OUR OCTOBER ISSUE IS OUT NEXT WEEK!

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

Pea and Ham Soup

There's nothing more comforting than a big bowl of hot, thick soup on a chilly night and the classic Pea and Ham combo has topped Best Classic British Soup charts for centuries for very good reason: silky ham in a thick broth laden with root vegetables; low in fat, high in protein and fibre, and satisfyingly filling to the max.

Leftover soup will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days – it freezes well too, so it's worth making a big batch. And if you prefer to use a slow cooker rather than the stovetop method, simply chuck all the ingredients into the pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours – simple as that!

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

1k (approx) gammon joint, smoked or unsmoked
500g dried yellow split peas
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
2 large brown onions, peeled and quartered
2-4 carrots (around 300g in total), peeled and cut into chunks
4 celery sticks, chopped
4 bay leaves

To serve: crème fraîche

Method

Rinse the split peas thoroughly, drain well and put into a big, lidded saucepan. Add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes

Add the onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves and gammon. Bring back to the boil, skim off any scum that has gathered on the surface, then reduce the heat to very low and simmer (partially covered) for 2 hours, by which time the split peas will be soft and velvety.

Remove the gammon (which will be fall-apart tender by now) from the pan with strong tongs and set aside on a large plate to cool down a bit. Remove and discard the bay leaves, then blend the stock with a stick blender until thick but smooth (or, mash with a potato masher).

Remove and discard the skin and visible fat from the gammon and shred the meat into chunks. Put the gammon chunks back into the pan and heat the soup through for serving. Season to taste and serve in warm bowls or big mugs topped with a dollop of crème fraîche.

White wines of France at The Great Wine Co.

This is a chance to celebrate the best of French wines all in one place - the winemakers, wineries, and the regions, not forgetting their famous terroirs. Allow The Great Wine Co to show you the best white wines from across France, to remind you of old favourites and introduce you to new ones.

• Sauvignon Blanc Colombard - Longue Roche 2023 | £9.73
• Pouilly Fumé - Château Favray 2023 | £19.55
• Sancerre Blanc- Vieux Pruniers 2023 | £21.33
• Péssac-Léognan Blanc - Château Lamothe-Bouscaut 2018 | £26.22

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

Kutchenhaus Bath's 4 year anniversary, 5 October, 3pm-8pm

Join the Kutchenhaus team in celebrating 4 years in Bath! They will have Chef Tarrent who will be cooking up a range of delicious food on their Bora hob and XBO steam oven. 

You can tour a range of high quality German kitchens on display and chat with industry experts. 

Kutchenhaus.co.uk/bath

5 Saracen Street, Bath, BA1 5BR

The IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Chronograph

The Portugieser is one of the oldest and best-known watches from IWC. At the end of the 1930s, at the request of two Portuguese merchants, IWC built a large wristwatch with the precision of a marine chronometer and today, the design has remained largely unchanged.

Durable, slim and refined, these iconic timepieces with their eye-catching style – imposing case size, yet exceedingly thin bezel, simple Arabic numerals, delicate feuille hands and railway-track-style chapter ring, and a clearly organised dial - are elegant and sophisticated.

Shown here is the new IWC Portugieser Chronograph in a 41mm, 18ct rose gold case with a black Arabic dial, a rose gold polished bezel on a Black Alligator Strap. The IWC manufactured 69355 Calibre movement is automatic and can be seen through the sapphire glass caseback. The watch is water resistant to 30m. £16,700

See this stunning model and more timepieces from the IWC Portugieser range at Mallory.

Limited Edition Whistles Autumn Winter 24 collection,
Just launched!

Whistles Limited Edition Autumn Winter 2024 unveils a refreshing minimalistic note, where understated dressing meets heightened design to elevate fundamental staples.

The silhouette is clean and refined, taking inspiration from the '90s; these polished designs call for simplistic styling yet provide backdrops for elevated fabrics, textural contrasts, and clever detailing. Black is the season's key colour, emphasising the collection's clean lines, while winter neutrals such as ivory, ice blue, tan, and earthy tones of deep forest green round out this sophisticated palette.

Click here to buy now or visit the Bath store at 1 New Bond St, Buildings, Bath BA1 1BL

Pink Cockatoo Ceramic Candle Holder available at Always Sunday

Exotic and elaborately adorned, these tropical bird candle holders are handmade by expert ceramicists with immense detail. So lifelike, you'd almost expect these Moluccan cockatoos to flutter their decorated wings and give a little tweet in appreciation of their own beauty. Each one perches on a sculpted ceramic stand with twining branches of gold like a secret paradise garden.

H59 x W24 x D19cm

Always Sunday | £365

Click here to buy now or visit Always Sunday at 9 Broad Street
Bath, BA1 5LJ

Wild Swimming Woman – A4 Art Print, available at Homefront Interiors

This Wild Swimming Woman A4 Giclee Art Print by Laura Robertson is perfect for wild swimmers everywhere. It depicts a woman in a bobble hat about to plunge into the cold water surrounded by beautiful countryside. This print is taken from Laura’s original watercolour and gouache on paper, and it was printed in Bristol. Each one is signed by Laura making them all individual.

Printed in Bristol on 310gsm smooth, textured fine art paper with archival inks which stay colourfast and vibrant for years. Each print (A4) is numbered and signed in pencil, it comes wrapped in cellophane and is cardboard backed.

