That's it for another year!

No matter how you'll be spending the next week or so, we wanted to extend our warmest wishes to you and your loved ones.

Thank you to every single person who's read and supported our magazine this year... we love sharing Bath's happenings and never fail to be surprised and inspired by the lives and stories that call this remarkable city 'home'.

Our team has been working hard to make sure the New Year kicks off with a bang in the form of a cracking January issue, which will land across the city before you've even finished singing Auld Lang Syne. Until then, stay warm, be merry, look after one another and we'll see you in 2025...

Visit our website for last-minute gift ideas, things to do with the whole family over the festive break, some fascinating reads and much more!

There's still time to check out our December issue!

Keep an eye out for our fabulous December issue 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 found every opportunity to celebrate the season in style – we've interviewed Father Christmas, an elf and a gnome, and we've got a portrait of Bath favourite Jon Monie as he prepares to play Lester the Jester in the panto. We've also investigated Christmas films, both classic and recently released, and have asked some local experts for their opinions. There is a fascinating feature on the thriving poetry scene in Bath and an interview with Jenni Jackson, the director of a new adaptation of Robin Hood at The Egg. We also meet the top antiques specialists in Bath and get an insight into their specialist markets. 

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

Surf and Turf Sharing Platter

Whether you share it with A Special Someone or plonk it on the table to start a festive supper party for four off in fine style, you can’t go wrong with this modern take on the classic Surf and Turf combo.

Despite its show-stopping flamboyance, this luxurious dish takes only 20 minutes maximum to move from stovetop to table. Yes, you’ll be required to use your best multitasking skills, but each stage of the recipe is really simple… especially as we’re using saucy mussels that somebody else (in this instance, any big supermarket) has already prepped for you.

Ingredients (serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter)

1 x 500g vacuum-packed, pre-cooked mussels in garlic butter
170g-200g sirloin or fillet steak
2 shallots, peeled and sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
400g large, raw king prawns (defrosted if frozen)
2 tbsp brandy
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
The juice of 1 lemon
150ml single cream

To serve: garlic bread, for mopping up that luxurious sauce

Method
Cook the mussels according to the stove top instructions on the packet and set them to one side, still in the sealed packet they were cooked in.

Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan or skillet. Rub ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil over the steak and fry for 2-3 minutes (or according to your liking) on each side, turning once only and adding a generous knob of butter on the second turn. Remove the steak from the pan and set aside on a plate to rest.

Heat another 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in the pan and soften the shallots for 3-4 minutes, adding the garlic for the last minute. Add the prawns to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. Add the brandy and bubble until reduced, then add the tarragon, lemon juice and cream. Season well, and cook gently for 2-3 minutes.

Cut the steak into chunky slices and add it to the creamy prawns along with the mussels and all their sauce. Stir to combine, heat through gently and serve the pan in the middle of the table with the garlic bread on the side for mopping up all that luxurious sauce.

Champagne at The Great Wine Co.

The popularity of all things fizzy remains at an unprecedented high, and here at The Great Wine Co. they are championing this trend with gusto. They're presenting a list of some of the most renowned and respected Champagnes in the world, in a selection that is sure to inspire and excite. Nothing says celebration quite like a glass of effervescent Champagne!

• Champagne Brut Grande Réserve Premier Cru
  Gobillard | £27.50
• Champagne Brut Réserve
  Taittinger | £37.75
• Champagne Brut Rosé
  Henriot | £42.00
• Alliances Rosé
  Champagne A. Robert | £33.00

Click here to see more at The Great Wine Co.

January Nutrition Reset Workshop at The Just Wild Barn
Friday, 17 January, 10am-4pm

Alice is a local doctor-turned-nutritionist with a nutrition practice in Bath, who has collaborated with Ali, a Bristol-based chef, to create a series of nutrition-focused workshops. These workshops are aimed at giving you the knowledge and tools to better understand nutrition as well as helping to inspire you in the kitchen. Incorporated in the day are talks and Q&A sessions, cooking demonstrations, and fermentation workshop – as well as a delicious lunch prepared by Ali.

The day includes talks on nutrition and how to incorporate nutritious foods and healthy habits into your every day without the need for restriction or fad diets. The workshops are set in the beautiful location of the Just Wild Barn, a tranquil rural retreat located between Bath and Bristol in the Chew Valley. At the end of the day, you will go home with your delicious ferment and recipe cards, as well as feeling informed and inspired going into 2025.

