St, Bathwick, Bath BA2 4EB

Valuation Day at The Holburne Museum
Friday 11 October – 11am – 2pm

Join the Lawrences team of specialists for a free valuation of your art, objects, jewellery, silver and antiques. No appointment necessary.

The Lawrences Auctioneers team has 250 years of expertise. 

Home visits are available without charge or obligation.
Call 01460 7341
Or email: enquiries@lawrences.co.uk

The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath, BA2 4DB
lawrences.co.uk

Camp Teepee: Adventure and Learning in the great outdoors
22 and 23 October

Open to children from all schools from 6-11 years of age.
£45 per day. 9.15am – 4pm.

Prepare to get muddy this October half term! This popular day camp encourages children to learn new skills, develop confidence and have a great time in a safe outdoor environment.

A typical day will involve fire lighting, outdoor cooking, wood crafting, wild drumming, woodland detective games, shelter building, clay creature crafting and much more.

Children will need to bring a nut-free packed lunch, a snack and drink as well as a change of clothes if the weather is wet.

The Paragon School, Lyncombe House, Lyncombe Vale, Bath BA2 4LT

Enya's Watermark album presented by the Fulltone Orchestra
5 November, 7.30pm

The fantastic Fulltone Orchestra, alongside the incredible voices of Cantiamo, will revive Enya’s pivotal Watermark album in a series of live performances. Arranged by UK based arranger Dominic Irving, this stunning piece has been written for orchestra and voices and will transport audiences back to the late 1980’s.

The album is known for its ethereal, multi-layered sound, blending Celtic, classical, and ambient influences. Enya’s music is characterised by lush harmonies, created through the extensive use of overdubbing her own voice; Cantiamo will be performing this with 15 female voices and will be giving audiences a unique, otherworldly experience.

Tickets are £26

Bath Forum, Avon, 1A Forum Buildings, Bath BA1 1UG

Click here to get your tickets now.

Middle Stoke, Limpley Stoke, BA2

Offered for sale by Hamptons estate agents Bath.

This stunning four-bedroom property in the highly sought-after Limpley Stoke offers spectacular views across the valley and is set over two floors. The home features a double carport with an additional workshop, plus a driveway with ample off-street parking. Two garages located at street level.

A welcoming entrance hall provides access to a cloakroom and the staircase. The front sitting room is a standout feature, boasting a bay window, double doors leading to the terrace, and a central fireplace. The terrace, accessible from the sitting room and the kitchen, has panoramic valley views. The kitchen is sleek and modern with polished granite countertops. Adjacent to the kitchen is a cosy family area, complete with a wood-burning stove and double doors opening onto the terrace. A conservatory, currently used as a dining room, adds extra versatility to the living space, while a large utility room rounds out the ground floor.

On the first floor, there are four generously sized bedrooms. The principal bedroom includes a balcony with stunning views. The second bedroom has an en-suite shower room and double doors leading to the garden. The family bathroom offers a bath and shower cubicle.

Outside, the property boasts a large lawn area with a summer house, bordered by mature hedging, and a separate garden with raised beds. A home studio, perfect for remote working, completes this beautiful outdoor space.
Guide Price £1,000,000

For more images and to read through all the details click here to visit the property on the Hamptons' website