A specially curated guide to help you enjoy the next 48 hours (or more) in Bath

GARDENING  |  NEW SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

A new garden centre in Bath will help address mental health issues and lead the way on reducing single use plastics.

After a 12-month delay, The Urban Garden will finally be opening its gates to the public on 2 April selling high-quality plants and innovative garden products, such as Bag for Life compost and serve yourself bird seed. As a social enterprise, the project already offers free City & Guilds training programme for people with mental health issues and other life challenges.

There is growing evidence that gardening and horticulture are powerful ways to improve your health and wellbeing. Research has found that family doctors who referred patients for hobbies such as gardening and fishing saw a 25% reduction in visits to Accident & Emergency units.

Matt Smail, Manager of the Urban Garden, said: “For people who struggle with depression or low motivation, gardening activities can energise them and bring a new sense of purpose. I am delighted that six people have already achieved their Level 1 Award and I’m looking forward to welcoming more.”

The Urban Garden works in collaboration with Bath charity Grow for Life and Bath & North East Somerset Council. The council is providing the site for the garden centre and supplying the plants. As many plants as possible will be grown onsite.

The Urban Garden will open at 9.30am on 2 April on the B&NES nursery site, in Royal Victoria Park.

For further information or to volunteer please see visit their website: theurbangarden.org.uk

OUR APRIL ISSUE  |  GREAT READING STARTS HERE

HOTEL PANACHE  |  ECLECTIC DESIGNS

WEEKEND WINE  |  DISCOVERING AUSTRALIA

Düfte Punkt Riesling Gewürztraminer Kerner – Chaffey Bros. Wine Co.

"It's co-fermented, at first playing its Riesling card with lime florals and aromatics, though the more exotic Gewurztraminer comes out of its shell as you go. They do, perhaps, add to this wine's fabulous texture: chalky, pithy and peppery/spicy with a lingering, mouth-watering result." £15.95

480 Sauvignon Blanc – McWilliams
This is a thoroughly enjoyable Sauvignon Blanc from the high altitude Tumbarumba region, not far from the snowfields of the Great Dividing Range. It's made in a fantastically balanced, more restrained style than examples from New Zealand, yet with more generosity of fruit than most from France. A happy medium with pure, cool herbal and honeysuckle flavours. £13.50

Beurrot Pinot Gris – Kooyong
If you ever have the chance to taste a white Burgundy made from Pinot Beurrot (not very likely, as they're extremely rare), it will have been made from Pinot Gris. Kooyong's Pinot Gris is named after this endangered species, and is very similar in style. With a beautifully sweet honey aroma and excellent texture, this is irresistibly delicious now, but if you have superhuman self-control, it will drink well for at least another 2-3 years. £22.

Reserve Chardonnay – Tooma River
"Chardonnay thrives in the warm and sun-kissed Australian vineyard – delivering an unmistakably vibrant and fruit-driven style. This wine is no exception and is packed with grapefruit, lime and melon flavours, all bound up with a zesty, crisp citrus balance which cuts through to the finish." £8.50

Ladies who Shoot their Lunch Wild Ferment – Fowles Wine
This wine is pale straw in colour. Mineral notes acquiesce to intense aromas of melon, peach and subtle vanilla. The palate is complex and full bodied with balanced oak notes, a wonderfully creamy texture and great length of flavour. £27.50

Explore the full range of great Aussie whites: The Great Wine Co.

CONTEMPORARY MAKERS  |  DIGITAL CRAFT FESTIVAL

SEEK AND FIND  |  EASTER BUNNY TRAIL

This Easter the American Museum & Gardens is offering a free Easter Bunny trail with chocolatey treats.

From Good Friday to Easter Monday you'll be able to follow poems and clues that will take you on an exploration throughout the Museum's spectacular grounds and The Children's Garden to see if you can spot an Easter Bunny hiding, playing, sunbathing, or even swimming.

All trail adventurers will receive a free chocolate bunny, or an allergen friendly alternative. Takeaway lunches, drinks and chocolate dipped shortbread chicks and bunnies, as well as Easter biscuits will be available from the Garden Cafe.

Visitor toilets will be open, and dogs on leads are welcome. There are social distancing markers in place and hand sanitiser stations are located throughout the grounds

Opening times are 10am-5pm each day, last admission is at 4pm. Normal admission applies, under 5's go free.

americanmuseum.org

GET BAKING  |  A SWEET EASTER TREAT

This traditional Easter cake – similar to a Christmas cake, but much lighter – has been eaten since medieval times as both a rich, sweet Easter treat and a symbolic ritual. The intrinsic flavours come from moist fruit, sweetly creamy ground almonds and the unique candied nut personality that marzipan brings to any party, while the 11 marzipan balls on the top represent the eleven apostles of Christ, minus Judas; you don't have to be a marzipan addict to enjoy it, but it helps.