For more information click here.
Tickets for the January workshop are £90; please email alice@dralicemayornutrition.co.uk to secure your place

Discover unique gold rings with Mallory Jewellers

Gold rings have been worn since ancient times as a symbol of the divine for Egyptian, Greek and Roman royalty. While their reach may now extend beyond the elite, there’s no doubt that they still hold their value in both beauty and sentiment. 

Mallory is the ultimate destination for finding unique gold rings, perfect for spreading festive cheer and showing appreciation for your loved ones. In the spirit of Christmas, these five gold rings are just a small selection of the variety and range available at Mallory.

Clockwise, from top left:
Mallory Venise 18ct Gold and Platinum Diamond Ring | £3,975
Georg Jensen Offspring 18ct Yellow Gold Ring | £1,100
Marco Bicego Lunaria 18ct Yellow Gold Ring | £1,280
Mallory 18ct Yellow Gold Asscher Cut Diamond Ring | £11,300
Fope Essentials 18ct Yellow Gold Ring | £1,760

Discover these and more unique pieces at mallory-jewellers.com

Art pieces from 8 Holland Street

Explore a curated selection of one-of-a-kind artworks, objects and textiles for all your needs. Available online and throughout their gallery spaces.

Space Copenhagen, Como Portable lamp by &Tradition | £180

Ceramic dish by Anne Wedd | £85

Confit Pot by French | £90

Voulez-Vous cushion by Dedar | £280

Click here to explore more from 8 Holland Street or visit 23 Brock St, Bath BA1 2LW

Harlie Brown Studio Belle Journée Stoneware Platter, only available at Anthropologie

Set the stage for a leisurely breakfast with this Anthropologie exclusive stoneware platter, featuring a border of blue and delightful embossed foods.

Drawing from Harlie Brown Studio's ever-so-beloved French plate line, the Belle Journée Collection features colourful illustrations and bespoke French writing. Click here to explore the full range.

Anthropologie | £46
Click here to buy now or visit 1-4 New Bond St, Bath BA1 1BE

Diamond Dust, Oversize Illuminating Powder from Chanel

Housed in a generously sized compact, this pearl-infused, peach pink illuminating powder is embossed with an icy snowflake and the double-C monogram. A limited-edition exclusive creation that illuminates the face, eyes and décolleté. Instant radiance, for a dazzling holiday makeup look.

Chanel | £70

Click here to buy now.

Boy De Chanel Lip Balm

Smooth and hydrate your lips with BOY DE CHANEL Lip Balm for a natural-looking result.
The transparent, non-shiny formula hydrates lips for 8 hours. Rich in nourishing jojoba oil, shea butter and antioxidant vitamin E derivative. The balm cannot be seen, only the results.

Chanel | £36

Click here to buy now.

Lavender & Moonflower Scented Candle from Jo Malone London

Embrace the evening with a soft, serene scent. Aromatic English lavender nestles among a cocooning note of white musk and night-blooming moonflowers. Crafted in the English countryside in a signature glass design. Burn time approx. 45 hours.

Jo Malone London | £56
Click here to buy now  or visit 6-7 Old Bond St, Bath BA1 1BW

Albaray x Labre's Hope Celestial Rain Candle

This premium candle contains biodegradable soy wax, infused with undertones of jasmine, with hints of cashmeran wood and white amber to create a rich amber scent. This scent is sure to awaken your senses.

By purchasing a candle you are supporting this community-based enterprise, which is on a mission to end homelessness. Labre’s Hope supports homeless and vulnerable individuals by giving them opportunities for a brighter future through employment. By purchasing a candle, you will help fund their impactful initiatives and make a real difference in people's lives.

Albaray | £19.99
Click here to buy now or visit 24 New Bond Street, Bath BA1 1BA

Curated by Daniel McCabe

Biannual art magazine and online platform, émergent magazine is founded and run by artists to encourage more accessible critical discussion and showcase the more diverse and distinctive artistic practices that collectively define the contemporary art landscape. Based between Spain and the UK, it provides a break from gallery-driven content as well the overwhelming amount of advertising that turn readers away from art magazines. It’s been away for almost eighteen months and I have to say we’ve really missed it. Artists interviewed in this issue are Carlos Reyes, Ibrahim Mahama, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Kayode Ojo, Sebastian Jefford, Yu Nishimura, Sitara Abuzar Ghaznawi, Alexandra Bircken, Anna Jermolaewa, Sylvie Hayes-Wallace, Bat-Ami Rivlin and Hamish Pearch. | £18

magalleria.co.uk

The Great Post Office Cover-Up on pre-sale now!