Homefront Interiors | £24

Click here to buy now or visit the Bath store at  10 Margaret's Buildings, Bath

L'OCCITANE reusable Advent Calendar

This exclusive calendar can be used for years to come, as it folds and transforms into a travel vanity. Included within the calendar are a selection of full size and luxury size products.
From coveted skincare favourites, Immortelle Divine Cream and Overnight Reset Serum, to body care favourites Almond Shower Oil and Shea Butter Hand Cream.

L'OCCITANE | £170
Don't miss out! Click here to buy now. 
Exclusive to L’OCCITANE Official Website and selected boutiques. Strictly limited stock available.

Lush's new spa treatment, The Highlands
launches today at Lush Spa Bath on Union Street!

The Highlands is 60-minute, full body hot stone massage features Highlands spring water, stones carved with ancient Scottish symbols and is choreographed to a soundtrack of Gaelic historical folk songs re-recorded especially for the treatment.

The treatment takes clients on a journey across this magical landscape, beginning in the heather surrounded by nature and birdsong, with the soundtrack and massage movements becoming more rhythmic and vigorous as if hiking up a mountain, until reaching the peak with a burst of fresh air, delivered in the form of cool stones applied gently to pressure points on the face.

Click here to book.

Lush Spa Bath,  8 Union Street, Bath BA1 1RW

Curated by Daniel McCabe

The latest release from Seoul-based brand documentary journal Magazine B is focused on Uniqlo. The Japanese clothing label makes for a particularly fascinating and timely case study, starting out as an apparel store in Hiroshima founded exactly forty years ago and now a popular brand sold through more than 2,500 Uniqlo stores worldwide. Along the way company has removed barriers and perceptions around casual wear (or ‘LifeWear) by introducing accessible pricing, logo-free designs, practical garments manufactured with high-quality materials and, more lately, a move toward technical materials and products with its HEATTECH and AIRism lines. | £24

magalleria.co.uk

Unforgettable Behaviour: Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition
at the American Museum, on until 31 December

The American Museum & Gardens is the first museum in the UK to host Unforgettable Behaviour, which celebrates exciting animal behaviour photography from the Natural History Museum’s world-renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

The exhibition showcases 39 powerful photographs from previous Wildlife Photographer of the Year collections, displaying some of the most incredible animal behaviour moments ever captured on camera.

The exhibition features soundscapes, expert insights and spectacular species, showing the breathtaking diversity of the natural world.

American Museum, Claverton Manor, Claverton Down, Claverton, Bath BA2 7BD

Click here to read more about the exhibition.

New Bath Arts Club (NBAC)- Inuaugural October exhibition,
4-25 October

Bath’s newest professional art club showcases a diverse collection of original art. All work is for sale and created by local artists. Free entry, all welcome.
The exhibition will be available to be viewed in person and virtually.
Open every day from 10am to 4pm.

Cllck here for more information

Roper Gallery- Bath Artists' Studios, The Old Malthouse, Comfortable Place, Upper Bristol Road, Bath, BA1 3AJ

Bath Film Society presents
Manon des Sources (1986) on 27 September, 7.30pm

Can anything match the pathos and intensity of Jean de Florette, which left BFS members sobbing last season? Well .... yes. Claude Berri's adaptation of the Pagnol sequel captures
the tragedy of the Provencal tale and reveals its brutal irony. Powerful performances evoke a world of sorrow.

Directed by Claude Berri

Click here to see upcoming screenings.

BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square Bath BA1 2HN

Luxmuralis - Shine On at Bath Abbey
4-26 October, 6.30-9pm

A spectacular Son-et-Lumiere experience transforming the internal space of Bath Abbey produced by Artistic Collaboration Luxmuralis. This new immersive light show has been created by award winning artistic collaboration ‘Luxmuralis’, Peter Walker Sculptor and David Harper Composer.

The experience involves moving through the Abbey to view different light and sound projections. It is recommend you give yourself between 30 minutes and an hour to experience the light show.

This show includes loud sounds, music and moving and flashing images throughout the experience, as well as bright lights and areas of darkness within the Abbey.
(Monday – Saturday)

Click here to book now.

Hillside Barn, Farleigh Hungerford, Bath

Offered for sale by Cobb Farr Estate Agents

-5 Bedrooms
-3 Bathrooms
-2 Reception rooms
-Self-contained annex
-No onward chain

Hillside Barn is a superb 4 bedroom detached barn conversion, set just off the Farleigh House Estate, with sweeping southerly views. Accessed via a gated gravel driveway, and opening to parking for multiple vehicles, this barn has been tastefully finished with an enviable eye for proportionality which has created very comfortable spaces throughout the house. This is most evident in the surprising and impressive vaulted reception room. The principal bedroom boasts tremendous space, complete with walk-in wardrobe and en suite, with double width walk in shower. There are a further 2 double bedrooms, and a study which could be a 4th bedroom if required. The family reception room is open plan to the kitchen/ dining room and is surrounded by views on all sides with floor to ceiling windows. The kitchen is elegantly finished with integrated appliances, three chest-height ovens and bespoke petrified tree root worktop. There is a further cloakroom and utility space.

Externally, there is a carefully thought out south facing landscaped garden, with a stylish veranda and picturesque views, additionally there is a second west facing patio which equally captures the tranquil landscape. Adjoining the main barn, there is a self-contained 1 bedroom annex, with entrance hallway, reception room, bedroom and en suite, all finished to a superb standard, and its own secret courtyard garden.

Guide Price £1,100,000

For more information, images and details, click here to see the property on the Cobb Farr website.