Despite what many recipes may tell you, you don't need a blowtorch to burnish the marzipan topping to the required dark golden hue – a pre-heated grill does the job just as nicely, as long as you pay close attention to the process throughout; you wouldn't want to singe an apostle, would you?

Ingredients

175g light muscovado sugar
175g butter, softened at room temperature
175g self-raising flour
3 large eggs
50g ground almonds
3 tbsp milk
2 tsp mixed spice
100g sultanas
100g glacé cherries, quartered
100g dried apricots, finely chopped

For the topping

450g golden marzipan
3 tbsp apricot jam
1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC/gas mark 3. Grease and base-line a 20cm deep-sided cake tin (preferably loose-bottomed or springform). In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar, butter, flour, eggs, milk and mixed spice together until thoroughly combined (a hand whisk is immensely helpful here). Add the sultanas, cherries and apricots and mix well.

2. Spoon half of the cake mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface with a spatula. Shape one-third of the marzipan into a ball and roll it out, on a lightly floured surface, until it's the same diameter as the tin. Place the marzipan disc on top of the cake mixture in the tin and spoon the remaining cake mixture on top, again levelling the surface.

3. Bake for around 1½ hours or until golden brown on top and a skewer or sharp knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the cake begins to brown before it's cooked through, cover it with foil and continue baking.

4. Once baked, allow the cake to cool for 10–15 minutes before removing from the tin. Meanwhile, heat the apricot jam in a small saucepan over a medium heat and use it to brush the surface of the almost-cool cake. 

5. Roll out half of the remaining marzipan to fit the top of the cake as before, plus a little bit of overhang. Sit the second marzipan disc on top of the cake and use your fingers to create neat little crimps all around the edges.

6. Use all the remaining marzipan to create 11 neat, tight balls and place them at regular intervals around the edge of the top of the cake, fixing them with a little bit of the beaten egg as you go.

7. Brush the top of the cake and the marzipan balls with the rest of the beaten egg and glaze under a medium-hot grill for about 5 minutes, keeping a close eye on proceedings and turning the cake around at regular intervals to ensure even browning.

FASHION  |  SPRING/SUMMER WARDROBE

As part of its Never the Same Again programme, M&S is introducing complementary brands to give its 22 million clothing customers more reasons to shop on M&S.com.

Coming online over the coming months to be sold alongside M&S's everyday style & value core range and in-house brands (Autograph, Goodmove and Per Una) will be: Hobbs, Jack and Jones, Joules, Phase Eight, White Stuff, Y.A.S and many more.

Here are our top picks coming soon...

And check out the brands available now: marksandspencer.com

OBJECTS OF DESIRE  |  A TWIST ON THE WRIST

Mallory is widely regarded as the finest luxury goods emporium in the west country and ranks as one of the best in Europe. We often highlight their most coveted designer products and stellar brands to be wondered at, but Mallory is also highly renowned for its beautifully crafted in-house creations and bespoke jewellery. Here we look at four pieces from their huge collection of the most desirable wristwear.

From Left: 18ct white gold four claw set, emerald-cut amethyst and round brilliant-cut diamond bracelet. Total amethyst weight: 34.06ct and total diamond weight: 2.14ct; £13,080

18ct yellow and white gold rub-set round brilliant cut diamond flexible bangle. Total diamond weight: 0.13ct. £3,115

18ct yellow gold, 9mm-width bangle; £2,435

18ct rose gold four claw set, princess-cut rainbow sapphire land brialliant cut diamond line bracelet. Total diamond weight: 0.72ct; £5,525

Click here to view the Mallory collection of bangles and bracelets

RICHARD WYATT TALKS...  |  VIRTUAL BENEFITS

Lockdowns and social distancing have thrown up unexpected benefits when it comes to council meetings according to the ruling LibDem group on B&NES.

Virtual get-togethers, they say, have improved access and safety, reduced emissions from transport, saving on time and expenses and better engaging with residents. A motion calling for the council to join other authorities in urging government to legislate for virtual meetings to be a permanent option was approved at a full gathering of the council. The group argued that councillors, officers and the public had made great progress in developing the skills necessary to hold them and that long term this technology could attract a more diverse range of councillors and officers. 

All B&NES public meetings have been held virtually and broadcast live to YouTube since the first lockdown in spring 2020, due to Covid-19 restrictions. However the regulations making this legal were a temporary measure and are due to expire in May 2021. 

They want the right to be able to consider virtual meets depending on factors such as participants and weather conditions. The full council meeting agreed that the leader should write to relevant ministers and local MPs and raise the issue with colleagues such as parish councillors. 

Proposing the motion, Cllr Jess David said "Video conferencing technology has been a game-changer for councils and for people who take an interest in local government. Previously only Cabinet and full Council Meetings were recorded. But now hundreds of people are watching committees and joining our new public engagement webinars. 