The Great Post Office Cover-Up reveals for the first time the full story behind the largest miscarriage of justice the nation has ever seen. Building on The Great Post Office Scandal, freelance journalist and broadcaster, Nick Wallis, uses the fresh evidence uncovered by the Inquiry and Nick's own journalism to chronicle the legal obstruction and embedded cultural attitudes that led one of the nation's most respected institutions to become a byword for corporate callousness and incompetence. Along the way, he recounts hitherto untold stories of the human cost of their actions.

Paperbacks are £10 and signed hardbacks are £15. Applies to all orders placed before 31st March 2025.

Click here to buy The Great Post Office Cover-Up on pre-sale now!

New Year Concert – A Ceremony of Carols
Saturday 11 January, 7pm

Welcome in the New Year with a magical evening of enchanting music sung by the acclaimed Bath Abbey Girls’ Choir accompanied by the beautiful sounds of the harp.

Music includes the ever popular Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten and the lovely medley of popular Christmas melodies Dancing Day arranged by Sir John Rutter. With Peace on Earth by Errollyn Wallen and Britten’s popular A New Year Carol, this will be a wonderful evening as you brighten up the dark days of January in the stunning setting of Bath Abbey.

Click here to buy tickets.
Bath Abbey, Abbey Churchyard, BA1 1LT

Upcoming talks from University of the Third Age

9 January | Fanny Burney: Life Imitating Art by Marie-Louise Luxemburg

6 February | The Ghosts of Passchendaele by Frederick Petford

6 March | Climate Change - can we make a difference? by Helen Haddon

Coffee or tea and biscuits can be purchased from 9.45am. The talks start at 10:30am, given by an outside speaker on a subject of general interest. This usually lasts about an hour with questions afterwards.

u3a in Bath is an organisation for retired people who want to find purposeful activity, enjoyment and companionship. It is an organisation fully driven by its members who for a nominal fee are able to participate in a range of activities from the purely educational to the recreational. The only criterion for joining is that of being retired. Its philosophy is of self-help. Nobody is paid (except in a very few limited circumstances) and everybody is invited to contribute to and receive the expertise of the membership.

u3ainbath.uk

The Pavilion, North Parade, Bath BA2 4EU

Purchase your copy of the superb A/W edition of Postcard from Bath

Produced every 6 months by the team at The Bath Magazine – the Autumn/Winter 24/25 edition of Postcard from Bath is now available to buy.

The ultimate, luxury guide to the city, Postcard contains the very best things to see and do in Bath, alongside editorial pieces on the city's fascinating history, architecture, culture, and so much more.

If you'd like to buy a copy for your coffee table as a keepsake  or even send someone you love a Postcard from Bath – head over to postcardmagazine.co.uk 

The price is just £10 and includes postage to any UK mainland address.

Pulteney Road, Bath

Offered for sale by Cobb Farr estate agents in Bath.

Wharfedale House is a substantial 5-bedroom bay fronted Victorian family home, one of 6 in a handsome terrace, quietly set back from the road and conveniently within 5 minutes level walk of Bath city centre, Bath Spa Railway Station and the excellent local amenities in nearby Widcombe Village.

This impressive property is presented in excellent decorative order throughout and offers spacious and flexible accommodation and a wealth of period detail which blends beautifully with contemporary finishes.

The property has an attractive parterre and agated ornamental garden to the front and a pretty courtyard garden, lined with a magnificent mature vine tree to the rear. In addition, there is rear gated access and a single garage available to purchase by separate negotiation.

The property is entered through an attractive hallway with solid Maple parquet flooring and doors to all ground floor rooms. To the front, with a lovely bay window overlooking the garden, there is a generous reception room that is currently being used as an office. To the rear there is a cosy family room/snug which could also be used as a further bedroom. The large and impressive well fitted kitchen / dining room is at the back of the property and conveniently leads to the courtyard garden at the rear. In addition, there is a single garage to the rear

Offers in excess of £1,250,000.

To see more images and read through the details click here to see more on the Cobb Farr website.