"Broadcasting all Council meetings and allowing virtual participation represents great progress in opening up local democracy. This will enable a much wider group of our residents to participate, without needing to travel to the Guildhall to do so."

bathnewseum.com

ON THE BOX  |  BAKER STREET IRREGULARS

The Irregulars follows the story of a group of misfits investigating a series of supernatural crimes in Victorian London for the infamous duo Dr. Watson and his shadowy associate, Sherlock Holmes.

Starring Henry Lloyd-Hughes as Sherlock Holmes and Royce Pierreson as Dr Watson, check it out today to find out whether they can fill the shoes of the great Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

Watch it on Netflix today

GRAND OPENING  |  GRAB AND GO

Iconic restaurant group YO!, famed for its hand-crafted sushi and fresh Japanese food, will introduce its second YO! TO GO in Bath on 2 April.

Situated on Brunel Square (Vaults 1-3), the exciting new 'grab and go' format offers the perfect solution for peckish commuters and visitors, or those looking for a quick and healthy meal during their lunch break.

The menu will feature a range of sushi sets freshly rolled each day, including YO! classics like the Sushi Sharer and Crunchy California Roll, as well as a selection of hot, fresh street food like the ever-popular Ramen, Katsu Curry and Gyoza. With 13 different vegan dishes on the menu, there are plenty of meat and fish-free options for customers to enjoy.

To celebrate the launch, YO! will be giving away 100 free click & collect meals, up to the value of £20, on 31 March. Participants will have to send an email with 'WIN BATH' in the subject line to hello@yosushi.com with their full name and the time they'd like to collect their meal. The first 100 lucky people to email will then receive a code which they can use to place an order.

yosushi.com

LET'S TALK  |  SPRING INGREDIENTS

The UK's spring season superstar crops don't hang around for long; if you miss any of the produce in the spotlight here, you'll seriously miss out... and there's no going back, until next year. Fancy celebrating all of it, all at once? A medley of roast asparagus, sautéed morels, steamed Jersey Royals and wilted spinach topped with a freshly poached egg (or two) is a dish fit for a UK spring king.

FOOD NEWS  |  EASTER WEEKEND

LOOKING BACK  |  VIEWS FROM THE PAST

By Andrew Swift

As lockdown restrictions start to be eased, we can once again start to venture a little further afield, taking a trip perhaps to Burrington Combe, as this band of Bathonians did in the halcyon days before the First World War. These days we’d probably drive or cycle there. Back then, though, a more likely option was joining an excursion organised by the Bath Electric Tramways Company in one of their fleet of country buses. The two buses seen here were Milnes Daimlers, bought by the company in 1905 at a cost of £7,300 each. A good time was doubtless had by all, and to prove it they posed, with a cavalier disregard for health and safety considerations, for this evocative group photograph.

akemanpress.com

THE KIOSK  |  MAGAZINE MOMENTS

Curated by Daniel McCabe – Magalleria

The new The Gentlewoman is hot off the press and already in Bath. Described by the publisher as "a tour de force of womanly power and hotdog heroines", the 23rd issue features Hollywood megastar Scarlett Johansson shot by Inez & Vinoodh and framed in orange on the cover and profiled inside, where you’ll also find interviews with boxer Ramla Ali, ceramicist Akiko Hirari, Stella McCartney and many others. As always it’s packed with opinion, essays and inspirational ideas around food, fashion, literature, lifestyle and business. In the world of independent magazines The Gentlewoman still stands out as one of the most influential and distinctive women’s titles and if you haven’t picked it up before it, maybe start with this one.

£8; magalleria.co.uk

ON THE BOOKSHELF  |  NOVELLAS AND SHORT STORIES

HOMES & GARDENS  |  AWARD-WINNING SPECIALISTS

PROPERTY OF THE WEEK  |  NEW TO THE MARKET

An elegantly proportioned two-bedroom first floor apartment, one of seven in a highly sought-after development located in a leafy residential area close to Bath city centre. This is the last remaining apartment.

7 Norwood Dene is situated on the first floor with the benefit of a lift. This two bedroom apartment has elegantly proportioned accommodation with a large open plan living room/dining room having two sets of doors leading to a private terrace together with a superb kitchen area. The master bedroom has en-suite facilities, full range of fitted wardrobes and there is a further double bedroom with fitted wardrobes and doors leading to a private terrace together. There is also a home/study area and a bathroom fitted with exceptional high specification sanitary ware. 

The apartment benefits from two private balconies together with a tandem parking barn with an external storage area. From Norwood Dene you can also join the circular Bath Skyline walk which guarantees magnificent views down to the picturesque city. It allows you to walk through National Trust land with history from an Iron Age hill fort to 18th century follies and to stroll through peaceful hidden valleys, tranquil woodlands and patchworks of small meadows, all rich in wildlife. Priced at £795,000, this is a very special property and to fully appreciate it a viewing is recommended by the sole agents Cobb Farr.

For more details click here to visit Cobb Farr's website: cobbfarr.com